PDA

View Full Version : Going to Europe and need advise please.



FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 10:21 AM
Will be going to Parris and need ideas on which airlines coach class is the best. First class seems to be like 10 grand a ticket. Any travel agents that specialize in Europe?

LAFD
07-11-2006, 10:24 AM
Will be going to Parris and need ideas on which airlines coach class is the best. First class seems to be like 10 grand a ticket. Any travel agents that specialize in Europe?
not sure but if you need someone to watch the house you know who to call. :crossx:

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 10:27 AM
not sure but if you need someone to watch the house you know who to call. :crossx:
Kegs always cold for you!

Ziggy
07-11-2006, 10:33 AM
I've flown United, Lufthansa, SwissAir and I think Continental(probably others too).......Of all those the best in flight service I recieved was with SwissAir, handsdown...
I think all are fine but the wife and I both noticed how well the treatment was on Swiss.
Shop the tix on-line.
Enjoy your time in Europe.

LAFD
07-11-2006, 10:33 AM
Kegs always cold for you!
you da man. :crossx:

RitcheyRch
07-11-2006, 10:34 AM
I have flown to Europe on Northwest and British Airways.

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 10:37 AM
I guess what I mean is who has the biggest seats and most leg room. I am a big kid and want to stretch out as mush as my coach ticket will allow. I hear there is a huge difference.

bunny 166
07-11-2006, 10:40 AM
I guess what I mean is who has the biggest seats and most leg room. I am a big kid and want to stretch out as mush as my coach ticket will allow. I hear there is a huge difference.
I hope there's room in the Swissair aisles for the Coors Light Dance, LOL :crossx: :crossx: ....Have a great time in Europe Mike!!!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/2066IMG_1444.JPG

RitcheyRch
07-11-2006, 10:44 AM
Northwest doesnt have a 1st class on flights to Europe. They have business class. I sat upstairs on a 747-400 on my trip and it was comfortable.

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 11:10 AM
I hope there's room in the Swissair aisles for the Coors Light Dance, LOL :crossx: :crossx: ....Have a great time in Europe Mike!!!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/2066IMG_1444.JPG
Thats funny! I forgot you had that pic. Now delete it!!!! We need another bonding day!!!

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 11:11 AM
Northwest doesnt have a 1st class on flights to Europe. They have business class. I sat upstairs on a 747-400 on my trip and it was comfortable.
Thanks man!

RitcheyRch
07-11-2006, 11:13 AM
No problem. Also, they have been known to have the geriatrics of flight attendants.
Thanks man!

INSman
07-11-2006, 11:14 AM
Check Ebay for some Business Class tickets or some of the Cheap Seats.com websites and such.

Steamin' Rice
07-11-2006, 11:17 AM
If you're flying coach, try to book a flight on a non US airline. The US airlines don't have free drinks on international flights anymore, and overall the service doesn't seem to be as good. I just came back from a Europe trip on British Airways and it was OK.
If you can manage to get either an exit row seat or a seat behind a bulkhead you can get a little extra legroom.
Check on this site for more details on good seats..
http://www.seatguru.com/

Bre
07-11-2006, 11:20 AM
Must be nice Mikey... if you need someone to watch the kids let me know ;) Tell Ann Marie I said hello :)

DILLIGAF
07-11-2006, 11:21 AM
Check with Rocky AKA Boat Floating. I think he started a travel company recently via the internet.

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 11:23 AM
Must be nice Mikey... if you need someone to watch the kids let me know ;) Tell Ann Marie I said hello :)
I would kill to have you watch the kids!! You would be wrecked after 10 days with mine!!xoxo

Bre
07-11-2006, 11:27 AM
I would kill to have you watch the kids!! You would be wrecked after 10 days with mine!!xoxo
I'd have soo much fun! Plus it would help pass the time on the days I didn't have my own kids.....

sigepmock
07-11-2006, 11:39 AM
Definately go business class, my parents just left last week going to visit grandma in Paris. Lots more leg room. I'm 6'-2" and won't fly any other way. 9 hours in coach and I'm ready to kill everyone.
Let me know if you want a guided tour from a local crazy french lady that's 5 foot tall, 80 years old and out parties me and all my friends. My grandmother "Mimi", as we call her(I don't know why just do) loves to take Americans around town and she can get you into all the good spots. PM me if you're interested and think you can keep up with her :)
Chris

