Why do you have to wait?

Did you ever wonder why, after check-in and security clearance, you have to wait until you can board your plane? Why can’t you take a plane as you take a bus?

Well, as soon as a passenger plane arrives at the tarmac – at the gate through which you will board it – tens, if not hundreds, of specialized personnel start frantically servicing the  plane to prepare it for its next take-off. Unless any other means of transport, airplanes undergo meticulous security checks and preparation to assure their next flight will be safe. That’s why flying is the most secure means of transport…

The maintenance procedures are thoroughly performed according to the International Air Transport Association’s Airport Handling manual. They can be performed by airport services, airline services or outsources to specialized companies.

First the aircraft is guided to its gate by a “Follow-Me” vehicle, a safety employee visually communicating with the pilots (that is called aircraft marshalling) or towed by special vehicles. Once parked, while the passengers from the former flight disembark and their luggage and cargo are unloaded, the plane having shut down its engines gets tied to a special power supply vehicle, while the cabin service starts to provide the next passengers with best comfort. The cabin is carefully cleaned, consumables replenished, and washable items like pillows and blankets are changed, and wastewater is retrieved.

Catering services meanwhile empty the plan of the meals and trolleys from the former flight, and replace them with fresh meals for the passengers and staff during the next flight. While aircraft engineers and technicians do the scheduled security checks to engines, instruments and steering systems of the aircraft, the field operation service coordinates the activity of the various services; the plane has to be refuelled, the air conditioning checked and prepared for the next flight by a special vehicle, and in cold weather conditions the wings have to be de-iced to assure a secure take-off.

Once all these services have been performed according to a strict schedule – providing maximum security to the passengers while trying to cut down in time not to bother them waiting – the air gates or stairs are coupled to the ready aircraft, the next passengers are cleared to board the plane and their luggage – in addition to air cargo – is loaded for the next destination. For passengers with special needs, specific vehicles lifting the passenger with his or her wheelchair into the cabin are also made ready. The flight staff meanwhile registers the passengers who boarded the plane, and make sure there is no deviation from their lists. Finally, the airplane doors are closed, air start units – special vehicles as well – prepare the engines to be started, and the whole dance of special vehicles leaves the plane – to the next one.  Finally, after the pilots received the permission for taxiing to the take-off runway from the control tower, air marshallers indicate the plane it is rolling path and you are ready for a fantastic new adventure that is every single flight in an airplane….

Next time you are waiting to board a plane and feel time is lasting long, just try to remember all these activities what are being done for your comfort and your safety, that hundreds and thousands of people gain a living from these services, and that finally – taking into consideration all the effort that has to be made for a flight – the costs of flying are very low

  It broadens your horizon

Travelling is not only one of the most pleasant activities we can do, it also has many other advantages. People who travel “broaden their horizon”, in the meaning that they come into contact with other cultures and traditions, ways of living, and pieces of wisdom and experience that will help them for the whole rest of their lives.

Imagine, for instance, having neighbours from different continents. Their way of life, behaviour and things they cherish will certainly be different, due to their educational and cultural background, and may appear to you strange or sometime even shocking. Even more so if you read about countries in the media, as they are often written by people who look at the World from their narrow window of understanding, being convinced they are right in everything – and convey a very false image about other cultures. However, if you travel to their countries – one by one, taking the time and interest to observe people and even ask them questions which were in your mind – you will get a much broader image and understanding, and may even give them right in several instances.

Let’s take an example. A woman who lived in the Middle East, and was used from her homeland to swim in a swimsuit, decided to adapt to local traditions when she went swimming on popular beaches in the sea. Over her swimsuit she wore light trousers and a t-shirt.  And… Wonder! Although it felt bizarre at the beginning, she came to like it – as it prevented the sunburns she had suffered during former holidays, that didn’t let her sleep, but also the light clothing gives the body a comfortable feeling of freshness and prevents coral and jellyfish stings. Similarly, under the burning sun,  local people sit in the shadow – instead of roasting themselves under the sun just to get a “tan” that disappears anyway after two weeks…. There are many other such wisdoms of life one can acquire when travelling, and use them diligently in their daily life.

