[Gocamino] Pamplona to SJPP

[Robert Spenger]

My experience just this last spring was exactly the opposite. Going through security at Heathrow was one of the most degrading ordeals I have gone through. I will never, ever take a chance on going by way of Heathrow again.

And that is not the first time I have had problems there. On an earlier trip, our luggage was delayed at Heathrow - both on the way out and on the way back. On a previous trip through Heathrow, the flight arrived about 40 minutes ahead of schedule (from Copenhagen!). I thought that it would be great, since I had limited transfer time. Uh-uh, it didn't work out that way. After stalling off 20 minutes or so in a holding pattern, we were allowed to land, but the terminal port was not ready for us, so we landed and disembarked on the tarmac - on a cold, rainy day in December - and were herded onto buses for transportation to a terminal. We ended up later than if the flight had been on time. Since we didn't enter a transit area, this meant that we had to go through security again and I was getting really antsy about making my flight out. Fortunately, I did manage to catch my flight out. Also, I had no problems on that trip with lost luggage. However, BA (Bags Away, as I have heard the Brits call it) did manage to lose the luggage of one member of the group that I was with in Copenhagen.

CDG has been just the opposite, especially this last spring when I returned by way of CDG from Toulouse. Again, there was a tight connection between flights,   which always gives me concern, but on approaching the security check, an attendant, spotting my canes, ushered me through a gate that did not have a long line waiting and I  was through quite quickly. Although I was embarrassed to get special treatment, I was happy to have it over with and plenty of time to catch my flight. At Heathrow, I just felt harassed and humiliated. I have been to CDG on three other occasions and all have been relatively pleasant, with helpful people at the information desks and good connections to trains and the Metro.

Bob S.  

On Sep 9, 2010, at 7:21 AM, Tim wrote:

Hi Glenn,
I can understand anyone not liking CDG, it's awful. Your other 
option, and possibly the cheapest, is to fly to London Heathrow or 
Gatwick catch the shuttle bus to Stansted and then Ryanair or EasyJet 
straight into Biarritz. 
Buen Camino
Tim Proctor