Getting
around in France by plane is an expensive
but viable option, and it is the fastest
means of travelling long distances. Look
for special bargain rates that can defray
costs.
NOTE:
Due to the recent spate of terrorist attacks
to international flights, there may be changes
within each airline in relation to the number
of flights, hand luggage permitted, as well
as increased security in airports.
BUYING A TICKET
Tickets between London and Paris and other
major centres around France can be as little
as £5. Air France also offers one-way
charter fares from Paris to Rome, Athens,
Dublin, Istanbul and Madrid.
Return tickets are usually cheaper a good
defence against immigration officials who
want to be assured that you are going to
leave the country. Get a ticket with an
airline that allows you to make changes
to the ticket without any problems. If you
are working or studying in France for more
than one year you may wish to get a one-way
ticket and utilise the cheap tickets out
of London to come home.
Students or travellers under 26 years should
always ask for youth / student fares. If
you are flying from Australia or New Zealand,
ask about stopovers to break the journey.
Buying tickets with a credit card can double
your frequent flyer points and is an insurance
against dodgy travel agents. This way you
have time to check you have a ticket and
can cancel the charge if there is a problem.
If you are arriving late or departing early
check to see if the airport is open all-night
so you can catch some sleep on comfy sofas
before heading off again. Some places can
close down and public transport services
stop for the night.
STUDENTS
Students or travellers under 26 years should
always ask for youth / student fares. Sometimes
there are further discounts for passengers
12 or under. Places to check for studying
abroad or travelling extensively overseas
are StudentUniverse.com, and Smarter Living.
SENIORS
Senior travellers should always ask about
discounts which can be 10% off published
fares. Age restrictions will vary, sometimes
they require travellers to be 62, sometimes
65. Airlines also sell coupon books to mature
travellers for selected destinations.
CREDIT CARDS AND
FREQUENT FLYER POINTS
Buying tickets with a credit card can double
your frequent flyer points and is an insurance
against dodgy travel agents. This way you
have time to check you have a ticket and
can cancel the charge if there is a problem.
Enrolling in a frequent flyer program is
also a good way to earn points towards further
travel. However don’t get caught up
in earning points at the expense of forfeiting
cheap tickets. The points earnt may not
be as valuable as the money saved.
AIRPORTS
Airports with international links include
Nice, Lyon, Marseille and Paris (Orly and
Roissy-Charles de Gaulle). See the city
guides section on Paris for more details.
CHARTER
FLIGHTS
Charter airline flights can be a way to
find cheaper airfares, but they aren’t
always priced less than published fares
so make sure you compare prices. Charters
buy blocks of tickets in advance and resell
them to consumers and make their money by
filling every seat. This means the flights
can be crowded and inflight service compromised.
Travel agents and tour operators can direct
you to reputable charters.
Charter airline flights
do not operate under the same regulations
as scheduled airlines. They can change schedules
at the last minute, delay flights up to
48 hours or cancel 10 days before if seats
have not sold well. Make sure you understand
the restrictions and know your rights. We
have compiled a list of charter links on
our links pages.
COURIER
FLIGHTS
Flying on air courier flights is a great
way to find cheap international airfares.
You can save 20-50% on tickets but there
are restrictions. Couriers give most of
their baggage allowance in exchange for
a discounted round-trip ticket. So you must
be good at packing lightly.
Usually the procedure is
to meet the courier agent several hours
before take off. He gives you an airline
ticket and receipts for the cargo he has
already checked through. When you reach
your destination, a courier representative
will meet you and collect the receipts necessary
to retrieve his cargo.
If you are willing to fly
on short notice your trip may be free, but
the length of stay can still depend on how
far you travel. Usually you are required
to serve as a courier on the return trip.
However if you are travelling with a partner
it can get more tricky. Courier flights
are usually for one courier per flight so
your partner will need a position on a consecutive
day, or fly for a different courier service
on the same flight. If none of this works
at least one of you has saved on an airfare.
Courier companies are legitimate
businesses and you won’t be asked
to carry anything illegal. All cargo goes
through the usual procedures and paperwork.
To check them out go to the International
Association of Air Travel Couriers who will
provide you with courier flight listings
for 12 months for a fee of $50. Or visit
the Air Courier Directory website who for
$10 will give you access to the Air Courier
Directory for 12 months. This has timely
information on available courier flights.
CHEAP
DEALS
Many of the cheap airlines cut their prices
by reducing services i.e you will not be
served meals or drinks. They also offer
online reservations which cuts out the commissions
normally paid to travel agents. Most travel
agents as a result will boycott booking
for these airlines.
Auto
Europe Auto Europe can offer bookings from USA
to Europe.
www.autoeurope.com
Ryan Air www.ryanair.com
Ryan Air flies to locations all over Europe
and the United Kingdom from London Stansted.
For flexible travellers these cheap flights
are a big saving. However special deals
are offered only during certain periods,
check their website regularly for details.
Flights can be booked by credit card and
tickets are picked up at the airport. Ryan
Air does not refund cancellations and only
20 kilograms are allowed as weight allowance.
Usually one piece of hand luggage is permitted.
easyJet
easyJet also operates out of London but
has more limited flights than Ryan Air throughout
Europe. easyJet is a ticketless airline,
so all you need at check-in is your confirmation
number and positive proof of ID (a passport
for International flights). Further information
is available on the easyJet web site: www.easyJet.com
To contact the easyJet reservation centre
by phone, please call:
in the UK, 0870 6 000 000.
in Spain, 90 229 9992.
in Switzerland, 0848 888 222.
in the Netherlands, 023 568 4880.
in France, 0825 082 508.
in Greece, 967 0000.
