Georgia Away - 6th September 2008

[Dazzy]

Have heard the taxi drivers in Georgia are mental....!

Well if they drive the same as the Armenian ones, your taking your life in your hands:eek:

[NeilMcD]

All the guys hold hands there too in a plutonic sort of way. No ideas now Sligo.

[Green Tribe]

No.....who's it by?;)

Georgian taxi for Sligo Hornet!!! :mad::D

[gspain]

Anybody else going with Air Baltic - booked through expedia.

I've really been messed around here.

Changed direct Dublin to Riga flight booked the day of the fixtures to fly out via Copenhagen a few hours earlier. However with a 55 minute connection in Copenhagen.

They called me to accept the change and I refused saying it was too tght. they then said you don't need to get off the plane as the same plane flies on to Riga. Got e-mail confirmation then and this is a blatant lie.

Expedia are now saying they can't change the flight but will give me a written guarantee that I'll be re-routed to Tbilisi via Munich, Vienna or Istanbul should my Dublin to Copenhagen flight be late.

If you are in the same boat just refuse loudly and consistently and they will have to put you on a direct Dublin to Riga flight.

[zenokelly]

Anybody else going with Air Baltic - booked through expedia.

I've really been messed around here.

Changed direct Dublin to Riga flight booked the day of the fixtures to fly out via Copenhagen a few hours earlier. However with a 55 minute connection in Copenhagen.

They called me to accept the change and I refused saying it was too tght. they then said you don't need to get off the plane as the same plane flies on to Riga. Got e-mail confirmation then and this is a blatant lie.

Expedia are now saying they can't change the flight but will give me a written guarantee that I'll be re-routed to Tbilisi via Munich, Vienna or Istanbul should my Dublin to Copenhagen flight be late.

If you are in the same boat just refuse loudly and consistently and they will have to put you on a direct Dublin to Riga flight.

Jeez just hoping now that doesn't happen to me. What day were you booked for? We've booked for the Thursday.

[lopez]

Anybody else going with Air Baltic - booked through expedia.

I've really been messed around here.

Changed direct Dublin to Riga flight booked the day of the fixtures to fly out via Copenhagen a few hours earlier. However with a 55 minute connection in Copenhagen.

They called me to accept the change and I refused saying it was too tght. they then said you don't need to get off the plane as the same plane flies on to Riga. Got e-mail confirmation then and this is a blatant lie.

Expedia are now saying they can't change the flight but will give me a written guarantee that I'll be re-routed to Tbilisi via Munich, Vienna or Istanbul should my Dublin to Copenhagen flight be late.

If you are in the same boat just refuse loudly and consistently and they will have to put you on a direct Dublin to Riga flight.Good to get the confirmation of a back up, but 55 minutes is technically do-able, unless you have to re-check-in. And wouldn't the plane wait?

And why don't you think the flight doesn't go on to Riga? Air Baltic are Latvian, no, not Danish? I was on a KLM flight to Helsinki for the Latvia game of 83 and it stopped off in Gothenberg both ways from Amsterdam.

[Newryrep]

Anybody else going with Air Baltic - booked through expedia.

Booked directly with Air Baltic out on the Wed, back Mon morn, got a email notifying a change a few weeks ago and stated to panic but they only shifted the outword flight time by 15 mins earlier so didnt make much of a difference.

Try and avoid using expedia now if I can, changed by honeymoon flight back home from 15.00 to 08.00 and only informed me with about week to go, I had a million other things to do rather than check flight/connecting flight times etc. Got it sorted eventually but felt if i had of booked directly with the airline they would of informed me sooner.

Think the baggage goes all the way through which may indicate that you dont have to check in again

[gspain]

Good to get the confirmation of a back up, but 55 minutes is technically do-able, unless you have to re-check-in. And wouldn't the plane wait?

And why don't you think the flight doesn't go on to Riga? Air Baltic are Latvian, no, not Danish? I was on a KLM flight to Helsinki for the Latvia game of 83 and it stopped off in Gothenberg both ways from Amsterdam.

