Poster: A snowHead
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https://www.flyvictor.com/flights
It's worth doing a websearch for the airport and the airline and making them and offer direct . My neighbour has done it a few times and says they'll generally accept a grand for a small jet one way to or back from Europe if it's flying empty. With a few family or group of friends it can be reasonable price for quite an experience.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ssshhhhhh, something's are best kept secret.
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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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@cameronphillips2000, never done it, but, yes.
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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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I'm a "normal" person who absolutely no way has the cash for private jets, but have flown on them quite a lot for work. I would say that the experience of being on a small jet is not in itself particularly luxurious - the greatest luxury by far is not having to go through security or worry about liquids, sharps etc. I have flown into the Alps a few times, and the view over the mountains is really something quite special and that would be worth it for a one-off treat if you could get some sort of deal but it is not something to treat your friends/family to if any of them are nervous fliers - I did one trip out of Gstaad with a nervous flier and it was a bit of a nightmare! This season I've flown into Courchevel for the first time and that really is something… again definitely NOT for nervous fliers but it is pretty wow to be honest.
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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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Tiny picture but this is Courchevel.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 24-01-15 9:33; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If I wasn't going skiing next week I think I'd be looking at getting a few mates and taking advantage over of the Norwich-Chambery flight at the back end of half term.
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I once got a lift back from the Isle of Man to Leeds Bradford in a small private plane (single prop, not jet) and the door blew open over the Irish Sea! We were flying at a low altitude but it was very noisy and windy for the rest of the flight. It's not like you can get out and shut it.... Echo the comments about not great for nervous fliers.
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@lynnecha, yes, I've had similar 'luxurious' experiences (though nothing quite as bad as the door blowing open)! That plane in the photo above was fine and it was only a 15 minute journey from Annemasse, but on the day I took that photo it was -15 when we landed and the runway was really icy (already causing the flight to be delayed by 2 hours) so the pilot went in, then circled and went back for a second time. I'm not a nervous flier so I was fine, but I can think of plenty of people who would have hated it. It feels (though I'm sure it's not the reality) that you are so low above the skiers' heads that I've also thought I wouldn't want to be skiing around the Courchevel altiport frankly! But the views are breathtaking, and rather that than get the views due to being lifted off the pistes in a bloodwagon helicopter I guess!
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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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A friend of mines runs a heli company that manages the helis that other people own
i.e he does all the maintenance, supplies pilots, all the hassles.
They have a number of clients who heli all the way from the UK to Courcheval and several other mountain airports.
About 3 hours door to door, including a refuelling stop.
A different Private Jet story for you:
Some years ago a very dodgy US Financial company (that was later bankrupted in a major fraud, but that is by-the-way) took some clients from London to their US HQ in Tennessee to due due diligence.
The arrangement was to fly to NYC and then transfer to the company PJ.
A friend of mine arrived in NYC, was ushered through to the Private Jet Terminal and with minimum fuss onto the PJ.
He was incredibly impressed with the whole efficiency, and the remarkable speed of the flight as within 40 minutes was told to prepare for landing.
"Wow, that is quick, I am impressed, NYC to Tennessee in 40 minutes!" he said to the crew.
"Tennessee? We are not in Tennessee, this is Baltimore"
Wrong PJ! Massive hassles ensued!
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Courchevel is one of the most dramatic runways to land at in the world. You've got to land it right in the button, particularly with a fair cargo
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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cameronphillips2000 wrote: |
Courchevel is one of the most dramatic runways to land at in the world. You've got to land it right in the button, particularly with a fair cargo |
Hey, I'm not that lardy...
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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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rungsp wrote: |
They have a number of clients who heli all the way from the UK to Courcheval and several other mountain airports.
About 3 hours door to door, including a refuelling stop.
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That seems quite long but I guess it's the need to refuel - that little plane pictured above got from Annemasse to London in 2 hours. Got a bigger plane home that did it in 1h25m.
I can do La Giettaz to Islington (door to door) in just over an hour more than that 3 hour helicopter journey using good old Easyjet - more leg room too
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miranda wrote: |
I can do La Giettaz to Islington (door to door) in just over an hour more than that 3 hour helicopter journey using good old Easyjet - more leg room too |
Could you give a breakdown please? Hand Luggage only? Car/driver waiting at the airport? We're constantly weighing up fly versus drive and even though we are less than an hour from Stanstead reckon that the close to GVA resorts are at least 6 hours door to door.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Snow Hound, yes, it does depend on everything coming together of course!! And it does involve having my husband drop me off at the airport at "Kiss and Fly", so there's no time added in parking/dropping off hire car. I tend to fly hand luggage only but if I do easy jet I do speedy boarding so even if I have a bag I only have to get to baggage drop 50 minutes before the plane takes off. So I leave 2 hours before the plane takes off, plane journey is 1h30, sit on front seat so first off plane and no queue at customs. If you have a bag, they come through quickly at Luton (takes ages at Gatwick + I find is a really long walk from landing to baggage collection). 99% of the time there's a shuttle bus waiting to take you to the station, the trains are really regular and only take 30 minutes into Kings X. Coming in the other direction, I admit to 'splashing out' on a taxi from the station to the airport if needs be (i.e. when I'm cutting things really fine… think it's about a fiver) and on buying a fast track ticket (about 4 quid I think) to skip security queues at Luton. Again, first off plane so no queue at customs and then my husband is waiting in the car at the other end.
So, yes: car waiting, hand luggage, not having to travel during peak times (i.e. Saturdays during the season). Still, we do get weekend guests flying in after work from London who find the journey quick enough to warrant it (arrive Friday night - leave Sunday night and get 2 full days on the slopes).
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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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London Luton to Geneva is £2700 for an 8 seater. Tad expensive but it would be a nice treat.
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