A question for those in North East England

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Geordie boy 57

Thanks for that
Nice to have further options
We are so restricted on getting cheap flights here in Newcastle
Looked at the BA option from London
But the transfer from LHR to LGW puts me off
Why they stopped flights from Newcastle to LGW !

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Hey up GB... just to add to Kirsty's (hiya Kirsty ) post about the trains. We occasionally use Red Spotted Hanky but after checking out the National Rail website we used them last Nov, ojp.nationalrail/servic...journey/search
It was odd as they offerred fares cheaper than all the others, click on fares and it goes to Transpennine Express, who honour the price even tho their website is dearer! TPE offer an Easement for Man and Liverpool pax, irrespective of rail ticket type. If your flight's delayed present your rail tickets to the station desk clerk, they'll look at their arrivals board, countersign and put you on the next train. You don't need proof from the airline. A handy service we've utilised twice.

Generally fares have increased, tho if you buy a family railcard as Kirsty suggested you'll save more. We paid £15.50pp Durham to Man Airport last Nov, easy change at York, off one platform and walk across to the other. I booked our 20th May train home at the 12 week advance at £32pp, generally they start around £26 on the return. I don't use The Train Line or any site that charges a booking/cc fee. VirginEastCoast also offer fares and you get VA miles. May transfer Tesco points to Red Spotted Hanky but have to time it right as the e-voucher is only valid for 6 months. RSH do charge a £1 booking fee, but that's for the whole booking, not pp, although I did notice RSH fares were the highest. TPE don't charge any fees, free post of your tickets. We have to collect our Man to Durham tickets at the airport as we're in Fl when I book our return train. There's no self print ticket option on this route.

Currently TPE are offferring some 'no change' trains from Ncl to Man Airport, that may change with the winter timetable, back to a York or Leeds change. TPE offer what's called a 'Weekend First', you board your train and if you can grab seats in First Class you pay the Guard £10. It used to be £6 but increased sometime after we travelled last November. We usually 'Weekend First' on the way to Man Airport but not on the return as our York to Durham connection is aboard Cross Country and they don't honour TPE's Weekend First.

If you're interested in a hotel, hubs and I stay at Heald Green Premier Inn as it's 167 yard walk from the railway station. We opt to change at Man Airport rather than Man Piccaddily tho, only because it's easier at the far smaller Man Airport station. PI Reception book us a £6 taxi to the terminal for the morning. HG town is a few mins walk away, it has plenty of restaurants/take aways/Tesco, or you can eat at the attached Beefeater. The aircraft come right overhead and whilst some complain we actually like it, going for a walk to watch them come over the top of the hotel afore hitting the runway a few seconds later. The PI has double glazing so you don't hear them much.

FlyBe stopped the Ncl to LGW route and handed it over to Easyjet in 2013... they ran it for a short while and then dropped it March 2015. If you decided to try the train to LGW believe it or not it's quite simple, perhaps not so much on the return tho. Ncl to Kings Cross, a few mins walk out the side door to St Pancras where you jump on the train from Bedford that stops at LGW. We used that service Jan 2012 but our return flight was into Manchester. We bought the train tickets separately, Dhm to KX, St Pan to LGW, it was cheaper and the St Pan to LGW is an 'anytime' ticket.

Hope some of the above is helpful

[dippiedawnie]

We have tried all sorts of ways over the years. I quite likes NCL to Amsterdam and then to MCO but you need the first flight out of NCL and if it's delayed or cancelled you loose a day. Also done down to London but again it's quite a long wait on way back when you are tired. The last few times we have just gone direct from Manchester. Less hassle. Have considered via Dublin but not tried it yet.
We are in Durham.

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by dippiedawnie

We have tried all sorts of ways over the years. I quite likes NCL to Amsterdam and then to MCO but you need the first flight out of NCL and if it's delayed or cancelled you loose a day. Also done down to London but again it's quite a long wait on way back when you are tired. The last few times we have just gone direct from Manchester. Less hassle. Have considered via Dublin but not tried it yet.
We are in Durham.

