 Poster: A snowHead
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@richn2022, I see, no ramp it is just the flat pavement outside the terminal.
Something odd is going on - I have been through Geneva many times on peak half-term Saturdays and never seen anything like that. Quite often long queues for regular check in, sometimes snaking down the airport but never anywhere near that far. TBH we are always able to use the easyJet Plus check-in - the biggest problem is getting through the scramble to the entrance for it, including being blocked from getting past by people in the main queue who imagine we are trying to jump the queue.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Roscoe wrote: |
| What was you flight time on your outbound journey? |
@Roscoe Easyjet schedule them for 1 hour 40 minutes, and I think it was about this going out to Geneva. It was less coming back.
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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 showed at 1415 in GVA for 1710 to LTN. We would have queued for 2hr but got to cut into the Easyjet plus area to bag drop - still 90min. Everyone on that flight managed to get to gate and it was on time.
There was a lot of people standing clueless who couldn’t hear announcements asking them to come forward for other flights. And a lot who had not followed advice to arrive 3 hrs before.
Covid checks (uk plf only) were not a factor IMO. Just GVA being a crap airport running too many flights out for size of departure hall.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| zikomo wrote: |
@richn2022, I see, no ramp it is just the flat pavement outside the terminal.
Something odd is going on - I have been through Geneva many times on peak half-term Saturdays and never seen anything like that. Quite often long queues for regular check in, sometimes snaking down the airport but never anywhere near that far. TBH we are always able to use the easyJet Plus check-in - the biggest problem is getting through the scramble to the entrance for it, including being blocked from getting past by people in the main queue who imagine we are trying to jump the queue. |
You can see it's sloping upwards if you look at the wall on the right hand side, and the fact that the people directly in front are at a higher level than those towards the terminal. It's not a very steep ramp, I'll agree. That photo was taken yesterday, by the way, I'm not making this up.
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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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| richn2022 wrote: |
| Roscoe wrote: |
| What was you flight time on your outbound journey? |
@Roscoe Easyjet schedule them for 1 hour 40 minutes, and I think it was about this going out to Geneva. It was less coming back. |
Sorry, I meant flight departure time not duration?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Went through Geneva on 5th March. Absolute carnage waiting for baggage. I live in the EU so no passport issues though the British flights were late through and their bags were being hauled off the luggage carousels by others waiting as each carousel seemed to have 5+ flights on it. Waited an age for skis at oversized as well.
Back through just over a week later (13th) to come home and EJ and BA had HUGE queues to check in. I would leave extra time on both ends than your normal trip. I never tend to use Geneva at weekends so it maybe that it is always this mad but weekdays have always been quite placid in comparison.
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@Legend., how did the Swiss Intl Air Lines check in queues look?
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| Roscoe wrote: |
| Sorry, I meant flight departure time not duration? |
10:30am from Gatwick, arrived Geneva about 1:10pm local time.
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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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@richn2022, optical illusion. No ramp.
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| richn2022 wrote: |
| Roscoe wrote: |
| Sorry, I meant flight departure time not duration? |
10:30am from Gatwick, arrived Geneva about 1:10pm local time. |
Thanks. I’m flying a similar time so will know what to expect.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm flying through tomorrow - 11:55 out of Heathrow and back Monday 15:30, so I'm hopeful the non-weekend off peak times will mean less carnage! Will report back on here.
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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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| ster wrote: |
| @Legend., how did the Swiss Intl Air Lines check in queues look? |
Sorry didn't see that queue specifically. My stress levels with 2 young kids being dragged along were quite high!
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You know it makes sense.
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@andy from embsay, that's interesting. We are coming to Geneva from Schipol (from Glasgow), so will we have an easier/quicker arrival? Hadn't thought about that aspect of 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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| trmacc wrote: |
| @andy from embsay, that's interesting. We are coming to Geneva from Schipol (from Glasgow), so will we have an easier/quicker arrival? Hadn't thought about that aspect of it. |
From personal experience, Yes
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Poster: A snowHead
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@richn2022, wow, that is horrendous and just shows how it can vary as I flew from GVA to LGW Friday evening and breezed through security and passport control, and flew back LCY to GVA Sunday evening with no queue whatsoever at passport control. I have seen a lot worse though and Saturdays are always best avoided during ski season.
On Sunday after landing we were dropped off by bus at the new terminal area, my first time using this. It looked pretty nice and the passport control area a lot bigger than the thin corridor queue for the usual satellite terminals, but for some reason they dropped us as far from the passport gates as humanly possible even though it was empty, which made it a pretty long walk and the travellators weren't operating. At least my bag was already on the belt by the time I got there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dunc999 wrote: |
| I'm flying through tomorrow - 11:55 out of Heathrow and back Monday 15:30, so I'm hopeful the non-weekend off peak times will mean less carnage! Will report back on here. |
Hi - how was your experience flying into Geneva? I am due to travel next week midweek, and was wondering whether it would be better than some of the weekend experience stated on here... Cheers!
