jennybroon

Hello all!
I've just noticed on Canadian Affair that all of the flights departing within the next two weeks would cost around £130 (tax included) for a one-way from Glasgow - Toronto..... we're looking to fly in July, and a one-way is coming up at around £320...

Now... here's the question: have any of you waited to book last minute in July with Thomas Cook? What were the prices like, did they get cheaper closer to the time, or go up? I have a feeling they are more likely to go up - but I won't be a happy camper if I book at £320 and see that I could have booked for £130!

Any help will be appreciated!

theroyalseh

I would book now - I've just booked with British Airways Toronto - Heathrow almost $1800 tax included almost 900 pounds leaving the 27th June and returning in July!

They might also have a limited number of seats at that price and what with the oil prices going up on a daily basis - Im sure they will increase there fuel surcharge!

Alberta_Rose

It's a gamble isn't it. You can get lucky and get cheap seats at the last minute, or you may end up paying substantially more!

Surrey Expat

No guarantees, but last minute cheap seats are pretty much a thing of the past. Fares are likely to rise in general with increasing fuel prices. Seats are divided into price classes, as one sells out it moves up to the next price class. Charter airlines tend to sell out faster than schedules because of their price. Thomas Cook is not an airline though, they use Air Transat.

As with anything, you may luck out, you may not. We use BA as passengers and for freight, always had good experiences. Never had a good experience with charters though.

Gcauseway

If you watch online earlier in the week I find there are sometimes specials (i.e. Mon, Tues, Wed). But I wouldn`t leave it too late as flights for summer must be almost full. I`ve travelled with Canadian Affair/Thomas Cook four times now and have had super service. If you can wait to travel in off peak times (not summer months) there are deals to be had! Best of luck. Wish it was me booking a trip

Jay Bird

Flights nearly always go up the closer to the departure you want. I phoned Zoom and Canadian Affair earlier this year to ask if there was any such thing as a last-minute "cheapy"; according to them, they just don't exist any more. The closer to departure you get, the higher the demand, so often they hike the price...unfair, but that's what they do.
Last year I booked with Air Transat (never again!) in May to fly in October; I got a really good deal. At the last minute Mr Oldbag decided to come, so I booked for him......the price was more than double! So - don't leave it too late

wheatsheaf

Did you book online (over the BA website?) or through an agent?

theroyalseh

I always book on the BA website

danfolkestone

We've already booked our August flights. I was keeping an eye on the rates over the Summer holidays, and they had started to creep up, so I don't think there will be last minute cheap deals. A number of flights have fallen below £100 just before departure lately, but they are on less busy term time dates. One of the problems with being a teacher is missing out on those deals, unfortunately!

A word of advice about Thomas Cook. I flew from Calgary to London with them last summer. That flight was certainly on a Thomas Cook plane, not Air Transat, who fly on different days! I don't know if all the TCX planes are the same, but on ours the window seats were a bad choice. They had put the box to control the seat back TVs where one foot should go, so there was only really room for one foot. I found it very uncomfortable, so would not sit in a window seat with them in future.

One other problem with Thomas Cook. They brought drinks around with the meals and one other time, but in between you have to go to the back of the plane and get water or other drinks yourself. That's not easy if you're in the window seat with two people asleep between you and the aisle!

Arrona

zoom i have found to be cheaper, my husband waited last minute and got for $150

Jay Bird

I would never fly with Air Transat again; we flew Toronto to Manchester last October, and it was dreadful. I've been eating with my elbows tucked tightly into my ribs, and my knees under my chin ever since. It took me a week to unfurl myself.....and poor Mr Oldbag is still doubled up...but that could be his hernia
Seriously, if anyone is booking through Canadian Affair, try to get a Thomas Cooke flight rather than Air Transat............mind you, there's no guarantee they won't change it. Both my sister's and daughter's flights were switched at the last minute from TC to AT; I was in a tailspin when I couldn't find the original flight number on the flight tracker thingy, I can tell you!

I've flown with Zoom ever since.................much better

jennybroon

We ended up going with Thomas Cook. Zoom came up as being less expensive so Canadian Affair did a price match... not too shabby.
I'm 5'10" and my hubby is 6'4" so the extra leg room on Thomas Cook sells us every time!
Thanks for all the help!

manchestergirl

We've just purchased our tickets for a flight to Calgary in July. We paid £257 each for a one way ticket with Thomas Cook via Canadian Affair. We were a wee bit annoyed with the £100 (each, for a family of 4) one way supplement, which we were told was added to the cost of the flight for "commercial reasons":
I suspect other airlines do the same, but its a wee bit of daylight robbery methinks, especially when there is no choice in the matter. I suppose we could go by boat with our belongings.........

Incidentally, on our flight back from Calgary, we were an hour away from landing in Manchester, when we realised that breakfast had not been served, but we noticed that there was a strong smell of egg and bacon coming from the galley. We also noticed several people walking to the galley and returning with said egg and bacon in their hot little mitts. There was no announcement to tell us whether or not breakfast would be served, so I collared a passing cabin crew member who explained that because we had to take on Gatwick passengers (all 10 of them) in Calgary, there were not enough breakfasts for everyone, so none was served. Not that they explained this at the time. The thing which puzzles me though is how they managed to take on board enough evening meals for our flight from Calgary, but couldn't somehow manage to do the same for breakfast.
I guess you get what you pay for, either that or I'm turning into crabby old git.....

cheepnis

You buy cheap, you buy twice...

I will never fly with those Thomas Cook Monkeys again. I went for a 2nd (successful) recce to montreal last month and had my return flight with Thomas Cook delayed. For 22 hours. Needless to say, i am trying to claim compensation under the European Union Denied Boarding Regulation

The outward leg from Gatwick was via transat and was problem-free and professional.

The horrid return journey served as a pointed reminder about why i am gagging to get the frak out of this terribly shambolic, amateurish and customer-resentful country. Save that for another thread, eh

Avoid thomas cock like the plague if i were you. Not that i can kip easily on a plane, but i noticed that they didn't even have enough pillows and blankets to go around...!

yeah, i will stick to zoom in future.

jennybroon

Oh my! Seems as if we've all had problems with one airline or another. So far we've been lucky with TC. I had major problems with Zoom last year which makes me reluctant to ever fly with them again... and don't even get me started on Air Transat (16 hour delay with zero compensation...)

Let's just hope that it's smooth flying from here on in!