There is however one problem with this plan. British Airways stopped flying to Lanzarote at the end of March last year (one day after we returned home) and the flights were taken over by Easyjet. "Result!" I hear you thinking (clever skill, I know). Surely a budget airline will undercut British Airways - I mean it is now no-frills with no food and no seat allocation. So what price for this "cattle-truck" class?
Well looking back at my credit card statement it appears I paid £589 for myself, Mrs Troy and Troy Junior to fly BA at Easter 2008. I even enrolled Troy Junior in the BA Executive Club (family member) so he clocked up some airmiles. Now I go into Easyjet's website to book for Easter 2009. Several dates to choose from to get 3 seats - obviously not full flights then. What's this...? A charge for each suitcase going into the hold. Okay, lets just take 2 cases rather than 3, Troy Junior's clothes will be spread over our cases. What's this...? Travel Insurance - well we can delete that as my bank account gives me family annual travel insurance. It gets cheaper and cheaper! Let scroll down to the "bottom line". £978! (Remember this is flights only, hotel, villa or apartment extra). I thought I'd choosen the cheapest flights. What if I'd picked other days during the Easter school holidays...£1,730...£1,835...yeah right as if I'd pay this for the Easyjet experience!
Let's see what price I'd pay if I didn't have to travel in the school holidays, maybe a week in mid-March. Oh, £454 for the three seats, well what a surprise.
Budget airlines = cheap flights? Not if you are travelling as a family in school holidays. Then you are well and truly screwed.
That's the great thing about having a blog. I can let off steam here rather than just shouting at the wall.
And I can also ask you this question....do you know anyone with a private jet with three spare seats this Easter? We are not fussy, anywhere nice and sunny will do.
14 comments:
Isn't it maddening... we went to Spain last October and would have had to pay £2400 if we had gone on the Saturday of half term. So we went on the Monday. £850 for 6 of us. Airline??
EASY JET!!!!
What a load of old Bollocks.
Private jet?? I wish...
Well, actually old boy - my Citation II is free at about that time... oh no, sorry. Mick Jaggar wants it, followed by John Travolta.
LWM - nice saving! Can I introduce to The Dotterel who apparently has a private jet.
Dotterel - check that guy's credit and get cash up front and don't get him confused with Mick JaggEr. Travolta has his own jet. And when you said "free" does that mean available or gratis.
My jet didn't pass it's MOT I'm afraid. I have a private island knocking about somewhere though. If I could just remember where I put it.
(and yes, school holiday prices are outrageous!
It's a disgrace. To add insult to injury, we're not allowed to take children out of school in term time to go on holiday (I understand this as mine are older), however, daughter is going on a school skiing trip, and I couldnt believe it when I realized it was during term time. So, it's okay for the school to save money by going then, but not us!
Lane - plenty of time to get the jet repaired and to remember where you left your island. I'll hold off booking anything else as your jet/island combo sounds too good to miss.
Debs - I love the subtle way you tell us that your daughter's teachers have arranged a skiing holiday.
It's bloody ridiculous!
I always booked a late holiday...just a week or two before we wanted to go away. I know package deals are pricier than doing it yourself, but if you hang back and wait, sometimes it can work out a lot cheaper.
If you find the guy with the jet, send me his moble number :)
Sod air travel. Buy a canoe ;-)
Elaine - we always booked very late and got bargains when we were just a couple (me and Mrs Troy that is, to avoid confusing other readers!). We've found in the past that school holidays get fully booked if we leave it too late.
Will gladly pass on a mobile number when we find someone with a private jet (does Bernie Ecclestone tickle your fancy then?).
TF - NEWS AT TEN *Bong* Couple and young child lost in Bay of Biscay *Bong* Canoe adventure trip to Lanzarote ends in tragedy. *Bong* Grandparents blame "helpful" blog comment *Bong*
Norfolk's slightly cheaper to get to, even during school holidays.
Dave - no one has truly experienced real stress until they have driven the A140 from Ipswich to Norwich behind tractors, trucks and old people driving along at 42.6mph. But having said that we are actually have a week's holiday next summer in "Sunny Hunny" [Hunstanton]- the cliff end of Norfolk.
I know some people think getting flights and hotel separate work out cheaper, but sometimes it doesn't. Look at
www.a1travel.co.uk that's who I booked egypt through. All inclusive £312 each, including flight. It was in Jan, so at the cheapest, so you will pay more...but that website is still really good.
OMG! What a rip off. Yet another reason why we don't go away on holiday!
Trixie - I went to look at that website. For benefit of other readers it is .com and not .co.uk but it looks good and it is great to have a personal recommendation. Thanks!
DJ - as I said on the posting,, at least having a blog I can now express my feelings rather than just shouting at the wall in annoyance (or kick my waste basket).
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