 Poster: A snowHead
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We are due to fly to Geneva, for Tignes this Sunday am 06.25 from Luton. Likelihood of flight being cancelled is high. What is best alternative route given travel chaos? And likelihood of being able to book at such late notice? Have never travelled any other route than plane: with two kids plus luggage/boots/helmets etc...AGH!
B***** hell! Never thought the sight of snow would want to make me weep -with despair! This country grinds to a halt when there is snow. THEY HAVE KNOWN FOR DAYS!
Any advice welcome...
Travelling w Alpine Elements where flights were inc in price. They seem clueless when I spoke ysterday and were not arranging alternative options. Is this standard?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tinabf, I would have thought that the airline would tell you what alternative arrangements will be made for flights that are cancelled. When flights from Geneva were cancelled many years back for me we just had to wait in the airport until something was done to get the flights moving again.
Sorry - not much reassurance, although I'm sure they'll do what can be done tomorrow to get the flights moving.
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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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i would have thought that they will have cleared yhe backlog by then tinabf, other than that, why not drive up to either birmingham or east midlands airport, im sure they are not badly effected. Personally i would just sit it out as i think most things will be back to normal by tomorrow morning, unless this next band of snow from the north (hitting scotland now, manchetser at 9pm, Birmingham midnight, london???) moves in quicker than expected!!! what have the airline actually said to you???
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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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tinabf, flights are operating this morning, I would expect you to be fine.
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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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tinabf, we're travelling to Tignes tomorrow too, but via the Eurotunnel which is closed at the moment and the contingency plan to change to a ferry doesn't seem viable either with all the crossings delayed and disrupted. Oh well, we'll get there eventually and still have a wonderful Christmas ski week. Hope you have a great time! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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tinabf, I think you just need to suck it and see - but find lots and lots of things you can take to Luton to avoid boredom, inflatable travel pillows erc. At the moment the weather looks great in sw london, but I see there's snow forecast on the Beeb website for luton over-night. Unfortunately most alternatives will be equally carnage - LGW is no better for snow avoidance than Luton if not worse, and the tunnel/trains are screwed and the ferries will be struggling with the knock on impact from all the tunnel diversions..
This is where you see whether your Tour Operator (TO in jargon) is any good.. oh wait..
Good luck..
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sat 19-12-09 11:46; edited 1 time in total
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There's no snow at all in the midlands. Any chance your flights might be transferred to Birmingham or East Midlands? Luton is only two hours down the M1 from here after all.
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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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| flowa wrote: |
| tinabf, from what I can tell the emphasis has been on getting departures out over arrivals so if that trend continues you should be ok. |
Just a slight flaw with this train of thought unless there is a secret plane manufacturing plant/warehouse at Luton 
To the OP it'll be fine (or it won't)- it's not really in your control unless you want to make expensive contingency arrangements so don't worry about it. That's the thing with skiing - it is highly weather dependent as to almost all aspects of the trip so in the long term you will have some disrupted trips.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tinabf,
It looks like your flight has taken off and is due to arrive in Geneva shortly. Hope you are on it 
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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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| Quote: |
This country grinds to a halt when there is snow.
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Any place which gets the kind of snow which only happens every 10 years or so grinds to a halt. Like large parts of France,for example. To clear the roads in a tiny village, like the one we live in here, takes a goodly number of heavy machines.
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You know it makes sense.
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Wayne, good points, well mde. That's why I almost always use a TO
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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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Wayne, I don't think anyobne was dissing TOs in general or suggesting they should be able to immediately deploy plans B , C & D. People pay a lot for personal travel bookers to facilitate that sort of thing. We were just having a couple of cheap gags at AE who it is fair to say aren't the most universally top rated as well-organised in web reviews by their customers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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fatbob,
Last year I went to Mallorca for a couple of weeks. It was OK, we enjoyed it. There were a few things wrong but all in all it was OK, the rep was useless, the hotel pool was full of Germans - well German towels around it at 6 am (not joking). The coach was late to collect us at the airport. All booked with Thomas Cook onto their own tours.
So, this is the problem (but that depends on which way you look at it ) with Web Reviews. It would have been very simple to slag off T Cooks. But a] none of the problems were their fault, b] they couldn't have solved the few problems there, c] We had a good time.
As I said I am nowt to do with AE, I've never been on any of their trips and don't anyone who works for them, but I'm sure they will want to provide a good product and will try their best. The (quasi) negative comments about them not making any alternative arrangements were (to say the least) just another "web review" that will pop up in Google every time someone is thinking about booking with them. A little unfair (IMO).
Just sticking up for the TO's
And of course
Oh and please don't miss understand. Things go wrong on our trips too. The 's who were with us last year will remember me putting on rep in a taxi to the airport with 10mins notice. That was an easy problem to solve but some (like snow on a runway, motorway jams making coaches late, lifts breaking down, etc) ain't so simple to sort out but they are easy to post about on the web.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wayne, I do know people that have been with AE and suffice to say their feedback is sufficient to enable me to make up my own mind as to the validity of the web reviews.
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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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Wayne,
| tinabf wrote: |
| Travelling w Alpine Elements where flights were inc in price. They seem clueless when I spoke ysterday and were not arranging alternative options. Is this standard? |
Clearly to expect any TO to have made alternative arrangements against the possibility of delays, inconvenience would be a little over the top - but I'm interpreting tinabf's comments to suggest she contact them and that they were unaware of issues or potential issues which is probably why she posted here...unless Tina comes back and comments further we won't know for sure... In my view I would expect a clued up TO to have briefed staff on the current travel situation and be able to give clear guidance to customers on the issues.
OTOH both RachelQ and GrahamN have used the power of snowheads, and their own brains to come up with sensible (for them) alternative arrangements.
I trust everyone has a good xmas break..
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FAQ
- looks like you guys could be in for a crossing-from-hell scenario with all that's going on. Love your optimism and hope it wins through. x
