"Never heard of it" said my wife, when I told her I was headed to Kuala Lumpur on Malindo Air. "Are you sure it's safe?" asked with a degree of paranoia prompted by the ill fate being meted out to airlines born in Malaysia. I told her it's a new airline that flies new aircraft, and that safety is an issue that plagues all airlines today.
Malindo Air; born in 2013 out of wedlock between Lion Air of Indonesia and NADI of Malaysia operates to more stations in India than its other Malaysian sisters. It website says that it offers "low air fare with premium in-flight services included. That means your baggage allowance and in-flight entertainment are taken care of. Fuss-free and no hidden costs." The fare was not exactly low; but then, the cost of traveling to an Air Asia destination within India or flying with the national carrier direct to KL from Mumbai worked out to the same or more. Effectively, Malindo was the cheapest option to fly BOM-KUL direct on the chosen dates.
Check in at Mumbai CSIA terminal T2 was stress free. There was no debate about the size or weight of my carry on luggage (though I am sure I conformed to both); nor that of any other passenger in the queue. Airline allows 20kgs plus hand bag(s). Not much of a line either as the aircraft; a Boeing 727-900ER is configured to carry some 160 passengers in a twin (business [12seats] and economy) configuration. Flight time out of Mumbai is good - 2240 hours - not many international flights at that time and most domestic operators have also landed much of their fleet by then as well. Flight arrived 15 minutes late affecting boarding by the same. Not much delay in leaving the gate and taking off after that.
Aircraft had been cleaned well and looked in good condition. Inflight crew looked young but well trained. There were no blankets kept on the seat and to get one - the passenger had to hand over the boarding card. (On the return leg this procedure was not followed). The blanket material and size was not great though it came sealed in a pack. The seats installed in economy are designed for domestic operations or flights of less than a couple of hours. A seat with proper head and lumber support with a bit more cushioning would have helped enduring a 5+ hour flight. Pitch is decent though. The business class too had seats that resemble premium economy (or old business class seats) on most long haul carriers. Inflight entertainment was limited and was not really useful if you had not carried your own head set. Should have read the website before travel. But, by the time we took off (2320 hours) I had nothing but sleep on my mind. A light dinner was served minutes after aircraft reached its final altitude. It was spartan airline quality meal that does not require me to spend many words to qualify it. Water (500ml) is the only beverage that comes with the meal followed by tea or coffee. A passenger ahead of me asked for beer and was told not available on board. He said that he could see it being served in business class. Was informed that yes it's available up front. So he asked again how he could get it. A witty answer followed that told him book business class next time. (This again is not the norm. On the way back a drink trolley was rolled on a pay for the drink basis). Maybe it's a good idea not to serve alcohol (paid or unpaid) on certain sectors based on time of flight and passenger nationality. I may sound racist here but it takes just one uncontrolled idiot to spoil the flight for the rest.
Rest of the flight was uneventful. Bathrooms were kept generally clean - maybe the effect of "Swach Bharat Abhiyan" that Indians are now paying attention to their loo habits. Flight load - virtually full going into KL and 70% load on the way back.
Landed nearly on time at 7 am (despite the delay in Mumbai). Airline is a resident of KLIA2 - the low cost airline terminal. Luggage is on the belt by the time the passenger clears immigration. It was not as efficient on the way in; but then the immigration desks at Mumbai airport have become much better with the new procedures in place.
My rating - 3 on 5. Would I fly it again. It's not my choice for travel but I will not balk if I am asked to fly it again.
Showing posts with label low cost. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low cost. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2015
Friday, June 20, 2014
Budget travel to London
LOL - title - can it be true? My initial plan for the summer of two zero one four was to visit Bali (Indonesia) and throw in a couple of days in Singapore and possibly Vietnam to get a well rounded dose of fun for everyone in my family. Beaches, shopping, amusement parks, natural wonders, history,great food, great hotels; what more can one ask for?
"Why are we doing Asia again?" I was asked by my united family. "It's hot in summer and the places are so boring" I was told. Well, kids can only kid; and my wife behaves like one when holidays are the topic of discussion. "So where do you want to go?". Prompt came the reply "London - just London if nowhere else close by".
London can be a great idea, except; 15 days. To my mind its too long, boring and super expensive. It's hard to fight the family - specially on subjects like holiday. So, no choice but to change the mindset. The English weather strangely appeals to my entire family; and yes, I would truly not mind a holiday in ol blighty. It took away the task of being too nomadic traveling from place to place. It's not just the capital of UK but of the whole world; and while it may sound like spending too many days there, at the end of it, it's just not enough. I did have a budget in mind and informed my kingdom that we would have to cut on style and expenses for a well measured holiday there. "Put us in a no star hotel, and we don't mind economy class either - just make sure we are on a decent airline" is what I heard back.
