jd Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 We have struggled to get to our place in Bordeaux this winter by using the train,flying to Bergerac and then using the train or driving.We would far rather fly from either Bristol,Birmingham or Exeter. Has anyone any experience of lobbying the airlines? There must be a demand as the summer flights seem very popular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 If you are certain and can prove there is demand, then write to the commercial directors of the low cost airlines. I suspect that with the current financial climate that you may be hitting your head against a brick wall.Baz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I have no idea why they stopped the Bristol-Bordeaux winter flights. In the winter of 2004/2005 when they were operating about 3 or 4 times per week, they were reasonably busy.Considering the number of people that use the summer flights, I am surprised that they cannot keep even a once-per-week flight in the winter.It would be good to learn about the thinking behind why certain routes get chosen or dumped.JD - We have been flying back and forth by going to Luton (easyJet) and hiring a car for the journey from Luton to the West Country (approx £50 plus petrol). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 [quote user="Cathy"] It would be good to learn about the thinking behind why certain routes get chosen or dumped.[/quote]Possibly because that's where more profit or smaller losses are to be made. [I] I suppose that we, the customers, want it all ways - low prices and flights between the airports that are the most convenient for us. What happened yesterday is no guarantee as to what will happen tomorrow.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Bristol go to Toulouse and its a pretty direct drive to Bordeaux from there .. In fact Im going to be doing that drive my self next week to pick hubby up from Bordeaux airport so I will let you know what its like ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Pads - Which airline flies from Bristol to Toulouse? I assume that they fly in the winter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
val douest Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 As Pads says, there are flights from Bristol to Toulouse all through the winter. If you aren't able to drive from there to Bordeaux then there is a bus every 20 mins from the airport direct to the rail station and the TGV from Toulouse to Bordeaux takes just over 2 hours and costs from €17 per person (maybe less if you are over 60 and have an SNCF discount card). A good site to look up everything about trains is The Man in Seat Sixty One (http://www.seat61.com) which has links through to all the other relevant sites.Val Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Thanks for that information. This sounds easier than Bordeaux-Luton. I hope that they keep the flights going next winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 BMI Baby fly Birmingham to Bordeaux and have flights for March (which seems to suggest a winter flight schedule). You could fly Bristol to Limoges or Pau (Ryanair) - 2-3 hour drive in France but maybe a shorter drive in UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Thanks Scooby. BMI Baby used to do winter flights Birmingham-Bordeaux, which I used in the winter of 2005/06, but then for the last couple of years, they have stopped them for November - February.Limoges and Pau look interesting. Let's see what next winter brings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyG Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hi allHaving same problem with flights Southampton-Angers. These were absolutely wonderful, free parking at Angers, efficient airline (Eastern Airways), always on time and reasonably priced - around £130 return).Unfortunately they have decided, and I have just checked again, that they are not going to run any service in the foreseeable future. Only alternative is to fly Tours-Stanstead, coach to London, cross London by tube and then train down to Guildford. Bigger problem is getting back as planes leave Stanstead early morning making it impossible to get there in time!Otherwise train from Tours to Lille, Eurostar to St Pancras, cross London and then train home. All this instead of a shortish drive to Angers, park and then on the plane for a 1 hour flight to Southampton and train up to home which was a total of 4/5 hours.Back to the 12 hour journey home by road and sea! Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Easy jet fly Bristol to Toulouse all year ..as it is mostly used by BAe staff ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
val douest Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 In answer to Cathy's query, Easyjet has been running flights to Toulouse from Bristol all through the winter which I think were daily though I can't swear to it. Of course whether they will be running them next winter is anyone's guess but as Pads says, the Airbus connection and consequent to-ing and fro-ing of staff may have a lot to do with the frequency of service.Val Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 Thankyou to everyone who has contributed to the discussion. The Toulouse option looks the best and then train to Bordeaux. We do have Carte Seniors so they will keep the cost down. The flights to Toulouse go every day during the year and are quite cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 [quote user="val douest"] the Airbus connection .... may have a lot to do with the frequency of service.[/quote]That figures, what with the MOD, Rolls Royce and BritAerospace all being in Bristol.Thanks jd for initiating this discussion. I, for one, will be trying out the Toulouse route next winter - unless they bring back the Bordeaux flights again.This Forum is SOOOO helpful (and fun too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Bear in mind that the BAe/EADS have (had?) their own dedicated service between Bristol and TLS operated by Privatair so I wouldn't rely on the EADS traffic for keeping the Easyjet service going - though the Subcontractors might use Easy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 We are thrilled to see that Easyjet are flying to Bordeaux from Bristol throughout the winter 2009/2010 except for 3 weeks in November. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 What about Bergerac to Bristol? Ryainair? OH usesd them regularly throughout the year and if you're travelling without luggage you can pick up a bargain... I've just paid 16 euros in total for a return flight mid June... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 [quote user="jd"]We are thrilled to see that Easyjet are flying to Bordeaux from Bristol throughout the winter 2009/2010 except for 3 weeks in November.[/quote]How did you find that out? Can you give a link for me to get chapter and verse? Do you know how many times per week? This is GOOD news for our household. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Oh cathy ... and I was hoping to meet yo one day on my Bristol to Toulouse flights ... [:)]I just had a look at the easyjet site and they seem to be doing flight to bordeax at the mo up to december ..( I didint look past then so they probally still are) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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