55 minutes is doable if it is on-time but not ideal. It is very risky and any delay in Dublin and I'm screwed. The plane will hardly wait unless there are numbers on the flight going to Riga.

It is a different flight. I've confirmed that they are different aircraft so you do have to get off. The next flight to Riga arrives too late to make my connection to Tbilisi. The fact they told me a blatant lie when I refused the change is a concern. They lie so easily. Even the rep today said Copenhagen is a tiny airport and changing is easy. Well it must have shrunk considerably since I've last been there and lost 2 of its 3 terminals.

I want written confirmation though of the alternative as it would be much cheaper for them to put me up in Riga and send me off to Tbilisi the following day just in time to fly home but not in time for the game. They only have 1 flight a day to Tbilisi.

By rights they should have moved me onto the Aer Lingus or Ryanair Dublin to Riga flights which are both still wide open - 30 euro and 75 euro each.

[zenokelly]

Lads I think anyone booked in to fly with Air Baltic should check their reservation now. I have just checked my booking and without me knowing they have chanhed our day we fly out so now we our going to Riga on the Wednesday and not flyin outr til' the next day.

Is there anything you can do in this situation does anybody know because this just seems scandalous.

[zenokelly]

Lads I think anyone booked in to fly with Air Baltic should check their reservation now. I have just checked my booking and without me knowing they have chanhed our day we fly out so now we our going to Riga on the Wednesday and not flyin outr til' the next day.

Is there anything you can do in this situation does anybody know because this just seems scandalous.

I e-mailed them about it and I got this reply:

The timetable has changed. We can offer both passengers to fly one day earlier or cancel your reservation and refund the money so you can buy new tickets. Please confirm!

Best regards,

Miks

airBaltic reservations.

They don't seem to be very reliable considering I had to find this out for myself thanks to gspain.

I think now I might change route and go through Prague on Thursday the 4th instead of having to head a day early seeing I have booked the hotel from the Thursday.

Anyway just a warning to anyone goin through Riga with Air Baltic on the 4th to re-check your booking.

[Newryrep]

I e-mailed them about it and I got this reply:

The timetable has changed. We can offer both passengers to fly one day earlier or cancel your reservation and refund the money so you can buy new tickets. Please confirm!

Best regards,

Miks

airBaltic reservations.

They don't seem to be very reliable considering I had to find this out for myself thanks to gspain.

I think now I might change route and go through Prague on Thursday the 4th instead of having to head a day early seeing I have booked the hotel from the Thursday.

Anyway just a warning to anyone goin through Riga with Air Baltic on the 4th to re-check your booking.


surprised at that as they supposedly have a decent enough reputation, as I said they informed me of a 15min change but not you a day earlier ? - doesnt make sense :confused:

[aidz1]

We were to fly to riga with air baltic on the friday with a connection to tbilisi on friday night.
they have kindly switched our flight to riga for the saturday!!

A few emails later and they are now offering a flight via vilnius(Lithuania) to riga (3 flights to tbilisi).

They did not contact us about the inital change in flights .

All those on the friday riga flight, get in touch with air baltic......

[Newryrep]

Checked on line and I mysteriously had a second flight from Riga - Dublin on the 13th as well as the one on the 12th.

Emailed them to confirm and they had changed from midday friday to first thing Sat - joke really, dont really fancy a fri night in Riga, costing me enough as it is might stay another night in Berlin and fly home from there.

[Green Tribe]

We were to fly to riga with air baltic on the friday with a connection to tbilisi on friday night.
they have kindly switched our flight to riga for the saturday!!

A few emails later and they are now offering a flight via vilnius(Lithuania) to riga (3 flights to tbilisi).

They did not contact us about the inital change in flights .

