Cheap flights bad...

[CHRIS]

If todays weather is anything to go by I am looking forward to my holiday even more now! Now where are my ski pants!!!!!

My wife has banned us from going away in the UK this year as last year we spent as much over a long weekend in Suffolk as we did in a Greek town for 7 nights. The beach was much nicer as well!

 

[Nemesis]

Well, that leaves Suffolk for the discerning few to enjoy without the crowds.

 

[skier-hughes]

Not really - I think you've not totally understood what I've been posting about, clearly the whole issue you need to read up about, and I'm not at all interested in spending any time arguing with you.

or maybe you will continue.................you need to read my posts to understand what I'm saying, I don't need to read yours, you were arguing against what I'd written, then turned it into another arguement, which is nothing at all to do with your inital post or any of mine. :roll:

 

[CHRIS]

Without the crowds!!!!!! have you seen the chip shop in Aldeburgh at 6pm!!!! and by discerning dont you mean snobby?

It is a lovely place but very expensive thats all.

 

[skier-hughes]

Where you off skiing?

I'd go to Scotland, but apparently cheap flights are no good for British Tourism, so I'm off to The Milky Way!!!

 

[Nemesis]

Yes, I've stood in the queue many a time. My aunt lives there.

Graham - do you have problems with reading and comprehending? I appreciate Middi has English as a second language, but what's your excuse?

 

[skier-hughes]

Not as much as you obviously, as you can't even remember/understand what you've written

 

[Nemesis]

I remember, I understand what I write, but if you can't articulate coherently the 'argument' you wish to put then clearly it's a waste of time.

I post information, if you wish to take it up further do so. If not, don't.

 

[Schoolmarm]

But this uncertainty is blighting people's lives,

Absolutely. I'm having all sorts of discussions regarding where to sow our cover crops for the next shooting season. Still, it doesn't look like they'll start building another runway until next year, so we should be OK for the time being.

You can't seriously be comparing cover crops and hobby shooting with the uncertainty people are facing with regard to losing their homes?



Also, to Graham.
I have to confess, I don't really understand many of your posts Graham. They are like "insider" jokes that none of us are privy to. I always think they are feeble attempts to discredit Ev.

 

[skier-hughes]

Schoolmarm,
I'm sure if you read through the posts, from the beginning you'll see that I was putting the point that Travelodge were not the best people to argue for British Tourism and that cheap flights could benefit British Tourism, as people like me took them to visit places in the UK that I'd not drive too. I'm no fan of the rail network, so I wouldn't take the train.

Ev on the other hand twists what i have said to fit an arguement she wishes to take up, like introducing SPAB, what have they got to do with British Tourism and Travelodge?

They have everything to do with saving old houses and the fact that Stanstead will destroy some is a fact I am aware of and don't agree with, but this has nothing to do with anything I'm saying, however Ev wishes to push it.

I have no intention of discrediting Ev, she does a good enough job on her own, as you can see by reading back her posts.

 

[Nemesis]

Graham - you really are a prize idiot.

Schoolmarm - nails hit on head as usual.

 

[Moo]

I'm just about to book a short trip to Paris to see our son. The choice is between Eurostar and Flybe.

In favour of Eurostar: it will take us to the centre of Paris and involve a short metro trip to our (modest) hotel.
Against Euroastar: we will have to book a train from Norwich that will get us, via Liverpool Street and the underground, to St Pancras at the right time to catch the Paris train**. This will add about three hours to the journey.

In favour of Flybe: a short taxi ride to the airport.
Against Flybe: a much longer journey from Charles de Gaulle to our hotel.

The convenience of the Flybe option, together with the fact that Eurostar wouldn't work out any cheaper, means that I will shortly be booking three seats on the flight, unless someone can come up with a really convincing reason why not.

** always, of course, assuming that the train from Norwich isn't delayed for some reason or other.

Of course, if our only option was the Stanstead cattle-sheds Eurostar would win hands down.