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 12:00 PM
Definately go business class, my parents just left last week going to visit grandma in Paris. Lots more leg room. I'm 6'-2" and won't fly any other way. 9 hours in coach and I'm ready to kill everyone.
Let me know if you want a guided tour from a local crazy french lady that's 5 foot tall, 80 years old and out parties me and all my friends. My grandmother "Mimi", as we call her(I don't know why just do) loves to take Americans around town and she can get you into all the good spots. PM me if you're interested and think you can keep up with her :)
Chris
Thanks bro that was a freakin crack-up! I am going to see my sister-in-law that know the whole country really well. Looks like Buisiness class is in the 5 grand range and there is four of us!!!!! 20 grand!!!! Ouch. Mabe I will stick the family in the back and be the baller up front. I hear ya on the kill everyone thing. I can barly make it to Cabo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well!! Thanks again.

TrojanDan
07-11-2006, 01:03 PM
I flew Air Tahiti Nui from LAX direct to Paris in March. I left on a Monday around 11am local time and got to Paris around 6:30am Tuesday Paris time. The plane was maybe 1/2 full. I had an aisle to myself. I got a prescription for Ambien from my doctor to help me sleep (I can't sleep on planes). Does the service really matter if you're knocked out for 5 or 6 hours of the flight. If so, there service was decent.
I spent 4 days in Normandy touring WWII sights then the last few days in Paris checking out the other cool stuff. Paris in July/August will be hot and crowded!

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-11-2006, 01:06 PM
I flew Air Tahiti Nui from LAX direct to Paris in March. I left on a Monday around 11am local time and got to Paris around 6:30am Tuesday Paris time. The plane was maybe 1/2 full. I had an aisle to myself. I got a prescription for Ambien from my doctor to help me sleep (I can't sleep on planes). Does the service really matter if you're knocked out for 5 or 6 hours of the flight. If so, there service was decent.
I spent 4 days in Normandy touring WWII sights then the last few days in Paris checking out the other cool stuff. Paris in July/August will be hot and crowded!
Thats what I am leaning to. In Sept the flights are $740 a piece. Seams like the way to go so far.

Ziggy
07-11-2006, 01:11 PM
If you can manage to get either an exit row seat or a seat behind a bulkhead you can get a little extra legroom.
Check on this site for more details on good seats..
http://www.seatguru.com/
Bulkhead seats you get extra room in front of you for sure...tray table sucks though(the kind that pop out of armrest).
Exit row seat make sure its the seats just aft of the doors, sometimes the seats just ahead of the door don't fully recline...

kanedog
07-11-2006, 01:12 PM
Thai airways if they have it. Service like they love you long time. You can feel the calm, soothing feeling as soon as you walk on the plane. No begging for drinks or extra food. No bitchy flying waitresses. they are great.

sigepmock
07-11-2006, 01:14 PM
Also look at using one of those airline credit cards. My parents got one and pretty much used it for everything for 3 months....then used their reward points to make the upgrade to business class. A big baller like you could get enough points in no time :)
Sept. is nice, just expect a little rain. Good luck,
Chris

TrojanDan
07-11-2006, 01:20 PM
Thats what I am leaning to. In Sept the flights are $740 a piece. Seams like the way to go so far.
September is a better month but I think October would be an ideal time if you can swing it. You'll probably get better deals on hotel also. I stayed around the Notre Dame Cathedral and was close to the subway and nearby attractions.
Remember, you get boned on the US dollar vs. Euro exchange rate when you get there.

ECeptor
07-12-2006, 05:16 AM
I've flow United and Lufthansa a bunch to Europe - United is fine, Lufthansa I avoid like the plauge.
777's are great jets - fast and smooth. 747's aren't bad either. The best coach seat I had was the window seat, last row in a 747. It narrows to only 2 wide back there and the window seat has a nice triangle area of extra leg room (seats ahead of it are 3 wide) which really helps when you are 6'2"+ like me.
Get some $$$s changed to Euro here at your local bank. They will do it at a much lower charge than the airport or any place over there. Almost every place will take Visa, but it's always a good idea to carry cash.
I don't know about France, but in Italy you never, never leave anything valuable in your car. Also, watch for pick-pockets in the bigger cities (Rome, Paris, etc.). I've never had problems with either of those two, but was strongly warned by my European coworkers about it.
Take a laptop or DVD player along with you. That plus head phones really make the trip go by much, much faster. Also go to Best Buy and for less than $20 you can pick up an electrical adapter kit that will allow you to plug into just about any outlet over there. Just be sure your electronics you plug in (shaver, DVD player, laptop, her hair crap, etc.) have the "EU" symbol on the back.
Have fun!!!