Not only are travelling people known to be open minded, they also have more ease in communication, planning, adaptability and… Teamwork skills.

Travelling is good for health

Did you know that? Studies have shown that travellingis certainly beneficial for health. Travelling people usually sleep better. They also benefit from a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, lower stress hormones and – as a result – an increased life expectancy.

75% of executives believe travel is important to prevent burnout. Travellers rate their overall health one full point higher in a scale of one to 5. And 50% of doctors are convinced that an annual vacation can cut a persons’ risk of heart attack! So don’t hesitate any more – increase your health and prevent many health problems with the best medicine… just travel!

Travelling is good for education

Of course! There is no doubt that the best education is real-life, on-the-spot learning of life teachings from various places. When a youth travels, he or she is eager to see new things, new environments, new people, and is much more receptive to even small details he or she wouldn’t even have noticed at home. In addition to the treasure of languages, there are so many amazing towns and places surrounding Great Britain with fabulous historic buildings, evidences of great lost cultures, and witness of how humanity and our culture developed. A history lesson your son or daughter follows at school or at the university will never be the same after he witnessed by himself the imposing Parthenon in Athens, the Coliseum in Rome, the Pyramids of Egypt… It will bring the whole history to life, letting him or her imagine the mighty Athena being worshipped by ancient Athenians, the philosophers discussing their world view at the Agora, the Pharaohs inspecting the work on their masterwork, or the gladiators fighting for their freedom or death in Rome. It will also further awaken the youth’s interest in history and science.

That being said, 86% of students agree that travelling is a vital part of education, 66% of students who travel overseas achieve higher degrees, and 67% of students who learnt a language abroad still use this language regularly.

Travelling is good for your career

All these benefits also translate into your career. Beside facilitating interpersonal relations, communication, giving you more confidence, self-respect and self-esteem, it certainly widens your professional and intellectual skills as well. That’s why 73% of Human Relations specialists agree that a constructive gap year abroad is worthwhile, 91% of employers recognize the benefits of studying (or having studied) abroad and  83% of women who work abroad believe it will enhance their career.

The choice is yours…

Now that travelling became affordable, that the Internet offers numberless opportunities for studying or working abroad, take the sweetest medicine in the World – plan several longer or shorter stays in other countries, city breaks, tours into different environments… If you travel with your partner or family, travelling will also provide you with precious time to share together, time you possibly didn’t find amidst the daily routine of working life. So take the chance, appreciate and enjoy your next travel destinations together…

EXTEND the summer

Days are becoming shorter, and the summer is slowly crawling to its end. But you can extend it, by booking one or two summer-end city flights, before the grey for and mist is invading the country again.

There are some excellent offers from London Airports, flight only or flight and hotel – that let you benefit from the last summer sun and shorten the period until next summer is here again.

Consider, for instance, flying to Spain, for amazing prices: Flight to Costa del Sol starting at £40, and hotel rooms are available from £5 per night. To Ibiza you will fly from only £29, and pay from £6 for a night at a hotel. Linarite will cost you £50, and hotel from £7.  Malta is also an excellent option: flight from £48, and hotel nights from £7. And how about Greece? The flight costs you from £53, and the hotel from £11. And to fly to Cyprus you will pay from £47, and will pay £18 a night for the hotel.  You could also fly to Venice, for only £23, but will pay £24 for a hotel night. And there are numberless more options….

So just choose your city break, book your flight & hotel package (or your flight, you might stay at a camping), book your parking and… Leave to the adventure!

That’s certainly better than to drive to holiday like this….

And Park with Humour!

Most importantly, avoid parking like this…

But rather like this – artful simultaneous parallel parking!

Or even with an artistic touch….

And if you have a problem finding a free park, you could consider buying a small car…

Or even a folding car!

Why not a car you can carry with you???

Or a solution Japanese style…

But not everybody likes it small! Some want BIG cars… very big cars!

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDAY

Most people think about holidays as a long-awaited break from work, from daily routine, from boredom and from the used-to environment. They start planning since the beginning of the year for these precious two or three weeks away from home. But once the vacation starts, it flies by like a jumbo jet – and once you feel you started getting some rest it’s already time to return to the usual grey and repetitive everyday work. And worst of all, you have to endure a full year again until you will be able to take a new holiday….

