Trans Atlantic fares

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I went to Vegas 4 years ago for about £560 with virgin in August bank holiday week. I checked west coast destination flights a few days ago and almost fell out of my chair! They were all about £1,100 return!? How the hell can they increase 100% over 4 years? Ridiculous...
 
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It's quite shocking. I'm off to San Diego in July and economy was also close to the £1,000 mark. I tried many different cities to see if I could get the price down and failed. I guess it's a popular month. If people will pay it, the airlines will charge it. Though I'd like to vent my furry once again at the stupid fuel surcharge. Why oh why do they advertise this as if it's a thrid party charge.(BA anyway). What do they expect me to do, request a plane with no fuel!
 
Soldato
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Family of 4 to NYC in July £3,000 (flights only), same in October for 2 weeks - £1800.

So basically taking the wee man out of school for a week plus October week. Got another week away in the summer for £900 for the 4 of us.

So basically 2 holidays and £300 cheaper than going in July.

Avoid July to America!
 
Man of Honour
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Still finding bonkers prices here, too. Economy to San Franciso, Virgin Atlantic, September... £800.

I went to LAX in September 10 for £440, into JFK and out of Miami in '11 for £399 and even Melbourne Australia the year before for £560. The prices I'm seeing now are quite astronomical.

I'm going to Seattle this time and it seems there is no alternative to paying almost £750 for indirect economy flights. Madness. Who are all these people paying so much more money for transat air fares than in previous years? Oil prices are similar to where they were a year ago so it's just odd. Seattle is never cheap to get to which is why my plan was to snag a £500ish return to SFO instead but they just don't seem to exist now?
 
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I wonder if this is due to airlines struggling to make money? If it's been a poor year, maybe they are ramping up prices in peak months even more? They now people that Travel around that time of year do so becuase they have to.
 
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I've been going to NYC for 12 years now to visit family.

11 years ago, 2 economy flights direct from Glasgow to Newark was £390 including all taxes for both of us.

Same flights now for 2 adults at the same time of year - same company (continental) - £1500. That nearly 400% in 10 years increase in prices/taxes. Mental stuff.
 
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This year off to Florida in July started looking at fares last Dec but they havent really changed - if anything have gone up. So we are flying on Air Canada via Vancouver as it worked out at just over 700 each for 5 return.

Those airlines are going to be doing themselves out of business at this rate. Saying that looking at the breakdown the taxes are what killing that industry
 
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I've just booked two returns to San Francisco for late July and I couldn't believe how expensive it was. I started looking back in February, but even then they were pretty high. I'm pretty sure I remember flying return to New York for about £350 4 years ago :(
 
Soldato
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This year off to Florida in July started looking at fares last Dec but they havent really changed - if anything have gone up. So we are flying on Air Canada via Vancouver as it worked out at just over 700 each for 5 return.

Those airlines are going to be doing themselves out of business at this rate. Saying that looking at the breakdown the taxes are what killing that industry

Florida via Vancouver? If this is from the UK that's one hell of a long round trip to save some cash!

Seems crazy that path would be cheaper, flying to the far North West only to connect to a flight down to the far South East? :O
 
Woman of Honour
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I'm pretty sure I remember flying return to New York for about £350 4 years ago :(

Yup me too. I landed back at LHR this morning from NY. My flight was £502 and I booked in March. They had a sale beginning of the month and it was £50cheaper.

Virgin Atlantic, horrible. Food was poor (apart from the Gü desserts) and the inflight entertainment was old and they had to reset the system so many times.

Still I got there on time!

Also, would chose Newark over JFK next time. So much quieter, less queues.

x
 
Soldato
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Yup me too. I landed back at LHR this morning from NY. My flight was £502 and I booked in March. They had a sale beginning of the month and it was £50cheaper.

Virgin Atlantic, horrible. Food was poor (apart from the Gü desserts) and the inflight entertainment was old and they had to reset the system so many times.

Still I got there on time!

Also, would chose Newark over JFK next time. So much quieter, less queues.

x

I'm not a good flyer, so always tend to pay more to fly direct and also to be in a seat/seating class that gives me a power source to keep me busy, as the inflight entertainment doesn't really hold my attention.

We're heading over to SF for a wedding, and the GFs friend was meant to be coming with us. She umm'ed and err'ed for 3 months about whether she was joining us or not, and I watched the sale come and go :(
 
Woman of Honour
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We're heading over to SF for a wedding, and the GFs friend was meant to be coming with us. She umm'ed and err'ed for 3 months about whether she was joining us or not, and I watched the sale come and go :(

See, what you do there is say, "the sale is on till XXX date if you don't give us an answer by then we are just booking for us".

Simple!

;)

BB x
 
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I wonder if this is due to airlines struggling to make money? If it's been a poor year, maybe they are ramping up prices in peak months even more? They now people that Travel around that time of year do so becuase they have to.

Well apparently it's due to tax and fuel surcharges but as fox said the fuel prices should be about the same and taxes haven't gone up this year AFAIK...
 
Man of Honour
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Well apparently it's due to tax and fuel surcharges

Tax has not risen by a noticeable amount for some time. 'Fuel surcharges' are an interesting one - if I charge you £500 for a flight and say £100 is 'fuel surcharge' and then the next year I charge you £700 and say £300 is 'fuel surcharge' does that mean it's all the fault of the fuel surcharge and the 'fare' is the same as it ever was...?

Fuel is a cost of doing business, paying for more of it through a 'surcharge' which you can then try and convince passengers is unavoidable is quite clever...

What next? A Wages Surcharge? Plane Leasing Surcharge?
 
Caporegime
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It's great for air miles though... Return flight to America for 30,000 avoid (plus surcharges and taxes)

The normal flight being £700 of which it's £200 for the fare, £300 for the surcharge and £200 for taxes...:rolleyes:

I'm just grumpy as it's looking like I'm going to have to pay £1k return for flights to Australia in 11 months....
 
Caporegime
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The prices on flights these days are truly awful :( In all the years I've been going back and forth, I have never seen them this extortionate.
I have to fly over for a funeral in about a week and the lowest I can find is about $1700!!
Even if you look at the next coming months, they don't drop below $1200+

yep, heading to Germany in July and prices are all around $1500 a person for the cheapest nastiest flights.
 
Caporegime
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All over the world...
The worst thing about flying nowadays is the damned weight allowance they give you. What i have noticed is that they rack up the price of the flight but then also reduce the amount of luggage you can take.

For instance i remember 6-7 yrs ago i used to fly to Canada quite often on BA or Air Canada and i used to get a 32kg baggage allowance but now its about 23kg for the same damned flight so forget doing a lot of shopping when you reach your destination.

****ing cheeky barstewards these airlines are:p....still i guess its the way air travel is going...soon we wont be able to take sweet FA with us lol.
 
Soldato
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See, what you do there is say, "the sale is on till XXX date if you don't give us an answer by then we are just booking for us".

Simple!

;)

BB x

Ha! I was a bit more forthright in how I phrased that, but the other half is far too diplomatic and didn't want to cause any issues :rolleyes: So after keeping us waiting for a good 3 months she decided against joining us... and then changed her mind.
 
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