Flight prices

[Fat Tone]

BMI Baby, our local low-cost airline have just announced their prices for next summer (e.g. as low as £21 to fly from East Midlands (central uk) to Alicante (SE Spain)) but they come to £37.50 with taxes and charges (making £300 total for 4). That's fine, but then its £30 on top to check in each bag, max 18Kg. If one person pays for more than one bag, they don't get any extra weight allowance for that bag, and you have to read the small print to knwo that.

It really is time the Govt stepped in and regulated this, so the headline price is what most people will pay i.e. everyone pays the 'taxes and charges' and most people take a single suitcase each. Then you can compare easily and not have to read the small print or get angry when you see the price mounting up.

<rant off>

Next year I will be drugging the kids and driving down. The airlines are shooting themselves in both feet.

[Brian Ellis]

Next year I will be drugging the kids and driving down. The airlines are shooting themselves in both feet.

It is the low-cost airlines that are damaging the industry. We see it here in that this island is a tourist destination that attracts the poorer type of tourism (essentially the 5 Ss), much of it via low-cost airlines, many of which have cut the number of flights this year. Yet it is often difficult to find a seat on the regular airlines, which often have good "special" offers.

I agree that all airlines should advertise their tariffs to include all the extras, including using their toilets.

[cjolley]

Next year I will be drugging the kids and driving down.

The Nintendo DS is your friend.

[Fat Tone]

Sadly, travel sickness is often a companion.

[Belwarrior]

OT:
Hey GuchiGuh! email me if you are dropping by Singapore again. Would be great to meet another MURCer. if i am on my off days, i could point out some nice places to check out.

Around here, the cheaper airlines are quite clear on their prices and because of them there seem to be more discounts and offers from the regular airlines as well. I usually end up travelling on the regular airlines though.

[Wulfman]

I thought this was already EU regulation - here all the cheap airlines (skyeurope, airberlin, flyniki) are advertising as-is pricing. tax etc already included.

mfg
wulfman

[dZeus]

I thought this was already EU regulation - here all the cheap airlines (skyeurope, airberlin, flyniki) are advertising as-is pricing. tax etc already included.

mfg
wulfman

same here. I think the problem is that the UK sometimes can't decide whether they're in the EU or not

[Brian Ellis]

I thought this was already EU regulation - here all the cheap airlines (skyeurope, airberlin, flyniki) are advertising as-is pricing. tax etc already included.

mfg
wulfman

Not so! The EU regulation insists on the taxes to be included for the basic flight cost but the low-cost airlines charge extra for such things as:

- reserved seats
- pre-boarding/quick boarding
- hold baggage
- meals/drinks
- use of in-flight toilets
- etc.

These, combined, often take the fare to above that of regular airlines.

[High_Jumbllama]

Pay for in FLight Toilets?!?!
I'd like to see them try to stop me if I had to piss. Or would they rather I piss all over the floor and seat?

[Brian Ellis]

Ryanair is serious about charging its passengers to use onboard toilets, its chief executive, Michael O'Leary, said today, adding that it would involve using a credit card rather than a coin slot on the door.

He said there were technical and safety issues preventing a £1 coin-operated mechanism but alternative payment options were being explored.

The "pay a pound to spend a penny" plan would earn £15m a year for the airline, he said, which could be passed on to passengers in fare savings.

"We have looked into this before and the problem is Boeing can't come up with a mechanism on the toilet door to take coins. We're suggesting they go back and look at a mechanism where you'd swipe the credit card for a quid on the toilet door. They've gone off to look at that."

The proposal to charge for toilets caused a storm last week among consumer champions and industry analysts while Ryanair public relations executives even tried to play down the suggestion.

But O'Leary, during one of his regular press briefings in Dublin, said the charge would be introduced as soon as technically possible.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/mar/05/ryanair-toilet-charge

[Fat Tone]

They've just sent me another email. Traditionally one would expect no charge for using a debit card, and a few pounds for a credit card. Now get this:

Bookings made using a debit card are subject to a processing fee of £2.75 per passenger per one way flight.
Bookings made using a credit card are subject to a processing fee of £3.75 per passenger per one way flight.

So for a family of 4 thats 8 times one of the above for the privilge of being able to pay.

There is no charge for payments made using a Visa Electron card.

And who has one of those?

[Fat Tone]

Until recently there was one modest charge for the whole booking on CCs (well under £10), DCs were generally free to use.

[Tjalfe]

those flights still seem cheaper than here.. and if you look up prices in canada, the taxes and other BS charges will easily double the fee, or more you can easily find flights just within canada, on economy for $1000+

[Fat Tone]

Here's an example:

I just got an email from BMI BABY, offering Cardiff to Jersey, 30 July - £9.99.

Wrong.

A return on that day = £16.04 each way, = £68.78 inc taxes and charges.
Optional insurance = £9.25, didn’t go for that.
1 bag and airport check-in = £25.96
Choose my seat = £15.98
(airport lounge access is £15 each way, didn’t go for that)

Total price is £110.72, and apparently I’ve saved £53.06 in the process.

Now, use a debit card and that comes to £116.22, use a debit card and its £118.22,

Not bad for a pair of £9.99 flights!