 Poster: A snowHead
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Actually, sod all this. You want to get 18 pairs of skis to Austria? £30 a pop, I'll drive them myself. £540 would pay for my ski trip in the same resort, and probably half of my lift pass too. What week are we going?
Genuine offer, if I can get the dates to work, but depends where you are flying from - Edinburgh, or somewhere else? I can meet you at Luton, Heathrow or Gatwick and the kit will arrive 12hrs later in resort delivered to your chalet or hotel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Monium wrote: |
Actually, sod all this. You want to get 18 pairs of skis to Austria? £30 a pop, I'll drive them myself. £540 would pay for my ski trip in the same resort, and probably half of my lift pass too. What week are we going?
Genuine offer, if I can get the dates to work, but depends where you are flying from - Edinburgh, or somewhere else? I can meet you at Luton, Heathrow or Gatwick and the kit will arrive 12hrs later in resort delivered to your chalet or hotel. |
got a big roof rack Monium? 
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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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Mt, While there are TO I try to avoid if I can Inghams is one of the company's Im happy to use regularly.
If I was inpaulmags, position Im not sure what I would do then though he has the problem that as he is in Edinburgh the DIY options are a bit limited and the total cost can come to more than a package will.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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UPS surely, pack them in 2-3 large bundles and get a quote.
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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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Monium, Good shout..............if I has a Vito I'd do the same!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| andy wrote: |
| Flybe? (on an Embraer or other relatively dinky plane) |
We flew with Fly BE to Turin last year on one of those. It was an Inghams holiday too. I was asked for my mobile number at check in, which I though was strange as I'd never been asked that before. I asked the check in lady why and she said it was in case the plane was too heavy and they had to leave some bags off. They'd call me and let me know when my bag would be there.
Thankfully my bags did arrive on the same flight.
Unlike my last trip when the numpty's at Gatwick airport forgot to put my bag on, I was the only person stood at the luggage carousel when it stopped  . Thankfully Innsbruck airport were excellent in tracking it down, getting it put on the next flight and then delivered to my hotel by taxi. Managed my first day's skiing in the OHs ski pants (they were a bit tight) and a light soft shell jacket that I'd been wearing on the way out, luckily it was a pretty warm day.
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I used the TO "VIP" who do some fairly decent chalets in Val, and watched my double ski bag sitting on the tarmac as the luggage guys shook their heads at my bag and about half a dozen more. As we backed off to taxi I waved bye-bye to my wife's and my own skis cursing Fly-Be for using crappy turbo prop mini-planes.
The kit arrived the following day, but not early enough for a full day. The rep said I was lucky, I said that the rep was even luckier.
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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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It's a horrible feeling when the ski bags don't turn up, been there on 2 occasions and it's like losing an old friend....great when they turn up 2 days later in a taxi but a pita at the time and spoils the first part of the week for sure. Also takes 3 months to get refund from airline. Personally I never use TO based on the fact I want to be in control, but have heard some real horrors re ski carriage, gear left at side of road, lost at airport etc. my mate once even zipped open his ski bag in the boot room on a lads trip and he had a pair of knackered skis from a Greek guy based in Athens, needless to say he never got his back! He was gutted, of course we didn't laugh!......I always check mine at the airport. Another good friend witnessed her bag being thrown into the back of a Merc at Geneva, same Da Kine holdall......much flailing of arms later all sorted but a very close one!
Monium, Are you sure re the Mondeo...? surely the skis/ bindings are 6-7kg x 18, that's well overloading the roof gutters, never mind the space it'd take, plus all the boots and poles and av gear crammed in. It's a transit/ vito job I reckon. Anyway like you say it's a good plan, hope you win the gig!
