AGDQ 2014 - European/International Travel Thread

2013-09-18 12:51:57 pm

My feelings on The Demon Rush

No United Airlines discount this year. Read the post for more details.

https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/sorry_no_united_airlines_discount_this_year.html

Sorry. Sad

Trekhaak

2013-09-19 12:43:18 pm

Everybody's favorite monster

Arriving @ Dulles on the 3rd at 4PM. Leaving the 13th at 6PM.

flicky

2013-09-19 03:30:15 pm

$15 per rant/allegory

Planning the 2:30pm on the 4th BA, from Heathrow.

LLCoolDave

2013-09-19 03:37:29 pm

So am I, want to book this weekend. Will need somehwere to stay the night from 3rd to the 4th somewhere near Heathrow, but I can just get a hotel if I need to.

flicky

2013-09-22 03:15:12 pm

$15 per rant/allegory

There's now a £100 cheaper flight with a connection Brussels on the way out but not on the way back. £474.

BA directs are now £581~

What are other people doing now?

Yagamoth

Edit history:

Yagamoth: 2013-09-22 04:47:21 pm

2013-09-22 04:46:39 pm

INTJ

I'm currently asking the Travel Agency my sister suggested to me on how to do the flights. I've never done anything like that before and she suggested to get some sort of "security package" where in case the flights get called off 1 or 2 days before for any reason, they'd look to handle all the logistics to get there anyways for the same price I already paid.

However, in any case I'll get an offer first, and then check on how much cheaper it would be to fly via other places. Switzerland basically has only few major Airports in Zürich, Basel and Genf and maybe somewhere else too, so my options are limited.

I most likely won't go out of my way to take the Train to Frankfurt, since thats half a day of travel alone. However, in case its much cheaper to fly anywhere via Heahtrow/Brussel/whatever else is written in this thread I'll let you know Smiley

ps: On a quick check I think there are a fair few flights directly from Switzerland to Dulles. I simply don't know about the pricing overall

LLCoolDave

2013-09-22 04:56:16 pm

Zürich via Paris or London is probably your best bet for cheap flights, I don't think you'll get direct return flights for under 1200€. I booked yesterday and was finding flights from and to Zürich for about 740€ total depending on the exact days you want to go. Then again, as flicky points out, airline prices are entirely arbitrary, unpredictable and a complete ripoff.

In any case, I'll be on the BA 265 out of Heathrow on Jan 4th, 2:30 PM and hope I won't end up being alone there. Still need somewhere to stay the night before. Returning on Jan 15th on the BA 216 from IAD to LHR at 6:15 PM if somebody wants to coordinate their return as well. I couldn't detect any pattern in the prices I found and decided to just book at conditions I was comfortable with, somebody has to get the ball rolling after all.

Yagamoth

Edit history:

Yagamoth: 2013-09-22 05:10:22 pm

Yagamoth: 2013-09-22 05:06:00 pm

2013-09-22 05:04:13 pm

INTJ

Yes, I saw those prices are fairly high.. You are german, right? I assume it's too expensive via Switzerland Airports anyways

I hope the travel agency will find something clever, otherwise I'll have to check through those things myself aswell.. And since I've never done that I'm pretty insecure about how that would work out ^^;

LLCoolDave

2013-09-22 05:16:52 pm

You won't get anything much cheaper than that. Almost all of that is taxes and airport fees. I paid 200€ on the tickets and the rest are fees so you won't really see anything much lower than that. Only reason I'm not flying out of Zürich myself is that Stuttgart is just more convenient for me staying with my parents for christmas.

iMysty

2013-09-22 08:07:31 pm

Personally, I'd prefer to stick to direct flights. I have done connecting flights before and every time I have had an issue somewhere.

I should be able to buy my tickets soon.

RoboSparkle

2013-09-23 12:32:02 pm

Magical. Flying. Bathtub

Quote from flicky:

There's now a £100 cheaper flight with a connection Brussels on the way out but not on the way back. £474.

BA directs are now £581~

What are other people doing now?

The flight's already long enough, I'd rather get the direct. Plus iMysty's right in that it just adds something else to go wrong...

flicky

Edit history:

flicky: 2013-09-23 02:24:56 pm

2013-09-23 02:18:09 pm

$15 per rant/allegory

Alright, if you guys are good with getting the direct BA, I'm fine with it. I'd rather travel as a pack anyway.

Going to book now.

Edit:

BA 265 out of Heathrow on Jan 4th, 2:30 PM
Returning on Jan 15th on the BA 216 from IAD to LHR at 6:15 PM

Same as Cooldave

Alko

2013-09-24 08:15:08 am

Caution: This user contains Kana ^_^

Quote from Yagamoth:

I've never done anything like that before and she suggested to get some sort of "security package" where in case the flights get called off 1 or 2 days before for any reason, they'd look to handle all the logistics to get there anyways for the same price I already paid.

