FORUM

Perhaps it is worth explaining why Stansted is useless for Midlanders and Northerners. It is not merely distance - it is the route. To get to it you have to pass a notoriously congested set of roads Camridge -Peterborough areas. So a journey that can be timed as 90 mins sould easily be 3 hours and therefore you have to allow that if catching or meeting a flight.

There is hardly even a public transport option. An infrequent cross country train calling at all Hamlets or into London and out again. Either way the journey time is twice what mere distance would suggest.

The Birmingham - Manchester - Leeds - Nottingham 'box' of airports serve a very, very, large UK population arguably a larger area from Lancaster to Bristol to Coventry to York. Consistent, competitive, services from Perpignan would be welcomed.

Now that Ryaniar seem to have deserted Gerona we would love a flight from Leeds to Perpignan please!

I find it a bit bezare that there are few north of England flights when Lancaster /Perpignan was one of the first twins in this area to be established. Perhaps this connection could be put to better use to establish more flight connections all year round.

Leeds Bradford is a great airport as it has non congested access from everywhere...only downside is its hill top location, making for 'interesting' Landings!!! At least it has a good long Runway!!

Any news yet re increasing flights to these airports?

This is the latest.
http://www.anglophone-direct.com/Perpig ... ture-plans

So.....after lots of people suggesting routes for a better service to this part of the world things are going to ge worse with the demise of the Stansted winter link the time of flight from the UK which is not ideal but better than nothing.

Train service to the UK via Lille used to be a useful alternative but that has gone now too - one has to go via Paris and change stations. Not so handy with luggage and/or children.

Travel in general getting more difficult unless one drives.

There is a flight out of Perpignan airport (I am guessing HOP) to Lille in the summer months.

Sorry Sue, I was referring to the rail connection as an alternative to the lost flights.

I was giving you an alternative way to Lille. Talk about crossed wires.

I was talking about all year travel opportunities - important for this area, particularly if Sansted-Perpignan flights go.

Regarding the Train to UK there is now an intriguing option involving Ouigi and the disneyland station. However I tried the timetable combinations and they seemed to force us into an overnight at Disneyland. I am sure your kids would hate that

I hadn't realised that the Lille interchange had been removed as an option



My big downer at the moment is that having got a TGV ticket from Perpignan to London for £58 It will cost £58.50 to then do a short trip to Loughborough !

Hi,

Has anyone flown into or out of Perpignan since the upgrade? Just wondering how the upgrade has turned out.

Regards

BT

They are still working on it BT.

Thanks Sue, I hope they are finished by the 27th June!

BT

I assume you were taling about the building works. If so it doesn't seem to be causing much, if any, disruption.

Correct.

It wasn't so bad arriving it was the departure area that seemed to cause more issues. The loos left something to be desired.

Anyway I am looking forward to seeing the improvements in late June and again in September

BT

Thanks for the update, I will get to see the results in just under 6 weeks!

Regards

BT

The toilets are now finished. They are still located down the staircase but can also be accessed by a lift.
They are well appointed and modern.

There's a full update by John Fairclough in the next P-O Life, hopefully out by the beginning of June IF all goes to plan.

I flew out from Perpignan airport last Sunday evening. Yes, the loos are still in the basement but they are refurbished and I was able to take a lift to them. I was also able to buy a 25cl bottle of Cotes de Rhone and drink it outside with a couple of cigarettes.

The people at the information desk helped me to find the cheapest 'abonnement' for the next 6 weeks for parking. They went out of their way to be helpful and smiled. I also try to be the last person in the queue to go through security. I went directly to the priorioty boarding and although we were herded like sheep to the outside boarding pen it wasn't too much of a problem. I have been in worse situations in other airports. Arrived 15 mins. early at Stansted.

Not much to complain about at either airport, except perhaps the long walk from the plane to security at Stansted.

Dear All,

As you probably have seen on another topic, Aer Lingus has added 4 flights from September, 15th to September, 26th. It's a test for us to see if they can extend the season by next year!

One way tickets are available from 49€ on http://www.aerlingus.com/

We are still working to maintain the Perpignan-London flights for next winter season, I would like to thank all of you who wrote to me, your comments have been passed on to several airlines in UK. Should the situation change soon, I will let you know.

All the best,
Dimitri

Has anyone any news about when Ryanair will decide/tell us whether they are running a winter route between Stansted and Perpignan this year?

As far as I am aware there are none.

They still have not released all there Glasgow winter flights so they won't even say if Glasgow Girona will operate!!!!

rogb wrote:Has anyone any news about when Ryanair will decide/tell us whether they are running a winter route between Stansted and Perpignan this year?

I looked ahead to December and there are flights listed for Stansted to Barcelona El Prat, there's nothing for Perpignan.

Looks like it's Stansted - Carcassonne (three flights a week) this winter, with nothing to Perpignan.

Though, when looking for options travelling from Scotland, I discovered that flying from Carcassonne to either Dublin or Brussels Charleroi with flights on to Edinburgh or Glasgow, might be a better option than changing at Stansted.

Last winter Glasgow Prestwick to Girona was a great option, but sadly, no sign of it this year. The only feasible direct option from Scotland this winter seems to be Edinburgh to Barcelona.

There are also two flights a week between Luton and Beziers this winter. I haven't checked whether they connect at Luton with flights to/from Scotland.

Hmm - it looks as if the Beziers -Luton flight gets in too late to make a connection on to Easyjet. It would require an overnight.

But it's certainly another option for the outward journey though.

Kate, Is there any chance of finding out from dimidu66 what's actually happening at Perpignan after Nov. 3rd?
Ryanair seems to have pulled Stansted to Perpignan and Girona- Barcelona after November 3rd (end of U.K. Half-Term) leaving only Carcassonne & Barcelona El Prat with a route to London Stansted over Winter.