 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would treat that as a rough guide rather than definitive. For example it shows Gatwick-Grenoble by Easyjet on a Monday but I do not think they do.
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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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thanks guys but those are the ones i found too. hey ho, i guess we'll face what we face. would be handy for the future if you could have a look and pick flights accordingly (depending on price). arrivals isn't so bad as you're full of anticipation but if you could plan your departure time, that would be nice.
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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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Reading through all these posts, it is a timing thing, we have been to Grenoble due to it being cheaper then lyon in the past 3 years and we always get a early evening flight about 4ish, nice and smooth, security is maybe a 10 minute fast moving que but apart from that I have nothing against Grenoble, I don't deal with delays well at all, if I was delayed by an hour I'd be saying worse then shambles 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just got back from Grenoble yesterday. Absolute shambles in terminal. Obvious they cannot cope with amount of ski flights on busy half term Saturday. Pretty much left to our own devices to q before passport control for 2 hours with no info. Only letting passengers through to departures when flights were called - straight onto plane only to be told there would be further hour delay on Tarmac. Arrived cardiff 2 hours late. Shame really as airport is v convenient to slopes.
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Sadly even teutonic efficiency does not work as had very bad experiences at Salzburg this year - if only someone other than the very expensive BM did Bristol Munich I would go there instead. Three baggage belts in arrivals trying to handle something like 12 flights an hour - skis coming out on trolleys and being dumped the other side of the chocker hall from the belt. and as for departures - the less said the better - squidgyjet's baggage drop agency clearly have no clue - over half an hour there and at least another half to three quarters at security as they only have three channels in the main terminal..... and the pleasure of Geneva in three weeks time. Remind me not to travel on a Saturday next year. Amazingly the flight was on time.
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| Mistress Panda wrote: |
| thecramps, I used to think Chambery was a shambles until I flew from Southend. Flight went from being on time to 2 hrs delayed to 25 mins delayed within half an hour. Ended up about an hour late in both directions, no real complaints because we walked straight through security and customs at either end, so got the hour back one way or another compared to many other much less efficient and expensive airports, like Luton and Grenoble etc. |
In contrast, both my flights to and from Southend for the birthday Bash went on time. Long-term car park a little pricey, even with advance booking, but just a short walk to the airport. Minimum check in and security hassle, prompt arrival of luggage in return flight. So for my snapshot experiences, not a bad little airport.
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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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Fingers crossed it's all good for the SH off-piste bashers!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Still hearing rumours that Grenoble airport is loosing so much money that it's future is in serious doubt. 
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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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Well, after my moan about Grenoble at the start of this thread here's something that you probably don't hear very often, a thumbs up for an airport - Geneva !!
Flew back via Geneva on 1st Feb and must say it was reletively pain free.
After receiving warnings from easyjet about refurbishment works at Geneva and a recommendation to arrive for check in 2.5 hrs before departure, I was brave, allowed myself 2hrs, then missed a connection on my swiss transfer and arrived at the train station with a little less that an hour and a half.
A quick sprint from the train station to easyjet zone 5 (opposite end of the terminal building - and why does everybody conspire to make this more difficult than a WC slalom?) and arrived at a large queue for easyjet bag drop off - Oh No!. However, this queue move quite quickly and only took about 20mins to get my bags checked in.
Next stop security, and I've experienced long delays at Geneva security before. But not this time, on arrival the queue looked to be quite lengthy (all 3 of them) but once joined it moved quickly and when I arrived at the tray counter it became quite surreal with staff shouting instructions to 'keep moving', 'load your tray while you move' etc - all quite miltary!. In fact the final push through security was such a rush that once through I had to take an extra moment to double check that I had retrieved all my bits and pieces.
From my experience a huge difference in the efficency of security between Grenoble and Geneva.
Flying via Grenoble again for the SOPiB so fingers crossed they have got better!
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| Quote: |
Still hearing rumours that Grenoble airport is loosing so much money that it's future is in serious doubt.
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Hope not. Despite frustrations it's still a valued alternative to Geneva or Lyon.
Don't know aything about the economics of airports but guess the key is year round business and that maybe Grenoble doesn't have this.
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You know it makes sense.
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All the problems listed below are the same or worse in 2015. 27 December 2014: 1 hour 30 to get bags, in a cold shed - and we were about the first flight in the morning. 2 January 2015: queue over 2 hours to get through security, out of the terminal into the cold. Once we got to the gate (packed, no seats), further delays because the incoming flight couldn't disembark because arrivals was full. No airport style buses to get to the plane, they were using a normal coach. Monarch pilot blamed the airport for our 2 hour flight delay, so why do they use it? Answer: cheap landing fees. The owner, Vinci, have failed to invest in this place.
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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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I had to wait absolute ages at Luton and ages at salzburg 'terminal' 2. Avoid like the plague...
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Poster: A snowHead
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a couple of times a year, we have a bad day with travel, but considering where we want to go and at what time of year, we generally do ok.
