Hamsterminator

The number of passengers involved is about 800 000 annuallly per Le Figaro.

BOD airport would be the most affected, but in reality BA, LH, KLM, IB, will increase their flights there and create the extra connecting capacity. If anything this measure will create jobs outside France.

Thankfully EZY have domestic flights such as BSL-BOD ... remembering that BSL is a 'shared' airport with MLH!

Oh and while we're listing Paris Gare de l'Est to the Grand Est region, these wonderful TGVs and Ouigo trains are plagued by speed restrictions often because of previously derailed rolling stock. Don't believe all you read as to the city-to-city timings in this part of the world.

Asturias56

France has quite a good TGV network... Germany has the ICE, not forgetting the Thalys etc - their main airports are also on the TGV/ICE network (stand fast Brandenburg).

In the UK, this would have minimal effect... two-and-a-half hours by train from Heathrow doesn't get you very far.

• LHR to MAN - just over four hours (three changes)
• LHR to BHX - two-and-three-quarter hours (three changes!)

Never mind the cost...

Pistonprop

If that is so, then why let market forces dictate the travel requirememt?
Is it going to effect private aircraft as well? Are the rich and famous going to have walk into Gard de Nord and sit next me on the train?

FYI, the electricity that is required to run the trains, is NOT generated by trees, or thin air. It comes from a power plant that emits CO2! This is where the electric car argument falls apart, when examined more closely.
Pointing the finger at the aviation industry for carbon emissions is just political grandstanding to appeal to the uneducated masses. Aviation would have to be one of the most innovative industries in the world. Except when the SID or STAR goes over some rich pr!cks house. Then we need to divert the procedure to avoid their sensitive ears.

Someone at some stage needs to stand up to this lunatic agenda

edit: HA! I see LHR-CDG would fall within the time limit. Of course exempt as it is an international flight. How convenient, and what perfect example of how idiotic, and ineffectual the policy will be.

IBE8720

Unlikely...

CDG - Lille : one-and-a-half hours
Lille - StPan : one-and-a-half hours
StPan - LHR : one hour

Four hours, minimum, before throwing in long connections...

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....056257c375.jpg

Cyberhacker

You are way off on your numbers. There are dozens of daily direct services between London and Manchester. Same for Birmingham. London - Manchester is 2 hrs 9 min. You can get from London to Edinburgh in 4.5 hours direct.

Cyberhacker

What are you talking about?

highflyer40

You are way off on your numbers. There are dozens of daily direct services between London and Manchester. Same for Birmingham. London - Manchester is 2 hrs 9 min. You can get from London to Edinburgh in 4.5 hours direct.[/QUOTE]

The numbers are correct for travel from airport to airport by train.

Correct, but irrelevant.

To clarify.... the 2h30 cut-off being applied in France, refers to travel between city centre and city centre. Thus, the equivalent for the UK on London-Manchester is not how long it takes to travel from Heathrow to Manchester airport... but how long it would take to travel by train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly

If the French government would concentrate more on aspects of their TGV trains that could make them more valuable, such as the ability to go through Gare du Nord station without having your pocket picked, it might be a better use of their time.

It used to be like that but over the past few years its a lot better

For the UK I'd guess the main change would be Manchester - London, then Leeds Bradford and Teesside - hardly a major issue

davidjohnson6

Yep...Bordeaux (centre) to Paris (centre) the TGV is the obvious choice, has been ever since the link opened.

As eagle21 pointed out:

Agreed - Certainly BA seems to have let BOD fall off it's radar over the last few years but you'd hope BA might have a look at the possibilities/financial side of nicking some traffic off AF and others by actually serving BOD with increased frequency, certainly once long haul travel recovers....then again it's BA.

If Air France are clever (I did say if), surely they would put on connecting flights via AMS. and their KLM partners rather than PAR.

Asturias56

And it is a good start

LGS6753

That would be one good way to make sure the train was quicker than flying.

They already do. As the two airlines are in essence one airline, a KLM ticket or AF ticket means about the same to
either.

Air France will also likely lose a bit of long haul traffic as travellers from regional France will not be too keen to get TGV/Bus with luggage to CDG or Orly to get a long hauler. Easier just to use Lufthansa, BA, Swiss etc and fly all the way from their regional airport.