There was a time when I could fit my whole family in a room. Now, the children are young adults and having them in the same room is impractical unless the room is 30m2+. As it is - one room in Central London is expensive; two; gulp. Of course there are apartments, but then the good ones are not cheap either and the net saving is barely 15%. Visas; the Brit visa is a near Rs 9000 per head for just 6 months. Airfare; the cheaper fares on good airlines are all non refundable. Shopping; the daughter has now become a consultant to mother and between the two of them my wallet would lose weight very fast. Boy, was I in trouble.
Fortune favours the brave, and it did favour me. I got a relatively good price on Virgin and I booked 2 rooms at the Tune hotel (www.tunehotels.com). Split my stay at two of their properties; that is, at Liverpool st. and King's Cross at an average of GBP 120 a night (in total) inclusive of air-conditioning et all. I knew the rooms were small - but then - it's better than what the family was prepared to cut back to. I develop budget hotels but when it comes to my holidays I love luxury. I don't care much where I stay when on work - but holidays- I don't know. Anyway, I did not have a choice - unless I was prepared to loosen my wallet more (like let it tear) - had to stay in good affordable accommodation in Central London; else, stay a bit further away - which too was not acceptable to us all.
So a budget holiday it would have to be. Would it be fun - let's see. Summary of my experiences:
1. Visas: The visa process is run by VFS and the latest change is that forms have to be filled online ( http://vfsglobal.co.uk/india/ ). Which meant; could do it directly without the help of a travel agent. UK is pretty good about somethings like not insisting on producing air tickets, mediclaim etc. With a filing fee of nearly Rs 9000 for a 6 month short visit visa, the applicant better be serious about visiting. When it comes to the visa costs, I say "I love America". Single fee with the visa term decided based on risk. So also Canada. I think UK should follow suit too unless the pricing for longer duration is intentional to keep the numbers low. It should however have a special deal on family visas. Filing the form online was easy but time consuming. The appointment with VFS straight forward. Got there at the designated time and was let in on time too. With the holiday rush and requirement for presence of all applicants for biometrics registration; we got our turn 4 hours later. VFS charges an obscene amount for sending a SMS and/ or courier to intimate you on your application and deliver it by courier. I avoided the extra charges as I asked and was told that the applicant is informed by email on when to pick up the passports.
2. Airport to hotel: Repeat visitors familiar with London transport know that it has one of the most expensive - yet finest public transport system in the world. I was travelling with wife and 2 kids and my extended family included 7 pieces of luggage in tow. Train or Tube - not practical. Booked a mini cab. Cost - a bit cheaper than if would have travelled by train - with the convenience of an airport to hotel drop. Estate car that could load all of us comfortably from Heathrow to Liverpool St. - GBP 56 (http://www.airporttaxis-uk.co.uk/London-City/qqto.html) Got a quote - filled a form - paid by card. Got a call back from OTS (to India) to confirm the booking and verify the details. Comforting. By the time I got to London, I had the driver's number and cab details. Was greeted at the airport by a friendly Somalian; owner of a very nice Mercedes Van (much larger than the estate I had booked). I did use OTS again and will certainly recommend it.
3. Travel within the City: Black cabs are great - I love them - but only at night when there is no traffic. Daytime; I love to use the bus rather than the underground. If you are going to make only 3 - 4 trips a day in Zone 1; then use the Oyster card for an adult and Child travelcard (zone 1 to 6) for an under 15. Under 11 - no ticket on bus or underground required if traveling with an Oyster card or day travelcard holder. While traveling on the underground, the Oyster card is billed on basis of stations travelled measured by entry and exit point; the bus has a single fare however much the distance (as long as it's in the same bus). Bus fares are much cheaper than the tube - but the trick is to find a bus that takes you exactly where you want so that you don't have to change it. Assure you not difficult. Would use the day off peak travelcard otherwise.( https://account.tfl.gov.uk/oyster ) London is a fab place to walk despite its willyweather and we did take some seriously long treks inside the City.
4. Travel out of the City: National Express or bus services are more economical than trains for sure. Children travel half price, or at times even lower. With the net, it's very easy to figure out the costs. On the train too; there are discounts if traveling as a family or with one more adult. Cost cutting requires a bit of research.
