Mobile Phone Hire At Murcia Airport

On Tue May 30 20:54 , sent:

HI MY NAME IS SHARON
AND I NEED TO KNOW IF MURCIA AIRPORT OFFERS A SERVICE WHERE YOU CAN RENT A CELL PHONE FOR ABOUT A WEEK.
THANKS SO MUCH.
SHARON CRAVEN


Hi Sharon,

Not to my knowledge, Murcia Airport is a fairly small airport without many of the facilities that larger airports such as Barcelona and Madrid enjoy.

However you may find it easier to bring your own phone and buy a local "sim card". Providing your telephone is "open" you can use the card in your phone and operate from a Spanish number, its much cheaer to make local calls this way.

Hope this helps

Regards

Gary

Parking Charges At Murcia Airport

Has anyone used the Airport parking at Murcia lately?

If so can you help us update our information?

Below is an email we have just recieved and it would be great if someone could update us.


On Wed May 24 16:18 , 'sarah harris' sent:

Hi
I have a sort of complaint, we flew to the uk on the sunday 13th returned on
the 21st may
we heard that parking was free, we checked the web site yes it was free but
it said to phone
to make sure we did and yes they said it was free, great.
when we returned and went to leave nope cant have to pay! 55.00 euros! asked
the man where the machine was and as much as i could understand, he said it
wasnt free.
I have just phoned the airport and due to my lack of understanding all they
said was we could complain to someone, couldent make out who, so was
wondering if at all possible if you could explain this for me, please.
thanks, sarah

My Reply

Hi Sarah

Sorry to hear about your problem.

One of the reasons we set up Spanish Airport Guide was because of the lack of "real" information about travelling through the airports here.

Most, if not all the airports in Spain are changing over to paid parking and Murcia Airport is one that I havent visited for some time. (I was at Girona the other month and they have just stopped the free parking.)

Even when I check the Official Spanish Airport Authority Website it is still saying that parking is free!

www.aena.es

I have added your point to our message board in the hope that someone else can provide us with better info and we in turn can pass this on to other visitors. I will also try and call the airport in the morning and see if they can give me some idea of whats happening.

The official place to complain is aeropuertomjv@aena.es

Perhaps you can let us know how you get on and thanks for the feedback

Regards

Gary Ingram

PS: I will also change the main parking information for Murcia Airport warning people to expect to pay.

Flyglobespan Flights To Fuerteventura

Flyglobespan have another new route!

From November 2006 they will be flying direct to Fuereventura Airport in the Canary Islands. This is in addition to the flights to Majorca Airport and Faro Airport that were announced last week.

Flights go on sale today and prices are set to start at just £59.99 one way including taxes

You can book your tickets direct at Flyglobespan.com

Jerez Airport Update

The following was printed in the Sur (Local paper on the Costa del Sol) this Friday.

La Parra Airport in Jerez now has direct links with 21 European cities, including London, Manchester, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin.

The airport has gone from strength to strength since the airline Aviaco warily launched a first scheduled flight between Jerez and Madrid in the mid 1970d.

Now the airport is used by 3,500 passengers every day and the number of foreign users has double since 2000, more than half of them travelling with the low cost cost airline Germanwings.

New Spanair Flights From Dublin To Spain

Spains leading low cost airline Spanair are now offering direct flights from Dublin to Malaga, Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia, Alicante, Tenerife, Gran Canaria & Palma de Mallorca.

The timetables vary for each destination but the Malaga routes for example offer good flight times on Thursdays and Sundays.

You can checkout timetables, prices and make bookings direct at www.spanair.es

Spanish Airport Car Hire - 10 Point Check List

I read this in the Sunday Times this weekend and thought it is a little excessive but actually full of good information, especially when things go wrong.

1. Never return a car without a full tank. Keep the receipt and get a member of staff to sign it when returning the car.

2. Allow plenty of time for inspections both when picking up a car and when handing it back.

3. Inspect the car carefully in the presence of a member of staff at the beginning and end of the rental. Make a comprehensive note of the result - preferably on the hire form and any documentation handed over at the end of the rental period - and get it countersigned by a member of staff.

4. If staff refuse to examine the car with you, or to sign the findings - or the office is closed - make a detailed record of your own findings.

5. Phone ahead to check whether the office will be open and properly staffed before picking up or returning the car. Note what is said and record the time of the call. Under some contracts, the car is your responsibility until the keys are handed over, so try to turn up in office hours. If this is impossible, get advice from the company about how to minimize potential problems.

6. At the pick-up and drop-off points, take photos or a video of the car from all angles, plus the petrol gauge. if possible this should be done with a digital camera set to local time, using the highest possible resolution.

7. Carry a disposable camera in the glove compartment for use if you have an accident.

8. Where possible, book the car before leaving the UK and use a member of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (www.bvrla.co.uk or 01494 434 499). The BVRLA runs a conciliation service for complaints arising from bookings made in the UK with one of its 600 members.

