|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 23, 2009 15:54:02 GMT
We just flew into Beziers airport from Bristol this afternoon. From touchdown (and I mean touchdown then taxiing to the terminal then diembarking) through passport control to our car - seven minutes.
Is this the fastest international airport in the world?
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 23, 2009 16:07:15 GMT
It sounds like it is!
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2009 17:54:04 GMT
I have never managed 7 minutes yet. I have succeeded in doing CDG within half an hour a few times, which is pretty good, considering.
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 23, 2009 23:12:02 GMT
Bergerac is fast but not as fast as Beziers. When I was there last year it was still a tin shed.
|
|
|
|
Post by happytraveller on Mar 24, 2009 6:30:46 GMT
Wow, 7 minutes... that's amazing !
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 6:41:52 GMT
That sounds about the same as when we flew back from Prague via Schiphol to Norwich. We walked down the steps from the plane onto the tarmac, alongside our luggage on the little lorries, straight through customs, picked up our bag and out the other end. Didn't time it, but it was almost an unbroken walk .. !
|
|
|
|
Post by BigIain on Mar 24, 2009 9:06:11 GMT
Baz, I assume that you had landed during siesta and so did not actually see anyone on duty at the airport?
|
|
|
|
Post by happytraveller on Mar 24, 2009 9:11:26 GMT
Try to get from terminal 1 to terminal 3 to gate idontrememberbutfarfaraway in 20 minutes in London Heathrow. It only works with sharp elbows and running shoes on your feet.
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 9:25:07 GMT
The beauty of local airports ....
|
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 24, 2009 9:31:26 GMT
I have analysed the reasons for our speedy arrival.
1. The pilot braked sharply after touchdown so he was able to make the sharp turn to the terminal shed and not have to taxi back along the runway.
2. The aircraft used its own steps rather than waiting for them to be rolled out or having to connect up with a walkway.
3. No other flight had come in so the 2 passport officers dealt with us swiftly.
4. There were no machine for reading encrypted details on passports, it was just a quick visual check.
5. We only had carry-on bags.
6. The airport is very small and we parked right by the terminal building. Parking is free so there is no fiddling with a ticket at a paying machine.
But still, 7 minutes from touchdown to car is very good.
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 24, 2009 9:33:09 GMT
It's interesting that you thought to time yourself when you disembarked.
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 9:37:03 GMT
Yeah, I thought that too ...
|
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 24, 2009 10:20:18 GMT
This is in danger of becoming the least interesting thread on Anyport. However...
As the plane touched down I looked at my watch, wondering what time we would be home.
Then, amazed at how quick the arrival had been, I looked at my watch when we reached our car. So I did not set out to time how long it took. It just happened.
Now can I go back and play with my train set?
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 10:42:37 GMT
Ha ! And don't worry; 13 replies is better than some posts on here have had, so you're not Beige Central yet .....
|
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 24, 2009 10:55:52 GMT
Perhaps we can turn this into the longest thread ever.
I understand that on Ye Olde Thorne Tree there was a thread on eggs that reached 1000 posts.
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 10:57:03 GMT
There's an amusing one from a bigotted conceited and ever so slightly xenopohobic Brit-Bashing Pole that's been going on for a while .....
|
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 24, 2009 11:06:31 GMT
...that is distinct from a Pole-bashing Brit who brings the subject up from time to time.
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 11:35:27 GMT
Possibly not. Who's that then ?
|
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 24, 2009 12:13:44 GMT
The quickest I've ever had was at Windhoek, but it was still just over half an hour, again just with carry on.
I have mentioned somewhere about Madrid Airport and the fact that I dislike it. The reason being that, with a quick stop for a Pret a Manger sandwich, it took me nearly an hour and a half from checking in to reaching the gate. And that was with only a minute or two at Immigration.
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 24, 2009 12:30:23 GMT
What would it have taken without the sandwich, Porky ?
|
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 24, 2009 12:50:41 GMT
The same time less one minute thirty seconds, including queueing to pay for it.
|
|
|
|
Post by rikita on Mar 24, 2009 14:32:10 GMT
a minute and a half can make the difference between catching a flight or not.
|
|
|
|
Post by BigIain on Mar 24, 2009 18:20:58 GMT
Am I allowed to mention arriving at Leipzig on the JCB Learjet, precleared for immigration? We were out of the airport in around 20 mins, including collecting rental cars. Its the only way to travel, you know. carry on...
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2009 18:32:07 GMT
I thought you would at least consider moving back to Béziers to take advantage of the convenient airport.
|
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 24, 2009 19:49:14 GMT
a minute and a half can make the difference between catching a flight or not. To people who consistently push their time management it's true. But not for us normal mortals who turn up in plenty of time. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2009 19:57:03 GMT
Actually, the strangest excuse for an airport I ever saw was when I went to the Maldives. They probably have a real airport now, but when I went there it was just a shack without even any walls. There was something called the airport bar that was just a man sitting at a card table with a refrigerator behind him.
I just walked off the plane and walked through the shack. There was a pier directly behind it with a few boats waiting. I don't recall anybody looking at or stamping a passport, but that may have happened. I asked one of the boat people "Can I go to Bandos?" He said yes, and off we went. That was the scary part, because those boats are poorly designed with low sides, and water kept sloshing over the sides as we navigated the high seas, with no life jacket or any other safety equipment (this was a boat that might have been able to carry 4 people at best!).
45 minutes later we arrived at Bandos. I later learned that Bandos is one of the closest atolls to the airport atoll. Many of the other islands require a boat trip in excess of 2 or 3 hours.
|
|
|
|
Post by rikita on Mar 24, 2009 21:32:25 GMT
ah i used to arrive very short before my flights leave, just because i hate sitting around at airports. these days though i am there earlier. never missed a flight though (unless you count missed connections, but that isn't my fault of course).
|
|
|
|
Post by gyro on Mar 25, 2009 7:20:15 GMT
I LOVE sitting around at airports. One of the nicest feelings is having checked in your luggage, and sitting at an airport bar having a drink in the Final Departure Lounge: where you are technically not in any country in the world ...
Luvverly .
|
|
|
|
Post by hwinpp on Mar 25, 2009 8:53:50 GMT
Yes, that used to be a good feeling. But now, with more and more becoming non- smoking...
|
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 25, 2009 9:39:24 GMT
After visiting countless number of airports I do still arrive early, actually one time a day too early but I did go home again, and then taking my time going through everything. You can guarantee that when I have the kids with me there is never quite enough time to sort out last minute food and drink and stuff for them. Travelling can be stressful enough, especially if it is a long way to the airport, so I like to have an hour at least when all has been done just sitting relaxing.
I like to sit and watch everyone going by, the nervous first timers, the young couples on their first holiday, the families trying to amuse the kids, the bored businessmen but buying last minute presents, the 'travellers' always seeming to be sitting on the floor in an inconvenient place, the grandparents going off to see their grandkids, the foreign family trying to decipher the signs........................
hwinpp, what do you do then? Stick it out, wear patches....?
|
|
