A little ps to the Heathrow debate

[Moo]

Last July Pford wrote :

"I live 16 miles from Norwich...which fleeces you for parking...to get to Heathrow on a Sunday (which I need to do this weekend)...I would need to drive to Norwich, get a train to Stowmarket...then get off...get on a bus...get back on another train...travel into Liverpool street, struggle across London on the tube with my luggage....get on the Heathrow Express and be charged a fortune for a 15min journey.
Or alternatively, I can fly from Norwich to Amsterdam and get my connection there?
And people wonder why regional airports are growing?"

This Easter we were faced with a similar dilemma regarding a trip to Paris. The choice was between
(i) Taxi to Norwich station; train to Liverpool Street; underground to St Pancras; Eurostar to Gare du Nord, or
(ii) Taxi to Norwich Airport; plane to Charles de Gaulle; train to Gare du Nord.

There was not all that much to choose between the two as far as cost was concerned, but the logistics involved in dovetailing the two train journeys, combined with the notorious unreliability of the Norwich/London leg tipped the balance in favour of flying. We had a really pleasant, stress-free journey with neither waiting nor worry, unlike previous experiences at Stanstead and Heathrow that have been so unpleasant that we avoid travelling abroad.
Our little local airport has made us feel much more sanguine about visiting our son in Paris.

 

[Flyfisher]

Our little local airport . . . . .

I'm all for little local airports.
In the late 80's I was flying to Brussels quite regularly and always used 'our little local airport', which was wonderful. Easy 35 minute drive, parking right outside the tiny terminal, hardly any people, 30 minute check-ins. Day trips were a breeze.

Then Stansted expanded

 

[skier-hughes]

Our local airport
http://www.wolverhamptonairport.co.uk/

The best bit about going that way

http://www.halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk/

 

[worms]

Just looked into the options on a short-notice trip to the continent. Rail cost with a Scotrail sleeper and Eurostar £560. Air fare £320 + petrol to airport. I'd much rather do the former but can only afford the latter. (I hope the Chancellor doesn't take this as an argument for higher fuel tax to price me onto the railway!)

 

[skier-hughes]

Skiing holiday for 3 to Italy, 4* Hotel, including meals and drinks on the slopes total cost £1300, hire a thatched cottage in devon for 2 and 2 dogs, £1,000, plus travel there, all food etc..... erm??????????

 

[borischarlton]

"I'm all for little local airports.
In the late 80's I was flying to Brussels quite regularly and always used 'our little local airport', which was wonderful. Easy 35 minute drive, parking right outside the tiny terminal, hardly any people, 30 minute check-ins. Day trips were a breeze.

Then Stansted expanded. Flyfisher "

Yep, so you are part of the reason it expanded then?

Rob

 

[skier-hughes]

Expansion doesn't take place to accomodate existing customers, it is for new ones, though I suspect you could argue that if Fly stopped flying one new one could take his place and expansion wouldn't be required.

 

[Flyfisher]

Yep, so you are part of the reason it expanded then?
Rob

Nope, back then it was already big enough for my meagre needs. It was everyone else that spoiled it - for both of us :wink:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Sitting in Inverness airport just now, waiting for a flight to Manchester. It's a lovely little regional airport, apparently voted 2nd best UK airport. You get the feeling that the guy in the control tower doubles up as the chap behind the Starbucks counter. I've just watched the police help a lady to her car with her bags!

Feeling guilty about my carbon footprint, but it has allowed me to join the family on their Easter break for my son's birthday, and still be back at work for Monday. I wonder what the carbon comparison is for the journey - Ullapool to Flintshire by car versus Inverness to Manchester by plane + Manchester to Flintshire by train?

 

[skier-hughes]

I wonder what the carbon comparison is for the journey - Ullapool to Flintshire by car versus Inverness to Manchester by plane + Manchester to Flintshire by train?

multiplied by number of passengers on plane.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Do you mean divided by the number of passengers on the plane?

Total carbon footprint of plane/train divided by number of passengers, vs solo journey in car. Plane was a 30 seat J41 prop about 3/4 full.

Actually - to hell with it. Eastern Airways plied me with free champagne all the way, and as this is the first weekend in, ooh, about 6 months when I haven't been breathing in lime, laying slate or running cables, I think I deserved it! B*gger the carbon for once...

 

[skier-hughes]

Well you could do as that would give you your carbon emmissions for the plane, but other passengers may have had a longer car journey (with bigger car) to make and may have offset your carbon.
I meant multiply your car carbon by the number of plane passnegers, as then if they all did a similar car journey you'd get the total of car emmissions to compare against the total of the plane.

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/30/nflybe130.xml

 

[Flyfisher]

Interesting that neither side was prepared to compromise, i.e. lose money, in order to 'help the environment'.