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Hiya DD... we flew Ncl to Dublin in Nov 2015, had two nights with our Dublin pals, then flew on the 6pm Aer Lingus (operated by Eddie Stobart) into Manchester, overnighted, onto MCO the following morn. We preferred that option to having to be up at 3am to catch the 6am flight to Manchester then onward to MCO.

As we take the train to Man Airport it was pretty much 6 and two 3's on flight/train fare with the bonus of seeing our friends.

My brother tried the A'dam option once a few years ago, he said it was torture, particularly on the return, and would never so so again.

[Holiday-mum]

We flew from newcastle, it was great not having to travel down to Manchester. The Dreamliner was great.

[katy341]

We are going Leeds to Dublin to clear immigration then on to mco... this is for Feb...2adults 1 young adult and 3 children with aer lingus and has cost £2205.18! X

[Geordie boy 57]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Hey up GB... just to add to Kirsty's (hiya Kirsty ) post about the trains. We occasionally use Red Spotted Hanky but after checking out the National Rail website we used them last Nov, ojp.nationalrail/servic...journey/search
It was odd as they offerred fares cheaper than all the others, click on fares and it goes to Transpennine Express, who honour the price even tho their website is dearer! TPE offer an Easement for Man and Liverpool pax, irrespective of rail ticket type. If your flight's delayed present your rail tickets to the station desk clerk, they'll look at their arrivals board, countersign and put you on the next train. You don't need proof from the airline. A handy service we've utilised twice.

Generally fares have increased, tho if you buy a family railcard as Kirsty suggested you'll save more. We paid £15.50pp Durham to Man Airport last Nov, easy change at York, off one platform and walk across to the other. I booked our 20th May train home at the 12 week advance at £32pp, generally they start around £26 on the return. I don't use The Train Line or any site that charges a booking/cc fee. VirginEastCoast also offer fares and you get VA miles. May transfer Tesco points to Red Spotted Hanky but have to time it right as the e-voucher is only valid for 6 months. RSH do charge a £1 booking fee, but that's for the whole booking, not pp, although I did notice RSH fares were the highest. TPE don't charge any fees, free post of your tickets. We have to collect our Man to Durham tickets at the airport as we're in Fl when I book our return train. There's no self print ticket option on this route.

Currently TPE are offferring some 'no change' trains from Ncl to Man Airport, that may change with the winter timetable, back to a York or Leeds change. TPE offer what's called a 'Weekend First', you board your train and if you can grab seats in First Class you pay the Guard £10. It used to be £6 but increased sometime after we travelled last November. We usually 'Weekend First' on the way to Man Airport but not on the return as our York to Durham connection is aboard Cross Country and they don't honour TPE's Weekend First.

If you're interested in a hotel, hubs and I stay at Heald Green Premier Inn as it's 167 yard walk from the railway station. We opt to change at Man Airport rather than Man Piccaddily tho, only because it's easier at the far smaller Man Airport station. PI Reception book us a £6 taxi to the terminal for the morning. HG town is a few mins walk away, it has plenty of restaurants/take aways/Tesco, or you can eat at the attached Beefeater. The aircraft come right overhead and whilst some complain we actually like it, going for a walk to watch them come over the top of the hotel afore hitting the runway a few seconds later. The PI has double glazing so you don't hear them much.

FlyBe stopped the Ncl to LGW route and handed it over to Easyjet in 2013... they ran it for a short while and then dropped it March 2015. If you decided to try the train to LGW believe it or not it's quite simple, perhaps not so much on the return tho. Ncl to Kings Cross, a few mins walk out the side door to St Pancras where you jump on the train from Bedford that stops at LGW. We used that service Jan 2012 but our return flight was into Manchester. We bought the train tickets separately, Dhm to KX, St Pan to LGW, it was cheaper and the St Pan to LGW is an 'anytime' ticket.

Hope some of the above is helpful

See more...

