Results for "Luftansa+ou+Lufthansa+|+55"
4959 results found.
Atterrir à Ankara pour décoller de Istanbul? English translation pending
pour ne pas prendre trop de transports en commun nous souhaiterions atterir a ankara et repartir d'istanbul mais sur le net nous ne trouvons que des vols qui atterissent et repartent du meme endroit
qui peut nous tuyauter sur d'eventuelles possibilités
merci
Vos avis sur Alitalia? English translation pending
Bonjour à tous,
je pars le 6 juillet sur Alitalia au départ de CDG pour Buenos Aires via Milan. J'aimerais connaitre des avis sur cette compagnie car j'avais jusqu'ici voyagé vers l'amérique du sud avec ibéria mais ce fut une telle galère à chaque fois que j'ai préféré cette année rajouter 50 euros pour les éviter! J'espère que je ne regretterai pas ce choix alors si vous avez des avis faites en moi part!
Merci! 😉
je pars le 6 juillet sur Alitalia au départ de CDG pour Buenos Aires via Milan. J'aimerais connaitre des avis sur cette compagnie car j'avais jusqu'ici voyagé vers l'amérique du sud avec ibéria mais ce fut une telle galère à chaque fois que j'ai préféré cette année rajouter 50 euros pour les éviter! J'espère que je ne regretterai pas ce choix alors si vous avez des avis faites en moi part!
Merci! 😉
Billet d'avion pas cher Alsace - Marrakech? English translation pending
salut à tous..
je pars en petit groupe (4-5 pers) à Marrakech en octobre
le meilleur prix que j'ai trouvé pour l'instant pour le billet d'avion c'est via Royal Air Maroc : 352 EUR l'aller -retour Strasbourg-Marrakech
(au départ de Mulhouse c'est + cher d'au moins 100 EUR!)
J'ai trouvé le meme prix via www.vol-marrakech.com
est ce qqn a un autre plan pour des vols pas chers au départ de l'Alsace ? (sachant que www.atlas-blue.com ne part pas de Mulhouse ou Strasbourg!)
merci à tous.. Odette
je pars en petit groupe (4-5 pers) à Marrakech en octobre
le meilleur prix que j'ai trouvé pour l'instant pour le billet d'avion c'est via Royal Air Maroc : 352 EUR l'aller -retour Strasbourg-Marrakech
(au départ de Mulhouse c'est + cher d'au moins 100 EUR!)
J'ai trouvé le meme prix via www.vol-marrakech.com
est ce qqn a un autre plan pour des vols pas chers au départ de l'Alsace ? (sachant que www.atlas-blue.com ne part pas de Mulhouse ou Strasbourg!)
merci à tous.. Odette
Budget pour un mois en Inde? English translation pending
Namasté. Je pars donc pour septembre. Mais la question est combien doit je mettre de côté pour y allé e y vivre 1mois? Sachant que je suis quelqu"un qui se suffit de peu!!! J'ai trouvé un aller retour pour 1000 euros ya t-il moins cher?
Billets d'avions pour l'Equateur? English translation pending
Bonjour à tous,
nous souhaitons partir en Equateur fin aout début septembre. Le prix du billet d'avion nous parait plutôt élevé (au moins 900 € TTC/personne), même en s'y prenant qq mois à l'avance.
Qqun connaitrait-il un bon plan pour des billets moins chers pour ce pays ? On a déjà regardé easyvols.com et les différents voyagistes en ligne, mais c'est à peu près la même chose pour tous.
Merci d'avance
Clavius
nous souhaitons partir en Equateur fin aout début septembre. Le prix du billet d'avion nous parait plutôt élevé (au moins 900 € TTC/personne), même en s'y prenant qq mois à l'avance.
Qqun connaitrait-il un bon plan pour des billets moins chers pour ce pays ? On a déjà regardé easyvols.com et les différents voyagistes en ligne, mais c'est à peu près la même chose pour tous.
Merci d'avance
Clavius
Surbooking et indemnisations English translation pending
bonjour à tous,
je voudrais lancer un débat autour d'un théme qui m'interesse fortement à savoir le SURBOOKING et les INDEMNISATIONS que nous pouvons obtenir.
Voila mon cas : on est 3 à partir autour du monde durant une année et honnétement si nous ne prenons pas l'avion prévu et devons attendre le prochain quitte à ce que cela prenne 24 heures cela n'est pas dramatique pour nous...
Voici nos questions: Jusqu'à combien d'euros par billet pouvons nous obtenir ??? quel est la différence selon la distance ??? Ou peut on trouver le reglement international ? Jusqu'à quel minute avant le départ de l'avion peut on discuter un Surbooking sans nous reprocher d'être en retard ?? (faut faire attention à cela je pense ) Ya til une différence selon les compagnies aériennes ???( nous prendrons United et Lufthansa avec le Pass Star Alliance)
Voila j'attends vos réponses et conseils car honnétement les compagnies nous bernent souvent alors si on peut un peu profiter du systéme on ne va pas se gener
merci par avance😎
Olivier
P.S: allez voir le site : http://www.tmtdm.net c'est moi qui est réalisé la partie billet d'avion et il y a pas mal de liens ...😏😏
je voudrais lancer un débat autour d'un théme qui m'interesse fortement à savoir le SURBOOKING et les INDEMNISATIONS que nous pouvons obtenir.
Voila mon cas : on est 3 à partir autour du monde durant une année et honnétement si nous ne prenons pas l'avion prévu et devons attendre le prochain quitte à ce que cela prenne 24 heures cela n'est pas dramatique pour nous...
Voici nos questions: Jusqu'à combien d'euros par billet pouvons nous obtenir ??? quel est la différence selon la distance ??? Ou peut on trouver le reglement international ? Jusqu'à quel minute avant le départ de l'avion peut on discuter un Surbooking sans nous reprocher d'être en retard ?? (faut faire attention à cela je pense ) Ya til une différence selon les compagnies aériennes ???( nous prendrons United et Lufthansa avec le Pass Star Alliance)
Voila j'attends vos réponses et conseils car honnétement les compagnies nous bernent souvent alors si on peut un peu profiter du systéme on ne va pas se gener
merci par avance😎
Olivier
P.S: allez voir le site : http://www.tmtdm.net c'est moi qui est réalisé la partie billet d'avion et il y a pas mal de liens ...😏😏
Meilleure période pour acheter un billet pour l'Inde? English translation pending
Salut
Je pars en Inde du sud au mois de novembre je voudrai savoir quand acheter mon billet pour avoir les prix les plus intérresants ?
J'aimerai faire un crochet par le sri lanka faut il acheter ses billets en France, combien ca coute ?? y'a t'il des conditions particulières pour passer de l'inde à ce pays ? ouh la ca fait beaucoup de questions ça, non ?
Merci d'avance !
Merci d'avance !
