Grimsby to Liverpool Airport, returning from Gatwick!

[DeeGee]

I've gone and bought a crazy combination of airfares without thinking of the logistics first.

It's not until December, so I've got time to rearrange/book something else if need be (if the only available routing is crazy prices).

The story goes as follows. I'm an adult of 42, travelling alone without a railcard.

Travelling out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport on 8th December at 12:30, I'm willing to risk the timings of the first train out of Cleethorpes, therefore I'll be travelling peak.

Returning from Gatwick on the evening of 11th December (arriving Gatwick around 16:30). I'm not sure I want to risk an advance fare. I'm guessing I could do this journey on an off-peak?

I therefore make the two single fares as £48.50 Anytime Single to LPY, and £102.80 off-peak from GTW. There is an advance fare available for the GMB-LPY flow but I reckon the chance of nabbing one of those is slim to none.

I'm wondering if there's a routing that I haven't thought of that would cheapen this up a bit. I've looked at a split at Doncaster into a return GMB-DON and singles DON-LPY and GTW-DON, but as I suspected, that hasn't worked.

I'm pretty certain that there isn't anything, and I might have a look at changing the flights. Problem is, right now, I can't get any better timed flights than this.

 

[Merseysider]

I wouldn't worry much at all.

For your outward (Friday) journey an Airport Advance from Grimsby Town to Liverpool Airport Bus (LJL) will be available nearer the time for £19. These may go up in price but almost certainly won't sell out on that route. You will need to select (on the TPE website, under 'Timetables only') the option 'services calling at Birchwood' for these to show, as EMT aren't available to use but also don't call there. Current itinerary for the end of August shows a 05:15 departure from Grimsby, arriving at the airport itself 10:01, changing at Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Liverpool South Parkway; December timetables will be available in a few months.

Airport Advances are a special type of ticket that I recall reading guarantee onward travel if rail delays/cancellations cause you to miss the flight but I've asked for clarification on this.

I'm sure someone more in the know will be able to help with the return journey. If it were me, I'd book two cheap advance fares from Gatwick; one 2 hours after landing and then the last possible journey of the night. Alternatively, a Super Off Peak Single at £51.55 from GTW to GMB would allow any journey that doesn't leave London before 18:59.

 

[DeeGee]

Thanks Jake, That's a decent saving. I think that might work. I'm happy to get to St Pancras and then loiter around Kings Cross until after 7. That said, would the default routing of an Advance from Gatwick to Grimsby build in a healthy allowance for cross-London transfer? I see it's VTEC and connections, I'm guessing Thameslink isn't reservable? So I could get something a bit later than planned, get an appropriate train from Gatwick and spend time making use of station facilities at KGX.

 

[AnkleBoots]

Airport Advances are a special type of ticket that guarantee onward travel if rail delays/cancellations cause you to miss the flight, provided 2 hours are allowed.

Which airlines support this?

 

[Kite159]

Which airlines support this?

TPE from Manchester I believe

 

[Merseysider]

Which airlines support this?

Information in the public domain is somewhat scarce, but I seem to recall reading that it's TPE who will aid the passenger in booking onward travel, not the airline itself.

I can't seem to find that document now, so perhaps it has changed or become internal.

 

[arb]

Airport Advances are a special type of ticket that guarantee onward travel if rail delays/cancellations cause you to miss the flight, provided 2 hours are allowed.

I thought airport advances were the other way round: if your incoming flight was delayed, you could travel on a later train, different to the one specified on your advance train ticket. Nothing to do with being allowed on a later outbound flight if your train to the airport was delayed. That's how https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/ticket-types/tickets-explained/ describes it, at least.

 

[Merseysider]

They are however also available on journeys to the airport:

Cleethorpes to Liverpool Airport

Glasgow to Manchester Airport

with little to no information why!

 

[johnnychips]

They are however also available on journeys to the airport:

Cleethorpes to Liverpool Airport

Glasgow to Manchester Airport

with little to no information why!

On the Glasgow ticket, it says journeys whose origin is Manchester Airport, not destination.

 

[Merseysider]

On the Glasgow ticket, it says journeys whose origin is Manchester Airport, not destination.

Yes, I know.

Whilst I recall reading that TPE will help arrange onward travel, I can't seem to find anything to support that, so if the train were late it'd possibly be down to travel insurance. I've asked TPE anyway.