[Travel] Airports and flying

[Kinky Gerbil]

My one bit of advice for those getting ready to go away this summer is read up on your rights for cancellations and what you can claim and do, it's going to be carnage I fear.

 

[PeterT]

Regularly fly out of Gatwick to our house in Spain, easier than its ever been.

Don’t find it inhuman at all. As someone else said it’s as stressful as you make it.

On a similar note, has the whole 90 days/180 Brexit rule impacted you in terms of using your home in Spain? Do you just work around it or that rule didn’t change anything too much for you either because of how much you use it or due to residency status? Don’t answer anything that’s too personal obviously!

 

[PeterT]

My one bit of advice for those getting ready to go away this summer is read up on your rights for cancellations and what you can claim and do, it's going to be carnage I fear.

Take a copy of your insurance along too! I have previously found that to be very useful, and if you are clued up on your cancellation rights you often know a lot more than the airline staff do!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I fly fairly regularly for work (although not as much as pre-pandemic). I hate flying through Gatwick, too much retail, not enough seating and always uncomfortably hot in there. Even though it is a bit further, I prefer to use Heathrow - T5 and T2 are both far better experiences. T3 is still a cramped dark hole though and can't remember last time I had to use T4 to know what it is like these days.

As for the OP, we have had a few cruise holidays in recent years leaving from Southampton. The experience is so much better - especially if you use their parking. Turn up, give the car keys to someone who takes it to the secure parking place, put your luggage on the side, go to check-in and then on board. Even with the bigger ships, you can often get from pulling up in the car to being in your room (or at the bar / buffet) in around 15 minutes. A much more relaxing start to your holidays.

 

[Arkwright]

Flying use to be a joy and quite exciting, maybe it's an age thing but nothing nice about it now except for getting off at your destination.
Had to laugh, Nurse Gladys' underwire on her bra set off the scanner that was a further five minutes delay.
Saturday our flight to Croatia was delayed by three hours, not much fun.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I hate flying. I find it a physically arduous and horrible experience. From motion sickness to the food to the fact that I come off the plane feeling drained and ill it's an all round horrible experience. Add in the fact that flying back to England is now 14 or 15 hours and incredibly expensive and it's something I would gladly never do again.

Actually, the above is true for long haul flights. Short haul is more bareable. And if there's a choice between flying and taking boat there's no contest I'm flying all day every day.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I hate flying. I find it a physically arduous and horrible experience. From motion sickness to the food to the fact that I come off the plane feeling drained and ill it's an all round horrible experience. Add in the fact that flying back to England is now 14 or 15 hours and incredibly expensive and it's something I would gladly never do again.

Actually, the above is true for long haul flights. Short haul is more bareable. And if there's a choice between flying and taking boat there's no contest I'm flying all day every day.

Flying around the Schengen makes life easier as the immigration element is removed. If you can grab Fast-track then the whole experience becomes a lot easier. Berlin airport now operates a pre-booked security lane which is available to all. With all of this you can time things to the minute and not spend any time hanging around or waiting....if the flight is on time. It's the way forward, I tell you.

 

[PeterT]

I hate flying. I find it a physically arduous and horrible experience. From motion sickness to the food to the fact that I come off the plane feeling drained and ill it's an all round horrible experience. Add in the fact that flying back to England is now 14 or 15 hours and incredibly expensive and it's something I would gladly never do again.

Actually, the above is true for long haul flights. Short haul is more bareable. And if there's a choice between flying and taking boat there's no contest I'm flying all day every day.

That’s interesting, I get motion sickness on a train, a boat, in a car but never (so far) when flying. I flew Friday to Monday to the Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama in 2019. The game was s**t but almost the best thing about it was the flight, even though I was on a plane for 35 hours in 4 days!

Sadly it was in economy though - when I flew for work, my company policy was Business Class for all flights under 12 hours, First Class if over 12 hours, and at the time my region covered Asia Pacific and Australasia so I had plenty of First Class flights in there too. Sadly not any more …..

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I hate flying. I find it a physically arduous and horrible experience. From motion sickness to the food to the fact that I come off the plane feeling drained and ill it's an all round horrible experience. Add in the fact that flying back to England is now 14 or 15 hours and incredibly expensive and it's something I would gladly never do again.

Actually, the above is true for long haul flights. Short haul is more bareable. And if there's a choice between flying and taking boat there's no contest I'm flying all day every day.

If memory serves, you're in Tokyo yes? I'm aiming to go to Oz via Toyko early next year. ANA looks brilliant (even more so, now they've signed a deal with Mitoma!) Their Premium Economy looks the bees knees. You get your own cabin upstairs in their A380, you get leg rests and foot rests, you also get lounge access. All for only a few dollars more than Emirates cattle class. Won't make the journey any shorter, but will certainly make it a whole lot comfier!

