provisional itinerary & general information friday, 13 ... · the uk travel ban to the country...

Tour 227112 – Swiss Hunterfest - Provisional Itinerary – Issue 4 of 8

Ian Allan Aviation Tours

Eton Travel 104-105 High Street, Eton, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 6AF, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1753 671738 Fax: +44 (0)1753 737500 e-mail: [email protected] www.ianallantravel.com/aviationtours

BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG, GERMANY & SWITZERLAND

“Hunterfest” Airshow, St Stephan Aviation Museums & Collections;

Optional Hunter Flight!

As your Tour Operator IAAT has a duty of care toward its travellers so the following conditions have been added to our 2021 itineraries. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 virus, tours will only operate if:

The UK travel ban to the country or countries has been lifted

The host country or countries has no travel ban in place

The advice from www.gov.uk states there are no health restrictions in the host country or countries.

Join us on a fabulous 10-day tour around Europe visiting aviation museums and collections both large and small. And a memorable airshow with a difference. Our travels start in Brussels, continuing on to Bastogne, through Luxembourg and Germany, to Switzerland through some outstanding countryside, e.g., the Ardennes, Black Forest and the Tyrol. The tour finale is the tiny airfield of St Stephan, hemmed in on all sides, high up in the Swiss mountains. Once a Swiss Air Force airbase, you can still see the huge sliding doors leading into the ‘hangars’ inside the mountain! Now the venue for the annual ‘Hunterfest’, usually with up to 4 Hunters (pictured left), along with a couple of Vampires! Plus other ‘guest’ participants. This is not a ‘busy’ airshow ala “Duxford”, but more laid back like “Old Warden” featuring, in the main, British classics in a stunning location. Where hundreds of locals, not many thousands of people, come through the gate. Get there by 09:00 and there is still room to stake your place on the flight-line. There are various aviation stalls and cafes scattered around the public area. With a spectacular background you

will enjoy an amazing day – as shown in the pictures on pages 4 and 5. ....and there is the possibility of an optional flight in a Hunter! On our travels from Belgium to Switzerland we visit some fabulous aviation museums and collections. We fly on the scheduled services of British Airways (tbc) from London’s Heathrow Airport; travel around Europe in a de-luxe, air-conditioned coach (see appropriate paragraph on page 6 of “General Information”); stay each night in a comfortable hotel on a bed and breakfast basis; and are accompanied throughout by one of our well-travelled and experienced Tour Managers.

PROVISIONAL ITINERARY & GENERAL INFORMATION FRIDAY, 13th – SUNDAY, 22nd AUGUST





PROVISIONAL ITINERARY (all time local)

DAY 1: FRIDAY, 13th AUGUST Between 11:30 and 12:00 please check-in with British Airways (tbc) at London’s Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5. Then meet your Ian Allan Tour Manager, and fellow enthusiasts, who will be assembling in the check-in area adjacent to column G. Latest recommended check-in time is 90 minutes prior to departure: 12:05. Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5 Flight: BA 396 Departs: 13:35 Brussels Arrives: 15:45 Meeting our coach and driver we transfer into the centre of the Belgian capital and check-in at the Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre where we stay overnight on a bed and breakfast basis. Centrally located in the heart of downtown Brussels, just steps from the city's main shopping street and a 10 minute walk from the Grand Place. The rest of the day is free. Website: www.thonhotels.com/hotels/belgium/brussels/thon-hotel-brussels-city-centre/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=infoboks&utm_campaign=GMB

DAY 2: SATURDAY, 14th AUGUST Leaving at 09:00 we drive the short distance to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces, one of the finest collections of aircraft in Europe, currently totalling 130 exhibits (pictured right). The SkyCafe offers sandwiches and snacks for those feeling peckish. Early afternoon we set off for the Belgian Air Force base of Florennes, about an hour south of Brussels, where we visit the Spitfire Museum of Colonel Aviator R Lallemant, DFC.

