Poster: A snowHead
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Spent two and a half hours in the bag check queue today. Fortunately they delayed the plane. But if you want a lower stress experience, I’d give three hours like they recommend in the email they send.
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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 you got to securing yet. It was over an hour yesterday.
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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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Fortunately on the transfer coach in Austria now.
Got fast tracked through security because we were so late. Which was a pain as we’d already paid for fast tracking…
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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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Similar disaster at Manchester airport this morning on the TUI "desks", the self check in contributing to massive queues, a hour and a half delay in take off and very unhappy customers.
I won't be flying with them again.
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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 for with them from Brum on Friday. Arrived at airport three hours before departure to check-in.
No staffed counters, only machines to weigh and tag your own checked luggage, but for that you need a boarding pass.
Asked one TUI rep who told us to go to the side of the bag drop queue and her colleague would print us off a boarding pass.
Me - I'd like to check in, please
Her (pointing at the bag drop queue you join after the machines to eigh your luggage for which you need a boarding pass) - The queue's there
Me - I need to check in first
Her - You do it yourself at the machines
Me - Not if you haven't checked in, you can't
Her - Haven't you got a boarding pass?
Me - No, because I haven't checked in
It was at this point that my misuss took over
Queue for bag drop wasn't too bad. Queue for security was atrocious, as they only seemed to have four body scanners with personnel, so only 8 carry-on baggage conveyor scanners.
Will be flying out again soon, so won't be risking less than 3 hours then either.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I noticed the Turin flight took off 50 mins late this morning from Brum so presuming that was due to queue delays. We’re taking it next Sunday so I think we’ll hoof it across from the hotel extra early. I’d rather sit in departures a bit longer than queue up for ages in that cramped area again.
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Continuing the TUI bashing theme, I flew with them for the first time from SZG to LGW 2 weeks ago and the queuing was horrendous. First hour spent queuing to drop skis only - before entering the terminal proper where had to queue for a further hour for bag drop and then thirty minutes to get through security so lucky there 3 hours early. Flying from INN to LGW yesterday pretty much all TUI flights were delayed with horrendous queues - my sleazyjet flight queue seemed like business class with a proper airline in comparison!
On a positive note: LGW has, twice in two weeks, had a large number (12+) of Border Agency desks open and almost no queues at all. Compare and contrast with LHR terminal 2 which I have also flown twice since Christmas and it has taken me 60 minutes and 45 minutes to get through as TWO desks only have been open other than the e-passport gates.
Shame on you, Heathrow!
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Oh, it does all sound absolutely grim. Sympathies with folk queueing with kids in that sort of carnage. Contrast with reports on the "driving to France" threads, where it all seems to be going swimmingly.
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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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Snowsartre wrote: |
Continuing the TUI bashing theme, I flew with them for the first time from SZG to LGW 2 weeks ago and the queuing was horrendous. First hour spent queuing to drop skis only - before entering the terminal proper where had to queue for a further hour for bag drop and then thirty minutes to get through security so lucky there 3 hours early. Flying from INN to LGW yesterday pretty much all TUI flights were delayed with horrendous queues - my sleazyjet flight queue seemed like business class with a proper airline in comparison!
On a positive note: LGW has, twice in two weeks, had a large number (12+) of Border Agency desks open and almost no queues at all. Compare and contrast with LHR terminal 2 which I have also flown twice since Christmas and it has taken me 60 minutes and 45 minutes to get through as TWO desks only have been open other than the e-passport gates.
Shame on you, Heathrow! |
Always the same at Salzburg ski drop off, if you have a large number of transfer coaches aring at the same time
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I flew from Innsbruck to Dublin a few weeks back (Sunday 12th). No queue at the TUI desk to drop bags off, no queue at oversize to drop snowboard off. Ten minute queue to get through security. Twenty minutes to call to gate, ten minutes then boarding. Very, very slick. There were big enough queues at all the other check in desks. I must just be lucky.
I guess people tend not to go on line to leave reviews that are along the lines of "well, that was perfectly satisfactory" most people don't go on to review things that 'quite good', because they can't be bothered. The only people who really leave reviews are those who have had a rotten time, or see it as such. They've an axe to grind and they're really going to sho (Insert offending company here) by leaving a really 'stinking review'.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Or to warn people about the horrendous queues and advise to get to the airport 90 minutes earlier than anticipated
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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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skitech wrote: |
Snowsartre wrote: |
Continuing the TUI bashing theme, I flew with them for the first time from SZG to LGW 2 weeks ago and the queuing was horrendous. First hour spent queuing to drop skis only - before entering the terminal proper where had to queue for a further hour for bag drop and then thirty minutes to get through security so lucky there 3 hours early. Flying from INN to LGW yesterday pretty much all TUI flights were delayed with horrendous queues - my sleazyjet flight queue seemed like business class with a proper airline in comparison!
