 Poster: A snowHead
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I have only flown in and out of Innsbruck once and it went without a hitch. However it is impossible to ignore the fact that it is in the mountains. Does it get affected by severe weather as much as say Chambery?
I am looking at flying into there Jan 28 and out Jan 31 on Sleazy from Gatwick. Obviously on such a short trip potential delays could have a signifiacnt impact.
Can't see any viable alternatives for maximising St Anton slope time unless anyone has any brainwaves??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've had far more problems flying into Chambery than Innsbruck.
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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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It doesn't have nearly as many problems as Chambery. It is a busier and more general purpose airport, so they work hard to keep it open.
But it does get closed on occasion, although the one time the weather has been really bad when I've flown out, I was lucky in that the airline Crystal were using for flights from Bristol-Innsbruck were operated by Lauda Air, and while all the passengers using UK based airlines were being diverted to Verona, ours still left pretty much on time. Obviously Austrian pilots are more used to taking off & landing in snow than UK pilots.
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Think the snowHeads flight for the BB last yr was diverted to Munich due to fog. Which was strange, cos I remember it being a very clear night driving to Innsbruck, and sunny as we drove off the next 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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andy, it was indeed. The Manchester flight that is. Despite the London one having landed moments earlier. The visibility was such that the pilot wasn't able to see the full length of the runway so he couldn't land, or something like that.
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Another option for St Anton is to fly in to Zurich, regular trains from the airport to the main station and then direct to St Anton.
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Ski Tyke, it's reliable. Gatwick & Stansted probably have more weather issues (like fog).
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Bode Swiller, Gatwick and Stansted are both Cat III ILS airports, IIRC. I can't remember a delay to/from them caused by fog. How many have you experienced? I have left home to fly to Innsbruk twice only. The first time, the delay was so protracted Lauda Air gave up and flew instead to Munich. So a tiny sample of mine for Innsbruk - but a bad experience.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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achilles, I've had plenty of delays going into them over the years. Greater separation between planes or something. Innsbruck, never a prob and I've been in and out of there a lot. A small but meaningful sample. 100% of respondents agreed. I think perhaps they heard that you were on your way.
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I flew into Innsbruck six or seven times last season, with no issues. I've flown there plenty of times previous years with no problems either. They are used to dealing with snoe and other adverse weather.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank you all for your info - flights booked!! 
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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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Ski Tyke, good luck...
when you land and look around you will see why they do have issues.
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clarky999, snow's not the problem - I believe it was wind direction that got my flight; the approach is along the Inn valley. Steep descent (and climb). Not Cat III, so visibility must be reasonable at a decision height. Needs specially qualified pilots. All that said I do recognize that I may have been very unlucky. Superb views on a good day.
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You know it makes sense.
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Have flown to/from Chanbery about a dozen times or so and never had a problem. Have flown to/from Innsbruck only a couple, and have had one major delay due to fog. Last time I stayed in Innsbruck town centre, it rained very heavily too.
None of this makes any difference to what may happen in January 2011
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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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Landing at Innsbruck Airport measures a solid 7.6 on the sphincter scale.
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Poster: A snowHead
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My one flight experience out of Innsbruck was a 7 hour delay due to fog. But then I've had similar delays from Chambery before, plus been diverted to Lyon once too, so I guess you take the chance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Flying with Esprit I've been delayed 3 times on the return flight by a couple of hours. Explanation was always delayed incoming flight (from LGW). Wouldn't have been the end of the world if I wasn't racing to catch sleazyjet to Edinburgh. Missed connection twice, had to rent and drive home once, other time had to pay for new flights and a hotel.
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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 had one delay last year at Innsbruck caused by heavy snowfall. We circled for two hours and eventually they cleared it. You could see from what had been pushed to the side that they had worked hard to open the airport asap. Previously, Innsbruck has been a reliable and quick airport in general.
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Like alex_heney, we have used Innsbruck and never had a problem, but we have only used Austrian airlines (i.e. Austrian or Lauda). Have merrily trotted off to board a Lauda air plane on time at the same time as a load of BA passengers were trying to find their bags to put on a bus to drive to Munich.
It does need a specific pilot rating as far as I understand it, and all Austrian pilots will have it but not all others do.
It's usually low vis or wind rather than snow that delays things, snow they keep cleared fairly efficiently on the whole.
D
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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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Have flown in and out around 10 times. Only on way back this year did we experience problem. Poor vis caused by snow falling, but runways perfectly clear in typical Austrian efficiency. The planes were all landing fine apart from the UK based airlines as aparently they don't have the necessary radar equipment - steep valley, big planes trying to turn etc. Flights were diverted to Verona and we had to get a coach there. Complete shambles to be honest but that was the tour operator's fault and nothing to do with Innsbruck airport or indeed the weather. Ended up getting shipped to Lake Garda for the night.
