Flights Rip Off

[Cocoa07]

Is it just me or has anyone else had this problem!

We have a 13 year old daughter, so have to take holidays during the school holidays.

We booked our accommodation ages ago in PP but have been waiting for all these 'great flight deals' that seem to be being advertised. If we want to go to PP (or probably anywhere) on a Saturday during the 6 weeks holidays and would like to fly at a reasonable time (ie not in the middle of the night) then we are penalised.

We flew with Thomsonfly last year but the same flight (same Saturday and time) is about £80 each more in 2008, an additional £240 for a family of 3, which would be a few very good meals in PP! I know which I would prefer!

We have to fly on a Saturday due to villa changeover dates, as probably do most people, unless they own their own property. We have checked all the airlines including Easyjet, etc. and they are all roughly the same price for a Saturday in the six week holidays at a reasonable time.

Has anyone else found this? We are starting to think that there is some kind of cartel between all the airlines as the prices are so similar.

Plus - Jet2.com charged £2.00 for a visa transaction, which we thought was ok. We then found that this was £2.00 per person, per leg of the journey - total of £24 for our party of 6! Our flights with Jet2.com have worked out at just over £200 per person but we won't arrive into PP until about 9 or 10 at night. Last year we arrived early afternoon and paid about £40 each less.

It is so frustrating!!

[LK1960]

I couldn't agree more. As a now single mum of 3 who are all charged adult fares (even my 11 yr old) I have to use midweek flights as the Saturday prices during the school holidays are just too high. This greatly restricts the choice of accommodation for us, but we make do as it means at least we can have a summer holiday in PP where we've holidayed as a family since my children were small.

Incidently, I've also booked with Jet2 for July and was caught out with the visa transaction charge - I thought £2 wasn't bad but it ended up as £16 for my party of 4! Very frustrating indeed, but unlikely to change. Though it does help to have a moan!

[pollensa]

You could do as has been mentioned before, & we used to do when we had school age children, which was to book flights on other days & then find a hotel for the extra days. It may work out cheaper & you get a longer holiday!

We stayed at a hotel near the airport (in Ca'n Pastilla) when arriving & tried one in the coutryside on the way back or you could try the smaller hotels in PP.

[snowy2007]

You could use this site its great for checking flights for whole month's

www.skyscanner.net/

[Sharonh]

In the past I have used

www.apartmentsabroad.co.uk/

They let you book on a per night basis which means you can get the cheaper mid-week flights. We stayed in Sunclub Apartments several times. They were very reasonable.

[its cd]

Cocoa

I booked flights for July school hols only a last week with Jet 2 from Manchester ... we have compromised and are going monday morning until Saturday .... so that means we get 12 days rather than 14

We are also flying out very early ( 6.30) Monday am .... but I dont mind daft times on the way there ... the return flight is 9.30pm which suits us down to teh ground ... all day in PP and still home for midnight

They cost us less than £120 return each including all the extras ......... so it can be done

Incidentally ...... we could have done it even cheaper if we had gone to Liverpool and used ryanair or easyjet ( as we have done for winter breaks when Jet2 not operating ) .... but once you add in the cost of parking 2 cars at Liverpool or 2 taxi's the saving was only about £10 per person so not worth the hassle

What REALLY wound me up though was the luggage charge ...... I am used to paying for luggage with easyjet and ryanair .... but these airlines are upfront about the charge and you see it quite early in the booking process ........ Jet2 don;t mention it until you are almost finished ....... I nearly exited ..... but deal was still better than anywhere else and I had to tell myself not to cut off my nose to spite my face

[LK1960]

Sharonh

I've had a look at the Sunclub Apartments and they look great. I've never come across them before. We're already booked for this year but they certainly look like they would be worth trying in the future and ideal for me as I can use midweek flights. Are they close to the south sandy beach area?

Thanks for the info.

[pollensa]

I don't want to go go off-thread as this is about flights...

but several of the booking agents, including Alpharooms who have recently lowered their prices, offer hotels & aparthotels e.g. Flora Apartments, for either 1 or 2 days or for 7 or 14 days days starting mid-week. Basically, just choose your dates - there's a search box on www.puertopollensa.com/hotels_apartments_pollensa.html

There's no need to be stuck with Sat-Sat.

[Cocoa07]

The only thing that throws a spanner in the works is that we really like the villa that we stay in. It is ideal for location, size, etc..
Unfortunately, I think that we just have to accept the situation but I do think that airlines should be brought to task over this.
Also, if we are booking a villa for two weeks, it isn't cheap, so I don't really want to just use it for 12 days.

It just seems ridiculous that you can fly to New York for the same price as it costs to fly to Mallorca in the Summer!!

[Sharonh]

LK

The Sunclub are in the South Sandy Beach area. They are close to the Pollensa Park Hotel which I know some folks won't like but they really are good value for money and the area is good. You can also use the Kiddie Clud at the Hotel if you want. If you want any further details send me a post to my inbox.

The key thing though, in respect of this post, is that you can avail of the cheap mid-week flights as well as reasonably priced accommodation!

Sharon

posters have come up with a number of practical solutions to your problem and you are still intent on going Saturday to Saturday its your own fault if you pay more for flights .

Unfortunately, if your going to a apartment/villa, most base their dates on Sat/Sat. Owners are reluctant to do otherwise as basicaly thet lose one weeks rental even two by accepting mid-week bookings. Not much of a problem in the low season, but in high season it is very difficultto get mid-week bookings.

[Belladonna]

mallorca luxury rent by the day. Head office on coast road just before Llenaire.

[Cocoa07]

Thanks for all your comments and Abbotsworld - I was voicing an opinion, no need to be tetchy!! I am not the only one in this position, if I was then flights wouldn't be so expensive on a Saturday!!

Unpleasant personal comments removed.

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