Scottish holidaymakers ripped off again....

[Ali and boyz]

maybe they think because they are virgin people will book them because of who they are regardless of the cost. I know I wouldn't but wonder if some people will pay

 

[jax100]

maybe they think because they are virgin people will book them because of who they are regardless of the cost. I know I wouldn't but wonder if some people will pay

you are most probably right ali, it's virgin and people will probably pay regardless. this is the first time that we have booked our holiday with anyone other than virgin. purely because we want to fly from glasgow. now due to school hols and flights the only time to fly is during jul/aug or oct. i wont take the kids in jul/aug for the heat so we are going in oct next yr. we are flying first choice and taking the premium seat option - that is costing slightly under £5000 incl 4adults, 2kids, car and platinum insurance for 2weeks in oct 07 for 2wks. The same hol with virgin is just under £9000. I nearly fell off my seat when i priced it out of curiosity.(it would cost £82?? from manchester and £81?? from gatwick).

but as ali has said it's virgin and they will probably get the business.

 

[misspickle]

i would say we got a bargain through kuoni its a transfer from inverness - gatwick then gatwick - sanford for the total price £2500 16 nights insurance included too. that was for 2 adults and 2 kids from 16th dec - 1 jan.

 

[Ali and boyz]

you are most probably right ali, it's virgin and people will probably pay regardless. this is the first time that we have booked our holiday with anyone other than virgin. purely because we want to fly from glasgow. now due to school hols and flights the only time to fly is during jul/aug or oct. i wont take the kids in jul/aug for the heat so we are going in oct next yr. we are flying first choice and taking the premium seat option - that is costing slightly under £5000 incl 4adults, 2kids, car and platinum insurance for 2weeks in oct 07 for 2wks. The same hol with virgin is just under £9000. I nearly fell off my seat when i priced it out of curiosity.(it would cost £82?? from manchester and £81?? from gatwick).

but as ali has said it's virgin and they will probably get the business.

Jacqui, my cousins flew back on Friday into Glasgow and they used FC and were well impressed and (they are a bit snobby, well the female is ) they usually go upper class or whatever the highest you can get with Virgin and BA so if she thought FC was good then it MUST have been good
Unfortunally my cousin (male) had told us he was going with MY Travel and as that is who were are flying with and I was really looking forward to hearing a good report, about Premair Class

p.s. I didn't mean VA passengers are snobby by the way incase anybody misinterpetes the above just that MY COUSIN is

 

[StephenKay]

Tank & half of petrol + Travelodge the night before £100,save £400!! Of course you then have the 4 hour drive back up the road at the end of the holiday,which always seems a good idea at the time!!
SD

This is a scandal. you are right of course just travel to Manchester but I know that this journey is silly as the return journey back north from MAN to Inverness can claim lives.

 

[Hilary]

Doesn't it all come down to market forces?

Look at it in the same way as the corner shop vs the big supermarket.

I live about eight miles from the nearest supermarket and about 400 yards from a really well-stocked corner shop. Not surprisingly, the supermarket prices are lower, even for the same brand products. So I can either drive eight miles to buy a branded coffee in the supermarket, or walk round the corner and buy the same product costing 50p more. Seems pretty logical to me - supply and demand / bulk buying power / etc. in evidence.

The same is true for the main SE airports vs the regional ones.

 

[Tony Toon]

As I understand it, and has been mentioned, the Glasgow flight originates in Manchester.

Can you imagine how it feels, particularly on the return trip, to fly over my house which is under the flight path into Glasgow airport (I live 20 minutes from the airport) thinking "well I'll see you again in 6 - 8 hours because I can't afford the huge amount of money it would cost to make my journey SHORTER by getting off now".

Sorry Hilary, but once again - and I really don't see the logic even though it has been explained many times - the airline and holiday companies have found a way to extract more cash from those of us who live north of the border.

 

[Ali and boyz]

one would think that say the volume going out of Manchester keeps the costings down would mirror image the fact that flying from Glasgow they use less fuel so the two would eek out each other and the costings from both would and should be the same.