Innsbruck is definitely the best airport for St Anton - just takes an hour thesedays by car/taxi. The approach is stunning. Couple of years back we landed during gale force winds and Munich was closed (the same day a plane's wings nearly scraped the ground in some other German airport - Frankfurt perhaps????) - it was like riding a roller coaster and a hoot, but only because the passengers were all beered up 
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maybe 10 times in and out of Innsbruck too, only one delay which was the same weekend of that snowHeads bash last year, and again it was only the UK airlines that were being delayed (dues to previous delays at UK) and the local airlines were off and up no problem. Quickest (proper) airport ever for getting off the plane, through customs, get bags and get on the mountain !!
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1 in 10 flights delayed or diverted according to my Austrian colleague
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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ok, had a few 10 minute delays etc (but always seem to get that at any airport) but also landed early on more than a few occassions
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| Nickski wrote: |
| 1 in 10 flights delayed or diverted according to my Austrian colleague |
That's just plain false/stupid/inaccurate. If it were true airlines would totally avoid the place. I have lost count of the number if times I have been in and out of there and never a problem. I have heard of diversions and go-arounds due to heavy snow but it's not that common. They are still flying in conditions that would paralyse the entire UK (ie 0.5cm).
It's funny... There are those who try and tell us it doesn't snow much in Austria, yet when it comes to flying there, the place is engulfed by the stuff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bode Swiller, as has been said earlier in this thread, it's not because of snow, it's because of visibility, i.e. low cloud or fog.
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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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1 in 10 is a dumb statistic when it refers to a combined "delayed" (often not a big deal) and "diverted" (a logistical calamity).
It could be 1 in a 1000 diverted, and just under 1/10 delayed landing by half an hour or so - just to massage the stat and make it sound dramatic.
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rayscoops, is absolutely right about how quick it is to get out of Innsbruck. A real joy compared to some places where you have to walk round and round and round, then wait an age for immigration, then again for your bags, then fight your way out... then walk miles or have to catch a coach to the car hire... etc etc... 
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You know it makes sense.
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True, but as it's so small, the baggage reclaim is a bit of a scrum if a few flights have just got in though.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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jonm, thankfully the planes only have the facility to land/take off one at a time though
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mountainaddict unlucky 
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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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stoatsbrother, I have flown in and out once before and it must have been poor visibility (could they still land?) as I have no real recollection of the landing and I am usually a bit of a look out of the window geek on aeroplanes!
The photos in the airport when we departed showed the drama of the place but it was a night departure so again we didn't get the full impact (of the views of the scenery rather than actually hitting it!)
Thanks to everyone again for your input.
boabski, have you taxied it to St A recently from INN? Have looked at a hire car for £82 and thought that would be pretty hard to beat price/ convenience wise?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ski Tyke, a few years ago a taxi was about Euro 160 one way. Train is cheap at Euro 20 ish one way and stops almost in the center of St Anton about 5 mins walk from the main lifts, so quite a few options
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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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rayscoops, Train was 14 euros one way last time I was there (08/09). Easy bus from the airport to the station too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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clarky999, it could well have been, and if you stay somehwere between Nasseriene (spelling?) and Galzig lifts you really do not need a car. St Anton is very convenient from Innsbruuck with the train line running right along the side the town
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rayscoops, clarky999, thanks guys, hadn't considered the chuffer. Will investigate!
Wasn't intending using the car once in town, just to get to and from the airport.
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| Ski Tyke wrote: |
The photos in the airport when we departed showed the drama of the place but it was a night departure so again we didn't get the full impact (of the views of the scenery rather than actually hitting it!)
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I have arrived there in the dark a couple of times.
It is quite interesting looking out of the windows when you are still a minute or more from touchdown, and realising you can see piste basher lights above you 
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Ski Tyke, there's normally 6-8 of us and we get a taxi. From memory it's around €160 each way. Best using taxi companies based near or in Innsbruck as they're much cheaper than the St Anton based firms. Car hire price does sound very good though. You're only a 100km from the airport so petrol should not be too much.
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Flown in and out of Innsbruck half-dozen times with only one problem. Once when flying out, the in-bound flight couldn't land at Innsbruck because, we were told, of poor visibility (it was quite foggy), although other planes were landing at Innsbruck.
The in-bound flight landed instead at Munich and coaches were arranged to transfer passengers. We eventually flew out from Munich 8 hours after our scheduled departure time from Innsbruck (by which time the slight fog at Innsbruck had evidently lifted!)
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