Has the season now started? Its just when we look on the web cam there doesn't seem to be much activety. We don't arrive until July and seem to be checking out the web every day....
Yes the season has started, its May through to October, beginning of May is quiet but as you get near the end of May and into June it starts to get alot more people descending on Arillas and all through the summer.
But dont worry not too packed, just right if you know what i mean.
You will start to see alot more activity as the days roll by :-)
hi smiffy viv here, yes it is quite quiet here but lovely. Sun is cracking the pavements. By the way Bobby say's he has plenty of cider for brett.
Hi Viv,
Glad youre enjoying yourself!
You asking Bobby obviously reminded him to email me, i received one this morning, he told me we're having your room after youve gone, so no trashing it haha!!
And he told me he stocks cider so Brett is happy, thank you for asking and reminding him, i appreciate it.
I was looking forward to my quiet holiday on the 21st may! Hopefully Arillas will still be quiet but Manchester and Corfu airport will be crazy as lots of Liverpool fans are flying on package tours to Corfu as its cheaper to do that and get ferries/ flights over to Athens for the Champions League final on 23rd May. Everybody I speak to is going over to Corfu/ Athens the same week as me!
Blimey, what its cheaper to fly to Corfu then ferry over than buying a ticket with say one of the cheap airlines??!!
Im not looking forward to Corfu airport being busy then if that is the case :-( !
Yes, cheapest return tickets from Liverpool to Athens are now unavailable or £599 return. People are booking a week on the islands and then travelling to Athens for the match. Count yourself lucky you are not on the Manchester flight. It could have been worse at least AC Milan knocked Man U out or there might have been fights as well!
Thats ridculous money, they must put the price up cos they know people will want to get there, terrible!!
We have an early flight so hopefully we'll arrive before alot of the football fans, or they may arrive even earlier than us, just dont want it to be manic when i arrive!
I went to Corfu and Zante last year. One of them had a brand new arrivals area. Air conditioned with plenty of seats. Please tell me it was Corfu Airport.
Unless they have been busy in the winter ...don`t think so..better to go outside and wait till the crowds disperse before attempting to locate luggage
There have been no upgrades to Corfu Airport since this time last year, in fact things may be even more fun when coming home now as Corfu & Greece have had to follow the rest of the world and tighten up security, no major issue, us Brits are very good at queuing!!! (and there will be queues.)
Anyone travelling out the week before the final (23rd May isn't it) will need to be very patient, I don't think there is a spare seat in the direction to be had, I believe we are operating extra flights just to take out supporters. The hotel prices have been so dramatically over inflated by this it is cheaper to take a package holiday then stay in Athens and Corfu is just about the closest. I doubt you'll notice anything in resort but airports and aircrafts will be manic.
Just remember - worth it when you get there!
Thanks a bundle joe ;-) we arrive this sat.
As we have been stopped & suitcases searched the last four homebound flights (3 times by the same girl on security...we are now on first name terms :-)...Not much can deter us (even delays are ok as you get that bit longer munching piza etc in departure.
As an Evertonian I am hoping there are not too many Red shirts ??? in Arillas.
(possible can of worms?)
I had heard that Zante airport had been upgraded. You had to wait outside in the sun there too, at least with Corfu they provide a bit of shade. We found that the reps got it spot on for our arrival at the airport last year, we only had to wait about 20 mins before we went through to check in.
Im feeling more and more deflated every time i read something about this!! Still as Joe said, its worth it when you get there!
Just to a bit of reverse psychology, if you prepare yourself for the worst, when you get there things can only be better. The main reason you will get congestion on the flights is that most airlines from the UK all travel on the same day, it's cheaper, and with all the fans pouring in the airport will be beyond capacity. Monday will be the busiest, especially up north.
Yes, Zante has been improved to provide cover when queuing out in the sunshine, Corfu is going to have a bottleneck at security not check-in where you now have to remove your liquids, take outer garments off, agree to random searches and shoe scanning, etc, etc, etc. There are only 2 machines and no room for any more. I'm flying more and more with work now and the airport experience is horrible and in my opinion overbearing, not wanting to offend anyone hear but if somebody was really determined to take an aircraft down they would manage it, I saw little wrong with our previous security measures. For anyone who is familiar with Manchester it now often takes 40minutes to 1 hour to get through security and that was before the summer season started, they are frantically putting extra scanners in so hopefully that will alleviate some.
Everton, Liverpool, pah! I support Manchester Untied - Champions!
it is zante airport that is the nightmare, corfu is a breeze in comparison
some friends were delayed leaving zante airport because the baggage handlers had gone on strike - both of them
still checking out the website. Not long now. Did Corfu get much of a Red invasion after last nights game? Are all the Taverna's open now? Also we read that the Chinese isn't there and its now a shop!!! Lets hope there aren't many changes to Arillas.
Hi Raff
I wouldn't worry, by the time you get there in July, Arillas will be alive and kicking. We are out there for two weeks from 29 June and everything is always open.
Amanda
When we arrived at Corfu airport there were quite a few Liverpool football shirts getting off the other flights and a few off of our flight, but the airport wasnt rammed at all.
