easyJet: Paris to Brindisi

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.

Departure: Paris, France - Orly (ORY)

Paris - Orly Airport or "Aéroport de Paris – Orly" has flights to cities across the globe. Before the construction of Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Orly was the main airport of Paris. Orly still remains the busiest French airport for domestic traffic and the second busiest French airport overall in terms of passenger boarding. Orly is also a major Transavia hub. Other low-cost carriers with multiple routes in and out of Orly include easyJet and Norwegian Air Shuttle.

Location

Paris - Orly Airport is located 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of Paris, partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi.

Transport

• Rail: To get to Paris from Orly, take the Orlyval, which connects to the RER at the Antony Metro station. It will cost €7.60 (adult) or €3.80 (child) to go as far as Antony and €9.85 (adult) or €4.90 (child) for the full fare into Paris.

• Bus: From Orly, the Air France bus line 1 stops at Montparnasse and Invalides. It will also stop at Porte d'Orléans or Duroc, but you have request these stops. The bus runs at regular intervals between 6:15 a.m. and 11:15 p.m. It costs €11.50 for a one-way fare or €18.50 for a round-trip ticket; a child's ticket costs €5.50. The RATP Orlybus runs every 15-20 minutes between Orly and Denfert Rochereau and a ticket costs €6.30. The total travel time is about 30 minutes. To visit the official Web site of Orly and Charles de Gaulle click here.

• Taxi: There are plenty of taxis outside the arrivals area which run to central Paris and various suburban destinations.

Services

Both Orly Airport Terminals have ATMS, currency exchanges and a post office. Wi-Fi access is available throughout the terminals as well as a number of Internet access points. Throughout the airport there are many bars, restaurants, newspaper stands, gift and duty-free shops. Other airport facilities include a medical center at Orly South as well as art galleries and places of worship in both terminals.

Arrival: Brindisi, Italy - Salento Airport (BDS)

Papola Casale Airport is an airport near Brindisi, Italy, and was founded before the second World War. This airport is widely used as a stop-over for the Middle East, and is popular for holiday travelers on their way to Greece and back.

Location:

Papola Casale Airport is located 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of Brindisi in the south-eastern region of Italy, 39 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of Lecce.

Transport:

•Bus: STP, Brindisi Public Transport Buses, run every 90 minutes from the airport terminal and stops at many places, including hotels en route to Tribunale in via P.Togliatti, and the Brindisi city center. Lecce-Brindisi Regional Transport buses depart around every three hours to Lecce. Bus Tickets can be purchased at the airport. For more information on bus service, consult the Official Site.
•Taxi: Airport taxis are available through Radio Taxi.

Service:

There is an ATM in the terminal and First Aid is available. The airport also contains a restaurant and a bar as well as vending machines. Shops and a newsstand are conveniently located in the airport terminal.