H20 Toie
07-12-2006, 05:26 AM
If your going to Paris just be prepared for a hassle, they don't really like americans and make it a pain in the ass. the people in the rest of France were real cool just not Paris. The country is amazing and there is so much to see but when i was there we left early and went up to England since we got so filled up with the bull we were getting in Paris

Tremor Girl
07-12-2006, 05:43 AM
We'll (more like I'll) watch the dogs but it will cost you a trip to Italy :D :D :D

ECeptor
07-12-2006, 07:24 AM
We'll (more like I'll) watch the dogs but it will cost you a trip to Italy :D :D :D
Now you're talking. Italy - best place to visit in Europe, IMHO.

One Particular Harbor
07-12-2006, 07:37 AM
and then book a short, inxpensive flight to Paris from London. With Virgin you can fly Premium Economy for about $1,600 per seat. It's not quite business class, but you will get a bigger seat, more legroom, better food and better service.
My company is headquartered in London and I am in Europe about once a month. I fly American, mostly, because I do most of my US travel on American Airlines as well and its good to have my miles in one place. Booked well in advance, you can get about a $4,000 business class ticket on most airlines; but that's about as good as it gets. I have also flown British Airlines, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, and United to Europe and, honestly, they're all about the same (give or take). Coach is pretty much the same on all of the airlines...if you can get an exit row or a bulkhead seat, you will get more legroom, but the seat's still a little cramped.
Give Virgin a shot if you want a good value on a little more room. Most of the flights from the West Coast go through London anyway, or require you to switch planes in New York (which, in my opinion, is worse).
My wife and I have been to Paris several times for vacation over the last three years. Don't believe everything you read about Parisians. Just like anywhere, some people are nice and friendly, some aren't. I honestly can count only one bad experience in Paris in, say, eight or nine trips to France.
Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions about travel or Paris...we've learned a few tricks of the trade over the last several years.
By the way, I have been trying to talk my wife into buying your boat :) Very nice.
OPH

BoatFloating
07-12-2006, 07:43 AM
Check with Rocky AKA Boat Floating. I think he started a travel company recently via the internet.
Thanks Tom.....
Mike you are such a dork..... No wondering they call you Dorkman.. You can book it all HERE!!!!! (http://www.rockyourworld.worldventures.com/)
Call me dumbass.... :yuk:

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-12-2006, 09:00 AM
Thanks Tom.....
Mike you are such a dork..... No wondering they call you Dorkman.. You can book it all HERE!!!!! (http://www.rockyourworld.worldventures.com/)
Call me dumbass.... :yuk:
I know you dork!!! I was trying to get flight info and pick brains!!! I will go back to your cheezie little site when I am ready to book it!

FREIND OF AA AND TA
07-12-2006, 09:01 AM
and then book a short, inxpensive flight to Paris from London. With Virgin you can fly Premium Economy for about $1,600 per seat. It's not quite business class, but you will get a bigger seat, more legroom, better food and better service.
My company is headquartered in London and I am in Europe about once a month. I fly American, mostly, because I do most of my US travel on American Airlines as well and its good to have my miles in one place. Booked well in advance, you can get about a $4,000 business class ticket on most airlines; but that's about as good as it gets. I have also flown British Airlines, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, and United to Europe and, honestly, they're all about the same (give or take). Coach is pretty much the same on all of the airlines...if you can get an exit row or a bulkhead seat, you will get more legroom, but the seat's still a little cramped.
Give Virgin a shot if you want a good value on a little more room. Most of the flights from the West Coast go through London anyway, or require you to switch planes in New York (which, in my opinion, is worse).
My wife and I have been to Paris several times for vacation over the last three years. Don't believe everything you read about Parisians. Just like anywhere, some people are nice and friendly, some aren't. I honestly can count only one bad experience in Paris in, say, eight or nine trips to France.
Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions about travel or Paris...we've learned a few tricks of the trade over the last several years.
By the way, I have been trying to talk my wife into buying your boat :) Very nice.
OPH
Thanks I will PM you when it gets closer. Let me know if you want a test drive.

Ken F
07-12-2006, 10:09 AM
My wife is french, and even the french hate Parisians.....think they are stuck up and snobbish...which most are. While you are there, Normandy is really great, and just west of Normandie visit Mt. St. Michelle!!! google it-it's worth your time.
Ken F