Post by ronturner on Dec 22, 2019 10:18:00 GMT 1
Its 20 years since I worked for a Czech company. I travelled there very frequently from UK and over 6 years visited just about every corner of Czechoslovakia. Some unexpected business took me there again so it was a chance to catch up.
Sunday last a trouble free journey by car to Nantes from The Vendee and our usual off site car park only a few minutes away from the airport. The "Navette" dropping us right in front of the terminal. Checked in online the day before with Volotea. The bag drop was one of those self check thingies which I have now just about got the hang of. In addition to our one checked suitcase we were also able to check our two carry on bags as well ( for free).
Volotea carry on policy is for two carry on bags each, so long as they do not exceed 10Kg in total and neither exceed certain dimensions which are quite reasonable. Thus we were able to get rid of our heavier bags and just walk on with a small thing containing tablet, books and personal items.
Our departure was from Hall 4, which used to be a scruffy shed. Now it is still a shed but it has been very nicely done up. Very smart and clean and a new security line was rapid and trouble free. It seems this hall is used for domestic and Schengen movements as there is no border control facility at all in either direction. You probably know that after years of wrangling the plan for a new airport for Nantes, miles away in the country side, has been scrapped, so the old one is being done up whilst the operators think about what to do next.
I was surprised to see our A319 on stand 90 minutes before departure, but so it was and we loaded and departed on time at 11-55 A short walk to the aircraft from the terminal.
Flight was almost full. We opted for pot luck seating but found ourselves next to each other on opposite sides of the aisle. Nice clean aeroplane. Clear announcements and a trouble free 2 hour flight. Seats were Ok for two hours. No recline facility.
On arrival at Prague we were parked on the huge expanse of apron they have there now, and bussed to terminal two. This is a new terminal used for domestic and Schengen services. If there is a passport control facility, I never saw it. Very smart, clean and efficient building. Waited about 25 minutes for our bags.
For our digs we chose Air B&B in Prague 7, very near to Sparta Prague soccer ground, and close to the business I was there for in the first place. We took an Uber from the airport (About 12€). If I was travelling, light I would have taken the tram 26 which stopped only 5 minutes from our Air B&B. (All trams and busses free if you are over 70 and can prove it.)
Prague has changed so much in the last twenty years. Its easy to see why it is such a popular destination now. Its clean and safe and the people are so friendly and courteous. (If you remember what it used to be like when people gave up their seats on trams and busses to those who need it, your experience in Prague will take you back a bit.) Of course nothing is a cheap as it used to be. I would say a bit less expensive than in France.
All those years ago I remember thinking just how good the cooking was there. Sure, in those days they did not have the best of ingredients to work with but we always said that given the right stuff the cuisine could be amongst the best in the world. Well, this is exactly how it has turned out to be.
Also very striking. In the five days I was there, in the city and in the suburbs, I do not recall seeing any evidence of mass immigration and not once any ladies dressed in black or similar garb. Yes, there are poor and homeless like any other city.
If you like trams the Prague network is a dream. A mixture of new and older rolling stock. A very extensive frequent network which is fun to ride with lots of corners in and around the older parts of the city. Inexpensive or free depending upon your situation.
After 5 days, time to come home. Another Uber to the airport. The check in line was terrible. Thirty five minutes in the line. Here is one bad thing about Volotea. If you do not, or can not print your boarding pass there is a 30€ fee, each. to have it printed at the airport. At least the guy on the desk actually told a few people to go to the Internet café and do it there, but those people lost their line in the queue. This is a real scam. In our case were had downloaded on our phone, but to be honest I still like to have that bit of paper. Once again we were able to check our hand luggage for free.
Security line at terminal 2 was great. fast and courteous. I have noticed that more and more of these facilities are being staffed by younger people who are generally more courteous than their older compatriots. ( or is it just that I am getting older)
Boarding was OK using an air bridge.Thank goodness because it was raining. (Thankfully all of our time in Prague we enjoyed unseasonably very fine weather.) Aircraft was almost full. Me and Mrs T were separated again but I was entertained by a very charming young woman on her way to Tenerife, changing at Nantes. She gave me her phone number for next time I was in Prague.
Sadly, after two hours the flight was over, arriving on time at midnight. Bags were up in about 15 minutes. I said "Na shledanou" to my new friend, called the car park who sent a minibus in a few minutes. We arrived home about 2am having been flashed by a speed camera en-route. I await the results of that.
On a personal note. I am proud of the very small part I played in the regeneration of the Czech electronics manufacturing industry. I Witnessed the revolution bringing in democracy and the divorce with Slovakia. I was honoured once to meet President Vaclav Havel, but I am even more pound of my role as a citizen of Europe, whose taxes have been used to such good effect in bringing peace, security and relative prosperity to this wonderful country.
