 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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We aren’t going TO, but we are flying 
Driven to my parents where we are enjoying their hospitality before giving us a lift to Gatwick in the morning.
Just been up to the airport to bag drop the ski bag ( leaving the kids in bed) so we only have normal cases to handle in the morning.
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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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All going well will be back up at Gatwick at 7am.... suspect it might be a little busier!
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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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@Judwin, we are TO'ing to chambery also, but on Sunday. Flight scheduled to leave EMA at 11 so good chance any early morning fog will be gone. (Not that I hold with the chambers is always crap view having flown in and out probably 30 times with only one delay on the way out).
Started getting stuff ready, but nowhere neare packing yet.
Any other  at East Midlands on Sunday morning, I'll be the one with the miserable hitch face
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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 woken up from a good 7 hours sleep in my own bed. Checked the status of my airborne people tube, and it looks like everyone turned up on time and G-FDZX/BY6620 departed Exeter on time, and is now sat on the Tarmac at Chambery. All going to plan so far. Next sector is supposed to be 09:05 to Brizzol.
Good luck everyone.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Having breakfast in Wetherspoons
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Left home 730am, arrived Gatwick 830, 35 mins later we were into the BA lounge where we’re now enjoying breakfast. Flight showing 25min delay (quite foggy here).
All being well, we will reach our apartment around 3.30pm UK time.
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We are also flying but tomorrow ( on Sunday) to Turin with Ryanair ... can’t wait 
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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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So we've experienced the joys of online check-in and self service baggage drop off at Bristol. Not sure we'll bother with that next time as that was where all the queue was. Though it did mean no issue with our double ski tube.
Excitement in the airport is that Noel Edmunds is here in departures . Unfortunately that is not amusing the 6 year old who wants to know where the play area is. Ideally like Innsbruck's or Birmingham would do. Here there's nothing.
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We landed about 20mins late in Salzburg..... decided to visit Germany briefly and now heading in right direction again and back in Austria.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Made it. Plane half empty and so was the transfer bus - what's going on? Busiest week? Arrived in Tignes about 20:30. Bus driver didn't know where he was going and took us on a sight seeing tour of Val Claret even though everyone on the bus was headed for Le Lac. Muppet. Obviously not helped by the lac  of a Crystal Rep on the coach, even though there were dozens of them at Chambery, and there seem to be loads here in Tignes too. Eventually someone on the bus with better French than me took charge and we ended up on a tour around Le Lac too before finally being ejected at the Maison de Tignes Bus station.
But the worst thing. An absolute shocker. Made my blood (other bodily fluids are available) boil it did. Sitting on the plane for 30 minutes at Brizzol waiting for a slot into CMF gave me the opportunity to read the 'elf'n'safety instructions on the side of the ground power unit. Item 1. Check with the cockpit if your ready. Check with the cockpit if your ready. Check with the cockpit if your ready. FFS does no one care any more. It's You're - a contraction of you are, not Your the possessive pronoun.
Right off down the Marmottes for a swift half or 5....
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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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Horrendous queue at Manchester check in for Ryanair followed by a 20 minute wait to drop skis off, had to skip breakfast. Only upside queue for security was small, probably still checking in. Now sat on plane waiting for take off to Bergamo and then onward to Madonna.
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Sadly we missed our flight from Stansted today due to horrendous check in and security queue:( had buy nee tickets for tomorrow... kids tired after 3 am wake up... to be repeated again tomorrow. Not a good start
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You know it makes sense.
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| Bella2015 wrote: |
| Sadly we missed our flight from Stansted today due to horrendous check in and security queue:( had to buy new tickets for tomorrow... kids tired after 3 am wake up... to be repeated again tomorrow. Not a good start |
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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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That's an awful start, @Bella2015. Sympathies. I wonder if any Snowheads were planning to fly with BMI who have just gone into administration.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@pam w, thank you... our flight was with Ryanair and of course they didn’t wait a second past their planned gate closure time 
regarding anyone on BMI flights, I suppose this would be covered by people’s travel insurance?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bella2015 make sure you speak with the airline for your return flight. All too often if you havent used the outbound ticket the inbound one is automatically cancelled.
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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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@FFIRMIN, Very good point, hope @Bella2015, sees this.
Our EasyJet flight from Manchester on Saturday went OK, but we were given advance notice to check in 3hrs ahead of flight as they were expecting check in delays, they were right, self check in que was snaking around the terminal, and once checked in, it took another 20 mins to drop the bags on the conveyor which seemed to be jamming more than moving. Aparently they are expecting the same this coming weekend, guess our baggage reclaim time will be ever longer than usual.
