Pete 75C Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Well, two days until we again sample the delights of Lorraine Chase's Luton Airport. I've been living in fear of the TV news ever since we booked with Monarch and until yesterday's investment news, was half-expecting to have to try and get seats from East Midland with Jet2 at the last minute... Now, I'm not a snob (that often), but have always considered the likes of Thomas Cook and Monarch etc as a bit of a cut above the other bucket airlines. We flew EasyJet in June and it was, to be fair, fine. I've also flown Ryanair often enough to know the "herding cattle" effect at boarding but if they were the only choice for where I wanted to go, so be it... Since giving up their longer-haul routes, Monarch are obviously trying to compete head-on with the other budget short-hop airlines, as I've been bombarded with emails almost every day for the last fortnight tempting me to pay £5pp for priority boarding, £8.50 - £20.00pp to pre-book my seat etc etc. The list goes on. We already forked out at time of booking for a hold bag in addition to our usual "hand-luggage, travel light" ethos. At least I stumbled across some almost hidden small print telling me that if I try and pre-book seats within 24hrs of travel, it's free and you can at least choose from the seats that are left. Very tempting to book my wife into Row 2 and me into Row 14 for some peace and quiet, but I'd better not. I was mildly amused by the email from Monarch asking me if I wanted to pre-book snow shoes and skis for just £30 on our flight to Alicante. Now I'm worried they know something about the long-range weather forecast that I don't... In the absence of an airline like BA flying to where I want to go, I guess all these "extras" have become the normal state of affairs. Does any airline still give you a luggage allowance? Oh, and if you received an email from Ryanair recently offering "free child places", best ignore it. I have it on good authority that your child doesn't get a seat at all... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartynJPearson Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I reckon David Walliams and Matt Lucas summed the industry up perfectly in "Come Fly With Me". I love the scene where the lady is sold priority boarding when she is checking in, along the lines of.... "Do many people pay for priority boarding?" she asks the check in staff, after coughing up for it. "Yes, in fact everyone on the plane has paid" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 We just arrived back yesterday from a trip to the UK with Air Transat (which i why I'm on here at 5 AM!). For the first time, we paid for 'extras'. $50pp each way. The basic fares were amazingly cheap - we hadn't seen prices like them for 20 years - so we decided to pay the extra. Friends had done that before and told us it was worth it. For the money we got: - free reserving of seats. That alone costs $20pp per flight. And we were moved seats when we checked in from 2 in a set of 3 to a set of 2, which hadn't been available to reserve when I initially reserved seats. Same seats allocated on the return flight - 5kg extra baggage allowance. Amongst other things I was taking a builders plate to the UK, and we were expecting (correctly) many presents from relatives for grandchildren in Canada on the return. - separate, much shorter queue for checkin - priority boarding, which means no struggling to find space in the overhead bins - small bottle of champagne on boarding - 'comfort pack' of blanket, inflatable headrest and blackout mask. (We got the same on the way back - anyone want 2 unopened Air Transat comfort packs?) - free headphones - small bottle of wine with meal. Held about 2 glasses versus the 1 glass being given to others - free snack with drinks - priority unloading of luggage We definitely thought it was worth spending the extra this time . Whether we would do it again if the basic fares weren't as low - maybe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 The last couple of times have been flights to Europe and when booking I've compared the airlines. Tenerife - ended up BA Club class as it was cheaper than the budgets Verona - Again BA Club as it was just £20 more but gave us more luggage and the lounges with free food. Menorca - BA economy same price as the "Budgets" but with a slighty bigger luggage allowance. I don't mind who I fly, but having experienced Easyjet Cancellations 3 times in the past I'm wary of booking them if there are few other carriers to or from a destination. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2016 The last couple of times have been flights to Europe and when booking I've compared the airlines. Tenerife - ended up BA Club class as it was cheaper than the budgets Verona - Again BA Club as it was just £20 more but gave us more luggage and the lounges with free food. Menorca - BA economy same price as the "Budgets" but with a slighty bigger luggage allowance. I don't mind who I fly, but having experienced Easyjet Cancellations 3 times in the past I'm wary of booking them if there are few other carriers to or from a destination. You are lucky that you live near "London Airways" base. Do they fly to anywhere outside the UK from anywhere else? