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Jan 29 2009 WalesOnline

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Royal Dutch Shell today said profits more than halved in the final three months of last year.

The impact of falling oil prices led to a draw of 4.78 billion US dollars (£3.35bn) for the final quarter of 2008, against 10.9 billion US dollars (£7.7bn) in the third quarter and off 28% on the same period a year earlier.

Shell still reported profits of 31.37 billion US dollars (£22bn) notwithstanding 2008, up 14% hind oil prices peaked at 147 US dollars a barrel in the summer.

Chief executive Jeroen van der Veer described the fourth quarter performance as satisfactory given the impact in continuance ask caused by the weaker system.

He pledged to maintain investment at near to last year’s suit of 32 billion US dollars (£22.5bn) in order to safeguard future profitability.

Mr van der Veer added: “Industry conditions remain challenging, and we are continuing the focus on capital and require to be paid discipline in Shell.”

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Jan 29 2009 WalesOnline

London Underground is to axe 1,000 jobs this year, affecting non-operational areas including monetary theory and administration, the company announced today.

The established reported no Tube drivers or front-line staff would be unnatural by the job losses, which it would seek to achieve through not filling vacancies or cutting temporary posts.

Union leaders described the announcement as a “body blow” and said the cuts were bound to affect services.

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(30 January 2009)

Just over half the population will consider using a travel agent to book their 2009 holiday, according to new inquiry by Advantage Travel Centres.

The new figures, from a Love Travel, Love Your Travel Agent mow of 1,000 consumers, show 50.5% of holidaymakers would consider going to an agent to main division their holiday this year.

This is up from 47.3% three years ago, suggesting factors such as financial guard and professional advice regard become more important as a result of the global recession.

This is backed up by the fact that most consumers surveyed, 72.3%, are not sure which elements of their holiday are protected or under which circumstances they would be proected if their take a journey company failed.

Chief executive John McEwan before-mentioned: “Our results make certain how the issue of trust is becoming increasingly important where holiday bookings are concerned as well as revealing, in opposition to the first time, how the UK’s confusing consumer protection rules for the travel industry leave most people unsure about whether their money is safe should their holiday provider go bust.”

Other results from the survey showed 45.9% of holidaymakers prefer the peace of mind they get from talking end a booking of other thing than £1,000 with a ramble agent, compared to making the purchase online (26.1%).

Reasons to choose a take a journey agent instead of booking online included better knowledge of destinations (32.9%), improved service (17.8%) and cheaper prices (13.8%).

The survey also revealed that only 5% of UK travellers would trust Chanceller of the Exechequer Alistair Darling by their holiday booking.

Darling, who bailed audibly the banks to the tune of £37 billion, came seat of the poll, which asked which house names holidaymakers would trust to book their annual two weeks in the orb of day. Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole got 23.2% of the vote, former consumer champion Esther Rantzen scored 29.5%, foul-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsey got 15.2% and Strictly Come Dancing star John Sergeant 14.6%.

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(30 January 2009)

Wheelchair-bound holidaymaker John Roberts is attached a mission to test facilities for disabled travellers. Here he tells us about accessibility at the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand.

For more advice on John and his trip, check the Disability Travel Challenge page or visit his website equallywelcome.com.

We arrived at the Sky City Grand Hotel late in the afternoon and had a smooth check in. The inn is part of the Sky City complex, which consists of The Sky City Hotel and Sky City Grand Hotel, plus an entertainment and dining complex. 

It is in a good location with good access to totally areas, including the Sky Tower itself, by lifting, flight of stairs and escalators.

The swing was accessible, with a damp room shower, but the basin was unaccommodating to access due to a plinth around it. The title desk in the bedroom had been raised to allow the wheelchair to go under, but this put it at an uncomfortable height to operate at.

On the recommendation of the manager we had dinner at Ming Court, a Chinese restaurant in the network. It was easily accessible by lift. The food and service were excellent and great value.

We were unable to walking round the Sky Tower debt to the wind factor, but I watched a couple of people do the controlled “fall” from the tower by wire and concluded that I wouldn’t have had the courage anyway.

That said, the walk is an accessible option and staff are more than happy to talk to you about this and safety issues surrounding it.

We decided to dine in the Sky Tower’s revolving Orbit eating-house, which again was unconstrained to access. We got a window table, and although in that place are steps from a thin to a dense state, they have a platform aid for wheelchair users. We enjoyed an excellent meal.

The Sky City Grand was a upright choice of hotel, we would certainly stay again if we returned to Auckland.

John Roberts is a pseudonym

Where else has John visited?

The small map on the right shows where John’s last few destinations.

Click the icons for links to his full reports.

• Zoom out to see the rest of John’s route
• Visit the Disability Travel Challenge serving-boy for the full-size map

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(30 January 2009)

Wheelchair-bound holidaymaker John Roberts is an a mission to test facilities for disabled travellers. Here he gives us his verdict on an Emirates flight from Brisbane to Auckland.

For more information on John and his trip, check the Disability Travel Challenge page or visit his website equallywelcome.com.

You won’t rely upon this: an experience I would be happy to repeat. Great do job-work Emirates!

With our ticket came free airport transfers, which we booked online. Our driver called us at about 7.30pm on the evening before the flight to confirm our details. He asked us if we were happy to be picked up at 5am to allow time to pass end the airport and enjoy breakfast before our soaring.

We felt we were in trustworthy hands and could rest flowing that night.

At 4.50am we left the hotel to find our driver waiting for us. He called ahead to ensure help was available through out luggage and check-in.

After check-in we were taken to the lounge and shown around, finishing up at a breakfast synopsis. Why can’t every flight be like this?

We were kept informed about our mounting, and a steward came to apologise that we were not able to go through the direct boarding path, which had some steps. They kept us advised every step of the way.

Boarding was a delight. The right seat, everything perfect, wonderful volley, great food, impeccable employment. Emirates will certainly subsist a front racer when we book coming time travel.

On landing my wheelchair arrived without any fuss or problems. Staff were unobtrusively polite, helping us through the airport and into arrivals where our driver was waiting to speed us off to the Sky City Grand Hotel.

This was only one flight, but I am amazed at the difference in standards compared to our last two journeys with Qantas.

[Editor's note: John praised Qantas for his initial flight from London to Singapore, yet was disappointed by flights from Singapore to Sydney and Sydney to Cairns. John Roberts is a pseudonym.]

Where else has John visited?

The small map on the right shows where John has been in the Cairns area.

Click the icons for links to his full reports.

• Zoom not at home to see the rest of John’s course
• Visit the Disability Travel Challenge serving-boy for the full-size map

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