Tour Operators threaten Chambery pullout

A snowHead

kyoto49, Those are quite a few of the reasons we bought our own place in the Alps Very Happy

A snowHead

I've flown though Chambery once, and would try and avoid it (and probably Grenoble) this year if I could. The airport is too small for the number of people using it, so I'd rather go through a larger aiport further away. There's no point saving an hour off the transfer if you're sitting on the plane in a traffic jam for 2-3 hours after you've landed (especially when your plane was told to "fly slower" on the way!)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I've done lots of short term ski holidays but it's always been difficult finding accommodation to match our travel days. A couple of years ago we stayed at Le Dome in Tignes which was a catered chalet where you could book for any number of random nights (at least 3 though I think) - which was just right for our needs - but they are no longer operating - so I guess it wasn't popular enough.

This year we paid for a whole week in a French apartment even though we weren't going to use the whole week, through a UK agent, only to find out that has I booked it through the French owner/agent site I could have had any number of flexible days.... Sad

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I think non-standard accommodation is getting a bit easier, and I'm coming to the conclusion that the general snowheads view is right - a couple of private lessons can be better value than a whole week in a big group. Group lessons here aren't a possibility, anyway, unless you can speak enough French to cope. In the low season a 2 hour private lesson, for up to 3 people, is 54 euros. Compared to the cost of - say - a haircut, or a car service, in the UK that's very good value. Snowheads threads often come up with possibilities for non-standard accommodation, and if people keep asking, the market will respond, sooner or later.

It takes a bit more research to do non-standard holidays, but it can be done, outside school holidays, at any rate. Buying your own apartment is maybe a bit drastic, but that's definitely the way to push down the price-per-week. When you see the price some people pay for a week in a hotel, it can even seem quite cheap!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Summer destinations often have specific changeover days by country, eg Tenerife's main UK days are Tue/Fri. Accommodation & organised activities then tend to be segregated by nationality.

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I still think things will gradually become less rigid. More people are looking for long weekends, a few days "city break", or a 10 day holiday, and expecting the services to be there. I haven't holidayed in the USA for a long time, and never done a ski holiday there, but I believe it's right to say that holiday provision is much more flexible there - and, as we all know, where the US leads, the rest of the world tends to follow in the end.

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After all it is free

Personally I think us "lazy europeans" should hang on to our paid leave, the situation in the States is hardly something to aspire to IMHO. Mind you I dunno why I'm saying that I'm working most of my holidays at the moment but it's work I enjoy rather than endure, which is what the 'day job' entails lol!

I've only ever had hassles in France with flexible dates but have found Austria, for example, far more flexible. However the easiest place in my experience is Scotland where people are generally happy to discuss dates and cater for unusual combinations of days - all that and no hassles with flights too! Toofy Grin

The Americans do appear to have less holiday than Europeans - our DIL though has about 20 days, a lawyer and in her last firm then an entitlement of something like 10 extra days which were to be used in half-day, odd days, even a few hours at a time for things like dentist, doctor's appointments and the ability to attend school concerts. These days also had to be used if there was snow - the office would put a message on the phone and if it said that the office would open at 10.30 then all were expected to get there. If you couldn't then you had to use one of these occasional days - so there was a bit of hoarding the days till towards the end of the year.

Son though gets far fewer than 20 days - but then they do seem to get quite a few public holidays and these then get tacked on to weekends and are used for things like long weekend ski trips. And not that we know a lot of Americans, but some we have come across, rent accommodation in ski resorts between a big bunch and then different sets of people use the places for weekend trips.

We spent New Year in Vermont in 2009 - and booked Saturday to Saturday after staying with son and DIL. Now we can't remember exactly why we did book the rigid Sat-Sat - except that it gave us a few days with the family there before and after the trip, and we had people staying in our chalet here over the same time.

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Yes, I'm aware that the US generally has fewer paid leave days - my nephew has just 10! But I still think that much more flexible work and holiday patterns are a civilised aspiration. I once skied a day or so in Meribel, very early season last minute few days, with a guy who worked in a factory, making toilet rolls. He did 10 days straight, then had 5 days off - and in the winter he tried to use a good few of those 5 day breaks to go skiing. Seemed a very sound scheme to me! I've also skied with IT contractors and the like. By the time you add up all the people who DON'T have to do a rigid 5 days on, 2 days off, work pattern it adds up to a great deal of potential demand for flexible, non-peak, non weekend, travel. Especially if you include the increasingly affluent retired group.

Travel businesses who have the flexibility and creativity to respond will be the ones who do well. The days of "you'll get what you're given and be grateful" are over.

Even our French friends, having retired over a year ago, have slowly cottoned on to the fact that as they have their own apartment it's actually not completely essential to drive all through France to the Alps on a Saturday; they are coming on Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

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pam w,

. It's amazing how many owners arrive at their own properties on a Saturday. We've a fair few arrive on Friday evening though, having driven up from Marseille/Aix-en-Provence.