9. Before hiring your next car, read the BVRLA´s Consumer Guide to Renting a Vehicle, which can be downloaded from the website or obtained from BVRLA River Lodge, Badminton Court, Amersham, Bucks, HP7 0DD.

10. If money is withdrawn from your credit card account for no good reason, ask your card issuer to help you get it back - or to refund the money. The credit card company bears equally responsibility in law with the car hire company for making good your loss, provided the total package cost more than 100 gbp and you paid for it with

Leon Airport in North West Spain

I just had an email in about Leon Airport in North Western Spain. I have not added it previously because there are no direct UK flights to Leon but I will make a note to add some info on it in the next few weeks!

You can get flights to and from Leon Airport through Spanair.

On Mon May 22 7:56 , 'Perez Prado Raul' sent:

Hello, i just want to tell that you don´t said anything about the León Airport, in the north-west of Spain. It´s the Spanish airport with the big increment of passengers and flights!!, ( in April have more than 10.000 users ). Have conections with major Spanish airports, Madrid, Barcelona (daily both), Mallorca, Malaga, Alicante, Jerez, ValenciaR30; + Menorca & Ibiza in summer.

Thanks.

Getting From Malaga Airport To Gibraltar

On Sat May 20 11:48 , 'Sue Warnock' sent:

Are there any flights from malaga to gibralter. How do I find the information on line?

MY REPLY

Hi Sue

There are not any flights between Malaga and Gibraltar as there is only 120kms (75 miles) between them.

The quickest way to get from Malaga to Gib is via a taxi or private transfer, not cheap, it will cost about €130.

You can book a priavte transfer through Shuttle Direct who are the company we recommend on the main site.

Buses are also a possibility but it would invlove a change at either Malaga Central or Marbella and would take some time. You could hire a car and drive but transfers / taxis are the easiest.

Hope this helps

Regards

Gary

Buses From Jerez To Vejar

On Thu May 11 14:21 , 'Lucy Reiter' sent:
>
>>
>> hiya Gary - we are hoping to travel from Jerez airport
>> down to Vejer at the end of May - I can't seem to find any
>> info as to how to get there though!
>> do you know anywhere I can find this information out?
>> thanks, Lucy


MY REPLY

Hi Lucy

Just got hold of the bus station at Jerez....

There is just one direct bus per day between Jerez and Vejar and it leaves at 1415 Monday - Friday only.

You need to get from the airport into Jerez central bus station first and change (by bus or taxi) our page: http://www.spanish-airport-guide.com/jerez-airport.html.

A good alternative would be to get the bus from Jerez airport or Jerez direct to Cadiz. From Cadiz central bus station there are buses more or less every hour to Vejar. The buses from Cadiz to Vejar take about one hour.

Can you let us know how you get on, which route you take, how long it took and how much it costs. That way we can pass on your info to other travellers.

I hope that you have a great time and that this (limited) information helps.

Regards

Gary

Almeria Airport Parking

On Sat May 13 20:31 , 'stella lewis' sent:

Hi Gary

Wondered if you knew whether there was any reasonably price long term car parking at or nearby to Almeria Airport. Look forward to hearing from you.

Stella Lewis

MY REPLY

Hi Stella

I was at Almeria Airport a few months ago and there was not any other long term parking at Almeria apart from the car park at the airport.

Below is an extract from the Almeria Airport parking page in my main site:

For longer term parking the costs are €9 per day for the first 4 days and then €7.20 per day for every day after that.

Although these rates are not bad if you are from the UK they are expensive for Spain and you may find that a company starts up offering cheaper long term parking for foreign property owners and locals.

This is what has just happened at Granada Airport!

If you do find out any other information can you let us know as we are always looking to provide better information for our visitors

Regards

Gary

Murcia Airport Closed For Airshow 04 & 05 June 2006

On Thu May 11 22:24 , j.bgillespie sent:

My family and I are flying out of Murcia airport on Sunday 04/06/2006 with
Ryan air to Dublin. A friend who is flying into Murcia on the same day has
been told that he has been transferred to Alicante because there is an
airshow at Murcia airport. Can you let me have details of anything you may
know about this,there is nothing on Ryan Airs web page. Thanks.

My Reply

Hi,

I found the following information on jet2's website:--
http://www.jet2.com/timetables/cheap-flights/manchester-to-murcia.aspx

We have been informed by the military authorities controlling Murcia Airport that due to an Air Show they will be hosting over the first weekend of June, they will not be able to accept commercial scheduled flights either into or out of Murcia Airport during the majority of the day on either Saturday 3rd or Sunday 4th June 2006.


Consequently, we have been obliged to re-route most flights, originally scheduled to and from Murcia on these dates, to Alicante Airport instead of Murcia. Flight times will remain unchanged. As you may know Alicante Airport is a 45 minute drive away from Murcia and also very convenient for the Costa Brava/Costa Calida region. Jet2.com will NOT be providing onward transportation from or to Alicante


So it looks like you may have to land in Alicante aswell!

