Something To Declare: Destination of the week - Fly from London City to the world

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Destination of the week:

Destination of the week:

Fly from London City to the world

Fifteen days from now, the number of airlines using the Docklands airport will increase by two. British Airways (0845 77 333 77, www.ba.com) is returning to London City with three flights each working day to Glasgow, Paris and Frankfurt. And Virgin Express (0800 891199, www.virgin-express.com) is taking an allocation of seats on the VLM flights from London City to Brussels. Return flights for travel in early April are widely available for £82, if you avoid the peak morning and evening departures. Besides cheap seats to Brussels, Virgin Express will offer connecting flights to its European network.

Warning of the week: "bird flu" in the Orient?

The Canadian government is warning travellers to Hong Kong about the possible re-emergence of Influenza A (H5N1). This virus is commonly referred to as the "bird flu"; until 1997 it was seen only in birds, including chickens and ducks. In 1997, an outbreak of 18 human cases and six deaths in Hong Kong led to a mass slaughter of chickens. No further human cases of the virus had been reported until now, but two cases – including a 33-year-old man who has died – have been confirmed. "Travellers to Hong Kong and China should avoid unnecessary contact with live poultry," says Health Canada.

Bargain of the week: set sail before the end of March

"Distressed inventory" – ie capacity that has to be sold at any price – is not the sole preserve of the airlines. The cross-Channel operators are hurting, too, as witnessed by the extremely low fares available this spring.

P&O Ferries (08705 20 20 20, www.poferries.com) is selling almost its entire range of services, between now and 31 March, for a pittance. The lowest fare is on the premier cross-channel route of Dover-Calais: £8 for an afternoon trip to France and back, covering a car and five passengers. For this ticket, you must book online by midnight tonight.

All three destinations from Portsmouth are on special offer. To Cherbourg or Le Havre, a 12-hour day-trip for a car plus five costs £25. To Bilbao in northern Spain, the fare is £38 per person for a short break that includes three nights in a cabin.

From Hull, the outstanding P&O bargain is a trip for a car plus two people: a trip to Zeebrugge for £53, giving a full day ashore, and including a cabin on the overnight sailing each way. Note that for all these deals, the lowest price is available online.

Between Folkestone and Calais, the fares on Eurotunnel (08705 35 35 35, www.eurotunnel.com) are not quite so low, but they are available on a longer timescale. A three-day return fare of £57, called a Short Stay Saver, covers a car and up to nine passengers. Before 5 April, the two nights spent on the Continent must include a Saturday; after 7 April, that rule changes completely: the deal is available for travel only from Monday to Thursday, until 1 May.