Air Transat pour aller au Québec? English translation pending
bonjour, je voudrais aller au québec depuis marseille.Air transat est la seule compagnie qui fait les vols directs sur ce trajet. message à ceux qui ont expérimenté: c'est bien?
merci d'avance.
laurent
Liste bleue contre liste noire English translation pending
Pour reprendre une démarche que nous ne sommes pas habitués à utiliser en France ( le positivisme ), je pense qu'il pourrait être utile de lancer une liste bleue plutot que noire ... En gros, une liste du Top 10 des compagnies sur des critères comme : la ponctualité, le tarif, le service à bord, la sécurité, les installations aéroportuaires dépendantes, la propreté, confort des sièges, flotte, standard business & first ...
Je pense qu'avant de démonter les plus mauvaises, on pourrait de manière informelle stimuler la compétition en montrant les meilleures ... Allez petit exercice, voilà mon Top 10 en tant qu'utilisateur moyen ( 1 à 2 vols par mois )
1- Singapore Airlines 2 - All Nippon Airways 3 - Qantas 4- Swissair 5 - Austrian Airlines 6 - Cathay Pacific 7 - Emirates 8- Air France 9 - Lufthansa 10 - Air Canada
Certes, tout le monde ne sera jamais d'accord ( mais c'est çà la démocratie ) et si on part du principe qu'il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences ( comme EK, super service à bord, excellente poncutalité, mais certains pax qui font un peu trop ce qu'ils veulent, même fumer à bord, et des connexions en pleine nuit ;...)..on peut au moins valoriser celles qui se montrent régulièrement à la hauteur !
Je pense qu'avant de démonter les plus mauvaises, on pourrait de manière informelle stimuler la compétition en montrant les meilleures ... Allez petit exercice, voilà mon Top 10 en tant qu'utilisateur moyen ( 1 à 2 vols par mois )
1- Singapore Airlines 2 - All Nippon Airways 3 - Qantas 4- Swissair 5 - Austrian Airlines 6 - Cathay Pacific 7 - Emirates 8- Air France 9 - Lufthansa 10 - Air Canada
Certes, tout le monde ne sera jamais d'accord ( mais c'est çà la démocratie ) et si on part du principe qu'il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences ( comme EK, super service à bord, excellente poncutalité, mais certains pax qui font un peu trop ce qu'ils veulent, même fumer à bord, et des connexions en pleine nuit ;...)..on peut au moins valoriser celles qui se montrent régulièrement à la hauteur !
Compagnie aérienne pour le Mexique? English translation pending
J'ai eu entendu que la compagnie aérienne MARTINAIR était à éviter pour causes d'escales inattendues et autres détails, qu'en est-il pour IBERIA, est-ce une bonne compagnie avec qui voyager, comment se passe le vol, sinon quelle compagnie choisir ???
Immigrer au Canada avec son nac (lézard) English translation pending
coucou vous !
je viens chercher ici un peu d'aide, vivant en France et étant une future immigrée au canada avec un départ prévu début avril, je galère à trouver une compagnie aérienne capable de me donner des infos claires concernant le transport de mon lézard, un agame barbu, par avion ...😠 Le Canada autorise l'importation de ce genre d'animaux, mais j'ai peur qu'il ne survive pas au transport, alors si parmi vous il y a quelqu'un qui a deja fait voyager son agame et qui pourrai me rassurer un peu ....🙂 je vous remercie d'avance ! a bientot ! jackgirl23.
je viens chercher ici un peu d'aide, vivant en France et étant une future immigrée au canada avec un départ prévu début avril, je galère à trouver une compagnie aérienne capable de me donner des infos claires concernant le transport de mon lézard, un agame barbu, par avion ...😠 Le Canada autorise l'importation de ce genre d'animaux, mais j'ai peur qu'il ne survive pas au transport, alors si parmi vous il y a quelqu'un qui a deja fait voyager son agame et qui pourrai me rassurer un peu ....🙂 je vous remercie d'avance ! a bientot ! jackgirl23.
Compagnie Condor English translation pending
Bonjour
Nous partons pour la Romana de Francfort le 20 mars pour effectuer une croisière, nous volons avec la compagnie Condor.
Nous ne connaissons pas cette compagnie Allemande, pourriez vous me donner des infos à ce sujet?
Merci à vous
Régina
Prix des vols pour l'Amérique du Sud? English translation pending
Bonjour,
Nous partons pour Quito en août prochain et nous souhaitons revenir de Buenos Aires en janvier 2007. Les prix que nous trouvons sont hallucinants (1800 euros minimum). Est-ce la réalité du marché, avez-vous des bons plans à proposer ?
Merci d'avance !
Marie
Beaucoup d'escales pour un billet tour du monde, c'est normal? English translation pending
voilà voilà,
je vais demain saluer notre Michel commun pour payer le solde de notre billet TDM et valider une dernière fois les dates.
Un détail me chagrine...
Je trouve qu'on a BEAUCOUP d'escales surtout en Amériques......... alors j'essaye de me dire que c'est normal puisqu'on ne voyage que sur des grandes compagnies nationales et que du coup elles ne relient pas forcement les villes qu'on veut mais j'aimerais votre avis.
Notre billet (je mets en CAP les destinations qu'on vise vraiment et en minuscule les escales imposées) : PARIS - londres - BUENOS AIRES (Donc premiere escale a Londres) BUENOS AIRES - santiago - LA PAZ LA PAZ - miami - MEXICO MEXICO - dallas - GUATEMALA CITY GUATEMALA CITY - dallas - WASHINGTON NY - HONG KONG HONG KONG - JAKARTA BALI - hong kong - bangkok - VIENTIANE VIENTIANE - BANGKOK BANGKOK - YANGOON YANGOON - CALCUTTA BOMBAY - londres - PARIS
C'est pas un peu bcp??? 🤪🤪 ou bien c'est le prix à payer pour voyager sur les grandes compagnies?? 😕🏴☠️
merci!!
je vais demain saluer notre Michel commun pour payer le solde de notre billet TDM et valider une dernière fois les dates.
Un détail me chagrine...
Je trouve qu'on a BEAUCOUP d'escales surtout en Amériques......... alors j'essaye de me dire que c'est normal puisqu'on ne voyage que sur des grandes compagnies nationales et que du coup elles ne relient pas forcement les villes qu'on veut mais j'aimerais votre avis.
Notre billet (je mets en CAP les destinations qu'on vise vraiment et en minuscule les escales imposées) : PARIS - londres - BUENOS AIRES (Donc premiere escale a Londres) BUENOS AIRES - santiago - LA PAZ LA PAZ - miami - MEXICO MEXICO - dallas - GUATEMALA CITY GUATEMALA CITY - dallas - WASHINGTON NY - HONG KONG HONG KONG - JAKARTA BALI - hong kong - bangkok - VIENTIANE VIENTIANE - BANGKOK BANGKOK - YANGOON YANGOON - CALCUTTA BOMBAY - londres - PARIS
C'est pas un peu bcp??? 🤪🤪 ou bien c'est le prix à payer pour voyager sur les grandes compagnies?? 😕🏴☠️
merci!!
Vélo et avion English translation pending
bonjour, je recherche là l'expérience de voyageurs ayant mis leur vélo dans l'avion, certaines compagnies font payer au kilo le surplus que cela constitue, d'autres ne l'acceptent pas du tout (mauvaise surprise...) et d'autres proposent un service de transport bien spécial.