(Take a break from London and visit any of these day visit or more towns Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Windsor, Brighton ( http://www.londontourist.org/trips.html ) Or if shopping excites you then nothing like a visit to http://www.bicestervillage.com/ Designer Outlet.
5. Food: None of us in the family are great fans of true blue fast food and we did not visit any such eatery in all of 15 days there. Most eateries will average out between GBP 10 and 15 per head including beer/wine or soft drink. Ask for the Kid menus - most places have one. Wagamama, Yo Sushi, Itsu for Japanese; Maroush for Lebanese; Dishoom for Indian (with a twist); Busabathai for Thai; Cabana for Brazilian; Royal China for Chinese - were easily our favourites. I quite like the coffee and atmosphere at Costa Coffee; but Starbucks "rocks and rules" all over the world. On my daughter's must have list - Lola Cupcakes http://www.lolas-kitchen.co.uk/ . Yes, they were very good. And on mine - a nice salt beef on rye sandwich with a slice of pickle chased with Earl Grey tea at the Selfridges. A trip to London would never be complete without a visit to a Pub and they are quite economical. Honestly; I am not so much into expensive "see-food" and there are several places in London where GBP 100 a head is just the starting off menu. I am sure its great tasting food and an experience; but its something I would not miss except maybe visiting a Gordon Ramsay restaurant (my online teacher for making great food). Eating at the food stalls at the Spitalfields market or Brick Lane is an experience and so easy on the pocket. It's so nice to sit outside early evening for some coffee and crepes; or an English high tea. As I write, I am drooling at the thought of the scones I had with clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam.
6. Stay: There was a time when lesser than a 3 star hotel was unthinkable. Nowadays, stars really don't matter but reviews on the likes of tripadvisor do. There are plenty of budget options ranging from CitizenM on one (higher) end of the budget spectrum to Premier Inn and easyHotel at the other. Tune, Formule, Ibis and a host of other brands fall somewhere in between. Rooms are small (12 - 16 m2) and service is limited. But there are some expensive many star hotels in london offering maybe 50% more space at 500% higher rates and service that you could frankly forget. What I got at Tune were 2 rooms; 1 with a queen bed and 1 twin. Both rooms adjoining each other (not interconnected). The beds were comfortable, linen and towels quality clean. Space to park large luggage under the beds. We still lived out of bags by making our cabin bags as the wardrobe (Inconvenient) - but then these rooms were not designed for long stay. Bathrooms were small and the shower area really small. But it was clean with Villeroy & Boch fittings. Toiletries were really very good. TV, Aircon, daily towel change, wifi come at a price. I took the pack. It had a tuck shop by the reception that sold hot and cold beverages and small packed eats. Well located with plenty of breakfast and dining options within a 100m radius. It took a day for us all to get used to the rooms and the hotel; after which, neither the size or service were discussed as inconvenience. I still love luxury hotels and would not stay elsewhere at a resort destination; but in a city like London a Tune worked for us just fine. Going a step further in my adventure to be even more budget minded - I would attempt staying at one of the branded designer hostels that have started popping up all over Europe.
7. Attractions: They can cost a small fortune as entry to most tourist traps are pricey. Each person has their own wish list while traveling and while one may believe that I am "Uncle Scrooge" my own opinion is that I am a value seeker. Fortunately, there are lots of things to do in London for free or next to nothing. Spend half a day each at the Hyde Park, Regents Park and Kensington Park (Diana Memorial). Paddle boat in the serpentine (GBP 12 per adult for 30mins) or cycle around the park (GBP 3 per hour) or just laze on the lawns. Several galleries and museums have no admission fee. Then there are markets, concerts, street plays and performances all for free. ( http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/free-london ). Movies are expensive, concerts and plays even more. But the quality of the venues, auditoriums and shows so high that its every penny worth it. The earliest and last birds catch the worm in London when it comes to the best priced (affordable) tickets and there are several licensed ticket vendors around the city from where one can check a pick them up from. For a day of sightseeing; just buy the travelcard and go from place to place atop the London red buses. Beats even the hop-on hop-off bus in terms of price. ( http://www.londonforfree.net/outdoors/bustour/bustour.shtml ). If you are a fan of cricket, go for a game to the Lords or Oval. The tickets are not that pricey. Historic and modern architecture, fancy cars, window shopping, nicely dressed people, watching hundreds of nationalities sharing space with you is just so WOW.
Point is one can do as much or as little in London; and either way you will feel that your holiday and money have evaporated in no time.
