 Poster: A snowHead
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| On the rocks wrote: |
| NIght spent lying down not sleeping on floor, awaiting confirmation of 10:10 to Zurich-Manchester |
Count yourself lucky you're heading ZRH-MAN. Word on the street is that all flights to London due to land after 11am are being either re-routed BHX/MAN/LBA, causing congestion at those airports, or simply cancelled. Main problem is de-icing queues. Really hope you make it 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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Snowheads in action...fantastic...hopefully the others will get away soon.
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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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Wishing everyone a safe flight today, and those who didnt make yesterday yesterday afternoons flights a quick return home/skiing. It's only just dawned on me, how lucky we were to get home. Feel awful on Crazy Skier Joules as I told them to get the earlier flight, which ended up being cancelled 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Some friends had their Bradford - GVA flights cancelled yesterday with no more places available this weekend. They've managed to get seats for the 8 of them from Manchester this morning.
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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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Claude B, the problem will not be departing the UK, it will be arriving in GVA. It won't suprise me if the baggage hall is still full with people's luggage from yesterday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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GeorgeVII, thank you SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!!! we got the room, had a wonderful kip, hot shower and stuffed faces at buffet breakfast, so happy we did not have to spend night on airport floor. Thank you so much!!!!! We hope to fly out in 2 hours. Thank you so much again!!
Well this is a MESS here!!!
NO staff, NO information, NO organisation, huge queues!!! So long just to get food vouchers. Also got into a fight with United airlines' gold premier snobby rich idiots check in who were taking up so much room with their rope fence thingies and had a go at me when i moved them so people could get through. I protested that they were being stupid and they tried to call the police on me. They did not care at all. Arrogant horrible little jobsworths. Horribly snobby.
Easyjet staff that ARE on have so far been angels but there is not ENOUGH of them at all. The ski baggage belt guy for instance has been working since 6am yesterday with no break. Now been working over 24 hours.
I want to drive again. We used to self drive and I miss the freedom.
This is a complete and utter mess and I have been through every emotion in the book.
Got a lot of thanks from people though as I organised ski return, the crowds were so deep I took all the skis off the belt and called out names to reunite them with their owners.
Took hours for our baggage to come back off our cancelled plane.
ARRRRGHGGGHGHG!
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Think we were very lucky yesterday reading all this !
I was dreading the whole cattle market experience, as we normally drive out, or go mid week scheduled, but we went with Crystal to see my daughter who is working in Tignes. We opted for Geneva over Chambery as we know that airport is really susceptible to the weather and thought Geneva would cope better, and my daughter who is on her second season has many a transfer from hell tale to tell with clients arriving after huge delays and it seemed last season transfer day always coincided with bad weather both in the UK and France.
So up at 04:30 yesterday (Saturday) , mini bus was a wee bit late and had been and was snowing heavily. Then once on the bus it was all around the resort picking everyone else up. Our flight was 12:15 and we made it to Geneva around 10:00, the rep on board mentioned that the Gatwick flight was not checking in, so we sort of resigned ourselves to the inevitable delay as it was snowing on and off.
Once in the airport, and I had never experienced the charter cattle warehouse it was mayhem., though all credit to the various tour reps helping and directing people. We grabbed a table in the Cafe and spoke to some others who said our flight had not taken off from Gatwick. So thinking that we were in for a delay, out with the laptop and GoPro as I had some editing to do.
Soon as I did that our flight was called, so then we spent the next couple of hours checking in, queuing for security, queuing for the shuttle bus to the main terminal, then once in the terminal we had to go straight to the gate, and guess what we then had to queue for the shuttle bus to the plane. But at no time did we actually have to sit and wait, that is until we were on board, and then the main issue it seemed was getting people on board the plane, as each busload seemed to take half an hour to load!
We were by the open door and the captain came out a couple of times to assess the weather and how much snow was building up on the wings, so did think not to count chickens just yet. Once everyone was one, Captain was very good at telling what was going on, how he was waiting for the deicer and hopefully we'd still meet our take off slot.