Avez vous déjà tenté l'expérience, et si oui, quelles compagnies sont les plus compréhensibles face à nos attentes...
Merci . Joseph
Avez vous déjà tenté l'expérience, et si oui, quelles compagnies sont les plus compréhensibles face à nos attentes...
Merci . Joseph
Aller dans le sud de la Russie English translation pending
salut,
je cherche à aller dans la region de rostov durant les fêtes de noel. etant déjà aller la-bas je sais qu'il y a un aéroport à rostov, mais je n'ai trouvé aucune companie qui le dessert.
lors de mon dernier voyage dans la région, j'ai quitté la russie par sotchi par bateau pour trapzon en turquie. quelqu'un saurait-il si il y a des connextion depuis istanbul pour la russie, novorissirsk ou stochi ou autre c'est égal.
donc si vous avez des infos pour y aller pour pas cher, faites-moi signe.
merci
sauerkraut-qui-fait-ses-comptes
je cherche à aller dans la region de rostov durant les fêtes de noel. etant déjà aller la-bas je sais qu'il y a un aéroport à rostov, mais je n'ai trouvé aucune companie qui le dessert.
lors de mon dernier voyage dans la région, j'ai quitté la russie par sotchi par bateau pour trapzon en turquie. quelqu'un saurait-il si il y a des connextion depuis istanbul pour la russie, novorissirsk ou stochi ou autre c'est égal.
donc si vous avez des infos pour y aller pour pas cher, faites-moi signe.
merci
sauerkraut-qui-fait-ses-comptes
Vol vers Delhi avec Alitalia English translation pending
bonjour,
je pars pour 3 semaines au Rajasthan le 28 décembre.Le vol le moins cher que j'ai trouvé est sur alitalia.Qui a déjà voyagé avec eux sur l'inde?
A 140 euros près vaut-il mieux choisir Air France?Il faut dire qu'au départ de marseille le choix est réduit.
Merci pour vos réponses
Patricia
Qui connait Uzbekistan airlines? English translation pending
Bonjour,
Deja merci a tous pour vos informations !! ca fait super plaisir !!!
Avec ma femme, nous partons en Thailande le 11 aout prochain, billets reservés sur Lastminute.com. Le compagnie est Uzbeskistan Airline ! Avec escale en uzbekistan ..... Le nom de la compagnie me fait flipper un peu . Avez vous deja utilisé cette compagnie ?
Si oui, pouvez vous m'en parler un peu ? Les prix sont super interressant !! 510 € le vol aller retour PARIS - BANGKOK ! en aout !!!
La securité ?
Confort ?
Le repas ?
Film ?.....
Encore merci a vous tous ! A bientot qui sait !!
Stouve
Deja merci a tous pour vos informations !! ca fait super plaisir !!!
Avec ma femme, nous partons en Thailande le 11 aout prochain, billets reservés sur Lastminute.com. Le compagnie est Uzbeskistan Airline ! Avec escale en uzbekistan ..... Le nom de la compagnie me fait flipper un peu . Avez vous deja utilisé cette compagnie ?
Si oui, pouvez vous m'en parler un peu ? Les prix sont super interressant !! 510 € le vol aller retour PARIS - BANGKOK ! en aout !!!
La securité ?
Confort ?
Le repas ?
Film ?.....
Encore merci a vous tous ! A bientot qui sait !!
Stouve
taxe aéroport au départ de Delhi vers Paris? English translation pending
j'ai pas encore atterri que déjà je pense au retour ! si qqun peut me dire le montant de la taxe à payer à l'aéroport au moment de partir... j'ai eu des infos contradictoires...
merci
merci
Travailler dans un call-center en Irlande? English translation pending
Merci pour tout tes renseignements et je vais continuer à poser des question si ca te dérenge pas 😉
Qui as déjà bossé dans un call center en Irlande??Mon anglais n'étant pas très élevé (je compte faire une remise à niveau les mois restant avant de partir), on conseille donc beaucoup les call-center.
J'ai lu quelques truc, sur des personnes qui sont plutot content d'y trouver rapidement un boulot, et d'apprendre leur angais à l'extérieur du boulot, et d'autre qui se plaigne "d'esclavagisme", décu et mécontent ???
Voila si vous avez déjà vécu cette expérience, ou si vous avez des renseignements, c'est la bien venu 🙂
Merci 🙂
Qui as déjà bossé dans un call center en Irlande??Mon anglais n'étant pas très élevé (je compte faire une remise à niveau les mois restant avant de partir), on conseille donc beaucoup les call-center.
J'ai lu quelques truc, sur des personnes qui sont plutot content d'y trouver rapidement un boulot, et d'apprendre leur angais à l'extérieur du boulot, et d'autre qui se plaigne "d'esclavagisme", décu et mécontent ???
Voila si vous avez déjà vécu cette expérience, ou si vous avez des renseignements, c'est la bien venu 🙂
Merci 🙂
Tokyo en 24H? English translation pending
Voila, c est dans le sujet...
J ai une escale de 24H a Tokyo et j aimerai en profiter pour voir un petit bout de la ville (je reste realiste, je c ce qu est 24H face a quelques millions d habitants...).
Si quelqu un a un plan, un itineraire sympa, je suis preneur.
Merci bien
guillaume
J ai une escale de 24H a Tokyo et j aimerai en profiter pour voir un petit bout de la ville (je reste realiste, je c ce qu est 24H face a quelques millions d habitants...).
Si quelqu un a un plan, un itineraire sympa, je suis preneur.
Merci bien
guillaume
Billet A/R pour le Mexique? English translation pending
je me prends la tête avec les billets d'avion !
je veux un billet pour le Mexique, mais je sais que je ne repartirais pas de ce pays. On me dit qu'il faut malgré tout que je prennes un retour même s'il ne me sert à rien.
comment puis je faire pour éviter de gaspiller un billet et puis si je prends un retour et que je ne suis pas dans l'avion, l'immigration n'entamme aucune démarche particulière ?
merci de bien vouloir me donner des infos
je veux un billet pour le Mexique, mais je sais que je ne repartirais pas de ce pays. On me dit qu'il faut malgré tout que je prennes un retour même s'il ne me sert à rien.
comment puis je faire pour éviter de gaspiller un billet et puis si je prends un retour et que je ne suis pas dans l'avion, l'immigration n'entamme aucune démarche particulière ?
merci de bien vouloir me donner des infos
L'Inde du Sud dans quel sens? English translation pending
Bonjour,
Je tiens à remercier tout d’abord toutes celles et ceux qui ont bien voulu répondre à mes interrogations.
A ce jour, alors que mon itinéraire pour début novembre est bouclé (Arrivée Madras puis descente vers Cochin en passant par Madurai puis Munnar, avec voiture et chauffeur), une question m’interpelle après le passage de Munnar puisque j’envisage de me rendre d’abord à Varkala pour me reposer 2 jours, puis remonter par Allepey et Cochin.
En effet, vaut-il mieux à partir de Munnar
· descendre vers Varkala puis remonter vers Allepey puis Cochin avec un départ Cochin Paris, · ou de Munnar visiter Cochin, puis descendre vers Varkala, se reposer et effectuer un Trivandrum Paris ?
