Poster: A snowHead
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Didn't even know there was a second terminal at Geneva Airport until last weekend!
So for anyone in the same position this may be useful to know - especially if you will be flying with Flybe. We must have done the UK - Geneva - UK trip dozens of time and last Saturday we arrived at Geneva for our Flybe flight to Southampton expecting the usual procedure. The only difference was that this time we had not been able to print our boarding passes in advance so needed to do this at the airport. Problem one arose when we couldn't find a check-in desk or self-serve check in (we only had hand baggage) and were then told that we needed to go to terminal 2 to check in.......... "Where is terminal 2?" we asked as we had never heard of it before....... well we needed to go back in the direction of the car hire rental desks (which we had just walked past having dropped off our car in P51), go outside the terminal building, follow the road round and it would be the next building along. And so it was! There were only a few other travellers there but we were told that most of Flybe flights now use this terminal in the busy periods. On further discussion with the very helpful staff there, she told us that this was in fact the original Terminal before the existing airport was built. Although we were a bit tight for time, as we had not allowed for this occurrence it was a doddle getting through security as there were so few passengers there. However, very bizarrely we then had to wait for a shuttle bus to take us back to the main terminal where we were dropped off 'airside' and then had to make our way to the departure gate which was something like D82 and was the longest walk we have ever encountered at Geneva. I could swear that we walked all the way back to almost where the shuttle bus had picked us up from. All very strange as it was a new one on us and definitely need to leave a bit of extra time if you find you are due to use Terminal 2.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@loatie, Terminal 2 - AKA the nasty hanger they use for the charter cattle
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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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@red 27, lol! Had no idea!
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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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Haven't done a Geneva charter for some time and was labouring under the misapprehension that horrible building, now grandly titled Terminal 2, had been closed down! Oh well, you lives and you learns!
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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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Thomson use t2 Geneva GVA too
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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 charter terminal. The bus performance is all about ensuring you "exit through the gift shop" . All very different to Terminal 3 round the other side, where the immigration officer comes out to your limo before you drive straight up to your Lear jet!
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@loatie, what a performance! Useful warning - something to check. Need to allow a bit of extra time. Never flown in our out of anything other than the main terminal, nor met or dropped off anyone anywhere else either. There's always a first time.
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You were lucky to be there at a quiet time.
We used that terminal to come home on Jan 3rd (Inghams/Monarch) - well, the TOs decided to drop ALL their clients who had a flight that day at the earliest time possible (our flight was at 1.20pm and we left VT at 4.30am). It was absolutely jam packed full - we practically had to fight through to the check in desk and the queue to go through security snaked outside the building for quite some way. Our rep told us it would be at least an hour to get through and to use the main terminal security where we were through in a couple of minutes.
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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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@toocold,gosh what a nightmare for you As you say, at least we didn't have the extra pressure of a full terminal - I seriously doubt we would have made our flight
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Salzburg has the same and its a giant shed with a coffee shop and a huge queue, It's hell. Geneva airport isn't exactly any fun usually anyway when going through terminal 1.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@loatie, Yes, the whole airport/transfer experience in both directions was awful.......but it was worth it for the skiing!
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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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We went with Crystal using Easyjet 2 years back. Met by a rep in the main terminal. Had a 10 y/o and 7 y/o bags skis.
Said follow me to your transfer and walked us to Terminal 2 to meet a couple who were also going to Morzine. Fairly long walk with all the gear, and its uphill and down dale. It was a minibus so could easily have come around for us. Not happy.
After many trips through GVA never even realised this part was operational.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Thu 15-01-15 5:10; edited 1 time in total
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@ianbradders, "After many trips through GVA never even realised this part was operational"
+1
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You know it makes sense.
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We were running late for our flight on a TO transfer. Check in at T2 was a breeze then through to the "gate" that was actually a bus stop. They bussed us to the middle of T1 from where we walked all the way back to our gate which was 50m away from the bus stop where we started. It all seemed a bit farcical but I assume they don't want you to miss out on all those bargains in GVA duty free.
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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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@gbium, +1
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Poster: A snowHead
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I assume Thomas Cook also use T2? If so, could someone please offer some advice on whether there are shops/cafes/toilets airside at T2? I usually like to get through security as quickly as I can so I can relax and wait for my flight, but have often found just a couple of toilets and an extremely busy cafe airside in airports which doesn't make for a pleasant experience. Am I better off leaving security checks until the last minute?
The same questions also goes for T1 if anybody's able to advise?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@milzibkit, back in the days when we kids were young and we used Ski Esprit and we arrived with hours to spare, we didn't stick around in the "T2" shed. We headed out and turned right - away from T1 - to a lovely playground with swings and roundabouts and stuff. Kids got a good run-around. Is it still there? Then we would head in via T1 where there are lots of shops and cafes. You end up in the same place in the end. At least, we did back then.
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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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@milzibkit, When we had our first experience of T2 last Saturday, I don't recall anything much at all airside. Basically, we went through security and then were in a 'holding' room with a few seats in it while we waited for the shuttle bus to arrive which took us to Terminal 1 (airside) to then walk to our departure gate which is pretty much as @gbium, describes above. There are far more shops and restaurants airside in T1. Although there are also shops and restaurants landside at Geneva T1 the queues at security can often be quite busy at peak times so I would bear that in mind if you don't want to get too stressed out.
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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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milzibkit wrote: |
I assume Thomas Cook also use T2? If so, could someone please offer some advice on whether there are shops/cafes/toilets airside at T2? I usually like to get through security as quickly as I can so I can relax and wait for my flight, but have often found just a couple of toilets and an extremely busy cafe airside in airports which doesn't make for a pleasant experience. Am I better off leaving security checks until the last minute?
The same questions also goes for T1 if anybody's able to advise? |
Don't leave it too late in t2 - if our experience is anything to go by - you'll end up in t1 anyway. There's nothing in t2 maybe toilets and a vending machine. T1 has all the comforts you can afford to pay for. You can actually get some not too extortionate food in the cafe or go for the lobster and champagne bar if you're feeling flush.
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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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Just in case anyone else wonders, according to Thomas Cook check-in will be in the main terminal, not the charter terminal (T2).
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