 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys. I've been reading all the tips and advice on here for a few weeks now, so thought it was about time I joined and said hello!
I also have a dilemma that I'm hoping you can give me some advice on....
We are hoping for a weekend away in March, either weekend of the 7th-11th (preferably) or 14th-18th March.
The master plan had been to get cheap flights with Monarch to Munich (£80 each return from Manchester inc ski carriage) then probably go to Alpbach (self-catering accommodation for 150 Euro for 3 nights & car hire for around £100). However, the flights with Monarch aren't great times- arrive on the Friday at 10.30am but need to fly home on the Monday at 5pm, so realistically only 2 full days skiing, maybe 2.5 if we ski Monday morning before driving back.
Plan B was to fly with Lufthansa to Munich on the Thursday. The flight times are much better- Thursday morning and returning Monday night, so probably 4 full days skiing. However, now that Lufthansa have changed the rules on ski carriage (only skis up to 147cm-ish go free, everything over is 50 Euros each way each.... and I've emailed them and they've confirmed that we will have to pay), it makes a very cheap break suddenly quite expensive (200 Euros just to take skis!?!). Car hire is a bit more expensive (£120 I think) and accommodation is a bit more expensive given that its an extra night (220 Euro). Flights without paying extra for ski carriage are £100 return each.
Plan C is to fly to Grenoble from Manchester with Monarch Thursday to Monday. Flights are around £100 each inc ski carriage. However, I've searched through all the usual suspects on booking.com & their respective Tourist Info websites (Autrans, Chamrouse, AD, L2A, Brides-le-Bains even La Clusaz et al...the list is not exhaustive) and I'm really struggling to find cheap accommodation (was hoping to pay no more than 250-ish Euros including cleaning charge, preferably self catering with a kitchenette).
So does anyone know of any cheap self-catering accommodation near Grenoble that is near a ski resort?
Or do I just suck it up and get ripped off by Lufthansa, going to plan B?
Or do I have 2 to 2.5days skiing for dirt-cheap in Alpbach with Monarch?
Dilemma, dilemmas!! Any advice is greatly appreciated! We are both intermediates, happy with plenty of reds and blues, and we don't need a huge ski area or miles of piste to keep us entertained.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shootinstar9, I have booked a short stay in an apartment through Interhome in the past. This was for Le Corbier but they cover plenty of other places too.
The one time that I skied in the Vercors I just stayed in a motel in Grenoble and drove up each day, would do the same if I go there again this winter.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've seen that thread already. I was going to book based on that but thought I'd better get something in writing myself first.
(above should have read 158cm, not 147cm)
I emailed them to ask. Both of our skis exceed the ridiculous maximum size limit they've set (167 & 160). The reply I got was effectively that if our ski bag exceeds 158cm when we arrive at the airport, we'd pay the extra 50 Euros each. If its less than 158cm then it goes free. So ski carriage is free, if you have very short skis effectively!
There is a .pdf now on their website explaining this..... so I don't know what do think! Do I risk it and hope they just don't measure!?!
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 21-10-12 13:52; edited 3 times in total
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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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Potentially, could fly out with Monarch on the Friday and fly back with Lufthansa on the Monday night, so if we do get stung, we only get stung once!
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What a lovely dilemma to have.
Personally I would strike plan A on the head having two days off work for two days skiing just doesn't work.
Plan B can be modified slightly, since you are only going for a few days it would be cheaper to hire skis for 4 days rather than take your own.
Plan C looks OK, but I would take rjs, advice and stay near Grenoble in a hotel/motel for the weekend. We did this a couple years ago staying in Crolles and driving up to Les 7 Laux every morning which was a 15 to 20 minute drive away. Since these resorts are very popular with day trippers from Grenoble I recommend getting up early.
There are of course plans D..ZZ you can also investigate including old classics such as flying to Geneva and skiing in Chamonix, or to Turin and spending the weekend in Champoluc, It is all very exciting. I often end up drawing up a big matrix of airports I could fly from (I am even prepared to fly from Finningly) and airports I could fly to, (Venice is fairly near the Dolomites and I think easyjet flies there from Manchester) then find out which airlines fly very late, a good example of this is EasyJet who have a 21:45 flight from Geneva to Luton, I progress from there. It takes some time but I find it very enjoyable
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 21-10-12 13:54; edited 1 time in total
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The skis are free on LH (edit: but you're supposed to call the hotline to book them on after buying the tickets). As above, it's confusing (actually Swiss are also free, but can potentially be confusing too), but a ski package doesn't fall into the normal baggage dimensions rules. My 181cm went free, as have Alastair Pink's before (and presumably will do again this yr). If you do get stung because they're longer than 158, then you'd be the first that I'm aware of.
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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 thought that the length restriction on skis was due to airlines using fairly small planes on certain routes.
