The Travel Expert with Simon Calder

This week, as British airports prepare to introduce "contactless borders" with facial recognition at e-gates, Simon Calder and Greg Dickinson discuss whether passport checks are finally becoming a thing of the past and how the new technology will work.

Plus, following the British Museum's decision to ban cameras for the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, the duo explores why tourist attractions are cracking down on photography and how snapping photos impacts our travel experiences.
We're also joined by loyalty guru Rob Burgess, founder of Head for Points, to dive into the dark art of airline loyalty schemes and whether earning and burning is still worth your time.

And finally, answering your travel questions, Simon and Greg share recommendations on whether to fly or take the ferry to the Isle of Man and look into China visa rules for 2027.

Send your questions to thetravelexpert@telegraph.co.uk.

Let The Telegraph Travel newsletter from Simon Calder be your guide to inspiring destinations at home and around the globe. Every week, Simon and our team of experts will send you the latest news, features, opinion and advice. Sign up here.

Video Producer: Carla Mercer
Producer: Georgia Coan
Commissioning Editor: Louisa Wells
Head of Travel: Ben Ross
Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

Highlights:
Are contactless facial recognition borders the future of UK airports?
Why the British Museum has banned cameras for the Bayeux Tapestry
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, following a terrifying 14,000 ft drop in altitude and a violent cockpit altercation on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv where a pilot was stabbed, Simon Calder and Greg Dickinson discuss airline safety, pilot security, and whether passengers should be worried.

Plus, as strikes and engineering works converge across the network, the duo dives into the looming winter of discontent for rail travellers, and explores the curious German offshore island of Heligoland, which is fighting back against mass tourism.

And finally, in a bumper edition of your travel questions, Simon and Greg share top tips for taking a 14-year-old to Paris for the October half-term, advise on using a UK Blue Badge for parking in Florida, offer guidance on claiming a hire car refund after a delayed flight to Palma and suggest unusual things to do and visit in London.

Send your questions to thetravelexpert@telegraph.co.uk.

Let The Telegraph Travel newsletter from Simon Calder be your guide to inspiring destinations at home and around the globe. Every week, Simon and our team of experts will send you the latest news, features, opinion and advice. Sign up here.

Video Producer: Carla Mercer
Producer: Georgia Coan
Executive Producer: Louisa Wells
Head of Travel: Ben Ross
Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

Highlights:
Should passengers worry about airline safety?
Winter of discontent: Strikes and engineering works hit rail travellers
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, as air traffic control meltdowns and NATS software defects continue to make headlines, Simon Calder and Greg Dickinson discuss whether ongoing aviation chaos is becoming the new normal.

Greg also reports back from watching robots park cars at Gatwick Airport, while Michael O'Leary warns that cheap flights are up by 14% as airlines cut back schedules.

Plus, we are joined by fellow travel expert Rachel O'Reilly for a winter sun special comparing the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean, exploring closer-to-home escapes like the Canaries.

And finally, the team answers your travel questions. Simon and Greg offer advice on car rental for older travellers with Europcar and Zipcar, and recommend the wild landscapes of the Southern Carpathians as an alternative hiking holiday to Everest base camp.

Send your questions to thetravelexpert@telegraph.co.uk.

Let The Telegraph Travel newsletter from Simon Calder be your guide to inspiring destinations at home and around the globe. Every week, Simon and our team of experts will send you the latest news, features, opinion and advice. Sign up here.

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Producer: Georgia Coan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Head of Travel: Ben Ross

Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

Highlights:
Air traffic control meltdowns: Is aviation chaos the new normal?
Winter sun special: Caribbean vs Indian Ocean with Rachel O’Reilly
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Simon Calder and Greg Dickinson are joined by the legendary Sir Michael Palin to discuss his latest adventures in the Philippines, his close encounter with the Chinese coastguard in the South China Sea, and his memorable, last-minute meeting with President Bongbong Marcos.

From his iconic journeys in Around the World in 80 Days to his favourite Python-era travel tales, Michael reflects on a lifetime of exploration, the realities of roughing it off the beaten track, and how travel has changed in a hyper-connected world.

Plus, the team explores his career as a trailblazing presenter, his routine as a committed diarist, and his happy places in the UK and beyond.

Send your questions to thetravelexpert@telegraph.co.uk.

Let The Telegraph Travel newsletter from Simon Calder be your guide to inspiring destinations at home and around the globe. Every week, Simon and our team of experts will send you the latest news, features, opinion and advice. Sign up here.

Video Producer: Carla Mercer
Producer: Georgia Coan
Executive Producer: Louisa Wells
Head of Travel: Ben Ross
Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

Highlights:
Python to the Philippines: Michael Palin on a lifetime of trailblazing travel
Overtourism & extreme travel: Is there pressure to go further off the beaten track?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week as a catastrophic air traffic control meltdown disrupted 300,000 travel plans, Simon Calder and Greg Dickinson discuss whether regular aviation chaos is the new normal. Greg takes us behind the scenes to the highly secure NATS headquarters, and Simon proposes an ingenious camp-bed solution to rescue stranded passengers.

Plus, 25 years on from the tragic events of 9/11, we reflect on how that day permanently reshaped aviation and airport security. From the introduction of liquid rules and reinforced cockpit doors to the surprising rise of Ryanair in the aftermath, we discuss the legacy of these changes and look ahead to the future of biometrics and relaxed rules at the gate.

And finally the team answers your travel questions. This week one listener is on the hunt for an accessibility-friendly summer birthday destination in Portugal next year, and Greg and Simon share their top three South American countries to visit.

Send your questions to thetravelexpert@telegraph.co.uk.

Let The Telegraph Travel newsletter from Simon Calder be your guide to inspiring destinations at home and around the globe. Every week, Simon and our team of experts will send you the latest news, features, opinion and advice. Sign up here.

Video Producer: Carla Mercer
Executive Producer: Louisa Wells
Head of Travel: Ben Ross
Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

Highlights:
Air traffic chaos: Is it time to get used to regular ATC meltdowns?
25 years since 9/11: How the tragedy reshaped travel and what the future holds for airport security

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.