ski-air travel stories

[berkshireskier]

A bit apples and oranges but in a similar vein (something that annoys me and thousands of other people every day), Penn Station NYC posts train times only ten minutes before departure. Everyone is staring at the display signs in hoards waiting for their track assignment and when it goes up, there's often a stampede effect. It's one thing for commuters, who are usually only carrying backpacks or briefcases, but can be challenging for people on long-distance Amtrak trains schlepping suitcases.

As I understand it, the reason is that Penn Station isn't a terminus like Grand Central -- whose 67 tracks provide enough capacity to allow passengers to calmly board a train parked in the station well before departure (like in Europe) -- but a through-station where incoming and outgoing trains need to be constantly maneuvered across only 21 tracks. In any case, it's unfortunate for Penn Station riders because train travel is otherwise so much more civilized and pleasant than planes.

My wife and I ran into a somewhat similar problem when we went to France in late October. We flew into Paris and then were scheduled to take the high speed train, the TGV, from Paris (Charles De Gaulle Airport) to Avignon. We discovered once we landed in Paris that they don't post the track assignment for the various trains until about 20 minutes before departure. It didn't really bother me (partly because there are, I believe, only 4 departing tracks from that train station at the airport) but my wife was somewhat freaked out and made me stand in front of the large departure display screen until the track assignment was posted. There was, then, a somewhat large crowd of travelers, many with multiple suitcases (like us), rushing to get to the correct track to catch the train.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

We discovered once we landed in Paris that they don't post the track assignment for the various trains until about 20 minutes before departure

Right, that's the RER commuter train. Interesting about your wife's concern, as 20 minutes seems like plenty of time to get on a train (as opposed to 10).

 

[berkshireskier]

Right, that's the RER commuter train. Interesting about your wife's concern, as 20 minutes seems like plenty of time to get on a train (as opposed to 10).

LOL, yea, she tends to freak out about things like that. Plus, we couldn't afford to miss the train.

 

[Sbooker]

Avignon

I’m keen to know about your thoughts on the area as we will be there late March.

 

[berkshireskier]

I’m keen to know about your thoughts on the area as we will be there late March.

Yes, Booker, a beautiful area of France. Admittedly, my wife and I and our daughter and her boyfriend were there for only a few days. We were attending my wife's niece's wedding about 15 miles northwest of Avignon (at an old winery) and it was one of those 3-day, "destination weddings", so we didn't have a huge amount of extra time to sightsee. But Avignon is a beautiful, medieval city - definitely worth spending a day or part of day exploring and there are several other similar small cities or towns in that area that you should visit. Many wineries and vineyards too - I understand the area is well known for its rose wines (not really my favorite). I'm not sure what the weather is like in March but I assume fairly mild - it's quite far south in France.
We flew to Paris and then took the high-speed train to Avignon - about a 3.5 hour train trip and very nice scenery for most of the train ride.
Are you planning to also ski on the trip? I know it is not that far to the southern French Alps from that area.

 

[tseeb]

We are on the tarmac at James’ favorite airport Heathrow waiting to take off for India.

Be careful at the Religious Festival in India. I got home from my third day in a row mountain bike riding and my wife told me people were killed in a crush at Indian festival that is attended by 100 million. Then I saw your festival does not start until February 1.

 

[Tony Crocker]

It is the same religious festival. It has been going on a few weeks. Wilderness Travel ran another trip to it earlier in January. We are spectators not participants so not too worried about it. It occurs only every 12 years; thus Liz' interest in the tour. Today we found out that the current one extra special in conjunction with a celestial alignment, occurring once every 144 years, so that 100 million number is not that surprising.

 

[Sbooker]

Yes, Booker, a beautiful area of France. Admittedly, my wife and I and our daughter and her boyfriend were there for only a few days. We were attending my wife's niece's wedding about 15 miles northwest of Avignon (at an old winery) and it was one of those 3-day, "destination weddings", so we didn't have a huge amount of extra time to sightsee. But Avignon is a beautiful, medieval city - definitely worth spending a day or part of day exploring and there are several other similar small cities or towns in that area that you should visit. Many wineries and vineyards too - I understand the area is well known for its rose wines (not really my favorite). I'm not sure what the weather is like in March but I assume fairly mild - it's quite far south in France.
We flew to Paris and then took the high-speed train to Avignon - about a 3.5 hour train trip and very nice scenery for most of the train ride.
Are you planning to also ski on the trip? I know it is not that far to the southern French Alps from that area.

We’ll ski in Tignes for a week before taking the train to Lyon and then driving to Avignon. What we do after that is up in the air depending on conditions and how my wife’s troublesome knee is going but we plan to fly out of Amsterdam so we can catch the Tulip Festival.

 

[berkshireskier]

We’ll ski in Tignes for a week before taking the train to Lyon and then driving to Avignon. What we do after that is up in the air depending on conditions and how my wife’s troublesome knee is going but we plan to fly out of Amsterdam so we can catch the Tulip Festival.

Sounds like a nice trip! Hope the snow is good in Tignes. How long will you be in Provence? How do you fly back to Australia? I assume you have to connect somewhere?

 

[ChrisC]

We’ll ski in Tignes for a week before taking the train to Lyon and then driving to Avignon

I flew in/out of Lyon in 2006 for skiing (LA GRave, 3 Vallees, Val d'Isere/Tignes). Spent one day in Provence via TGV. It took an hour to get to Avignon, then did lunch in Aix-in-Provence, finished in Arles (local trains), and then returned to Lyon via TGV. Seeing three places was hectic, but 2 Provence stops would be easy. No car on that trip.

 

[Sbooker]

Sounds like a nice trip! Hope the snow is good in Tignes. How long will you be in Provence? How do you fly back to Australia? I assume you have to connect somewhere?

As the base is already established at very least we should be able to ski nice corn at some point at that time of year but I will be hoping for powder like I got last April in Tignes.
Probably 4 or 5 days in Provence depending on weather. It’s low season and lodging is abundant so we’ll do it on the fly. We connect in Singapore on the way home.

 

[Tony Crocker]

It took 2.5 hours to get out of Delhi airport upon arrival. The skis were not at the oversize delivery area, must have flummoxed baggage handlers who had never seen such items. We weren’t that anxious because the AirTags showed them in the vicinity about 0.2km away in opposite directions from baggage claim. Liz went to the claim desk and they were eventually rounded up. Oh, the handle by which I tow the ski bag had been ripped off completely. This is only the second season for that bag.

 

[EMSC]

Oh, the handle by which I tow the ski bag had been ripped off completely. This is only the second season for that bag.

Sounds like a bag damage claim for/to the airline. Annoying in the meantime.

I still have one more purchase to make from my recent bag fiasco. I haven't added up all the receipts yet but certainly over $2K including my brand new bag heading home from it's first ever trip.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Sounds like a bag damage claim for/to the airline.

When submitting a reimbursement claim, do you need to produce a "before" photo to prove that it was damaged on that flight?

the handle by which I tow the ski bag had been ripped off completely

I'd love to to see a video that shows how something like this happens and who or what ripped the handle off. Reminds me of the old American Tourister commercials. A great touch at the end when a lone shoe is thrown out.

 

[EMSC]

When submitting a reimbursement claim, do you need to produce a "before" photo to prove that it was damaged on that flight?

Since I've never had to do it I'm not sure, but it's clear as I go through my process that claims for damaged baggage is one of the things that they deal with. I'd say one of the keys is to immediately complain to the airline baggage folks at the point of pick up. Officially not required to do so, but I'd bet a lot that that puts your claim at the top of the list of believable claims that they see.