 Poster: A snowHead
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I am looking for some advice.
I have booked a D.I.Y ski holiday for the first time this year after many years of using Tour Operators.
We fly into Chambery early January and we already have a taxi booked to take us to resort.
However if the airport was closed due to bad weather ( which is a posiibility at Chambery ) is it the airlines responsability to then get us from the diverted airport to our origianl destination or will we have to fend for ourselves. Obviously if we were with a T.O their transfer buses would be diverted to the new airport but we are independent travellers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Super Eagle, if the weather is that bad there is a chance that Jet2 or whoever  may just cancel your flight altogether and give tou a refund.
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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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Chambery was a nightmare last year and two friends were stuck at the airport for 2 days.
I'm pretty sure bad weather delays don't trigger compensation from the airline, although it may from your travel insurance.
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Super Eagle, the weather doesn't have to be that bad to get diverted from Chambery - for reasons well rehearsed elsewhere on SHs. Yours is a very good question, actually. I would talk to the transfer service - they would know about the diversion and could presumably meet you at Grenoble (or wherever) instead. Might cost extra, of course. Even if the airline was able to bus you back to Chambery, that's not where you want to be, is it?
The other problem with Chambery is that it's in France. Geneva has the advantage that it's Swiss - far fewer ATC problems!
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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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Frosty the Snowman, We are actually on a Thomsons flight but we have booked through SnowJet. £120 inc ski carriage which is a prettty good deal.
bar shaker, Not bothered about being stuck at the airport. Just concerned about how we would get from Say Lyon/Geneva/Grenoble to our awaiting taxi.
I'm sure our insurance will cover any additional costs but it's the mechanism involved in re-arranging things that concern me.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, Thanks. I am happy to pay additional costs and claim back off insurance once back home. However Taxi firm just gave us a number in the event of any problems ie delays which is ok if we are in Uk but if airport closed whilst we are in the air we are not going to be able to contact Taxi firm until we land at known diversion. We could then be stuck their hours if taxi firm abbandons the meet. Taxi firm also said it is rare for Chambery to close but I'm not so convinced. Im sure that if it's the airlines responsability to get us back from diverted airport to Chambery then the Taxi frim will just re-arrange our meet time which I can accept. But if we have to stay at the diverted airport and await our taxi or make new plans then I can envisage big big delays and costs.
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| Super Eagle wrote: |
| I'm sure our insurance will cover any additional costs but it's the mechanism involved in re-arranging things that concern me. |
I'm sure I've read of people being bused from Lyon to Chambery by the airline, and given you're flying sheep class then that might be expected. Personally I would have the number of the taxi company and phone them from Lyon as soon as you land - it's probably only 30 minutes between the two so by the time you've got your bags it's probably only another 5-10 minutes before they pick you up. If you wait around for a bus to be arranged and then ferry you to chambery you'll get to resort later for sure.
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Super Eagle, It is legally the responsibility of the airline to get you to the contracted destination.
It is covered in their T&C
http://flights.thomson.co.uk/en/popup_coc.html
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9.2 CANCELLATION, REROUTING, DELAYS, ETC.
9.2.1 We will take all necessary measures to avoid delay in carrying you and your Baggage. In the exercise of these measures and in order to prevent a flight cancellation, in exceptional circumstances we may arrange for a flight to be operated on our behalf by an alternative carrier and/or aircraft.
9.2.2 Except as otherwise provided by the Convention or the applicable law including, without limitation, EU Regulation 261/2004, if we cancel a flight, fail to operate a flight reasonably according to the schedule, fail to stop at your destination or cease to operate a route, we shall, at our option, either:
9.2.2.1 carry you at the earliest opportunity on another of our scheduled services on which space is available without additional charge and, where necessary, extend the validity of your Ticket; or
9.2.2.2 within a reasonable period of time re-route you to the destination shown on your Ticket by our own services or those of another carrier, or by other mutually agreed means and class of travel without additional charge. If the fare and charges for the revised routing are lower than you have paid, we shall refund the difference; or
9.2.2.3 make a refund in accordance with the provisions of Article 10.2.
9.2.3 Upon the occurrence of any of the events set out in Article 9.2.2, except as otherwise provided by the Convention, the options outlined in Article 9.2.2.1 through 9.2.2.3 are the sole and exclusive remedies available to you and we shall have no further liability to you.
9.3 DENIED BOARDING
If we are unable to provide previously confirmed space, we shall provide compensation to those Passengers denied boarding in accordance with applicable law including, without limitation, EU Regulation 261/2004, or if more favourable to you, our denied boarding compensation policy.
9.4 DIVERSIONS
In the event that, for reasons beyond our control, we are unable to land at the airfield at your destination and are required to divert to another airfield, then the carriage by air shall, unless the aircraft continues to its original destination, be deemed to be completed when the aircraft lands at the diversion airfield. We shall however arrange or designate alternative transportation to carry you to your original destination as set out in your Ticket, without additional charge to you.
