My one and only local travel agent did not show any interest last week in my travel request. On Monday this week he admitted he hadn't done anything about it. :-/ I probably now know why...

I spent hours getting boggle-eyed pouring over umpteen internet travel sites to find comfortable, direct travel arrangement from Scotland. It was a nightmare! I gave up. I have decided that my eight day break in May will have to include a flight from London. (For eight days read ten days because I have to add a day either end to travel to various hopping off points.)

Through-flight arrangements with BA were awful. You might be able to get to the wrong airport and bus yourself (time permitting) to the right one. The flight going to the right airport was at the wrong time, and so on. There was no choice for the return leg, wrong airport or nothing! Delays are an endemic problem and I have not so fond memories of circling in stormy skies over Heathrow in 2005,(big dipper stuff), to end up 6 hours late landing on terra firma.

Eventually, I found a direct flight from London to my destination, which takes about 6 hours outward and ditto return bound, instead of the 10-14 hours that some of the others advertised with nightowl departures and panda-eyed morning arrivals. My flight has sociable arrival and departure times. I like a bit of comfort at my stage of life. :yes: And you know what, in addition, not only do I have a decent journey itinerary, made up by yours truly, I have two nights accommodation included in London (for my outward and return journeys) all at a substantially lower cost than the purchase of just an inconvenient so-called through flight.

Isn't it pleasant to have a story with a happy ending... so far. :DD