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I tried to book a last minute TO package for 10th January using a Stansted-Chambery flight. I was told the flight waa fully booked but for a £19 supplement I could fly from Gatwick to Geneva. That was so lucky. Our flight was delayed on the tarmac at Gatwick for two hours while they cleared the snow at Geneva but we arrived in resort in time to collect hired skis. People in the same chalet flying to Chambery did not arrive until early Tuesday morning having spent the Sunday night still in England and then being flown to Milan. Crying or Very sad

In future I will always try to fly to Geneva as Chambery is just too risky (fog, wind and snow) and, even when it's working, desperately overcrowded.

You know it makes sense.

Chambery is a dire airport. Are they still using the temporary blocks outside arrivals as toilets intended to serve the entire place?

It seems chalet operators are slowly becoming more flexible on holiday durations though. It may be a consequence of the traditional change-over day falling on Christmas and New Year's Days this year, or it could be a result of the 'crisis', but I've certainly noted more Thursday arrivals in resort this season. Independent chalet owners also report many more enquiries about shorter breaks but they are often reluctant to accept these just in case a full week booking comes along later and which won't leave the place empty for 3 or 4 days.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Chambery is the only airport in the area where I managed to be out of the airport less than 10 minutes after the plane had landed. Equally it's the only airport where I have been at a dinner function with something like 1000 other people within the check-in area... Not a bad airport when it all works.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

pam w, we've been there too. Always fine on arrival, but departure is another matter. We were once delayed for a few hours, early flight turned into mid-afternoon. Too early for chalet breakfast, and nothing at the airport. Not really much choice for lunch either.

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If you are going to the Alps you could try driving.
I personally fly all too often with my work and although I have no intention of getting blown out of the sky by some nut job, I still fail to see what difference two 100ml cans of deodorant is over one 200ml can. My trips to Tignes are always by car. I always get there on schedule too. Very Happy

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Split1950, driving is much preferable, despite delays over Christmas at Eurotunnel, it is still our preferred option.

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The chaos that is Chambrey would have been a dream compared to the nightmare called Toulouse... Yesterday we were held on a coach in the car park for close on two hours until the aircraft was delayed over an hour. Then we were rushed through check-in and security without even the slightest glimpse of tax-free sales in the departure lounge.

Some of the ladies even had to toilet in the building site out-side the car-park after our two and half hour transfer and two hour enforced bus stop...

On the way out, Toulouse Airport Luggage Handlers had 200 Brits playing chase the suitcase round the carousel for over an hour. Great fun. They must have been laughing their Gallic heads off as they watched the CCTV...
rolling eyes

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WayneC, doesn't sound as bad as Chambery TBH.

After all it is free

Helen Beaumont, perhaps you're right, however, at least at Chambery we were allowed to use the toilets and cafe facilities, while the chaos ensued. At Toulouse we weren't even allowed in the terminal. Sad

Hi, new to Snowheads Little Angel

Booking a late deal to Les Arcs this week, options are Geneva or Chambery - was really keen on Chambery but looking at the reviews I'm not so sure, is it really as bad as quoted on a Saturday transfer??

Thanks

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snowfig, welcome to snowheads.

Depends on the weather. we're not far from Chambery and it's absolutely chucking it down at the moment - and to quite low altitude, judging by the temperature. I wouldn't like to be flying into Chambery tomorrow. Indeed, I would prefer not to be going anywhere tomorrow, except possibly out to find a bit of fresh powder. wink

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Thanks Pam - I think Geneva is gonna get my vote, this is my only skiing this year so hanging around at airports would really pee me off Smile

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snowfig, welcom to snoheads. I'd take Chambery over Geneva anyday. Geneva's a bloody awful airport if youre going via the cattle shed they call the tour-op hall. Chambery is smaller and closer to the tarentaise

snowfig, welcome to snowHeads. Whilst I agree that Geneva is horrible, I absolutely hate it, it seems to be more easily able to cope with bad weather than Chambery.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

took a photo of Chambery airport today

A snowHead

That's a great photo - could the airport possibly be any closer to the lake *gulp*

Spot the nervous flyer lol

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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I see there's a very large crucifix in the foreground

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[quote="davidof"]

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

[quote="davidof"]

After all it is free

davidof, Did you take that on appoach? Happy

It's no wonder pilots need a special rating for Chambrey, having to just miss those trees and then stop before skidding into the pond at the end. I suppose the cross is from a failed attempt?

wink

I don't think it's the trees and the pond that pose the problems - the mountains, more likely. If I had to ditch, I think I'd prefer the lake to any of the options.....

davidof, shame your grandfather couldn't stand children; he must have been a fascinating man.

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If this is such a tin-pot airport, how come Ryanair do not fly there, as they go to every other tin pot in Europe.
Laughing

Maybe if more customers voted with their feet, and chose flights on airlines who have aircraft capable of landing in fog (Cat3) that go into airports with the the required ground equipment to do so, the tour operators who use this cheap second rate option would reconsider their position.

Help!!

Tour Operators threaten Chambery pullout

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