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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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@FFIRMIN, @geoffknight, thank you for pointing out regarding return flights. As luck would have it, we actually booked our return in a separate booking with a different company (EasyJet this time) - as it was cheaper/ more convenient timing. So at least our return flight should not be affected... but will make sure to allow plenty of time for check in etc. We ended up taking our rebooked flight on Monday ( we had to pay £100 per person rebooking fee , so £400 for us all .. ouch) and this time got through Stansted check in and security so quickly that we had time for a relaxed breakfast before boarding . And on the plus side, we are also flying back on Monday ( so still get a full week to enjoy our holiday in Pila)
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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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@Bella2015, We spent Tuesday in Pila, and had a great day, there were lots of Interski coaches and school kids in the car park in Aosta, but on the mountain it was great, as long as you stay on the periphery of the resort, we started off on piste 2 and worked our way around, piste 15 is a bit like the M25, leading most runs back to the village. If your OK with self service food, the Hermitage on piste 15 is very good value, €8.50 for two cappuccino, one hot chocolate and a slice of apple tart! Oops just realised your there, and will probably know all this already!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@geoffknight, thanks. Piste 2 has indeed become one of the favourites and we did stop for coffee and some eggnog in Hermitage once. Glad you enjoyed your day in Pila, it is lovely and not too busy at all considering it’s halfterm - well apart from the piste 15 which you mentioned but otherwise you can often have a piste almost completely to yourself.
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@geoffknight, thanks. Piste 2 has indeed become one of the favourites and we did stop for coffee and some eggnog in Hermitage once. Glad you enjoyed your day in Pila, it is lovely and not too busy at all considering it’s halfterm - well apart from the piste 15 which you mentioned but otherwise you can often have a piste almost completely to yourself.
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@Bella2015, wow you sounded very calm about all that. Hope that you are having a great week. We are flying down at Easter as the whole B word and the dog on Eurotunnel was still too up in the air. He is rather miffed to be off to kennels as he loves a bit of Easter skiing.
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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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@Bella2015, yep I agree, I've become a convert. It was much quieter than Courmayuer where we have been for the last few years, maybe time to change?
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So, week complete, and the return transfer details released. 04:55 start for a 10:05 flight from CMF to BRS. This is the bit of every package holiday that I really don't like. Ho hum, best get some sleep, and hope the return goes without major hitch.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Judwin, safe journey home.
Really appreciating that for first time I can recall we have plenty of time for breakfast and to finish packing. Beauty of going DIY.
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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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Sitting in a restaurant having breakfast in Birmingham airport waiting for our flight to Amsterdam then Tokyo and hence to harida.
Check in was very slow - it took over half an hour but security was fairly quick < 5 minutes so all right in the end.
Klm have allowed us to check in our cabin baggage free. This is great news and will make the journey much more comfortable 
Have a good journey everyone
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Now sitting Salzburg airport waiting our delayed BA flight. At least we have now managed to grab some seats.
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You know it makes sense.
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Flight to Tokyo delayed 25 minutes, but no problem. Plenty of room in a very busy schichol
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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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Every time I check we are showing later and later arrival. We are now looking like landing 2hrs late... still lots of time for further delays.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Judwin, “But the worst thing. An absolute shocker. Made my blood (other bodily fluids are available) boil it did. Sitting on the plane for 30 minutes at Brizzol waiting for a slot into CMF gave me the opportunity to read the 'elf'n'safety instructions on the side of the ground power unit. Item 1. Check with the cockpit if your ready. Check with the cockpit if your ready. Check with the cockpit if your ready. FFS does no one care any more. It's You're - a contraction of you are, not Your the possessive pronoun.”
Shocking! As any fule kno it should have said ‘Check with the cockpit if yourself is ready’. Aaaaarrrrggggghhhhh...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Home safe and sound - Left CMF a little late, and landed BRS on time. Got a bit messed up on the drive home due to the A37 being shut at Pensford. Quick empty of the car, and off to see Yeovil beat Cambridge 1-0. Now just the second half of the Wales England rugger an I can officially declare my half term over.
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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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We're also home safe and sound, flight delayed by 30 mins due to French ATC, amazingly bags came out within 5 mins of clearing passport control at MAN, unheard of before.
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FAQ
Half term kids well behaved and marshalled by their parents observing all the airport rules. The transfer from airport to resort done in a spacious bus with a jolly driver in well less than the 2h30 advertised in the brochure, measured from the time Biggles smashes us into the tarmac like an overweight Vigilante on the deck of the Nimitz. Should be there in time for final score I would've thought. No high pressure lift pass and ski/boot hire selling on the transfer bus from an overworked, underpaid resort rep under pressure from management to boost sales.