On display in this private museum is the reason for our visit: a beautifully restored 1944 Spitfire Mk XIV (pictured left). Also on display is an F-84, Mirage and an F-16. Website: http://walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/3/i-love/heritage-and-culture/wallonia-in-the-wars/39-45/spitfire-museum Mid-afternoon we leave for the beautiful Ardennes region which played such a critical part nearing the end of the Second World War. We stay 2 nights in Bastogne, at the Hotel Leo on a bed and

breakfast basis. Perfectly located in the centre of this famous town, opposite McAuliffe Square. On-site is the brasserie “Wagon” where you can enjoy international cuisine in an old railway carriage! This unique setting is luxuriously decorated and includes a terrace for warm weather. There is also a bistro offering more casual surroundings with a cosy open fire. Wi-fi is free. Website: www.wagon-leo.com/

DAY 3: SUNDAY, 15th AUGUST Today is spent at 3 of the historical “Battle of the Bulge” battle sites: Baugnez, La Glieze and Malmedy. Much of the history here is devoted to the German offensive operations, rather than the American defenders, and in particular the fighting of Kampfgruppe Peiper, a unit of the 1st SS Panzer Division “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”, led by Obersturmbannfuher Jochen Peiper, and the massacre of American POWs at Baugnez-Malmedy. We end the day at the unique Bastogne War Museum where its 360-degrees rooftop observation deck looks out over the surrounding battle sites for this vitally important town.





DAY 4: MONDAY, 16th AUGUST Leaving the hotel at 09:00 we set off on the 2-hour journey through the Ardennes and Luxembourg to Hermeskeil, home to the largest private collection of aircraft in Europe: the fabulous “Flugausstelling Peter Junior” (pictured right). Pride of place goes to a Concorde no less – which will not be the last Concorde you will see on the tour! We stay tonight in Kell am See located near the German/Luxembourg border, at the Seehotel Kell. Situated on the shores of Keller Lake, its "Little Bistro" offers snacks and drinks, from a fresh beer from the barrel to a nice glass of wine. We stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Website: www.seehotel-kell.de/

DAY 5: TUESDAY, 17th AUGUST Departing our hotel at 09:00 we arrive in Speyer shortly before 11:00 and the first thing we do is put our luggage in to the Ibis Hotel Speyer am Technik Museum’s storeroom.

We then walk across to the fantastic Technik Museum - another huge collection of aircraft, one of the best to be seen anywhere in Europe. Admission includes the IMAX Dome Cinema. As you can see pictured left, you have the opportunity to walk out on a Boeing 747’s wing! Website: https://speyer.technik-museum.de/ Feedback from our previous groups recommend at least 3 hours here to wander around at a leisurely pace absorbing everything there is to see. You are free to walk back to the hotel at a time of your choosing, collect your luggage from the storeroom and check-in to your room.

The hotel is also within walking distance of the historic Old Town area. Its facilities include on-site breakfast café and “Bugatti” Bar. Wi-fi is free. Breakfast is included. Website: www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-8668-ibis-styles-speyer/index.shtml?adults=&children=&nights=&dateIn=

DAY 6: WEDNESDAY, 18th AUGUST This morning we set off at 09:00 and, about 45 minutes later, arrive in Sinsheim where we look around another incredible collection of aircraft (and cars) in the huge Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim (pictured right). Note Concorde number 2! And to the right of it – is that a Russian Konkordski! Yes - only here can you see both these types of aircraft together (atop adjacent poles!). Website: https://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/ . Admission includes the IMAX 3D Cinema. At 14:00 we depart for the famous spa town of Baden-Baden located in southwestern Germany’s Black Forest, near the border with France, an hour away. We check in to the historic 4* Heliopark Bad Hotel zum Hirsch, staying tonight on a bed and breakfast basis. Its facilities include a fine restaurant, lounge bar, cigar bar and free wi-fi throughout. Website: www.heliopark-hirsch.de/start/ The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore this beautiful town at leisure. Its thermal baths led it to fame as a fashionable 19th-century resort. Alongside the Oos River, park-lined Lichtentaler Allee is the





town’s central promenade. The Kurhaus complex, built in 1824, houses the elegant, Versailles-inspired Spielbank (casino). The Trinkhalle has a loggia decorated with frescoes and a mineral-water fountain.