I invoke rule 5 on all whingers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Mac M wrote: |
| All the problems listed below are the same or worse in 2015. 27 December 2014: 1 hour 30 to get bags, in a cold shed - and we were about the first flight in the morning. 2 January 2015: queue over 2 hours to get through security, out of the terminal into the cold. Once we got to the gate (packed, no seats), further delays because the incoming flight couldn't disembark because arrivals was full. No airport style buses to get to the plane, they were using a normal coach. Monarch pilot blamed the airport for our 2 hour flight delay, so why do they use it? Answer: cheap landing fees. The owner, Vinci, have failed to invest in this place. |
Coaches? Is anything far enough away at that airport that you can't walk it in less time than it takes to load a coach?
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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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@mtsuit, safety and security reasons porbably does not allow people to wander around on the airport tarmac.
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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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@AB Ski, as has been mentioned above a couple of times: Saturday is like rush-hour.
Commuters coming into London every day suffer similar problems.
But out of rush-hour, travelling around London is fine.
Similar for Grenoble (or Chambery). Try a week day. The airport is lovely. Small, compact and uncomplicated.
Other have suggested drive. Ok.
But, like @Weathercam, the best way is train.
Gets you to most places, but to make it worthwhile you really need to be near the Eurostar line.
You can also fly to Lyon and then take the train: done this a couple of times. Fun, especially if you take the tram to Lyon Part Dieu
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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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The train is a great option which I'm taking up this year but its not for everyone.
I live in the North East, fortunately in Darlington where the train station is on the main East Coast train service line, so its only 2 and a half to 3 hours to Kings Cross for me.
Best experience I've had on arrival at an Airport for skiing in Europe is Geneva's Main Terminal, one of the worst was in its Charter Terminal last year. The very worst has to be Chambery where I was thinking 'If this is a quiet week, I would dread Half Term or New Year!'
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@RichardB I looked into the train last year, as it was the only way you'd get me to the Tarentaise at half term. In the end we decided that £450 a head return PLUS a hotel in London PLUS the extra time (we live in Yorkshire) meant that a flight to Chambery and a local train to Landry was the best bet.
So this year we're back to the PdS with a Geneva flight (£150 a head at half term - book early, as Sir Fred would say) and a short, relatively weather-proof transfer.
I think we might try Easter skiing in 2016, in which case we might give the train a go, but for those of us in the north we have relatively little choice but to fly if we're stuck with half-term.
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Our friends coming back on Eurostar the same day were kicked off the train with luggage for two hours at Moutiers while the French police quized everyone about intruders. And I didn't even mention the 17 hours on a bus trying to get to Val Diz from Grenoble on 27 December because a bit of snow fell. Dare I suggest the problem is French attitude and lack of investment. Doesn't happen in Austria or Switzerland....
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@Mac M, I know you are new on here so I'll be gentle - your description of 27 Dec is way off. There was freezing rain which made the roads treacherous, quite a bit of snow and a lot of idiots who tried to drive without the correct kit which created havoc. Emergency plans were put in place and a lot of French folks came out to help with food and drinks There hasn't been an event like this for 5 years and I'm sure I can trawl the net for events in the 'everso' clockwork Switzerland. As for investment if you have travelled between the airports and Espace Killy for 20 years like I have you would have seen an awful lot of investment in the transport infrastructure. Yes there were things that could have been done better - they are already studying that in detail.
You really need to examine your xenophobic attitude.
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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 would take the deal of the century to use it again. was there last feb. cheap price from manchester but my word it was like a cattle market. too small really.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
@Mac M, I know you are new on here so I'll be gentle - your description of 27 Dec is way off. There was freezing rain which made the roads treacherous, quite a bit of snow and a lot of idiots who tried to drive without the correct kit which created havoc. Emergency plans were put in place and a lot of French folks came out to help with food and drinks There hasn't been an event like this for 5 years and I'm sure I can trawl the net for events in the 'everso' clockwork Switzerland. As for investment if you have travelled between the airports and Espace Killy for 20 years like I have you would have seen an awful lot of investment in the transport infrastructure. Yes there were things that could have been done better - they are already studying that in detail.
You really need to examine your xenophobic attitude. |
Very self righteous but quite sweet. BTW 30+ years skiing in France and rest of the world for me. Focus on the main point: Grenoble Airport can't cope with the passengers it accepts on a Saturday. My advice to fellow skiers: avoid it. That's all. Bye.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Mac M, Knocks spots off Chambery.
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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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Chambery and Grenoble are shambolic, however there is a very simple reason for it. They are not equipped or big enough to cope with the amount of flights and people that come through on the one day a week throughout winter. Salzburg and Innsbruck although bigger also struggle at busy times.
This topic is a little like people moaning about transfers in the snow. We all have a love for skiing, however skiing is done in the mountains and there are a number of things that can make it difficult to get there or cause problems. People need to suck it up and accept you will experience all sorts of dramas if you ski for many years.
I for one just want to ski and if it means spending a couple of hours queueing in the airport then so be it. I will either be on my way to the slopes or just had an amazing week on them.
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I've only flown into Grenoble once but I didn't have a problem. Took off and landed on time, little bit of a queue for check in, but tbh I think it helped that we where the first flights (or next to the first) of the day.
They even greeted us with hot chocolate and Easter eggs when we landed.
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