September 2010

The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee postponed an eagerly awaited vote on lifting the ban on travel to Cuba. Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-Calif.) said lawmakers had too busy a schedule to allow a debate and vote on the Cuba measure. Those supporting the lifting of the ban had hoped the bill would at least get out of the committee to the full House of Representatives before midterm elections in November, in which the Democrats might loose their majority in the House.

O'Carroll v Ryanair, Sheriff Court, 2008

R appealed against a decision of the Sheriff Court to award damages against it for "stress, inconvenience, frustration and disruption" to their holiday as a result of delayed baggage. The appeal was to the Sheriff Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands at Aberdeen. The pursuer represented himself and his wife in the Small Claims procedure in the Sheriff Court but also in the appeal before the Sheriff Principal and was commended by the latter in how he conducted his case.

Plaintiff, during the process of embarkation for a Jetstar flight from Brisbane to Adelaide, was directed to descend a flight of stairs within the terminal to access the tarmac for boarding. Having descended the stairs, he was unable to find an open door giving access to the tarmac and therefore began to ascend the stairs to ask Jetstar’s staff which way he should go. At the same time, a number of other passengers were descending the stairs and offered to show palintiff the way. Plaintiff turned, lost his footing and fell to the foot of the stairs, injuring himself.

Demographic change will have major implications for the tourism sector over the coming decades, but also presents important opportunities. This is among the central findings of the recently published UNWTO/European Travel Commission (ETC) report on ‘Demographic Change and Tourism’.