Well, if you are convinced that you need to change your environment – and possibly your way of life, and are a little bit courageous, you can benefit from a holiday during which – or part of which – you are working in a foreign country, or in a different profession, or in a completely different part of the World. Yes, that’s easier than you thought! And there are many ways to achieve this goal.

First of all, you have to leave at home the thought and feeling that you can survive only in your hometown or home country. I often heard people saying: “What if I get sick abroad? Can I eat local food abroad without getting poisoned? How will I be able to communicate?” Well, almost all these doubts and fears are futile. In every country people get sick – and they find medicine and hospitals or doctors to cure them. Everywhere people eat in local restaurants – and they usually are very well up. And everywhere people contact each other – even if they are not fluent in the language. And with today’s mobile technology, it became very easy to find what you need and to communicate. So leave your misconceptions at home.

Rather imagine the adventure, pleasure and experience you will enjoy living for some time abroad. If you plan your journey well, you can even combine stays in several countries. Ever wondered how is life in Canada? Or in the U.S.A.? Or did you dream to visit South America? Maybe you prefer to discover the new powers China, India, Singapore, or Malaysia… Or have a look at Australia and New Zealand! You might even prefer to get some firsthand experience in Africa or the Middle East. Wherever you choose to go, you will tie new friendships, learn and better understand that country’s peoples’ traditions and living, broaden your horizons…. and possibly learn new languages!

Go even further: Change your occupation
Are you an accountant crunching figures all day long? Or a secretary copying word by word what your boss dictates you? Certainly you also have other interests, hobbies, a passion for history or science, or would have liked to experience how it is to live as a construction worker. Maybe you like farming and want to experience by yourself what efforts farmers have to do to provide us with food. Now you don’t need any more to be a doctor or a nurse to work abroad. If you are playing an instrument, you could perform at local cafés, and if you are a sports champion, you could coach, teach or help out in a local club… If you like ancient history, you could join archaeologists in their on-site excavations… Of course, there are also the “classic” holiday activities like working part-time in a hotel or camping, at a café or restaurant, against free lodging and meals – or teach languages. If you are an IT specialist, you could also do some computer maintenance, programming, website design, graphic design or video advertisement for the place you are staying in instead… or continue working as freelance online – without the stress of a fixed working time!

There are organizations ready to help you…

If you are interested in this idea – but are still hesitating, you can get a deeper look at the numberless options through the many websites of organizations that offer “working holidays”.  One of the best such sites may be the BUNAC site, which organizes full working vacation packages to worldwide destinations! Have a look at http://www.bunac.org/uk?version=2. You will find all the information you need on it.  The U.K. Mobility Scheme also gives you some ideas about the costs and obtaining a visa http://www.visafirst.com/en/working_holiday_visas.asp .

Global Work & Travel http://globalworkandtravel.com/ offers several options.

If you prefer working in a humanitarian field, you can find all the answers to your questions with United Planet: http://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-abroad?gclid=CIrs3q_bhscCFQnLtAoda0oD0g . GlobeAware suggests activities in many countries worldwide http://www.globeaware.org/, and OneWorld organizes humanitarian assistance for volunteers in even more countries. http://www.oneworld365.org/activity/humanitarian-projects . If you work in a humanitarian field, not only will you enjoy a highly rewarding work and gain a new outlook on the World and the need for food and development for many of its peoples, but you may possibly even find a new vocation!

 Or you can try it by yourself!

Even without resorting to such an organization, if you went on holiday to a place you liked and wish to stay for a longer time, you can ask around you in the country itself and will most probably find a way to earn your stay and maybe also meals, while enjoying the country, the sunshine and the new environment for several more months.

As you see, travelling while earning some money or free stay is in the reach of (almost) everybody. Of course you may need to obtain a long holiday from your workplace – or give it up entirely until you come back. Or you might try to exchange your place and work with someone from another country who would like to live for some time in the U.K.! You may also have to renounce on some luxury you are used to at home, and possibly sell some possessions to finance your travel. However, you will find out very soon that – finally – you can live very well without all the material goods and gadgets with which you surrounded yourself at home – and feel free!

