Flight Price with VA

[miss_bell]

Hi All

I just wanted your opinion, I have provisionally booked with Charter Travel for 6th Oct 2012 to 20th Oct 2012 From MAN the flights have been released today so have been given a final price. We were originally quoted £1492 for the car and flights but were told this may go up once flights are released, I was told the cost of the car with insurance is £255 which left £1237 for two adult economy seats with virgin.

The tax charges on the flights have gone up £30pp and the final price is £1297. I'm thinking this is a bit expensive and surely the prices will come down, I have checked this morning for miles plus money and they were £1211. Do you think the VA prices will come down, is there normally a sale after christmas?

I already know the answer in my head but i wanted like minded people to confirm
Em x

 

[RDP]

I think this is expensive for October and you may be able to do better. I have typically paid around £400 per adult around the end of October. Look out for the half terms dates, the prices typically rise around these periods as the flights are in demand.

 

[miss_bell]

Thank you, Englands half term starts after we come back but Scotlands starts whilst we are away.

 

[Netty]

we booked with charter last January as VA flight prices were well over £600 each for September, I wish I had held on as at the end of June and first week of July the flight prices for when we were going came down to £440 each
so I am now saving up and booking in June/July next yr.

 

[dixonsontour]

I thought virgin were high and stayed high for October this year.

Trouble with October is it's scottish and then english half term - scots will fly from manchester pushing prices up for the earlier dates.

Would you consider indirect?

 

[miss_bell]

I'm not sure about indirect, my experience in the past has always been lost luggage! I guess we will watch and wait and see what the prices do, if there is no change then we would look at indirect.

 

[wayneg]

I wouldn't pay that myself but we enjoy indirect as much as direct. Immigration has become a nightmare at MCO, read a post a few days ago they were told upto 2 hours as they were leaving the plane. Although that is not not the norm I would still rather do it at another US airport before arriving at MCO.
Most of our flights have been indirect, thankfully never lost luggage, only a couple of times we had slight problems coming home, once it was not on the carousel, they had sent it on an earlier plane and it was at lost luggage, found it eventually(now you don't collect and re-check coming home)
Other time was getting home after a 3 day delay with ash cloud, we got back to Heathrow but our luggage was still in Paris, had to wait for it coming on next plane.

 

[dixonsontour]

Indirect for us this October saved £1000 for the 3 of us compared to VA. I'm looking to book for Oct 2012 as soon as flights for our dates are released and will go indirect again no problem if it is cheaper again.

 

[miss_bell]

I've decided to wait and see what happens to flight prices over the next couple of months, maybe we'll be able to pick up a good deal between Christmas & New Year. I would like to fly direct but we'll wait and see, if it means paying £1000 more to fly direct we'll take our chances with indirect.

 

[JasmineEvans]

That's quite expensive. I'd certainly try to find a better deal online. There are always discounts available in the net!

 

[T16GEM]

We are looking to go in October next year too, we have decided to wait to book our flights though, we aren't really tied to any particular dates so it will be a case of see a deal and go.

We have also gone in-direct 4 or 5 times before and this year we did direct with VA, I think overall we all said that we liked the indirect flight better as it was a break in the journey for the kids and also immigration in Newark was really quick, at MCO this year we waited ages and then the guy was so sullen bordering rude to DS it really put me off going in there again, I know it's their job and all but at Newark they are always friendly and talk to the kids etc.

 

[dixonsontour]

Another perk of indirect if you are a couple/have older kids is there are less familys with young kids on - first timers and those with young kids tend to fly direct.

We checked in for our indirect flight next to the virgin check in and the difference in clientele was very noticable - mostly businessmen/ retired couples and familys with older kids on our flight. Think DD was the youngest.

 

[2Tiggies]

Another perk of indirect if you are a couple/have older kids is there are less familys with young kids on - first timers and those with young kids tend to fly direct.

We checked in for our indirect flight next to the virgin check in and the difference in clientele was very noticable - mostly businessmen/ retired couples and familys with older kids on our flight. Think DD was the youngest.

We noticed the same thing this year with Continental. DD was the only child on both trans Atlantic flights. Obviously there were more families on the domestic connections but it does make for a quieter longhaul flight

Do BA fly from MAN or is there an option of booing a through route from MAN or your nearest airport via a London airport? We booked BA this year from EDI -LGW - MCO and it was less than half the price VA was quoting on those dates for next year September

 

[miss_bell]

Yes BA fly from MAN to LGW and then onto MCO so that is another airline to consider.

I guess this is going to be a "watch this space" and hopefully some flight sales will happen around christmas time

 

[Disneymad]

Just to say - Virgin (and BA) usually have a New Year's sale if you want to watch for that.

I think it usually starts right after Christmas till mid January though this year they had several '10 day sale - offer ends X' only for the next 10 day sale to start straight after. This went on through February! No guarantee they'll do that again ofc, but yeah, they've definitely always atleast had a NY sale in the past.

 

[tinkerpea]

Another one who's waiting and praying I still don't know if I did the wrong thing by booking our Disney accommodation without having the flights yet! I keep telling myself all will be fine but the thought of lying a fortune for 6 seats on the plan direct or In-direct don't care anymore as long as I get there without having to Rob a bank!!!....... Never would I have booked the resort first but I feel that £4880 for a 2 bed at SSR with DDP and tickets for 15 nights 3 adults 2 kids and a 10yr old was just too good of a deal our accommodation date is from the 1st October but we want to fly on the 25th arp to do universal and sea world. I have just over £1000 in the flight kitty and what with 3 Santa aged kids that think he will bring them a DS each I dnt see me putting my away in December!! hopefully I'll have £2500 by the. End of jab so praying for those sales x