Any Oz to UK fare sales at Christmas?

[Smackbum]

It's been a while since I booked a UK fare at peak times and I may be too optimistic about the impact of the GFC, but I am shocked at the quote I got for a QF/BA ticket to EDI. $3360 for the cheapest economy fare seems steep - even for mid December - and I have been hanging out for some real sale fares to arrive.

Does this often happen with QF or am I living in a fools paradise and should just stump up the cash before it goes up again?

 

[JohnK]

Unfortunately no sales around Christmas time unless you are prepared to leave before ~12 December.

 

[docjames]

Consider if you are going twice in 12 months to buy an embedded UK-Aus-UK fare as you may find the return on the ex-aus fare outside xmas cheaper, plus inbound to aus may also be cheaper.


It's just an expensive (read: high demand) time to travel.


It seems many of the middle easy carriers are cheaper around that time of year, but all airlines have higher prices in peak demand times (in Aus that means school holidays).


Edit: ISTR Emirates go direct to EDI? That may be a one stop option too (rather than 2 stops on QF) and DXB is much easier to transit than LHR.

 

[futaris]

Edit: ISTR Emirates go direct to EDI? That may be a one stop option too (rather than 2 stops on QF) and DXB is much easier to transit than LHR.

Edinburgh Airport is not on the list of Emirates destinations. Glasgow Airport is, as is Newcastle Airport.

 

[Logan^]

I paid $3k for my SQ flight, flying out on 22nd December and back on 9th Jan. Thats in Y and that was about 3 weeks ago.

Cheaper could of been had, but flight times are good for me + its SQ and I get to go on the A380 again, for the 8th time and a 773ER for the first time.

 

[docjames]

Edinburgh Airport is not on the list of Emirates destinations. Glasgow Airport is, as is Newcastle Airport.

Ok, thanks for that correction.

 

[JohnK]

Consider if you are going twice in 12 months to buy an embedded UK-Aus-UK fare as you may find the return on the ex-aus fare outside xmas cheaper, plus inbound to aus may also be cheaper.

Buying airfares from overseas is difficult to do if you are only going once every 12 months due to the 350 day limitation on QF website and 330 days for most travel agent websites. Best to purchase airfares from overseas if you are going overseas more than once a year.

It's just an expensive (read: high demand) time to travel.

I am still not buying this high demand excuse. We are being fleeced in Australia with "so-called" seasonality.

I have a QF MEL-SIN flight for 26 December on the A380 sitting in 80A or 80K that was purchased as part of a return airfare from SIN and it cost me ~AUD400 which is half of what I paid for the return flight.

I would find it hard to believe there would be any way to purchase that same airfare from Australia for less than ~AUD600 even if you had booked at the 350 day window. It would be even more interesting to see how much that same airfare costs now.

 

[docjames]

I am still not buying this high demand excuse. We are being fleeced in Australia with "so-called" seasonality.

I disagree. :-|

BIS experience says "Peak" travel sees planes typically full on leisure routes (which overseas destinations are certainly many) and especially so in Y (think about "Op-up season" which fills the empty J/F seats and frees up full priced Y seats).

It is no surprise that if the aircraft are full, at higher fares (ie. sale fares not required to fill the aircraft) then there's no cheap fares to be had.

Supply/Demand. I dont think we're being fleeced, I think airlines are charging what people will pay. This has been explored here (AFF) many times and you and I always disagree! There seems to be a 50/50 split as to whether it's "market" or "rip-off".

 

[serfty]

...

I am still not buying this high demand excuse. We are being fleeced in Australia with "so-called" seasonality. ...

'Tis simply marketing or business.

Only those who purchase such tickets are being 'fleeced'.

Those who have greater knowledge of these things can easily minimise costs. Just like any business, knowledge is power - is money.

 

[Logan^]

A lot of people head back home for Xmas and people go on Holiday. Remember a lot of Asian studuents go back home from Uni, Poms like me head home for Xmas, it isnt that hard to imagine that more planes will be full at Christmas period than any other time.

 

[JohnK]

'Tis simply marketing or business.

I can just see it now. If you want to buy an ice cream in summer it costs 7.90 but if you want to buy ice cream in winter then it costs $3.95!

Hotels in Thailand have the same practice during high season (and charging extra for gala dinners on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve) and are paying for it with less than 50% occupancy.