Don’t forget that travelling, discovering the World, gaining new friends, seeing new cultures and peoples are treasures that can hardly be equalled by material objects!

The future starts today….

The number of cars used in the U.K. is steadily increasing, and many families now own more than one car. In 2009 for instance, the ownership of cars rose by 30%, while the population increased only by 4%. And this trend will probably continue; on one hand, many new cars are purchased and licensed in Britain every year, and older cars are also more frequent on the roads – as cars become more resistant.

What does this mean for car park planners? They have to develop new technologies, as parking space will become scarcer and scarcer. Especially inside large towns, which were built without the planners having imagined that one day millions of vehicles would cross their roads – and look for a free space to park.

Even where large car parks are still available, and sufficient for today’s requirements, techniques to increase parking space will soon have to be considered.

At busy airports for instance, where many travellers like to park their car as close to the terminal as possible, an extension of the available parking will soon become necessary. Also, the wider spaces around airports – that are taken by car parks today – may be coveted by large hotel chains, companies, malls, banks and convention centres that will need additional car parks for their own purpose as well. So how will the need for more parking spaces be satisfied?

fully automated car parks

In fact, the technology to increase parking space – simultaneously saving surface space – is already in the making, and has been implemented in several towns.

Several companies, like A.P.T., already installed fully automated parking. The principle is simple: you drive up to the garage – whether constructed over the ground or underground – and leave your car on a special surface, as instructed by laser sensors that guide you exactly to the centre of the platform. You close the engine, and leave your car. The car plate is automatically scanned, and a picture of your car is taken. The system also makes sure nobody is left inside the car. After you left the platform, you confirm pressing a button. The platform – also called “pallet” – than starts shifting sideward, upwards or downwards – depending on the closest free space the computer system has attributed to it. A “shuttle” – a flat vehicle loading the pallet with your car – drives it than to the assigned space, which can be on any of the many floors of the parking garage – as the storeys are only half the height of a usual building floor.

During all this procedure, your car is moved smoothly and gently by the robot system – and no human hand ever touches it. Astounding, isn’t it?  Of course, the garage is not completely emptied of human life – at least one technician is always present to fix any problem that may occur to the automated system, and specialists familiar with the system oversee its excellent functioning from their control room. But you will hardly ever see any of them.

When you come back to collect your car, a device scans your ticket, and the computer system calls up the “shuttle” with your car on its pallet, ready to be brought to you – also fully automatically. The pallet with your car is shifted on place, so you can just enter it and drive away – and the whole process doesn’t exceed two to three minutes. Such systems are operational mainly in Germany, built under a famous ancient hotel in Austria, decongesting Copenhagen in Denmark, and a garage able to hold 1100 cars is planned in Dubai.

Similar systems – but built as round towers or underground pits – are also planned and operational in Japan. The system consists of a palleted elevator hold and moved around a huge central iron pole – that shifts the cars into free slots around it on several floors. Such fully automated systems have also been built to store bicycles – which are deposited on the elevator with its gripping mechanism at the entrance and than “parked” into the pit.

Not only do these automated garages liberate precious space in places where many people convene – they also offer the possibility to cover them with ecology-friendly parks, walkways, shopping centres etc. doubling their utility.

Probably within some years from now such automated parking systems may be
found around London, and also next to the terminals of the busiest London airports.

THE PLEASURE OF MEETING A SMILING PERSON

But for the time being, we still have the privilege of being able to choose among a large variety of parking options at any of London’s airports, at prices varying according to the comfort of the offered service. If we opt for the “Meet and Greet” option, we also have the pleasure of meeting a smiling professional driver at the airport entrance who will park our car in a secured parking during our journey. This is certainly a friendlier way of delivering our car to a specialized car park than being just met by a robot saying “stop” and “go”.

Who knows, maybe in future the automated robot parking will also offer a cup of coffee?

