Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

I am at Gatwick airport, busy as always, but keeping tabs on the unfolding disruption in the Middle East. British Airways has cancelled a series of flights to and from Dubai and Doha.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am talking to my excellent colleague, Natalie Wilson, about how much time people should allow to reach and get through the airport. It follows a social media trend about "airport theory" in the US.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Ludlow, president of Carnival UK – which includes P&O Cruises and Cunard – says cruise is a benefit to all.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm talking to Powell Ettinger, founder and director of the Small Cruise Ship Collection – covering vessels from eight to 250 people. Most carry 40-100 passengers. River cruising on one of these vessels has many advantagesThis podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Escalating tensions in the Middle East are causing significant airspace closures, which are forcing airlines to reroute flights and increasing travel times. Travelers may face extended delays, especially on connecting flights from the UK. The discussion also touches on how geopolitical situations, like new restrictions over Russia, are impacting flights to popular destinations such as Greece and Turkey. Understanding your rights as a traveler during these disruptions is a key focus, ensuring you stay informed and prepared.

Norway has strict new rules in place to protect polar bears in Svalbard (Spitzbergen) from encroachment by tourists. The government in Oslo says: "It is important for them to be able to search for food, hunt, rest, and take care of their cubs without interference from humans." But my guest today, expedition leader and photographer Paul Goldstein, says the rules go too far.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24 hours after the heartbreaking loss of Air India flight AI171, my reflections on the tragedy and what investigators will be looking for.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am in Palma, where I met up with an English chef who has made a name for himself – and his restaurant. Marc Fosh talks about Mallorca as an island of plenty, with all the ingredients for a feast – including outstanding wine.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m on something of a personal campaign to persuade more people to add a day or two to their trip to visit one of my favourite Portuguese locations – Cascais, the port planted elegantly on the shoreline west of the capital, Lisbon, on what’s known as the Portuguese Riviera. It was settled in turn by Romans, Visigoths and Moors and today the centre of Cascais is an intriguing combination of sun-worn houses, cafés shops and smart hotels – including the Farol, whose sales director is Teresa Saramago.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eurostar promises a new Golden Age of rail with new direct links from London to Frankfurt and Geneva, as I've been hearing from the cross-Channel train operator's chief executive, Gwendoline Casenave.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.