TATOC has released the consumer helpline statistics for August 2011. Find out who has been calling the helpline, what they have been asking and how quickly they were answered. The helpline is a free service provided by TATOC for consumers. If you have any queries or require advice and information, you can contact the helpline on 0845 230 2430.

Key Points from August's report:

• August was the second busiest month on record. The helpline received 877 calls to 705 received in August 2010.
• Year on year the helpline is up 1,166 phone calls
• Re-sale requests have shot up together with enquiries regarding bogus legal companies

To read the report click here

RCI has announced that it has signed 34 new affiliations in the first six months of 2011, resulting in the addition of 56 new properties to RCI’s network of affiliated resorts including Palmyra Resort & Spa in Jamaica, Fiesta Americana Villas Acapulco in Mexico, Inn at St. Ives in Michigan and Huangshan Grandview Resorts Hotels in China.

The new affiliations were added to one of RCI’s exchange programs: the RCI® Weeks program, the RCI Points® program or The Registry Collection® program, which is the world’s largest luxury timeshare exchange program. Nine of the new properties are currently under construction.

TATOC has released the cold callers list for the month of August. This list is compiled by the TATOC helpline from inbound calls. The list includes companies that have been reported to the helpline in August. There is also a list of companies who have undertaken cold calling in 2010 and 2011.

You can report any company that cold calls you about your timeshare ownership by contacting the TATOC consumer helpline on 0845 230 2430 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The world’s longest passenger airliner, the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, will go into service with launch customer Lufthansa early next year.

The first 747-8 Intercontinental emerged from the paint hangar at Boeing’s Everett factory near Seattle last Sunday in Lufthansa livery. After completing extensive ground tests, the aircraft will undergo initial test flights in November and is scheduled to go into service next spring.