Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
Plus they charge an arm and a leg for checking a suitcase, by the time you add that to the flight cost you could just go direct to UK.
I thought about hand luggage only but two of us in UK for a month over summer required a lot of clothes unlike here I can make do with shorts and tees and sandals. I might need a sweater, rain coat, jeans or summer clothes in UK.
I thought about hand luggage only but two of us in UK for a month over summer required a lot of clothes unlike here I can make do with shorts and tees and sandals. I might need a sweater, rain coat, jeans or summer clothes in UK.
I hate the Ryanair business model as it's predicated on people falling afoul of their rules and paying €€€ in add-on fees. I won't say I'll never fly them - I have several times - but they are definitely bottom of my list as an option.
Last edited by Giantaxe; Apr 9th 2013 at 7:04 pm.
#33
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
You will probably like this one;
Spare a thought for Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair...
Arriving in a hotel in Dublin, he went to the bar and asked for a pint of draught Guinness. The barman nodded and said, "That will be one euro please, Mr. O'Leary."
Somewhat taken aback, O'Leary replied, "That's very cheap," and handed over his money.
"Well, we try to stay ahead of the competition", said the barman. "And we are serving free pints every Wednesday evening from 6 until 8. We have the cheapest beer in Ireland."
"That is remarkable value." Michael comments.
"I see you don't seem to have a glass, so you'll probably need one of ours. That will be three euro, please."
O'Leary scowled, but paid up. He took his drink and walked towards a seat.
"Ah, you want to sit down?" said the barman. "That'll be an extra two euro.
You could have pre-booked the seat, and it would have only cost you a euro."
"I think you may to be too big for the seat sir, can I ask you to sit in this frame please?"
Michael attempts to sit down but the frame is too small and when he can't squeeze in.
He complains, "Nobody would fit in that little frame."
"I'm afraid if you can't fit in the frame you'll have to pay an extra surcharge of four euro for your seat, sir."
O'Leary swore to himself, but paid up. "I see that you have brought your laptop with you," added the barman. "And since that wasn't pre-booked either, that will be another three euro."
O'Leary was so annoyed that he walked back to the bar, slammed his drink on the counter, and yelled, "This is ridiculous, I want to speak to the manager."
"Ah, I see you want to use the counter," says the barman, "that will be two euro, please."
O'Leary's face was red with rage.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Of course I do, Mr. O'Leary,"
"I've had enough. What sort of hotel is this? I come in for a quiet drink and you treat me like this. I insist on speaking to the manager!"
"Here is his e-mail address, or if you wish, you can contact him between 9 and 9.10 every morning, Monday to Tuesday at this free phone number. Calls are free, until they are answered, then there is a talking charge of only 10 cent per second."
"I will never use this bar again!" fumes Michael.
"OK sir, but remember, we are the only hotel in Ireland selling pints for ?1!" the barman retorts.
Spare a thought for Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair...
Arriving in a hotel in Dublin, he went to the bar and asked for a pint of draught Guinness. The barman nodded and said, "That will be one euro please, Mr. O'Leary."
Somewhat taken aback, O'Leary replied, "That's very cheap," and handed over his money.
"Well, we try to stay ahead of the competition", said the barman. "And we are serving free pints every Wednesday evening from 6 until 8. We have the cheapest beer in Ireland."
"That is remarkable value." Michael comments.
"I see you don't seem to have a glass, so you'll probably need one of ours. That will be three euro, please."
O'Leary scowled, but paid up. He took his drink and walked towards a seat.
"Ah, you want to sit down?" said the barman. "That'll be an extra two euro.
You could have pre-booked the seat, and it would have only cost you a euro."
"I think you may to be too big for the seat sir, can I ask you to sit in this frame please?"
Michael attempts to sit down but the frame is too small and when he can't squeeze in.
He complains, "Nobody would fit in that little frame."
"I'm afraid if you can't fit in the frame you'll have to pay an extra surcharge of four euro for your seat, sir."
O'Leary swore to himself, but paid up. "I see that you have brought your laptop with you," added the barman. "And since that wasn't pre-booked either, that will be another three euro."
O'Leary was so annoyed that he walked back to the bar, slammed his drink on the counter, and yelled, "This is ridiculous, I want to speak to the manager."
"Ah, I see you want to use the counter," says the barman, "that will be two euro, please."
O'Leary's face was red with rage.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Of course I do, Mr. O'Leary,"
"I've had enough. What sort of hotel is this? I come in for a quiet drink and you treat me like this. I insist on speaking to the manager!"
"Here is his e-mail address, or if you wish, you can contact him between 9 and 9.10 every morning, Monday to Tuesday at this free phone number. Calls are free, until they are answered, then there is a talking charge of only 10 cent per second."
"I will never use this bar again!" fumes Michael.
"OK sir, but remember, we are the only hotel in Ireland selling pints for ?1!" the barman retorts.
#34
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
I refuse to reduce airline flights to the lowest common denominator. I don't want to have to check in online if its inconvenient to me, I don't want to be treated like a peice of meat. The CEO is a fruitcake, who wants to start charging to use the bathroom on a flight and has even suggested standing passengers.
I'd rather give someone else my business, and I'm so glad that the regulator keeps telling them where they can shove their bids for Air Lingus.
I'd rather give someone else my business, and I'm so glad that the regulator keeps telling them where they can shove their bids for Air Lingus.
#36
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 174
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
meantime, flights to turkey around the same time half as much???
how?
how?
#37
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
Maybe less people want to go to Turkey so the tickets have a lower value in order to sell them.
#41
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2013
Location: London/L'Estartit
Posts: 2
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
Its an interesting conundrum. And to just throw in another one to think about - try reversing the destinations. I typed in Jacksonville to London on eBookers.com and got a return ticket for £800. Leaving the dates the same and changing the departure for the destination (ie from London to Jacksonville) and the ticket is now £510. Figure that one out.
Last edited by jeffm_uk; Apr 12th 2013 at 11:56 am.
#42
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 174
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
i don't understand the supply and demand thing but the supply / demand hasn't changed in the last 1.5 years.
it is absolutely and utterly insane to raise taxes by 400% (a mug's rate).
daylight robbery that is.
it is absolutely and utterly insane to raise taxes by 400% (a mug's rate).
daylight robbery that is.
#43
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
You have to constantly check airline prices. The other day I was checking JFK to LHR prices for May 10th-17th and flight was costing about $1,000. Today I checked the prices for those days and several airlines had flights for $625-$640.
#44
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
Looking at United SFO to LHR non-stop flights, UK taxes are $155, US $57. So over $200 in taxes, but not an explanation of why fares have gone up as much as they have. BA and Virgin Atlantic do the "fuel surcharge" scam:- that shows up as a fee under "taxes and fees". And they charge it on frequent flyer tickets
#45
Re: Flight Prices to London = Bonkers
Its an interesting conundrum. And to just throw in another one to think about - try reversing the destinations. I typed in Jacksonville to London on eBookers.com and got a return ticket for £800. Leaving the dates the same and changing the departure for the destination (ie from London to Jacksonville) and the ticket is now £510. Figure that one out.