easyJet: Paris to Nice

The carrier: easyJet

About

EasyJet is Europe's second-largest low-cost carrier, after Ryanair. It's also one of the oldest in Europe; its first flights took off in late 1995, and it pioneered the online purchase model.  EasyJet is based at Hangar 89, which is an orange building adjacent to the main taxiway at Luton Airport.

The easyJet route map is not as wide-ranging as Ryanair's, although the airline tends to fly to primary airports over out-of-the-way secondary airports. Fares are also higher than Ryanair's, though the easyJet flying experience tends to receive fewer complaints.

One place where easyJet does not get high marks is in the telephone customer service department. We've read stories of hundreds of faxes remaining unreturned and hours-long waits on toll telephone lines with high per-minute charges.

Among the airline's more notable destinations are Bucharest, Geneva, Istanbul, Madeira, Sofia, Split and Tallinn.

Upside

Great connections across Europe without the lowest-common-denominator panic.

Downside

Notoriously bad customer service.

Baggage

*Carry-on: One piece of hand luggage.
*Checked: €12 per bag (per flight), combined weight not to exceed 20 kg. Over 20 kg, €12 per kg.

* Please visit EasyJet’s website for more information on its baggage policy.

Seating

Strict pre-boarding policy. Check-in no later than 40 minutes prior to departure. Boarding is on a first-come first-serve basis and can be a nightmare if you don’t arrive early. EasyJet never allows stand-bys.

Check-in and Ticketing

Online check-in is available from 60 days before your flight until two hours prior to the scheduled departure time.  Passengers with hold-luggage are allowed to do this as well. The boarding gate closes 25 minutes prior to the scheduled time of departure.  If your flight leaves London Gatwick before 08.30 you can check in for this flight the night before from 20:00. This will give you the opportunity to leave your baggage at the airport. You will be issued with a boarding pass so you can go straight to security for your flight the following morning.

Tip
Check in online so that you’re automatically entered into the "A" group for boarding, meaning you'll hop on—and off—first. Be careful with personal property as there is little or no compensation for damages or losses.

Fun Fact

EasyJet offers the possibility to carbon offset the CO2 to their customers' trips for a surcharge via a calculator which calculates a passenger's carbon footprint.

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Departure: Paris, France - Charles De Gaulle (CDG)

Charles de Gaulle International Airport or "Aéroport Paris-Charles de Gaulle," also known as "Roissy Airport" or simply "Roissy," is one of the world's principal aviation centers, as well as France's main international airport. It is named after General Charles de Gaulle who led the Free French Forces and was the founder of the French Fifth Republic. This is the most heavily-trafficked airport in France and one of the biggest in Europe.

In addition to being served by an extraordinary number of conventional carrier airlines, CDG is also utilized by plenty of low-cost carriers. Vueling, easyJet, and flybe all serve CDG with multiple routes.

Location: Charles de Gaulle International Airport is located 23 kilometers (14 miles) northeast of Paris.

Transport:

- Rail: To Charles de Gaulle, you must take the Metro to the RER line B, direction Roissy/Charles de Gaulle. Sometimes it is not easy to recognize which RER trains go to the airport and which turn off towards another destination. If unsure, ask somebody at the station which train is correct.

- Bus: Air France runs two buses from Charles de Gaulle into Paris. Both lines depart from terminals 1 & 2 and their routes exclude terminal 3, which primarily serves for charters and low-cost carriers like EasyJet. Line 2 stops at Porte Maillot and Arc de Triomphe and runs every 20 minutes from 5:50 a.m. until 11 p.m.

A one-way journey costs €15 or €7.50 for children, and a round-trip ticket costs €20. Line 4 runs every 30 minutes between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. and stops at Gare de Lyon and Montparnasse. It costs €16.50 for a one-way adult journey, or €8 for a child. A round-trip ticket costs €22. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes.

The Roissybus stops at Place de l'Opéra adjacent to the American Express office. It departs from all three terminals. The trip takes around 45 minutes and service is from 6 a.m. through 11 p.m. (Keep in mind that the connecting RATP service ends at 10:30 p.m.) The bus costs €8.60 for a one-way journey. We like this Web site for information on Charles de Gaulle.

- Taxi: Several taxi companies provide service to and from the Charles de Gaulle International Airport. A taxi from the airport to the city center should take around 45 minutes. This will be pricey, so we recommend taking public transportation.

Services: The Charles de Gaulle International Airport offers many stores and duty-free shops as well as cafes, bars and restaurants for travelers in need of a break. ATMs and currency exchanges are also available for convenience. Visitors can take advantage of various Internet portals throughout the airport or access the airport’s Wi-Fi connection. Play areas and arcade games are available for children. Other facilities include places of worship, banks and post offices.

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Arrival: Nice, France - Côte d'Azur (NCE)

Côte d'Azur International Airport or "Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur" is an airport in Nice and is France's third most heavily trafficked airport. Nice sees a smattering of budget air routes. Both Cimber Sterling and easyJet fly multiple routes to and from Nice.

Location: Côte d'Azur International Airport airport is located 6 kilometers (4 miles) west of the center of the city, Vieux Nice. Due to its proximity to the Principality of Monaco, it also serves as that city-state's airport, with helicopter service linking the city and airport.

Transport:

Rail: SNCF regional train services run from Gare Nice St. Augustin, located near terminal 1, and Gare St Laurent du Var, 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the airport, serving all routes from Cannes to Vintimille. Connections to these stations are provided to travelers by shuttle.

All other SNCF routes run from the central station in Nice, connected to the airport by shuttle from Terminal 2 and route 23 from Terminal 1. For details on exact times and rates visit the Official SNCF Web site.

- Bus: Plenty of buses connect the airport with 24 routes between Marseille and Genoa and 123 destinations served throughout the Côte d'Azur. A Cheapo favorite is the Ligne d'Azur bus which travels between airport and city.

- Taxi: Taxis are available at all times of the day to all destinations; stands are located outside the arrivals levels of both terminals.

Services: The airport has banks, a currency exchange and ATMs in both terminals. A post office is located in Terminal 1. Wi-Fi access is available throughout the airport, and there are also several Internet stations. Restaurants, cafes, bars, gift shops and duty-free shopping are also available in both terminals. Other airport amenities include baby changing facilities in both terminals as well as a pharmacy, vaccination center and prayer room. Information desks can be found in Terminal 1 and the arrivals area in Terminal 2.

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