Direct from Manchester

[fairytale]

Hiya All.

Iam staggered at the cost Virgin are quoting for PE seats to Orlando for this coming October.

When checking for economy the prices are more than what we paid for PE last year

Therefore for the first time I am considering switching airlines. Does anyone know which other airline flies direct.

I have done a quick search and its showing BMI and Thomson but when you check on their websites it directs you to London?

I'm even thinking of cancelling to be honest and waiting for next year as the flights prices are so ridiculous Do virgin have October flight sales ??

 

[Netty]

VA are the only scheduled airline to MCO direct from Manchester, the charter airlines are direct to Sanford although you are limited to 14 days.
the other alternative is to go indirect, say with continental, changing at NY to MCO.

 

[luke]

There are other airlines that fly non stop to Sanford from Manchester however

 

[2Tiggies]

Everyone is having the same problems this year and it doesn't seem to be limited to VA. The responses of others have been generally to bite the bullet and pay in case there are further increases, to wait it out in the hope of a sale or to book indirect. There are a few discussions on this board about this, most recently this one: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2373466

 

[fairytale]

Everyone is having the same problems this year and it doesn't seem to be limited to VA. The responses of others have been generally to bite the bullet and pay in case there are further increases, to wait it out in the hope of a sale or to book indirect. There are a few discussions on this board about this, most recently this one: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2373466

Mmmm, as I expected really, I think VA have hiked the costs knowing they have the "monopoly" as such. We can fly from LGW for considerably cheaper and who cares about the drive down to London when your going to Florida, however the drive home is a killer, and I know that I'll be wishing I'd paid the extra on the way home.

Thank you for the thread link 2Tiggies, I am already posting on that thread as I am keen to hear anyones thought on this whole situation

Oh what to do

 

[2Tiggies]

however the drive home is a killer, and I know that I'll be wishing I'd paid the extra on the way home.

Totally agree - at best it takes me a week to recover!

 

[disney_princess_85]

What are the prices like to fly into Sanford? I'd definitely suggest that you have a look if you haven't already.

 

[luke]

What are the prices like to fly into Sanford?

When we first started looking for our upcoming August trip, the prices to Sanford (First Choice and maybe Thomson I think) we're coming up more expensive than the VA into MCO



EDIT - just checked again and they're now cheaper (about £800 as opposed to the £1000 which our VA flights have now gone up to) however they only let you do 14 nights whereas we are 15 nights on our VA flight

 

[disney_princess_85]

When we first started looking for our upcoming August trip, the prices to Sanford (First Choice and maybe Thomson I think) we're coming up more expensive than the VA into MCO

Oh dear. It's not looking good is it?

EDIT - just checked again and they're now cheaper (about £800 as opposed to the £1000 which our VA flights have now gone up to) however they only let you do 14 nights whereas we are 15 nights on our VA flight

Ridiculous prices! I've just checked my flights for August/September and it says 'no flights', which I'm assuming means that they've sold out. I'm so glad I booked when I did.

 

[luke]

Ridiculous prices! I've just checked my flights for August/September and it says 'no flights', which I'm assuming means that they've sold out. I'm so glad I booked when I did.

Getting mad isn't it! If Wayne is struggling to find flights it must be bad mustn't it

I'm also very glad that we got ours booked when we did, even tho I was thinking how expensive it was at the time!!

Thank god for the SSR/OKW with free dining deals too or I doubt I could have convinced DW to go this year!!

For example if we did the same holiday two weeks earlier than we are (still in school holidays tho) It would cost £5609 whereas we've paid about £3700!!

 

[gemmybear83]

Virgin do have flights sales for October we got ours in the January sale last year for October 2009, unfortuently their dates dont go as far this year

 

[babyh200]

We originally booked for 1st June 2010 Manchester to Sanford with Thomas Cook. We got a really great price. Just over £1500.00 for 4 seats. Anyway 6 months down the line and they cancelled the flights!!
They did offer us an alternative (The following week when the school holidays had finished) which was unnacceptable. I asked them to move us a couple of days back to Sun May 30th and they point blank refused and said they would only move us for an extra £800.00!!

We ended up rebooking with Virgin!

I suppose the moral of the story is be careful who you book with!!

I have also flown to Sandford with First Choice about 18 months ago and thought they were brilliant.

Went last May with Northwest from Heathrow via Detroit to MCO. Had loads of messing about with the seating arrangements but couldnt fault the flight itself or the service.
I would definatly go indirect again and my little boy was only three when we did it! The drive back up north is an absolute killer. My husband drove and I stayed awake to make sure he did lol I was like a nodding dog in the car!!

 

[heatherbelle]

Have you looked into getting a connecting flight down to Gatwick from Manchester, it may still work out cheaper.

I was looking at flights to LHR from MAN, and for August i could get a return with BMI for 76.00 each.

You can get flights to Gatwick from Leeds and Bradford, but you have to watch the weekend schedule and bank holidays, as there aren't as many flights then.

Last year we did a 5 hour connection, I thought it was going to be terrible, but it soon passed by sitting people watching. My DS (10) spelt on a chair for a few hours.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

The indirect flight with Continental is really good and the change at newark is easy, also means that when you get to Orlando, you have already done all the immigration stuff and get to walk straight through!

 

[juliebro]

We always go indirect from Manchester to MCO with US Airways via Philly

 

[2Tiggies]

Ridiculous prices! I've just checked my flights for August/September and it says 'no flights', which I'm assuming means that they've sold out. I'm so glad I booked when I did.

Oh, I didn't know you booked ... Thank goodness. I must have missed your post about that. I remember you trying to decide what to do. Glad you got them! I cant believe that all these airlines are sold out of seats. I think it is a sneaky part of the marketing strategy as I was told when I booked mine (middle of last year) that the much-in-demand Glasgow flight only had 2 seats left on our return date. Needless to say, a couple of months later there were plenty available.

ETA: and cheaper!! However, in the current state of affairs, mine are looking like a pretty good deal!

I think they are using scare tactics to get people to book and to a certain degree, it is working. We have no idea whether they are bluffing or not and can't affort to risk it. Not nice to be pressured when you are forking out a small fortune on your holiday.