All those on the friday riga flight, get in touch with air baltic......

is this the late night (2245) flight on friday that gets in morning of game grrr:mad::mad:

[aidz1]

is this the late night (2245) flight on friday that gets in morning of game grrr:mad::mad:

same one

[Green Tribe]

same one

we have a flight from RIX/TBS on Friday night getting in Saturday morning, checked it and seems to be fine, although there is a tallinn - riga flight :confused: appearing now, confusing the hell out of me, need to get it all printed out and have a proper gawp at it tonight :eek:

We are not doing DUB-RIX with Air Baltic though, we are flying DUB-VNO-RIX with FlyLAL

[Colie]

Flight Number: BT662
Date: Thursday, September 04, 2008
From: DUB - Dublin
To: RIX - Riga
Departs: 1:25 PM
Arrives: 6:20 PM

Looks like I been done too. Gonna have to change this to Dublin - Copenhagen - Riga leavin at 11am & gettin in at 17:20. Sweet, I've never been to Denmark!

[irishultra]

I presume all tickets are gone, right?

I was going to get tickets for my dad, but left it too late.

[Schumi]

I presume all tickets are gone, right?

I was going to get tickets for my dad, but left it too late.Plane tickets or match tickets?

I've no idea about plane tickets but if you e-mail ticket.office@fai.ie and ask them for a form for tickets for the game, you'll most likely get as many as you want.

[stiofain]

I presume all tickets are gone, right?

I was going to get tickets for my dad, but left it too late.

I'd say theres no danger of not getting a ticket for this. Georgia play in a massive stadium.

[Superhoops]

I'd say theres no danger of not getting a ticket for this. Georgia play in a massive stadium.

When we were there in 2003, the game was played in the small stadium used by Locomotiv and Dynamo. It has a capacity of about 25000 all seated.

There are two far bigger stadiums in Tbilisi, the National Stadium which holds about 55000 and the old Dynamo Tbilisi Stadium which then was nearly delapidated, although the day after our game we went there to see a rugby international between Georgia and Romania and there was about 60000 at it.

I reckon they will again use the smaller stadium as I cannot the game attracting a big enough attendance. Soccer is not the most popular sport in Georgia.

[stiofain]

When we were there in 2003, the game was played in the small stadium used by Locomotiv and Dynamo. It has a capacity of about 25000 all seated.

There are two far bigger stadiums in Tbilisi, the National Stadium which holds about 55000 and the old Dynamo Tbilisi Stadium which then was nearly delapidated, although the day after our game we went there to see a rugby international between Georgia and Romania and there was about 60000 at it.

I reckon they will again use the smaller stadium as I cannot the game attracting a big enough attendance. Soccer is not the most popular sport in Georgia.

Thanks for the info, I never imagined Rugby would be so popular there!
The stadium i mentioned was the Boris Paichadze Stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Paichadze_Stadium). I'm certain thats where Georgia played Scotland last year, though if i remember rightly there were many empty seats visable on the TV.
I'd quite like it if it was played in Lokomotiv's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikheil_Meskhi_Stadium) smaller stadium, like it was in 2003. I'd say it would make for a better atmosphere.
Even so, i'll take a risk and say we'd all get tickets without any problems.

[stojkovic]

Thanks for the info, I never imagined Rugby would be so popular there!

The bouncer in my local is from Georgia - huge f**ker. Rugby mad.

[NeilMcD]

Do you live in Tiblisi

[gspain]

Anybody switched to Copenhagen make sure you still have a through ticket.

I checked with SAS (Dublin to Riga carrier via Copenhagen) and I'm now on a separate ticket.

A through ticket mean sif you miss the 55 minute connection in Copenhagen you have to be re-routed to Tbilisi via other airlines at SAS's expense. There are plenty of routes from Copnehagen via Oslo, Munich Vienna or Istanbul (all already expensive).

However separate tickets mean SAS will just stick you on the next flight to Riga and you are screwed and will have to pay for an expensive flight home yourself and also miss the game.

Expedia told me SAS will get me to Tbilisi. they say they won't. Yesterday they told me it was Czech Airlines responsibility (flying home with them) they say "not our problem".