I think its best if you contact Ryanair direct and find out what they have to say.

Once you find out could you let me know So that I can add a warning on my site and help other travellers

Regards

Gary

Flights Liverpool To Tenerife

Flyglobespan are expanding again and Liverpool Airport is their new target!

From November Flyglobespan will be offering daily direct flights to Tenerife from just £49.99 including taxes.

Flyglobespan have announced that Liverpool is set to become another hub and the new Tenerife flights are the first of many to be offered.

Flyglobespan currently operate out of: Glasgow, Edinburgh and London Stansted

Tickets can be booked direct at: www.flyglobespan.com

Flyglobespan Winter Flights To Spain

Flyglobespan have now released their winter flights to Spain, details are below:
Book direct through www.flyglobespan.com

GLASGOW TO ALICANTE
Operates daily, Nov 06 - Mar 07
From £39.99 each way inc tax

GLASGOW TO MALAGA
Operates daily, Nov 06 - Mar 07
From £45.99 each way inc tax

EDINBURGH TO TENERIFE
Operates Saturday, Nov 06 - Mar 07
From £59.99 each way inc tax

EDINBURGH TO GENEVA
Operates daily, Dec 06 - April 07
From £29.99 each way inc tax

Alicante / Murcia Car Cleaning Service

I thought that this was a good idea!

If you own a holiday home (or live) on the Costa Blanca and are feed up with coming back to a dirty car then I may have found the answer!

Waterless Valet Spain are a Costa Blanca based company who clean cars using a new waterless system!

They are more than happy to go to your house or apartment and clean your car the day before you get here.

For more information visit their website www.waterlessvaletersspain.com

Problems With Spanish Car Hire

There is an interesting debate going on at The Times Online about the hidden costs with car hire. Below is an extract from that debate.

The comment below about return policies also "gets my goat" and I hate returning a car empty, there is simply no way that you can be at ease with an empty fuel tank on your way to catch an airplane!

However on a recent trip to Barcelona I was told to drop the car off with a full tank of fuel, great.....except there is not a petrol garage at Barcelona Airport and it took a lot of effort and wrong turns to find one!

Anyone else have anything to add?

Extract from The Times Online:

I read with interest Mark Hodson's campaign and the comments on 'pumped -up prices' for fuel in hire cars. I am taking this up with Europa Goldcar after a recent holiday in Spain where (at Malaga Airport) I was charged €63 for a full 50 litre tank of diesel - about 15 per cent above pump prices. I had to return the car empty 10 days later but, as I wanted a restful holiday I had no intention of driving the 450 miles or so required to use up all the fuel so, in spite of driving to Granada and back during the holiday, the car was still 3/4 full when I returned it. The important point here is that unless the tank is returned absolutely empty (and, I suspect, most are not) then the rental company, by charging the next customer for all the fuel in the tank, will be charging again for fuel already paid for by the previous hirer. Pick up full and return full is the only fair and legal way to avoid this activity - R E Best, Weobley, Hereford

Almeria Airport Restaurants

A friend of mine travelled through Almeria Airport last year amd wasn't that immpressed with the food!

This is what he had to say:-

I flew back to Blighty with the family on a 9pm flight and, having checked in at the earliest opportunity, went through to the departure lounge instead of staying in the main terminal, to find that the only food available was a dried out tuna sub or a packet of crisps resulting in 3 unhappy women - never a good idea.

We should have stayed in the main building where the restaurant remained fully open.

Regards

All the best
Leon J Benardout

New Monarch Flights To Spain

Monarch have announced some new routes and added winter flights to some of their summer routes.

You can book direct at www.fly-monarch.com


NEW MONARCH ROUTES!
Gatwick to Tenerife - 3 flights a week
Manchester to Lanzarote - 2 flights a week

FIRST WINTER FOR...
Manchester to Menorca
Birmingham to Murcia, Almeria & Faro


DEFROST THIS WINTER
Canary Islands - up to 31 flights a week from the UK
Malaga - up to 45 flights a week from the UK
Alicante - up to 33 flights a week from the UK
Faro - up to 18 flights a week from the UK

ENJOY A CITY BREAK THIS WINTER
Lisbon - Fly from Gatwick
Barcelona - Fly from Manchester
Palma - Fly from Birmingham, Luton, Manchester

EXPLORE MORE THIS WINTER
Almeria - Fly from Birmingham or Manchester
Granada - Fly from Gatwick

Low Cost Airlines At Malaga Airport

Just spotted this interesting snippet at the Typically Spanish website:

"Easyjet, Monarch and Air Berlin now bring half the arrivals to Málaga airport. Thanks to the no-frills airlines some 800,000 extra seats to Málaga are on offer this summer.

It means an expected 7.5% growth in passenger numbers this year to take the total over the 3 million passengers on no-frills airlines alone. Now only 20% of arrivals in Málaga are on charter flights.

Meanwhile Easy Jet has apparently chosen Barajas airport in Madrid ahead of Málaga for the new southern European base."