easyJet Refund Policy

Frank,
Sounds as if there were some unpleasant surprises?

We never have unpleasant surprises. Just opportunities for creative solutions.

So Frank, what other opportunities for creative solutions did you experience on this trip? You referred to them in your OP and said you would elaborate.
Inquiring minds want to know.

Kent, we are back just a week ago. Trying to get the trip report in order. The French exit immigration officer in LaRochelle was very picky about finding my entry stamp since the first entry stamp he found was in 2013. He went through every paper of my passport. Only on the second time through did he finally find the tiniest entry stamp ever. Less than an inch square. But all In all another good trip.

Frank,

easyJet is my preferred budget airline in Europe and I usually travel with them at least once a year. It' sounds like they're tightening up their procedures, as I've never had my carry-on checked in the sizing frame. I'll have to keep that in mind for my next flight. I assume they're still allowing only one carry-on item per passenger.

The Hertz agent was wrong. You are not expected to bring the car back clean, that's THIER job. If you get a charge dispute it!

Ken, it could have been the airport setting. LaRochelle is a very, very small airport. It looked like it services just two airlines. The first room was no more than 40 ft square and the second room and boarding area was much larger. We arrived about two hours early. There were 30 to 40 people hanging around mostly on the outside of the airport. Right at 90 minutes prior easyJet opened the checked luggage lane and they quickly checked our luggage and many others. About thirty minutes later two French immigration officers showed up, set up card tables outside the door to the second room and started examining passports. When it came to boarding we were lead out to the tarmac, the plane have two roll up stairs - front and back, and someone checking boarding passes and directing you to either the front or back stairs. Don't know what you would do if the weather was bad. Just get wet. I guess. Kind of a throw back to the flying days of the 50s.

Carol, this was not your average Hertz rental locations. It was just a shed in a parking surrounded by a dozen cars. No maintenance area, no washing bay, no check in or out point. I got the idea that about all they did was to vacuum out the car and re-rent it. And the operative word she said was, should. The car was pretty dirty. Well beyond average. You could write your name on the rear window.

Frank,

I've found that using stairs for boarding from both front and rear of the aircraft is very common with many of the budget airlines. Typically they take passengers way out to the far reaches of the tarmac using those "kneeling buses". They board according to where each passenger is seated on the aircraft. They want to board as quickly as possible and get the plane moving, as "time is money". Many budget airlines pride themselves on their "turn-around time".

I've noticed that they're usually quite punctual with the "90 minutes prior to flight" opening of the check-in or baggage drop. The staff were nowhere to be seen until that time arrived.

The situation you experienced could certainly be as a result of the small airport. Sounds like it was very "informal" there (I've never seen officials sitting at card tables before). I'll be flying from London to Geneva later this year, so hopefully it all goes well.

Quote from Frank:
Better than nothing. Next time I will buy their insurance.

Frank (and all) -

I just booked a flight on easyJet, and read the fine print on their insurance - if you're a US citizen, it doesn't apply... They'll take your money, but you won't be covered... (Only for residents of the EU, and if it's a UK-only flight, only UK residents - which Luton to Edinburgh is...)

Hope you had a great time in Edinburgh - plan to be there in just under 2 months!

Jim

Very interesting. That is not fair. So I guess I would have lost anyway. But the standard advice that we give to everyone about connecting flights or trains is not to buy the ticket till you see the white of the eye of ticket seller. Never too old to learn a new thing or two.