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cheaper flights

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maggiej
  11/15/2014 20:56 EST

I remember someone posting about cheaper flights. just wanted to talk about flying. what airlines. how much time is adequate to allow for layovers. I have seen as little as 1 hour for a layover at a very busy airport ex: Frankfurt or Heathrow. I got lost the last time I was in Frankfurt. can't imagine that being enough time. I hear Munich is a better airport. I have never been to Heathrow, but I imagine it's as bad as Frankfurt. also, the thought crossed my mind... courier sorts of jobs? how could I find a job that could make us of my flying back and forth between Bud and US? ideas?

borschelrh
  11/16/2014 02:33 EST

That is a tough one. I tend to use Orbitz or Expedia to find the best fares. There is a fare tracker function with many (Google Fare Tracker and there are a plethora of choices now) which uses AI to decide how a particular trip is trending on price. I fly on the cheapest days as I am retired and flexible. I try and keep 1 hour for whatever airport hub I use and I have only missed a flight one time and that was because at Frankfurt there was no gate available and we sat out on the tarmac for an hour. Generally, I try and stick with Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Austria Air etc. but I am flying only to DC. If New York is your desired entrance then use American which I think still has a direct flight from Budapest. As we live out here in Balatonfured it is equidistant to Vienna so I always check those fares as well. Bratislava is definitely much more expensive so I don't bother with checking then nor Graz either. As for courier jobs you need to have a reason to courier something. American businesses in Hungary are nearly non-existent so there isn't any demand. From Frankfurt it is possible. I never go through the UK under any circumstances. Also, getting the Trusted Traveler status makes customs in the US a breeze. It isn't cheap and requires a background check and interview but you can get it done within 2 weeks at Dulles. I have found I also get through a minimal security check sometimes (rarely) as well. I don't go back much anymore now that I completely retired but I was travelling every month for 4 years. I don't miss it at all.

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maggiej
  11/16/2014 07:54 EST

thanks for your answer. I do wish travel was easier. I always joke about the Star Trek transporter... it's hard when you want to be in 2 places at once sometimes... the past 2 times I flew I used American and Lufthansa. I like flying out of New Ark better than JFK. I have never had the nerve to only give myself one hour for a flight transfer. I missed a plane at JFk before.. not enough time... I did run into someting funny the last time I flew Lufthansa with carry ons. in US I left with size approved carry on which was 22 inch max, but coming back I was charged $!00 for the same carry on because by European standards it no longer qualified as a carry on but a suitcase due to size and weight... I never had that happen before... They applied different rules... How much does it cost to become a trusted traveler? and any leads as to how I might find a courier job flying into Franfurt? I love gathering ideas. I have heard Munich is a much quieter airport... perhaps one hour would be plenty there!

borschelrh
  11/16/2014 09:10 EST

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

Global Entry program http://www.cbp.gov/global-entry/how-to-apply and it is $100.

Googling Couriers: http://gadling.com/2012/03/22/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-getting-paid-to-travel-livin/

I used to do a lot of work in the 'Stans and flew often from Dulles to fun places like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan etc. At Frankfurt I would have to pick up my baggage and physically carry it to a different terminal re-check it and then wait for the next flight. I have lot's of semi-funny/tragic stories about those trips. But, I would schedule 4 hours for doing that and if I had a lot of free time I would go to the Frankfurt Airport Sheridan and buy a 1 day pass into the spa and hang out there in the sauna or taking a nap at the pool. When you do a lot of this kind of travel you get used to it. It beats flying on military aircraft which is another thing I have done hundreds of times.

I recall working with some guys a lot from the Technical Escort Unit out at Aberdeen who transport high value or very risky military cargo (like nukes or in my case biological weapons/infectious disease samples). They were super cool travelers and I learned a lot hanging out with them. But, I never learned a single name as they were super spooky.

Anyway, my point is there are "other" kinds of escort duty opportunities out there so think outside the box.

Munich is a breeze but a bit cramped in the lounges. But, I generally hang out at restaurants and not the traveler lounges, even the premium ones if I have a long layover.

maggiej
  11/16/2014 10:33 EST

awesome, thanks for the links. I am not security specialist material. I don't even like guns. I'm thinking mundane diploatic materials? does that exist? non dangerous things to courier... I signed up for emails. I saw the article stated that 5,ooo applicants tried for 15 courier jobs. very competitive...

profray
  11/20/2014 04:47 EST

Hi, we fly once a twice a year back and forth and the airline tickets are going up. Our best routes were with Lufthansa when we would go through Dusseldorf. It's a Luf. dedicated hub so if you book through them, any mix-ups are on their plate. But since the airport is less crowded than Frankfurt and Munich. Far worse are the commuter flights out of Dulles or Newark.

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maggiej
  1/14/2015 22:44 EST

just curious why you don't go through the UK? I know Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, but given enough time 21/2 hour minimum, it shouldn't be so bad, right? it seems that American airlines or Lufthansa is best for Charlotte. I don't like Lufthansa's baggage policy only 18 pds for a carryon... compared to 45 pds for American or British airlines. Air France upon inquiry informed me that the laptop and carryon can not weigh more than 26 pds total... 2 pieces under 26 pds. yikes. so I have been in a learning experience....

peddington
  1/15/2015 03:15 EST

Just a note/question; Don't you have to change airports Gatwick/Heathrow if transiting through England?

maggiej
  1/15/2015 07:58 EST

american airlines seems to only shoot me through Heathrow... american airlines also seems to be the cheapest option I can find. so do I have to go through LHR? sort of. do I want to? no not really...

maggiej
  1/15/2015 08:03 EST

although from what I've heard Munich would be a better option except for what I see as a very restrictive carry on rule! Lufthansa goes through Munich and only 18 pds or 8 kilos for a rolling carry on. my rolling carry on empty weighs almost 10 pds...

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