Sunday last a trouble free journey by car to Nantes from The Vendee and our usual off site car park only a few minutes away from the airport. The "Navette" dropping us right in front of the terminal. Checked in online the day before with Volotea. The bag drop was one of those self check thingies which I have now just about got the hang of. In addition to our one checked suitcase we were also able to check our two carry on bags as well ( for free).
Volotea carry on policy is for two carry on bags each, so long as they do not exceed 10Kg in total and neither exceed certain dimensions which are quite reasonable. Thus we were able to get rid of our heavier bags and just walk on with a small thing containing tablet, books and personal items.
Our departure was from Hall 4, which used to be a scruffy shed. Now it is still a shed but it has been very nicely done up. Very smart and clean and a new security line was rapid and trouble free. It seems this hall is used for domestic and Schengen movements as there is no border control facility at all in either direction. You probably know that after years of wrangling the plan for a new airport for Nantes, miles away in the country side, has been scrapped, so the old one is being done up whilst the operators think about what to do next.
I was surprised to see our A319 on stand 90 minutes before departure, but so it was and we loaded and departed on time at 11-55 A short walk to the aircraft from the terminal.
Flight was almost full. We opted for pot luck seating but found ourselves next to each other on opposite sides of the aisle. Nice clean aeroplane. Clear announcements and a trouble free 2 hour flight. Seats were Ok for two hours. No recline facility.
On arrival at Prague we were parked on the huge expanse of apron they have there now, and bussed to terminal two. This is a new terminal used for domestic and Schengen services. If there is a passport control facility, I never saw it. Very smart, clean and efficient building. Waited about 25 minutes for our bags.
For our digs we chose Air B&B in Prague 7, very near to Sparta Prague soccer ground, and close to the business I was there for in the first place. We took an Uber from the airport (About 12€). If I was travelling, light I would have taken the tram 26 which stopped only 5 minutes from our Air B&B. (All trams and busses free if you are over 70 and can prove it.)
Prague has changed so much in the last twenty years. Its easy to see why it is such a popular destination now. Its clean and safe and the people are so friendly and courteous. (If you remember what it used to be like when people gave up their seats on trams and busses to those who need it, your experience in Prague will take you back a bit.) Of course nothing is a cheap as it used to be. I would say a bit less expensive than in France.
All those years ago I remember thinking just how good the cooking was there. Sure, in those days they did not have the best of ingredients to work with but we always said that given the right stuff the cuisine could be amongst the best in the world. Well, this is exactly how it has turned out to be.
Also very striking. In the five days I was there, in the city and in the suburbs, I do not recall seeing any evidence of mass immigration and not once any ladies dressed in black or similar garb. Yes, there are poor and homeless like any other city.
If you like trams the Prague network is a dream. A mixture of new and older rolling stock. A very extensive frequent network which is fun to ride with lots of corners in and around the older parts of the city. Inexpensive or free depending upon your situation.
After 5 days, time to come home. Another Uber to the airport. The check in line was terrible. Thirty five minutes in the line. Here is one bad thing about Volotea. If you do not, or can not print your boarding pass there is a 30€ fee, each. to have it printed at the airport. At least the guy on the desk actually told a few people to go to the Internet café and do it there, but those people lost their line in the queue. This is a real scam. In our case were had downloaded on our phone, but to be honest I still like to have that bit of paper. Once again we were able to check our hand luggage for free.
Security line at terminal 2 was great. fast and courteous. I have noticed that more and more of these facilities are being staffed by younger people who are generally more courteous than their older compatriots. ( or is it just that I am getting older)
Boarding was OK using an air bridge.Thank goodness because it was raining. (Thankfully all of our time in Prague we enjoyed unseasonably very fine weather.) Aircraft was almost full. Me and Mrs T were separated again but I was entertained by a very charming young woman on her way to Tenerife, changing at Nantes. She gave me her phone number for next time I was in Prague.
Sadly, after two hours the flight was over, arriving on time at midnight. Bags were up in about 15 minutes. I said "Na shledanou" to my new friend, called the car park who sent a minibus in a few minutes. We arrived home about 2am having been flashed by a speed camera en-route. I await the results of that.
On a personal note. I am proud of the very small part I played in the regeneration of the Czech electronics manufacturing industry. I Witnessed the revolution bringing in democracy and the divorce with Slovakia. I was honoured once to meet President Vaclav Havel, but I am even more pound of my role as a citizen of Europe, whose taxes have been used to such good effect in bringing peace, security and relative prosperity to this wonderful country.
