flying to europe

I just came back from Amsterdam and I took Northwest Airlines/KLM and they were great. They have a digital map that shows you where you are as youre flying, which is cool because I'm always wondering that.

I want to see quiet's response

It's selling hoes and beer that gave him the money in the first place.

Only joking.

You don't sell beer.

$12k? not worth it. I've done the tranatlantic thing a good deal because of where I llive and I was a North American travel agent before I got into this game. If you are in Arizona, like your ident says, there is little point getting the concord because you are going to have to take the flight to NYC to get it in the first place.

Of course, if you have had your heart set on doing Concord once before you die then that is a different matter.

However, some things to mention when you are looking for flights: Don't forget that there are two major international airports serving London (plus a number of smaller ones) - heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW). They are both many miles from the city but have good transport links into it. Gatwick is a lot easier to get through simply because it is smaller. Also, I personally like their transport system better because it is a train into London Bridge vs the tube or the heathrow express. Tubes are a bitch with luggage.

In the last few years I have flown the following to the States from London : US Air, United, Continental, Air France, Virgin

US Air had the best entertainment system of them all. I was suprised by that. United and Air France had the best food. Virgin was a dissapointment but if I had kids I may have rated them higher. Contenential was fine over all but nothing special.

The one advantage of 'national' airlines such as Air France is that you usually can get a free stopover in their country on the way to somewhere else such as London.

the free booze kicks ass, but if you go to amsterdam and fly back to lax, be prepaired to have your bags searched when you land.. also, duty free shoping rocks

I have to agree AND disagree with this statement. Yes remember that there are several London airports so make sure you explore all your options.

In my experience Gatwick IS NOT easier to get through. I've flown into both Heathrow and Gatwick several times over the last 4 years from both international and european destinations. As an American you have to use the 'all other passports' lane which in my experience at Gatwick is always HUGELY understaffed. My average wait at Gatwick immigration is nearly an hour - once as bad as 2 hours packed body to body. My average wait at Heathrow is about 20 minutes.

On the other side, Sarah is absolutely correct that Gatwick's transport system is FAR superior. The tube from Heathrow is HELL.

so has quiet done the concorde or not? maybe he is 2 people

My Dad was one of the first 1,000 people to fly on the concorde back years ago. He said it was amazing and even got some special pin or something to signify it. He said very closed quarters but incredibly faaaaaast!

I fly to Ireland quite often and British Airlines has been the nicest airline I have flown over on as of yet. Air Canada sucks my balls.

DH

I dont know - same username with the same amount of posts, i just thought it was funny how his posts were different... Today I went through this thread for some reason and in the fifth post he types he hasnt flown on the Concorde, but then i remember reading a couple months ago how he went on the Concorde with his father for New Years, which i thought was pretty cool considering thats a pretty expensive trip.
http://www.gofuckyourself.com/showth...light=concorde

DynaMite

Yes, hahahaha!

the whole 'other passports' thing has gotten much more difficult at heathrow over the last year. It could be just me but Heathrow's lines have been hell. I am an American but my passport is stamped with a residency stamp from the UK.

That means that usually they will let me go through the EU line. Not anymore, you have have to go through the 'other passports' line and it has been huge lately.

The last time I did it there was a reason because it was a couple days before the Commonwealth Games and half of Canada and Africa were landing in Heathrow.

There are a number of airports in the London area - LHR, LGW, stanstead, Luton and London City. If you were flying from Europe the other ones would be more of an option but as its USA it is almost always LHR or LGW.

The Heathrow Express has made traveling from LHR much easier. It is a service that takes 15 minutes to get into central London. The only thing is that it goes into Paddington which doesn't have all that many hotels around it. So, chances are you are going to need to get a cab or a bus to your hotel. Busses are confusing for most people their first time in London and with luggage a nightmare.

So, that leaves a cab but I am not being silly when I say that the cab system at Paddington is the most hectic I have seen anywhere. Not just in the UK but in the world.

Last time I used the Heathrow Express it took me 15 minutes to get to Paddington and another hour to get into a cab and even then they made me share it with three other people - but pay full price.

That is interesting Sarah as I've had exactly the opposite experience at Heathrow. I've never waited an unpleasant amount of time there whereas Gatwick has always been hell.

I've got an American passport with a permanent leave to remain in the UK visa (as I'm married to a Brit) and they always make me stand in the other passports line. I've only bunked it once myself - Landed in Gatwick after an 8 hour flight from Orlando to Brussels, a 6 hour layover and then an hour in a tiny Virgin jet back to Gatwick. It seemed we landed at the same time as about 8 other international flights, most of them african and asian and there was at LEAST a 3 hour line at immigration. I had the beginnings of a nasty sinus infection so I thought 'Fuck this' and went through the EU line with my husband. The officer made a fuss that I was in the wrong line so I shouted and cried that there was no fucking way I was waiting for 3 hours with a pounding sinus headache while my husband waited on the other side and so he gave me a nasty look, stamped my passport and off we went. I suppose being an emotional girl does have its advantages sometimes.

Anyway, long story short I suppose it all depends on when you hit the immigration at the various airports.

yup, true. Sounds like we have the same stamp because I am married to a Brit too. I'm going for dual citizenship so I hope when I have both passports they will just let me go through the local line on both ends.

I've been thinking about that but haven't looked into it too closely. Are there that many benefits other than easier airport arrivals? I don't wanna give up my US citizenship (even though I've gotta fill in that stupid 'I don't make any money in the USA' tax form every year - still can't get over how idiotic that is) and didn't think there were that many perks going through all the paperwork to get dual citizenship. Have I missed something? Please let me know if you think there are some big benefits I'm missing.