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| Quote: |
£540 would leave me plenty spare to buy a sodding roof box
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you're paying yourself very little for your time. It costs me at least £400 for a return trip to the Alps - more if it involves an overnight stop. And that's not counting any wear and tear.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow, this is amazing. Wife wasn't up for plan A i.e. she stay behind and I put my skis on her seat ! Firstly Inghams were covered with the small print so real challenge and legal wasn't going to be too successful. Tried various options with the various delivery services however that was struggling to get as low as £100 so that didn't really work. Inghams wouldn't accept anything delivered either so courier or similar wouldn't work. More Arghhh!
Our very good agent kept at it and Inghams have now flexed a bit (quite an achievement) and upgraded skis are now available to us. Looks like that's going to be at half the difference in cost so will be for £68. While its still a real pain, and will miss our own skis it look like its the best we will get.
Thanks for all support and really really sorry to disappoint Monium !
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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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| paulmags wrote: |
Wow, this is amazing. Wife wasn't up for plan A i.e. she stay behind and I put my skis on her seat ! Firstly Inghams were covered with the small print so real challenge and legal wasn't going to be too successful. Tried various options with the various delivery services however that was struggling to get as low as £100 so that didn't really work. Inghams wouldn't accept anything delivered either so courier or similar wouldn't work. More Arghhh!
Our very good agent kept at it and Inghams have now flexed a bit (quite an achievement) and upgraded skis are now available to us. Looks like that's going to be at half the difference in cost so will be for £68. While its still a real pain, and will miss our own skis it look like its the best we will get.
Thanks for all support and really really sorry to disappoint Monium ! |
Highlights the usefulness of an agent at times.
Inghams in resort service was excellent when we went with them last year. But booking was a bit of a pain. We went to an agent who called Inghams and agreed on a price. When it came to the agent placing the order the numbers didn't stack up. Inghams had miscalculated and left off a lift pass. Our agent was like a dog with a bone and wouldn't give up until they agreed that the quote they gave us first was their error and they honoured the initial quote. (the agent said we'd only pay the original quote amount anyway and they would take the hit if they had to).
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hmm interesting.
a few years back we arrived in austrian airport to be told that most of the ski boot bags and skis had been left behind as plane was too small to carry them!!
much talk about how rare such a problem is, TO blamed airline.
get to hotel, discover that despite airline being blamed, this same plane had been in service on the route all season and that every week the same thing was happening!
the affected punters were promised their gear would arrive "later in the week on tuesday" (guess what, they arrived on the thursday!!)
Now, what do you think happend on way back?
yep, you got it...despite assurances of TO rep, we arrive back in UK airport to discover.....................................
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all the ski bags, boots bags had arrived.....
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but none of the suitcases!!
eventually a call from the handlers to say the stuff has arrived and can be collected or taxi'd to our friend at their own cost......
and there was nothing they could do to get compensation for the inconvienience etc etc
so, nothing has changed then!!
first rule, get it in writing first, and even then dont expect TO to deliver
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You know it makes sense.
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First rule is don't use a TO!!!snowornever,
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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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With 26 people just hire a coach, pick up door to door and get the beers in 
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Poster: A snowHead
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skimastaaah, I agree that is a good idea, a sort of Tripadvisor for TO's. The TO's ( or even regular punters) don't seem to realise how easy it is nowadays to do a DIY holiday, mostly thanks to the internet and also getting feedback from people like us guys. I am fortunate that I am in the alps and don't have to rely on booking holidays any more, but now, all my mates, without exception, book all their ski trips themselves and would never go back to TO's. Some of them (not my mates) seem to have got worse over the years, with the exception of the mega priced companies.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
The prices are due to dumb tourists coming in from outside of Austria and accepting whatever price is quoted!  You will not get your average German or Austrian skier paying the silly prices they ask! |
Tell the rest of us how we can join the average Germans and Austrians, please! What are the magic words to use in the shop?
Monium, if you DO drive the skis out then beware your car insurance. Make sure you are insured for business use, otherwise you will be driving uninsured. Presumably you will also want to make sure your insurance covers the value of the skis, but that's your problem, not ours.
