# need to get to Bristol this weekend



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I would like to get to Bristol this weekend travelling Thurs 15th evening/ night or Saturday 16th morning and coming back on Monday 19th. 
All of Easyjet, which has a direct Madrid Bristol flight, is booked. Any other ideas? Exeter/ Bournmouth/ Birmingham??
Alicante??
Please post ideas and links if poss.
Thanks


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

MrsCarter said:


> Hi - Have you tried looking on a website called sky scanner, its a really good way to look at different available flights with all the airlines as i know its a real pain searching through the different websites.
> 
> Hope this helps you, and good luck as the cost of flights are high at the moment.
> 
> Regards Cherie


Thanks, I'll have a look at it


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

a 2nd for skyscanner.net I use it all the time for finding flights.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Fly to any of the airports you mention and get a coach or train to Bristol. Exter is probably a better bet than Bournemouth but there may be a coach terminal at Bournemouth International, I'm not sure.
If I want to fly to somewhere not served by scheduled airlines I usually fly BA, Iberia or whatever is best price to Heathrow and get a bus to wherever from the coach stand or go into LOndon by tube and get a train. You can buy train tickets very cheaply online.
The problem with regional airports is that they are just that...regional, so they are served often by only one cut-price carrier.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Cardiff is another possibility, just a short hop across the Severn estuary. Probably need to hire a car though as Cardiff airport is out in the sticks.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

First Great Western run a direct train from Heathrow to Bristol. 
First Great Western - Home

You can also get a train from Gatwick but you have to change.
http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/combinedmatrix.aspx?Command=TimeTable


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> First Great Western run a direct train from Heathrow to Bristol.
> First Great Western - Home
> 
> You can also get a train from Gatwick but you have to change.
> Cheap train tickets, get UK train times & fares | thetrainline


BA ticket prices may be a bit steep booking at such short notice....
Are Lingus do cheaper flights but I think they fly to Gatwick.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Another thing - how easy is it for you to get to any of the Costa airports from where you are? Malaga serves Bristol about three times a day (Ryanair and Easyjet) and I'm sure many of the other costa airports do as well.

Just checked - Easyjet are all full around that time Ryanair has this

Now just hop on a train to Malaga.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Thanks for all the info. Trying to get my head around it now.
From what I can make out Cardiff and Exeter are not offering flights to the areas I want ATM. Some of these smaller airports are not fully operational year round.
Malaga, whilst being an interesting option in theory, is too far (about 6 hours or a fortune on the AVE). Bilbao or Alicante are better options, but nothing seems to be dooable.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I would like to get to Bristol this weekend travelling Thurs 15th evening/ night or Saturday 16th morning and coming back on Monday 19th.
> All of Easyjet, which has a direct Madrid Bristol flight, is booked. Any other ideas? Exeter/ Bournmouth/ Birmingham??
> Alicante??
> Please post ideas and links if poss.
> Thanks


have a look at this Momondo - vuelos baratos - Turismo Buscador de bajo coste y billetes de avión baratos

not direct flights, but just one change 

the first on the list goes to Birmingham, but the second takes you to Bristol - not cheap though

have a play with dates maybe


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## MrsCarter (Jun 25, 2010)

*London Airports*

Have you thought about getting a flight to a London Airport as this tends to be cheaper and then making your way to Bristol from there? 

Its crazy you cant get a flight when you think about it...


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Ryanair seem to have Alicante - Bristol, out Fri, back Mon


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

MrsCarter said:


> Have you thought about getting a flight to a London Airport as this tends to be cheaper and then making your way to Bristol from there?
> 
> Its crazy you cant get a flight when you think about it...



Of course you can get a flight whenever you want...you just have to be prepared to pay more!!!

I did suggest some posts back getting a BA or Aer Lingus flight to Heathrow or Gatwick..it's what I do if I want to go to a city not served directly by scheduled flights.
I then take a train, booking online..
As I posted earlier


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Thanks for the help everyone.
I won't be going this weekend as I can't do Madrid Bristol direct and to go via other places in Spain would add 10 hours min (return) on to the trip which is too much for me for a weekend. Cardiff and Exeter have restricted timetables and either don't have flights to Spain now or don't fly on the days I need. Besides which the prices are too high and the cheapest I saw was around 300 € to go to an airport I don't want to go to at the time I don't want to go.
I'll book a couple of weekend trips now for after Easter using the websites and ideas you've given me here. Looks like my mum will be in hospital for a while so ...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

How frustrating - I hope it's nothing too worrying and she makes a speedy recovery.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Hope all turns out OK.