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 You are lucky that you live near "London Airways" base. Do they fly to anywhere outside the UK from anywhere else? No idea, never had to look so don't know, Flights were from either Gatwick (2 hours) or Heathrow T5 (1 1-1/2 hours) Luton is 30 minutes away and Stansted is 45 minutes so when I book I take into account the extra time to travel to LHR/GW and it still comes out the same or cheaper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 No not Luton Airport. its bl**dy mess at the moment . We flew out of there to Inverness early one morning a few weeks back. traffic all queued up trying to get into the airport at 6am. Once inside the terminal the security was very sloooooow and of course my bag needed checking whihc held us up another 10 minutes. Once in the departure lounge there was nowhere to site due to a good part of it closed off with hoarding for rebuilding. . Only one place worse and thats London City on a bad day. Best allow plenty of time at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 No not Luton Airport. its bl**dy mess at the moment . We flew out of there to Inverness early one morning a few weeks back. traffic all queued up trying to get into the airport at 6am. Once inside the terminal the security was very sloooooow and of course my bag needed checking whihc held us up another 10 minutes. Once in the departure lounge there was nowhere to site due to a good part of it closed off with hoarding for rebuilding. . Only one place worse and thats London City on a bad day. Best allow plenty of time at the moment. I always get there 3hrs early as I'm an anally retentive clock-watcher. We flew from there back in June, and you're right, there's a lot going on. Didn't notice security slower than anywhere else though, Gatwick being the worst in recent memory - that was truly horrendous. I do remember when the journey was all part of the fun. Sadly, like most train travel, it's now just an awful chore. My only mantra is never to book a flight scheduled to get me where I need to be after the bar's shut. Going to bed with a mouthful of warm Coke that you bought many hours ago and several thousand miles away... yuk. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 No not Luton Airport. its bl**dy mess at the moment . It's a PITA at the best of times. It was the only place to charge people to drop passengers off, so when people started being dropped on the approach road they started fining drivers for stopping when they shouldn't, even when they were stationary because the roads into/out of the terminal are so cr*p. Even those who live in Lutonistan say they live in Dunstable cos it's such a sh*thole. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Proceed directly to 'Cheap Flights' by Fascinating Aida. It's a total earworm, and will merily accompany the whole delightful experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 It's a PITA at the best of times. It was the only place to charge people to drop passengers off, so when people started being dropped on the approach road they started fining drivers for stopping when they shouldn't, even when they were stationary because the roads into/out of the terminal are so cr*p. Even those who live in Lutonistan say they live in Dunstable cos it's such a sh*thole. Last used Lutonistan Airport back in 2011 to go to Lisbon. The frantic rush to drop people off at the entrance is now a tradition. Security section is fairly depressing - the resemblance to sheep dip queue was striking. Since then, Queasyjet have doubled their fares to Lisbon, so that banjaxed a planned trip back in August. Stansted seems much better laid out and relaxed - flew from there to Krakow and back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 I always get there 3hrs early as I'm an anally retentive clock-watcher. We flew from there back in June, and you're right, there's a lot going on. Didn't notice security slower than anywhere else though, Gatwick being the worst in recent memory - that was truly horrendous. I do remember when the journey was all part of the fun. Sadly, like most train travel, it's now just an awful chore. My only mantra is never to book a flight scheduled to get me where I need to be after the bar's shut. Going to bed with a mouthful of warm Coke that you bought many hours ago and several thousand miles away... yuk. Gatwick security was bad but more recently its been a lot better the times that we have travelled, only being delayed with travellers that dont know what ' no liquids' mean. yes late night arrivals are not good and we have now tended to stop travelling Easyjet in the evening as it normally turns out to be early morning arrivals as the delays have built up through the daytime putting the travelling experience a bit like using trains South of the river. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I always get there 3hrs early... awful chore... Same here, especially if relying on Southeastern and DLR in the rush hour to get a sprightly 80-year-old from Kent to London City. Of course they ran perfectly to time. We flew with Swiss to Zurich (easy enough), and back from Geneva (miles to satellite terminal from rail station). Croissant and quality choccies for in-flight snack. And even with them, there was a smaller than expected aircraft on the way back, so all your carry-on wheeled cases had to go in the hold. --> Another 20 mins or so waiting at London City on arrival. ... Going to bed with a mouthful of warm Coke that you bought many hours ago and several thousand miles away... yuk. I can recommend toothpaste and a toothbrush, but only after your saliva has brought down the acid levels from the fizzy pop! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 My younger son is the family expert on budget air travel (he recently flew from Birmingham to Newquay for £40) and I defer to his expertise in the hope that I won't need it in any foreseeable future. Being a frequent user of scheduled flights, I detest Re #3, surely "free, cost $50" is an oxymoron? It certainly sounds like good value for $50, but what part of it was free? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I've paid for extra legroom on long haul flights, since I'm quite tall. On budget airlines I make a point of not paying for any extras. I've seen people pay extra to get on the bus to the plane first, and frankly I don't want to encourage them. I fly infrequently enough that I make sure I go on a real airline, for the trips I want to take at the time I want to take them the budget airlines are expensive anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 Our next long haul I manged to get very good prices on one of the main Uk airlines that I paid for the Economy Plus. Worth it in this case. However what I gained I will now more than lose in the current exchange rate situation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I exchanged Avios (BA Air Miles, as was) for an upgrade to Premium Economy for our forthcoming Florida trip and I'd recommend it. Business Class legroom and width, seats definitely better than Economy (not difficult with BA, I know) more baggage allowance and adequate meal service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 ..... surely "free, cost $50" is an oxymoron? It certainly sounds like good value for $50, but what part of it was free? The typing in of your booking, right up to the point that you had to pay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 The typing in of your booking, right up to the point that you had to pay. - FX RIMSHOT - Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenman Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I exchanged Avios (BA Air Miles, as was) for an upgrade to Premium Economy for our forthcoming Florida trip and I'd recommend it. Business Class legroom and width... Yes, there is more legroom in Premium Economy, and for someone of my height those extra couple of inches make all the difference; but by no stretch of the imagination does BA Premium Economy give "Business Class legroom and width". Though it's difficult to think of many other areas in life where 2" makes so much difference. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 the best international flights these days are on Eurostar. The new class 374s are quite nice, spacious, wifi enabled etc. Sadly the days (2000) of paying £50 return to fly LHR to Manchester, on BMI and being served a full English, with real cutlery, with 32kg luggage below, an assigned seat with 1000 frequent flyer miles all in economy class are in the history books, as is the airline... but it was fun whilst it lasted. Then we had 2004-2008 and the cheap flights to the US & Asia... £200 for NYC in the off season, and £600 would see you to Sydney, with enough air miles for a free European ticket. Air Newzealands £400 tickets to Hong Kong were cool. But now to modern day reality of a European salesguy... So today, I am booking my flight to Amsterdam next Tuesday for a meeting, £400, no luggage, no seat, paid food, no priority boarding and 50 air miles.. (you know what you can do with that). I paid £400 to goto Bordeaux last week and £600 prior to be in Helsinki.. as all per previous.. indeed my £600 Helsinki ticket was so generous, that even when I arrived 5 hours early to check in, no luggage, no seat, no food nothing...and asked how much to change flights for the earlier one.. the answer was No... (not a price, just a No.)...WELL ok then i'all just go plane spot from the bar ! (I'm dreading my next flight to Arizona in November, even when your on expenses you buy things personally, at the current exchange rate I may need to sell my clothes and leave them behind before I return). As for Brexit travel.. 17 years and 2mn airmiles later I'm hoping i'll still have a job, let alone an international one when it's all done and Boris, May and co are slapping themselves on the backs to a job well done. At least they can claim a massive saving on Heathrow expansion, as it won't be needed, maybe we could open an aviation museum there instead so we could show our children how it used to be when British people could fly, ...I could volunteer and display my collection of 3000 boarding passes, and give lectures on travel....then sell pilots hats, menus, safety cards, and charge extras for window seats, taxi-ing the airport, drinks and of course the postcard and passport stamp extras is where the profit is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 ....(I'm dreading my next flight to Arizona in November, even when your on expenses you buy things personally, at the current exchange rate I may need to sell my clothes and leave them behind before I return).... Is nudity now allowed on international flights? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kylestrome Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2016 Is nudity now allowed on international flights? Only in the Mile High Club class. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Is nudity now allowed on international flights? It's long been a joke here, but the way TSA was going for a while we thought it would be mandatory. Then there's this guy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted October 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2016 It's long been a joke here, but the way TSA was going for a while we thought it would be mandatory. Then there's this guy. shoes belts etc, yeah was getting close. The new walk in scanners show all anyway. Had my bags checked quite a bit last trip over the pond mainly because of the model stuff in there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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