Parking services: means Work for 66’000 people

Did you think driving your car to a car park and depositing it on o free space is just a simple act of convenience? No, there is much more behind it – an entire service sector, employing more than 66’000 people in the U.K. alone and providing parking services for 26’000 car parks. People love cars. But cars need space. And paved space is limited. Parking is often not allowed on streets, as it hinders traffic – and thus other drivers. That is what gave rise to an entire service industry, which provides a living to many people. There is an Association, the British Parking Association, promoting professionalism among parking specialists and employees, and excellence in parking for all. It started its activities in 1960 with 70 members, and counts today more than 700 members, half of which are local authorities. The Association also runs the “Safer Parking Scheme”, with the purpose of raising the standard of safety, security, design and operation of U.K. car parks. The parks complying with the requirements obtain the Park Mark Safer Parking award, which has to be re-evaluated every two years. Most car parks at London Airports are holders of this Park Mark.

And there is more: the Parking Today and Parking Review Magazine offer news about the latest developments in the field.

Parkex, Europe’s largest parking exhibition

Every year, an exhibition is held in a U.K. town, displaying parking products of  
over 120 global suppliers. From road marking equipment, to automatic paying machines, to soft-ware providers, to detection techno-logies and street lighting… the two-day event enjoys much popularity, and is visited by more than 2000 specialists of the parking sector from all-over Europe.

And most importantly, Oscar-like parking awards!

Did you know that there are yearly Parking Awards, celebrated during a gala lunch in a 4-stars London hotel and presented by well-known presenters, actors or comedians?

The event – to which you can assist for £195 – distributes awards in 14 categories.

This year, the trophy of the Best New Car Park was awarded to the London Heathrow Terminal 2 Short Stay parking.

In a similar manner, the European Parking Association also offers biennial awards, to improve the quality of parking structures and services and to promote good services throughout Europe. In 2015 three British firms won EPA awards.

How do you benefit?

While the awards themselves benefit primarily the winning companies and services, boosting their advertisement, you as well benefit from these events, whether you knew that they existed or not. You benefit indirectly from the competition they generate among the service providers, who try to outperform each other offering better services. It
may as well have an influence on the parking fees, which are also affected by the competition between parking providers.

Furthermore, there are many websites with user surveys, describing their experience – whether good or not – with most car parks, especially the airport car parks. They are also closely followed by the car park providers, who try to learn from them where and how they could improve their service.

The airport car parks are probably the most exposed to exhaustive scrutiny, as
they are part of the town’s and the nation’s image – inside and outside the country.  So next time you plan to leave your car at any London Airport car park, you can do it in good faith that your car will be in the hands of professionals, supervised, controlled and encouraged by a powerful association and exposed to the wish to serve you better than their competitors.

More than 8 million parking spaces

In the United Kingdom, people definitely love cars. 35 million cars were registered in 2011. Of course, all these cars need parking space in the towns, population centres and also at the airports. The British Parking Association estimates that there are between 8 million and 11.3 million parking spaces in total. One of the places where car parks are best organised are the airports. Travellers, business people and families going on vacation alike, appreciate the comfort of driving to the airport in their own car before taking their flight, and also driving back home or to the office after their journey.  It reduces the stress of using one or several types of public transportation, and lets them easily access the terminal with their luggage.

That’s why airport authorities and companies providing car parks are eager to offer the best services to their customers – and thus constantly improve their facilities and upgrade them to the latest available technologies.

Easy booking and registration

Thanks to modern technology, management of car parks is done through powerful computers. If you know your flight date and time, you can easily book your parking through the Internet – from your computer, tablet or Smartphone – and obtain an immediate reply concerning availability and price. Furthermore, advance booking lets you benefit from substantial price reductions. Unless you booked an unchangeable special offer, you even can modify your flight time or days later-on, if you choose another flight. When you check your car into the parking, the system will recognize your advance booking and assign your parking. Even if you choose to arrive at the airport parking without previous booking, the system will register your car at the entrance if there is any free space. There are many different registration and park management systems; some automatic columns give you a ticket with the entry time, and calculate your stay before you leave. Latest systems even scan your car plate number as you approach the entrance, and after checking if you have booked in advance, they also calculate the parking fee before you leave the parking. Of course, park attendants are always present in case you need any information – or if there is a conflict regarding your stay.

Easy retrieval of free parking space

One of the most frustrating and time-consuming features of large busy car parks has ever been the search for a free slot among the hundreds of parked cars. Often it required the driver to circle the parking several times, and when he or she thought they finally found a free space, they might discover that another car took it before they arrived.

