 Poster: A snowHead
|
Do people who have booked transfers ever miss their flights? What happens when this happens?
Was thinking also, since some people who run chalets might offer a transfer service as part of their deal, who is liable/responsible for getting people to the airport on time? What happens if due to circumstances beyond your control you can't get them to the airport on time.
Any experiences?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
no experience, but that's what travel insurance is for isn't it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Yes!
Booked the next one.
Insurace paid for some/most of it as it was down to bad weather.
At the end of the day, it's down to you not the person providing the transfer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Most transfer companies also leave sooo much slack in their planning that you really shouldn't miss the flight.
For example we are less than an hour from Geneva.
90+% of our clients book in on line the night before so MUST get to the airport 30mins before departure so that's an hour and a half tops that they need to leave.
As a standard they leave 3 hours before and if the snow is looking really bad then it's 4 hours, also the transfer companies we use all talk to each other about the traffic on the auto route and if necessary go the back way through Bonneville, Annemasse and Geneva.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| johnnyh wrote: |
Do people who have booked transfers ever miss their flights? What happens when this happens?
Was thinking also, since some people who run chalets might offer a transfer service as part of their deal, who is liable/responsible for getting people to the airport on time? |
I suspect that it is done on a best effort basis. Same as if you book a taxi and miss your flight. If the chalet offer you flights as well then that would be different.
However if you have a transfer with a Tour Operator as part of a package it is up to them to arrange new flights as you have booked a door-to-door package and this is covered by European legislation. TOs hate doing this which is why if snow is forecast you can find yourself getting up at 3am for a midday flight from Chambery.
| johnnyh wrote: |
What happens if due to circumstances beyond your control you can't get them to the airport on time.
Any experiences? |
Sounds like a case of Force Majeur, in which case it must be up to your travel insurance.
Sounds like you need to speak to a lawyer if you are thinking of offering this kind of service and getting a water tight contract drawn up (like the pages of small print in the back of TO brochers that no-one, apart from the Reps, ever reads.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes! Many years ago but TO transfer bus got stuck in major traffic jam and about 30 of us missed our flight. TO had to arrange for us all to have overnight accommodation and booked onto alternative flights. Most of us ended up back at different UK airports and had to have taxis (paid for by TO) in the UK. A complete shambles, but to their credit, the TO sorted everything.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TO with reponsibility for the 'package' will be different to booking a transfer from an independant transfer company. The problem occurs when the transfer company is doing 'shuttle' runs back and for to the airport and an inbound flight gets dealyed which delays the transfer to the resort and in-turn delays the next pick-up from the resort to the airport
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
A top tip, is to make sure that you book your independent transfer with an operator that runs a 'scheduled' service. This has guaranteed departures and the vehicle will not be kept waiting at the airport for delayed flights. This means that the next pick-up from resort will not be delayed.
Then you need to look at the frequency of the service. For example we have departures from Geneva-Chamonix and Chamonix-Geneva every 45 minutes throughout the winter season. As a back up we have 2 x spare 8 seat minibuses. One sits at the airport and one sits in resort - just in case there is a major problem. On top of that we have our 29 seat coach. (The only English owner transfer operator in the whole of the Northern Alps with one!). Where there are loads of flight delays or divertions we will often send our coach to the airport to 'sweep up' all the delayed passengers and get them into resort.
So when choosing a transfer provider you need to look at what they really offer, what they do in the event of flight delays (most will keep you waiting and hour plus!... We don't! ) and what back-up they have in place. Oh we have a fixed fare of 25 Euros and a full-time team of Airport Reps, and we chuck in a smile or two as well!  ))
Cheers.
Andrew
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chamexpress, that's the most informative piece of spam I've read for a longtime 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
A complete shambles, but to their credit, the TO sorted everything.
|
I think the OP was looking at independent transfers. It's one of the risk factors when you go DIY - and one that people often fail to think about.
Chamexpress, sounds good. Chamonix/Geneva has to be the easiest DIY transfer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
We always allow loads of time so tht there's a good hour of slack in case something goes wrong en route. Regarding flight delays - we will wait if the delay isn't too long (up to an hour) and after that we, obviously, have a responsibility to get all the other people on the transfer to resort and not make them wait any longer. In this instance you need to make your own arrangements to get to resort (we help out in any way we can) and claim the cost from travel insurance. Make sure you have a policy which covers you for this - here's an example of a policy we recommend : www.tgic-online.com/ti/Pages/MountainSun.htm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
so the chalet owner gave me the taxi fare (Euro 100 ?) and got her mate to drive me to Cham train station where I got a taxi to Geneva and just made my flight 
. Chalet owner said she would get the money back from the transfer company and had done it before because she books loads of transfers with them.
