 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been trying to book a group skiing holiday with Inghams. When you go through the online booking process there is the option for ALL members of the party to pay extra for ski carriage or no one can take skis/boards.
My group is made up of 50% with own skis/board, 50% without. When I rang Inghams they are saying that there is no room for ski carriage on the flights we want .... I'm not surprised if all in groups with some skis/boards are being given a space on flights whether they have them or not!
So having failed to get Inghams to even look at this issue, review their online booking processes and check how many places would actually be being used, my challenge now is to find a company that will do luggage transfers at a reasonable price (less than £50.00 return per set).
Does anyone have any suggestions? I've tried a few suggestions already but just wondered if anyone had any ideas to try ......
Thanks in anticipation. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rache505,
Here is a suggestion by someone in the other ski club:-
www.fetchmyluggage.co.uk
I haven't checked the costings.
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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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| welshflyer wrote: |
rache505,
Here is a suggestion by someone in the other ski club:-
www.fetchmyluggage.co.uk
I haven't checked the costings. |
They look like a reseller of courier services (DHL, TNT etc) , not saying it won't do what you want in fact it may well be a good option. One of the other ones posted around these pars before was
http://skis2u.co.uk/carriage.php
never used them so can't comment but I am sure a quick trawl using the search function will bring back a few additional thoughts.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the suggestions. I have done some research and see the following:
Fetch my Luggage is about £39.00 each way and there is no discount for multiple sets
Skis 2 U deliver to particular resorts in France only.
Do you think Andy Hillman would consider quoting for taking a bit of a detour through the Mont Blanc tunnel to deliver to Cervinia and pick up after we leave?
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rache505, have Inghams confirmed they can't take skis even for the number who want them? Pretty poor show and not the first time they've been named in a ski carriage problem as above. Suggest you tell them firmly you'll take your business elsewhere to someone who isn't so ridiculous.
What's killing the UK Ski Industry? Members of the UK Ski Industry it appears.
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I've been told on the phone and in person (at the ski show). No ski carriage is available from LGW or BHX. The Gatwick flight had all its ski places taken by 10th October. They also told me that they couldn't take a booking for my group size for a cheaper hotel (even without ski carriage) as there wouldn't be enough places on the flight if they filled the chalets up - I was told by one of the reservations staff I could not do self-drive if I wanted to stay in a chalet - another said I could.
I have just had a Eureka moment though. They advertise that the Edinburgh flight goes to Geneva so I'm going to see if I can blag that we have a refund for the flights they can't provide and that we will take scheduled flights to Geneva and have a transfer from there.
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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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Monarch airlines are doing ski carriage for free at moment. I think you have to book before 31st December. Possibly book accommodation and travel separate?
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This is ridiculous. What is the point of package holidays if you can not take your own skis.
They should arrange some alternative transport for those sets if can't take them on particular flight.
If you consider booking your own flight why not to DIY the whole holiday.
On those package holiday you get very little off for taking your own transport arrangements.
And again booking just accommodation with TO is rather pointless. I would book TO deal only if there is a discounted offer and for peace of mind with travel, transfer etc.
If you plan to get to the resort on your own then book one of the local hotels. Plenty in Cervinia.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 30-10-12 14:54; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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fatbob, Members of the Ski Industry have more qualms about making money than they do about providing skiers with a quality product or service. Let them ponder that when the majority of skiers end up piecing together a bespoke ski holiday for themselves rather than repeat booking with over-priced over-hyped greedy TO's.
Just look at peak season prices for 2012/13, and shoulder weeks in decent resorts. No wonder there's 40% off pre Xmas holiday prices already. Why? Because no-one has booked, not just because of ripp-off prices, but because experience has shown that most airports are now crappy cattle queues, luggage has become hit-or-miss, resort staff under-skilled, and cheap plonk is just that. In France the bedrooms tend to be tiny, and the wc's not en-suite, in Switzerland a meal out is a months salary, ......... I won't go on, but the message can't be clearer. It's just as easy and much more fun to put your own holiday together.
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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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I actually quite like the idea of making them "adapt" their packages rather than going elsewhere. In the world of design, deliver and evaluate .... they will then evaluate that what they are offering is not what their customers need or want. If we go elsewhere we are not their customers and they won't care.
Perhaps I should make as much trouble for them as I can before I go elsewhere.
