I do not think we will ever see a time where there is not enough travel consumer news for me to write about. This afternoon I went through this years posts and highlight what I feel are the big consumer stories to hit the news in 2008.

XL third largest tour operator in administration

I remember this day well, it was 6am, and the day before my holiday to Turkey. I was watching the BBC Breakfast news when the story came on, and I dashed on to the laptop, and wrote about it. The story generated over 10,000 views, and tons of comments, so it was great timing.

This really highlighted that consumer protection needs improving with so many stories of stranded holidaymakers, home and abroad. Consumers who thought that they had booked a secure package holiday, had in fact not.

Heathrow T5 opening day chaos

Probably one of the most blogged and reported news stories of the year. The massive cock-up by British Airways meant that flights were cancelled or delayed. The opening of the state of the art, Heathrow Terminal 5 was so badly organised, staff were left to struggle, untrained.

First regular A380 flights begin to Europe

I remember watching a video on You Tube of the Airbus A380 in testing, and I thought, how can that thing fly. It is huge, will seat more passengers, be more comfortable, but, in my opinion it is not as revolutionary as the journalists and reporters made it to be. What we are really striving towards, is an airplane that can fly faster, and is more environmentally friendly.

EU law forces airports to assist travellers with disabilities

The news of a new EU law, which forces airports to assist travellers with disabilities, was good news. It needed someone to be made responsible for making sure that travellers are assisted. It annoyed me that it takes a law for this to happen though.

Zoom airlines crashes out

This piece of consumer news surprised me the most because only a few days before I had been searching their website for flights from the UK to Canada. I know people who have flown with Zoom and only had good things to say about them. Massive loss for links between the UK and Canada.

My favourite piece of news

Obviously, the biggest piece of news for me this year was to find myself winner of the Travolution Awards, for best travel consumer blog, and winning ahead of the likes of Viator and Travel Mail. What ever happens in 2009 that will be one of my biggest achievements.

What stories do you think I have missed writing about?

• EU law forces airports to assist travellers with disabilities
• Zoom airlines another casualty of the economic climate
• Share your worst airline flight delays
• Asia Earthquake 30,000 potential deaths
• Bomb threat foiled at UK airports

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