My final bill for 15 days (I will keep the shopping aside):
a. Airfare for 4 - GBP 2100 (all adult fare)
b. Hotel - GBP 1800 (2 rooms)
c. Food - GBP 1350
d. Travel -GBP 300 (including trip to-fro airport)
e. Sightseeing, concert, attractions, movies - GBP 500
f. Misc GBP 100 (phone card, adapters and other such things)
g. Weather - Free
Total - GBP 6,150 or 410 a day.
No bad I guess considering that a good 4 star hotel/apartment alone would have set me back by GBP 250 or more.
Some tips for the uninitiated:
- London tap water is safe for drinking and unless you find the taste unappealing; ask for tap water at restaurants and refill your water bottles. Buying bottled water is a waste of money and in any case your tea coffee, lemonade are all made with tap water.
- Many take away eateries run a happy hour just before closing time (hint) which actually happens to be dinner time for most Indians.
- Luxury brands don't announce "sale" and "deals"; but most have it all year round. Ask for marked downs or promotions - else you will never know.
- Don't get VAT invoicing done until you are sure that you have reached an end of your shopping spree. The handling fee per VAT invoice is quite substantial so try and make just one for each outlet.
- There is no difference in price between a regular and visitor Oyster Card. So don't get rushed into buying one overseas. Children between 11 and 15 can travel free on London transport by getting a Junior Oyster ID card. Make sure you do that 3 weeks ahead of visiting. There is a fee of GBP 10 but every penny worth it if your stay exceeds greater than 4 days.
- Discounted concert and theatre tickets can be booked on ticketmaster ( http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ ) with an option to pick them up at the venue.
- Prepaid SIMs. I have stopped using Matrix as they work out quite expensive. Pick up a "Lebera" SIM. Beats the rest in rates and calls from lebara to lebara numbers are free. http://www.lebara.co.uk/
- Lastly; do not convert. You will have a terrible holiday if you do. Go by the bread index of conversion if you still feel like it. On my bread index - GBP 1 = INR 20
"Why are we doing Asia again?" I was asked by my united family. "It's hot in summer and the places are so boring" I was told. Well, kids can only kid; and my wife behaves like one when holidays are the topic of discussion. "So where do you want to go?". Prompt came the reply "London - just London if nowhere else close by".
London can be a great idea, except; 15 days. To my mind its too long, boring and super expensive. It's hard to fight the family - specially on subjects like holiday. So, no choice but to change the mindset. The English weather strangely appeals to my entire family; and yes, I would truly not mind a holiday in ol blighty. It took away the task of being too nomadic traveling from place to place. It's not just the capital of UK but of the whole world; and while it may sound like spending too many days there, at the end of it, it's just not enough. I did have a budget in mind and informed my kingdom that we would have to cut on style and expenses for a well measured holiday there. "Put us in a no star hotel, and we don't mind economy class either - just make sure we are on a decent airline" is what I heard back.
There was a time when I could fit my whole family in a room. Now, the children are young adults and having them in the same room is impractical unless the room is 30m2+. As it is - one room in Central London is expensive; two; gulp. Of course there are apartments, but then the good ones are not cheap either and the net saving is barely 15%. Visas; the Brit visa is a near Rs 9000 per head for just 6 months. Airfare; the cheaper fares on good airlines are all non refundable. Shopping; the daughter has now become a consultant to mother and between the two of them my wallet would lose weight very fast. Boy, was I in trouble.
Fortune favours the brave, and it did favour me. I got a relatively good price on Virgin and I booked 2 rooms at the Tune hotel (www.tunehotels.com). Split my stay at two of their properties; that is, at Liverpool st. and King's Cross at an average of GBP 120 a night (in total) inclusive of air-conditioning et all. I knew the rooms were small - but then - it's better than what the family was prepared to cut back to. I develop budget hotels but when it comes to my holidays I love luxury. I don't care much where I stay when on work - but holidays- I don't know. Anyway, I did not have a choice - unless I was prepared to loosen my wallet more (like let it tear) - had to stay in good affordable accommodation in Central London; else, stay a bit further away - which too was not acceptable to us all.
