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Planes in Europe



 
 
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  #21  
Old September 26th, 2008, 01:51 AM posted to rec.travel.air
Janet Wilder
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Posts: 439
Default Planes in Europe

S Viemeister wrote:
Janet Wilder wrote:


This will be my first trip to Europe. I'm a senior citizen and a
little nervous about it. So shoot me.

You'll do just fine.
You may enjoy it so much that you decide to try it again!


Thank you for your vote of confidenceg.

This will most likely be our last long trip. DH has a bunch of medical
problems. I'm a survivor of a particularly vicious cancer "cure". We are
doing the trip as if it will be my first and last. If I'm awarded the
opportunity to go again, I'd be very grateful, but I'm only looking at
the present, not the future.
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
  #22  
Old September 26th, 2008, 02:35 AM posted to rec.travel.air
S Viemeister[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 407
Default Planes in Europe

Janet Wilder wrote:
S Viemeister wrote:
Janet Wilder wrote:


This will be my first trip to Europe. I'm a senior citizen and a
little nervous about it. So shoot me.

You'll do just fine.
You may enjoy it so much that you decide to try it again!


Thank you for your vote of confidenceg.

This will most likely be our last long trip. DH has a bunch of medical
problems. I'm a survivor of a particularly vicious cancer "cure". We are
doing the trip as if it will be my first and last. If I'm awarded the
opportunity to go again, I'd be very grateful, but I'm only looking at
the present, not the future.


I hope the two of you enjoy every minute of your trip.
Will you give us a trip report when you return?

Sheila
  #23  
Old September 26th, 2008, 02:58 AM posted to rec.travel.air
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Planes in Europe

S Viemeister wrote:
Janet Wilder wrote:
S Viemeister wrote:
Janet Wilder wrote:


This will be my first trip to Europe. I'm a senior citizen and a
little nervous about it. So shoot me.

You'll do just fine.
You may enjoy it so much that you decide to try it again!


Thank you for your vote of confidenceg.

This will most likely be our last long trip. DH has a bunch of medical
problems. I'm a survivor of a particularly vicious cancer "cure". We
are doing the trip as if it will be my first and last. If I'm awarded
the opportunity to go again, I'd be very grateful, but I'm only
looking at the present, not the future.


I hope the two of you enjoy every minute of your trip.
Will you give us a trip report when you return?

Sheila


I will be keeping a diary. I'll try to post my air experiences.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
  #24  
Old September 26th, 2008, 04:40 AM posted to rec.travel.air
Louis Krupp
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Posts: 70
Default Planes in Europe

Janet Wilder wrote:
Graham Harrison wrote:

My experience is that even if you only say "hello" in the local
language and then ask "do you speak English" that people (be they
check in agents, hotel staff or just anyone) are almost always helpful
and friendly. If they indicate they don't speak English then mime
works surprisingly well and if that fails just smile, say thank you
(preferably in local language) and move on. Many people see English
as something they want to learn and practice (I'm not sure I think
that's a good thing but there you are). I recently spent 3 weeks in
Japan and that seemed to work for me (and actually, I don't think I
ever had to move on).


I have had the same experience traveling in Mexico and Central America.
Most people want to try out their English on us.

Turn the problem on its' head. If someone approached you and spoke
no English but did speak French would you refuse to help? You might
have to ask them to speak slowly and repeat a few words but I bet you
would do your best. It's all a matter of give and take. You try
their language, they try yours, smile, mime, be friendly.


I can't begin to count the number of times I have interpreted for French
Canadians traveling in the US and also in Mexico.

This will be my first trip to Europe. I'm a senior citizen and a little
nervous about it. So shoot me.


My last trip to France went better than I'd expected. It's not like my
French language skills had improved, so my best guess is that some gray
hair (I'm in my 50s) bought me a little tolerance. I'll take what I can
get.

When I apologized to the security guard at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum
for my lack of fluent French, he said, "On va s'entendre" -- "we manage
to understand one another" (if someone else has a better translation,
chime in). Enjoy your trip.

Louis
  #25  
Old September 26th, 2008, 06:36 AM posted to rec.travel.air
mrtravel[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 458
Default Planes in Europe

Janet Wilder wrote:


I can't begin to count the number of times I have interpreted for French
Canadians traveling in the US and also in Mexico.

This will be my first trip to Europe. I'm a senior citizen and a little
nervous about it. So shoot me.


Sorry, I confused you with Joan Wilder and thought you had been around.

No, you didn't confuse us. We'd be ignorant to know you are a
seasoned world traveler. I am a bit confused. If you speak French, then
you should be OK in Paris. You are worry too much... RELAX. You posted
about the ability to check in at airports in cities that all get loads
of English speaking passengers on a daily basis. It's not like you speak
Swahili
  #26  
Old September 29th, 2008, 08:08 PM posted to rec.travel.air
tim.....
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Posts: 1,591
Default Planes in Europe


"mul" wrote in message
...



I just picked up all of my documents from the travel agent today. We will
be doing 3 flights within Europe. One from Paris to Budapest, one from
Amsterdam to Seville (with a change of plane in Madrid) and one from
Seville to Barcelona.

They are all e-tickets. I won't have a printer so I can't get boarding
passes. Do we just go up to the check-in counter and show them the copies
of the schedules the TA gave us? I'm assuming that they will not speak
English.

TIA,
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life


English is widely spoken in the EU,most especialy in Holland,,less so in
France,,
But i doubt you will have any problems


Even in countries where English is not widely spoken, I have never been to
an airline check-in where it wasn't.

tim



  #27  
Old October 8th, 2008, 08:58 PM posted to rec.travel.air
Traveller[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 35
Default Planes in Europe

"Janet Wilder" wrote in message
...
I just picked up all of my documents from the travel agent today. We will
be doing 3 flights within Europe. One from Paris to Budapest, one from
Amsterdam to Seville (with a change of plane in Madrid) and one from
Seville to Barcelona.

They are all e-tickets. I won't have a printer so I can't get boarding
passes. Do we just go up to the check-in counter and show them the copies
of the schedules the TA gave us? I'm assuming that they will not speak
English.


Janet: Let me give you some sensible advice as someone who actually lives in
Europe.

First, you'll have no problem communicating in English at the airports you
list.

Second, online checkin is available with *most* carriers, usually 24 hours
before the flight. Can you tell us which airlines you are flying with on
the legs you mention above, and I'll confirm it?

Third, it *does* save time to check in online and it's the right reflex to
have. If you are staying in the major cities you list, I'd be surprised if
you have to go more than 500 yards from your hotel to find an internet cafe.
20 minutes - which is plenty of time for checkin - should be no more than $2
with maybe another $1 for the printed page (these are "worst-case" prices -
any more than that is too expensive!).

In Paris & Amsterdam, I would get to the airport no less than 90 minutes
before your flight leaves (depending on time of day, and which airport).
In the other airports, 75 minutes should be plenty.

Bear in mind that when flying to Spain, you will have to provide Advance
Passenger Information when you check in, so if you're doing it online, keep
your passport handy - you'll need it.

Finally, most full-service airlines in Europe are adapting an "online or
kiosk" checkin policy for coach class travel - so if you don't check-in
online, you'll have to use a machine at the airport. It's pretty
straightforward - you generally just need your booking reference and the
plastic you used to pay for the flight. The machine issues your boarding
pass, and (sometimes) your baggage tag too; you then take your bag to a
drop-off desk.

There is no such thing as curbside checkin anywhere in Europe (unless
someone knows different!)

T

 




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