Then they promised me a full through ticket via an e-ticket yesterday.

They sent me some guy's e-ticket going from London to Delhi on June 13th.

Ultimately it is expedia's problem.

If you have been re-routed you need to make sure you have a through ticket. 55 minutes is doable in Copenhagen but it is tight. With so many onward connections it really is risky. Air Baltic, expedia et al are responsible to give you a through ticket although it will cost them a lot more to put that responsibility on SAS. They took the cheap option with me and denied it until I rang them back with confirmation from SAS that I was on a separate ticket. they still then had the cheek to lie again claim that Czech airlines will sort me out.

[Sligo Hornet]

Anybody switched to Copenhagen make sure you still have a through ticket.

I checked with SAS (Dublin to Riga carrier via Copenhagen) and I'm now on a separate ticket.

A through ticket mean sif you miss the 55 minute connection in Copenhagen you have to be re-routed to Tbilisi via other airlines at SAS's expense. There are plenty of routes from Copnehagen via Oslo, Munich Vienna or Istanbul (all already expensive).

However separate tickets mean SAS will just stick you on the next flight to Riga and you are screwed and will have to pay for an expensive flight home yourself and also miss the game.

Expedia told me SAS will get me to Tbilisi. they say they won't. Yesterday they told me it was Czech Airlines responsibility (flying home with them) they say "not our problem".

Then they promised me a full through ticket via an e-ticket yesterday.

They sent me some guy's e-ticket going from London to Delhi on June 13th.

Ultimately it is expedia's problem.

If you have been re-routed you need to make sure you have a through ticket. 55 minutes is doable in Copenhagen but it is tight. With so many onward connections it really is risky. Air Baltic, expedia et al are responsible to give you a through ticket although it will cost them a lot more to put that responsibility on SAS. They took the cheap option with me and denied it until I rang them back with confirmation from SAS that I was on a separate ticket. they still then had the cheek to lie again claim that Czech airlines will sort me out.

Some very sound information and advice there gspain....hopefully spare many on here from a disasterous trip!:eek:

p.s. I hope you enjoy Delhi next weekend......you can get a direct connection from there to Tblisi see here

[galah]

booked on air baltic flight to Tbilisi from Riga on the Friday night ....has anyone had their flights changed there yet?

[gspain]

booked on air baltic flight to Tbilisi from Riga on the Friday night ....has anyone had their flights changed there yet?


Riga to Tbilisi is still OK. It's Dublin to Riga that they have cancelled.

The other key thing o nthe through ticket is that SAS will delay their Copenhagen to Riga flight if they have people on through tickets rather that incur the cost of a re-route. if we are all on single tickets to Riga then they'll stick us on the later flight to Riga that arrives after the Tbilisi flight has left Riga.

[kingdomkerry]

Riga to Tbilisi is still OK. It's Dublin to Riga that they have cancelled.

The other key thing o nthe through ticket is that SAS will delay their Copenhagen to Riga flight if they have people on through tickets rather that incur the cost of a re-route. if we are all on single tickets to Riga then they'll stick us on the later flight to Riga that arrives after the Tbilisi flight has left Riga.

What sure its bookable on the ryanair website?

[NeilMcD]

Gspain is talking about Air Baltic Dublin to Riga.

[cobra]

Anybody switched to Copenhagen make sure you still have a through ticket.

I checked with SAS (Dublin to Riga carrier via Copenhagen) and I'm now on a separate ticket.

A through ticket mean sif you miss the 55 minute connection in Copenhagen you have to be re-routed to Tbilisi via other airlines at SAS's expense. There are plenty of routes from Copnehagen via Oslo, Munich Vienna or Istanbul (all already expensive).

However separate tickets mean SAS will just stick you on the next flight to Riga and you are screwed and will have to pay for an expensive flight home yourself and also miss the game.

Expedia told me SAS will get me to Tbilisi. they say they won't. Yesterday they told me it was Czech Airlines responsibility (flying home with them) they say "not our problem".