If you pre-booked your parking, of course a space is reserved for you. But nevertheless, it might be tiring to find it. Various companies developed systems to rid you of the annoyance to search for a parking bay. Some use sensors built into the parking surface itself, detecting if a car drives or stations over them. Others use electronic detection devices built into columns erected behind park spaces, or attached to the illumination poles. Even others use camera observation of the whole parking, which is evaluated by a central server and gives the parking management and users a plan showing thefree spaces. All these systems can either display the free spaces on boards inside the parking itself, or can even be accessed through various applications you can download to your mobile device. Such applications may show you the way to take to the free parking bay with arrows directing you to the free space.  A South Korean company recently invented a much simpler, but equally efficient way to detect a free parking space: balloons with an arrow marking “here” and attached to a rope that is fastened on the parking surface itself rise in the air when a park space is free, and when a car parks over the rope it pulls the balloon down, so that it is not visible from afar. An ingenious creation, isn’t it?

While you probably don’t reflect a lot about all these fine tunings car park managers implement to improve your airport car parking experience, it will certainly reflect in your degree of satisfaction – and probability in you willingness use the service again.

Photovoltaic parking cover

An ideal way to retrieve renewable energy while protecting the cars from sunrays as well as rain, snow or hail,  is to cover the parking with photovoltaic panels or sheets. Although this technological development is not yet applied on many car parks, we will certainly witness the dissemination of this idea. Depending on the climate prevailing in the location of the car park, this is an ideal means of double use of the large surface car parks!

Benefit from a 30% reduction on holiday packages!

London Stansted Airport has its own travel agency, which offers very interesting and competitive prices on “flight-only”, “flight and hotel packages” and “short city breaks”.

Among the late summer holiday package offers – which benefit from a 30% price reduction – we chose some examples, and add the parking fee you would pay with the corresponding offer.

Egypt

In Egypt’s fabulous holiday destination of Sharm El Sheikh you will be overwhelmed by the charm of this beautiful village, the friendly smile of the welcoming staff and the unmatched beauty of the dark blue sea with its coral gardens, colourful fish and clear waters. Charm El Sheikh is the famous resort where heads of state and business leaders choose to held their conventions and conferences. It is also a vacation spot of choice where film stars, famous singers and actors like to take their rest, so you could easily walk across a World celebrity…

Offered packages:

Departure 27 Sept. 2015

Round-Trip Flight + 11 nights at Luna Sharm 3Stars Hotel, Bed & Breakfast, from  £486.00

Airport parking at Stansted Airport Long Stay £124.09

or Meet & Greet  £209.99

or:

Departure 27 Sept. 2015

Round-Trip Flight + 11 nights at Maritime Jolie Ville Royal 5Stars Hotel, Bed & Breakfast, from  £523.00

Airport parking at Stansted Airport Long Stay £124.09 or Meet & Greet  £209.99

GREECE

Enjoy the beautiful weather, the exceptional beauty and wonderful landscapes that can only be found in the country of the Goddess of Love – Aphrodite. In Greece you and your Family will rejoice the wonderful sandy beaches, the glass-clear seas and become friends with the cheerful and friendly population. Combining history, culture, arts and philosophy Greece is the ideal vacation spot, where you can forget about everyday stress and routine.

Sidari, Corfu

Departure 13 Sept. 2015

Round-Trip Flight + 7 nights at San George Studios & Apartments

3Stars, self catering, from  £309.00

Airport parking at Stansted Airport Long Stay £45.99 or Meet & Greet  £59.99

Or:

Departure 16 Oct. 2015

Round-Trip Flight + 7 nights at Grecotel Eva Palace

5Stars, Bed & Breakfast, from  £552.00

Airport parking at Stansted Airport Long Stay £39.09 or Meet & Greet  £59.99

Morocco

Why not opt for a radical change of your environment and plunge into the everlasting summer of Morocco? Not only will you obtain excellent benefits and appreciate the welcoming Moroccans; you will also enjoy the pictoresque markets – and maybe even shop some presents for the Holidays.

