Drop in for a natter about anything French related.As, in the past, I was a well worn traveller, I am a bit bemused by how travelling to the UK has developed post - Covid.
I am planning to travel from Lyon To Brum (BHX) for the weekend and the last time I did this, pre - Covid, there was a direct flight with Flybe. Now no more or at best in the course of being revitalised. It was certainly not in the Loco price region then but the prices were acceptable.
So looking at alternatives, I am struck by the lack of service to the England's second city from France's third.
British Airways - to London Heathrow but nothing onward which I can perhaps understand, but the rail journey onward is a pain - LHR -> Paddington; underground to Euston; Euston -> BHX .
Air France - most routes via Amsterdam with KLM, though a few via Paris and often using the TGV to or from Lyon. Not at all cheap.
Easyjet - fly twice per week but that would need an extra night in the hotel and with a hold bag the prices are more expensive than my final chose route.
Ryanair do fly but from Marseille but not in the month I am interested in.
TGV/Eurostar - in the bank loan region.
Lufthansa - outbound via Brussels with Brussels Airline and back via Munich! By far and away cheapest with hold baggage. Brussels outbound is pretty much en route but Munich on the return is a dogleg and a half. Oh and overall this is the quickest to and from Brum airport!
travelling to the UK
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exile
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Blaze
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exile
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niemeyjt
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travelling to the UK
Avoid any tight connections with SleasyJet - chances are (like 75% in my experience) they will be late and you will miss it.
Sabina - I thought they merged with Swissair bringing both down and into the ownership of Lufthansa with only the latter surviving now as Swiss International.
Maybe look at Ryanair - maybe they will go to one of the other Birmingham Airports like Birmingham Manchester or Birmingham Liverpool?
Sabina - I thought they merged with Swissair bringing both down and into the ownership of Lufthansa with only the latter surviving now as Swiss International.
Maybe look at Ryanair - maybe they will go to one of the other Birmingham Airports like Birmingham Manchester or Birmingham Liverpool?
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Hotrodder
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travelling to the UK
Sabena!!!
I flew from L.A. to Manchester in 1958. I was only a kid back then and I took it all onboard as a big adventure. If I was on that flight today as an adult I would be scared sh*tless. Food was inedible. Entertainment was staring endlessly out the window wondering why there was a long trail of flame coming out of each engine. Vibration was such that normal conversation was by sign language or had to be shouted. Seating space would prevent many of today's overweight people from travelling. Two refuelling stops (one was unscheduled) and the journey took so long I was almost ready for my first ever shave on arrival.
I flew from L.A. to Manchester in 1958. I was only a kid back then and I took it all onboard as a big adventure. If I was on that flight today as an adult I would be scared sh*tless. Food was inedible. Entertainment was staring endlessly out the window wondering why there was a long trail of flame coming out of each engine. Vibration was such that normal conversation was by sign language or had to be shouted. Seating space would prevent many of today's overweight people from travelling. Two refuelling stops (one was unscheduled) and the journey took so long I was almost ready for my first ever shave on arrival.
On my headstone it will say: Please switch off mobile phones. I'm trying to get some sleep.
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Wilbro
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travelling to the UK
Belgian drivers.
I travelled to several European countries on business in the 1970s and with all the airlines the approach to heathrow was a gentle bank and descent prior to landing.
Not with Sabena, a straight line, "handbrake turn" standing the craft on one wing and dive down. No different to the taxi drivers
I travelled to several European countries on business in the 1970s and with all the airlines the approach to heathrow was a gentle bank and descent prior to landing.
Not with Sabena, a straight line, "handbrake turn" standing the craft on one wing and dive down. No different to the taxi drivers
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exile
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travelling to the UK
You are right @niemeyjt Sabina was taken over by Lufthansa and rebranded as Belgian Airlines.
Quite why they were not absorbed into Lufthansa but that does not seem to be Lufthansa's style. It probably means that employees get lower wages than their Lufthansa colleagues and in the case of Brussels Airlines, they still advertise as Belgium's national airline - which leads me to wonder if their might be some subsidies somewhere along the line.
Ryanair land nowhere close to Brum from Marseille* and anyway I can avoid car hire or extra travel costs by landing in Brum, so there is a big incentive to arrive there.
* They do East Midlands - but not in November.
Quite why they were not absorbed into Lufthansa but that does not seem to be Lufthansa's style. It probably means that employees get lower wages than their Lufthansa colleagues and in the case of Brussels Airlines, they still advertise as Belgium's national airline - which leads me to wonder if their might be some subsidies somewhere along the line.
Ryanair land nowhere close to Brum from Marseille* and anyway I can avoid car hire or extra travel costs by landing in Brum, so there is a big incentive to arrive there.
* They do East Midlands - but not in November.