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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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Daughter flew out last Monday Edinburgh - Geneva and from aircraft doors open to exiting arrivals took 15 mins.
Seated in row 12 and no luggage.
Last night (Thursday @ 1815) friends came back through Geneva and EasyJet had no baggage check-in queue.
Some people that had arrived over 3hrs early were being directed upstairs and told to return later. Fast track security was quick but those without took a lot longer.
Staff were looking forward to not having to check PLF forms from today and hoped that would speed boarding and check in from today.
The C gates do involve a much longer walk.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| muppet wrote: |
Daughter flew out last Monday Edinburgh - Geneva and from aircraft doors open to exiting arrivals took 15 mins.
Seated in row 12 and no luggage.
Last night (Thursday @ 1815) friends came back through Geneva and EasyJet had no baggage check-in queue.
Some people that had arrived over 3hrs early were being directed upstairs and told to return later. Fast track security was quick but those without took a lot longer.
Staff were looking forward to not having to check PLF forms from today and hoped that would speed boarding and check in from today.
The C gates do involve a much longer walk. |
Thank you - this is great to hear!
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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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Currently sitting in (the very new and shiny compared with my last visit in March 2020) C gate in Geneva. Have to say v impressed - was through bag drop (BA - the queue for easyJet looked horrific) in under 30 minutes, security in under 20, passport control about 2 minutes! Was anticipating much worse on a Saturday morning
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sat 19th March GVA-BOH Easyjet
Came through GVA this morning on the way home to BOH. Arrived at the GVA terminal around 8:15am, and the EZY queue was almost the whole length of the check-in area. We had speedy boarding, so once we'd worked out where to go we bypassed that melee and were checked in in under 10 minutes - probably only 10-15 people in front of us in the speedy boarding queue.
We also had pre-booked Fasttrack-security, and were through that in less than 10 minutes and airside. We were airside by 8:45, a good 30 minutes before the gate for our flight was even displayed on the screens. Then once the gate was up (D81) the 10 minute route march along the underground labyrinth, a few minutes to get passports stamped, and up to the gate by about 09:30.
The plane departed about 25 minutes late (scheduled 10:25CET, actual 10:49CET) but arrived more or less on time at BOH at 11:10GMT. Only black mark was no bacon rolls on board - had to put up with a cheese and ham toastie.
No idea how long it would've taken without Speedy Boarding and Fasttrack, but I suspect allowing less than 2 hours would have been tight. With speedy boarding and fasttrack it might be possible to do it in under an hour - but that really is chancing it.
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Due to a very late running Bens bud I arrived at the check in desk at 2:40 for a 3:55 flight, luckily Swiss were very quick and efficient and I was through security and at the gate by 3:30 but man I was stressing on the bus especially when the coach stopped at the border and the driver went awol to pay his tax! 8:50 it left Tignes Val claret and yeah there was a lot of traffic around Aime but the driver really didn’t help matters driving extremely slowly when we hit the motorway beyond annecy, I wonder if it was so he hit his break time limit…
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Sat 19th Arrived 17:30 - just sat down other side of security at 19:30 - exactly two hours from coming through the door to being planeside….
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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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I touched down in GVA at. 2.20 - I was at the front of the plane, and got a choice spot on the bus to be first out, but even then it took almost an hour to get through border control - the queue started just by the toilets and was very slow moving from there.
Rest of it was a doddle - well until about three miles out from moutiers where it all ground to a halt with roadworks.
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| Judwin wrote: |
Sat 19th March GVA-BOH Easyjet
Came through GVA this morning on the way home to BOH. Arrived at the GVA terminal around 8:15am, and the EZY queue was almost the whole length of the check-in area. We had speedy boarding, so once we'd worked out where to go we bypassed that melee and were checked in in under 10 minutes - probably only 10-15 people in front of us in the speedy boarding queue. |
Where did you find the speedy boarding queue? It's not always to find in big queues!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If anyone thinks EZY is bad, try Jet2 from Terminal 2.
Shambles, clueless, massive queues and fabricated reasons for delays.
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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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Friends went back through GVA yesterday (Sat 19) it was described as a nightmare.
About 20 or so pax had problems at security (friends) and they delayed departure by approx. 1 hour!
All sounds extremely stressful.
