Airport visit - why I'm a motorhomer!

[Tony Jones]

Just been to Stansted to take one of our Spanish visitors for her plane (her daughter is staying with us a while longer yet).

First, at home, we had to weigh her suitcase, and make up a parcel to POST with the excess.

To give her chance to choose a seat, she had to be there when the desk opened: TWO HOURS before flight.

At the airport, we paid £8 for short stay parking; she then had to queue to check in her suitcase (and confirm it wasn't overweight!).

Finally reaching the point where she had to leave us, she went through a great big room with rope barriers creating a VERY long "zig-zag" queue for SECURITY, where they made sure that all kinds of things we take for granted weren't in her kit (we later learned they'd taken exception to a jar of Marmite. Not - as would have been reasonable - on grounds of taste, but of security!)

Admittedly, some of the above would have been down to the penny-pinching "RYANstone Cowboy," but some was apparently normal airport stuff.

 

Now I'm more certain than ever, that

FLYING IS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T GOT A MOTORHOME.

[lennyhb]

My daughter just phoned from Heathrow her flight to Canada has been delayed 3 hours and of course dad has to email hotel (hostel in her case) try to find late night transport etc. Bang goes my evening.

 

 

[skyrider]

Yes that sounds about right thats why we have just got a motorhome ourselves it will come in handy for the isle of man trips still have to use the steam racket to get over there but once there no more hotels we can more or less stop where we want (lol)

[colin]

Stanstead is rated second worse airport after Luton, traveling by aircraft is becoming more of a pia, but for some destinations not much choise, btw US now has much tighter security than UK.

[sheer lunar-see]

What is this thing AIRPORT, cant remember the last time I used one, check in at the tunnel couldnt be easier, me thinks, and all at tesco convenience!

[lennyhb]

Why do people keep raving about the tunnel every time I've used it there has always a delay I find the ferry much quicker.

[sheer lunar-see]

Last time we used the ferry we were delayed 4 hours, we travel with our dogs, so tunnel much nicer for them, they are not left on their own in a somewhat strange environment, they cuddle up on the sofa with us and snooze away the journey. Each to their own.

[Usinmyknaus]

Completely agree Tony. I used to fly for business and holidays very frequently and for 18 to 20 weeks each year, but the whole experience became ghastly. Even paying the extra for business class travel, delivery/collection drivers and airport lounges did not compensate for the airport experience itself, which became universally awful, post 9/11.

 

The final straw was a spate of trips in 2006 and 7 when on every occasion I was subjected to a body search by security, despite going to much trouble to ensure I did not set off the detectors. Exasperated, I asked for the security supervisor and requested an explanation. He was refreshingly honest. Denied (I guessed by political correctness and the Criminals' and Terrorists' Civil Liberties Industry) the use of profiling - the single most sensible and effective technique available - he had, he said, to pull a number like me (I took this to mean white, middle class, ordinary and inoffensive-looking) in order to be able to pull in just one of those he really needed to examine.

 

Eventually, even flying myself became irksome as the security presence grew - for example a little while ago my co-pilot and I had to queue up and be screened with a full load of passengers for a commercial jet before we were allowed through to our aircraft. They said they needed to check whether I had any liquids or sharps etc in my baggage - well no, but I had nearly 50 gallons of aviation fuel on the aircraft! *-)

 

I found out to my cost last month that the grasping companies which own certain airports now levy a charge on me if I collect an incoming friend or relative, plus they appear to make it as difficult as possible to negotiate the route from car to arrivals and back again just to ensure that an extra 15 minute charge can be added to whatever extortionate amount will already apply.

 

Still, those experiences make me even more smug every time I set off in the motorhome and reflect on it being one more flight and associated disappointment avoided.

 

I cannot see myself ever flying on a commercial jet again.

 

Bob

[Syd]

Hi Lenny

We have used the tunnel four times a year for the last four years and never had a single delay, by far the best way to get abroad.

 

Did you get caught in the recent big hold up, if so that was not Eurotunnel it was Eurostar trains

[747]

At one time, I was not so much a frequent flyer, more like a constant flyer.

 

Never ever will I see another Airport in my lifetime. Too much of my life has been wasted by hanging about in Airports and sitting on long haul flights.

 

My passport has expired now and will never be renewed. Now it is time to explore my own country.

 

BTW In the 70`s and 80`s, I was pulled every single trip by Customs. Once I spoke and showed them my passport, I was waved on. So if you are walking down the street and spot a suspicious looking character, don`t worry, it will just be me. :'(

[lennyhb]

Syd - 2010-08-05 4:16 PM

 

Hi Lenny

We have used the tunnel four times a year for the last four years and never had a single delay, by far the best way to get abroad.

 

Did you get caught in the recent big hold up, if so that was not Eurotunnel it was Eurostar trains

 

last time I used the tunnel was about 4-5 years ago, I've used it 3 or 4 times & every time there has been a delay both ways.

The tunnel also gives me ear ache for a day or two after, worse than a steep landing in a plane.

I've been using the ferry for 30 years 2 - 3 times a year only ever been delayed once.

 

 

[kelly58]

lennyhb - 2010-08-05 10:24 AM Why do people keep raving about the tunnel every time I've used it there has always a delay I find the ferry much quicker.

I have been using the Tunnell since it 1st opened mainly for work and since I retired 4 years ago I have lost count how many times I've used it with the motorhome and have never been delayed yet usually the opposite get there early get on early and unlike the ferry at no extra cost last time I used the ferry an earlier passage cost me an extra £20.