So a budget holiday it would have to be. Would it be fun - let's see. Summary of my experiences:
1. Visas: The visa process is run by VFS and the latest change is that forms have to be filled online ( http://vfsglobal.co.uk/india/ ). Which meant; could do it directly without the help of a travel agent. UK is pretty good about somethings like not insisting on producing air tickets, mediclaim etc. With a filing fee of nearly Rs 9000 for a 6 month short visit visa, the applicant better be serious about visiting. When it comes to the visa costs, I say "I love America". Single fee with the visa term decided based on risk. So also Canada. I think UK should follow suit too unless the pricing for longer duration is intentional to keep the numbers low. It should however have a special deal on family visas. Filing the form online was easy but time consuming. The appointment with VFS straight forward. Got there at the designated time and was let in on time too. With the holiday rush and requirement for presence of all applicants for biometrics registration; we got our turn 4 hours later. VFS charges an obscene amount for sending a SMS and/ or courier to intimate you on your application and deliver it by courier. I avoided the extra charges as I asked and was told that the applicant is informed by email on when to pick up the passports.
2. Airport to hotel: Repeat visitors familiar with London transport know that it has one of the most expensive - yet finest public transport system in the world. I was travelling with wife and 2 kids and my extended family included 7 pieces of luggage in tow. Train or Tube - not practical. Booked a mini cab. Cost - a bit cheaper than if would have travelled by train - with the convenience of an airport to hotel drop. Estate car that could load all of us comfortably from Heathrow to Liverpool St. - GBP 56 (http://www.airporttaxis-uk.co.uk/London-City/qqto.html) Got a quote - filled a form - paid by card. Got a call back from OTS (to India) to confirm the booking and verify the details. Comforting. By the time I got to London, I had the driver's number and cab details. Was greeted at the airport by a friendly Somalian; owner of a very nice Mercedes Van (much larger than the estate I had booked). I did use OTS again and will certainly recommend it.
3. Travel within the City: Black cabs are great - I love them - but only at night when there is no traffic. Daytime; I love to use the bus rather than the underground. If you are going to make only 3 - 4 trips a day in Zone 1; then use the Oyster card for an adult and Child travelcard (zone 1 to 6) for an under 15. Under 11 - no ticket on bus or underground required if traveling with an Oyster card or day travelcard holder. While traveling on the underground, the Oyster card is billed on basis of stations travelled measured by entry and exit point; the bus has a single fare however much the distance (as long as it's in the same bus). Bus fares are much cheaper than the tube - but the trick is to find a bus that takes you exactly where you want so that you don't have to change it. Assure you not difficult. Would use the day off peak travelcard otherwise.( https://account.tfl.gov.uk/oyster ) London is a fab place to walk despite its willyweather and we did take some seriously long treks inside the City.
4. Travel out of the City: National Express or bus services are more economical than trains for sure. Children travel half price, or at times even lower. With the net, it's very easy to figure out the costs. On the train too; there are discounts if traveling as a family or with one more adult. Cost cutting requires a bit of research.
(Take a break from London and visit any of these day visit or more towns Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Windsor, Brighton ( http://www.londontourist.org/trips.html ) Or if shopping excites you then nothing like a visit to http://www.bicestervillage.com/ Designer Outlet.
5. Food: None of us in the family are great fans of true blue fast food and we did not visit any such eatery in all of 15 days there. Most eateries will average out between GBP 10 and 15 per head including beer/wine or soft drink. Ask for the Kid menus - most places have one. Wagamama, Yo Sushi, Itsu for Japanese; Maroush for Lebanese; Dishoom for Indian (with a twist); Busabathai for Thai; Cabana for Brazilian; Royal China for Chinese - were easily our favourites. I quite like the coffee and atmosphere at Costa Coffee; but Starbucks "rocks and rules" all over the world. On my daughter's must have list - Lola Cupcakes http://www.lolas-kitchen.co.uk/ . Yes, they were very good. And on mine - a nice salt beef on rye sandwich with a slice of pickle chased with Earl Grey tea at the Selfridges. A trip to London would never be complete without a visit to a Pub and they are quite economical. Honestly; I am not so much into expensive "see-food" and there are several places in London where GBP 100 a head is just the starting off menu. I am sure its great tasting food and an experience; but its something I would not miss except maybe visiting a Gordon Ramsay restaurant (my online teacher for making great food). Eating at the food stalls at the Spitalfields market or Brick Lane is an experience and so easy on the pocket. It's so nice to sit outside early evening for some coffee and crepes; or an English high tea. As I write, I am drooling at the thought of the scones I had with clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam.
