 Poster: A snowHead
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22nd January Folkestone - Calais 0716 crossing. Really quiet terminal straight through all checkpoints and no EES. 4th February return trip booked for 19.16. Arrived early and offered 18.16 departure. Quietest I've ever known it. No queues again at any point and straight on to fairly empty train. No EES. If only we didn't have to face the joys of the M25 to get home it would have been one of the easiest crossings ever.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We arrived a bit early for our 13.16 and put on the 12.16, just time for a loo break. We were out in a queue for the sniffer dog while the queues for UK border control got longer and only two booths open, but still in plenty of time to board. But now there is a delay so the crossing showing 12.31. Never know, it might eventually be 13.16 in the end.
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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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As a suggestion for Mods, should this thread be made a sticky so people can check-in with it easily - particularly with half-term approaching?
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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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@Boris, good idea, I'll sticky it now, can always remove when the season finishes.
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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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@Hells Bells, thank you
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Calais side seems almost deserted this morning. Turned up 2 hours ahead. 10mins in DF, 3 vehicles ahead on French and U.K. border, train almost empty (looked like they had held it for us).
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At Calais at the moment and it looks like delays unfortunately.
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Arrived at Ashford at 8.30. Not offered an earlier crossing.. too busy. 30 minutes to get to car park...overheard a member of staff telling someone it's taking an hour to get out of the car park. All crossings showing a 15- 20 minute delay. I'll be amazed if we catch our booked train/if it departs at 10.54.
I wouldn't normally travel at half term but need to be in Austria by Sunday. Chose Friday hoping it would be quieter. I can't imagine what Saturday is going to be like. Why aren't these kids in school (hypothetical, grumpy old woman comment)
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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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| Quote: |
Why aren't these kids in school
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@holidayloverxx, lots of illness around in run up to half-term, our kids often came down with something 
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@holidayloverxx, some schools have INSET training days on the Friday too. Judging by the quiet state of our street this morning, I think our local schools may have one.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Min 30 mins delay on everything currently…
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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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@Hells Bells, so far as I can make out, quite a few schools around here break up on Thursdays (as I always used to do). I don't know what system they're in - there's all sorts round here, French included.
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@holidayloverxx, our son was sick today so a couple of days ago we changed the train from after school to this morning. 9.54 train for us but delayed 20 mins or so and felt like more.
Seemed busy enough but just keeping up, I suspect later it will be carnage.
1st driver change done...
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You know it makes sense.
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We ended up departing an hour late. Passport control looked very busy but it was well organised and didn't take long. Probably the best experience I've had of it being busy. .its usually because of breakdowns.
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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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| Boris wrote: |
| Quote: |
Why aren't these kids in school
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@holidayloverxx, lots of illness around in run up to half-term, our kids often came down with something |
This was a standing joke in the school office at our kids old primary school, the Friday prior to all three of the half term holidays each year, a deluge of parents calls claiming their kids were ill. Always every school age child within the household, ill.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Sun 22-02-26 20:08; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Arrived at 19:05 for the 20:55 train.
Check in machine ate turds 3 times in a row during the process. Poor attendant gave up in the end and did it manually in the booth. We were originally offered 20:25 for free, but by the 3rd attempt at checking in that moved to 20.36.
Queue for border control was about 25 mins, we also got funnelled into the swab test lane and that took an extra 10.
Currently on the train waiting for it to go, looks like we are on the 20.55 we originally booked!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Today we were offered an early train even though we turned up technically more than the 2 hours early.
French border control was really slow, almost 45 minutes and the French guy was being a bit of an idiot IMO looking at both the kids switching between them then saying the names over and again. No wonder it was taking so long. Brit border control was really quick
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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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Just got stung with the £20 amendment fee for knocking back half and hour on Thursday... wouldn't mind it if an actual person had done some work on my behalf but I've done it all!
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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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@Specialman, ouch, I would have just gone there for half an hours difference.
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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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@Specialman, Half an hour or One and a half hours?
It's not about anybody doing anything - it's dynamic pricing - which feeds their profitability.
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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, that wasn't dynamic pricing, it was the amendment fee
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@holidayloverxx, amounts to the same thing though right. There is no direct cost (other than a smidge of computing power) to make the amendment.
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They've offered me a voucher for the crossing fiasco from last month when we were stuck in the tunnel and delayed for over 3 hours. Not even 50% of the cost of the fare. I may just email the CEO and see if that improves it.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
| @holidayloverxx, amounts to the same thing though right. There is no direct cost (other than a smidge of computing power) to make the amendment. |
It doesn’t cost a cafe £2.50 to make you a tea either.
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@Hells Bells, @Layne, had to change vehicles on the booking and after some quick maths, reasoned that we'd get there about half an hour later than I'd initially planned, hence the time change (it said £0 for that time). But of course the amendment fee still applies even though there's been no travel, and no actual work done by anybody.
Good job it's a work booking and I won't get hauled over the coals for it.
Just frustrating that LeShuttle had a great system before where you could make amends easily and FOC.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Specialman, it really is. I have frequently changed our dates or times. I'm just trying to adapt to the new normal now
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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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Le Shuttle and Eurostar have competitors in the ferries and flights so I ultimately the market should decide if and when it becomes noncompetitive.
Although I think the options are sticky. In other words it takes more than a few quid for people to change their habits.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| They've offered me a voucher for the crossing fiasco from last month when we were stuck in the tunnel and delayed for over 3 hours. Not even 50% of the cost of the fare. I may just email the CEO and see if that improves it. |
Tried the CEO route. Original voucher cancelled and a new one issued for £210. That will do nicely for our next summer trip.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Hells Bells, well done, bit of perseverance helps.
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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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@Hells Bells, brilliant!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Tried the CEO route. Original voucher cancelled and a new one issued for £210. That will do nicely for our next summer trip. |
Well done for sticking with it. Does that £210 cover the entire cost of the Calis-Folkstrone crossing which was so delayed for you?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@rob@rar, yes, it does, apart from the cost for dogs, but the voucher can't be used to pay those charges in any case. They admitted a 3 hours delay stuck in the train was not quite the same as being stuck at the terminal. It is still a goodwill gesture though as they don't actually seem to have a refund policy for delays due to technical problems.
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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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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| @rob@rar, yes, it does, apart from the cost for dogs, but the voucher can't be used to pay those charges in any case. They admitted a 3 hours delay stuck in the train was not quite the same as being stuck at the terminal. It is still a goodwill gesture though as they don't actually seem to have a refund policy for delays due to technical problems. |
Glad you got there in the end, although for that kind of experience I'd have hoped that they would have an automatic refund policy.
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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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@rob@rar, you would have thought so.
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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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Arrived at 9:35am yesterday for a 9:46 crossing, got out on the 10:46am.
Zero faff and queues - van got put through the scanner. We’re up for boarding by 10:20am. Very, very quiet.
The new lounge area layout seems nice but less ‘open’
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| @Specialman, it really is. I have frequently changed our dates or times. I'm just trying to adapt to the new normal now |
Good work. What was the original offer?
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Sorry quoted wrong post but you get me drift I’m sure!
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@Doccam, half of that.
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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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Rocked up at Calais today, about 4 cars in the queue, very quiet. Few checks on the van to make sure we had no extra passengers, all very civil and chilled out. Through in 10 minutes total.
I don’t expect Easter will be quite as relaxed and empty
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Check-in queue moving very slowly. App says 'fluid'.
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FAQ
