Simon Calder is the senior travel editor of the Independent and is considered Britain’s leading travel commentator. He is often seen on ITV and BBC. Simon also writes for The Evening Standard and High Life (BA’s inflight magazine)
It hasn’t always been like that for Simon. His career in travel began at Gatwick airport, where he cleaned out planes for Sir Freddie Laker. He later, frisked passengers (for a job, that is not a hobby). Simon then graduated in Mathematics from Warwick University, and began to write travel guidebooks.
At The Independent, he has the title The man who pays his way because he wont accept free transport or accommodation from the travel trade. Publications where you can read what Simon Calder writes include: Condé Nast Traveller; Waitrose Weekend; Highlife magazine; and Group Leisure & Travel magazine.
Simon was a presenter for BBC1’s Holiday programme and Heaven and Earth Show, and is still a regular contributor to radio and television news programmes. He continues to write travel books, ranging from guides to Amsterdam and Cuba to an analysis of no-frills aviation.
In more recent times, Simon has commented on the flight chaos of 2022 when flights were cancelled due to shortages. Also the travel chaos at UK ports like Dover and the cost of travel caused by the fuel crisis. Check out Simon’s Twitter feed here for his straight talking post on UK travel: twitter.com/SimonCalder
Simon is a superb after dinner speaker and host at all sorts of events