When we walked out of The Captains after our meal we heard a guy on his mobile phone talking to a friend and he'd obviously been to the game and then come back to Arillas after to finish off his holiday, he was telling his friend that the guy he'd gone with had got arrested!!
Sorry forgot to say, we arrived on the 21st May and everything was open, nothing was shut apart from the couple of places that had shut down.
What has actually shut down. I heard that the chinese had shut?! Anything else? Is Whispers still closed? thanks....
Hi Raff
The Pizza place has shut, the Chinese place has shut and the Arilla Inn Taverna will be closed this season due to a family dispute.
Amanda
Whispers is now a Burger King........
Give me Corfu Airport any day over Manchester terminal 2,...,1hr 45 mins before we got through security.....
just another point on independent travellers...
why should we have to get in the queue with those on package holidays at corfu airport?...if I arrive in a taxi ,no rep is going to tell me which checkin desk I have to go to..I have to find out for myself(I am then already in the airport) I should then just go strait to the security check....I can see the carriers point ,but being independent the rep will not assist me if I have a problem....or will they... I have heard of arguments and and so forth with reps over this point.....
comments welcome
Jo
You are kidding about Burger King aren't you!!!!!!
Amanda
Yes he is the little tinker!!
Quote from: kes on May 31, 2007, 02:16:33 PM
Give me Corfu Airport any day over Manchester terminal 2,...,1hr 45 mins before we got through security.....
just another point on independent travellers...
why should we have to get in the queue with those on package holidays at corfu airport?...if I arrive in a taxi ,no rep is going to tell me which checkin desk I have to go to..I have to find out for myself(I am then already in the airport) I should then just go strait to the security check....I can see the carriers point ,but being independent the rep will not assist me if I have a problem....or will they... I have heard of arguments and and so forth with reps over this point.....
comments welcome
Kes, the reps queue manage for the airport as its to small so yes if you are travelling on a charter flight independent or not you need to follow the reps instructions as they are effectively working for the airport. The screens above the checkin desks are not reliable and you may find yourself checked in on the wrong flight and your bagagge going to Poland. Hope that helps.
Manchester airport security will be awful all year, expect 2 hours queues in July/August while they do the expansion work.
Quote from: Mango on May 31, 2007, 02:17:48 PM
Jo
You are kidding about Burger King aren't you!!!!!!
Amanda
Not at all had a lovely bacon double cheeseburger :)
Hi Jo
I was in a panic then. Next you will be telling us the sea front is like Blackpool.
Amanda
Gatwick this year there was no problem at all getting through security, it was fab, checked in and through to departures in 15 minutes, alot better than last year where we queued for about 45 minutes just to get through security!
Manchester can no longer cope with the bottleneck at security so they are extending the airside area to cover all the Terminal 1 landside shops and restaurants to. When finished security and passport control will be by the checkin desks, anyone familiar with Manchester will realise what a serious undertaking that is. Be great when it's done though even if I won't be able to get my lunch from boots anymore.
Burger king? why not...... we already have the dunkin donut Man!
Stop it Joe, you will cause a riot!LOL
When we travelled independently,for the first time, we went straight into the airport when we arrived, and didn't speak to a rep of any kind. We were early, and no check-in was open, but we waited around(probably taking up precious space) and when the sign went up, we asked one of the staff who were hanging around if we were heading for Newcastle through this desk. By that time a queue had already started to form, and after a sly look at other folks bag labels, we decided it was the right place. We didn't come across any problems, and we didn't need to wait outside in the heat. Hopefully all goes as well this time too.
If I am ever in Arillas without my friend Michelle she gets so jealous, I have to go incognito and have to send her a text immediately.....of course I will be in the Greasy Spoon (Brouklis) where I tell her I am eating burger and chips (spit roast lamb)....
Dimitris did have Burger and chips and pizza on the menu this year, I think he might be taking the restaurant in a new direction
/joke :)
I certainly hope not! A few years ago he didn't even serve chips but I think he has had to give way to the demands/expectations of some tourists.....
Greek chips?
Well, I assume it's Greek potatoes and they certainly aren't frozen chips. I've never eaten one there so can't say any more than that....
I can be a bit of a chip fiend but give me Greek Potatoes anyday :)
The Greek roasted potatoes with the lamb are to die for, its all to die for really, yum!!
Die by stomache explosion if I eat any more then I already do in Arillas. Viv
Any more up to date news on the Arilla Inn? We enjoyed eating there. I hope they are open in July-Aug.
didn't look too promising a week ago
Hi Raff
We met our friends on the 27 May, who are friends with Leo from the Arillas Inn and according to him it will not be open this season unfortunately.
Amanda
I did see someone inside the Arilla Inn on a ladder fiddling with a ceiling light or something when I was there in mid-May....so who knows?
Viv, I know what you mean about stomach explosion!!! I put on 5 lbs in a week when I was in Arillas in May. I blame Roula and all those scrummy meals in Brouklis......or do you think it may just be the gallons of retsina I consume???!!! What on earth will I be like after 2 weeks in August???
Dont feel so bad now 7 pounds in a fornight in May the only thing is, if I dont get it of by September im going to add to it. Roula is such a great cook and the portions, I did tell her a few years ago only to give me a childs, but just havent got the will power now, OO yea could be the drink I suppose but im not stopping that either. ;-) Viv