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Finding out about flights


Captain Kernow

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I've been trying to find out what flights operate from which airports local to the SW, so that I can plan a visit to some family in a few months. I've looked at a number of websites, which seem to concentrate on getting the cheapest fares, even if that means a bit of travelling to more distant, non-local airports in the UK. There's so much 'information' out there, I ended up more confused than when I started.

 

I'm trying to come at this from the opposite direction of cheapness. I'd rather find the most local airport to me that does a direct flight, and go with them, but it's proving difficult to find out. I suppose I could do this the old fashioned way and just to to a local travel agent.

 

Any suggestions, please, folks?

 

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Try entering 'Destination Map xxxxx Airport' into a search engine.  It'll give results for eg Bristol and Cardiff.  Not sure where else you're looking for?  You could try searching for sauages and flights but I think you'll only get Boloni as a destination.......

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I tend to use Expedia to look up flights. Pick somewhere such as Bristol or Exeter to start with and select direct flights under advanced options if thats what you are after.

 

They will often show nearby airports if you then look towards the top where you can select nearby airports to either the origin or destination that you previously entered. I used Exeter as the origin then clicking on the nearby airports link it shows Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton, Jersey!! Bournemouth, Newquay and Guernsey.

 

Expedia do have most airports and operators although there are the odd ones that may not come up

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I use Skyscanner when travelling in the USA (when I do not fancy driving for two or more days!)

You simply put in the city where you currently are and destination

It then gives fares in order of price

You then select distance and it then changes to the nearest airports

I have not used it in the UK, but it is quite similar for finding trans-atlantic flights

 

Travelling in the UK, use google maps

You can then select flight option and this will normally default to your nearest airport

You can then insert a departure time and quite often this will change to an alternative airport

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Captain, where do you want to get to?

If a flight connection is involved, it might put a different completion on your choice of departure airport.

 

Also, be wary of sites like Skyscanner, Expedia and various similar search engines. They won't necessarily provide the best connections or the cheapest fares. Expedia is generally to be avoided if price is a consideration.

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Friends swear by Skyscanner here in Oz and use to for everything they need.  That ranges from Australian domestic flights through international long-haul to internal European flights.  As Mrs. Friend is a Dutch-Aussie international consultant she makes a lot of use of domestic and short-haul European flights.

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Captain

It depends a lot on where you want to go. However, the simple answer is that, if you wish to fly from the south west, Bristol is likely to be the best bet; it is far busier than any other airport in the south west and also bills itself as "Wales' busiest airport". As a main EasyJet hub, you can travel widely around Europe (with RyanAir filling in some of the gaps). Flybe is probably the only significant UK airline that is missing (and BA who have given up on most of the UK regional airports).

If you wish to travel further afield, there are feeder services from Bristol to Amsterdam, Brussels or Frankfurt, which will link to intercontinental services.

Hope this helps

Best wishes

Eric   

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Exeter?

Exeter via Manchester or Amsterdam for long haul, or for European destinations not served from Bristol.

 

Unfortunately the Exeter - Dublin link has been reduced to a late afternoon/ early evening flight during the winter time.

The missing morning flight usually provides a link to cheap transatlantic flights from Dublin (no apd tax).

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Whilst I use Expedia for searching flights I tend not to book through them as much these days as quite often the price changes as you get to the payment page. It's useful to see what routes and airline combinations you can get. I am tending to book flights direct with the airlines as quite often, there is little difference in the price and you tend to get better options on seat selection.

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To see what options might be available, I look at live departures for the airport and take it from there.  If you just do 24 hours you will miss the ones that don't fly every day.  But it's useful for potential unusual connections. 

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