Category: Transportation
LAX nonstops redirected.
The last several times we’ve flown connecting flights to Europe, it hasn’t been a great experience. Last year, we flew Delta to JFK where we were supposed to connect to another Delta flight to Rome.We arrived 50 minutes late, despite having a tail wind that was supposed to save us an hour. When we arrived, we asked the agent at the gate which flight our connection left from and she said she had no idea because the flight was “closed.” We told her to figure out the gate, call them, and tell them we were on our way.
We sprinted to the gate listed on our boarding pass – which was printed at LAX nine hours before – and made it by the skin of our teeth, though our bags didn’t catch up to us for nearly a week.
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Getting to Southampton.
If you're taking a Northern European cruise this summer, chances are you'll be leaving from Southampton, a pleasant-enough port city 75 miles from London on England's southeast coast. Southampton has a great cruising history -- the Titanic sailed from here -- and today, it's the U.K.'s leading cruise port.Your cruise line will be happy to transfer you to the ship. And if you arrange your air or hotel through them, the transfer will be included -- for a price. But you'll overpay for the convenience, the hotel will be large and impersonal, and you'll be herded around in a group. Unless you pay for a private transfer, which will be several times the going rate.
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Carry-on Bags that aren't.
When we went to Great Britain recently, we decided that we didn't want to check our bags. So we limited ourselves to our American carry-on sized bags -- one Calvin Klein and one Swiss Army. Both bags are 22" x 9" x 14". They expand, but like good little soldiers, we kept them all zipped up.Before heading out, we checked the British Airways website, which says that you can carry on bags that are 22" x 17.5" x 9.85" -- not exactly the same size, but technically bigger than the American allowance.
To save time, we checked in online, and then headed to British Airways check-in to have our documents verified before going through security. We queued up and were promptly directed to the line for people wishing to check baggage. "No, no," we said. "We're carrying on our bags." "Not those bags," was the reply.
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Getting around London by boat.
Using public transportation can really stretch your travel dollars. But let's face it, public transportation can be pretty gross. City busses are often dirty and crowded. And as convenient as subways are, they transport you in darkness, so you never see the city you're exploring.Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing busses are a more expensive, but still affordable alternative. But we find the commentary more annoying than helpful.
The best bet going is the hop-on, hop-off boat, available in many cities with rivers.
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Heathrow Terminal 5 is worth the wait.
After a shaky start, BAA -- the owner and operator of London's Heathrow Airport -- has finally overcome the problems that have plagued their long-awaited new terminal since it opened in March. On June 5, British Airways started reintroducing some of their long-haul flights back to the troubled terminal.We flew from LAX that day and were truly impressed with the facility. Within 20 minutes of landing, we had cleared immigration, collected our bags, passed through customs, met our driver, and headed out on the M4.
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