 

[Moo]

Comparing notes about the current freezing weather we've agreed that, if we could afford it, we'd also be booking an immediate week in the sun.
But we can't, so we're pulling on the thermals and piling on the sweaters and counting the days until we can come out of hibernation.

 

[Flyfisher]

But this uncertainty is blighting people's lives,

Absolutely. I'm having all sorts of discussions regarding where to sow our cover crops for the next shooting season. Still, it doesn't look like they'll start building another runway until next year, so we should be OK for the time being.

You can't seriously be comparing cover crops and hobby shooting with the uncertainty people are facing with regard to losing their homes?

You're right, I'm not. I was merely pointing out that airport expansion has a wider effect than just housing. It may be 'hobby shooting' for me, but it's an important part of the farmer's income.

And regarding the uncertainly over losing their homes, all the people living in the affected area that I've spoken to seem more concerned about the delay than what the final outcome may be. It's the the delay that's blighting their lives.

 

[Flyfisher]

I have to confess, I don't really understand many of your posts Graham

I thought them quite straightforward. The premise that budget airlines are bad for UK tourism because they encourage people to fly abroad is clearly nonsense. There are 55m people who might fly out of the UK but there are 700m+ people in Europe who could use budget airlines to visit the UK. Perhaps it would be more productive to understand why they don't choose to do so in greater numbers?

Attempting to demonise budget airlines is about as useful as demonising people who drive 4x4s or shop at supermarkets. It might make a few headlines for lazy hacks but does nothing to help understand the underlying issues or advance any solutions.

Wouldn't it be better to focus on the issues rather than the personalities?

 

[Nemesis]

Wouldn't it be useful to read the CSC report, when it is published?

And budget airlines don't encourage people to fly abroad with cut price deals?

 

[Schoolmarm]

The only things I know about budget airlines are firstly they never go to where my friends live and secondly it isn't very green to fly about in the uk.

I usually get a train. My husband bats about from one end of the country to the other on his motorbike.

Sorry, that was probably not really relevant.

Flyfisher, yes I agree it is the not knowing causing most of the distress, that is why I put "uncertainty" in my sentence.
Surely we can't just say ok, go ahead and build it, just to end the uncertainty though.

 

[Flyfisher]

And budget airlines don't encourage people to fly abroad with cut price deals?

Of course budget airlines encourage people to fly abroad with cut price deals - that's precisely the point I was making!

Budget airlines are not a UK-only phenomenon you know; what about all those budget airline in Europe that fly to the UK? Won't they also be encouraging their respective populations to fly abroad with cheap deals?

So, I still don't understand how budget airlines can be detrimental to UK tourism. With 700m potential tourists in Europe, wouldn't you expect UK tourism to be boosted by cheap flights?

Or perhaps that's an inconvenient truth that doesn't fit with SSE's objective. That's not to criticise their objective, it's to criticise their judgement with this particular argument. And if this argument doesn't hold water, it opens up the possibility that their other arguments don't either.

That was the basis of my earlier point. They have good reasons for their objectives and they should stick with them, not grasp at the weaker straws that may do them more harm than good.

 

[Nemesis]

Oh where to start... no, better things to do.

Read, don't read. Read the report, read the previous CSC reports on trying to encourage tourism. Consider the VAT issue on fuel which hardly makes a level playing field.

I don't actually give a flying **** what you think about Stansted or anything much else, same as I don't give a damn about Graham's opinions.

I will carry on posting information, if you want to read it do, if not I know others do.

OK? Can't be bothered to argue. I think that there's a lot of bigger pictures neither of you seem to be aware of. Do the reading.

 

[Flyfisher]

Flyfisher, yes I agree it is the not knowing causing most of the distress, that is why I put "uncertainty" in my sentence.
Surely we can't just say ok, go ahead and build it, just to end the uncertainty though.

I quite agree but, unfortunately, it is usually to the advantage of protestors to prolong such inquiries, and always to the detriment of the residents in terms of their uncertainly. I know of at least one person who needs to move from the area for job reasons and their inability to sell their house (either to the open market or BAA) is costing them a small fortune in additional rental and a split family during the week.