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Is going abroad less stressful than it used to be

We stopped going about 10/12 years ago as we seemed to come across so many friends and family that had problems. Flight delays, poor service and accommodation and coming back with usually gyppy tums. I must admit we only had the odd delay, and not too long, but often had gyppy tums even after avoiding salads, ice and such.

We only went on the Spanish types of destinations Canarys usually or the odd Madeira or Greece. So my question is are flight delays, on this sort of destination, still an issue and are people coming back with illnesses as we thought we may be tempted to try again. :confused:
A retired senior partner, in own agency, with 40 years experience in property sales & new build. In latter part of career specialising in commercial - mostly business sales.
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Comments

  • RaiderHammer
    RaiderHammer Posts: 685 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I think you will find improvements to the accomodation and transport. Being ill seems also to be less of a problem now, maybe helped by the more diverse food we eat here now.

    Give it a try and enjoy.
  • I tend to book flights then find somewhere to stay. Never had much problem with delays maybe flight 10 minutes late taking off but making up for it and arriiving on time. I have been to Barcelona x3, Milan, Dublin x2, Stolkholm, Faro and off to Madrid and Malta later this year. To be honest the longest I have waited has been going through passport control when I arrive back in this country. I have been to Cornwall loads of times and this has got to be one of the most stressful journeys possible, lasting at least 7 hours (I live in Portsmouth) and worried about connections due to severe lack of transport in area and whether you have to stand when you change trains for at least the second time, plus the cost is atrocious often coming to £63 train with railcard. I would just as soon go abroad and be there in half the time.
  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 13,761 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What has worsened over the last 10 years is the airport experience. Back then if you arrived 2 hours before the flight you would end up with 90 minutes wait at the gate.

    Now 2 hours may not be long enough to go through all the security checks.

    The return is no easier.
  • swiss69
    swiss69 Posts: 355 Forumite
    daveyjp wrote: »
    What has worsened over the last 10 years is the airport experience. Back then if you arrived 2 hours before the flight you would end up with 90 minutes wait at the gate.

    Now 2 hours may not be long enough to go through all the security checks.

    The return is no easier.


    Agreed, the airport both ways is horrendous now at times. Accomodation is only better if you research it yourself on trip advisor or similar.
  • PolishBigSpender
    PolishBigSpender Posts: 3,771 Forumite
    chickmug wrote: »
    We only went on the Spanish types of destinations Canarys usually or the odd Madeira or Greece. So my question is are flight delays, on this sort of destination, still an issue and are people coming back with illnesses as we thought we may be tempted to try again. :confused:

    No wonder you had all sorts of problems if you went to such classless destinations.
    From Poland...with love.

    They are (they're)
    sitting on the floor.
    Their
    books are lying on the floor.
    The books are sitting just there on the floor.
  • omelette451
    omelette451 Posts: 1,900 Forumite
    daveyjp wrote: »
    Now 2 hours may not be long enough to go through all the security checks.

    I don't think it's ever taken me two hours to go through security. The longest queue I've been in was 45 minutes at Manchester, but even this was many times greater than the next longest. The queue at Liverpool is rarely longer than 10 minutes, and the last two times I've been at Gatwick (admittedly the less-busy North terminal, but still) I've walked straight through with no queue at all. To the OP I'd say go for it. We Brits have become much more adventurous and open in recent years, and it's great to take advantage of the many opportunities a globalised, open, friendly world offers us. That said, I'd agree with PBS - how about going to Italy, Austria or Poland rather than the Costas del Boredom?
  • omelette451
    omelette451 Posts: 1,900 Forumite
    Bronnie wrote: »
    Does PBS really mean 'classless'? :confused:
    Or does he/she mean the opposite?

    I think she means 'without class'. :p
  • Bronnie
    Bronnie Posts: 4,171 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    'Without class' as in 'egalitarian'?

    Canary Islands, Spain, Greece, Madeira....... places that can be enjoyed by everyone equally do you think he/she means?
  • omelette451
    omelette451 Posts: 1,900 Forumite
    Bronnie wrote: »
    'Without class' as in 'egalitarian'?

    No, I took it as not referring at all to social class (lower/upper/alien); I was thinking of 'without class' in the sense of 'not classy, downmarket, etc'.
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