Help -Travel arrangements for elderly man

tiamaria

I have the joyous task of making travel arrangements for a gentleman in his 80's who wishes to travel from Cyprus to Cornwall this Xmas.

I've managed to find suitable Easyjet flights but have some questions.

If I'm booking return flights should I add 2 bags? 1 for each journey or does the "add baggage" button add the baggage for both ways? In other words is it £18 each way or in total?

Also, will he have to check in in advance like Ryanair? As he lives abroad and does not know how to use a PC I'm not sure if this can be done & I don't want him to find out at the airport he has to pay £40 suddenly.

I've hopefully worked it out as simply as possible for him, flights to Bristol, take the 24 hr shuttle to Temple Meads Station, overnight stay at a hotel (Must be very close due to his age and mobility, recommendations welcome-Holiday Inn Express looks OK?), and then he can walk to the station and catch a train to Cornwall in the morning.

Are there any problems I could encounter doing this for him?I will have to post tickets and any other information to him. It's down to me to make the trip as easy as possible.
TIA:D

spiro

1) When you add a bag that is 1 bag each way.
2) Yes you will need to checkin online and print boarding passes. Is there not a friend in Cyprus who can do this for him?
3) If he has mobility problems then you may find ytou have to tell the airline in advance (you do with Ryanair) as they only take 4 such passengers per flight.

PasturesNew

Have you considered/costed flying from Bristol to Cornwall? Airsouthwest do 2 flights a day, at £50-70 you could have him sent by taxi from the airport to just about anywhere quicker/cheaper than a hotel and the train.

whatmichaelsays

spiro wrote: »

1) When you add a bag that is 1 bag each way.
2) Yes you will need to checkin online and print boarding passes. Is there not a friend in Cyprus who can do this for him?
3) If he has mobility problems then you may find ytou have to tell the airline in advance (you do with Ryanair) as they only take 4 such passengers per flight.

Online check-in isn't mandatory with Easyjet

misa.blue

Hi!
The £18 bag is both way, so book just one.

I would deffinately reccommend you to arrange special assistance with Easyjet! It is free and he will be helped to get on plane and everything. I always book this for my 73 years old dad and he agrees it is great help.
They can as well get wheel chair for him if needed.
Bristol airport has expanded recently and have new gates, which are nearly 1 kilometer walk to the terminal, so if he is not fit, he might appreciate the wheel chair as there is nowhere to sit and rest on the way!
Hope you have nice family Christmas

tiamaria

Thanks for your replies – some helpful suggestions there.

@ Pastures New – no I didn’t think of flying BRS to NQY, I had a look at LGW to NQY but the times didn’t tally and it was very expensive as he’s travelling a couple of days before Xmas. I will have a look at the BRS-NQY option – but our problem is that the Bristol flights land at 22.20 making it too late to get a flight/train/bus down to Cornwall.

We’ve looked at airport taxi transfers in the local rag and thought them too dear but I may just ring up for a couple of quotes.;)

I haven’t seen him for a few years now so I’m not quite sure on the state of his mobility, I know he’s not as fit as he was but I don’t think he’ll need special assistance though I want to arrange it so he has as little walking to do as possible. I will find out for sure though so thanks.:T

Can someone clarify the online check in please? Will he have to pay more if he doesn’t do this? Can I do this for him from the UK & then post tickets to him?

alanrowell

Easyjet doesn't charge extra for check-in at the airport, but there's nothing stopping you or better still someone in Cyprus printing off his boarding cards

misa.blue

You don't need to do online check in advance.
There is no charge for doing it at the airport, if he have suitcases he will still have to queue at check in desk anyway.

charlea

tiamaria wrote: »

I have the joyous task of making travel arrangements for a gentleman in his 80's who wishes to travel from Cyprus to Cornwall this Xmas.

I've managed to find suitable Easyjet flights but have some questions.

If I'm booking return flights should I add 2 bags? 1 for each journey or does the "add baggage" button add the baggage for both ways? In other words is it £18 each way or in total?

Also, will he have to check in in advance like Ryanair? As he lives abroad and does not know how to use a PC I'm not sure if this can be done & I don't want him to find out at the airport he has to pay £40 suddenly.

I've hopefully worked it out as simply as possible for him, flights to Bristol, take the 24 hr shuttle to Temple Meads Station, overnight stay at a hotel (Must be very close due to his age and mobility, recommendations welcome-Holiday Inn Express looks OK?), and then he can walk to the station and catch a train to Cornwall in the morning.

Are there any problems I could encounter doing this for him?I will have to post tickets and any other information to him. It's down to me to make the trip as easy as possible.
TIA:D

the closest hotel to the train station would be the holiday inn express bristol - its fine snall resturant/bar ect there - the airport bus stops right in the train station temple meads and the hotel is a two mins walk awayfrom station basically right opposite the main entrance

next closest would be the city inn bristol or the novatel hotel on victoria st but these are approximently 5 mins walk from the station
im sure though you could get a taxi if necessary from the station even though its very short hop


if none of these are availble then the Premier inn (Haymarket) is directly behind the bus station where the airport bus services ends and he would need to get a taxi the next day to the station there is beefeater resturant below and it a good option if the holiday inn express isnt availble

definalty ask for the special asssitance the new terminals at bristol are really long and there are lots of steps as well

easy jet you just check in at the airport if he has a mobile you could text him the flight details /number as long as his luggage is not overweight 20kilos and that all his hand luggage is in the correct size case he will be fine

the bags im pretty sure are for the whole of the journey unless you book one way
i flew with them the other day to inverness from bristol and didnt check in online just went to the desk and gave them my name and what flight i was on and they gave me the ticket


one other thing that may be worth it is at bristol you can do a fast check in thing where you bypass all the peopele queing to get through security i think its cost a fiver or something but worth it

also remind him to put any liquids over 100 ml in the main luggage not in hand luggage especially if he is bringing over presents like perfume ect