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| fixx wrote: |
| Judwin wrote: |
Sat 19th March GVA-BOH Easyjet
Came through GVA this morning on the way home to BOH. Arrived at the GVA terminal around 8:15am, and the EZY queue was almost the whole length of the check-in area. We had speedy boarding, so once we'd worked out where to go we bypassed that melee and were checked in in under 10 minutes - probably only 10-15 people in front of us in the speedy boarding queue. |
Where did you find the speedy boarding queue? It's not always to find in big queues! |
Helps to be 6foot6 tall so you can see over the crowds of people 
We initially joined the normal queue, but then sent one of our party out on a recce mission. There are about 8 check-in desks labelled as "EasyJet Plus Card" desks up at the far (south western) end of the terminal near the escalator up to departure level. They have their own queue line - you just have to work your way parallel to the main queue to find it. You will probably be intercepted by terminal staff wanting to see your speedy-boarding credentials, and they allow you past (hopefully).
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You know it makes sense.
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All sorted, wasn't too bad! Got to airport about 11.20. not a massive queue for easyJet, and someone was checking which flights are directing people to different lanes. Those lanes were then a 'pre-queue' for someone else to check boarding pass, and then direct to plus/speedy boarding queue as appropriate. I walked right up to empty desk at speedy-boarding!
Annoyingly i didn't have fast track this time (but did a few weeks ago  ), and had to go through massive security snake - quite a walk to even join it, then even bigger walk to get through. Kept moving though, and it was done in 20mins. So through the lot in 30mins, phew!
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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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Came through Geneva this morning. Got there at 08:50 for an 11:00 flight. Took 1.5 to get to the gate. Absolutely mobbed but after a wait for the baggage drop stations to open up things moved consistently. Queue for security began at the baggage drop and snaked three times on the upstairs corridor- moved continuously though. I was surprised at how well it all went after my initial yikes at the number of people when we arrived.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Why is Geneva so busy just now, it’s not like the resorts are busy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Geneva was manic this evening. Was lucky enough to be flying business but even for that the queues were still large.
BA lounge was minging: big queue for food, every seat taken and uncollected plates everywhere. We left as soon as gate announced, and was much more pleasant waiting there.
On a positive note, have to say GVA managed the (rather large) exit passport queue quite well.
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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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| Jonny996 wrote: |
| Why is Geneva so busy just now, it’s not like the resorts are busy |
Is it the motor show this week, normally happens this time of year?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@stevew, No it was cancelled.
Presumably now that the borders have opened up there is a lot of, ahem, private banking to be done 
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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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| EmiLondon wrote: |
| dunc999 wrote: |
| I'm flying through tomorrow - 11:55 out of Heathrow and back Monday 15:30, so I'm hopeful the non-weekend off peak times will mean less carnage! Will report back on here. |
Hi - how was your experience flying into Geneva? I am due to travel next week midweek, and was wondering whether it would be better than some of the weekend experience stated on here... Cheers! |
BA LHR-GVA On our way out last Wednesday 16th we were out of the airport within 40 mins of the plane touching down (we were row 12, so one of the first at passport) longest wait was for my ski bag that seemed to not be in with the rest of them, so i was beginning to think it might not arrive.
Coming back yesterday my gut feel that our transfer was a little early, allied to the fact he was rapid, but perfectly safe, got us to GVA 3 hr 15 before departure. After a short wait they let us check-in, no queues. We got through security very quickly and went and sat in the very inefficient BA lounge. Queues for passport control was about 25 mins, slow moving as they only had 3 desks open (Brexit dividend!!) but boarded OK and flight left on time.
Heathrow on the other hand on arrival - shambles. Landed at 3:55 but sat waiting to be allowed to "dock" for 15 mins. Then took another 15 mins to get a bridge to the plane. Passport queues were long and typically chaotic. Never mind, at least the luggage would have come through by the time we were through all that - nope! (Although reading of the problems at the weekend again we were lucky to get it at all) Another 20 mins or so it started coming through. Touch down to getting in taxi - 1 hr 35 mins.
But I would say, in conclusion, for GVA the midweek flights seem to avoid any issues.
And I didn't really mind too much about any of it, as it was so bloody lovely to be out on the slopes again!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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In the past…very different experience GVA midweek (simple and fast) compared to Saturdays (bonkers busy)…
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Landed at GVA about 1.5 hours ago. Border queue was slightly long (20-30 mins) but other than that, it was pretty smooth.
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@valais2, quite. Geneva airport being very busy at the weekend in the ski season really shouldn't come as news to anyone. I'm a (very) frequent user of GVA and can assure anyone that it puts Manchester/Birmingham/Gatwick to utter shame.
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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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In January, the delays were at immigration. Last week, it was baggage delivery that was slow. Having switched from BA to Swiss because of fears over frequent reports of ski carriage disasters, it was a supreme irony that baggage arrival at Geneva on Sunday, March 13, was as slow as I've ever seen it in Switzerland. We missed one train connection and had to make a dash to the railway station to get the next train.
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Flew to Paris from GVA on Saturday morning for the rugby and I feared the worst, but security took us about 10 minutes maximum. Arrived at about 10:30 or so but didn't need to check in any bags which helped
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FAQ