We eventually landed at Gatwick only two hours late, so really very good considering, and as someone had already mentioned, seems that Geneva too can grind to a halt with bad weather, so dear old Gatwick was not too bad!
And now for the best bit 
We did have a couple of people in the chalet and one was quite a "moaner / complainer" - they'd come out on the snow train and found it really bad, so she spent all week looking at flying back. Eventually on Friday they'd sorted some flights leaving Geneva at 20:00
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| Quote: |
the problem will not be departing the UK
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could be. Heathrow, for example, have cancelled 20% of flights today, to try to ensure the 80% get off OK.
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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 think yesterday the problems swung during the day from this end to GVA.
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GVA airport has been having problems with snow and diversions to LYS and ZRH several days this week....Snowing near LHR again this morning. Doubt that will help matters! How everyone gets home safely
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
We did have a couple of people in the chalet and one was quite a "moaner / complainer" - they'd come out on the snow train and found it really bad, so she spent all week looking at flying back. Eventually on Friday they'd sorted some flights leaving Geneva at 20:00
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 Out of the frying pan.....
when weather is bad there's no easy way of getting to and from ski resorts. I've had friends who have driven in convoy across northern France behind snowploughs, at 30 mph, for hours on end. Snowheads have reported major delays at Eurotunnel as well as the usual traffic jams. And people have been stuck overnight in Bourg St Maurice with roads up to the Haute Tarentaise completely closed, or locked down in Val D'Isere and not even allowed to walk along the street because of avalanche risk. When we spend weeks doing snow dances we only have ourselves to blame. 
One French neighbour, with snow tyres and chains, had to abandon his car in heavy snow at 2 am after a very slow drive from their home. Minor roads aren't always ploughed at night. They had to carry 2 children and drag a third up a steep road to their apartment, through very deep snow. I think I'd have cleared the snow from the exhaust pipe, kept the heater going and stayed in the car.
I had keys for a neighbour's apartment one evening as the cleaner couldn't wait for the late English arrivals. They arrived moaning and grumbling about the time it had taken them to get here - very snowy time. They had had neither snow tyres nor chains, and had been forced to buy the latter. They blamed my Belgian friend, whose "ski in ski out" apartment they'd rented because his web site had not told them the roads could be snowy. They seem to have thought the snow fell neatly just on the piste, 35 metres away. They had no provisions and seemed surprised there was no all night supermarket. I gave them some milk and tea bags etc. They should have gone with a TO. Yes, those departure lounges can be carnage, but somebody else is responsible for getting you to your destination. If your car gets stuck in the snow at 2 am with sleepy kids on board, you're on your own.
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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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GeorgeVII, that was a nice gesture, well done! Good to see that Jules and her Mum were able to take advantage.
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Hells Bells reporting awful driving conditions around Reims
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You know it makes sense.
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On the flight home yesterday, we were flying through snow for about 25 minutes. I couldnt quite work it out why we were still flying through cloud for 25 minutes, but it was hammering it down with snow so North of Geneva heading up towards Reims, so that woult tie in with what Frosty the Snowman, has just said.
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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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Apparently wasn't a problem with snow at Geneva but freezing hail. Was causing big delays on the Swiss roads last night too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Hells Bells reporting awful driving conditions around Reims
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 Hope everyone driving today stays safe. I've headed off the autoroute into a hotel much earlier in the day than planned twice, once for heavy fog, once for heavy snow. Normally the drive is a piece of cake, but when it goes wrong it's not nice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The driving conditions were awful from langres north to Calais on Friday night/Saturday morning..........took us 13 hours from ste foy to euro tunnel........just done a separate trip report in snow reports.......
We were due to leave Saturday morning but with the forecast snow decided an earlier leave would be best.....I think we made the correct call
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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anyone know how the other french airports are doing?
Lyon
Grenoble
Chambery
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Got back yesterday, but friends also flying from GVA were delayed overnight. No idea if they've left now. Inghams sorted them a hotel, at least ... (easyJet were poo-poo for them too.)
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ansta1, Hi back from the windy slopes of Tignes.
No snags with the weather at the French 3 - light rain at Lyon at the mo - the other 2 forecasting rain turning to sleet later this evening.
