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Old 18 Nov 19, 12:37 PM  
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#11
neilhd
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Originally Posted by snowbelle View Post
We use the short stay, it is so convenient.
No walking in the bad weather and no waiting for a bus in the cold .
Plus you can pick up coffee and food landside on the way out .
Ah yes, hadn't thought about coffee on the way out - that's a very good point!
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Old 19 Nov 19, 05:35 PM  
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#12
neilhd
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Well this morning turned out to be nice and stressful.

Logged into the BA booking for the return to add some baggage for our return leg as I hadn't done that yet, only to be greeted with a thing saying "Your return flight has been cancelled."

Argh!

Logged into Iberia as that's who it was booked with, and sure enough it said the same thing. So I called Iberia and spoke to a spectacularly unhelpful woman who said, "Yes your return flight is cancelled. I can move you onto an indirect return via Madrid, leaving 5 hours earlier." (therefore ruining our last day there and making us go indirect).

I was not accepting that. She just kept saying "The system is only giving that option". So I helped her by searching on Google Flights and found a Norwegian flight at the right time direct to Gatwick. She of course refused to book me onto that but offered a refund for the return leg.

"Ok, how much is that refund?"
"I can't tell you."
"So, you're offering me a refund for it, but can't tell me how much it is."
"Correct."
"So who can tell me how much it would be for?"
"The refund department."
"Ok, can you go and ask them?"
"No. They don't have a telephone."

I've never had such terrible service in my life! We went round in circles for some time, then I demanded to speak to a supervisor or manager. Apparantly, I would have to call back in 3 or 4 hours to speak to one of those.

At that point, I hung up in disgust. A colleague sitting nearby commended me on my restraint. Doing the call in an open office I had to refrain a bit...

I stewed for a few minutes then decided to call BA. A very helpful chap worked out what was going on. The flight has been outsourced to Evelop, rather than BA operating it directly. So there is still a flight, at that time, with the same flight number, and there's no reason I couldn't be on it. Unfortunately, as it was an Iberia-ticketed booking he couldn't change it himself. He said there was no reason for them to cancel it really.

Anyway, armed with the information from my new BA friend I called Iberia back again and basically said "Hi, my return flight was cancelled. I see it's moved to Evelop and is still operating, can you just make sure I'm on it please." and a very helpful woman sorted it all in about 5 minutes flat.

Why couldn't the first one have done that? !

And I still haven't booked the baggage...
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Old 2 Dec 19, 10:17 AM  
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#13
neilhd
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Been looking at how to get from the airport to the hotel, and back again.

I think I'm satisfied that there is such a thing as a 5-person cab so that'll do from airport to hotel. If not, UberXL will probably be ok.

Going back though is not straightforward due to the fact it is New Years Eve... Waiting for an empty 5-person cab to happen to drive past our hotel is not an option. Uber XL is an option, but with it being NYE and it being Friday rush-hour at the time we want to go, it's highly likely they will be surge pricing, and that could double the cost - or maybe even more.

I looked at Blacklane as I've used them before. I hoped they would have a Black Friday sale as they have done previously but they haven't, and their website says with a straight face that it would cost $265. The day before would be $200 so there's a large NYE tax there.

HolidayTaxis did have a black friday sale that seemed to vary between 20 and 35% everytime I did a search. I eventually booked an "economy transfer" that says its for 5 people for about £75. You don't get to put the pickup time, just your flight departure time. Then the voucher they emailed me after I paid said they will pickup at 19:30. Our flight is at 22:00. Allowing an hour for getting to the airport (easily can happen), then that gets us there at 20:30 - only 90 minutes before our flight. Obviously we need to be there 3 hours before.

So I've emailed them and hopefully they'll reply and sort it out!
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Old 2 Dec 19, 01:34 PM  
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snowbelle
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Originally Posted by neilhd View Post
Been looking at how to get from the airport to the hotel, and back again.

I think I'm satisfied that there is such a thing as a 5-person cab so that'll do from airport to hotel. If not, UberXL will probably be ok.

Going back though is not straightforward due to the fact it is New Years Eve... Waiting for an empty 5-person cab to happen to drive past our hotel is not an option. Uber XL is an option, but with it being NYE and it being Friday rush-hour at the time we want to go, it's highly likely they will be surge pricing, and that could double the cost - or maybe even more.

I looked at Blacklane as I've used them before. I hoped they would have a Black Friday sale as they have done previously but they haven't, and their website says with a straight face that it would cost $265. The day before would be $200 so there's a large NYE tax there.

HolidayTaxis did have a black friday sale that seemed to vary between 20 and 35% everytime I did a search. I eventually booked an "economy transfer" that says its for 5 people for about £75. You don't get to put the pickup time, just your flight departure time. Then the voucher they emailed me after I paid said they will pickup at 19:30. Our flight is at 22:00. Allowing an hour for getting to the airport (easily can happen), then that gets us there at 20:30 - only 90 minutes before our flight. Obviously we need to be there 3 hours before.

So I've emailed them and hopefully they'll reply and sort it out!

Hi Neil ,

Would Supershuttle or Dial7 be an option?
I cant check prices as they need the info to estimate it.
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Old 2 Dec 19, 02:18 PM  
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#15
neilhd
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Originally Posted by snowbelle View Post
Hi Neil ,

Would Supershuttle or Dial7 be an option?
I cant check prices as they need the info to estimate it.
Possibly. I did check Dial7 a while back and thought it was a bit pricey. I've booked the Holiday Taxis one anyway, just have to see what they say about the pickup time!
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Old 2 Dec 19, 03:41 PM  
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#16
baggers
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You will have an amazing time. We spent New Year’s Eve there a few years ago. The tree is breathtaking. You can’t see it as you are walking down the pavement then all of a sudden it is there in all it’s glory.
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Old 2 Dec 19, 10:24 PM  
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#17
floridaphil
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Saw it 3 years ago and I was most impressed. I love Christmas trees and had always wanted to see it, beautiful. We returned the next year but a little earlier and only saw it being assembled but I live in hope. Enjoy yourselves and take loads of pictures.
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Old 3 Dec 19, 02:31 PM  
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#18
neilhd
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HolidayTaxis have come back and confirmed an earlier pickup time for 6pm instead of 7:30pm.

They haven't been able to issue me a new voucher but have assured me the local supplier have this as the pickup time now.

So, either all will be fine, or I will be panic-booking an UberXL at 6:15pm on our final day at enormous cost!
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Old 5 Dec 19, 06:57 PM  
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#19
sunshines
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Join Date: Jul 18
Right...four days... What will you do?
Rockefeller Center for tree -- check. Tell us more.
Would love to read your plans and live vicariously.
Happy Christmas!
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Old 6 Dec 19, 02:34 PM  
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#20
neilhd
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Originally Posted by sunshines View Post
Right...four days... What will you do?
Rockefeller Center for tree -- check. Tell us more.
Would love to read your plans and live vicariously.
Happy Christmas!
The rough plan at the moment reads like this:

Day 1
Empire State
Rockerfeller
Central Park
5th Ave
Times Square

Day 2
Ghostbusters firehouse
Ground zero (just the memorial)
One World Tower
Wall Street
Ferry to Dumbo
Back over Brooklyn Bridge

Day 3
The Vessel
The Highline
Chelsea Market
Friends building/Greenwich village
Central Park (possibly)

Day 4
Ice Skating at Rockerfeller
Central Park (possibly)
6pm pickup from hotel.

I think I can fit in more on Day 4, and the other days aren't set in stone yet either.
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