Thanks Chris
That's great info
Gives us more options flying from Manchester
Flights for our Oct18 trip won't be out till Nov
Will way up all the costings then
Could have booked Thomsons now but they don't release many 3 week flights only and cost was over £740
We paid £620 last year with Aer Lingus via Dublin
If we can get Manchester for around £500 each that would be great

[Geordie boy 57]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Hey up GB... just to add to Kirsty's (hiya Kirsty ) post about the trains. We occasionally use Red Spotted Hanky but after checking out the National Rail website we used them last Nov, ojp.nationalrail/servic...journey/search
It was odd as they offerred fares cheaper than all the others, click on fares and it goes to Transpennine Express, who honour the price even tho their website is dearer! TPE offer an Easement for Man and Liverpool pax, irrespective of rail ticket type. If your flight's delayed present your rail tickets to the station desk clerk, they'll look at their arrivals board, countersign and put you on the next train. You don't need proof from the airline. A handy service we've utilised twice.

Generally fares have increased, tho if you buy a family railcard as Kirsty suggested you'll save more. We paid £15.50pp Durham to Man Airport last Nov, easy change at York, off one platform and walk across to the other. I booked our 20th May train home at the 12 week advance at £32pp, generally they start around £26 on the return. I don't use The Train Line or any site that charges a booking/cc fee. VirginEastCoast also offer fares and you get VA miles. May transfer Tesco points to Red Spotted Hanky but have to time it right as the e-voucher is only valid for 6 months. RSH do charge a £1 booking fee, but that's for the whole booking, not pp, although I did notice RSH fares were the highest. TPE don't charge any fees, free post of your tickets. We have to collect our Man to Durham tickets at the airport as we're in Fl when I book our return train. There's no self print ticket option on this route.

Currently TPE are offferring some 'no change' trains from Ncl to Man Airport, that may change with the winter timetable, back to a York or Leeds change. TPE offer what's called a 'Weekend First', you board your train and if you can grab seats in First Class you pay the Guard £10. It used to be £6 but increased sometime after we travelled last November. We usually 'Weekend First' on the way to Man Airport but not on the return as our York to Durham connection is aboard Cross Country and they don't honour TPE's Weekend First.

If you're interested in a hotel, hubs and I stay at Heald Green Premier Inn as it's 167 yard walk from the railway station. We opt to change at Man Airport rather than Man Piccaddily tho, only because it's easier at the far smaller Man Airport station. PI Reception book us a £6 taxi to the terminal for the morning. HG town is a few mins walk away, it has plenty of restaurants/take aways/Tesco, or you can eat at the attached Beefeater. The aircraft come right overhead and whilst some complain we actually like it, going for a walk to watch them come over the top of the hotel afore hitting the runway a few seconds later. The PI has double glazing so you don't hear them much.

FlyBe stopped the Ncl to LGW route and handed it over to Easyjet in 2013... they ran it for a short while and then dropped it March 2015. If you decided to try the train to LGW believe it or not it's quite simple, perhaps not so much on the return tho. Ncl to Kings Cross, a few mins walk out the side door to St Pancras where you jump on the train from Bedford that stops at LGW. We used that service Jan 2012 but our return flight was into Manchester. We bought the train tickets separately, Dhm to KX, St Pan to LGW, it was cheaper and the St Pan to LGW is an 'anytime' ticket.

Hope some of the above is helpful

See more...

Chris
Have looked at Premier Inn you suggested
Looks perfect fir what we require
Just to clarify which station is it close too (Airport or Piccadilly)

[fl-veteran]

NCL to SFB if I can.

However, the dates are awkward, the prices inflated and they sell out fast...

[elmspenguin]

Originally Posted by Geordie boy 57

Chris
Have looked at Premier Inn you suggested
Looks perfect fir what we require
Just to clarify which station is it close too (Airport or Piccadilly)

See more...

It is next to Heald Green station (the last stop before the airport) we are staying there this time after seeing people like Chris recommend it on here.
With regards to trains with transpennine they are now selling some tickets 24 weeks in advance, it's a bit hit and miss as not everyday is covered but I recommend checking your travel dates from 24 weeks out.

[NCLRICH]

We've flown quite a few different routes to Orlando. Our next flight is via Heathrow to Miami and then overnight at the airport and drive up the following day. I prefer direct but given the lack of availability we just go from wherever the deal is best.