DAY 7: THURSDAY, 19th AUGUST This morning we visit the Deutsch-Kanadisches Luftwaffenmuseum (pictured left) which is located on Soellingen/Baden-Baden Airpark. Among its exhibits is a Canadair CL-13B Sabre 6, Fiat G-91 Gina, 2 F-104G Starfighters, Lockheed T-33A and a Piaggio FWP-149D. Website: www.airforcemuseumsoellingen.de/ We then make a quick stop in the town of Biberach, about an hour to the south, to see a truly classic airliner, a Tupolev Tu-134 on public display. Another hour drive will bring us to Villingen-Schwenningen, arriving around 14:00. We stop for lunch (at your own expense) either en-route to, or in the town.

We look around the Pflumm Collection - or the Internationales Luftfahrt-Museum – with many aerospace exhibits on display including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and aircraft engines. The main display is contained within one hangar with other aircraft displayed externally on a site covering 13,000 square metres (pictured right). In addition to 50 aircraft there are also a number of aircraft components and – uniquely - a collection of ejector seats. Plus, there is a collection of 350 model aircraft. Website: www.aviationmuseum.eu/Blogvorm/international-luftfahrt-museum-manfred-pflumm/ We stay tonight in the Hotel Dormero, situated in the centre of the village of Villingen-Schwenningen, on a bed and breakfast basis. There is a restaurant and bar on-site and Wi-Fi is free throughout. Website: www.dormero.de/hotel-villingen-schwenningen/

DAY 8: FRIDAY, 20th AUGUST Departing at 09:30, we soon cross the border into Switzerland and travel through the beautiful Swiss countryside to the small town of Bulle, arriving mid-afternoon. We will make ‘convenience’ and lunch stops en-route (lunch at your own expense). We stay 2 nights on a bed and breakfast basis at the Ibis Bulle la Gruyere. Located one mile from the town centre, the hotel has a bar on-site and free wi-fi on the ground floor. Its 80 air-conditioned rooms have spectacular views of the foothills of the Swiss Alps. Website: www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-8142-ibis-bulle-la-gruyere/index.shtml?adults=&children=&nights=&dateIn= For your evening meal our coach driver will take us the one mile into town which has a selection of restaurants, returning at an agreed time with our Tour Manager; or you can return at a time of your choosing by taxi (at your own expense).

DAY 9: SATURDAY, 21st AUGUST At 07:45 leave for the Hunter Association’s 2021 Obersimmental Airshow on St Stephan’s airfield in the Swiss Tyrol, just over an hour’s drive away. This small airfield is surrounded by meadows, forests and snow-capped mountains – the perfect backdrop for an airshow. The main attraction is usually 4 Hunters plus a number of Vampires. Other aircraft taking part in the past have included a DC-3, Constellation and An-2, Pilatus’s and Swiss national aerobatic team, jet and piston powered. Every year the ‘supporting acts’ are different.





The flying programme is usually 2 hours in the morning from 10:00; a break for lunch; then a further 2 hours from 14:00. This is then followed by the Hunters taking up those who have booked optional pleasure flights! We are talking here of seeing British classics: Hunters and Vampires (pictured above and right), flying in between mountains and along Alpine valleys from a small Swiss airfield surrounded by stunning scenery. Memorable!

DAY 10: SUNDAY, 22nd AUGUST Departing at 09:00, we arrive at Geneva Airport a little over an hour later, and check-in with British Airways (tbc) for our flight back to Heathrow; latest recommended check-in time by the airline is 90 minutes prior to departure: 10:25. Geneva, Terminal 1 Flight: BA 727 Departs: 11:55 Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5 Arrives: 12:40 As we wait for our luggage to appear in Baggage Reclaim we take the opportunity to bid each other farewell – until our paths cross again.

ESTIMATED

TOUR PRICE PER PERSON

TOUR: 227112

From:

£ 1,599.00 Package price based on sharing a twin bedded room on a bed and breakfast basis

From: £ 294.00

Single room supplement

On request

Land-only (NO flights) PLEASE SPEAK WITH ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS BEFORE BOOKING

TOUR PRICE WILL INCLUDE

Flights on the scheduled services of British Airways from

London’s Heathrow Airport as stated Coach transfers by air-conditioned, de-luxe coach 9 nights hotel accommodation in rooms with en-suite facilities Continental breakfast each morning One evening meal, as stated Admission to all museums as stated Admission to the 2020 ‘Hunterfest’ airshow Services of an Ian Allan Tour Manager throughout Gratuity for the coach driver

