nikaso Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 Random one but on several occasions recently we've had school trips go out where any sensible person would have flown to the destination but instead the school has opted to use coaches with travel times in excess of 24 hours, flights would have been about 2 hours? If booked in advance I just don't see the price differential being that great for short haul no-frills trips but there seems to be a dogged determination to condemn the trip goers to an eternity on a coach? Anyone else see the same thing in their schools?
CAM Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 You can travel site-to-site with all 30 kids packed on a coach when you get there.
dry Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 I guess the long period between kids showing an interest and actually booking the flights would be a problem with budget operators and booking out 60+ seats. With a coach you either have it or you don't- even if x kids drop out. Having said that, I went to Germany as a Y7 (and Y9) and we flew out with airBerlin and Ryanair. Nuts to 15+ hours on a coach- there's only so much Cheat you can play!
admars Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 I think it's still the perception among some people that flying is expensive. I remember a friends saying at his company a group of them needed to go up North from down South, flying was about the same price as the train, but they had to get the train, as "it doesn't look good when non-management fly". Similarly, a company I used to work for I had to drive to Liverpool from down south for a client visit, the customer was amazed I didn't fly, was shocked when I was told I wasn't allowed maybe booking 30odd seats on a flight is too difficult, and you'd have to arrange a coach while at destination, which is probably pretty expensive, but then if you don't have your own to drive up anyway, I guess that's irrelevant
3s-gtech Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 It's so much easier to co-ordinate and manage with a coach. I've been on trips in the UK and abroad with the school - being able to get all the luggage in one place, count the kids on and off, and typically have reliable transport around the area of the destination are huge advantages. I've also been on holiday to Italy through Europe on a coach, a couple of days of which was the travel (with overnight stops). Enjoyed it. Many also don't like flying, where they're fine on a coach. Dealing with a 'refuser' when you get to an airport is a nightmare.
JordanT91 Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 It may also have to do with getting permission from parents. A surprising number of people have a fear of sending their children away without them on a plane. Despite the fact the travel by coach is much more dangerous.
witch Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 It's so much easier to co-ordinate and manage with a coach. I've been on trips in the UK and abroad with the school - being able to get all the luggage in one place, count the kids on and off, and typically have reliable transport around the area of the destination are huge advantages. I've also been on holiday to Italy through Europe on a coach, a couple of days of which was the travel (with overnight stops). Enjoyed it. It's this^ I think.
nikaso Posted July 6, 2017 Author Posted July 6, 2017 I suppose I hadn't considered the added drama of 'refusers' and the hassle of the bags at either end, still, I can think of things I'd rather do than sit on a coach with 50 kids for 24 hours. Juggle anti-personnel mines for example.
Oddbod Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 It's so much easier to co-ordinate and manage with a coach. I've been on trips in the UK and abroad with the school - being able to get all the luggage in one place, count the kids on and off, and typically have reliable transport around the area of the destination are huge advantages. I've also been on holiday to Italy through Europe on a coach, a couple of days of which was the travel (with overnight stops). Enjoyed it. Many also don't like flying, where they're fine on a coach. Dealing with a 'refuser' when you get to an airport is a nightmare. Seconded… Why don't you try to herd 60 kids through an airport/train terminal, when most get distracted by the shops, entertainment and anything else… And then make sure all the darlings baggage arrives at the same destination… And then arrange a coach to transfer them to the hotel… And then do the same for any excursion… And then follow it up for the journey home? Whereas… Herd 60 kids onto a coach arranged for the entire journey, count them on, load up all their baggage, lose an hour for them to say goodbye to their parents/instructors… ensuring they all return in one group… Much easier. --- I worked at a PGL centre last year for a season. I found it much easier to match kids and baggage up to coach parties than those that arrived unaccompanied. Although every week, Friday was an absolute nightmare! At peak, we handled 30 coach loads of kids a week… The little darlings that flew in managed to leave some of their clothes and shoes behind… with one kid managing a full house… leaving both cases of his gear at the meeting point (seemed unconcerned about notifying the taxi driver that he came with any luggage, guess his mum and dad usually handled that kinda thing)
3s-gtech Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 I suppose I hadn't considered the added drama of 'refusers' and the hassle of the bags at either end, still, I can think of things I'd rather do than sit on a coach with 50 kids for 24 hours. Juggle anti-personnel mines for example. Depends on the kids and the trip. I've visited the WWI Battlefields in Belgium and France which is obviously not the longest journey by coach (colleagues have done skiing trips much further afield) and it was a pleasure. I have also been to Alton Towers with a far more fixed group, and three hours was as far as I'd want to go!
hardtailstar Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 I took a group of Explorer Scouts to South Africa last year by plane. Obviously we were not going to drive there but it was nightmare in both airports going through checks and paperwork. At least coaches you can keep them contained on the coach while you sort out the paperwork etc at border controls.
mavhc Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 Easier these days, just make sure you have enough usb chargers for the tablets, and a wifi AP for multiplayer
jedmondson Posted July 6, 2017 Posted July 6, 2017 Part of a scout district that's taking 200 scouts+ explorers though Heathrow in the summer will let you know how many are missing things. Last I herd we where short 6 ehicks
Oddbod Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Part of a scout district that's taking 200 scouts+ explorers though Heathrow in the summer will let you know how many are missing things. Last I herd we where short 6 ehicks Ehicks? Chicks? Sticks? Or ehics? (European Health Insurance Card)s Dunno… just seems lost in translation :$
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