[starvin marvin]

Is this an item more suitable to Chatterbox?

[Tony Jones]

Possibly Tony.

I put in on here becauseof the title I'd given it, but I could probably have predicted it would broaden out (like everything else does on here) (except Mel and Janine of course :D )!

 

MODS: If you want to move this thread I've no objection.

[Mel B]

Creeping nicely Tony ... keep it up! :D

[lennyhb]

May be politicly correct but hardly anyone looks at chatterbox, if it had been put there tony probably would not have recieved a single reply.

 

 

[kelly58]

starvin marvin - 2010-08-05 8:24 PM Is this an item more suitable to Chatterbox?

Doe's it really matter flexibility is the key nothing is black and white the grey area is known as compromise.

[ryan11]

Visit http://www.cheapstanstedparking.co.uk to get the best of parking services at Stansted.

[peterjl]

Hi

 

whilst i may agree about airports i can't drive my motorhome out to see the glaciers of Patagonia, or Ayers rock in OZ or the wilds of NZ. I suppose i could drive to see majesty of the Himalayas ( i saw a couple of Belgium & a dutch motor home) or the animals in Southern Africa (I saw a german motorhome) but i wouldn't have the guts!

 

For me I will motorhome as far as i can and still feel safe (or relatively) but if it gets too dodgy I will let the plane take the strain.

 

Peter

[flicka]

Pleased to say that my use of Commercial & Charter flights is finished.

After experiencing 18 months of business flights every week pre 9/11. Then the increased "security" measures imposed post 9/11. (Most of which are now a farce.) Plus the difficulties having to be faced by my wife in a wheelchair, even when the Airports have been notified. It is just hassle from start to finish.

Our worst experience was in Amsterdam between connecting flights, they had changed the departure terminal. I had to get my wife out of her wheelchair onto a seat. Carry the wheelchair down 2 flights of stairs, back up the stairs to carry my wife down & back into her wheelchair. That was after asking for any alternative access route or assistance. Fortunately she is not heavy, but it would have been virtually impossible for some disabled people.

Ferries (for us) are not much better - try manovureing a wheelchair when hemmed in between parked vehicles - not a pleasant experience & car deck crew are not helpful.

Tunnel is so much easier - drive on - everything to hand - sit back for 3/4 hr - deive off. Customs formalities much more of a relaxed experience.

OK, occasional short delay, but compared to Air Traffic delays there is no comparison.

[ekka]

Bloody airports, don't even go there, but you have. The very LAST time we flew from Murcia, had to go through two security checks at Murcia, then at Liverpool forced to queue on the tarmac on a wind swept rainy night at 2 am, to be fully checked again, I did ask one of the security staff if anyone had managed to join a flight mid-air at 36000 feet since we'd last flown, I was warned in no uncertain terms not to make any further comment, I should have said, what, me ? 8-)

 

We always do Sea France Moliere and enjoy watching the P&O fall behind,and astonishingly the crossing ( for those that have not done it) is usually less than an hour. Mind you the new P&O vessel may get over quicker, certainly looks one hell of a ship. Not recommended for the less able bodied though,the damned lifts are never working it seems, and as Flicka says not the most helpful deck staff at times.

[Guest peter]

Re Airports, Tony. Tell me about it, we've just got back from a week in Austria for my bro' in laws 70th birthday. What a pain Stanstead was and Ryanair taking ages to weigh everybodys hand baggage. The passport control was just as bad 30 min's to get through. Never again. The whole airport experience has become just too much of a chore and a rip off by the whole crowd involved.

[BGD]

I guess that if you don't want you, or any of your loved ones, to be blown to tiny bits in the air, then that's the price you are paying.

 

Course we could have not illegally invaded and occupied by force of arms those sovereign countries at the behest of Bush; but we did so, and now are paying the price.

 

 

 

 

As an aside:

I wonder what our response would be if a Muslim country had illegally invaded and then occupied the UK by force of arms; and forced its version of Governance upon us all; having ruined all of our infrastructure and employment and economy, and killed hundreds of thousands of our citizens in the process, on the basis of subsequently proven to be blatent lies told by their leaders?

 

 

 

[ekka]

I don't know where the "you" comes from most of the Uk population was against the war, but I'm bound to say in the case of Hussain this bloke was killing his own people on a massive scale not that I think we should be the worlds policeman on every occasion. And of course the invasion of Kuwait pre-dates all of that with Hussain bombing Kuwait city, and setting fire to all the oil wells, anyone with half a brain would see that the UK/US were right to go to Kuwaits aid. Yes Bush and Blair misled us in the reasons ffor the invasion of Iraq, but was Hussain such a nice guy to both his own people and his neighbours, yes it's all turned to crap there, but it was crap there before. But in any event you seem to imply that some nutter be they Muslim or otherwise have a legitimate reason to sit next to you, or your loved ones and blow them to pieces, what a very odd opinion.

 

And as to what our response would be to the question you pose, I don't see many of us rushing to put on suicide vests and blow ourselves and other innocent people to pieces which is very non selective and probably includes Muslims as collateral damage as well, and that's a very GOOD reason to bring in profiling at airports. The stupidity of making my daughter remove a 9 month old sleeping baby from a pushchair to search it is but just one example of this nonsense. Whilst someone in a Burka is waved through.

[Stormy]

Air travel is faster, and cheaper than driving a motorhometo let’s say the south of France. My local airport  is small enough to be really user friendly,and fast. You may not like flying or the security preparations, but to compareflying with a motorhome holiday is just plain ridiculous if you work for aliving (time is finite)