Departure 6 Oct. 2015

Round-Trip Flight + 7 nights at Hotel La Tichka

4Stars, Bed & Breakfast, from  £421.99

Airport parking at Stansted Airport Long Stay £43.34 or Meet & Greet  £67.49

So are you ready to book your next holiday?  These are just some few examples of the many available options to spend an unforgettable vacation at amazing prices.

You can find many more offers at prices reduced by 30% and more to Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Turkey… just check with the official website of London Stansted Airport, you will be amazed about the rich variety of offers. And don’t forget to pre-book your parking at the same time, you might obtain even better prices…

Once you have decided where to enjoy warm summer days in September or October, book your vacation, book your parking at Stansted long-stay airport, or choose the comfortable “Meet & Greet” option for just a little bit more – and get ready for a new adventure! Your car will be waiting for you, secured and cared for, and will drive you and your Family home once you come back from your journey.

London southend AIRPORT PARKING –

a low-fee airport parking at a cosy airport

London Southend Airport may be less known internationally, but this airport is treasured locally. While it was the third-busiest airport around London in the 1650’s, Southend has lost some of its previous importance; however, this newly renovated and cosy airport is highly appreciated by the almost 1 million passengers who flew from it in 2014. Instead of the huge halls of larger airports, Southend has cosy cafés, a friendly service and fast check-in and security procedures. Travellers are mainly couples and families, as Southend offers low-price to very cheap vacation or city-visit destinations to Ireland, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Croatia and Slovenia – and many new destinations are added every year.

An opportunity for low-cost flights…

From Southend you may take a 3-day round trip to  Dublin for around £40 only! To most European destinations you can find round trip flights from £125 to £200, and even one week or two week vacation flights to certain destinations for under £250!. And if you are available for a trip anytime and have the leisure to search on the Internet, you may find tickets with up to 75% reduction!  So why not fly from London Southend? Even informed business travellers may reduce their costs by flying directly to their European destination from Southend.

If you enjoy short trips, to change your environment within hours, or like discovering charming European cities, you definitely should have a look at the flights leaving from London Southend. And if you would like to visit London from other countries, a good choice may be as well to land in Southend.

…And cheap parking fees!

That being said, Southend Airport also offers a further advantage: the airport car parks are very close to the terminal, secure and well organized, and the best part is that they are the cheapest of any other major London airport. London Southend is located just 40 miles South-East from the centre of London, and is easily accessible by car.

London southend short-stay parking

The short-stay parking at London Southend Airport is located just opposite to the terminal, so you can conveniently walk to the entrance – even with family, small children, or many heavy suitcases. Specially marked and easily accessible slots are also available for people with disabilities.

The first 5 minutes of parking are free of charge, so that you can easily drop off leaving passengers or collect them at their arrival.

The prices for this parking are competitive. Below are the regular prices, valid if you just drive up to the parking. If you book on-line in advance, you may obtain interesting price reductions.

The parking is limited to one visit per day per vehicle.

London southend Airport Long Stay parking

The large safe and secured long-stay parking is also located close to the terminal entrance, and doesn’t need shuttle buses. You can just walk to the terminal and check in.

And best of all, there is just one attractive flat-rate per day or every part thereof: every day will cost you only £10.00. And here again, you can obtain a discount by booking in advance.

With those attractive prices, the London Southend Airport parks are also ideally suited for people coming to London by car, but want to leave it at a secure place while they are visiting the town. You can be assured that your car is in good hands while you tour the amazing attractions of London; just leave your car at the parking, and take the train at Southend Airport to the centre of London. Enjoy your visit!

Working as an airline pilot – is it a dream job?

You drove to a London airport with your family, parked your car choosing one of the many airport parking options, and walk into the terminal, be it to fly to your vacation destination – or to offer your family a nice and enriching day out in the thriving airport atmosphere.

Among the many people from all different regions and cultures of the World mixing in the hall, you notice one man in a perfectly tidy uniform, discerning himself from all the people around him. Why? He is a pilot. He personifies the dream I was playing and replaying in my mind in all shapes, colours and variations when I was an adolescent. I peek at my 15-years old son – and see him staring at the pilot with a glimmer in his eyes. I see what is going on in his mind – he is dreaming of becoming a pilot… Even my 12-years old daughter seems to be fascinated by this man – she sees him as a hero, a man who achieved the impossible, admired and coveted by everybody.

