Planes

Ziad Al Hasso

The most common way of getting to the slopes nowadays is by flying. There are so many airlines, airports and flight options the biggest problem is simply finding the right one.

The first thing you have to do is identify what your key deciding factors are and then plan accordingly. Are you tied to a certain destination? Are you happy to fly on a budget airline? Can you travel midweek? Are there enough of you to hire a car from the airport to the resort, or do you need to look at other ways of getting there? This late in the season, it’s best to aim for the higher resorts to ensure you get good snow. In France, you’re looking at Tignes, Chamonix and the Three Valleys. These are all about three hours from Geneva airport, and four from Lyon. Switzerland can offer Zermatt and Saas Fee, again both serviced from Geneva (three hours away) or Zurich (four hours). In Austria, St Anton and Lecht are only about an hour away from Innsbruck, although this mountain-based airport can be closed down if weather conditions are poor.

Budget flights are very popular now, but to get the best out of them you need to book ahead, fly during the week and be prepared to travel a bit further once you land. Easyjet are popular as they fly to Zurich, Geneva and Lyons, although not all their UK departure points go to all these locations. Ryan Air fly to Salzburg in Austria (it’s further than Innsbruck, but still manageable) and to the tiny airport of St Etienne just outside Lyon. The St Etienne flights are particularly cheap even at the weekend, but they’re not on any major train or bus routes so it's best to hire a car from there.

Once you land at the airport you can either hire a car or catch a train or coach to the resort. If you’re in a large group, or you can join one, than plenty of private firms run minibus transfer services to the resorts. You usually pay for the journey so the more people you can squeeze in, the cheaper it is. A-T-S is particularly recommended for the Geneva-Chamonix run.

When it comes to packing, bear in mind that all ski or board bags look the same, so strap something colourful on yours to mark it out. Make sure you have five pounds handy as most budget airlines will add an on-the-spot surcharge for ski and board bags and check your gear for damage before you leave the airport as it can be tricky trying to claim for damage once you’ve left.

Pack light as you’ll have to carry all your gear at some point and definitely DON’T carry any ski tools, Zippos or walkie talkies in your hand luggage: they’ll be spotted in the X-rays and removed.

When you’re on the plane you’ll probably be surrounded by lots of other cheery souls heading to the slopes. Take five minutes to chat to them and you might find out some good bargains for the next trip!

Happy trails!

Links:
Budget Airlines:
Easyjet
BMI Baby
Ryan Air

Transfer companies:
Mountain Transfers
Airport Transfer Service

Online Travel Agents
Expedia.co.uk
Lastminute.com

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