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UK for Xmas


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We were surprised to find out that Easyjet do not do La Rochelle to Bristl during the winter months so to go back for Christmas we will have to go further south to Bordeaux to Birmingham which is a pain as all our family live in the west country. We have checked the car parking cost there on line but reading other threads on Forum some say it is free. Does anyone out there know ?  One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport and I am sure there are folk who would use it in the winter months as well as people in UK who want to fly to France for Xmas.
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http://parking.essentialtravel.co.uk/worldairport/france/bordeaux.htm

It is possible to park for free for 30 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers but AFAIK you would have to pay for any longterm parking at Bordeaux Merignac.

I don't know where your home is but the other alternative would be to take the train to Bordeaux and then use the airport bus service. However I think that the flight to Birmingham is early in the morning so maybe this would not be an option. If you are driving do allow plenty of time to cross the two bridges and get round the rocade.

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Have discovered that nearly all the low cost airlines change their schedule from October which as you say is a big problem.  I find that driving back is the better option - when you think of the convenience of being able to transport goodies etc. and really the cost if there are more than 2 of you, even staying overnight on the journey, is fairly comparable.  We were caught out recently when flybecom arbitrarily totally cancelled the only flight from Angers to Southampton on "account of the weather" this when the skies were blue and cloudless in both places!  People were marooned at Angers and had to club together and hire a taxi and stay in a hotel  as the next flight was not until 2 days later!  At least if one ferry is "on the blink" there is always an alternative and you are not left feeling helpless.

Good luck with your Christmas trip.

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[quote user="vab"]One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport [/quote]

Given that bucket airlines chop and change their routes at will, is it a good idea to base a house purchase on a small regional airport?

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"One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport

Given that bucket airlines chop and change their routes at will, is it a good idea to base a house purchase on a small regional airport?"

 

Suze, you have made an extremely valid point.

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[quote user="Suze"][quote user="vab"]One of the criteria in chosing an area to settle was reasonable access to La Rochelle airport to Bristol airport [/quote]

Given that bucket airlines chop and change their routes at will, is it a good idea to base a house purchase on a small regional airport?
[/quote]

Well, that's probably true, but it would be unfair to be critical.

The market has been created and is healthy, and no amount of evironmental lobbying is going to change it in the short term. (Before anybody jumps down my throat, I'm simply stating a fact rather than slagging off the anti-lc airline brigade).

Yes, the lc airlines do change their schedules and routes, but so do the 'national' airlines. BA has (over the last few years) either abandoned or seasonally dropped routes throughout Europe.  Annoying if your flight has disappeared just when you want to take it, but this is the commercial world.

Ten years ago, with flights to France, there was virtually no choice whatsoever. Five years ago, it had improved tenfold.  Now ...............?

We're returning to the UK with Ryanair, Nimes - Ltn just before Christmas.  Did the same last year and the flight was probably no more than 50% load factor, as opposed to the normal 85% at just about any other time of the year.  We're happy they're running it.  Need I say more?

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