6. Stay: There was a time when lesser than a 3 star hotel was unthinkable. Nowadays, stars really don't matter but reviews on the likes of tripadvisor do. There are plenty of budget options ranging from CitizenM on one (higher) end of the budget spectrum to Premier Inn and easyHotel at the other. Tune, Formule, Ibis and a host of other brands fall somewhere in between. Rooms are small (12 - 16 m2) and service is limited. But there are some expensive many star hotels in london offering maybe 50% more space at 500% higher rates and service that you could frankly forget. What I got at Tune were 2 rooms; 1 with a queen bed and 1 twin. Both rooms adjoining each other (not interconnected). The beds were comfortable, linen and towels quality clean. Space to park large luggage under the beds. We still lived out of bags by making our cabin bags as the wardrobe (Inconvenient) - but then these rooms were not designed for long stay. Bathrooms were small and the shower area really small. But it was clean with Villeroy & Boch fittings. Toiletries were really very good. TV, Aircon, daily towel change, wifi come at a price. I took the pack. It had a tuck shop by the reception that sold hot and cold beverages and small packed eats. Well located with plenty of breakfast and dining options within a 100m radius. It took a day for us all to get used to the rooms and the hotel; after which, neither the size or service were discussed as inconvenience. I still love luxury hotels and would not stay elsewhere at a resort destination; but in a city like London a Tune worked for us just fine. Going a step further in my adventure to be even more budget minded - I would attempt staying at one of the branded designer hostels that have started popping up all over Europe.
7. Attractions: They can cost a small fortune as entry to most tourist traps are pricey. Each person has their own wish list while traveling and while one may believe that I am "Uncle Scrooge" my own opinion is that I am a value seeker. Fortunately, there are lots of things to do in London for free or next to nothing. Spend half a day each at the Hyde Park, Regents Park and Kensington Park (Diana Memorial). Paddle boat in the serpentine (GBP 12 per adult for 30mins) or cycle around the park (GBP 3 per hour) or just laze on the lawns. Several galleries and museums have no admission fee. Then there are markets, concerts, street plays and performances all for free. ( http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/free-london ). Movies are expensive, concerts and plays even more. But the quality of the venues, auditoriums and shows so high that its every penny worth it. The earliest and last birds catch the worm in London when it comes to the best priced (affordable) tickets and there are several licensed ticket vendors around the city from where one can check a pick them up from. For a day of sightseeing; just buy the travelcard and go from place to place atop the London red buses. Beats even the hop-on hop-off bus in terms of price. ( http://www.londonforfree.net/outdoors/bustour/bustour.shtml ). If you are a fan of cricket, go for a game to the Lords or Oval. The tickets are not that pricey. Historic and modern architecture, fancy cars, window shopping, nicely dressed people, watching hundreds of nationalities sharing space with you is just so WOW.
Point is one can do as much or as little in London; and either way you will feel that your holiday and money have evaporated in no time.
My final bill for 15 days (I will keep the shopping aside):
a. Airfare for 4 - GBP 2100 (all adult fare)
b. Hotel - GBP 1800 (2 rooms)
c. Food - GBP 1350
d. Travel -GBP 300 (including trip to-fro airport)
e. Sightseeing, concert, attractions, movies - GBP 500
f. Misc GBP 100 (phone card, adapters and other such things)
g. Weather - Free
Total - GBP 6,150 or 410 a day.
No bad I guess considering that a good 4 star hotel/apartment alone would have set me back by GBP 250 or more.
Some tips for the uninitiated:
- London tap water is safe for drinking and unless you find the taste unappealing; ask for tap water at restaurants and refill your water bottles. Buying bottled water is a waste of money and in any case your tea coffee, lemonade are all made with tap water.
- Many take away eateries run a happy hour just before closing time (hint) which actually happens to be dinner time for most Indians.
- Luxury brands don't announce "sale" and "deals"; but most have it all year round. Ask for marked downs or promotions - else you will never know.
- Don't get VAT invoicing done until you are sure that you have reached an end of your shopping spree. The handling fee per VAT invoice is quite substantial so try and make just one for each outlet.
- There is no difference in price between a regular and visitor Oyster Card. So don't get rushed into buying one overseas. Children between 11 and 15 can travel free on London transport by getting a Junior Oyster ID card. Make sure you do that 3 weeks ahead of visiting. There is a fee of GBP 10 but every penny worth it if your stay exceeds greater than 4 days.
- Discounted concert and theatre tickets can be booked on ticketmaster ( http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ ) with an option to pick them up at the venue.
- Prepaid SIMs. I have stopped using Matrix as they work out quite expensive. Pick up a "Lebera" SIM. Beats the rest in rates and calls from lebara to lebara numbers are free. http://www.lebara.co.uk/
- Lastly; do not convert. You will have a terrible holiday if you do. Go by the bread index of conversion if you still feel like it. On my bread index - GBP 1 = INR 20
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Baggage and Ryanair
How do I define Ryanair? A low cost limited service airline that offers you great fares in Europe and scares the hell out of you on permissible baggage that you can carry along with you and other such fees.