While I myself never stranded so far (although I got extremely lucky flying to C4L, but that's a different story altogether …), a security package shouldn't be necessary, since you are signing a travel contract when buying your tickets, which means that the airline is required by law to bring you to your destination. Specifically, if a flight gets cancelled, they pay for your stay at the hotel, and make sure you are put into the next possible flight (assuming space etc). My father's flights got cancelled numerous times, and usually he was put into an airport hotel for the night for free; sometimes, however, he chose to re-book out of his personal wallet just to get there/home faster.

bejd

2013-09-24 08:39:34 pm

Quote from flicky:

BA 265 out of Heathrow on Jan 4th, 2:30 PM
Returning on Jan 15th on the BA 216 from IAD to LHR at 6:15 PM

Same as Cooldave

Neat. Found this thread after I booked the flight. Same outgoing, but I'm returning on the 14th at 18:15. I know most of you in this thread don't know me but it would be nice to meet up for the journey.

iMysty

Edit history:

iMysty: 2013-09-27 05:37:14 pm

2013-09-27 04:22:57 pm

Just about to book my tickets now and seen that there are only 7 seats left on the BA 265 flight!

Edit: I have booked all my tickets.
Same flights as Robo and Flicky.

RoboSparkle

2013-09-27 05:19:19 pm

Magical. Flying. Bathtub

Thanks for the heads up iMysty, just booked mine, I got the same flights as Flicky

BA 265 out of Heathrow on Jan 4th, 2:30 PM
Returning on Jan 15th on the BA 216 from IAD to LHR at 6:15 PM

for some reason it was cheaper to do this through SkyScanner than on BA's website...

As I said, I'll be getting a cab each way from Guildford to Heathrow on the 4th, should cost about £35ish so anybody staying at mine on the Saturday can split it with me and it'll be cheaper and easier than the train. Also if you're driving down from somewhere and want to avoid having a massive parking charge then my house has loads of parking and it's in a cul-de-sac area.

Chrno

Edit history:

Chrno: 2013-10-06 08:31:13 pm

2013-10-06 08:22:31 pm

WOW.

Booking done.

To fly out on the same flight as you guys (the 4th) would have literally cost +£100 more, so I'll be flying out on the 6th. Flying back on the same flight as Robo and Flicky. The good thing is that Mike has already pushed Nes and George's THAW run to the latter half of the marathon, so assuming it will be a Tony Hawk block, I should be ok. I'll bring it up in the schedule consideration topic anyway.

Geurge

2013-10-07 02:23:35 pm

I'm working until the 4th, so gonna leave at 7:35am on the 5th, and leave
back on the 15th. On my phone, so can't check the actual flights, but it's about £530 for those flights

moooh

2013-10-12 11:59:08 am

Exoray

Got my flights booked now.
Will be flying out from Arlanda on the 4th, 10:00 AM and arriving at IAD 3:15 PM.

Heading back home from IAD on the 13th at 12:38 PM

Rudlak84

Edit history:

Rudlak84: 2013-10-13 07:40:56 pm

2013-10-12 04:17:22 pm

Ikkeserv and myself have also booked our flights:
We will fly from Frankfurt on the 4th at 12:20 PM (german time) and arrive at IAD 3:20 PM (LH 418).

The flight back leaves IAD on the 12th at 5:50 PM (LH 419).

Drakodan

Edit history:

Drakodan: 2013-11-03 04:59:57 am

2013-11-03 04:36:10 am

Bad Sandwich

I'm a real latecomer: Looking at British Airway, the aforementioned flight from Heathrow doesn't seem to be there now. All booked up?

EDIT: No it hasn't, I'm dumb. Regardless, ANY and all information and help regarding the booking and travel would be greatly appreciated, it's a very big 'if' whether I'll attend, but I very much want to.

Judgy

2013-11-03 10:02:13 am

Borderlands 2 Glitch Hunter/ router.

BA265 and BA216 (same flights as Mysty, Flicky, Robo) booked would love to take flicky up on the offer to stay at his the night of the 3rd if its still cool Smiley

flicky

2013-11-03 10:17:02 am

$15 per rant/allegory

Quote from Judgy:

BA265 and BA216 (same flights as Mysty, Flicky, Robo) booked would love to take flicky up on the offer to stay at his the night of the 3rd if its still cool Smiley

Mysty said he might be about for it to. When you guys are confirmed on def coming, I'll sort it out with family etc.

Drakodan

2013-11-03 01:32:37 pm

Bad Sandwich

Is the ESTA application process particularly painful?

Judgy

2013-11-03 01:41:11 pm

Borderlands 2 Glitch Hunter/ router.

Quote from Drakodan:

Is the ESTA application process particularly painful?

Not at all as long as you know where your passport is it takes about 10 mins, easy as pie Tongue