TOUR PRICE WILL NOT INCLUDE Meals, other than those stated Visa – not required by UK/EU passport holders Travel insurance – see General Information page 7 Personal expenditure, e.g. telephone calls, laundry, drinks,

etc. Any other tips and gratuities





GENERAL INFORMATION

Payment for Ian Allan Aviation Tours A deposit of £400.00 per person should accompany your Booking Form, with the balance due 10 weeks prior to the tour’s departure. Please see your Booking Confirmation/Invoice for the exact date. Please note that a reminder of the payment date will not be sent.

Passports and Visas Citizens of the UK are required to be in possession of a Full UK Passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your return. You may also refer to the World Travel Guide website: www.wtgonline.com for general information on passports, visas and health requirements. UK/EU passport holders do not require a visa to enter any of the countries named on this tour.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Consular Advice The FCO's consular service is a major operation. Every hour of every day consular staff around the world are advising and helping British nationals. For up-to-date passport, visa and security information on the destination you intend visiting, we suggest you visit: www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo In addition, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) provide an Information Line for UK callers only, telephone: 020 3117 0599. This line is open between the hours 10:00 – 16:00, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Coach Travel Ian Allan Aviation Tours only use coaches chartered from reputable companies, with a driver. Where we have had to cancel a tour, due to the small number of bookings, we have looked at the possibility of renting a 16-18 seater mini-van, with our tour manager driving. However, without exception, the hiring of such a vehicle is illegal if any of the occupants make any payment towards the rental price, fuel and/or other expenses - known as “for hire or reward”. Any such rental, made without these facts being made known to the rental company at the time of booking, also invalidates all insurance covering the vehicle, contents and persons. The DVLA has also confirmed that any “for hire or reward” rental could breach the normal driving classification of a standard U.K. driver’s license. Therefore, we do not undertake any tours using 9-18 seater mini-vans from a rental company with our tour manager, or a member of the group, driving.

Baggage Regulations – British Airways – Departing from London’s Heathrow Airport Checked Baggage: Included within the cost of your British Airways ticket is 1 piece of ‘checked’ baggage per person, the total dimensions of which must not exceed 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29½in x 25½in), including the handle, pockets and wheels. Maximum weight is 23kg (50lb). Cabin Baggage: for travel out of London’s Heathrow Airport you may take 1 carry-on bag (and 1 personal item). Your main piece of hand baggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 18in x 10in), including handles and wheels and you must be able to lift the bag unaided into the overhead locker. Limited quantities of liquids are allowed as hand baggage but must be carried separately through security in a clear plastic, zip-top or re-sealable bag that does not exceed 20cm x 20cm (8 inches x 8 inches), or quart size. Individual containers must not exceed 90ml or 3 American ounces, and items must fit in the bag comfortably and the bag must be completely closed. The bag can only contain: Shampoo, suntan lotions, creams, toothpaste, hair gel and hair spray, perfumes, cosmetics such as mascara and lip gloss, water and other drinks, soups and syrups and other items of a similar consistency. Hand baggage can include: Electronic equipment including mobile phones, digital cameras and MP3 players (such as i-Pods). Laptops must be removed from the bag for x-ray. Prescription medicines in liquid form, e.g. diabetic kit.





All electrical devices, e.g. cameras, laptops, i-pads, mobile phones etc, must be fully charged. If not they, and you, may have to undergo additional security checks which could result in you missing your flight; in which case – depending on the co-operation of the airline - you may have to purchase new tickets (if you do not board your first flight then all other flights are automatically cancelled). At security all remaining items should be placed in the tray provided for screening, e.g. car keys and fobs, cash, solid food, books, newspapers, cigarettes and tobacco, belts and shoes. Pushchairs and walking aids are permitted but must be x-ray screened. All wheelchairs will be subject to search. Please note, you may be subject to a hand search by the security team and required to remove footwear to be x-ray screened. Once in the departure lounge passengers may purchase certain items in any shop and take it onto the aircraft as normal. Passengers may be subject to a secondary search at the departure gate before boarding. Any items not on the approved list will be removed. As baggage regulations can change with little warning, due to security requirements, you are strongly advised to contact the airline for the latest information nearer to the time of your departure.