Accepting the balance that great fares comes with greater penalties I booked Ryanair from Stansted to Cork and from Dublin to Gatwick. My experience:
The booking process is fairly uncomplicated and it does have an informative uncluttered site. Did you know that Ryanair allows
Honestly I did not know it and I think all carriers selling tickets online should follow this example if they are not doing so already. I have lost a small fortune in ticket cancellations on account of date corrections, name corrections, and minor mistakes as the airline would not allow any changes once the booking was made.
I was travelling on a holiday and obviously could not do away with luggage. Ryanair baggage rules state:
The cabin baggage weight allowance is more generous than the 7kg rule set by most other low cost carriers and permitting a decent size second bag is quite a plus. But; a very stern 55x40x20 rule started me and scared me in the face.
How was I and my family going to pack clothes and personal effects for 5 days in what is a traditional overnighter size bag? I had no choice but to book an extra bag, and I opted for a 20kg allowance for GBP 20. I checked all the cabin size bags I had at home and each one was a bit here or there in terms of size as compared to the Ryanair standard. None violated the 55cm and 40cm rule; but all of them were a tad over 20cm. I did a bit of reading on the net and was put at ease by some reviews that basically said that while size does matter; the airline will allow modest variations as long as it does not hit the eye as being too far out. Do note that the 55cm length includes the handles and wheels as well.
I was staying at the Tune Hotel Liverpool st. and had researched my travel options from there to Stansted airport. The hotel is actually a fab option as it too follows the same principles of a budget/low cost limited service carrier; that is, great basic prices with pay for the add-ons. The location is a plus as it is barely 300mts away from Liverpool st. station/underground/national express/london bus.
I had never flown out of Stansted before and was quite looking forward to experiencing an airport that is not as crowded as Heathrow. Taxi is obviously the most expensive option; but when there are 4 passengers - I wondered if taking the train or bus made any sense. Guess it does. National Express A9 cost me GBP 20 and the Stansted Express train from liverpool station would cost me almost as much as children pay half price and the adult fare is GBP 8. Took about an hour to get there - no trouble at all.
Another rule to remember with Ryanair is "Print your boarding card on A4 sheet paper on your own". There is a heavy price to pay for getting it printed at the airport. I had to proceed to baggage drop for two reasons - first, drop the check in luggage; second, get my visa and passport checked. Thank God that people respect queues in the West and despite a bit of a haphazard start; organized queues start taking shape at some point. My check in bag weighed 20.5kgs. The ground agent tagged it and sent it on the conveyor. Relief. Documents checked; boarding card stamped; then off to clear security and on to boarding gate. I checked all my off-size bags at one of the numerous sizing boxes near the check in area. They all cleared the test as none were filled to their seams. But then, there was this lingering tick of getting past the boarding staff.
Once I reached the gate, I was pretty sure that I would not be bothered as the other passengers in the queue had equally unconforming bags; and better still, loaded to max limit I suppose. The baggage bins inside the 737-800 can accommodate any standard cabin size bag and has not been designed specifically for the set size. I think the pressure put on the site is there with the express purpose of either selling bags or maybe making sure that passengers don't abuse the cabin bag allowance. I am all for it if it is to promote the latter practise as I hate sharing space with passengers who virtually carry the equivalent of a full size luggage bag inside the cabin in some form or the other inconveniencing fellow travellers.
On the way back from Dublin, the experience was no different; but for the fact that my check in bag weighed 21.5kg. The ground agent suggested that I reduce some weight else there would be a penalty of 10 Euros. I obliged and transferred about a kg to my cabin bag and that was fine with the handling staff.
I enjoyed my overall experience with Ryanair. It's not a flying monster as some would have us believe but a well thought of operation. I would think the extra charges are a way of deterring passengers from jumping out of the rule box to ensure the efficiency of the operations process. Yes it does make money from those who do jump the rules; but then, why not?
The aircrafts were clean despite a 20 minute turnaround; the staff polite if not friendly; and it even allowed passengers to carry their own food and drinks on board. Add to it a near on time schedule and I am a satisfied customer.
