for Rono and Poacher

thanks for your input to me at someone else%26#39;s thread

we are intending to hire a car anyway so if we do get a flight to

Tampa it should be no great problem

we have checked charter flights as well as scheduled - and we have checked TCD who were the ones who sugested scheduled flights cos they reckon charter flight will be unavailable

however it seems that if we travel down to Gatwick - we live in Yorkshire - we may have a better selection, seem better to travel further here in England where we ar used to the roads etc

I have actually taken the 1st and 2nd October off of work in order to get my bookings made - our leave list for next year is being published on the 30 Sep and I should get either my first choice - 3 weeks in April - or if not my second choice 3 eeks in August

for Rono and Poacher

Why bother travelling down to London. The 5 hour drive back up with jet lag is terrible and after a very long flight perhaps dangerous.

You have to get across and that has been VERY difficult since 7/7. I believe you will get just as good a choice from Manchester if you get in early enough. BMI will get you to Tampa via Chicago - they have finished going thru the Washington hub. You could always fly to Orlando airports and the drive down is a not too arduous hour and a half.

for Rono and Poacher

no Vegas we are actually having difficulty getting flights to Orlando from Manchester and that is why we are considering going via Tampa

travelling with a 2 year old so loking for a direct flight if we can

but thanks for replying

Lin: you say you live in Yorkshire, I dont but could just about spit into it.

We have the problem with Gatwick. You have to be there the day before, and buy a over night stay than as previously said a 5 hour drive back when you have just done a 8 houir flight and been awake all the previous day.

Have you considered the new Airport at Finningly ,Doncaster. Robin Hood airport.

From late Jan next year flights are starting to Florida.

to connect to cruise lines but I dont know who the carriers are. Some of the crusies are going from the port near Cocoa Beach which mean they will be using Sanford. some are going from Ft Laudadale and might be flying into there, But I dont know that.

Also Thompsons who are flying jets over my head every day are already going to a number of destinations on the continent.

They are commencing a service with the first flight leaving Doncaster/ Sanford on 27 March. But I don know the frequency of their flights, may only be once a week to start with.

They have got flights going to mexico and the caribbean.

As it as only opened for flights May 2005 its still a bit new.

There are other carriers comming in every month.

May well be worth checking with the airport. sorry carnt help with a phone number even though i live quite close to it.

hi.. i live in the mewcastle area and we fly down to gatwick,it is only 1 hour and saves time plus you have more flexibility from gatwick than the regional airports...

thanks I%26#39;ll look into phoning Doncaster good idea

I%26#39;ll also look into flights to Gatwick - may get one from Leeds /Bradford which would be very handy as would Doncaster

LIn; Ryionair flys out of Doncaster but dont know if there is any connecting service with Gatwick. Humberside do not have any connecting service with Gatwick. But there is a connecting flights with Amsterdam . KLM flies Orlando . and and do know a few pepole who have used that service and have told me that the cost including Humberside/ Amsterdam have been the equivalant as BA/Virgin from british airports.