I work within the travel industry and thats the way it would be costed in our business

 

[carolfoy]

Can you imagine how it feels, particularly on the return trip, to fly over my house which is under the flight path into Glasgow airport (I live 20 minutes from the airport) thinking "well I'll see you again in 6 - 8 hours because I can't afford the huge amount of money it would cost to make my journey SHORTER by getting off now".

I know exactly how you feel, every flight I've ever taken flies directly over my house but it takes 4 hours + to return to it from london

 

[Ali and boyz]

think we must all learn to parachute

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

The same is true for the main SE airports vs the regional ones.

But we're talking about Glasgow here - the biggest city in Scotland, surely more than just a 'regional airport'.


I agree with Tony - it's been happening for years that tour operators have been charging Scottish holidaymakers whopping flight supplements just for the privilage of flying from a Scottish airport - particularly during school holidays.

 

[Cochise]

The fact that they have only the one flight a week is going to create an instant demand, but to charge a weekend supplement on the only day they fly is outrageous. If there is a good demand and they expand the flights the cost may come into the realms of fairness. We are only 40 mins drive from Manchester so have never suffered in this way.

 

[Tony Toon]

I know exactly how you feel, every flight I've ever taken flies directly over my house but it takes 4 hours + to return to it from london

...... but even worse when I know that the plane is landing 20 minutes from my home but I am forced to stay on till Manchester.

..and Hilary, I winced when I read your reference to regional airports. I am English myself but have come to realise how sensitive Scots are to this kind of remark and waited for the inevitable response. Kath (Scottish Malificent) didn't disappoint but I have to say was remarkably restrained.

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

...... Scottish Malificent didn't disappoint but I have to say was remarkably restrained.

You stirring things up there Tony.........?? LOL!!

 

[Tony Toon]

You stirring things up there Tony.........?? LOL!!

Moi?

 

[jax100]

think we must all learn to parachute

i have giggled about this comment for the last 5mins. with a mental picture of white dots appearing across the sky of glasgow!!

but who is being left with the luggage afterall we are told someone must remain with the luggage. or the phonecall to lost property i lost my luggage - somewhere over motherwell!!!!

 

[Hilary]

..and Hilary, I winced when I read your reference to regional airports. I am English myself but have come to realise how sensitive Scots are to this kind of remark and waited for the inevitable response.

Point taken! No offence meant

I suppose I'm used to Cardiff (the capital city of Wales) having its airport referred to as 'regional' and use that term loosely for anything except Gatwick / Heathrow.

 

[Miffy2003]

But we're talking about Glasgow here - the biggest city in Scotland, surely more than just a 'regional airport'.


.

I completely agree it is more than just a regional airport, but are there the same number of population (ie potential passengers) within an x mile radius in Glasgow as there are with the SE airports? No. This leads to more flights and costs beng shared over a much larger base for the SE airports- Carolfoy gives a good explanation earlier of why.

We also get "stung" (if you want to call it that) for extra supplements down here in the Westcountry - though the nearest airport to me that flies direct to Orlando is Cardiff, a good 2 and a half hour's drive away, so still hardly what I would call local.

I agree with Hilary's post about market forces - it is at least partly due to the volume / output issues.

 

[Claire L]

To add insult to injury Virgin will only fly from Glasgow on Saturdays but will still charge the weekend supplement.
£540 more than for the same holiday from Manchester, on the same flight that originates in .......Manchester. Crazy!

I don't think we'll be flying with Virgin from Glasgow either

Where did you see that the flight originates in Manchester? As looking at the VA schedules the Glasgow flight arrives in Orlando two hours later than the Manchester flight so cannot be the same aircraft, also if it were the same aircraft that then would mean the Manchester flight is no longer non stop??

Claire

 

[mark&sue]

Isn't this another school holiday price rise? Do your prices go down when your schools go back (which I believe is earlier than in England).

We are seeing reports that flights are half empty at this time of year and according to Holiday Hit Squad there are bargains out there in June. However if we try to book in school holiday time not only are the prices really expensive you are lucky to get the particuarly flight you want (espeically with a large party), as we are told they are sold out.

Are there less and less of us taking our children out of school for fear of fines etc? Is this the cause of this problem?



Susan