We take a look at through the Travel Weekly archives in our 50th year to find out what was making the headlines 10, 25 and 45 years ago
2009
• Scottish miniple Barrhead Travel announced plans for new branches in Aberdeen, Inverness and East Kilbride. The then 11-strong chain said it was aggressively recruiting for 50 staff, and would look outside the industry for new recruits.
• Abta hit back at claims agents were ready to quit after 24 members sought applications to take up Worldchoice’s new membership category outside the association. Worldchoice claimed it could save agents £250 a year compared with the cost of Abta membership.
• Tour operator Sun4u decided to defy the recession by opening a travel agency in a coffee shop in Birmingham. It planned a number of stores across the West Midlands.
• Agents were urged to do more to sell UK breaks after VisitBritain revealed only 4% of domestic holidays were booked through an agent in 2007, while Travel Weekly joined forces with The Travel Foundation to discuss how far the industry had come in developing sustainable tourism.
1994
• The Federation of Tour Operators revealed it would challenge the government’s decision to introduce an air passenger duty. This followed plans for taxes of £5 for short-haul flights and £10 for long-haul from November 1. An FTO spokesman said: “If the tax has to be introduced it should only be short-term.”
• Harry Goodman, former chairman of International Leisure Group, made headlines as he sought up to £50 million 
in damages from British Airways – alleging the carrier had caused the demise of his travel empire three years earlier.
• In the analysis section, telesales was named the key growth area for high street retailers as Lunn Poly planned a direct-sell call centre in Coventry to outgrow rival Thomas Cook’s £2 million call centre in Peterborough.
• On the letters page, a team of staff from the multiples hit out at independent agents. “We at the multiples are not ‘brain-dead bimbos’ taking orders. If we are, why are they so worried by us?” the letter read.
1974
• Travel News’ front page carried a rumour that former Global managing director Sydney Perez would become chief executive of Halcyon Holidays, which was operating the former Horizon programme. Meanwhile, George Skelton was widely tipped for re‑election as Abta president.
• Agents and operators reached deadlock in a dispute over commission on fuel surcharges, after most major operators sent out invoices for the summer with fuel surcharges included on a non-commissionable basis.
• A tourism report said would-be US holidaymakers were being put off travel to the UK and Ireland because of increased terrorism, combined with industrial unrest. Experts also warned of cancellations due to increased prices because of fuel surcharges.
• On the back page, it was reported that 15 domestic airlines had won their application to be allowed to charge higher fares due to fuel costs. A typical one-way fare between London and Glasgow, Edinburgh or Belfast increased by £2.55 to £15.20.