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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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Super Eagle, Fine, thanks.
Just starting to look at what's available for this year. I can't really afford to go unless we sell the house, but I'm probably going to anyhow 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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10.2 INVOLUNTARY REFUNDS
10.2.1 If we cancel a flight, fail to operate a flight reasonably according to schedule, or cease to operate a route, the amount of the refund shall be:
10.2.1.1 if no portion of the Ticket has been used, an amount equal to the fare paid
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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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Have you booked a private Taxi or an airport transfer with a transfer company. If the latter (and I work for a transport company) then we will know well before you do and will arrange to divert the driver to your new airport and leave at least one message on your voice mail. When you have landed driver and office staff will call you to tell you not to get on bus as driver is waiting in Geneva/Grenoble/Lyon etc. There is a additional charge for this but we can provide you with a letter for yourtravel insurance people.
If you have just booked a chambery taxi then you will have to get on said bus and hope taxi driver waits for you.
By the way last year Chambery closed about 3 times due to fog. It is a very difficult airport to land at and although it has the automated landing thingy pilots need to have visual to be able to land there (which rather makes having the automated system a bit of a waste of cash really).
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it's probably only 30 minutes between the two
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From Chambery airport to Grenoble (St Geoirs) is nearer an hour than 30 minutes. But it will still be far better to get taxi to come to wherever you land - even if the airport are contracted to get you to Chambery you might not get there till the middle of the night. I've found the transfer taxis very switched on, as anderoo suggests. They know all the airport problems and they'll know the kind of conditions when diversions are likely. And they'll make the journey a lot quicker than a bus laid on by a charter airline.
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You know it makes sense.
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| anderoo wrote: |
| It is a very difficult airport to land at and although it has the automated landing thingy pilots need to have visual to be able to land there (which rather makes having the automated system a bit of a waste of cash really). |
The ability to use Autoland depends on several factors.
Is the Instrument Landing System (ILS) a full Category III C system? Is it fully operational as such?
Is the aircraft certified for Cat III C approaches?
Does the pilot have a Cat III C endorsement, and is he/she current on such?
If not, then the visibilty requirements vary, but might be similar to: at 100ft above the runway, must be visual with it, and have 650ft (200m) horizontal visibility.
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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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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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but you don't need to be a pilot to know that stuff gets diverted from Chambery more often than from other airports in the vicinity. It's a great little airport to use on a Thursday. In decent weather. 5 minutes from touchdown to driving out of the airport, after parking free. 
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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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last year we had an aborted landing at Chambery and pilot advised he needed visual to land there - i pondered the ILS thing too. So we flew round a few times to shed some weight which meant the abort point was lower and we made it second time round. Meantime our private transfer had left - luckily others were late too - so we nabbed someone elses. This year we are due in earlier which will increase the risk of it being fog bound. It's a mental place on a Saturday.
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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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As has already been stated Chambery is a great airport when things go to plan, but flights do get diverted often. Communication from the airport is often a problem when this happens, flight information screens stop being updated and the information counter staff struggle to get updates. Last season I asked about a delayed flight I was waiting on, the staff informed the plane was due to land in about 20 mins and at the same time the customers were walking into the terminal!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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there isn't much to do
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understatement of the year! I've seen fights break out over the last croissant.
You'll probably be absolutely fine, Super Eagle, and a local firm will be your best bet. If your plane is diverted, others will be too. The taxis would probably coordinate with each other, too; they've seen it all before.
And the snow will start falling heavily just as you open the door of your apartment.
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I was diverted once to Shannon airport as we couldn't land at cork
due to fog. The airline was great and laid on buses for us to get to cork. The buses were
waiting for us almost as soon as we cleared the airport.
The airline ........... Ryanair !
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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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Super Eagle, I spoke to the Thomsons staff at Manchester Airport today and asked them what would happen in the event of any of their flights being diverted from Chamberry. They told me that they had already looked into this and that contingency plans are in place if it should occur.
Flights will be diverted to Doncaster, Where passengers will be put up in bed and breakfast for the week. Buses will be laid on daily to
X-scape and Sheffield dry slope. ALL at no extra cost - so relax nothing to worry about.
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DaddyLouLou,
I think that the main issue with Chambery is the surrounding mountainous terrain.
On one runway approach the plane virtually overflies the airfield and then has to carry out a 180+ degree turn over high ground in order to gain the ILS. It's fun in good viz but not in bad viz.
The other spectacular approach is into Innsbruck.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The other spectacular approach is into Innsbruck.
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I've blanked that out after a flight that landed on it's second attempt after a lurching abort about 10 metres from the ground, with green hills out of every window.  That and the eight hour wait for the flight out, with the airport crammed, nowhere to sit and complete chaos everywhere.
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FAQ
. Also, I am a skiier, but not professionally 
