Foreign Perspectives

Archive for the ‘Cheaper travel’ Category

We’re getting to the point of having far too many options now.

Initially, we just had Hamburg in the frame. Great Christmas markets were the big attraction of this one but then there are Christmas markets all over Germany (supposedly Dresden and Neuremburg are the best). The flight prices aren’t too bad but then seeing as southern Germany is driveable from here we’ve started looking at some cities in the south. Downside of this is that we’ll need a hotel with parking but on the upside we’d be able to see places outside the city eg the Black Forest.

I always fancied Poland but Wendy was none too keen to start with. Both our Polish guests and Norman H have come up with views to push her towards accepting that as an option. Definitely a fly to destination given the distance but the prices aren’t too bad. Downside is that it’ll be darned cold there over Christmas.

Valencia is a driveable option but the Spanish don’t really “do” Christmas so not so good from that point of view. Very much the warmest of the options (well, except for Morrocco but Wendy doesn’t like that option at all).

In theory parts of northern Italy are also driveable with Milan and Venice both being options. Venice is seriously expensive itself but Lido de Jesolo is much cheaper and a very practical location if you want to see Venice.

No, nowhere in France…. we want something different and besides the French don’t do Christmas anyway (which is, of course, how come we can clear off somewhere).

Well, touches down is a little more correct as the runway at Perpignan is too short by a long, long way for it to actually land.

Perpignan airport is at quite a convenient distance from Toulouse so it’s quite a popular spot for plane spotters after a view of the latest models of Airbus being tested.

We just happened upon this particular test of the landing and taking off of the A380 this afternoon. What’s very, very striking about the plane is that it is considerably more quiet than the normal Airbus plane such as the Ryanair one that landed during the test flight.

After much consideration of the flights from Girona (or is it Gerona?) and Barcelona, it looks like Berlin has won for October.

All being well, we’ll be heading off towards the end of October for three or four days. I thought that the hotel prices would blow Berlin out of the water but there are lots of good quality accommodation at quite reasonable prices. Haven’t totally settled on a hotel/apartment but we’re aiming for somewhere in the Mitte area (ie central Berlin) which appears to offer the chance to walk around all the major sights over the course of a few days.

We’re planning on booking that sometime in the next few days once we nail down the accommodation. Flights look deadon as they leave Barcelona in the afternoon and get back in the evening.

For the first time in several years, I managed to fly out of Perpignan airport straight to Belfast.

It was my first time on BMIBaby, the discount airline arm of British Midland.

As discount airlines go, they seem to have gotten several things completely wrong but hopefully they will continue in the same vein for quite some time.

For a start, they allow 20kg in checked luggage although they did get it right by charging to have the bag checked in. They didn’t even have a weight limit on carryon luggage (although there is the usual size limit).

Then they went on to be friendly and even displaying a caring attitude towards the passengers. You just can’t legitimately call yourself a discount airline and do stuff like that.

But they didn’t stop there. Those with small children (and they sensibly limit to those up to around 6 years of age) get priority in boarding. They even try to allocate a window seat as the little guys usually like to see what’s going on. Yeah, seat allocations!

Finally, you can even get airmiles on the flights (well, BMI’s version).

We’d a notionally connecting flight in Manchester but as I wasn’t too sure how long it was between flights, I booked a slightly later one. Had I been a bit sharper in getting off the previous flight I think they’d even have let me go on the earlier one but I just missed it. 

Overall, as you can probably gather, I was very impressed with them. Aside from the lack of a weight limit on carryon luggage, none of the little things which they do really cost them any money but together they add up to making the flight a much more pleasant experience.

No, I think BMIBaby will definitely have to try harder or their “discount airline” label will just have to be taken off them.

In case anyone from BMIBaby reads this… a big thanks to Sue on the 1030 flight from Perpignan to Manchester on Thursday!

The last time I flew on Aer Lingus it was way, way back in the mid 1980s and we only went with them because the alternative was actually going bust at the time.

Now, 20 odd years on and I book with them for next Wednesday and, guess what?, yup, that’s the very day that they might be going on strike!

Bit of a peculiar strike though. I gather that the Irish pilots are planning the strike because Aer Lingus is intending to start recruiting pilots from Northern Ireland. Now, that leaves them with an interesting dilema because they can’t back down from recruiting in NI as those pilots in NI would have quite a strong legal case for taking them to court for discrimination on the basis of nationality which is illegal under European law.

Oh well, perhaps I’ll try them again in another 20 odd years…