 Poster: A snowHead
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Following on from my post here.
I'm wondering if anyone else has considered the following group travel option:
1 person, Des the driver, whizzes around on the Thursday evening in a people carrier large enough for the group, picking up everyone's hold luggage and ski equipment.
Everyone else gets cheap hand-luggage-only flights at £10 or less.
Des drives to the alps on the Friday. Drops the gear off at the chalet/hotel/apt on the Saturday. Skis Saturday before picking up the group from the airport at 10pm in the now unladen people carrier.
Sunday to Friday as normal.
Saturday, depending on flight time, either everyone skis and then drops luggage and equipment off at Des' hotel, or Des does the airport transfer first, then skis. Saturday night is spent by Des at a return stopover either way.
Sunday, Des drives home.
Sunday or Monday, Des returns everyone's luggage and equipment.
Pricing:
Fuel collecting/returning luggage: £50
Fuel to resort and back: £150
Tolls to resort and back: £150
Channel crossing: £50
Two nights in single room: £80
Extra day skiing: £30
Flights: (n-1)*£10
Total: £500+n*£10
Per person: £10+£500/n
Thus for a group of 8, it works out at around £72.50
Taking luggage+skis on plane would cost around £200 (~£120 flight + ~£80 transfer).
Advantages:
Most of the group gets a flight unencumbered by hold luggage and skis.
Saves a LOT of money.
Private transfer included.
No limits on weight, number of bags, number of skis.
Des gets one or two extra days' skiing.
Disadvantages:
Need enthusiastic driver called Des.
Des must trust no luggage contains contraband.
Des may face search at the channel crossing when answering "No" to "Did you pack all your luggage?"
Group must have confidence Des will arrive ok - or ski gear worn/carried on plane, and rent skis as contingency.
Des spends more days on the trip than everyone else.
All group members need to be within reasonable driving distance of Des (and the channel).
Des must go easy on the alcohol prior to driving.
Has anyone already done this?
I've done something pretty close. I drove 5 out to Serre Chevalier, and then drove back to pick 3 up from Grenoble (whose skis I'd already driven out).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi Des! 
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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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In order for Des to be happy driving for 10+ hours on their own in both directions, staying in a single room and skiing on their own they clearly have no friends! 
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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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why dont the 8 people go in the van with Des?
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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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Tiger2, the price doesn't change much if you give the driver a companion, whether twin or double depending upon how friendly they are.
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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 like it - thinking outside the box...
but how about everyone gets in the car with Des; then the cost is £350/n (or ~£33 each)..?
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aldoyle, the people carrier or MPV is already filled to the gunnels with luggage and ski equipment. Moreover, stopover rooms soon eat into the price, and not many people are into driving.
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I should add that the pricing is very much back-of-envelope. We could start pinning it down more precisely if people are interested. One must include the resort/airport transfer fuel+tolls, car-parking costs, headlight deflectors, European breakdown cover, wear & tear, etc. But even so, I think one still ends up close to half-price travel.
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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 have been "Des" and would be "Des" again quite happily.
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crosbie, with a car or mpv full no need to stop other than to fillup and go to the toilet so it doesn't eat in to the journet time all that much. And from Ashford I reckon you can be in the Alps in 7- 8hrs. Have done from liverpool in a car with 4 people in around 12hrs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Seems a reasonable suggestion for the right group. Wouldn't work with my group of ski buddies but we are pretty happy with the TO way of things anyway.
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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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crosbie, Could be a rival to Stelios and Michael
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You know it makes sense.
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For busy people I think you have a good idea here - Des could get a free holiday for the wear and tear on his vehicle or a free lift pass at the very least.
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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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To clarify I think I mentioned busy people because you could almost go from work if all your stuff had already gone with Des - you could also do a short break instead of a whole week if you had the right accommodation.... there's definitely food for thought. I wonder where I could find a Des?
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FAQ
