Saz1

Despite numerous futile emails to Easyjet customer service, I have not been able to determine whether or not they will still be flying from Stansted from April 2012. The new flights from Southend to Faro are already available to purchase. Getting a yes or no answer is impossible.

If anyone else knows, or has the energy to try and find out, it would be great.

Southend really is not an option for us and although we are staunch Easyjet supporters, will probably have to end up on Ryan air.

Saz

ps I know April 2012 is a long way off, but planning next years holidays is sometimes the only thing that makes it worth coming into work in central London every day.

newintavira

Hi Saz,

That's an interesting question, and as an experiment I just tried to search Gatwick to Faro for April 2012 and it let me though and gave me options.....so maybe they are stopping them.

We rarely do Stansted, but it is sometimes handy when we visit family in Norfolk and Suffolk at either end of a trip to the UK, so it could be a bit of a pain for us too.

Fingers crossed....I would rather spend an hour on the M25 than go on Ryanair!

As an aside, I am actually staring to tire of the boarding scrum on Easyjet now, after we flew BA a couple of months ago. The allocated seating along with a really generous baggage allowance felt wonderfully civilised, and for a couple of flights over the busy summer period was actually cheaper than Easyjet once baggage and speedy boarding was added on. If the EJ Stansted routes stop, maybe BA from London City is worth some consideration?

somanyhands

Gatwick flies numerous flights daily throughout the year though. Does Stansted perhaps only fly peak season? (end April to end October?)
Have you played the "date" game to see when's the latest you can book and whether there are summer flights next year? (oh yes, I've done this! LOL)

Saz1

Hiya, thanks for replies.

City Airport would be great - I am going to have to look into that. . . we could almost walk there. Well, not quite . . .

In the past Stansted have flown all year round to Faro (sometimes twice daily in peak time) and four/five times a week out of season. We like Stansted as they do a good deal at the Radisson hotel with parking included and its only a 40 min drive away. The Faro flight is generally at around 7am in the morning, so staying at the hotel the night before is a good start to our holidays. Gatwick means tubes and Gatwick Express etc etc. (or indeed the M25)

Right, I am now off to check on BA and City Airport.

Saz

newintavira

We sometimes stay here if we have an early one out of Gatwick....but go for a premium cabin unless you are happy in VERY small spaces!!!

http://booking.yotel.com/gatwickhotels.aspx

Andy Mahoney

Easy jet today confirmed they will not be flying STANSTED faro eta air have not yet confirmed route for next year

Saz1

Thanks Andy - I think Ryan Air will have to take over our flights from now on then

Saz

Andy Mahoney

I like you am an easyjet user, I cannot see the logic in moving the flight as the service is always full summer and winter and many users will not use southend. I just hope and prey that ryanair continue from stansted, they to have got southend faro slots.

Saz1

Flipping heck I hope so too, I am not Ryan Airs biggest fan, but Stansted is just so easy to get to by car from our neck of the woods!

I have been looking into driving to Southend from the East End, but it seems to involve a large stretch of M25 which is not great. On the slightly positive side, the Faro flights listed so far from Southend seem to be early evening ones, so we wouldnt have to get to the airport the night before. However, it was always good arriving in Tavira at about 11 in the morning.

Time will tell I suppose. . . .

I agree about the full flights from Stansted - I think Easyjet might see a drop in sales come April 2012. (Especially from Mile End !)

Saz

newintavira

Hi Saz,

How did the prices / timings look for you on BA from City?
B

Saz1

Hiya

The prices look pretty good, especially when I take out the driving / parking/hotel costs. However, as you mentioned, they only seem to fly out in the 'seasonal' months so I think the only time we might be able to use them is next June / September time, as we dont come out in July/August. I could probably have used them for our trip out at the end of September this year, but I booked that ages ago. (so organised)

I will certainly always be checking them first to see if they have flights - as it would be great to fly from there. Although the runway does seem a little short when I drive past it

Saz

wellinever

really bad news this.....easy jet will not fly from stansted to faro after april.
looks like they have switched to southend !!!!
totally useless for me, ony leaves Ryanair, what a thought !!!

loonytoon

living "up north" i'm never sure about the geography down there but isn't Luton an option?

jeff

wellinever

hi
yes sure Stanny is pretty close to Luton, but there are loads of people, like me that catch the train to Stansted airport, but there is no way to get to Luton or Stansted by train from where i am. Southend is a crazy place to have an airport, as it only has a 50% catchment area (west being sea). But as usual everything is fine if you live in or around London.

guesswork

You could always hitch a lift with one of Eddie Stobart's trucks seeing he owns Southend airport now