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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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paulmags, I'll do your boots and skis delivered for £68 per pair, that's even better than the £540 on offer before. Why would you go for the rental option? My experience is that "upgraded" skis in resort tend to mean the same skis as everybody else, just a bit more expensive.
I'd push for more. The TO is still letting you down IMO.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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James the Last, all my miles are business miles and insured for that. I think the difference in cost was about £20 a year, so I just make it all business mileage and I am covered no matter what.
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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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Monium, ditto
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry to be boring, only trying to help (hinder? I'm sure you've got it all sorted) but are you sure it's the right sort of business miles - i.e. self employment rather than commuting etc? There are several different categories, and insurance companies don't seem to understand the difference themselves...
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James the Last, insurance categories are generally:
Social
Commuting
Business
Pretty clear!
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I'd be surprised if in a small ski town anywhere there was a huge difference from one rental place to another. Intersport, Alber (which also owns S'no Control) and Jennewein have several shops each in town. Jennewein and Alber are owned by local families. I'm not sure whether the local Intersports are a franchise? There is also Sport Schranz near the old station.
Five day hire in all those places is 142 euros. Which is quite pricey. Which is why as Samerberg Sue and clarky999 say Austrians and those living in Austria by and large do NOT rent in St Anton and by and large do not rent at all when skiing. If you are keen on skiing and live in Austria it simply makes no sense to rent at all. Even if you brought brand new skis each season you would only need to go a few times before it becomes much cheaper to buy rather than rent (I lived in Austria for a number of years and can cheerfully attest to this!). So for some reason claiming it is the fault of locals at the weekend is simply ill informed.
As for the range, having seen some friends renting skis in St Anton last season I was quite surprised by the quality and breadth of options on offer. And generally found the shop staff very helpful and friendly. Still wouldn't pay those rental prices myself.
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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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| kat.ryb wrote: |
James the Last, insurance categories are generally:
Social
Commuting
Business
Pretty clear! |
there are to the best of my knowledge at least three types of business use:
business use without carriage of goods eg an estate agent visiting multiple propeties each day (cheapest)
business use including carriage of goods eg a rep moving samples, a shop owner doing wholesaling (dearer)
multidrop delivery vehicles eg a courier or grocery shop delivery van (dearest)
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nozawaonsen My experience of St Anton rental shops was less positive - with an airline that had failed to load my skis and an impending powder day I thought it would be relatively easy to rustle up a pair of Bentchetlers or S7s or equivalents. Nope Volkl Gotamas were where they appeared to run out of steam in non pixie lengths and a bunch of punter flannel that skinny Fischers were what I really wanted. Not overly impressed at any money (as it would have been charged back to TO).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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fatbob, sounds frustrating. Was that a particular shop?
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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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| kat.ryb wrote: |
James the Last, insurance categories are generally:
Social
Commuting
Business
Pretty clear! |
when getting a quote , the difference between carrying your own goods and carrying third party goods is huge.
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| James the Last wrote: |
| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
| The prices are due to dumb tourists coming in from outside of Austria and accepting whatever price is quoted! You will not get your average German or Austrian skier paying the silly prices they ask! |
Tell the rest of us how we can join the average Germans and Austrians, please! What are the magic words to use in the shop?
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Own your own kit, or rent in the valley (possibly all the way down to the Inn valley in the case of St Anton!).
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You know it makes sense.
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nozawaonsen, All 3 of the cartel at Nasserein and a couple of branches at Galzig before I accepted I was going to be on Gotamas. Fortunately taxi turned up at midnight with the skis so I had the real deal.
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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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fatbob, the Jennewein under Pepis was the most helpful if I remember.
I'd have thought there would be plenty to be made from adding an (additional!) rental premium for a range of powder skis in a place like St Anton. I'm pretty convinced people would pay.
clarky999, good point about the cheaper rental options down in the valleys. Only makes sense if you are driving up (so not relevant if you are delivered straight to resort by a TO).
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FAQ
