Flight Rip-off?

[beachhhhhhh]

I wanted to go with my son to our holiday home in Akbuk on the 10th March 2009 from Manchester for 7 days.
This was what Aegean Flights quoted...£1182!!!
Even allowing for fuel surcharges that's a rip-off.
The other flight sites aren't much better.

Mel.

 

[SuperBogs]

I bet I can fly all the way to Florida for cheaper then that ....return

Biker Bob

 

[Martyn]

I tried gatwick - bodrum next june = £202 pp. I bought the same flight a fews ago for £136. Did you do yours on the net or over the phone, surely cannot be right?

 

[beachhhhhhh]

Thanks for your replies.
I did it on the Aegean Flights website.
Flythomas cook was coming up from Manchester as £795.00 for 2 people.
I'm so glad I bought a holiday home 3 years ago for (cheapish) holidays!!!

 

[Martyn]

I would give them a call to make sure it is correct. If not it will probably be cheaper to buy a package holiday and use the flight only.

 

[Germaine]

Aegean are quoting huge prices for some reason.
My wife has just booked us on flights this October for £230 each. Someone renting our place in May 2009 has paid £210 rtn per person Manchester to Bodrum. I dont know which airline that is though.
Shop around, travel republic, A1, Onur, etc.

 

[beachhhhhhh]

If I'm honest, I find it a big worry.
When we bought our (modest) holiday home, one of the key selling points (among other things) of buying in Turkey, were budget airlines could be on the way.
At the rate flight prices are going up, we won't be able to visit the house all that much.
Mel.

 

[Martyn]

We normally go twice a year for two weeks(June) then a week in September. At the rate the flights are increasing it may be a case of going once for longer.

 

[berry]

We normally go twice a year for two weeks(June) then a week in September. At the rate the flights are increasing it may be a case of going once for longer.

I think a lot of people will be thinking of doing that, the prices this year and next year are terrible.
My son has just gone to Egypt and he paid less for all inclusive hotel and the flight, than what I paid for flights alone to Turkey.

 

[Germaine]

Its not just Turkey though Mel. look at it this way.
Flights can be had for £200. It would cost me that to drive from Scotland to the south of England in my car.
It is frustrating that you can get a package holiday for the same price or cheaper than flights alone. I realise holiday companies buy up seats in bulk but still....

 

[Flipflop]

A suggestion that might suit some flights - if you can't get direct ex UK flights because of price, departure dates or just from chosen departure point, and certainly out of the main charter season i.e. after October, have a look at using Germany as a place to make connections to Izmir, Bodrum, etc. departing from Hanover, Cologne, Berlin, etc.

E.g fly ex. Edinburgh to Cologne with GermanWings at £70 return, then connect there rather than in London on either Turkish Airlines, Germanwings, SunExpress and others, who will make the onward flight. For example, current mid October prices are around the £160 return mark, for Cologne - Izmir, but rates vary and can be as low as £80 depending on dates.

GermanWings have London - Cologne flights at €1 +tax on offer so still some lo-co carriers bargains around.

Times for connections need to be kept in mind, but generally will be suitable. If you want a cheap flight nowadays, you may have to add a couple of extra hours wait at an airport, but that must be worthwile if the fares are going to continually increase.

Not saying the options above will suit everyone but might be something to have a look at, and its easy enough to put together an intinerary with a little careful use of the interwebernet thingy.

 

[ZiaCa']

A suggestion that might suit some flights - if you can't get direct ex UK flights because of price, departure dates or just from chosen departure point, and certainly out of the main charter season i.e. after October, have a look at using Germany as a place to make connections to Izmir, Bodrum, etc. departing from Hanover, Cologne, Berlin, etc.

E.g fly ex. Edinburgh to Cologne with GermanWings at £70 return, then connect there rather than in London on either Turkish Airlines, Germanwings, SunExpress and others, who will make the onward flight. For example, current mid October prices are around the £160 return mark, for Cologne - Izmir, but rates vary and can be as low as £80 depending on dates.

GermanWings have London - Cologne flights at €1 +tax on offer so still some lo-co carriers bargains around.

Times for connections need to be kept in mind, but generally will be suitable. If you want a cheap flight nowadays, you may have to add a couple of extra hours wait at an airport, but that must be worthwile if the fares are going to continually increase.

Not saying the options above will suit everyone but might be something to have a look at, and its easy enough to put together an intinerary with a little careful use of the interwebernet thingy.

I think you're absolutely right. It's worth looking into alternative routes. Flights out of Zurich are apparently also cheap.

Now this may sound crazy, but has anyone ever looked into flying to a Greek Island and taking a ferry across to Turkey?

 

[ONLYME2]

Flights are very expensive now, I flew to France from Antalya last week for four days, it cost almost £900 return.

Earlier this year I was regularly flying to Sweden with Turkish airlines for around £300 return now its about £500 return.

 

[biggles]

30 march gatwick to bodrum T COOK £229

 

[beachhhhhhh]

I think how we will have to get round the price increases in the not-too distant future is we will have to stay over in Turkey for longer periods, say 6 weeks.
Now watch them change the duration of the visas...!
The credit crunch and the future substantal increase in the cost of flights is going to effect the Holiday Homes Market a lot.

Mel.

 

[Germaine]

It might also be an incentive for the lowcost carriers. Fingers crossed.

 

[claire1976]

The increased cost of flights is one of the deciding factors in me putting my apartment up for sale. Although there are other reasons the fact is to take my OH, my 6 year old son and myself out for a break costs us nearly £1000 in flights. We have to book them ahead because my OH is a shift worker and needs to book certain weeks off.
This makes it a very expensive trip to our apartment and now we are taking our holidays in the UK in our caravan instead of using our lovely apartment in the sun.
It's now gathering dust until it sells....

 

[pldouglas]

We booked our 2009 flights several months ago - but we know what will happen. Two weeks before we are due to go, Agean/Onur will cancel the flight but kindly inform us we can re-book at a slightly later date but for a lot more money. How daft do they think we are.
Sadly we too are seriously considering selling, one (only one) of the reasons being that we are sick of being ripped off and inconvenienced with flights.

 

[beachhhhhhh]

I think a lot of people will be thinking the same thing.
Is it really worth having a holiday home in the sun if it is going to cost you a arm and a leg to get there?
Fine, if you can well afford the expensive flights.
I DO know there are lots of advantages in owning your own home abroad, but one of the reasons we bought was so we could visit whenever we liked.
Sadly, with the price of flights going through the roof, that is no longer the case.

Mel.

 

[Tonya]

I dont think we will be going abroad next year. We dont own a place in Turkey, but things in the UK have increased so much. Our kids will both be going on school camp next year, the eldest will cost £300 for Mon-Fri, and youngest £100 for 1 night! If they do go on these camps we will have to sacrifice our holiday abroad which has also got much more expensive. Last year I paid £96 each for flights this August. We cant get anywhere near that for next year and also cant go during school time.

I'm not complaining, we will still have a lovely holiday in the UK and the kids will have their camps so its not like we arent doing anything at all but to be honest I am so glad we sold our house in Turkey 3 years ago!