But is piloting an airline jet really a dream job? Flying certainly is one of the oldest ambitions of mankind. Who has been flying, even only once in his or her life, usually longs for taking the air again. And whose aspiration is to look at the beauty of our planet from above – and feel the sensation of freedom and excitement the birds made their own – will never stop looking to the sky wishing to be there. That’s why piloting an airline jet is certainly a fascinating activity.

Mental and financial efforts required

But being a professional pilot implies much more than just the “flying” part. It requires huge efforts – both mental and financial – just in preliminary studies and training. Aspiring pilots should complete a 4-years study, preferably in aviation management, aviation technology and aircraft engineering that are combined with ‘pilot studies’ or other studies providing a good understanding of mathematics and physics.

After completion of the university or college studies, the contender will have to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL). If he (or she) can afford an integrated course, it will last about 18 months – and cost between £80’000 and 90’000. The student may also obtain the licence in a modulated course, allowing him – or her – to work and contribute to the costs.

That’s when the aspiring pilot can finally start flying (unless he or she could afford flying lessons before that) – and fully concentrate on the many skills, constraints and requirements that are needed to fly a commercial airplane.  Beside the prerequisite of excellent knowledge in mathematics, physics, technical an basic engineering, a flawless physical and mental health and sight, the future pilot will also need to demonstrate an outstanding spatial awareness and coordination, English language and communication skills, the aptitude to think quickly and make decisions, team-working and leadership skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure and keep control under difficult circumstances.  There are also essential character traits a pilot must ascertain; inflexible discipline, self-confidence and commitment, and the awareness of the huge responsibilities he (or she) will be bearing. – In addition to a lot of patience.

Can our young pilot finally take the commands of a passenger airliner? No, not yet. Now he or she has to accumulate full 1500 hours of practice to be recognized as a captain – in the form of flight hours. According to his or her progress, the new pilot may find an employment as first officer, and later be promoted to senior first officer.   Beside the huge amount of hours they have to accumulate, the young pilots desiring to apply for a promotion as captain need to complete another intensive training course. When the need for commercial pilots is big, airline companies may agree with a newly licensed pilot and  give him or her the opportunity to fly as much as possible (of course, together with operating crew) , but often at a low wage. Others try to accumulate flying hours by flying small planes, agricultural or fire-extinguishing planes, cargo planes etc.).

Finally a captain…

Let’s say our young pilot – after renouncing on so many activities young people usually appreciate – finally advanced to the prestigious position of captain, and from an average salary to a more attractive remuneration.  So are the constraints finally over? No, they even become harsher. The captain must really love his job to be able to bear them. His responsibility grows; every smallest error or mishap could be used against him. If he flies long-haul flights, he will be away from his home for half to three quarters of the month. That’s especially hard to bear if the pilot has a family, and must renounce on many family events. He will change time zones and climates as well as food habits several times in a week. Furthermore, he will have to sleep at hotels which are not always comfortable. Pilots say they are “living out of a suitcase”… And next day, they will be in charge of another flight that may challenge them to cross stormy clouds or lead them from a burning sun to snow-covered landscapes.

However, what pilots criticize most is the fact that since the last twenty years – with the boom of low-fare airlines – wages, benefits and services to the flying staff all diminished. Moreover, if a senior first officer or captain want to apply for another airline, their career might not be recognized and they have to start the whole career program again.

So is the position of airline pilot really the dream job we imagine? If he loves flying, loves being at the command of the wonderful flying machine that is an airliner, and appreciates the opportunity of discovering the World – country by country, city by city, culture by culture – than the pleasure, excitement and thrill of being in the air – observing the wonderful land and sea formations, flying through the clouds, into sunrise and sunset – and the prestige and admiration people award him, reward him for his sacrifices.

Now, when you join your children in the airport cafeteria in observing the planes on the tarmac, you can tell them what the life of an airline pilot looks like. And you can explain them what efforts, Endeavour and struggle they have to wage if they want to become airline pilots. If they are still convinced they want to achieve their dream, definitely encourage them. There is nothing more fascinating than flying!