Cette question m’intéresse pour deux raisons principalement :
· L’intérêt que je porte aux back waters et aux house bats pour me demander dans quel sens (par rapport entre autre à la beauté des paysages), vaut-il mieux « tourner » le voyage ?,
· par rapport aux compagnies aériennes.
En effet, pour tirer les prix au maximum, mais sans pour autant effectuer un nombre incalculable d’heures de vols en plus, il vaut mieux faire apparemment l’aller retour avec la même compagnie.
Hors des compagnies (style GULF Air) ne proposent pas de Paris Madras mais des retours Cochin Paris ou Trivandrum Paris, je me retrouve bloqué avec des compagnies traditionnelles (Lufthansa) qui ne proposent pas de super prix.
Avec mes remerciements à celles ou ceux qui connaissent et qui voudront bien me répondre
Canario.
Je tiens à remercier tout d’abord toutes celles et ceux qui ont bien voulu répondre à mes interrogations.
A ce jour, alors que mon itinéraire pour début novembre est bouclé (Arrivée Madras puis descente vers Cochin en passant par Madurai puis Munnar, avec voiture et chauffeur), une question m’interpelle après le passage de Munnar puisque j’envisage de me rendre d’abord à Varkala pour me reposer 2 jours, puis remonter par Allepey et Cochin.
En effet, vaut-il mieux à partir de Munnar
· descendre vers Varkala puis remonter vers Allepey puis Cochin avec un départ Cochin Paris, · ou de Munnar visiter Cochin, puis descendre vers Varkala, se reposer et effectuer un Trivandrum Paris ?
Cette question m’intéresse pour deux raisons principalement :
· L’intérêt que je porte aux back waters et aux house bats pour me demander dans quel sens (par rapport entre autre à la beauté des paysages), vaut-il mieux « tourner » le voyage ?,
· par rapport aux compagnies aériennes.
En effet, pour tirer les prix au maximum, mais sans pour autant effectuer un nombre incalculable d’heures de vols en plus, il vaut mieux faire apparemment l’aller retour avec la même compagnie.
Hors des compagnies (style GULF Air) ne proposent pas de Paris Madras mais des retours Cochin Paris ou Trivandrum Paris, je me retrouve bloqué avec des compagnies traditionnelles (Lufthansa) qui ne proposent pas de super prix.
Avec mes remerciements à celles ou ceux qui connaissent et qui voudront bien me répondre
Canario.
Gagner des miles en voyageant fréquemment? English translation pending
Les grands voyageurs tels que vous et moi partent en vacances 2 à 4 fois par an peut-être non ?
Dans ce cas, avez-vous déjà essayé de bénéficier de programmes de fidélités afin de gagner des miles ?
Je pense entre autres à Skyteam.
Est-ce que ça vaut le coup ?
Merci d'avance
Est-ce que ça vaut le coup ?
Merci d'avance
Vols last minute pour l'Inde? English translation pending
Bonjour à tous,
J'ai décidé de partir en Inde autour d'Octobre ou Novembre. Malheureusement je ne peux pas fixer mes dates avant mi Octobre. Quelqu'un peut il m'indiquer s'il est facile d'obtenir un billet de dernière minute ? Et si oui par ou en dehors de Lastminute, travelprice, etc ? Est-il plus intéressant de demander directement aux compagnies aériennes ? Je cherche un Lyon Délhi ou un Paris Délhi.
Merci à tous les voyageurs du forum pour leur aide
Salut à tous et à bientôt !
J'ai décidé de partir en Inde autour d'Octobre ou Novembre. Malheureusement je ne peux pas fixer mes dates avant mi Octobre. Quelqu'un peut il m'indiquer s'il est facile d'obtenir un billet de dernière minute ? Et si oui par ou en dehors de Lastminute, travelprice, etc ? Est-il plus intéressant de demander directement aux compagnies aériennes ? Je cherche un Lyon Délhi ou un Paris Délhi.
Merci à tous les voyageurs du forum pour leur aide
Salut à tous et à bientôt !
Fly Play airline files for bankruptcy
Hi,
Icelandic airline Fly Play has ceased all operations with immediate effect. 400 employees were laid off this morning, all flights have of course been canceled, and thousands of passengers are left without solutions. It operated flights to several European countries and the USA, including France from Paris Charles de Gaulle :(
Icelandic airline Fly Play has ceased all operations with immediate effect. 400 employees were laid off this morning, all flights have of course been canceled, and thousands of passengers are left without solutions. It operated flights to several European countries and the USA, including France from Paris Charles de Gaulle :(
Swiss. Flight canceled due to weather. 5-day delay. Court orders compensation + damages
Hi,
I often see people here claiming that if a flight is canceled due to weather, the passenger isn’t entitled to any compensation. However, the airline is only exempt from compensating the passenger if—and **only if**—they offer re-routing “as soon as possible.”
Here’s what happened: A single booking with Swiss International Air Lines (a Lufthansa subsidiary) for Paris - Zurich operated by Swiss, then Zurich - Puerto Plata operated by Edelweiss Air (another subsidiary).
After arriving in Zurich, the airport was closed for a few hours due to weather, and all flights were canceled. So far, nothing unusual. But Swiss International Airlines really outdid themselves:
Meals and hotel (plus transport to and from): “Figure it out yourselves, but we’ll reimburse you.” No re-routing offered at the time of cancellation (which is **mandatory** at the **same time**), nor in the following days, even though possible re-routing options existed. Worse: After 2 days with no information from the airline, the passenger showed up at the airport to demand immediate re-routing (3 hours later) on a flight operated by the same airline that had canceled the original flight, even though the final destination was 6 hours by road from the originally planned airport (Punta Cana instead of Puerto Plata). The airline refused because there was only space left in business class—and thus, the passenger had to pay!!! It’s completely absurd!!! The passenger declined, so the airline refused the re-routing! No other re-routing options were offered. The next day, the passenger returned, and this time, they were offered—**for the following day**—the exact same re-routing that had been refused the day before (Zurich - Punta Cana)! The passenger accepted. Arrival at a destination 6 hours by road from the final airport. Complete silence from the airline about the transfer. The passenger had to figure it out alone! In the end, arrival at the final destination with a 5-day delay. When the passenger claimed reimbursement for their expenses (nearly 600 €) the day after arrival, it took a month and a half to get the money back.
Swiss didn’t even bother responding to the registered letter requesting compensation. The passenger only received two replies from the parent company (Lufthansa), responding on behalf of its subsidiary, stating that the request should be addressed to its other subsidiary.
The passenger turned to the justice conciliator (a mandatory step before taking the case to court). The airline went silent and didn’t respond to the conciliator, who then issued a report of failure to cooperate. The passenger took the case to the local court in Aulnay-sous-Bois and sent Swiss their “submissions.” The airline remained silent until less than 48 hours before the hearing. Then, over the phone, the airline’s lawyer verbally agreed to pay the 600 € owed but proposed a reduced settlement for the rest. The passenger refused. Then, 24 hours before the hearing, the passenger received Swiss’s “submissions,” confirming the previous day’s verbal proposals.