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| rache505 wrote: |
| Does anyone have any suggestions? I've tried a few suggestions already but just wondered if anyone had any ideas to try ...... |
Book with Inghams - fly from Manchester
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Book with Inghams - fly from Manchester
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No ski carriage available from there or Belfast either. It seems they want us to leave our own equipment at home and hire whatever is available in resort (through them of course).
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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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| rache505 wrote: |
I actually quite like the idea of making them "adapt" their packages rather than going elsewhere. In the world of design, deliver and evaluate .... they will then evaluate that what they are offering is not what their customers need or want. If we go elsewhere we are not their customers and they won't care.
Perhaps I should make as much trouble for them as I can before I go elsewhere.
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Until you get to someone high up I think your problem is that it'll be hard to make them give a damn. Clearly you want a popular week and the constraint seems to be plane seats so they'll probably be confident of filling their capacity no matter what. If you've a party of 50 it might make them take notice as 50x people pissed off with Inghams in one go is bad plus it's a lot easier for them to sell that in one transaction rather than 25. But realisitically I'd be looking at other TOs or DIY if I didn't have flexibility on week or location.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I don't think its a particularly popular week and it's not the seats on the plane, it's the limit on skis and boards that can be carried. What I have noticed though is when booking through the Inghams website it's all or nothing re ski carriage. ie: every passenger is being charged for ski carriage, not just those that want to take their skis. It's likely some people haven't questioned this (although why anyone wouldn't question an extra £35.00 per person is beyond me).
Now Crytal, Thompson and First Choice are all one company the choice of UK tour operators in Cervinia is now very limited. I wanted to go to Cervinia as I worked there 10 yrs ago
I am looking at other options and have been for the last few days. It seems that Inghams is the only TO with chalet availability outside France.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have booked through Crystal last few years and you tick each individual who wants ski carriage and has never been a problem. And those that don't you can book ski hire if they want.
Not that I've tried to find a chalet in Cervinia as stayed in hotels there but not sure there are that many unless you did DIY. MAy have to be half board in a hotel if you want to go with a TO?
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Had an email from Swiss Air today
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| Skiing is a part of Swiss culture, so think of us as a really comfortable ski lift. Naturally, you can take a set of ski or snowboard equipment for free. This means that you can take 1 pair of ski boots, 1 pair of ski poles, 1 pair of skis or 1 snowboard, 1 pair of snowboard boots free of charge and in addition to standard baggage allowance |
Might be of interest to people...
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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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We've booked directly with Ski Olympic for the third time for our group trip - ski carriage for £25 return was a significant influence on the decision to book with them.
Go with the sausage factory TO and you get treated like a sausage.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How many in the group? It works out cheaper for a couple of people to drive and everyone puts in £25 per pair if you've got more than about 20.
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rache505, Where were you intending to fly to? There are a couple of airports where landing weight/runway lenght is an issue. Other factors may be the size of the aircraft they are using for that particular route.
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| Quote: |
How many in the group? It works out cheaper for a couple of people to drive and everyone puts in £25 per pair if you've got more than about 20.
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Currently seven confirmed. Two being indecisive and one more who might come along.
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Where were you intending to fly to?
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Main pickup airport for Cervinia is Turin. Geneva also possible. Was thinking of booking Swiss (still no ski carriage charges) and timing it for the pick-up for Inghams guests flying in from Edinburgh.
Other plans currently: go with another operator, book independently or go somewhere else.
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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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| chocksaway wrote: |
| rache505, Where were you intending to fly to? There are a couple of airports where landing weight/runway lenght is an issue. Other factors may be the size of the aircraft they are using for that particular route. |
Its probably monarch to Innsbruck - short runway I hear. Last year trip to ST Anton with another TO half the flights skis got bumped to a later flight (GRRR - cost us the afternoon on the slopes!)
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rache505, having arranged my own flights and then tried to hook up with to transfers, i wouldn't do it again. On one trip the transfers got shifted to another aiport to get us home, no idea what would have happened if we'd done it on that trip. The to also hated it when i complained about the return transfer being late - not such an issue when they had chartered the whole plane!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We used skis2U last year, but another to consider is "PisteofMind".. The problem with them for us was no collection from Scotland.
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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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Hows about a SnowHeads ski Shuttle? Someone driving out to the Alps could post on the forum "Room for X number of skis in my car going to Tignes/Val on such and such dates......... £25 per set" I got room in the old bus for half a dozen pairs on top of what I'd take myself. This could potentialy pay for half the petrol costs for the journey.