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Tempted to just book Lufthansa..... get a further 10% off if I book through RBS Royalties, which is making it even more attractive. And then just pray that I'm not the first to get stung since the rules changed (btw, have any of you flown with skis since the rule change on 1st June??)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Does anyone have any email addresses for Lufthansa customer services/complaints?
I went through the automated on-line contact facility and the reply was from a 'do-not-reply' email address.
Tempted to contact them again and raise that issue!
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shootinstar9, customer.feedback.eu@lufthansa.com
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You know it makes sense.
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shootinstar9, part of your issue over accommodation in France may be that the 11th is the last weekend of the Parisien Vacances Scolaires...so French resorts tend to be busier, charge higher prices and stick firmly to Sat-Sat bookings.
I'd do the Lufthansa option.
My read of the Baggage guidance would be that a ski bag would legally have to be able to take a pair of skis, and a 158cm bag would not, typically...
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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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Thanks everyone for your replies.
I've emailed Lufthansa again on that email address, and explained the potential issues and potential mis-representation!
I'll await their response and post it on here once it arrives.
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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 from that link......
"In general, sporting equipment is treated like any other baggage. Thus, sporting equipment is included in the Free Baggage Allowance (FBA) if the respective limitations are not exceeded"
Its the last sentence that is worrying me.... will they count the ski bag as needing to come under the 'respective limitation' (which is 158cm, as listed on the FBA & baggage.pdf)
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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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| shootinstar9 wrote: |
| get cheap flights with Monarch to Munich (£80 each return from Manchester inc ski carriage) |
If you want take hold luggage,book a seat, check in on-line it is more like £119 with Monarch.
I dont think the "158cm (length + width + height)." refers to special baggage on Lufthansa.
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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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Monarch are running a promotion at the minute, voucher code 'Treat20'. £20 off per person for return flights (£10 if just one way). We booked yesterday for February and it knocked £40 off, coming to £208 for two people return with 2 bags, online check in, prebooked seats, ski carriage and the credit card charge. In March, its £165 for two, which includes one bag (we only need one for a 3 or 4 day trip), ski carriage and credit card charge. Not bothered about pre-booking seats for March, not worth the extra money if you are buying them individually rather than in the Essentials package.
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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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shootinstar9, Well done that's a good deal.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mountain Sun in Tignes could be an option. They do late transfers so you get nearly a full day on the slopes on the last day.
We virtually always use the late Easyjet flights from Geneva to Luton for this very purpose. It is a killer on the way home though!
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russ_e, They have booked already! 
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Thanks for that.
Not booked the weekend in March yet, still hanging on for a reply from Lufthansa before we make a decision.
We've booked February's week with Monarch already and I think we'd got a pretty good deal. Going to Mayrhofen in February.
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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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shootinstar9, I sent a followup e-mail to Lufthansa and got this reply on 22nd October:
Subject: Your Lufthansa feedback, FB ID 21645221 -
Thank you for you e-mail dated 21 October 2012.
We are happy to provide you with the requested information in relation to the ski bag as part of the free baggage allowance.
As previously stated, for tickets issued after the 1st of June 2012 and excluding the North Atlantic routes, a passenger is permitted to carry one ski bag free of charge only if the item does not exceed 158cm (length + width + height).
However we are happy to inform you that there are some changes to the baggage allowance beginning from today. In particular, passengers will be allowed to carry their ski bag free of charge as an additional item, unless travelling to or from North America. (my italics)
For more information on this subject, please contact our reservation call centre.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen/ Yours sincerely,
Raffaella Argiulo-Jones
Lufthansa German Airlines
My interpretation: Lufthansa realise they have screwed up on the wording on their website, so have quoted the 158cm restriction in para 3 of their e-mail to cover themselves, but then go on to say in the next para that they have now suddenly introduced "new changes" to do what they always have done previously (ie carry adult size skis for free).
As suggested in their e-mail I called the reservation centre (on 0871 9459747) and spoke to a very helpful lady who confirmed that my skis were booked onto the flights, and that the 158cm dimensional restriction did not apply to the ski carriage. 
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| Quote: |
I'm really struggling to find cheap accommodation
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Not surprised. As under a new name has said, it's one of the most lucrative weeks for French resorts and your chances of finding cheap accommodation just for a weekend are vanishingly slim. Simplify your dilemma, and knock France off your list of options!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alastair Pink, thanks for that reply! I'd emailled Lufthansa on 21st October, pointing our their false advertising for Free Ski Carriage, if all skis over 158cm would have to pay...... kindly pointed out that all adults would have to pay and therefore free ski carriage wouldn't apply. However, I'm still awaiting the reply to my email. Once I have my own reply and hard proof in writing I'll be booking.
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FAQ