Finally, the hearing took place, and the judgment was received: 600 € in compensation, as provided by Articles 5 and 7 of EU Regulation 261/2004 + 500 € under Article 12 of the same regulation (additional compensation, given how badly Swiss handled things) + 200 € for legal costs (registered letters, preparing the particularly large case file). All the details of this case (correspondence, justice conciliator, passenger’s submissions, the airline’s submissions, the arguments presented in court, and the judgment) are available here: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/ In summary: -Just because a flight is canceled due to weather doesn’t mean the airline is automatically exempt from compensating the passenger. -In such cases, immediately look for possible re-routing options yourself (same airline or not), stop just before payment, and take screenshots. -Don’t always blindly believe what the airline tells you. -Don’t give up: the process is simple and free. But you must follow the templates provided on my website https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com without deviating from them. Best regards,
Meals and hotel (plus transport to and from): “Figure it out yourselves, but we’ll reimburse you.” No re-routing offered at the time of cancellation (which is **mandatory** at the **same time**), nor in the following days, even though possible re-routing options existed. Worse: After 2 days with no information from the airline, the passenger showed up at the airport to demand immediate re-routing (3 hours later) on a flight operated by the same airline that had canceled the original flight, even though the final destination was 6 hours by road from the originally planned airport (Punta Cana instead of Puerto Plata). The airline refused because there was only space left in business class—and thus, the passenger had to pay!!! It’s completely absurd!!! The passenger declined, so the airline refused the re-routing! No other re-routing options were offered. The next day, the passenger returned, and this time, they were offered—**for the following day**—the exact same re-routing that had been refused the day before (Zurich - Punta Cana)! The passenger accepted. Arrival at a destination 6 hours by road from the final airport. Complete silence from the airline about the transfer. The passenger had to figure it out alone! In the end, arrival at the final destination with a 5-day delay. When the passenger claimed reimbursement for their expenses (nearly 600 €) the day after arrival, it took a month and a half to get the money back.
Swiss didn’t even bother responding to the registered letter requesting compensation. The passenger only received two replies from the parent company (Lufthansa), responding on behalf of its subsidiary, stating that the request should be addressed to its other subsidiary.
The passenger turned to the justice conciliator (a mandatory step before taking the case to court). The airline went silent and didn’t respond to the conciliator, who then issued a report of failure to cooperate. The passenger took the case to the local court in Aulnay-sous-Bois and sent Swiss their “submissions.” The airline remained silent until less than 48 hours before the hearing. Then, over the phone, the airline’s lawyer verbally agreed to pay the 600 € owed but proposed a reduced settlement for the rest. The passenger refused. Then, 24 hours before the hearing, the passenger received Swiss’s “submissions,” confirming the previous day’s verbal proposals.
Finally, the hearing took place, and the judgment was received: 600 € in compensation, as provided by Articles 5 and 7 of EU Regulation 261/2004 + 500 € under Article 12 of the same regulation (additional compensation, given how badly Swiss handled things) + 200 € for legal costs (registered letters, preparing the particularly large case file). All the details of this case (correspondence, justice conciliator, passenger’s submissions, the airline’s submissions, the arguments presented in court, and the judgment) are available here: https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/reacheminement-catastrophique-droit-indemnisation-meme-circonstances-extraordinaires-2/ In summary: -Just because a flight is canceled due to weather doesn’t mean the airline is automatically exempt from compensating the passenger. -In such cases, immediately look for possible re-routing options yourself (same airline or not), stop just before payment, and take screenshots. -Don’t always blindly believe what the airline tells you. -Don’t give up: the process is simple and free. But you must follow the templates provided on my website https://retardimportantavion.wordpress.com without deviating from them. Best regards,
Louisiana - Mississippi - Tennessee - Arkansas - April 2024
The context:
The urge to return to the USA, to explore a new part of the country. I don’t need much convincing to go back to Uncle Sam’s land. My wife’s on board too.
So, off we go for my 9th trip to the USA! (I didn’t take notes, so this is from memory)
Day 1: The departure: Flight with two layovers. I usually avoid layovers in the US before the final destination because of immigration. This time, my flight was Lyon/Munich, then Munich/Chicago, and finally Chicago/New Orleans. The layover in Chicago was 3 hours, and since I’d been through this airport twice before and found it super efficient both times, I wasn’t too worried when I booked my tickets—especially with Lufthansa. Unfortunately, there were several flight changes before departure, the last one leaving us with only a 2h14 layover in Chicago. I called Lufthansa to check if that would be enough, and they told me immigration in Chicago takes about an hour and 45 minutes (according to their calculations). So, I left feeling confident. A 15-minute delay leaving Lyon, then a 1-hour delay leaving Munich—now I’m starting to worry. When we arrived in Chicago, we rushed, cut in line, and made it to immigration. And then—an impossible queue. Game over, we missed our last flight. Of course, Lufthansa rebooked us for the next morning, arriving around 10 AM, and booked us a hotel. I found someone to call Alamo in New Orleans to make sure my rental car would still be there. Everything’s sorted—except our luggage, which we have no idea where it is! My little worry is that we land at 9:45 AM the next morning, and we’ve booked a tour at 11 AM at Laura Plantation, which is about an hour’s drive away! Wait and see…
The +: We're back in the USA The -: Once again, flight delays
Day 1: The departure: Flight with two layovers. I usually avoid layovers in the US before the final destination because of immigration. This time, my flight was Lyon/Munich, then Munich/Chicago, and finally Chicago/New Orleans. The layover in Chicago was 3 hours, and since I’d been through this airport twice before and found it super efficient both times, I wasn’t too worried when I booked my tickets—especially with Lufthansa. Unfortunately, there were several flight changes before departure, the last one leaving us with only a 2h14 layover in Chicago. I called Lufthansa to check if that would be enough, and they told me immigration in Chicago takes about an hour and 45 minutes (according to their calculations). So, I left feeling confident. A 15-minute delay leaving Lyon, then a 1-hour delay leaving Munich—now I’m starting to worry. When we arrived in Chicago, we rushed, cut in line, and made it to immigration. And then—an impossible queue. Game over, we missed our last flight. Of course, Lufthansa rebooked us for the next morning, arriving around 10 AM, and booked us a hotel. I found someone to call Alamo in New Orleans to make sure my rental car would still be there. Everything’s sorted—except our luggage, which we have no idea where it is! My little worry is that we land at 9:45 AM the next morning, and we’ve booked a tour at 11 AM at Laura Plantation, which is about an hour’s drive away! Wait and see…
The +: We're back in the USA The -: Once again, flight delays
3 weeks in Colombia (August 2023)
Why Colombia?
It's quite simple. For the past few years, my daughter has been living with a Colombian from Bogotá. The idea was to discover his country, meet his family, and do part of the trip all four of us together.
We’re heading out first as scouts, then they’ll join us to continue the journey.
The itinerary was shared in another post—now it’s time for the impressions.
No photos, as for me, it’s video and nothing more!
