To Gatwick with love.
Written: Jul 29 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Not in London, so easy to get to.
Cons: Very large airport if it is your fist time.
The Bottom Line: Bottom Line: I would recommend this airport over Heathrow, due to heavy traffic in the Heathrow area. Gatwick is really easy to find, with a great transportation system.
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| Susie-34668's Full Review: London Gatwick Airport |
Gatwick airport is like coming home for me. Each year I visit family in England. I have been back 15 times in the past 14 years. Why do I choose Gatwick? Well it is close to my Dad.
Len, my husband, flies over with me every third year. On those occasions we hire a car, when booking our flights. The other years, my son-in-law picks me up from Gatwick, and drives me to their home. Halfway through my vacation, my family drive me to my Dad's house, in Maidstone, Kent. This way I can book a taxi cab to take me to Gatwick Airport. It is a 40 minute drive.
Let's get it straight. Evey one says Gatwick, London. Well Gatwick is 28 miles south of London. It is located just off junction 9 on the M23.(M stands for motorway) The M23 is linked to the M25. This is the motorway that completely
circles London. If you plan on going to England for the first time, I will warn you, driving the M25 can be a nightmare. Especially at peak times.
Gatwick Airport.
Has 2 terminals. North and South. I always fly British Airways from Tampa, Florida, to Gatwick, North Terminal. Most of the internal flights are from the South terminal. There are over 70 airlines flying in and out of Gatwick. The latest figures state over 31 million passengers flying each year, on one runway.
It is the busiest single runway in the world. All the other large airports have more than one runway.
You can travel almost anywhere from Gatwick.
There are 900 rail services daily to and from Gatwick, as well at around 400 coach (bus) services on a daily basis. There are also internal flights, making traveling in England, the U.K., or Europe, a pleasure.
When you fly into Gatwick.
If you are an American citizen you will have to go through immigration, as well as customs. Being a Resident Alien, or green card holder, here in the states, I travel on a European passport. I hated giving up my British passport a couple of years ago, but they no longer issue them. We literally walk through holding our passports.
The walk to this area can be very long, however they have moving walkways. Always, anyone that is unable to walk will be driven, on their transportation.
Baggage area.
Is pretty straight forward, just as long as you check the boards. I have no trouble traveling alone.
After either going through 'something to declare' or 'nothing to declare', at customs, you will turn the corner, and are now in the arrivals area. This is where family, friends, or taxi cabs meet you.
Hire car.
As you walk out the door, the hire cars are opposite. Several companies to choose from.
The only problem we had one year was, our flight was delayed 14 hours. This meant instead of getting in to Gatwick in the morning, we ended up arriving at 11.15pm.
Wheeled our luggage over to the hire car area, and it was closed. We looked around, and I finally found a telephone. We had to call the South terminal. They told us to go back into the airport, and take their transportation over to the South terminal. Here they stayed open 24 hours a day. This really did delay us, getting our car, and arriving at my daughter's house.
Leaving from Gatwick.
My taxi driver always takes me to the departure entrance for British Airways. He even gets me my trolley (cart) and puts my luggage on it for me.
As soon as you go into the terminal, there are several large screens, showing you which area, you need to check in too. This is great because it seems like British Airways has every one of them.
Most times I go World traveler, which is economy. I get there 3 hours before my flight, and only wait a few minutes before being attended to. This year I went Club class and they were actually waiting for me.
I go straight through to the International lounge. Here is a huge seating area. Wonderful shops, and if you are traveling to America, it is tax free. Saving seventeen and a half percent V.A.T.(value added tax) I have no idea why they call it that, because I can't see any value in it.
There are Boots, the chemists, W.H. Smith, newsagents, Harrod's, and way too many to write about. Want a snack, then go to Burger King. Sit down restaurant just to the left of it.
Need to change your money back, then go to one of the foreign exchange booths.
Last visit I was able to go to one of the several lounges for British Airways. This was amazing. Fantastic lounges, with newspapers, magazines, beautiful array of various foods, and drinks. This was perfection. Hope to go Club Class again. A totally different way of traveling.
Screens are all around, telling you to either wait in the lounge, or go to a certain gate. I always tell people to go immediately. Some of these gates are a long distance away.
Finally, on an International flight, once you are in the gate area, be prepared to stay there. I had to use the restroom one time. They actually held my passport until I came back. This is kind of disturbing, to have to give up your passport, even for a short time. Yes, I got it back as soon as my mission was completed.
I could easily write another 1,000 words on Gatwick, but if I have missed anything you need to know, please leave a comment, or e-mail me. I will gladly add more, or reply
to you. You never know one of these times, we may bump into one another.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Susie.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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