So any delays are likely to be due to Uk issues or aircraft in the wrong place after yesterday.
Unfortunately Chambery and Grenoble do not have live flight boards and the other commercial sites do not include charters and do not update regularly.
Safe flying folks
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thanks chocksaway hope anyone going out or coming back does so without any major problems.
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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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| GeorgeVII wrote: |
rob@rar, It was a pleasure to be able to help somebody out. Alastair Pink should take some credit for stepping in to help pass the essential info on.
Ricklovesthepowder, Also thanks to Rick otherwise the room could have gone to waste.
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Just to let folks know I heard from crazy_skier_jules via Facebook that they landed at Liverpool about half an hour ago and she said "NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO SEE THE UK!!!" 
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Alastair Pink, good news!
Nice bit of community spirit in this thread.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Brilliant. Almost as good as Mr Piehole trogging, from his home in Annecy, to a car park in the middle of nowhere en route to the 3V, where Flowa had dropped her phone. And finding it, some considerable time later.
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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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Alastair Pink,
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You know it makes sense.
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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
| GeorgeVII wrote: |
rob@rar, It was a pleasure to be able to help somebody out. Alastair Pink should take some credit for stepping in to help pass the essential info on.
Ricklovesthepowder, Also thanks to Rick otherwise the room could have gone to waste.
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Just to let folks know I heard from crazy_skier_jules via Facebook that they landed at Liverpool about half an hour ago and she said "NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO SEE THE UK!!!" |
Exactly how i felt when we landed late last night.
crazy_skier_jules ive just been up the M62 over the top, and the weather is awful, high winds, snowwing and motorway is becoming dangerous. Be careful on the final leg home, its when most accidents occur.
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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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Rather heartwarming, this thread 
And good luck to all travellers at the moment.
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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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Sat in GVA airside of security watching our flight to LGW get bumped back every 30 minutes. Heard rumours that gatwick is currently closed but whether that is true we don't know. We have a sneaking suspicion that the drive home out into the countryside might get abandoned and my parents get a surprise visit. They don't tend to grit or clear for at least a 5 mile radius of our house.
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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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| Quote: |
"NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO SEE THE UK!!!"
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Im guessing it wont last long
Seriously though. Fab that GeorgeVII gave them the room.
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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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Just want to thank the snowHeads network so much! Absolutely fabulous networking and incredibly appreciative of the comfy bed, hot shower and buffet breakfast - I did steal several croissants!
Shimmy Alcott, not Bradford haha, but I love the rest of Yorkshire, my boyfriend is from Ilkley and it is such a nice place. If the company ever takes off in a big way we will move there.
Gmd, I have just checked the net for you, it is showing Gatwick as open but suffering from disruption - what a surprise.
Last night, rick got on the net and found out my flight was canceled before we knew :/
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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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Gmd, Give us your flight no and I'll see what I can find!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Got home OK around mid day. I think my BA flight had ran out of time due to staff rostering by the time the runway reopened at 8pm. Retrieved baggage and queued for 4.5 hours  for BA desk to rebook, no BA staff just a couple of very overworked and concientous Dnata people. Assurances that we would be texted/emailed and able to use "manage by booking" to change flights were false (unlike easyjet passengers) Eventually got my Swiss tickets at 1:30 am before hitting the floor.
Not too impressed with some Val D'isere refugees behind me in the queue; they had booked a hotel and wanted to borrow my laptop (dwindling battery/snail wifi trying to change my flight) to consult trip adviser to check that their Geneva hotel wasn't "too much of a fleapit"
I would have happily put up with it all again to enjoy another week as good as the powder skiing I had just enjoyed with SCGB in Flaine
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GeorgeVII, just sorry to hear that your trip was all messed up by illness - that sucks big time
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GeorgeVII, Alastair Pink, Ricklovesthepowder, and Jules' partner Jon, again a huge
"thank you" for your help last night, we really did appreciate having the accommodation. GeorgeVII, do hope Snowgood is soon better. And to all  caught up in travel chaos, do hope you arrive as safely and soon as possible.
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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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Ruth de Luge, +1 on everything you just said
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FAQ
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