copp@petrus.UUCP (08/30/85)
Last spring I asked for impressions of the People Express flights to London. I received only two brief responses, so here is an answer to my own question. I had expected the ambience of a charter flight with the reliability of a (small) scheduled airline, and that's about the way it was. Actually, much nicer than a charter. People's 747s fly from the C terminal building at Newark, which is a LOT better than the North Terminal that they use for most flights. C terminal has all the usual amenities. We had to spend some time standing in lines, but once aloft the service was great. At the Gatwick end, things are even nicer--even the lines are short. Gatwick is modern and uncrowded, and only 30 minutes by train to Victoria station. Tips: (a) For security reasons (?) it is no longer possible to go to Newark several hours early, leave your bags and pick up a boarding pass. Now everything must be done at check-in time. (b) If you get a ticket (not just a reservation) ahead of time, be warned that the ticket is like a $200 bill--not refundable, even if lost or stolen. It appears to me that the better strategy is to RESERVE ahead, but PAY during the flight.