"tim" wrote in message
...

"Ian F." wrote in message
...
Has anyone had the misfortune to use this appalling service lately?

Never had the need, but personally can't understand why people do.
The normal bus from the central bus terminal passes many of the hotels
and is free.

Yesterday morning, it took 25 minutes to get off the airport and to
anywhere
vaguely resembling a hotel, having picked up at Terminal Two, then going
to
3, then pulling into a bay somewhere odd, changing drivers, going through
vast swathes of airport roadworks, into uncharted bowels and tunnels,
stopping at dozens of traffic-lights...and eventually to the exit,
through
the main tunnel and onto the A4 Bath Road!

This is not the fault of the bus. You'd have to do this whatever form
of transport you used.

And they (National Express) charge three quid for it, on a 20 year-old,
freezing cold bus with rock-hard seats! I remember the days when airport
hotels used to provide a free courtesy bus service.

so do I.

Not sure if there's any alternative, though - would a black cab take you
to
a local hotel?

They woud. They wouldn't be happy.

tim

PMFJI ~

FWIW, after the policy switched mandating the Hoppa service, I learned early
on to take a black cab to the Crowne Plaza at LHR. Only once did a driver
give me a hard time (at Terminal 3) so I told the starter I refused to ride
in that man's cab and requested another. The first cabbie was told to get
out of line and lost his spot. That said, the other drivers I have had over
the years have done a good job for me, which in turn I do a "good job" for
them. The extra money is, to me, worth it rather than spend the increased
time and frustration on the Hoppa.

Rich