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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
Had an email from Swiss Air today
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| Skiing is a part of Swiss culture, so think of us as a really comfortable ski lift. Naturally, you can take a set of ski or snowboard equipment for free. This means that you can take 1 pair of ski boots, 1 pair of ski poles, 1 pair of skis or 1 snowboard, 1 pair of snowboard boots free of charge and in addition to standard baggage allowance |
Might be of interest to people... |
And this is why I always fly Swiss.
Ighams' behviour is ridiculous - but unsurprising. After trying a number of TOs, we put our February week in Meribel (26 people) together ourselves - and saved money, were able to go from whichever airport etc. Cost of holiday, including everything except for lunch on the mountain and evening beers? Under £700. Most TOs wanted about £1000 when it was all totted up.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've never had any problems with ski carriage with Crystal/Thomson. Costs £30, check skis in separately to main luggage. With a group booking you just book ski carriage for those that want it.
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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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| Tom W wrote: |
| This is ridiculous. What is the point of package holidays if you can not take your own skis. |
Most people on package holidays don't take their own skis.
2012/13 we have had less 4% ask for ski carriage.
The point of package holidays is that they are a package.
| skimastaaah wrote: |
| Let them ponder that when the majority of skiers end up piecing together a bespoke ski holiday. |
The majority of UK skier go with on ski holidays with TO.
The reason you are able to find facilities that you can lump together to make your bespoke trip is that they are, on the whole, funded by people on TO trips.
But we've all been here before , ain't we.
rache505,
What date are you wanting to go on holiday -
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Poster: A snowHead
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Wayne, No offence intended but your typical customer base isn't exactly a close correlation with sH population who are proportionately more likely to
i) Take more than 1 ski holiday a year
ii) Be a bit fussy
iii) Have their own kit.
If most people on package hols don't take their own kit why does it seem so difficult for Inghams to accomodate those that do even this far out?
i) If you're on a TO holiday you just have to conform to what the TO wants
ii) TOs actively want to discourage "keen" pursuers of the activity who are more likely to take multiple trips a year?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wayne, I'll change that to the majority of savvy skiers.......
Fly Swiss from MAN to ZRH............ under £120 return on some breaks, hire a car or take the train to StA, nice little pension in Lech/Stuben, ...........job done for 4/5 days skiing under £500 all in per person. No coach class mini-seats like on Monarch/Easy/Ryan. No stupid one-queue-system-for-all-planes, no fumbling for the lost baggage/hand-baggage, and even free skis.......................... yup free ski carriage. Best of all???............ No braindead TO staff on the coach to resort, no stodge pie served up as "chalet cuisine", and rooms cleaned every day.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Hows about a SnowHeads ski Shuttle? Someone driving out to the Alps could post on the forum "Room for X number of skis in my car going to Tignes/Val on such and such dates......... £25 per set" I got room in the old bus for half a dozen pairs on top of what I'd take myself. This could potentialy pay for half the petrol costs for the journey.
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skimastaaah, great idea! Maybe room for this in the trips section?
[quote]
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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the driver (Andy Hillman ) who used to work for Piste of mind has now set up his own business (http://www.deliveriestothealps.co.uk/ ) . Ive used both.
I cant fault Andys service and he works out cheaper ! Taken from the facebook page:
Seasonaire ski carriage, one way from FRANCE to UK
DELIVERIES TO THE ALPS:
1x ski or board bag - NO WEIGHT LIMIT - £30
1x suitcase - NO WEIGHT LIMIT - £15
Total - £45
OR you could book your luggage to go with
PISTE OF MIND:
1x ski or board bag - maximum 15kg - £54
1x suitcase - maximum 20kg - £32
Total (incl. 10% discount) £77.40
We offer:
- Collections throughout April, May and beyond.
- No charge for boot bags (£18 incl. discount with PoM).
- No weight limits.
- No third-party parcel companies. Door to door delivery using 'Deliveries to the Alps' own vehicles.
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I checked out the deliveries to the alps one and it looked to me that it was just a man with a van, looks like he moves a lot of other stuff like sofas and cookers etc which I'm sure is great if that is what you need moving - not sure if I would trust my expensive equipment with a guy just driving round picking up whatever though!
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hahaha, thank you snow_badger, and hello Mark/Lea (monty1)
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FAQ