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

If memory serves, you're in Tokyo yes? I'm aiming to go to Oz via Toyko early next year. ANA looks brilliant (even more so, now they've signed a deal with Mitoma!) Their Premium Economy looks the bees knees. You get your own cabin upstairs in their A380, you get leg rests and foot rests, you also get lounge access. All for only a few dollars more than Emirates cattle class. Won't make the journey any shorter, but will certainly make it a whole lot comfier!

Yes, I'm in Tokyo. I've not flown with ANA for years, I go B.A/JAL. JAL has a pretty decent premium economy too, B.A less so...

Are you just transferring in Tokyo or staying in Japan for a few days? If you're transferring that will be a hell of a trek, it's about another 10 hours from Tokyo to Sydney

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

That’s interesting, I get motion sickness on a train, a boat, in a car but never (so far) when flying. I flew Friday to Monday to the Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama in 2019. The game was s**t but almost the best thing about it was the flight, even though I was on a plane for 35 hours in 4 days!

Sadly it was in economy though - when I flew for work, my company policy was Business Class for all flights under 12 hours, First Class if over 12 hours, and at the time my region covered Asia Pacific and Australasia so I had plenty of First Class flights in there too. Sadly not any more …..

I'm not sure if motion sickness is the right word but I struggle with even mild turbulence and landings. Trains are the bet of the bunch for me, boats the absolute worst, they're the stuff of nightmares.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yes, I'm in Tokyo. I've not flown with ANA for years, I go B.A/JAL. JAL has a pretty decent premium economy too, B.A less so...

Are you just transferring in Tokyo or staying in Japan for a few days? If you're transferring that will be a hell of a trek, it's about another 10 hours from Tokyo to Sydney

Undecided yet. Pencilled-in flights have an 18 hour layover, which I'm thinking is maybe enough to have a little bit of of a look around (and the bits I miss I can maybe do on the 18 hour layover on the way home). Or I could just be sensible and do a few days in Japan

 

[SteveU]

True. But if you fly from an airport, or fly a route, very often it helps. You get to know how to navigate the airport efficiently, learn short cuts (eg know which gates your plane will go from, and you can cut your timings to the minute.

It’s still easier than ever to fly from Gatwick, planes done generally leave from the same gate each time and there’s no short cuts through security etc.

Other than that, I get your point

 

[SteveU]

On a similar note, has the whole 90 days/180 Brexit rule impacted you in terms of using your home in Spain? Do you just work around it or that rule didn’t change anything too much for you either because of how much you use it or due to residency status? Don’t answer anything that’s too personal obviously!

We actually bought our place after this rule had been put in place. The purchase was delayed by covid.

It doesn’t impact us currently as we are both still working but when we retire in around 7 years time we will apply for a ‘non lucrative visa’ which will be the easiest way for us to stay in Spain as long as we want. Pretty much permanently.

That’s if the rules haven’t changed again. Spain are desperate for the EU to relax the rule for current or future homeowners.

 

[Miami Seagull]

I manage Bermuda Airport. Super facility that was newly built. Come and try us out . Beautiful, though expensive island.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I manage Bermuda Airport. Super facility that was newly built. Come and try us out . Beautiful, though expensive island.

 

[PeterT]

We actually bought our place after this rule had been put in place. The purchase was delayed by covid.

It doesn’t impact us currently as we are both still working but when we retire in around 7 years time we will apply for a ‘non lucrative visa’ which will be the easiest way for us to stay in Spain as long as we want. Pretty much permanently.

That’s if the rules haven’t changed again. Spain are desperate for the EU to relax the rule for current or future homeowners.

Interesting. We considered it before, Covid put us off, might consider it again in the future!

 

[PeterT]

I manage Bermuda Airport. Super facility that was newly built. Come and try us out . Beautiful, though expensive island.

Visited for a week in 2004, might be time for a return visit!

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Undecided yet. Pencilled-in flights have an 18 hour layover, which I'm thinking is maybe enough to have a little bit of of a look around (and the bits I miss I can maybe do on the 18 hour layover on the way home). Or I could just be sensible and do a few days in Japan

i guess it comes down to time constraints and if you ever plan on being in this part of the world again?

If you only have limited time and Australia is the key part of the trip you can dip your to(e) into kyo and have a little taster but if you have the time I'd recommend doing a few days here. There aren't really any sights like London has (big ben, the tower, buckingham palace etc), it's more a city that has to be experienced.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

i guess it comes down to time constraints and if you ever plan on being in this part of the world again?

If you only have limited time and Australia is the key part of the trip you can dip your to(e) into kyo and have a little taster but if you have the time I'd recommend doing a few days here. There aren't really any sights like London has (big ben, the tower, buckingham palace etc), it's more a city that has to be experienced.

Ah cheers, yup in no great rush to get to Oz, having been fortunate enough to spend time in Sydney en route to Byron Bay a half dozen in my short life already. Time to try something new and somewhat alien. Hopefully as downright spooky as Samurai Gourmet