New Easyjet route

[maddi]

Hi Guest

I take your point but to be honest one way or another there are a dozen highly publicised reasons not to fly with every airline except Quantas - it is always whatever happens on the day.

Maddi

[Guest]

I have found the following which may be of interest:-
From: Gatwick (LGW)
To: Seville, Spain (SVQ)
http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Seville/Gatwick/
Be interested if anyone finds out any furher information on this and if car hire is any cheaper..
Nightrider

[Franky Obstacle]

Hi Guest

I take your point but to be honest one way or another there are a dozen highly publicised reasons not to fly with every airline except Quantas

Care to elaborate, as this is a very sweeping statement

[roy4eyes]

I too do not understand Maddi's comments - Quantas are no better nor worse than many other airlines, in Europe they only operate long-haul, and their European maintenance is carried out by B.A.

The B.A. flights to Faro are sub-contracted to G.B. Airways who will not necessarily be affected by any B.A. industrial action.

Nobody seems to have looked at TAP who have reasonable prices, convenient times from both Heathrow and Gatwick to both Faro and Lisbon and have the best safety record of any European airline.

[pm]

We always seem to fly TAP. Nice aircraft and nice staff, just a tad early at 6.30 am. Once you have added on all the extras the price is competitive too.

I worked on a TAP simulator which had the hilarious approach to Funchal. I think it is a bit easier now, but with a tricky approach and short runway they did well to get down at all.

http://tinyurl.com/asd3t

[nightrider]

We too have flown via TAP and received good service. However, I have to say when we flew with them they were not cheap. However, to be fair I have not as Roy has suggested, looked at them lately to fly with. Thank you Roy and pm for drawing my attention to this.
Regards,
Nightrider

[nightrider]

FLIGHTS AND NEW AIRPORT(S) NEWS:-

MAR 2006: Thomsonfly.com fly to Faro from Bournemouth, Doncaster and Coventry..

2010:New Spanish Airport operational 2010 between Huelva and Ayamonte and of course right on the boarders of the Algarve.

2017Second international airport for Portugal at Ota, 50kms north of Lisboa, completion date 2017.

Meanwhile, ANA, the operators of Faro Airport, have embarked on an international publicity campaign to attract more visitors.
Nightrider
Adapted from various articles.
Algarve Property Magazine
No.54. Jan/Feb 06

nb: There is also pending more concrete news of the possibility of another airport on the West Coast.

[maddi]

Sorry that my post was not clear although it was meant to be a sweeping generalisation in so far as if you peruse this or any other travel forum plus throw in the press (ok not the most reliable source) and you will find moans, complaints, strikes, maintenance issues, delays, cleanliness problems, dire food, dire service, whatever - you will find someone (or a plane full of passengers) who have had a rotten experience with about almost every airline - it really does depend on the very moment in time you fly with them.

i.e. I have only had good experiences with BA and Virgin but from this forum alone there are others who would never fly with them again

I have had good and bad experiences with Excel (and just imagine how many times I have used Excel) & Pegasus.

I had an excellent experience with AirScandia but almost think I am the only person who has if you read travel forums.

Good and bad with AirMalta

Good and bad to First Choice (Air 2000 whatever)

Anyway a sweeping generalisation it was and a sweeping generalisation it was meant to be I am no officianado I only make around 12 flights a year around the world - so consider me clueless and you would be about right.

The aside about Quantas refers to their safety record.

Maddi

[Franky Obstacle]

I only make around 12 flights a year around the world - so consider me clueless and you would be about right.



Maddi

As someone who is about to find more time on their hands, I would be obliged if you could give me a breakdown of your 12 trips last year so I can get some ideas.

[maddi]

Hey FO

We have previously attempted a couple of times to exchange ideas about other places to visit - on the grounds that we all love CVO, it is more likely that we respect each others travel opinions. Never really got off the ground unfortunately - well for the record these are my personal favourites and I will be brief so if you want more information on any of them please PM me.


CVO - obviously

Sivota - greek mainland, picture postcard harbour, crystal blue seas, hire small boats and have beaches to yourself, fantastic people watching, gorgeous yatchs and motor cruisers arrive at night, good restaurants and bars.

Paxos - pretty as a picture, Gaios very cosmopolitan at night (more of those yatchs and motor cruisers with the beautiful people on board), the most amazing white talcum powder sand beach on Anti-Paxos, small boats for hire again, great snorkelling in crystal clear waters,

Goa - the ex- portugese colony - awesome scenery, fanatastic people, great food and drink, incredibly cheap when you get there (glass bottle of coke = 6p in town maybe 9p on the beach), Beach parties with red snapper for dinner, fireworks for fun and dancing until dawn. Interesting and interested people and culture.

Prague - love that city the historical buildings with gorgeous architecture, the pavement cafes, spending hours on Charles Bridge listening to the jazz quartet, great nightlife, fantastic restaurants, absolutely beautiful, very romantic.

Bayeux - Normandy - the WW2 landing beaches, the museums, in particular La Memorial at Caen, great people (unbelievably welcoming for the French), very pretty, great restaurants (gorgeous mussels).

Hydra - very pretty, an artists delight, spoiled by cruise ships mainly full of very loud, brash and often ignorant americans (sorry Cowboy et al) during the day but lovely at night, pretty harbour with merchant houses and lots of history.


This is a list of where I have been many of them several times especially those above and some which I would NEVER go back to unless someone was paying me (happy to answer which ones disappointed by PM) and I still have most of the world to see

Spain (lots), Majorca, Ibiza, Portugal (lots), France (lots), Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Romania, Italy, Malta, Gozo, Greece Mainland (Sivota – lots, Tolon), Corfu, Skiathos, Alonnisos, Skopelos, Hydra, Paxos, Spetses, Crete, Anti-Paxos, Lesvos, Turkey, Egypt, The Gambia, Cyprus, The USA, Goa India.


Maddi

[Franky Obstacle]

You've been around nearly as much as me, no the point I was trying to get at was how you manage 12 trips per year, do you do one a month, just go for weekends etc.. I am at the moment only able to manage 2 maybe 3 trips. (Trying to find your magic forumula)

[maddi]

FO

I thought you were being sarcastic but chose quite deliberately to take you at your word and I hope we have both learnt something.

As for 12 trips I believe I said 12 flights which technically ( ) is only 6 trips - the trips are mainly spread between March and October and come around every 6 to 8 weeks - travel is my passion - and there is a whole world to see - I am desperate to see Macchu Pichu, Peru and Angkor Wat, Cambodia as well as snorkel/dive at Koh Pi Pi.

My circumstances as many people on here know changed radically about 20 months ago and continuing my long haul quest has had to be put on hold, so last year (to answer your question - were it real -more accurately) only saw trips to France, Spain and Greece.

Hopefully my circumstances will improve and once again can I see the world slowly at a rate of 6 trips a year.

Maddi

[Franky Obstacle]

Not being sarcastic Maddi, was just intrigued about the 12 trips, but thanks for explaining. I am quite new to this site and was not aware of your circumstances (still not) but hope your travel dreams come true.