Got any recommendations for my first trip to Poland?

Q You often mention Poland when you are discussing new destinations. It’s not a country that I have visited. Where do you recommend I should dip a toe in the water for a three-day break?

Mary F

A There are many possible answers to your question. But let me narrow it down to a choice of three cities: the capital, Warsaw; ever-radiant and fascinating Krakow; and Gdansk. I love them all – but in the hope of persuading you that Poland is well worth repeat visits, I recommend Gdansk. It is a handsome city with impressive architecture – not to mention dozens of great places to eat, drink and stay.

Yet, it is also profoundly important for the history of Poland: partly because the opening shots of the Second World War were fired here, but also due to the Lenin Shipyard – where the Solidarity movement began the move to freedom in 1980. Today the European Solidarity Center, on the site of the shipyard, is one of the greatest cultural sites in eastern Europe, telling the story of how humanity prevailed over brute force.

Add in the appeal of Poland’s finest seaside resort, Sopot, just a few minutes away by train, and I hope it is the beginning of a long and happy relationship with this beautiful, friendly and affordable country. Your question spurred me to look back. I was surprised to recall that I first went there almost 40 years ago, during the communist era. I have returned at least a dozen times since then: most recently, this summer when I followed the course of the Oder river north to the Baltic. And I shall be back in December for the Christmas market in Krakow. Perhaps I will see you there.

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Q We have an early morning flight from London Gatwick and are staying overnight at one of the airport hotels. We plan to use “twilight check in” – but it feels a bit risky. Do you recommend the service?

Maxine L

A In a week when the scale of baggage misrouting has been much discussed, I must first recommend, if at all possible, that you travel only with cabin baggage. On British Airways, for example, you are allowed two pieces of hand luggage: a relatively compact backpack as well as a fairly chunky wheel-along case, each with a weight limit of 23kg.

But many travellers have no choice – such is the scale of their baggage (or the meagre allowance of their airline) – but to consign their possessions to the tender care of the ground handlers. If you are in this position, checking in the evening before is an excellent idea. You hand over your cases and pick up boarding passes (unless you already have them from checking in online). Airlines like the idea of twilight check-in because it eases the pressure on their airport counters in the early morning. Demands for on-ground staff in the early evening are normally light, too, so there is some spare effort available.

From your point of view, it removes a key point of stress: uncertainty about how long to allow for checking in bags. With your luggage safely stored overnight, you need only your boarding pass to get “airside” through security and to the departure gate. That looks to me like at least an extra hour’s sleep in your airport hotel. All in all, a much calmer experience that will get your holiday off to a happier start.

Risky? Well, there is always a chance your baggage will be misrouted, but I think with plenty of time and less pressure on the system, the chances of your luggage accompanying you on the flight are actually higher. Night-before check-in is by no means commonplace: it varies from one airline/airport combination to another. And of course, it only suits people who are staying in airport hotels or live very close by. But once you try it, you’ll be a convert.

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Q I am looking for a cheap one-way flight from London to Sydney, Australia, for early September. Looking on Skyscanner the best deals are all on Chinese airlines. Have you had any experience of them and do you recommend them?

Mike H

A I have checked a sample of flights on Monday 4 September, and easily the cheapest tickets are on China Southern via Guangzhou and China Eastern via Shanghai. Over the years I have flown on a wide range of Chinese airlines and find them just fine. Operationally they seem competent, and China Southern – offering the lowest fare, around £700 one way – flies the best possible aircraft: Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s. On board, the service is perfectly adequate. You can expect a decent meal or two, perhaps with limited choice, and a reasonable choice of drinks.

Anyone who yearns for cutting-edge inflight entertainment or outstanding customer service should probably opt for Cathay Pacific, Emirates or Singapore Airlines. But if price is your most important consideration, go ahead – though check any lingering Covid-19 rules before you buy. The People’s Republic has kept testing in place far longer than any other major country.

Another issue I should mention is that Chinese airlines overfly Russia between the UK and their bases. This is in no sense dangerous, but you may have qualms about some of your fare going to the Russian government in the form of air navigation fees. Some people, however, will see this as an advantage: the overall flying time is reduced by a good couple of hours due to the shorter journey.

Ideally, you should see flying a Chinese airline as an opportunity to get a glimpse of the People’s Republic. If pre-pandemic policies come back, the authorities at each hub will allow passengers to spend up to five days in transit – to explore the city and beyond.

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Q British Airways cancelled my flights from Naples to Jersey via London Heathrow to Jersey on Friday with just 10 hours’ notice. The next available BA flights are on Monday. Can we simply extend our stay here on the island of Ischia and claim it back from the airline? Also, are we due compensation?

James P

A Sorry to hear about your predicament. British Airways has been cancelling flights in their dozens today, and anything involving a connection at London is particularly vulnerable: with around one in 10 BA short-haul departures to and from Heathrow grounded on Friday, your chance of a short-haul connection going awry increased to 19 per cent (trust me on the maths).

Under European air passengers’ rights rules, British Airways has a duty to get you back to Jersey as soon as possible – assuming that is what you would like to happen. Options for Saturday include easyJet or Wizz Air from Naples to Gatwick followed by an onward easyJet flight. If that option is sold out because of the inevitable extra demand due to the BA cancellation, you could take easyJet from Naples to Birmingham and connect to Loganair to Jersey.

However, if you have no pressing commitments in Jersey and are flexible about your return date, you could instead enjoy an extended southern Italian holiday at the expense of British Airways. If you are content to be flown home on the first available BA flight, on Monday 28 August, then you can expect the airline to pay for your extra stay. British Airways is supposed to arrange this for you, but with widespread disruption the airline may ask you to make your own arrangements.

This should not be unreasonably expensive: if you have been staying at a five-star palace for £500 a night, British Airways can expect you to trade down to a three-star budget hotel at less than half the price, if space is available. If budget beds simply can't be found, keep proof in the form of screenshots as to why you couldn't find a cheaper room. Meals should not be extravagant, and no alcohol can be charged.

The question of cash compensation is trickier: to avoid paying out the £350 stipulated for a delay in arrival of three hours or more, British Airways must demonstrate that the cancellation was due to “extraordinary circumstances”. Many airlines blame some combination of air-traffic control delays and adverse weather (both of which have been bad this summer). You are entitled to ask for documentary evidence from BA to justify its refusal.

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