Day 1: The big departure What was planned: A flight from Lyon Saint-Exupéry late morning heading to Frankfurt. Two hours of waiting in Frankfurt (just enough time to eat a pretzel!!) and then off to Bogotá for an arrival around 7 PM local time. I hadn’t done the Check-Mig (to be done 72 hours before the flight). I did it on my phone, giving a fake arrival date in Colombia, and the attendant told me there wouldn’t be any issues in Bogotá. Actually, two hours of delay at departure in Lyon because a sick passenger was on the plane—they had to evacuate him, and the ambulance that was supposed to be there didn’t have permission to come near the plane. Ah, French administrative formalities!!!!! Flight to Frankfurt with Lufthansa went smoothly. A sprint through the airport—very well organized. Connection secured, so we boarded the plane, and two hours later than scheduled, we took off for an 11-hour flight! Arrival in Bogotá, and the immigration process took over an hour and a half because of the crowds. However, no issues with the Check-Mig—they barely glanced at it. Our daughter’s father-in-law ended up waiting over 3 hours at the airport because of this!!! Surprise: No luggage. Luckily, we had packed essentials in our carry-ons! Quick administrative paperwork, and Lufthansa informed me our bags would be on the next flight, so no big deal. Off to our hotel in La Candelaria and a good night’s rest.
The plus: We’re in Bogotá! The minus: Flight delays are becoming more and more common.
Day 1: The big departure What was planned: A flight from Lyon Saint-Exupéry late morning heading to Frankfurt. Two hours of waiting in Frankfurt (just enough time to eat a pretzel!!) and then off to Bogotá for an arrival around 7 PM local time. I hadn’t done the Check-Mig (to be done 72 hours before the flight). I did it on my phone, giving a fake arrival date in Colombia, and the attendant told me there wouldn’t be any issues in Bogotá. Actually, two hours of delay at departure in Lyon because a sick passenger was on the plane—they had to evacuate him, and the ambulance that was supposed to be there didn’t have permission to come near the plane. Ah, French administrative formalities!!!!! Flight to Frankfurt with Lufthansa went smoothly. A sprint through the airport—very well organized. Connection secured, so we boarded the plane, and two hours later than scheduled, we took off for an 11-hour flight! Arrival in Bogotá, and the immigration process took over an hour and a half because of the crowds. However, no issues with the Check-Mig—they barely glanced at it. Our daughter’s father-in-law ended up waiting over 3 hours at the airport because of this!!! Surprise: No luggage. Luckily, we had packed essentials in our carry-ons! Quick administrative paperwork, and Lufthansa informed me our bags would be on the next flight, so no big deal. Off to our hotel in La Candelaria and a good night’s rest.
The plus: We’re in Bogotá! The minus: Flight delays are becoming more and more common.
Recap of our family trip to Romania in 2019
Hi everyone,
Better late than never—I’m finally getting around to sharing our trip to Romania from last year.
Before I start, I have a personal history with this country: I lived there in 2004 for three and a half months during a student internship. I still have friends there and a decent grasp of Romanian. That helps. But more than anything, I’ve grown attached to the country. It’s well-deserved—Romania gives back just as much. That said, when I talk about it, maybe I see things differently than someone visiting for the first time.
This was my third trip to Romania. This time, I brought my wife and our two daughters. After years of wanting to take a family trip there, this was finally the right moment. My wife wasn’t exactly thrilled at first—she’d been hesitant for years. But she ended up loving it, and we’ll definitely go back together. For our 6- and 8-year-old girls, the trip was fascinating in so many ways: the sights, learning about communism and totalitarian regimes, the Roma community, how different religions coexist, the Saxon minorities...
We landed in Bucharest last July. We spent two and a half weeks in the country. We took off from Toulouse early in the morning and arrived at Bucharest airport around noon. We flew with Lufthansa because it’s a solid airline and the cheapest option we found.
We rented a car. I don’t remember the rental agency’s name, but we got scammed a bit. We’d booked insurance through Booking, but when we arrived, we couldn’t print a credit card receipt. The issue? We only had debit cards, not credit cards (or vice versa), and without one, we couldn’t pick up the car without buying their on-site insurance. It was buried in the fine print—I’d read it but naively assumed a gold card would work. So, we had to take extra insurance. Basically, we threw 120 € in insurance fees out the window. Still, we got a Dacia Logan, and it ran like a dream the whole trip.
Here’s our rough itinerary: - Bucharest Airport => Sinaia => Brasov - Brasov => Viscri => Sighișoara => Sovata - Sovata => Bicaz Gorge => Iași - Iași => Bucharest
**Sinaia** We started in Sinaia, in the Carpathians. It’s an old Romanian vacation spot from the country’s golden age. A really nice place with great hikes. The mountains are stunning, covered in tall fir trees. There are beautiful buildings and old houses—it’s all very charming. We took the cable car up to the summit (no time to hike with the kids). It’s an old 1960s cable car with two sections (there are also detachable chairlifts). The view from the top is amazing. Then, Peles Castle—a must-see.
**On the road to Brasov** We stayed in a homestay in the village of Purcareni (15 minutes from Brasov by car) through an association called "L’Arbre de Joie." We spent a few days there. The association was founded by a French woman in the 90s and runs local projects. The family we stayed with was Hungarian. The price was around 90 € per day, including breakfast and dinner. The host spoke a little French, and her 16-year-old daughter spoke English fluently. We had great conversations. This family lives like a typical French family—they work at a clinic and a factory, own a car, and have a small chalet in the nearby mountains. From Purcareni, we explored: - **Bran Castle**: The iconic castle. There are way more tourist stalls now than when I first visited in 2004, but it’s still charming and worth seeing. - **Zărnești Bear Reserve**: Interesting—you learn a lot about bears. But it’s expensive, and it’s sad to see these beautiful animals in captivity. - **Râșnov Citadel**: Right near Zărnești. We did Bran, the bears, and this citadel all in one day last year. It’s pretty—you hike up a trail to get there. The view is gorgeous, but the site feels a bit neglected (or not fully restored yet). Some people love it, others don’t, but at least it’s authentic and not some Disneyland with fry stands everywhere. - **Brasov**: Of course! We went twice. It’s beautiful and nothing like what you’d imagine Romania to look like. We hiked up the hill overlooking the city—about 45 to 60 minutes with the kids. The view from the top is incredible, especially over the medieval rooftops. I wasn’t expecting much—I thought we’d see rundown buildings, but the "new" part of town is built farther to the right, so you barely notice it. - One day, we took a horse-drawn carriage (a touristy thing to do for the kids) to our hosts’ second home. It was still really fun. The area is super wild—just a few kilometers from the village, so close to Brasov. We ate *amazingly* with them. Traditional Romanian food is best enjoyed in people’s homes, not restaurants. So, I’d recommend eating at small guesthouses or homestays as much as possible.
**On the road to Viscri** No stops—just straight to Viscri. I found Viscri just as I’d left it in 2004. Maybe a few more tourists, maybe one or two new restaurants. The road still isn’t paved in the village. Viscri is my favorite place in Romania—a simple village with colorful houses. We found a reasonably priced Airbnb and had a great evening with our hosts. They were fascinating people, and we talked about Romania, Saxon minorities, Europe... The next morning, I went for a run and found a trail in the nearby forest. I followed it for a while before turning back. We also visited the fortified church.