Accepting the balance that great fares comes with greater penalties I booked Ryanair from Stansted to Cork and from Dublin to Gatwick. My experience:
The booking process is fairly uncomplicated and it does have an informative uncluttered site. Did you know that Ryanair allows
"PRE-FLIGHT CHANGES
24 Hour Grace Period for Minor Booking Errrors
Customers who book directly on the Ryanair.com website have a 24 hour grace period from the time of original booking, to correct any minor errors (i.e. spelling of names, incorrect routings/dates) made in their original booking.
Please contact Reservations where we will be happy to assist you."
I was travelling on a holiday and obviously could not do away with luggage. Ryanair baggage rules state:
CABIN BAGGAGE
One cabin bag per passenger* weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, plus 1 small bag up to 35 x 20 x 20 cms.
Due to cabin space limitations only 90 cabin bags (55 x 40 x 20 cms) can be carried in the cabin, any remainder will be carried free of charge in the aircraft hold.
Oversized cabin baggage will be refused at the boarding gate, or where available, placed in the hold of the aircraft for a fee of £50/€50 (fee subject to VAT on domestic flights at applicable government rates). If you are unsure, check at the Bag Drop desk before going through security.
The cabin baggage weight allowance is more generous than the 7kg rule set by most other low cost carriers and permitting a decent size second bag is quite a plus. But; a very stern 55x40x20 rule started me and scared me in the face.
How was I and my family going to pack clothes and personal effects for 5 days in what is a traditional overnighter size bag? I had no choice but to book an extra bag, and I opted for a 20kg allowance for GBP 20. I checked all the cabin size bags I had at home and each one was a bit here or there in terms of size as compared to the Ryanair standard. None violated the 55cm and 40cm rule; but all of them were a tad over 20cm. I did a bit of reading on the net and was put at ease by some reviews that basically said that while size does matter; the airline will allow modest variations as long as it does not hit the eye as being too far out. Do note that the 55cm length includes the handles and wheels as well.
I was staying at the Tune Hotel Liverpool st. and had researched my travel options from there to Stansted airport. The hotel is actually a fab option as it too follows the same principles of a budget/low cost limited service carrier; that is, great basic prices with pay for the add-ons. The location is a plus as it is barely 300mts away from Liverpool st. station/underground/national express/london bus.
I had never flown out of Stansted before and was quite looking forward to experiencing an airport that is not as crowded as Heathrow. Taxi is obviously the most expensive option; but when there are 4 passengers - I wondered if taking the train or bus made any sense. Guess it does. National Express A9 cost me GBP 20 and the Stansted Express train from liverpool station would cost me almost as much as children pay half price and the adult fare is GBP 8. Took about an hour to get there - no trouble at all.
Another rule to remember with Ryanair is "Print your boarding card on A4 sheet paper on your own". There is a heavy price to pay for getting it printed at the airport. I had to proceed to baggage drop for two reasons - first, drop the check in luggage; second, get my visa and passport checked. Thank God that people respect queues in the West and despite a bit of a haphazard start; organized queues start taking shape at some point. My check in bag weighed 20.5kgs. The ground agent tagged it and sent it on the conveyor. Relief. Documents checked; boarding card stamped; then off to clear security and on to boarding gate. I checked all my off-size bags at one of the numerous sizing boxes near the check in area. They all cleared the test as none were filled to their seams. But then, there was this lingering tick of getting past the boarding staff.
Once I reached the gate, I was pretty sure that I would not be bothered as the other passengers in the queue had equally unconforming bags; and better still, loaded to max limit I suppose. The baggage bins inside the 737-800 can accommodate any standard cabin size bag and has not been designed specifically for the set size. I think the pressure put on the site is there with the express purpose of either selling bags or maybe making sure that passengers don't abuse the cabin bag allowance. I am all for it if it is to promote the latter practise as I hate sharing space with passengers who virtually carry the equivalent of a full size luggage bag inside the cabin in some form or the other inconveniencing fellow travellers.
On the way back from Dublin, the experience was no different; but for the fact that my check in bag weighed 21.5kg. The ground agent suggested that I reduce some weight else there would be a penalty of 10 Euros. I obliged and transferred about a kg to my cabin bag and that was fine with the handling staff.
I enjoyed my overall experience with Ryanair. It's not a flying monster as some would have us believe but a well thought of operation. I would think the extra charges are a way of deterring passengers from jumping out of the rule box to ensure the efficiency of the operations process. Yes it does make money from those who do jump the rules; but then, why not?
The aircrafts were clean despite a 20 minute turnaround; the staff polite if not friendly; and it even allowed passengers to carry their own food and drinks on board. Add to it a near on time schedule and I am a satisfied customer.
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