I wonder why everything is so booked up this weekend?


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jimenato said:


> Hope all turns out OK.
> 
> I wonder why everything is so booked up this weekend?



Yes, I hope so too.

I think most weekend flights -at least budget flights -are often fully booked. More and more people in nearly all European countries consider a weekend break abroad in the same way we used to consider a day trip to London or the seaside thirty years ago.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Thanks for the help everyone.
> I won't be going this weekend as I can't do Madrid Bristol direct and to go via other places in Spain would add 10 hours min (return) on to the trip which is too much for me for a weekend. Cardiff and Exeter have restricted timetables and either don't have flights to Spain now or don't fly on the days I need. Besides which the prices are too high and the cheapest I saw was around 300 € to go to an airport I don't want to go to at the time I don't want to go.
> I'll book a couple of weekend trips now for after Easter using the websites and ideas you've given me here. Looks like my mum will be in hospital for a while so ...


I hope she has a speedy recovery 

I've been looking at flights to maybe take the girls over in the summer to visit with all the aunts & cousins under more pleasant circumstances..............I was reckoning without the Olympics


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

After a quick look this morning looking at April I'm a little shocked!
What happened to the 35€ flights! Or the 55€ come to that! If you're working and can only go on the weekend, forget cheapo flights to the UK 

PS Thanks for the nice thoughts, but I think we can forget speedy.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> I hope she has a speedy recovery
> 
> I've been looking at flights to maybe take the girls over in the summer to visit with all the aunts & cousins under more pleasant circumstances..............I was reckoning without the Olympics


I'm in more than two minds about whether to fly to London in the summer....I'm booked for a Conference in the first week of July.
Hotel and flight prices will be exorbitant - that doesn't worry me as I'm not paying - but it's security concerns that are bugging me.
I'm far from the nervous type, quite the opposite, but with all that's currently going on in the world and our compliance in so many 'bad' things I fear there will be some kind of incident, hopefully minor and prevented before harm is done.
Am I being paranoic?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> I'm in more than two minds about whether to fly to London in the summer....I'm booked for a Conference in the first week of July.
> Hotel and flight prices will be exorbitant - that doesn't worry me as I'm not paying - but it's security concerns that are bugging me.
> I'm far from the nervous type, quite the opposite, but with all that's currently going on in the world and our compliance in so many 'bad' things I fear there will be some kind of incident, hopefully minor and prevented before harm is done.
> *Am I being paranoic*?


maybe....................but just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean they're not out to get you 

I think that unless you _have to_ go or _want to_ go for the Olympics themselves, that London would be best avoided this summer - afaic if only because it will be so horribly crowded


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your Mum, Pesky.
Hope she's going to be ok.

As for cheap airlines, I've given up on trying to get the cheapest deal with any of them and have gone for a bit more convenience. 
3 or 4 years ago, when there were still UK flights out of Granada airport, I looked at the chance of commuting between the UK and Spain at weekends, but gave up the idea as the costs, even then via budget airlines, were too high, taking into account fares at the UK end when landing at some ungodly hour and having to travel many miles from the airport to my destination.

But I agree, this year travel costs are worse and actual flight numbers are down. I have had to delay my trip to the UK until near the end of March, because the flight times I need, to fit in with my family at the UK end, aren't available until then.


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> I'm in more than two minds about whether to fly to London in the summer....I'm booked for a Conference in the first week of July.
> Hotel and flight prices will be exorbitant - that doesn't worry me as I'm not paying - but it's security concerns that are bugging me.
> I'm far from the nervous type, quite the opposite, but with all that's currently going on in the world and our compliance in so many 'bad' things I fear there will be some kind of incident, hopefully minor and prevented before harm is done.
> Am I being paranoic?


No you're not,
It's only natural, given the current emphasis on the 'T' word, that you would think this way.
But I do think it is going to be hell for anyone travelling via a major UK airport during the Olympics, because there will be security queues and hot, weary and disgruntled passengers, everywhere.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Mary if you don't travel because of a potential terrorist attack then 'they' have won without firing a shot


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

bob_bob said:


> Mary if you don't travel because of a potential terrorist attack then 'they' have won without firing a shot


Oh no, it's not that.....this is a woman who flew two days after 9/11 ...

I agree with you. I was thinking of what might happen in London, fearful for other people, not for myself.

******!!! I've just spilled red wine on my keyboard...it was good wine too...


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Hope you get to see your Mum soon, Pesky. I don't think it's just Easter that's is causing the high prices. Prices were sky high back in February- which should be a quiet month, and even booking our upcoming flights months in advance, they were still way more expensive than last year. 

