Car-hire firms and Italian petrol stations – an unholy alliance

Realistically speaking, we had 54 minutes to drop off the hire car and get to check-in at Pisa airport

Neofile - clubbing in the Maldives

£700 out of pocket on the villa that never was

Lax background checks have highlighted the vulnerability of holidaymakers using online villa-rental sites

Measles risk for Brits in Italy

British children face "a significantly increased risk" of contracting measles in Europe this summer

News in brief - Sunday, July 20

How to haggle for your holiday

What happens when you ask for a discount on your dream holiday? Mark Hodson found out

My hols: Oliver Chris

After I got my first acting job and proper salary, I canvassed friends for advice on the best place to go on holiday

Readers' rants

How can Flybe justify £11.96 for one credit-card transaction?

10 last-minute family holidays

Posh camping in France from £566 for ten nights, Florida theme parks for £999, Egypt for £729 and more travel deals

Ryanair makes huge cuts and suspends operations

Number of weekly flights from Stansted airport will fall by 14%, which the budget airline blames on rising fuel costs

Now suitcases face a 'green tax'

A leading tour operator is considering charging holidaymakers to take large suitcases on holiday

The holiday that relieves constipation

Russia's enema town, Alan Carr's suitcase and more travel news in brief

Zeppelins fly over London

Flying over the capital this summer - Paul Croughton of The Sunday Times takes off for a bird's eye view

Late travel deals: July 16

Three nights in Center Parcs from £499; a break on the Yorkshire moors, £180 and more last minute deals

Spiralling fuel costs force BA to raise fares

British Airways likely to increase fares despite fears that higher prices could stifle demand in tough economic times

The not-so-great British summer is back

First indication that there will be a long wait for sunshine comes on St Swithin’s Day, with a bit of everything forecast

Thai Paduang women kidnapped for ‘human zoos’

A group of "long-necked" tribeswomen missing from their homes in northern Thailand were probably kidnapped to be sold to tourist attractions

Locals demand closure of Scottish ‘nuclear beach’

A Scottish beach contaminated by nuclear waste is a "radioactive minefield" that should be closed immediately, say worried locals

A new award for the best travel book

This year’s shortlist for the £1,000 Dolman best travel book award shows just how strong and varied travel writing can be

My hols: Steven Mackintosh

He’s a bad boy in Greece, a surfer boy in America – but Budapest beats the lot for the actor