Notes from an Island

[thecesspit]

If you see the island rocking, don't come a knocking!5.5 earthquake came off the coast of Vancouver Island last night. I didn't feel a thing (that's what she said...), and the experts say "too small to cause a tsunami." I live on the edge of an earthquake zone, where I can on a good day see an active volcano on my way to work, and also in a

Comments

[sarahx]

I'm breathing a sigh of relief re Zoom... booked my mum flights to Vancouver to see friends for the end of October, looked at Zoom because direct from MAN was a big advantage, but they were only doing it on Thursdays (and it was via GLA on the way back) but found a fab deal with KLM from MAN via AMS for £432 (that's about £100 less than Zoom would have been) and was on the right day. Phew.

[thecesspit]

I first flew out to Vancouver on Zoom, but everytime I've looked since they've had two fundamental problems:

1) They were not significantly cheaper than 'full service' options like Air Canada and BA.

2) Their headline rate wasn't what you paid after fees and taxes, and this was hidden after several click throughs.

I know the second is done by many airlines... and I find it dishonest and duplicitous behaviour... not least as it wastes my time. Fees added on to the fare is a nonsense. It's not an option, its part of the cost to the airline (via landing fees, etc).

I am sorry for the people who got stranded (including a friends mum and sister here in Victoria).

KLM and Air Canada are good options, as is BA via Seattle (well for me here in Victoria). Need that nice Mr Branson to run his nice airlines up to this corner of world, that would be super.

[sarahx]

We looked at BA (direct to YVR) and that was going to cost an eye-watering £1500 on (and around) the dates she wanted to go. Ouch! And that was from LHR, whereas MAN is much easier and cheaper for her to get to from Sheff. OK, so she's got two or three hours hanging around at Schiphol, but that's a small price to pay for saving more than a grand.

Applying the low-cost model to long-haul is always going to be difficult to make work on a financial basis, compared to the short-haul in and out of unlikely airports that that shark Mr O'Leary has managed to make so much money out of. And even he's struggling at the moment with fuel costs.

[onebyone]

As for the particular recall you linked to:

All carry "packed on" dates up to and including Aug. 24, 2008.

That's four days ago already. I'm scared now what the shelf life is of a ham sandwich in your country.

[thecesspit]

The ham sandwiches on the shelves of 7-11 give me the fear. And not just a paranoid, rotten meat chemical induced, Hunter S Thomson like fear.