Need Some Trans-Atlantic Travel Advice

[Tattoo Bradley]

I'm just a froogle but I wouldn't fork out another $500 for leg room. I would just suffer and complain about it... haha. $500??? That's another handsewn tank man!!!

[thescot]

Plan those discount fares very carefully or you may end up paying more than you expect.

Jmaie

Yeah, like a three-pound flight turning into 38 pounds! Hmmm. I teach a little math, but that one's hard to calculate.

On the other note, the one about moving around. Those long flights without moving can lead to all kinds of health problems including blood clots, so that's the best advice you've had. If you aren't in first class where you can lay back with your feet up, make sure to move around.

I can sleep like a baby on a plane, but no one else can because of my snoring!

[Rex_Tremende]

I've flown overseas a couple of times, once in first class. I have to say that if I have a choice, I would fly first class every time; the experience is so much better in almost every respect. It was made even better that I didn't have to pay for the upgrade. I'm too poor (or cheap) to pay for it myself.

How did that happen?, you might wonder. Well, I was travelling with my partner at the time, who is 6'2". When we approached the check-in agent, we asked very nicely of him whether any bulk-head seating was available to accommodate long legs. The agent, who was "family," if you get my drift, looked us both over and said coyly, "Oh, I can do better than that." And thus we were upgraded coming and going from Newark to Heathrow.

On the way over, my cocktail glass was never empty (OK, so that turned out to be a mistake, as I learned on the descent), and on the way off the plane, our attendant, who was also "family," handed us a nice bottle of champaign carefully wrapped in a first-class cloth napkin.

The rest of our tour group sat and seethed in steerage - er - I mean coach. On the ground, one of them praised the quality of the food, even for coach. She asked if we had the chicken or the steak. "Oh, I had the squab and he had the filet mignon." She didn't speak to us the rest of the trip.

What can I say? Sometimes membership has its privileges (but not often).

Regards,
Rex.

[Frank McGrath]

We are flying British Air to germany with a stopover in London. On the way back we are flying fisrt class. If you are going home, it might as well be in comfort. Also , Try Iceland Air. Very good flight from BWI To Frankfort with stop in Iceland. We had a great crew on that flight. Good Luck. fm

[wsk]

Flying isn't the only way to get across the pond. Take a boat. I want to. I've flown across (sucked - military transport on a Ryan charter), I've crossed from Scotland to Connecticut and back on a submarine (better because I had my own bunk but still had to greeny the deck), so the only way I haven't crossed is on the surface. Queen Mary 2 looks like a nice boat. And even in steerage (I guess since the Cunard web site fares page is broken at the moment) it's only $1300 from New York to Southampton. QE2 is still a goer and she's a hundred bucks cheaper.

Of course you still have to get back but going west is easier than going east. Flying still sucks though.

[starbkjrus]

Thanks for the help everyone. I think I've pretty much made up my mind.

First class would be an excellent choice but I can't pay a $12000.00 round trip fare. :eek: Yes, that's twelve thousand dollars!

A ship would be the best way but this is a spur of the moment sort of last minute long weekend. Gee, I've never hopped off to the UK for a weekend before. Actually, never been there at all. Not much time for sightseeing but we're going in June for two weeks to play tourist.

it looks like it will be British Airways "Premium Economy". I'm not a big guy 5'8" and 170 lbs. but I'm claustrophobic and very antsy. I need to move around. This quick trip on the cheap is running over what I budgeted but it'll be worth it.

Thanks again for the input.

[cessna152towser]

Ah, so it's the UK you are coming too. So rather than going via Dublin, Amsterdam, or London, why not fly direct to Glasgow or Edinburgh, both of which have direct trans-atlantic flights. The only reason I went via Amsterdam was that there was no direct flight from Glasgow Airport when I crossed the pond twenty years ago.

[gilmore]

Thanks for the help everyone. I think I've pretty much made up my mind.