Then they promised me a full through ticket via an e-ticket yesterday.

They sent me some guy's e-ticket going from London to Delhi on June 13th.

Ultimately it is expedia's problem.

If you have been re-routed you need to make sure you have a through ticket. 55 minutes is doable in Copenhagen but it is tight. With so many onward connections it really is risky. Air Baltic, expedia et al are responsible to give you a through ticket although it will cost them a lot more to put that responsibility on SAS. They took the cheap option with me and denied it until I rang them back with confirmation from SAS that I was on a separate ticket. they still then had the cheek to lie again claim that Czech airlines will sort me out.

Went via Copenhagen going to Estonia for the 2002 WC qualifiers, was surprised how big:eek: an airport it is, took us ages to get from arrivals to the helsinki departure gate.. Going to Tibilisi via Prague return with czech airlines myself booked through expedia

[gspain]

OK finally got a through ticket sorted today. confirmed it with SAS as well.

The big advantage here is that if my flight from Dublin is late they will probably delay the Copenhagen to Riga flight as re-routing me would cost them money.

[aidz1]

The time has come to look into accomadation for tbilisi.
2 of us staying for 2 nights (fri & sat).
havent done much research yet, but the city centre and old town are being thrown up as locations..

anyone recomend any spots yet?

[Sligo Hornet]

The time has come to look into accomadation for tbilisi.
2 of us staying for 2 nights (fri & sat).
havent done much research yet, but the city centre and old town are being thrown up as locations..

anyone recomend any spots yet?

We have booked into The Hotel Primavera (pretty central location in Tbilisi, and looks a reasonable hotel) www.primavera.ge (http://www.primavera.ge)

[Colie]

I changed my Thursday Dublin Riga for Dublin Copenhagen Riga. No charge or nothing and I get in an bit earlier I believe and I get to tick Denmark off too. It all worked out in the end. Thanks gspain for highlighting it in the first instance though coz ebookers weren't gonna be going telling me about it I don't think.

I'm staying here: http://www.selectgeorgia.com/Supplier.asp?CountryID=162&RID=279&ID=2231, 10 mins from the main street and it has a roof pool!

[AidoM]

I changed my Thursday Dublin Riga for Dublin Copenhagen Riga. No charge or nothing and I get in an bit earlier I believe and I get to tick Denmark off too. It all worked out in the end. Thanks gspain for highlighting it in the first instance though coz ebookers weren't gonna be going telling me about it I don't think.

I'm staying here: http://www.selectgeorgia.com/Supplier.asp?CountryID=162&RID=279&ID=2231, 10 mins from the main street and it has a roof pool!

Colie, if it's the Sympatia myself, Bear11, the Banner Man and another are in there, arriving in Tbilisi 3 am on Friday and departing Saturday night/Sunday morning after the match for Prague, Belgrade and Podgorica.

As this is a quality hotel, hopefully we won't see the Hornet and his gang from the poor hotel as the likes of them wouldn't be allowed inside our hotel. :eek:

Keep an eye out for them rooting in the bins though :o :D

[Sligo Hornet]

Colie, if it's the Sympatia myself, Bear11, the Banner Man and another are in there, arriving in Tbilisi 3 am on Friday and departing Saturday night/Sunday morning after the match for Prague, Belgrade and Podgorica.

As this is a quality hotel, hopefully we won't see the Hornet and his gang from the poor hotel as the likes of them wouldn't be allowed inside our hotel. :eek:

Keep an eye out for them rooting in the bins though :D

Watch it Aido...less of the cheek!

Looks a good enough hotel ( although if yourself and the Bear get in the roof pool together there wont be enough room for the water!:D)

You'll also be pleased to see that your Hotel has an iron and ironing board.......so at least "The Flag" will be well looked after!

[Claret Murph]

Watch it Aido...less of the cheek!

Looks a good enough hotel ( although if yourself and the Bear get in the roof pool together there wont be enough room for the water!:D)

You'll also be pleased to see that your Hotel has an iron and ironing board.......so at least "The Flag" will be well looked after!

