Nice Flights

Nice airport is the second largest in France and specially designed to make life for the easyJet traveller hard.

easyJet passengers use Terminal 2, the latest of the two terminals an at first glance is an impressive circular building.

Unfortunately the unfriendly attitude of the French towards foreign tourists who provide their bread and butter starts at the airport.

The first stop is the passport check where staffing levels are fixed at a level that is inversely proportional to the numbers of planes arriving. Apart from the jostling for position in the ‘queues’, much frustration is felt by those who have hand luggage only to save time, when they see through the glass partition the luggage for their flight on the carousel. Those with luggage watch anxiously as there precious load goes round and round while suspicious looking individuals are obviously looking for loot.

The usual realisation, that the boorish family with disruptive children that you deliberately avoided by joining the furthest queue for the passport check is rapidly progressing while your own seems to be at a standstill, reminds you of the pleasures to come at French supermarket checkouts.

At least the anticipation of the holiday in Nice blunts the frustration, but the return journey is not blessed with such excitement.

I have carefully checked the prices of goods in the airport with those in England and can vouch for the savings to be made – by buying at home! I cannot understand why these shops seem to flourish when they sell packs of ten Toblerones for the price of twenty in Tesco. I assume that it is the last desperate action of those wanting to take a gift home, a noble gesture when foreign travel was rare, but hardly necessary when several annual trips by the donor and the recipient are made.

It is axiomatic that all airport lounge seats are uncomfortable, information non existent and refreshment facilities poor, but Terminal 2 reaches new levels especially with Bar du Monde, where water is dearer than beer and short-changing blatant.

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So this is my brief review of Delta's flight paths from Nice back to Midwestern America. I'm not the best person on airplanes, so the shortest route is usually the one I recommend. Nice's airport is rather unique as when you take off...it's directly over the sea, which is cool for those that look out the windows.

The most direct route for us was through Nice to JFK then on to Cinn., Ohio (CVG) via a ComAir jet, and that direct to Des Moines, Iowa (DSM.) It was a great few flights. No stress, but Delta is always pretty good with that sort of thing. Don't sweat it if the layover in CVG appears short, the airport is very small and I've never had more than 10 minutes times between my gates even when I had to change terminals.

As for your carry-ons, do NOT tear off the red tags they attach when you initially board at your airport of origin. These will be required to carry the bag onto all the planes for your trip.

As of last month, Delta flights from Nice into JFK do not have the individual seat-back entertainment centers. This is worth it for us though, as we're vegetarians and the selection of food is always good.

The standard meals are generally curry. For the non-dietary restricted, it's usually pasta or chicken, salad, bread, cheese and crackers, and a brownie. For breakfast it's fruit and breads. Not as great as Air France, but very passable.

My "warnings and dangers" highlights the dire state of
French public (in)conveniences.

National pride at stake, having lost the Olympics, France intends to show the world a clean pair of, er, cheeks.Exasperating contradictory people they are, the French have installed the ultimate super-loos, in Nice Airport.

Far from the expected missing loo seat and absence of paper, I was pleasantly suprised. All seemed in place - but what followed was pure science fiction. After use, a robot arm emerges from the wall and clamps down onto the loo-seat ,kerchunk, click . I watched in amazement as the O-ring shaped seat silently revolved 360 degrees, a micro-spray cleaning and disinfecting everything in its path, zzzzkerchunk, done. Germs be afraid, very afraid. A high pressure powerflush double blast then followed, ensuring everything porcelain was gleaming white and pristine. Crikey, what next? Is a laser beam going to mistake me for a germ and - pppfftzzz - I'm toast?

As you approach the handbasin, "the tap knows you are there". Move your hands towards water and water flows, perfect temperature. Take your hand away, it stops. Military grade precision movement sensors.

I emerged into the terminal waiting area, cleansed, refreshed, and not a little shocked, . Revenge for Waterloo: Watercloset! The French have really excelled themselves this time. Merde!

People Watching Factor 0. (Could get you arrested)

We reached Nice by plane from Stuttgart. Easy travel, about 1hr 15mins flight time. At the Airport you can hop on Bus 23, wich goes to Nice main station. Costs are 1.30EUR, wich is very cheap. Duration ~30mins. Leaving from platform 9 I think (end of the terminal). Another busline (98) goes there directly, costs 4.50EUR (incl. one-day-ticket for all bus lines), duration ~15mins. Leaving from platform 2.

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On an artificial island right in front of the coast West of nice lays the Cote d'Azur Airport as maingate to this most attractive of French destinations (besides Paris). Many airliners arrive and lift off from this airport, bringing people as well as taking them back home. The airport is complete with everything an airport needs: car rental, hotels, booking offices etc. A fast taxidrive brings you in the centre of Nice, to start your holiday.

EasyJet has some truly insanely low fares from both London and Paris to Nice (and many other European destinations.) The keyword is FLEXIBILITY. If you have that and a couple of weeks' advance, you will be in luck. Otherwise, British Midland is how I got here myself. We headed due south down the middle of France until we got to the coast around Marseilles, then the captain swung our craft out over the Mediterranean Sea and we followed the land eastward until Nice popped into view. THEN...and this is what NO one tells you...we banked down upon approach, soooo low and at as near a 90* angle as I ever hope to experience...my heart was in my throat, but at the same time, it was a thrilling thing to witness and be a part of. ....;-)))

Security is at a max. After the metal detecter or your hand luggage will be checked and expect all boxes, wallets to be opened.

Also don't be surpriced if the tiniest of things will make the metal detector sound.

No one is spared from push chair babies to wheelchair bound persons.

To avoid embarresments, I would suggest females to avoid wearing metal supported bra cups.

Security at Nice airport is scarily efficient. Which is a good thing, IMO. They don't have the prejudiced "spot checks" as they do in America - it's equal opportunity searches.

You might end up having your bag searched 2 or 3 times, so don't pack too tightly or you may never get your suitcase closed again.