 Poster: A snowHead
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Salzburg is naff, basically a big hanger with nothing to do to kill time, no shops just a cafe. Got delayed there once, not enough seats so sitting about the floor with heat turned up to about 25c and no shop for water, just extortionate cafe prices.......murder. Retrieval of skis is a free for all too as they wheel out the skibags on big high trolleys outside beside the coaches and people just pile in, no-one unloads them. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Grenoble is a cow shed.
Fortunately, we have never been delayed there but just the standard waiting time is painful enough.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Looking at getting the priority security thing for Geneva.
Anyone know - is it JUST for departing Geneva or can you also use it on arrival?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What security on arrival?. You mean passport control on arrival?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It's only for departure, short of the VIP service (and always checking the kiosks round the corner) I'm not aware of any way round the arrivals passport queue.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Fridge03, I have a lot of sympathy with that - but I put up with Grenoble because it’s so convenient for LDA by Ben’s Bus.
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@snowdave Thanks
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Turin............ like being in a rodeo!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| achilles wrote: |
| @Fridge03, I have a lot of sympathy with that - but I put up with Grenoble because it’s so convenient for LDA by Ben’s Bus. |
Agreed. For convenience and cheapish flights its all good. We took a group this year who had never been there before. When I told them to prepare to walk along the edge of the runway, to a border control queue that'll start outside and virtually portacabin loo's they thought I was joking!
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Flying in to Chambery next Saturday afternoon, this thread has filled me with dread given that there is meant to be heavy snow in the morning
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Verona.
Got dumped 4 and a half hours before return flight and needed every bit of that time to get to the plane. It was completely overwhelmed and it seemed they had about 1 baggage cart for taking stuff to the plane. Queued for two hours at check in. And hour and a half for. The rest - security and getting onto the plane. Passengers going crazy but staff very laid back. Clearly not an unusual situation.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Bennisboy wrote: |
| Flying in to Chambery next Saturday afternoon, this thread has filled me with dread given that there is meant to be heavy snow in the morning |
With good reason. I'm one out of 4 for ever getting there, and refused to go via Chambery any more.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Bennisboy, You don't have to worry abut snow at Chambery on Saturday on current forecasts as it is going to be between 8 and 12 degs down there - you will need an umbrella if their is a queue for passport control. Cloudbase may be an issue but I won't know precisely how much a issue it could be until Friday afternoon when the airport forecast is produced. Check out the Tignes snow report thread on Fri evening there will be a full interpretation there.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
you will need an umbrella if their is a queue for passport control.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hate Manchester with a passion. I live 30mins away but always drive to Gatwick for a much better experience.
Turin is a bit of a pain with checking in quite late before departure so not much time to use the lounge etc. That said at least oversize luggage goes down the same travellator as your normal bags so no dragging skis around
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| PaulC1984 wrote: |
| Hate Manchester with a passion. I live 30mins away but always drive to Gatwick for a much better experience. |
srsly?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@red 27, yes, parking has always caused issues (meet and greet a farce on all 3 occassions) layout of the airport not great and the staff down in security are just plain rude. It's like a cattle market down there. I'd sooner drive 3.5hrs and have a pleasant start to my holiday.
I also find the lounges better at Gatwick and the flight reliability much better
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@PaulC1984, How is driving an 3.5 hours (including a stint round the M25) instead of 0.5 hours a pleasant start to your holiday. You're raving bonkers man.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@chocksaway, thanks for the advice sir! I will make sure to check out the tignes thread! (I've been checking in on it occasionally, but mainly looking at the Val D thread cos that's where I'm actually staying)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Layne, early morning flights, no traffic, pleasant staff. I rather enjoy driving compared to dealing with the shower of excrement that is the staff at Manchester 
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| RWDLYN wrote: |
| Turin............ like being in a rodeo! |
Had my first experience of Turin this weekend and was actually quite nice. Passport control not too painful and only 10 minutes wait for bags. Flying Sun-Sun so maybe worse on Saturdays?
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Gatwick 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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No one mentioned Bergamo yet? Absolute dump!! I thought departure lounge and gates at Salzburg and Innsbruck were bad enough; but they were nothing compared to Bergamo.
Otherwise not very often experienced any issues at Innsbruck, Salzburg, Venice Marco Polo or Verona. We always go early to mid March and I suspect everywhere is quieter then, which just makes the experience more bearable.
Every outbound flight for ski trips has been from Gatwick. And for all its faults, some things have definately improved there, such as luggage retrieval, passport control and check in (for easy jet and BA flights). Some things could still be improved such as a better junction coming off the M23; more restaurants, bars and seating in North terminal departures area. But I still feel that Gatwick offers plenty of positives, such as good flight prices, cheap parking, cheap airport hotels and is easily accesible from London and the South East.
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| jimmybog wrote: |
No one mentioned Bergamo yet? Absolute dump!! I thought departure lounge and gates at Salzburg and Innsbruck were bad enough; but they were nothing compared to Bergamo.
Otherwise not very often experienced any issues at Innsbruck, Salzburg, Venice Marco Polo or Verona. We always go early to mid March and I suspect everywhere is quieter then, which just makes the experience more bearable.