Baggage Weight Restrictions – UK Airports Since 1st June 2004, any single piece of checked baggage weighing more than 70lbs (32kgs) has not been accepted at check-in by any airline operating from London’s Heathrow Airport. The BAA may introduce this limit at their other airports in the UK (and so might non-BAA airports), in an attempt to reduce manual handling injuries amongst airport staff.

Meals On this tour either continental or hot breakfast (as offered by each hotel) every morning is included in the tour price plus one dinner.

Health Requirements There are currently no known mandatory or recommended precautions for visiting any of the countries on this tour; however, we recommend you consult your local doctor or health centre for the latest information.

Climate and Dress The weather in August should be glorious with temperatures in the mid-20s°C. We therefore recommend summer items of clothing plus a jumper and/or jacket of any cool evening.

Local Currency The Euro is the currency of all the countries we visit with the exception of Switzerland where the Swiss Franc is the coin of the realm. However, the Euro is generally accepted but any change will be in Swiss Francs.

Travel Insurance For citizens of the United Kingdom, Ian Allan Aviation Tours are able to offer competitive and comprehensive insurance cover. However, if you do not wish to take out our insurance, you must ensure that comparable or greater cover is taken. The number of your Insurance Policy should be written, if known, on your Booking Form at the time of making the reservation, but no later than the date when final payment is due. A copy of the policy must be forwarded to Ian Allan Aviation Tours. Individual insurance policies are arranged through CoverMore Insurance Services Limited; the premiums for which will vary according to your circumstances. Full details are available on request. These policies also include cover for non-scheduled flights, i.e. pleasure flights, where the aircraft is licensed and insured to undertake such flights, and where a payment is made.

Wheelchair Assistance at Airports Anyone requiring wheelchair assistance at airports must have this service requested and confirmed in advance. Airlines and/or airports can no longer provide this service without prior confirmation, therefore, please annotate your booking form accordingly.





Flexible Itinerary We are very happy for enthusiasts to take time away from the printed itinerary to pursue their own interests so long as they inform the Tour Manager. It will be the individual’s responsibility to ensure that they re-join the group in the hotel at the stated time on the day of departure.

Land Only Price For enthusiasts who would prefer to join the tour at Brussels Airport instead of flying from London’s Heathrow Airport with the main group, we will be very pleased to provide a ‘Land Only’ price and/or the cost of flying from your local airport. Your arrival time at Brussels Airport should be well before the main group’s arrival (not after), and your departure from Geneva should be after the group’s flight (not before). Should your inbound flight be delayed and you arrive late, transfers will be at your own expense. Both airport transfers are included in the tour price; unfortunately they are not refundable if you decide to transfer on your own. You are strongly advised to contact us before making your own flight arrangements in the event that there has been a change to the published itinerary.

Flight Timings & Connecting Travel Arrangements to Departure Airport All flight departure and arrival times are correct at the time of preparing each itinerary; however, airlines may change these times with little or no prior warning. In practice such changes are only a few minutes either way and the final itinerary will show the actual times. Clients making their own arrangements to get to the departure airport by air, rail, coach etc., should bare the above in mind if purchasing non-refundable or non-changeable tickets. Ian Allan Aviation Tours cannot be held responsible for any changes to flight times and any privately arranged travel tickets to the airport becoming invalid.

Airport Hotel and/or Car Parking We can offer special rates for the above at most UK airports, please ask for details.

Pleasure Flights – Disclaimer Should you decide to undertake any pleasure/sightseeing flights which have not been offered or sanctioned by us, Ian Allan Aviation Tours will not be held liable for any injuries or death resulting thereon.

Tours Affected by World Events or Unforeseen/Unplanned Circumstances In an ever-changing world, events may occur immediately before or during a tour that result in cancellations or changes to the tour itinerary. For example, an increase in security may result in an approved visit being cancelled by the host, etc... Ian Allan Aviation Tours cannot be held responsible for any tour being cancelled, or itineraries affected, due to world events or circumstances beyond our control.

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provisional itinerary & general information friday, 13 ... · the uk travel ban to the country...

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