First class would be an excellent choice but I can't pay a $12000.00 round trip fare. :eek: Yes, that's twelve thousand dollars!

A ship would be the best way but this is a spur of the moment sort of last minute long weekend. Gee, I've never hopped off to the UK for a weekend before. Actually, never been there at all. Not much time for sightseeing but we're going in June for two weeks to play tourist.

it looks like it will be British Airways "Premium Economy". I'm not a big guy 5'8" and 170 lbs. but I'm claustrophobic and very antsy. I need to move around. This quick trip on the cheap is running over what I budgeted but it'll be worth it.

Thanks again for the input.

Since you are on the small side you may be more comfotable than many of us. I always sleep going and coming if I can. It helps with jet lag. If I have trouble sleeping, I have found that over-the-counter benadryl knocks me out, and doesn't give me "sleeping pill hangover" like other drugs. Drinking a lot of water helps tremendously. Often one's feet can swell quite a bit so it's good to wear slip-on sandals or something similar to make it easier to get them on and off. And as was mentioned earlier, it is becoming more evident that some people can get blood clots, sometimes fatal, without standing and walking about the cabin from time to time. Some authorities recommend once ever 2 hours.

The Amsterdam airport is nice, but large and has no transportation, so you may have to walk up to 25 minutes to a connecting flight, and can't linger at the shops and kiosks selling unusual but overpiced tulip bulbs, which would be confiscated anyhow on your arrival in the US, unless they are labelled as meeting USDA standards.

It's really true IME that you are more likely to encounter people speaking understandable English at continental and and Asian international airports than you are at UK and US ones. Or rather that you are less likely to encounter people at airports speaking unintelligible English in continental Europe and in Asia than in the UK and the US.

I have read that some European airlines are very, very competive now as far as flights within Europe go, especially if you fly in and out of smaller airports.

A seven to ten hour trans-Atlantic is really no problem if you are used to flying from the US to Asia, which can take 19 to 27 hours of travel, including two flights, and layover and changing planes in Europe. The airlines are finally flying more US-Asia non-stops, and though they are 13-15 hour flights, they are wonderful compared to the way it used to be.

[starbkjrus]

Ah, so it's the UK you are coming too. So rather than going via Dublin, Amsterdam, or London, why not fly direct to Glasgow or Edinburgh, both of which have direct trans-atlantic flights. The only reason I went via Amsterdam was that there was no direct flight from Glasgow Airport when I crossed the pond twenty years ago.

Unfortunately, no direct flights from the Washington DC area to Glasgow or Edinburgh. It's a choice of Dublin, London, Amsterdam or Paris to change planes to get to Glasgow or Edinburgh. I COULD take IcelandAir and go from DC to Boston to Reykiavik (Ok, give me a break on spelling of that one) to Amsterdam to London to Glasgow. But that's just TOO cruel.

I need to leave here on the evening of January 24th to arrive in Glasgow on the morning of the 25th. Head out for Dumfries immediately by train. Stay in Dumfries until Monday the 29th and grab a train back to Glasgow so I can catch a flight (in the really early hours) on the 30th back to the states.

Anyone have a clue where I'm going or what the occasion is?

It's been a secret up until now as I'm superstitious about such things.

Anyone want to contribute to my travel fund?? :rolleyes:

[MacWage]

As for the cost factor, a lot depends on your budget and what you are willing to spend. The prices listed (unless I misread) are $500 and $1000. OR, twice as much for a higher class.
IF you are on a tight budget, then I'd say it isn't worth the difference for a 10-12 hour flight. The money would be better spent DURING the trip rather than the getting there and home.
BUT, if the budget is looser and $500 is NOT a large sum, then go for it, as it makes the overall plane trip more enjoyable.
RIGHT NOW, my own budget is tight enough that I wouldn't do it. Yet, my uncle travels a lot for work (he is a film director of photography) and has the production company fly him first class as part of his contract, wouldn't have it any other way.