Flybe, the UK’s biggest domestic airline and one of Europe’s largest regional airlines, has stepped into the breach again; increasing capacity on its services to assist stranded Eurostar passengers over Christmas.

Flybe have laid on larger aircraft from both Birmingham and Southampton to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport for the next four days in the run up to the holidays.

Commenting on the increased capacity, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer Mike Rutter said: “Flybe understands how important it is to get travellers to their destination over Christmas. We pride ourselves on being able to respond when the chips are down. We did so when the Channel Tunnel was closed by fire last year and we’re proud to be doing so again after Eurostar’s condensation problems. There are a limited number of extra tickets available and to avoid further disappointment; I would advise passengers to book as soon as possible on www.flybe.com

· CLIMATE CHAMPIONS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TO START THEIR JOURNEY FROM London

· UIC TRAIN TO COPENHAGEN TO SHOWCASE SUSTAINABLE RAIL TRAVEL

Eurostar, the high-speed provider of carbon neutral journeys between the UK and the continent, will on Friday 4 December take environmental campaigners, delegates and environmental journalists to Brussels to meet the UIC ‘Climate Express’ train to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen (COP 15).

The journey will begin at London St Pancras International, where there will be an official send off with dancers from India and a brass quintet from the Royal College of Music.

The group will then travel on to Brussels where they will meet up with around 400 fellow travellers from across Europe, to continue their journey on the Climate Express the morning of Saturday 5 December.

Richard Brown, CEO of Eurostar who is also joining the UIC train to Copenhagen said:

“The journey to Copenhagen will be a crucial part of the build-up to COP15. Travellers will have the opportunity to take part in an ‘on-track’ conference focussing on the rail industry’s role in tackling climate change. It is great that the Climate Express offers the opportunity for conversation and debate, before it reaches Copenhagen and in advance of the arrival any World Leaders. ”

Also travelling with Richard Brown will be a group of 25 young people from the British Councils’ ‘Climate Champions’ programme. Selected from 3000 members, the group will have the chance to meet their official delegations at COP 15 itself and call for an ambitious and binding international agreement to reduce carbon emission at COP 15.

Head of the British Council Climate Change programme, Dr David Viner said:

“This conference is a crucial milestone in the global effort to reduce the rapid rate of climate change. There is an imperative to act now as it is this and future generations who will inherit the legacy and the full impact of global climate change that we are witnessing today. That is why the British Council is working to support young people to lead by example and make a real difference at a local level. Copenhagen is now an opportunity for our Climate Champions to take their message to the heart of the debate and make their voices heard at the top table. I am delighted that these passionate and committed young people are having the chance to make their voice heard on their journey to Copenhagen.”

As a company, Eurostar promotes the sustainability of high speed rail through its Tread Lightly plan which has the aim of reducing the rail provider’s actual CO2 emissions by 35% by 2012. The initiative is supported through a partnership with Friends of the Earth. The green campaign group has rallied 250 campaigners who will travel to Copenhagen with Eurostar on Friday 11 December. The campaign will flood the streets with people – calling for a strong and fair agreement to tackle climate change.

EUROSTAR PRESS PHOTOCALL NOTICE

What:

A UK send off for travellers joining the UIC ‘Climate Express’ from Brussels to COP 15 in Copenhagen. There will be an opportunity for interviews and photographs on the platforms at St Pancras International.

Interviews:

The British Council ‘Climate Champions’, Richard Brown, CEO of Eurostar and International Climate Campaigner from Friends of the Earth, Tom Picken.

When: Friday 4 December, 16h15 (The group will leave on Eurostar for Brussels at 1727).

Where:

Report to the Eurostar Group Welcome Desk, opposite check-in at St Pancras International station.

Members of the media who are not travelling will need to pre-register with the Eurostar Press Office on Tel: ++ 44 (0) 20 7843 5400 or on press.office@eurostar.co.uk.

Media will need to have passports for ID purposes. TV crews please note that boom microphones are not permitted on

platforms at St Pancras International

Note to editors:

1. Since Eurostar returned to full service in February 2009, punctuality levels have remained high with 95% of trains arriving on time.

2. Eurostar provides high-speed rail journeys between St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

3. Eurostar connects with domestic services in the UK and provides onward connections to destinations across mainland Europe. Travellers can buy connecting fares to the Continent from more than 200 stations with return fares from £63, including brighton from £71 and Edinburgh from £92.

