Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy the PC Agency, is back to talk about travel in 2026.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 Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy the PC Agency, flies more than anyone else I know. So in the first half of a two-part interview, I’m talking to him about the best and worst of aviation in 2025.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.

For people living in the UK without a car, Christmas Day has long been a problem. No trains are running, and in most areas local buses remain in the depot too – leaving car-less people dependent on friends, family or taxis to get around. But this 25 December things are getting better, according to Graham Vidler, CEO of the Confederation of Passenger Transport.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 Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, used to run Gatwick airport. In the third and final part of our conversation, the boss of the world's busiest international airport offers advice on expansion at both Heathrow and Gatwick. "The boost that will give to the economy, the advantages it will drive for trade for the UK are all desperately needed. Make the decision, stick to it,"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.

In the second part of my exclusive conversation with Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, we gaze deep into the future of aviation. Not only does Dubai International expect to be the first airport in the world to handle 100 million international passengers – along the road, Dubai World Central airport is planned to outpace the DXB and the rest of the world.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.