Travel News

If you work in an office where the forwarded email rules supreme, then you have no doubt received the British Airways free flight email. So far, I have received it from Australia, the U.S, England and Ireland. If you haven't received it, this is what is looks like:

Subject: FREE flight

I thought this was bollocks, but they got back to me within a week!!!!!!!!

I contacted the London BA office - THIS IS REAL!!!!!!

Due to the SARS and the recent war in Iraq, the number of passengers flying world-wide has fallen dramatically. We at British Airways have launched an international media campaign which aims to fill our aircraft once again. A part of this campaign is direct email advertising.

This is where YOU come in!

British Airways, along with Microsoft are tracking this email, and for every 5 people you forward this to, you will receive a flight to London return from any destination in the world (if your in the UK, you can fly to any Asian destination return). Send this email to 10 people and you are eligible to fly ANYWHERE in the world return to your depature point!

Simple as that!

However, that only catch is you MUST travel BEFORE 31st October 2003. You will be contacted via email within 5 working days for your full contact and booking details.

Note: one flight per person only.

As the old adage goes..."If it is too good to be true it probably is."

A news release from the July 2, 2003 on the BA website confirms this:

British Airways would like to emphasise that a chain e-mail currently in circulation around the world promising free flights is a hoax.

The e-mail and its contents are complete rubbish and British Airways is NOT endorsing any such offer.

Anyone who receives the e-mail should respond in one way - by pressing the delete button.

So there you have it. All I need now is the Irish government or some sort of Leprechaun union to release a statement to put an end to those Irish good luck chain emails.

James.