**Sighișoara** I’d been there in 2004 and wasn’t particularly moved or impressed. I felt the same way in 2019. But that’s just our take.
**Sovata** In Sovata, we traveled the way I love—arriving around 5 PM with nothing booked and finding a place to stay by asking around. We ended up in homestays for two nights, and both were great. It’s a Hungarian-Romanian thermal spa town. The place is nice but nothing extraordinary, except when you get closer (but not too close) to the thermal complexes. There, you’ll find beautiful mansions and hotels from the early 19th century. It’s touristy, but only Romanians go there. We visited a warm-water lake—it was fun for the folklore, though the water wasn’t exactly inviting. Apparently, there’s another lake higher up that’s so salty you float in it, but we didn’t go. In the afternoon, we took the tourist steam train ("mocăniță" in Romanian). It was a blast—we chatted with people in the carriage. The train covers about 20 kilometers, then turns around (the locomotive detaches, spins, and reattaches). Everyone gets off at the halfway point, where people grill corn on the cob. Then the train heads back. The scenery isn’t breathtaking, but the fields were full of flowers, and the ride was lovely.
**Toward Bicaz Gorge** The next day, we headed to Bicaz Gorge and the Ceahlău Massif in Neamț (pronounced "Nyamts"). We passed through Corund, a village known for local crafts. Whether it’s actually made there or not is always up for debate in a society where cutting corners is common. Still, we found some nice plates, dishes, and souvenirs to bring home. Funny story: I was chatting with a young saleswoman in Romanian and was shocked to realize she didn’t understand me—not because my Romanian was bad, but because she *didn’t speak Romanian at all*. She only spoke Hungarian. Mind-blowing: you’re Romanian and don’t speak Romanian? We crossed a mountain (or big hill) before reaching the Gheorgheni plain—a small town nestled in the mountains, feeling like the end of the world. Was it the season? We saw *so many* storks, and they were *so close*. It was adorable.
**Bicaz Gorge** We stopped at "Lacul Roșu" (Red Lake) to take a boat ride with the kids. (Yeah, we did things we don’t usually do—gotta keep everyone engaged! And maybe that’s why they have such great memories of the trip.) Then, the Bicaz Gorge—one of my favorite spots in Romania. We stayed at Pensiunea Paleu in Bicazu Ardelean, a place I already knew. I think the price for four people, half-board (with delicious home-cooked meals), was around 90 € per day. The rooms are clean and simple, and there’s a big garden with a vegetable patch, a cow, and a pig. Most of the food served comes straight from the garden.
In the afternoon, after much hesitation, we headed to Ceahlău National Park. About 30 minutes by car, we entered the park (after waking up the park ranger, who reeked of booze and was napping). We drove to the end of the road, and then—against all odds—the four of us made it to the summit of Toaca Peak. This peak towers over the surrounding mountains. It was a great hike—starting in the Carpathian fir forests, then crossing a plateau covered in flowers (mid-July). We stopped for a drink at Cabana Dochia before heading up. The summit is a bit unusual because they’ve installed a big metal staircase. It’s steep in places—straight up, and I wouldn’t want to fall. There’s a sturdy railing, though. Even if the "normal route" doesn’t seem too hard. The view from the top is stunning—you can see the entire Carpathian region, vast forests, and the Bicaz Lake below.
**Iași** I used to live in Iași. We stayed with my former internship supervisor and his family. It’s not the first time we’ve crashed at people’s places. In Iași, we visited: - **The Opera House**: A beautiful building from the early 20th century, if I’m not mistaken. Our friends arranged a tour with the firefighters, who let us in and showed us around. It was fun. - **The "Hall of Lost Steps"**: You enter a massive room with stunning woodwork. It’s a huge university library, home to around a million books. The whole place is meticulously decorated. Visiting this room makes you wonder how Romania could have such a grand image. This country, in its golden age, had universities and thinkers. When you build something like this for knowledge and science, you’ve come a long way. - **The Palace of Culture**: This building was completely run-down in 2004 but has since been fully renovated. Where it was once gray, dull, and dirty, it now shines in the sunlight. It’s magnificent.
Beyond these three sights, we explored parks, wandered the city, went treetop climbing, and spent time with friends. Sure, Iași is way over in the east on a map of Romania, but it’s worth the detour.
After Iași, we headed back.
**In conclusion**, we spent three weeks in Romania. Here’s a rough breakdown of expenses (in €, all taxes included): - Flight tickets: 660 € - Car rental for 2.5 weeks: 250 € - Everything else (accommodation, food, activities, etc.): around 1,500 €
All in all, the trip wasn’t exactly cheap—around 2,500 to 2,800 € total. But we had a blast, and that’s what matters.
I had tons of great photos and wanted to share some, but I couldn’t upload them. If anyone’s interested, I can send them along.
Better late than never—I’m finally getting around to sharing our trip to Romania from last year.
Before I start, I have a personal history with this country: I lived there in 2004 for three and a half months during a student internship. I still have friends there and a decent grasp of Romanian. That helps. But more than anything, I’ve grown attached to the country. It’s well-deserved—Romania gives back just as much. That said, when I talk about it, maybe I see things differently than someone visiting for the first time.
This was my third trip to Romania. This time, I brought my wife and our two daughters. After years of wanting to take a family trip there, this was finally the right moment. My wife wasn’t exactly thrilled at first—she’d been hesitant for years. But she ended up loving it, and we’ll definitely go back together. For our 6- and 8-year-old girls, the trip was fascinating in so many ways: the sights, learning about communism and totalitarian regimes, the Roma community, how different religions coexist, the Saxon minorities...
We landed in Bucharest last July. We spent two and a half weeks in the country. We took off from Toulouse early in the morning and arrived at Bucharest airport around noon. We flew with Lufthansa because it’s a solid airline and the cheapest option we found.
We rented a car. I don’t remember the rental agency’s name, but we got scammed a bit. We’d booked insurance through Booking, but when we arrived, we couldn’t print a credit card receipt. The issue? We only had debit cards, not credit cards (or vice versa), and without one, we couldn’t pick up the car without buying their on-site insurance. It was buried in the fine print—I’d read it but naively assumed a gold card would work. So, we had to take extra insurance. Basically, we threw 120 € in insurance fees out the window. Still, we got a Dacia Logan, and it ran like a dream the whole trip.
Here’s our rough itinerary: - Bucharest Airport => Sinaia => Brasov - Brasov => Viscri => Sighișoara => Sovata - Sovata => Bicaz Gorge => Iași - Iași => Bucharest
**Sinaia** We started in Sinaia, in the Carpathians. It’s an old Romanian vacation spot from the country’s golden age. A really nice place with great hikes. The mountains are stunning, covered in tall fir trees. There are beautiful buildings and old houses—it’s all very charming. We took the cable car up to the summit (no time to hike with the kids). It’s an old 1960s cable car with two sections (there are also detachable chairlifts). The view from the top is amazing. Then, Peles Castle—a must-see.