Their does seem to be some problem with availabilty, too, as I had great difficulty getting "sensible" connections - never mind sensible prices! 

We have very few options where we live, but last year, it was easy, even at shortish notice, to get flights from Aberdeen to Malaga, with a few hours connection time at Gatwick.

This year, half the offered options consist of Aberdeen - Heathrow - Madrid - Malaga, involve an overnight airport hotel, £1000 each way ECONOMY. My economy certainly doesn't stretch to these kind of prices - not to mention the sheer hassle of such a convuluted trip.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Mary, while I agree that it will be expensive and so, so busy around London this summer, I personally doubt potential terrorists would choose such an obvious target.

They will know that security will be at maximum around London, and if they choose to do anything, they would surely choose to target something/ somewhere way off the radar.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Ah, it's looking even better for flights UK/ Spain - 

UK - "National Day of Strike Action 28 March 2012
(Remember 30 November Public Sector Strike? It's back.)
What's the weather going to be? Good weather will mean a good turn out. Last time everyone went Christmas shopping. This time the nation will be ready early and on time for the Easter bunny. We jest,* but remember Heathrow and Gatwick were extremely organized. They urged airlines to cancel flights* and bought in an army of volunteers. Less busy airports faired well."


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> ******!!! I've just spilled red wine on my keyboard...it was good wine too...


I'm sure it will be very happy down there with the cake crumbs.

After a couple of days brewing you'll be able to sample wine and cake crumb stew!:hungry: :rofl: :hungry:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I'm sure it will be very happy down there with the cake crumbs.
> 
> After a couple of days brewing you'll be able to sample wine and cake crumb stew!:hungry: :rofl: :hungry:


shame it wasn't rum - she could have had bizcocho borracho!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

brocher said:


> Mary, while I agree that it will be expensive and so, so busy around London this summer, I personally doubt potential terrorists would choose such an obvious target.
> 
> They will know that security will be at maximum around London, and if they choose to do anything, they would surely choose to target something/ somewhere way off the radar.


I agree 100%.

And that is my worry.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

brocher said:


> Mary, while I agree that it will be expensive and so, so busy around London this summer, I personally doubt potential terrorists would choose such an obvious target.
> 
> They will know that security will be at maximum around London, and if they choose to do anything, they would surely choose to target something/ somewhere way off the radar.


I think anything is possible, especially if the terrorists don't mind going up with the smoke, as in 9/11. 
Of course security measures will be stepped up, but if someone really wants to do smth they can. You can just put a match into the tank of a car in a car park for goodness sakes; if there's a will there's a way - for the good and the bad.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

brocher said:


> Hope you get to see your Mum soon, Pesky. I don't think it's just Easter that's is causing the high prices. Prices were sky high back in February- which should be a quiet month, and even booking our upcoming flights months in advance, they were still way more expensive than last year.
> 
> Their does seem to be some problem with availabilty, too, as I had great difficulty getting "sensible" connections - never mind sensible prices!
> 
> ...


Glad to hear it's not just me!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> shame it wasn't rum - she could have had bizcocho borracho!


Good point.
You see what you can get Mary, with a little planning.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Good point.
> You see what you can get Mary, with a little planning.


Well, we got an invitation to a cocktail party at the five star Hotel Kempinski in Estepona last night....We went as I want to persuade them to put on a fundraising event for ADANA....I want to get local businesses to sponsor us for a minimum 100 euros a month (tax deductible) in return for which they get Europe-wide publicity via our groups in several European countries and the undying gratitude of Mary and our very many dogs and cats. (We have a cat division).

Sandra was eager to go as she loves 'dressing up' and is very elegant. I'm more problematic when it comes to smart soirees but as my mother always said, being clean is the most important thing and that I can do.

I wish I were a writer of fiction....there are recognisable 'types' here on the CdS. I saw a few people I had encountered at other similar events...there seems to be a sub-stratum of people who will go to the opening of an envelope if free drink and food is available..(Mind you, I'm intending to join that set, for the sake of ADANA...)
These 'types' like to give the impression of great wealth and sophistication but I suspect that many of them are as near to dammit penniless.

The women tend to dress in 'floaty' garments, have bleached blonde hair and faces tanned like old handbags. The men wear a lot of pink with denim and are equally weather beaten.

The older I get, the more jaded and cynical I'm becoming..

Plus I have a mini-hangover from three free glasses of good cava and the red wine I imbibed before going out to the party and after returning....


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