srbrenna
Apr 7, 05, 3:32 am
First I would like to thank all the good denizens from the BA Exec Club forum for alerting me to the cheap BA I class fares to TLS without whom this trip would not have been possible!
The outlaws live in a village in between BOD and TLS and usually Mrs srbrenna and I fly into BOD, the last time being when BA had an offer on to collect 12,000 BA Miles for a round trip to Europe in Economy. BOD is about 1 1/4 hours drive whereas it took 1 1/2 hours from Toulouse. However the choice in flights sealed the deal - £110.60 each to BOD in Euro Traveller or £183.60 to TLS in Club Europe. No contest there then!
LGW - TLS
Having never travelled to TLS before I completely overlooked one large advantage. BA do a flight at 20.00 to there meaning that I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn or before to get the 7.15 to BOD.
I left work at 5.30 and, after a pleasant short stroll to Victoria, conveniently found the Gatwick Express just about to depart. I went to the ticket machine and decided to shell out £19 to avoid the riff-raff who would have to pay £12. Mrs srbrenna had driven to LGW and checked in the bags so after a short train journey I arrived at the airport and went to check in. Here I got my first surprise....
BA have this thingy called On-Line Check-In (OLCI) which allows you to choose the best seats and check yourself in. I had done this the night before to get the bulkhead seats, 2A and 2C. What usually happens is that I go to the airport, insert my Exec Club card into the machines, get told that the machine can't give me my boarding pass because I have already checked in and then have to be directed around the airport looking for someone who will provide me with said document. This time there was no such hassle and if I said the whole process took one minute it would be an exaggeration.
Having cleared security I decided to make use of my shiny new Gold card to check out the FIRST lounge. I would like to be slightly controversial here by saying that I think the Terraces are slightly better as the view is better. However you can't argue with the service there. The selection of sandwiches were very good. Mrs srbrenna had cream of tomato soup and I had Minestrone - both very good. Unfortunately Mrs srbrenna couldn't join me in enjoying the Alfred Gratien Rose as she was driving at the other end so I thought I would have her glass as well. It is only polite to do so!
Boarding was swift despite the presence of about 40 French schoolchildren on the flight prompting remarks from Mrs srbrenna thanking the fact we were at the front!
Oh, what to say about the CE catering? Apparently it received a makeover last year but I fail to see the difference in the before and after. If anything it has got worse. Cold chicken salad. Can't really say anything more about this. The raspberry compote with custard was quite good though. In all it was edible but not spectacular.
Right, now pay attention all. When you get into Toulouse you end up in baggage reclaim belt 5 for international arrivals. Go straight through customs and head to belt 4 which is for UK arrivals. There are signs saying this but you still get confused people hanging around belt 5. I can only assume this arrangement exists so the French can laugh at you.
TLS - LGW
Five days later it was time to say goodbye to France. Check in was swift as I joined one of the Euro Traveller queues which had one person in each of them. The Club Europe queue had six people in it. I don't know why people insist on using it when there are quicker alternatives.
Security is quick but I do find the French metal detectors more sensitive than the UK ones.
Right, pay attention again. I will tell you how to find the lounge in the airport! It is called La Croix du Sud. Upon leaving security you are faced with the Immigration desks. DO NOT GO THROUGH THESE!!! Instead turn left and head for the domestic departure area. There is a set of stairs by the cafe there which sould be climbed to get to the lounge. By now you will be feeling incredibly clever and safe in the knowledge that nobody else will have worked this out. When you actually get to the lounge this smugness will disappear. You will be thinking that perhaps everyone else has worked this out and decided to give it a miss. It is a small room with a reception desk in the middle. Smoking area to the left, same size non smoking area to the right. About ten chairs in each area with two fridges in the middle with the usual selection of drinks. Anyway, to get to your flight just retrace your footsteps, go through immigration and get on your plane.
We had bagged 2A and 2C again at OLCI and were quickly seated. The flight deaprted on time leaving us to wonder what delights were on the way as we were quite hungry. Salmon on some potato salad with onions (I think!) and green beans. We had this on the way back from Dublin last month as well. If anyone with any influence within the ranks of BA is reading - THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!! The salmon is by far the most vile "meal" you will ever have on a BA plane. It has absolutely no redeeming features. I have honestly tried to eat it on two occasions but have had to give up on both. The chocolate profiteroles were very nice though! Here is where Mrs srbrenna noticed another enhancement to the CE catering - they used to give you a piece of cheese with the meal which meant that if you were unable to eat it then at least you could make a cheese roll but sadly now you have to remain hungry.
We landed on time and our baggage came very quickly.