**On the road to Brasov** We stayed in a homestay in the village of Purcareni (15 minutes from Brasov by car) through an association called "L’Arbre de Joie." We spent a few days there. The association was founded by a French woman in the 90s and runs local projects. The family we stayed with was Hungarian. The price was around 90 € per day, including breakfast and dinner. The host spoke a little French, and her 16-year-old daughter spoke English fluently. We had great conversations. This family lives like a typical French family—they work at a clinic and a factory, own a car, and have a small chalet in the nearby mountains. From Purcareni, we explored: - **Bran Castle**: The iconic castle. There are way more tourist stalls now than when I first visited in 2004, but it’s still charming and worth seeing. - **Zărnești Bear Reserve**: Interesting—you learn a lot about bears. But it’s expensive, and it’s sad to see these beautiful animals in captivity. - **Râșnov Citadel**: Right near Zărnești. We did Bran, the bears, and this citadel all in one day last year. It’s pretty—you hike up a trail to get there. The view is gorgeous, but the site feels a bit neglected (or not fully restored yet). Some people love it, others don’t, but at least it’s authentic and not some Disneyland with fry stands everywhere. - **Brasov**: Of course! We went twice. It’s beautiful and nothing like what you’d imagine Romania to look like. We hiked up the hill overlooking the city—about 45 to 60 minutes with the kids. The view from the top is incredible, especially over the medieval rooftops. I wasn’t expecting much—I thought we’d see rundown buildings, but the "new" part of town is built farther to the right, so you barely notice it. - One day, we took a horse-drawn carriage (a touristy thing to do for the kids) to our hosts’ second home. It was still really fun. The area is super wild—just a few kilometers from the village, so close to Brasov. We ate *amazingly* with them. Traditional Romanian food is best enjoyed in people’s homes, not restaurants. So, I’d recommend eating at small guesthouses or homestays as much as possible.
**On the road to Viscri** No stops—just straight to Viscri. I found Viscri just as I’d left it in 2004. Maybe a few more tourists, maybe one or two new restaurants. The road still isn’t paved in the village. Viscri is my favorite place in Romania—a simple village with colorful houses. We found a reasonably priced Airbnb and had a great evening with our hosts. They were fascinating people, and we talked about Romania, Saxon minorities, Europe... The next morning, I went for a run and found a trail in the nearby forest. I followed it for a while before turning back. We also visited the fortified church.
**Sighișoara** I’d been there in 2004 and wasn’t particularly moved or impressed. I felt the same way in 2019. But that’s just our take.
**Sovata** In Sovata, we traveled the way I love—arriving around 5 PM with nothing booked and finding a place to stay by asking around. We ended up in homestays for two nights, and both were great. It’s a Hungarian-Romanian thermal spa town. The place is nice but nothing extraordinary, except when you get closer (but not too close) to the thermal complexes. There, you’ll find beautiful mansions and hotels from the early 19th century. It’s touristy, but only Romanians go there. We visited a warm-water lake—it was fun for the folklore, though the water wasn’t exactly inviting. Apparently, there’s another lake higher up that’s so salty you float in it, but we didn’t go. In the afternoon, we took the tourist steam train ("mocăniță" in Romanian). It was a blast—we chatted with people in the carriage. The train covers about 20 kilometers, then turns around (the locomotive detaches, spins, and reattaches). Everyone gets off at the halfway point, where people grill corn on the cob. Then the train heads back. The scenery isn’t breathtaking, but the fields were full of flowers, and the ride was lovely.
**Toward Bicaz Gorge** The next day, we headed to Bicaz Gorge and the Ceahlău Massif in Neamț (pronounced "Nyamts"). We passed through Corund, a village known for local crafts. Whether it’s actually made there or not is always up for debate in a society where cutting corners is common. Still, we found some nice plates, dishes, and souvenirs to bring home. Funny story: I was chatting with a young saleswoman in Romanian and was shocked to realize she didn’t understand me—not because my Romanian was bad, but because she *didn’t speak Romanian at all*. She only spoke Hungarian. Mind-blowing: you’re Romanian and don’t speak Romanian? We crossed a mountain (or big hill) before reaching the Gheorgheni plain—a small town nestled in the mountains, feeling like the end of the world. Was it the season? We saw *so many* storks, and they were *so close*. It was adorable.
**Bicaz Gorge** We stopped at "Lacul Roșu" (Red Lake) to take a boat ride with the kids. (Yeah, we did things we don’t usually do—gotta keep everyone engaged! And maybe that’s why they have such great memories of the trip.) Then, the Bicaz Gorge—one of my favorite spots in Romania. We stayed at Pensiunea Paleu in Bicazu Ardelean, a place I already knew. I think the price for four people, half-board (with delicious home-cooked meals), was around 90 € per day. The rooms are clean and simple, and there’s a big garden with a vegetable patch, a cow, and a pig. Most of the food served comes straight from the garden.
In the afternoon, after much hesitation, we headed to Ceahlău National Park. About 30 minutes by car, we entered the park (after waking up the park ranger, who reeked of booze and was napping). We drove to the end of the road, and then—against all odds—the four of us made it to the summit of Toaca Peak. This peak towers over the surrounding mountains. It was a great hike—starting in the Carpathian fir forests, then crossing a plateau covered in flowers (mid-July). We stopped for a drink at Cabana Dochia before heading up. The summit is a bit unusual because they’ve installed a big metal staircase. It’s steep in places—straight up, and I wouldn’t want to fall. There’s a sturdy railing, though. Even if the "normal route" doesn’t seem too hard. The view from the top is stunning—you can see the entire Carpathian region, vast forests, and the Bicaz Lake below.
**Iași** I used to live in Iași. We stayed with my former internship supervisor and his family. It’s not the first time we’ve crashed at people’s places. In Iași, we visited: - **The Opera House**: A beautiful building from the early 20th century, if I’m not mistaken. Our friends arranged a tour with the firefighters, who let us in and showed us around. It was fun. - **The "Hall of Lost Steps"**: You enter a massive room with stunning woodwork. It’s a huge university library, home to around a million books. The whole place is meticulously decorated. Visiting this room makes you wonder how Romania could have such a grand image. This country, in its golden age, had universities and thinkers. When you build something like this for knowledge and science, you’ve come a long way. - **The Palace of Culture**: This building was completely run-down in 2004 but has since been fully renovated. Where it was once gray, dull, and dirty, it now shines in the sunlight. It’s magnificent.
Beyond these three sights, we explored parks, wandered the city, went treetop climbing, and spent time with friends. Sure, Iași is way over in the east on a map of Romania, but it’s worth the detour.
After Iași, we headed back.
**In conclusion**, we spent three weeks in Romania. Here’s a rough breakdown of expenses (in €, all taxes included): - Flight tickets: 660 € - Car rental for 2.5 weeks: 250 € - Everything else (accommodation, food, activities, etc.): around 1,500 €
All in all, the trip wasn’t exactly cheap—around 2,500 to 2,800 € total. But we had a blast, and that’s what matters.
I had tons of great photos and wanted to share some, but I couldn’t upload them. If anyone’s interested, I can send them along.