Quote: “
I'd been reading this ridiculous press statement:
Franco-British ties will be stronger than ever with the launch of direct flights from Brighton to Paris.
Firstly, if Shoreham Airport were in Brighton then it wouldn't be called "Shoreham" ... Then one reads that it's actually to Pontoise, which is not a designated Paris airport, and it's to be operated by a 19 seater 'Puddle Jumper'.”
Agreed, the statement is vacuous nonsense. Still, good luck to them if (clearly it is a big “if”) they can make it work. If there were LGW flights, there would expect there to be no chance.
Quote: “
By air
Brighton - Shoreham Airport: 15m
Check-in/security: 30m (generous)
Flight: 1h
Immigration/customs/baggage collection: 15m
Pontoise Airport - RER (A) Cergy – Préfecture: 15m
RER (A) Cergy – Préfecture - Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (Arc de Triomphe): 45m
Total time: 3h maximum
Total cost: £150 return inc. transfers
By train
Brighton - Ashford International: 1h46 minimum
Transfer time: 20m minimum (cutting it a little fine)
Ashford International - Paris Gare du Nord: 1h53 minimum
Total time: 4h minimum, often 5h
Total cost: £99 return minimum, often £138 return”
TheEurostar is not going to help in this case: almost 2 hours to Ashford (London may be a little quicker). As is often the case, mainline trains work best from city centre to city centre.
It’s probably about 2 hours to Heathrow via Clapham Junction and Feltham) for a flight to CDG/ORY, so maybe the "puddle jumpers" could work.