LAN XL - Transport & Flight Thread

[BrotherTobious]

Or you could rent

https://b3talent.com/zebra-rental-dallas-fort-worth/

UBER is about the same cost as the taxi you were looking at.  National Express only goes to Cambridge.  

I did look in to driving from home to pick you up and drop you off and back again.  But it would be 5 hours and 330miles after picking you up and then back home to get the boy to school drop him off then driving back to March

[mirianna]

Or you could rent

https://b3talent.com/zebra-rental-dallas-fort-worth/

:wub:
Yeah please don't try to pick us up Toby, much rather prefer meeting a day later in one piece

The missus is sceptical about getting a rental as you lot drive on the wrong side and it would likely hurt our insurance premiums

[Chaosphere]

Not sure how it works for you guys, but when we rent we take out separate rental insurance for the car that is normally cheap as chips. We do this through a separate company, NOT the rental company.

So we are covered with separate insurance rather than our main UK policy.

[suicidal_monkey]

when we rent we take out separate rental insurance for the car that is normally cheap as chips. We do this through a separate company, NOT the rental company.

:withstupid:
Definitely a good idea: car-hire-excess insurance policies I have one that covers excess on hire cars in UK and Europe that cost £40 for the year

[Gorion]

Hi folks, would someone be available to give myself and the missus lifts from Heathrow on Wednesday, and back on Sunday?  We be carrying one hand luggage each and a backpack.

Malta (MLA) > London Heathrow(LHR)
Date: 05/10/2022
Departs MLA: 0715
Arrives LHR: 0945
Operator: AirMalta
Flight: KM100


London Heathrow(LHR) > Malta (MLA)
Date: 09/10/2022
Departs LHR: 2030
Arrives MLA: 0040
Operator: AirMalta
Flight: KM103


Both arrival and departure are using LHR terminal 4

[suicidal_monkey]

heads up: there seems to be a train strike planned on Wed the 5th, so services will be bad (sometimes non-existent) that day, with probably still a bit of a mess overflowing into the 6th...

[Penfold]

:wub:
Yeah please don't try to pick us up Toby, much rather prefer meeting a day later in one piece

The missus is sceptical about getting a rental as you lot drive on the wrong side and it would likely hurt our insurance premiums

I'm not sure I understand this. We've only ever hired a car and used their own insurance (along with a collision damage waiver if we felt like it). I don't think I've ever heard of anyone using their own insurance. Makes sense of course but you'll only be paying a small amount for the insurance they're offering.

[Chaosphere]

We haven't got a big turnout for this LAN, and some of those who in the past have been able to help with transport from London are not coming.

I'll ping in discord for LAN goers to check out this thread, but if those of you still waiting for transport haven't heard anything within a few days I'd strongly suggest looking for alternate transport. As Monkey has mentioned some rail strikes, a rental car might be a better way!

[albert]

I'm not sure I understand this. We've only ever hired a car and used their own insurance (along with a collision damage waiver if we felt like it). I don't think I've ever heard of anyone using their own insurance. Makes sense of course but you'll only be paying a small amount for the insurance they're offering.

It's different in other countries, although given today's send off for QE2 (GBHS) you'd have thought only the UK existed in the world. I loved how they put world leaders in buses.

We insure the vehicle in NL, so all that crap about second named driver is not required. A valid driving license past your probation period does the trick. Also it is possible to get insured as an add on for greenwheels, hire cars etc.

[Chaosphere]

We haven't got a big turnout for this LAN, and some of those who in the past have been able to help with transport from London are not coming.

I'll ping in discord for LAN goers to check out this thread, but if those of you still waiting for transport haven't heard anything within a few days I'd strongly suggest looking for alternate transport. As Monkey has mentioned some rail strikes, a rental car might be a better way!

From what I can see it is Miriana et al, and Gorion and his better half that still need to sort transport from London Heathrow.

Miriana arrives on Wednesday night.

Gorion arrives on Wednesday morning.

Both need to be back on Sunday.


Miriana et al might have sorted a car rental by now?

It may be worth you looking at the same Gorion, if no one suggests they can help soon!

[suicidal_monkey]

NB for getting back into London on Sunday the current status is that trains are running ... which is my current likely plan (Pen's offer of a lift to Cambridge gives you more options of trains from there direct to London)

[Gorion]

Is there really no one who would be able to provide a lift from Heathrow, even if its in the afternoon?  Perhaps we can take a bus to put us closer to someones route?

I understand that the price of fuel has gone up, and I honestly don't mind filling the tank guys.  For us to rent a car just to get to the lan and back is expensive, and to be honest, a waste of money

[Penfold]

NB for getting back into London on Sunday the current status is that trains are running ... which is my current likely plan (Pen's offer of a lift to Cambridge gives you more options of trains from there direct to London)

Yes course. I'm not sure where my post went  but I'm coming from to March Friday AM and back Sunday.

Cambridge would be the closest mainline station I can drop to which has direct trains to Liverpool Street or Kings Cross depending. Stansted Airport is also another option if as needed.

[albert]

Is there really no one who would be able to provide a lift from Heathrow, even if its in the afternoon?  Perhaps we can take a bus to put us closer to someones route?

I understand that the price of fuel has gone up, and I honestly don't mind filling the tank guys.  For us to rent a car just to get to the lan and back is expensive, and to be honest, a waste of money

It's the same for all us LAN goers coming from aborad this time. We have a very generous offer from FatBob to pick Duvel and I up from East Midlands Airport, but that means he has to do a 4 hour round trip and I would rather not put anyone through that. It's 42 Euro single on the train via Nottingham and takes 3 hours to March. If that's running we'll grab it otherwise FatBob is our only hope. I'd rather someone passing get us.

 Maybe for future LANs, an arrival window for travellers can be agreed so that it falls in sync with people passing. For example, we see a lot more people arriving on a Wednesday. LAN used to be Friday to Sunday, so there is a lot less chance of getting a positive hit on a lift with 3 possible arrival days. That might mean some UK folks agreeing to arrive on a Thursday to help out. I can't see our LANs surviving for us non-UK without some sort of compromise. Unless folks are happy with us just not making the effort to attend and that's the end of the conversation.

Sorry but if the UK folks think this is easy for us foreign travellers just to hire cars, catch the overpriced trains or throw in another 3 or 400 quid more than we already fork out just to get to the LAN, then think again. It's probably costing me £400 before I even factor in getting from the airport to the LAN, food, drink, drink, more food.

I see 8 out of 30 of the LAN attendees are coming from abroad this time. I would like to see more people like FatBob offering to go to the next level to help. Otherwise our LAN would be a half full room of UK folks with no representation from the international side of dMw.

Something to think about, and yes there is a recession outside the UK too.

[Gorion]

You are right Albert, we have already spent â,¬450 for the flights.  Add hotel, food and drink expenses, and the cost will be around â,¬1500.  A car rental and insurance on top of that is more than my monthly income...

At this point, I'm considering throwing away the flight money and staying home, never to bother again.  After all, we come to the lan to meet and reconnect with friends, and friends don't leave friends stranded at the bloody airport.