Every outbound flight for ski trips has been from Gatwick. And for all its faults, some things have definately improved there, such as luggage retrieval, passport control and check in (for easy jet and BA flights). Some things could still be improved such as a better junction coming off the M23; more restaurants, bars and seating in North terminal departures area. But I still feel that Gatwick offers plenty of positives, such as good flight prices, cheap parking, cheap airport hotels and is easily accesible from London and the South East. |
Agreed about Gatwick - I wonder how many of the people who dislike it have been there recently...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Gatwick? Fine if you don't need to eat. And it's been like that for decades: always nothing edible.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Returning to LGW & STN has been greatly improved by the biometric passport gates. Never more than 10 mins or so queue now IME.
STN bag reclaim can be slow but their cheap, walkable, short-stay parking makes up for it for me
LGW North terminal departures is better than south for Easyjet at least (not that you get a choice of course)
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Was at gatwick South last weekend.... bloody awful. Long queues to eat and not enough restaurants, crowded, not enough circulation space with the new layout forcing you through duty free
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You know it makes sense.
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@red 27, cheap short stay parking at STN? How much?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Bristol - Get the impression that they are a bunch of kids playing at running an airport.
Absolute worst bits are ...
Staff much more important than passengers, bus service from car park does an extended circuit to drop off and pick up airport staff first and then goes to the terminal! Does same circuit on return even though there were no staff on the bus!!
Also the airport has shockingly bad roads to access it!
Plenty of other problems but life's too short. I have never flown from there again
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Poster: A snowHead
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| Was at gatwick South last weekend.... , crowded, not enough circulation space with the new layout forcing you through duty free |
I think most airports are now laid out that that, pretty tedious having to meander through their money spinning shops when you just want to get on the plane.
I dont actually mind Gatwick itself (never been in South, always gone with Easyjet so North only) but hate getting to/from it as always try to go by train. Dont think have had a pleasant relaxing journey there what with all the rail issues. Worst was a flight landing at around 10pm, late of course, then ended up having to take a bus to the terminal as Easyjet parked up for the night (too bad for you passengers), dashed for a train into London only to find Victoria station actually closed for works so had to take a train to London Bridge which was the wrong end of London for me and by which stage all the tubes/buses going West had finished. Hello night bus.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @red 27, cheap short stay parking at STN? How much? |
Can't remember, but it's good and close - right there out the front of the terminal. Reasonable for a long weekend and feels secure. None of that "hand your car keys to some spotty kid" nonsense.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@philwig, interesting...i only use it when on expenses otherwise I get the bus for c£15 return. I am walking distance to fhe bus stop. Last time i looked it was v expensive but i agree re location right in front of the terminal
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| Was at gatwick South last weekend.... bloody awful. Long queues to eat and not enough restaurants, crowded, not enough circulation space with the new layout forcing you through duty free |
The whole "via duty free" thing is more or less every airport these days, but then that's where they make their money.
If Gatwick South terminal and it really offends you to walk through duty free follow the lounge signs to the left after security and just pop out on the top floor of departures.
If you have lounge access then follow the signs and enjoy a seat.and food...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Mjit, do/done that.the food is crap but at least you don't have to ask for champagne in the BA lounge (but it is pretty ropey champagne) It doesn't offend me the layout just a PITA
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Drop off/pick up parking tips for Stansted:
Just get dropped off at the mid term car park and hop on the bus it comes every ten minutes and its free.
for the bus and its free to park for about 45 minutes.
The drop off point is well sign posted.
When you return your driver can park there again and wait for you to arrive. I'm sure its 45 minutes.
The return bus goes from right outside the arrivals door.
Drop off/pick up parking tips for Luton:
Just get dropped off at the mid term car park and hop on the bus it comes every ten minutes and its free.
for the bus and its free to park for about 45 minutes.
The drop off point is not sign posted at all and its not clear where to catch the bus from.
When its pitch dark in the middle of winter its difficult if you don't know where to go.
When you return your driver can park there again and wait for you to arrive. I'm sure its 45 minutes.
The bus arrives and departs from "Bay B" which is pretty close to the arrivals entrance.
The crazy part for Luton is that the bus going back to the mid term car park has to travel about a mile slowly right around the perimeter of the so called short term car park.
If anyone notices I've got something wrong on this please let me know so I can correct it.
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Honestly, airports are bad sh_it. Period.
Having a debate about which one is sh_itist seems pointless and a tad depressing to me.
Thankfully I always drive to skiing but from other travels I still no how sh_it the sh_it things are.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Nothing wrong with Geneva apart from them recently ditching the tannoy "How much is that doggy" melody for a bland mobile-phoneish tinkle. Sacrilege! 
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Do I pay a £1 to take something through that cost 85p? Jobsworths at security maintain that it is mandatory for all liquids to be in a sealed bag... grrr Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad
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I have a number of tesco's sealable sandwich bags in my rucksac that I use for keeping my passport etc dry, so have never had the rip off of trying to charge £1 for something costing less than a penny. Actually that is not strictly true in one instance I just used a normal poly bag and tied a knot at the top sealing it perfectly. Of course it caused no problems.
ps I have never had a problem at Geneva apart from when the motor show is on at Expo. That causes real traffic problems. so allow extra time until March 18th to get to the airport
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FAQ