4. Under its Tread Lightly environmental plan, Eurostar has set a target of reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 35% per traveller journey by 2012. Because emissions cannot yet be eliminated, Eurostar is also the world’s first train operator to make all journeys carbon neutral, at no extra cost to travellers.

5. Eurostar and Friends of the Earth are working together in the UK on Eurostar’s Tread Lightly initiative and Friends of the Earth’s climate campaign. To find out more about Friends of the Earth visit www.friendsoftheearth.co.uk.

6. Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.

7. Eurostar is an entirely separate business from Eurotunnel. Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains, whilst Eurotunnel operates vehicle shuttle services and the Channel Tunnel itself. Eurostar is Eurotunnel’s biggest customer.

8. To book tickets or for more travel information, please visit www.eurostar.com

or call 08705 186 186.

*Ticket sales up 6.8% in Q3 2009 compared to Q3 2008*

Signs of an upturn in business travel market

Eurostar, the provider of high-speed, carbon neutral rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, today announced its Quarter 3 2009 results which report some recovery in sales.

Whilst sales and revenues for the year to date are down slightly and the business travel environment remains challenging, overall sales revenue in Q3 2009 is up 6.8% on the same period last year.

This uplift is due to the impact of the fire on a shuttle in the Channel Tunnel in September last year which depressed the Q3 2008 results, helped by growth in the leisure market and a bottoming-out in the decline of business sales.

Overall ticket sales between January and September 2009 totalled £504.9 million and since the beginning of the year Eurostar has welcomed 6.9 million travellers.

Whilst this is down 0.9% on 2008, the volume of passengers travelling in Q3 2009 went up to 2.6 million from 2.4 million 2008. This sees an 11% increase in passengers travelling outbound from the UK and a 7% increase of passengers travelling inbound from the Continent year on year.

The increase reflects the success of the ‘Little Break, Big Difference’ advertising campaign which has encouraged UK travellers to treat themselves for as little as the £59 return fare – Eurostar’s lead in fare which has stayed the same for the last six years.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said:

“Today’s figures show that despite tough times, people are increasingly realising the great benefit of travelling with Eurostar.

“These individuals are part of what we call the ‘Eurostar Generation’; travellers who over the past decade and a half have experienced significant changes to the way they live, work and play as the network of high-speed rail services steadily grows.”

Brown also said that whilst the economic climate remains difficult there are signs that the worst might be over for the business market:

“In recent weeks a number of our major corporate clients have eased their business travel restrictions.

Although it is early days, this may be a sign of an upturn.”

*Ticket sales up 6.8% in Q3 2009 compared to Q3 2008*

Signs of an upturn in business travel market

Eurostar, the provider of high-speed, carbon neutral rail journeys between the UK and the Continent, today announced its Quarter 3 2009 results which report some recovery in sales.

Whilst sales and revenues for the year to date are down slightly and the business travel environment remains challenging, overall sales revenue in Q3 2009 is up 6.8% on the same period last year.

This uplift is due to the impact of the fire on a shuttle in the Channel Tunnel in September last year which depressed the Q3 2008 results, helped by growth in the leisure market and a bottoming-out in the decline of business sales.

Overall ticket sales between January and September 2009 totalled £504.9 million and since the beginning of the year Eurostar has welcomed 6.9 million travellers.

Whilst this is down 0.9% on 2008, the volume of passengers travelling in Q3 2009 went up to 2.6 million from 2.4 million 2008. This sees an 11% increase in passengers travelling outbound from the UK and a 7% increase of passengers travelling inbound from the Continent year on year.

The increase reflects the success of the ‘Little Break, Big Difference’ advertising campaign which has encouraged UK travellers to treat themselves for as little as the £59 return fare – Eurostar’s lead in fare which has stayed the same for the last six years.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said:

“Today’s figures show that despite tough times, people are increasingly realising the great benefit of travelling with Eurostar.

“These individuals are part of what we call the ‘Eurostar Generation’; travellers who over the past decade and a half have experienced significant changes to the way they live, work and play as the network of high-speed rail services steadily grows.”

Brown also said that whilst the economic climate remains difficult there are signs that the worst might be over for the business market:

“In recent weeks a number of our major corporate clients have eased their business travel restrictions.

Although it is early days, this may be a sign of an upturn.”