All in all I rather liked Toulouse Airport and would definitely fly here again (subject to BA cheap I fares!!)
The outlaws live in a village in between BOD and TLS and usually Mrs srbrenna and I fly into BOD, the last time being when BA had an offer on to collect 12,000 BA Miles for a round trip to Europe in Economy. BOD is about 1 1/4 hours drive whereas it took 1 1/2 hours from Toulouse. However the choice in flights sealed the deal - £110.60 each to BOD in Euro Traveller or £183.60 to TLS in Club Europe. No contest there then!
LGW - TLS
Having never travelled to TLS before I completely overlooked one large advantage. BA do a flight at 20.00 to there meaning that I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn or before to get the 7.15 to BOD.
I left work at 5.30 and, after a pleasant short stroll to Victoria, conveniently found the Gatwick Express just about to depart. I went to the ticket machine and decided to shell out £19 to avoid the riff-raff who would have to pay £12. Mrs srbrenna had driven to LGW and checked in the bags so after a short train journey I arrived at the airport and went to check in. Here I got my first surprise....
BA have this thingy called On-Line Check-In (OLCI) which allows you to choose the best seats and check yourself in. I had done this the night before to get the bulkhead seats, 2A and 2C. What usually happens is that I go to the airport, insert my Exec Club card into the machines, get told that the machine can't give me my boarding pass because I have already checked in and then have to be directed around the airport looking for someone who will provide me with said document. This time there was no such hassle and if I said the whole process took one minute it would be an exaggeration.
Having cleared security I decided to make use of my shiny new Gold card to check out the FIRST lounge. I would like to be slightly controversial here by saying that I think the Terraces are slightly better as the view is better. However you can't argue with the service there. The selection of sandwiches were very good. Mrs srbrenna had cream of tomato soup and I had Minestrone - both very good. Unfortunately Mrs srbrenna couldn't join me in enjoying the Alfred Gratien Rose as she was driving at the other end so I thought I would have her glass as well. It is only polite to do so!
Boarding was swift despite the presence of about 40 French schoolchildren on the flight prompting remarks from Mrs srbrenna thanking the fact we were at the front!
Oh, what to say about the CE catering? Apparently it received a makeover last year but I fail to see the difference in the before and after. If anything it has got worse. Cold chicken salad. Can't really say anything more about this. The raspberry compote with custard was quite good though. In all it was edible but not spectacular.
Right, now pay attention all. When you get into Toulouse you end up in baggage reclaim belt 5 for international arrivals. Go straight through customs and head to belt 4 which is for UK arrivals. There are signs saying this but you still get confused people hanging around belt 5. I can only assume this arrangement exists so the French can laugh at you.
TLS - LGW
Five days later it was time to say goodbye to France. Check in was swift as I joined one of the Euro Traveller queues which had one person in each of them. The Club Europe queue had six people in it. I don't know why people insist on using it when there are quicker alternatives.
Security is quick but I do find the French metal detectors more sensitive than the UK ones.
Right, pay attention again. I will tell you how to find the lounge in the airport! It is called La Croix du Sud. Upon leaving security you are faced with the Immigration desks. DO NOT GO THROUGH THESE!!! Instead turn left and head for the domestic departure area. There is a set of stairs by the cafe there which sould be climbed to get to the lounge. By now you will be feeling incredibly clever and safe in the knowledge that nobody else will have worked this out. When you actually get to the lounge this smugness will disappear. You will be thinking that perhaps everyone else has worked this out and decided to give it a miss. It is a small room with a reception desk in the middle. Smoking area to the left, same size non smoking area to the right. About ten chairs in each area with two fridges in the middle with the usual selection of drinks. Anyway, to get to your flight just retrace your footsteps, go through immigration and get on your plane.
We had bagged 2A and 2C again at OLCI and were quickly seated. The flight deaprted on time leaving us to wonder what delights were on the way as we were quite hungry. Salmon on some potato salad with onions (I think!) and green beans. We had this on the way back from Dublin last month as well. If anyone with any influence within the ranks of BA is reading - THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!! The salmon is by far the most vile "meal" you will ever have on a BA plane. It has absolutely no redeeming features. I have honestly tried to eat it on two occasions but have had to give up on both. The chocolate profiteroles were very nice though! Here is where Mrs srbrenna noticed another enhancement to the CE catering - they used to give you a piece of cheese with the meal which meant that if you were unable to eat it then at least you could make a cheese roll but sadly now you have to remain hungry.
We landed on time and our baggage came very quickly.
All in all I rather liked Toulouse Airport and would definitely fly here again (subject to BA cheap I fares!!)