On a positive note: LGW has, twice in two weeks, had a large number (12+) of Border Agency desks open and almost no queues at all. Compare and contrast with LHR terminal 2 which I have also flown twice since Christmas and it has taken me 60 minutes and 45 minutes to get through as TWO desks only have been open other than the e-passport gates.
Shame on you, Heathrow! |
Always the same at Salzburg ski drop off, if you have a large number of transfer coaches aring at the same time |
It was exceptionally busy at Salzburg yesterday too. Queues everywhere, for everything, for everyone. And it wasn't just TUI/Crystal passengers who had to check skis in separately, but at least Scandinavian Airlines as well. I can't imagine that flight operators benefit from these queues (our flight to Glasgow left 45 minutes late as a result) because it increases their costs. I suspect the organisation is all at the direction of Salzburg Airport who appeared determined to demonstrate the polar opposite of a model of Teutonic efficiency.
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Flew out to Innsbruck at 8.35 this morning from Manchester with Easy Jet. Flight took off on time and landed at Innsbruck 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Our bags and ski's were on the carousel when we cleared passport control. Taxi booked through our Hotel in the Stubai Valley was there to meet us and we were checking in at reception 55 minutes after touchdown. Neustift is 25 minutes from Innsbruck airport. This our second independent trip this season the other one was to Obergurgl 6 weeks ago .Again we flew on a Sunday Manchester to Innsbruck with EJet again we had a hassle free experience airports are generally quieter than Saturdays.
We have done two package trips with Crystal one at Christmas to Gressoney and one to Grindelwald through Geneva three weeks ago, let's just say neither trips ran as smoothly. We had a 12 hour delay flying back from Turin and it took us well over 2 hours to check our bags in at Geneva although that flight was an hour late taking off. Trip after this one is with Inghams to Zermatt in early April, it's going to be interesting to see how that goes with Swiss Manchester to Zurich. These problems are minor when you see the media footage in the Ukraine, I realise that I'm very fortunate and don't take it for granted.
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You know it makes sense.
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Flew out to Innsbruck at 8.35 this morning from Manchester with Easy Jet. Flight took off on time and landed at Innsbruck 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Our bags and ski's were on the carousel when we cleared passport control. Taxi booked through our Hotel in the Stubai Valley was there to meet us and we were checking in at reception 55 minutes after touchdown. Neustift is 25 minutes from Innsbruck airport. This our second independent trip this season the other one was to Obergurgl 6 weeks ago .Again we flew on a Sunday Manchester to Innsbruck with EJet again we had a hassle free experience airports are generally quieter than Saturdays.
We have done two package trips with Crystal one at Christmas to Gressoney and one to Grindelwald through Geneva three weeks ago, let's just say neither trips ran as smoothly. We had a 12 hour delay flying back from Turin and it took us well over 2 hours to check our bags in at Geneva although that flight was an hour late taking off. Trip after this one is with Inghams to Zermatt in early April, it's going to be interesting to see how that goes with Swiss Manchester to Zurich. These problems are minor when you see the media footage in the Ukraine, I realise that I'm very fortunate and don't take it for granted.
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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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moffatross wrote: |
skitech wrote: |
Snowsartre wrote: |
Continuing the TUI bashing theme, I flew with them for the first time from SZG to LGW 2 weeks ago and the queuing was horrendous. First hour spent queuing to drop skis only - before entering the terminal proper where had to queue for a further hour for bag drop and then thirty minutes to get through security so lucky there 3 hours early. Flying from INN to LGW yesterday pretty much all TUI flights were delayed with horrendous queues - my sleazyjet flight queue seemed like business class with a proper airline in comparison!
On a positive note: LGW has, twice in two weeks, had a large number (12+) of Border Agency desks open and almost no queues at all. Compare and contrast with LHR terminal 2 which I have also flown twice since Christmas and it has taken me 60 minutes and 45 minutes to get through as TWO desks only have been open other than the e-passport gates.
Shame on you, Heathrow! |
Always the same at Salzburg ski drop off, if you have a large number of transfer coaches aring at the same time |
It was exceptionally busy at Salzburg yesterday too. Queues everywhere, for everything, for everyone. And it wasn't just TUI/Crystal passengers who had to check skis in separately, but at least Scandinavian Airlines as well. I can't imagine that flight operators benefit from these queues (our flight to Glasgow left 45 minutes late as a result) because it increases their costs. I suspect the organisation is all at the direction of Salzburg Airport who appeared determined to demonstrate the polar opposite of a model of Teutonic efficiency. |
I’d hazard a guess that the TUI flights were full, with any spare seats taken up by cancelled BA customers. I was there (Salzburg) yesterday but it wasn’t as busy as the previous week. Also, TUI flights (and EasyJet) depart from Terminal 2….I’ve never seen that place without a queue to be honest
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Poster: A snowHead
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