What are your flying habits?

[khaolakguy]

32 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

Have you ever tried Ethiopian? They have a good connection,  London, Addis Ababa to Bangkok.  Cheap, Business class, and a friend  said it was very good.

I look forward to you trying it and reporting back that it is good!

[traveltom]

54 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

Have you ever tried Ethiopian? They have a good connection,  London, Addis Ababa to Bangkok.  Cheap, Business class, and a friend  said it was very good.

I have not (yet) flown Ethiopian but also can't remember to have ever seen them offered when searching for flights. I always look for economy tickets though, so maybe their economy fares aren't as competitive as their business fares. There's no airline I wouldn't try at least once, so I'm open to any good deal. 

[vinapu]

I flew Ethiopian twice and have good memories of experience with exception of food which I recall as very average but hat was before covid so hope is they improved.

Not when Middle East is closed to flying they  may cash in and offer attractive priced connections to BKK through Addis Ababa  

[Keithambrose]

5 hours ago, khaolakguy said:

I look forward to you trying it and reporting back that it is good!

We'll see. I keep trying to get BA airmiles seats, but they are like gold dust! I might get air miles seats on Finnair, I'll try. The war started by the Orange Felon has turned everything  upside down, as everyone  has remarked!

[PeterRS]

I have just booked a biz class return to Rome on Royal Jordanian for September. I have fllown it before and it is a very good airline, although seat layout is not great. Better still, the price was a third cheaper than than all the other carriers I checked.  I would have been happy with Finnair which I have flown many times and which is also inexpensive, but while London has easy connections, Rome requires overnights in Helsinki both ways. 

[floridarob]

15 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

a friend  said it was very good

You have friends 😲

[Keithambrose]

2 hours ago, floridarob said:

You have friends 😲

From time to time.

[unicorn]

On 3/29/2026 at 9:17 PM, PeterRS said:

... I would have been happy with Finnair which I have flown many times and which is also inexpensive, but while London has easy connections...

London? Easy connections? LHR is a mess, and if you connect in Gatwick or other London airport you'll need at ETA unless you're an Irish/UK/Manx citizen. 

[Keithambrose]

1 hour ago, unicorn said:

London? Easy connections? LHR is a mess, and if you connect in Gatwick or other London airport you'll need at ETA unless you're an Irish/UK/Manx citizen. 

Why would you need an ETA if you are in transit?

[BjornAgain]

2 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

Why would you need an ETA if you are in transit?

Memory serves, there is no 'Airside' transfer between any of the London airports, so if connecting flight is LGW and you land at LHR, you need to pass through security/immigration with your bags and take the shuttle bus/taxi/train between the 2 airports. So yes, if on a non UK passport you'll need an ETA, and £16:00 for the privilege of inconvenience. Welcome to the UK!

[Keithambrose]

5 hours ago, BjornAgain said:

Memory serves, there is no 'Airside' transfer between any of the London airports, so if connecting flight is LGW and you land at LHR, you need to pass through security/immigration with your bags and take the shuttle bus/taxi/train between the 2 airports. So yes, if on a non UK passport you'll need an ETA, and £16:00 for the privilege of inconvenience. Welcome to the UK!

Ah, you did not make it clear that ehat you are changing  airports. I think that would apply in most countries, eg Malpensa/Linate. In USA there is no transit system, so you need an ESTA , for changing at same airport 

[thaiophilus]

4 hours ago, BjornAgain said:

there is no 'Airside' transfer between any of the London airports,  so if connecting flight is LGW and you land at LHR, you need to pass through security/immigration with your bags and take the shuttle bus/taxi/train between the 2 airports

True, but hardly unusual.  Sterile transit within an international airport is common (outside the USA) but not between airports. How would you stop people just hoppping off the shuttle bus/taxi/train and illegally entering the country? G4S?

  Note that there's a considerable distance between the various "London" airports (LHR, LGW, LCY, STN, LTN, SEN). For example scheduled buses cover the 40 miles between LGW and LHR in 70-75 minutes but on a bad day on the M25 that time might be doubled.

 

 

[Travelingguy]

I think that switching airports only makes sense when the layover is long enough to get a hotel room and get some sleep in between.

[unicorn]

10 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

Why would you need an ETA if you are in transit?

Unfortunately, LHR is the only UK airport which doesn't make people go through immigration in order to change flights. Obviously, changing airports also involves going through immigration, but even if you're doing the transfer within the airport at other London airports, including Gatwick, you need to go through immigration.

AI Overview

Yes, U.S. citizens need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to transit through Gatwick Airport, effective for travel from February 25, 2026. Because changing flights at Gatwick usually requires passing through UK passport control, it is considered entry into the UK, necessitating this digital authorization.

[Keithambrose]

4 hours ago, unicorn said:

Unfortunately, LHR is the only UK airport which doesn't make people go through immigration in order to change flights. Obviously, changing airports also involves going through immigration, but even if you're doing the transfer within the airport at other London airports, including Gatwick, you need to go through immigration.

AI Overview

Yes, U.S. citizens need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to transit through Gatwick Airport, effective for travel from February 25, 2026. Because changing flights at Gatwick usually requires passing through UK passport control, it is considered entry into the UK, necessitating this digital authorization.

Interesting! Just as well that I dont use Gatwick!

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, unicorn said:

Unfortunately, LHR is the only UK airport which doesn't make people go through immigration in order to change flights. Obviously, changing airports also involves going through immigration, but even if you're doing the transfer within the airport at other London airports, including Gatwick, you need to go through immigration.

AI Overview

Yes, U.S. citizens need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to transit through Gatwick Airport, effective for travel from February 25, 2026. Because changing flights at Gatwick usually requires passing through UK passport control, it is considered entry into the UK, necessitating this digital authorization.

we had it so good for  a while and soon , if things  will go in direction they are going now , we will require digital authorisation  to switch from subway to the  bus , not to mention to board intercity train. If one things it's stupid talk, just stop and  think if 20 years ago you would envision all those ETA's.