Fully booked flights from London Gatwick

[sunflower]

Hi,

I've been looking at booking a flight from London Gatwick to Biarritz around early June and there doesnt' seem to be any flight available on Easyjet.

I'm wondering if it is really that full or whether the site is just playing up. There are flights from London Stansted flying Ryan Air but there are no flights from Sydney that go to London Stansted from what I've seen.

Is anyone else having the same problem and what is your alternative? My last resort would be to fly to London Heathrow and then bus it to London Stansted to take the Ryan Air flight but really do want to avoid that long winded route.

SF

[Covey]

It seems that the Gatwick to Bairritz flights are not starting until mid july this year so...............

You either fly in to London and catch the train/bus out to Stansted and then Ryanair to Bairritz, OR................ have a look to see if there are cheap flights from where you are to Ireland, and then catch Ryanair from Dublin to Bairritz, OR................. fly in to Paris, and catch either a flight to Bairritz or the TGV high speed train to Bayonne and then the local Ter train from Bayonne to St jean.

[Covey]

Should have explained that London Stansted is mainly a charter flight/ Cheapie flight airport, so from Oz you will probably arrive at either Heathrow or Gatwick, and there is a coach service which links all the London airports, or you catch the train in to central London and the Stansted train runs from Liverpool Street Station.

If you are arriving from Oz you will probably want a day or so to get over the jet lag before flying to Bairritz

[sunflower]

Thanks Covey...from your advice have looked into flying to dublin and fly to biarritz from there. But i think it is a bit more expensive and also means connecting from London to Dublin which is almost the same as taking the shuttle bus service from Heathrow to Stansted. So I think it will have to be the shuttle bus option.

Yes, I have thought about the jetlag factor too so was thinking of taking a day of rest in either Biarritz or Bayonne or St Jean before starting the office pilgrim. Which of these do you recommend?

[Covey]

Bairritz is not quite as glamorous as it was in the 30's and is quite expensive.

Bayonne is a bit of a dump, and has nothing really to commend it.

St Jean is quite an interesting place, and in the high season is a tourist spot in its own right, apart from being a popular start point for the Camino Frances.

You could spend a couple of days in London. You will not be tempted by the shops cos you will have to carry it on your back!!

Personally I would pick London (I happen to live there!!) because there are lots of things to see and do if that is your scene, or you can just veg out by the river and watch the world walk by (literally!)

[Tanya Yaksich]

Hi Sunflower,
I'm flying from Perth to Madrid via Singapore. Why not do the same and then bus or train to your departure point.

[joannam]

Another alternative is Thai, Madrid via Bangkok. Flight arrives early morning and you can catch a train to Pamplona (or buses) then a taxi to Roncevalles or St Jean.

[sunflower]

thanks for all the reponses. I have booked to fly to london and head to biarritz from there.

Want to book to stay in a YHA in London but there are quite a few. Can anyone recommend a YHA location in London as I am not familiar with where things are. I am planning of spending 2 days in London before flying to Biarritz from Stansted.

Thanks

[Covey]

You might find London Thameside in SE London a little easier to get in to.

[InOrlando]

I've stayed at London's International Student House twice: clean, in-house pub, next to a tube stop. The best.