Beware if arriving or leaving the U.K. over holidays
Jan 1, 2001, 6:33 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DTW
Programs: AA Plat 2MM
Posts: 1,048
Here's my 2 cents...
If you live in the UK and were daft enough to depend upon the trains after the horror stories pasted all over the news over the past weeks, especially from one of the hardest hit lines (Stanstead to Liverpool Station), you deserve to be inconvenienced.
If you came from abroad without having requested Stanstead (unlikely given the nature of the airport), you should blame your travel agent or yourself for the inconvenience.
Yes WAGN has put out thousands of passengers, but they've been doing it for weeks. Imagine commuting from Bishop Stortford (just south of Stanstead) to London and having to add on a substantial chunk of time because PART of your route is to be on bus. Like it or not, you're going to need more time. Many opted to car pool.
I put these travelers into the same pool as those who slept in the airports in the NYC area Saturday night. When you choose a destination without fully researching it and checking on risks, and you don't have a plan B, take what you get!
The train service from Stanstead to London is not to die for anyway. Stanstead may come into its own someday, but it's not there yet.
done my rant
If you live in the UK and were daft enough to depend upon the trains after the horror stories pasted all over the news over the past weeks, especially from one of the hardest hit lines (Stanstead to Liverpool Station), you deserve to be inconvenienced.
If you came from abroad without having requested Stanstead (unlikely given the nature of the airport), you should blame your travel agent or yourself for the inconvenience.
Yes WAGN has put out thousands of passengers, but they've been doing it for weeks. Imagine commuting from Bishop Stortford (just south of Stanstead) to London and having to add on a substantial chunk of time because PART of your route is to be on bus. Like it or not, you're going to need more time. Many opted to car pool.
I put these travelers into the same pool as those who slept in the airports in the NYC area Saturday night. When you choose a destination without fully researching it and checking on risks, and you don't have a plan B, take what you get!
The train service from Stanstead to London is not to die for anyway. Stanstead may come into its own someday, but it's not there yet.
done my rant
Jan 1, 2001, 10:43 am
#17
Join Date: May 1999
Location: New York City
Programs: UA MM-1P, Hilton Life Diamond, Marriot Life Gold, ICH Spire
Posts: 4,080
rpmkwpw: I don't think that blaming the victims is very constructive. Besides, I doubt that many of the tourists and other infrequent travellers stranded at the NYC airports were really in a position to anticipate the possibilities. FlyerTalkers represent people with perhaps the top five percent in travel savvy... we're not really representative of the public in general.
Anyway, nobody "deserves" to be inconvenienced that way. Even though some of us might have arranged our plans to avoid the inconvenience, we can still have sympathy for those who were not so fortunate.
[This message has been edited by RichG (edited 01-01-2001).]
Anyway, nobody "deserves" to be inconvenienced that way. Even though some of us might have arranged our plans to avoid the inconvenience, we can still have sympathy for those who were not so fortunate.
[This message has been edited by RichG (edited 01-01-2001).]
Jan 5, 2001, 3:57 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Cheshire, England
Posts: 425
DOC 2 BE: Correct it was Ryan air who has the most problems at Stanstead whilst Easyjet were experiencing problems at Luton.
Do we really expect things to function as in our own Country when visitng others? Is nthat not ahlf the pleasure/experience. I had an interesting experience when changing terminals on a connection from Quantas to BA in Brisbane when booked in business class!!! I could go on but!!! Please let's not turn these interesting discussions into criticisms of the Culture and History of each others home Nations. I fully respect the customs of the Countries that I vist and I would hope that others on these boards would have a similar outlook.
[This message has been edited by woodie (edited 01-05-2001).]
Do we really expect things to function as in our own Country when visitng others? Is nthat not ahlf the pleasure/experience. I had an interesting experience when changing terminals on a connection from Quantas to BA in Brisbane when booked in business class!!! I could go on but!!! Please let's not turn these interesting discussions into criticisms of the Culture and History of each others home Nations. I fully respect the customs of the Countries that I vist and I would hope that others on these boards would have a similar outlook.
[This message has been edited by woodie (edited 01-05-2001).]
Jan 5, 2001, 7:05 am
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Dear Woodie,
I hope that last part of your message was not directed at me, for I took no part in bashing anyone's culture. On the contrary, I love the UK and will again be traveling to the UK in February (all times for pleasure), making that the third trip in a year to your Sceptred Isle. Indeed, when I came for the Millenium celbration last year, I purposely left the US on 12/26, knowing I would land on 12/27. I had read that Christmas and Boxing Day were National Holidays, and after having perused the websites of many British musuems, as well as having e-mailed a number of them, I determined that most of the cultural places I had wanted to visit were closed on those days. So too, did I determine, that it was unlikely that many of the theatres were open, as well.
I hope that last part of your message was not directed at me, for I took no part in bashing anyone's culture. On the contrary, I love the UK and will again be traveling to the UK in February (all times for pleasure), making that the third trip in a year to your Sceptred Isle. Indeed, when I came for the Millenium celbration last year, I purposely left the US on 12/26, knowing I would land on 12/27. I had read that Christmas and Boxing Day were National Holidays, and after having perused the websites of many British musuems, as well as having e-mailed a number of them, I determined that most of the cultural places I had wanted to visit were closed on those days. So too, did I determine, that it was unlikely that many of the theatres were open, as well.
Jan 5, 2001, 10:59 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Cheshire, England
Posts: 425
Dear doc 2 be,
Not intended for you at all and my apologies for the impression given. I guess i tried to reply to two comments in one post which in hindsight is not the thing to do. I'm pleased to note that like me you see the pleasure in visting other Nations.
Not intended for you at all and my apologies for the impression given. I guess i tried to reply to two comments in one post which in hindsight is not the thing to do. I'm pleased to note that like me you see the pleasure in visting other Nations.