Fair play to you Hornet ..


So I take it that you are going to use the ironing board as a flag pole and use the cord on the iron to run up the flag pole . Jeeez now that's what I call a man who thinks ahead;)

[galah]

anyone else gettin in at 3am fri night/sat morning ....are hotels allowin ya to book in at that time ....or do we have to wander the streets an find a nice strip club to pass the time...

[Newryrep]

anyone else gettin in at 3am fri night/sat morning ....are hotels allowin ya to book in at that time ....or do we have to wander the streets an find a nice strip club to pass the time...

you would be fine if you booked a room for fri night/sat but doubt it if you only booked in sat night.

Normal check in is 14.00 onwards in most hotels although they do let you in earlier but 04.00 is stretching it a bit.

[galah]

cheers for that....
Anyone else tinkin of Tbilisi to Podgorica by train via Istanbul(fly)???

[paul_oshea]

cheers for that....
Anyone else tinkin of Tbilisi to Podgorica by train via Istanbul(fly)???

that sounds like some trip fella ;)

Would be great craic, though you could always swim across the sea....actually do boats go across the sea?

[HarpoJoyce]

cheers for that....
Anyone else tinkin of Tbilisi to Podgorica by train via Istanbul(fly)???

It is I'm sure, a great trip normally. But time is against you regarding the match dates.

Batumi/Poti is the major Black Sea port for Georgia, you have to get yourself down there and there is a Batumi/Poti - Ilyichevsk (Ukraine) - Varna (Bulgaria)
http://www.ukrferry.com/eng/services/ferry.asp#1 service
or at least the above freight company gives this route in reverse. I understand that the connections are not great (one/two days).
In Varna there used be an overnight to Sofia, I know one family that did that for a game in Kyustendil (past Sofia) in 2000. Another Sofia -(via Skopje?)Beograd to Podgorica leg. As you know its a lot of connections.

Were you thinking of flying to Istanbul from Tbilisi and then travelling overland? That would be more enjoyable. Consider Greece (Thessasalonika) and Makedodia. But I would recommend any direct mainline route and hop on and off on that. Just in case.

[pineapple stu]

anyone else gettin in at 3am fri night/sat morning ....are hotels allowin ya to book in at that time
Any flight into Georgia from western Europe arrives in around 3am.

[galah]

yeah fly to istanbul ...maybe from batumi as alot cheaper ..then overnight trains the whole way up ....dont tink ferry timetable works to make it in time for game alright!
whats the cheapest way at the moment people have booked gettin between the two?

[Green Tribe]

galah it's a nightmare getting flights between TBS and PDG, we are booked on the air baltic TBS - BELGRADE (via munich) with air baltic, then JAT airlines BELG - PDG but i say that flight may be pricey now.

[Moscow Mule]

Watch it Aido...less of the cheek!

Looks a good enough hotel ( although if yourself and the Bear get in the roof pool together there wont be enough room for the water!:D)

You'll also be pleased to see that your Hotel has an iron and ironing board.......so at least "The Flag" will be well looked after!

Due respect please.. don't dis the Flag. That said I recommend a high setting on the iron if you want to get the nasty creases out:rolleyes:

[RodgenotPodge]

The Primavera is OK. I used to stay in a small private place very close by and I used the Primavera's gym, which is one of the few in Tbilisi not devoted entirely to pumping iron. There is always a bunch of guys in black leather jackets sitting around in the lobby, but there are guys in black leather jackets sitting around in most places in Georgia. It has a small pool too, which should still be open in September. The location isn't bad; about 5 minutes walk from Perovskaya St. which has many good bars. Its a bit further to the old town - about 15 minutes or a cheap taxi.

[NeilMcD]

Its not a cheap taxi they will be after.

[Beavis]

cheers for that....
Anyone else tinkin of Tbilisi to Podgorica by train via Istanbul(fly)???

I am, see my itinerary back a few pages on this thread.

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=77521&page=9