In my view it is a "rip-off". As you say luckily there are alternatives for those in the know.

Before I get flamed some more I am off to research my return flights from SIN for October 2010 - June 2011.

 

[docjames]

I can just see it now. If you want to buy an ice cream in summer it costs 7.90 but if you want to buy ice cream in winter then it costs $3.95!

Hotels in Thailand have the same practice during high season (and charging extra for gala dinners on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve) and are paying for it with less than 50% occupancy.

In my view it is a "rip-off". As you say luckily there are alternatives for those in the know.

Before I get flamed some more I am off to research my return flights from SIN for October 2010 - June 2011.

I dont think you're being flamed John, but you are losing 3:2 (serfty, me and logan vs you and smackbum)

Nearly the 50/50 i thought!

I like the icecream analogy - however the difference in reality (why icecream remains ~ the same price) is that it's a bit cheaper / easier for the icecream factory to slow down supply and keep their unit pricing, whereas it's more difficult to mothball jumbos just to bring out for peak periods (which would keep the price constant - at a higher price when they were flying less planes as they'd have to keep paying for all the parked ones).

:shock:

 

[Smackbum]

I agree with you all - it is both a rip-off and a consequence of market factors. I was not trying to get a lynch-mob together, just curious as to whether playing "chicken" with BA/QF was likely to end in tears or not.

I have no choice of carriers or dates due to the fact that I am sync'ing in with award flights that I was lucky to get in the first place. In some ways I should be thanking my lucky stars that I have saved 10K in airfares, but I would like to get my matching airfare for the lowest available price.

Serfty - you seem to imply that it is worth staring them down, or have I misinterpreted your comments?

 

[JohnK]

I dont think you're being flamed John, but you are losing 3:2 (serfty, me and logan vs you and smackbum)

I thought the would have been a give away.

I am happy to lose by that margin.

 

[jsd]

$2490 with VS, SYD-LHR return Y around christmas time, my inner conscience would tell me that that isn't cheap, or am I wrong


Josh

 

[serfty]

...
Serfty - you seem to imply that it is worth staring them down, or have I misinterpreted your comments?

No staring down - I simply sidestep.

I tend to plan most leisure travel well in advance and currently have ongoing return flights:

• US to Oz
  
• NZ to Oz
  
• SIN to Oz

For example, I departed the USA last month to MEL on a Qantas return Journey costing USD840. My return is in late October. Coupled with this is a return journet USA to OZ in the first days of November, I return in late January. Befor then I will bok another USA-OZ-USA routing to link up with this and a return at a suitable 2011 date.

This evening on the way home on the train there was a guy on a mobile 'phone talking (loudly) to someone about a 391 EK MEL-AKL-MEL that's currently available. I smiled to myself as earlier this week I booked an AKL-MEL-AKL trip for ~AUD345.

As posted earlier one needs to travel at least twice a year per point of (non Australian) departure to really make such viable.

 

[kamchatsky]

The thing is, the high prices for peak period is also used to pay for losses for flights in low season. Therefore you cannot say that it is a "rip off" as at the end they have to make a profit somewhere. They just cannot leave all the planes idle at low season.

Anyway , last year my colleague flew back to London from Sydney at Xmas peak season for $1800 on Asiana Y. He said it was fantastic airline to fly on. Of course it may or may not work for you but you should look at options via Korea.

 

[serfty]

Most here are missing the point!

Most Qantas fares ex Australia are over the odds when compared to those of most other carriers - no matter what the season. In relation to this thread they are far more over the odds during summer (and June for that matter) - "ripoff" or not, that's the fact.

If you want to fly Qantas you need to pay - or sidestep, or don;t fly Qantas!

 

[Andyzx]

If you can get yourself out of Oz to say Bangkok then you may find the fares are cheaper. I had a quick look at BA QF at A$1400 to LHR. Other options are to look for value. Y+ and J whilst are still expensive they represent better value by comparision to econ.:arrow:

PS as an ex icecream maker, we always charged more in the summer peak season, less specials and sell at a higher price at more convient places like special events, music events etc etc. People will pay what you are asking based on need and what alternatives do they have. sad but true :evil:

 

[JohnK]

The thing is, the high prices for peak period is also used to pay for losses for flights in low season. Therefore you cannot say that it is a "rip off" as at the end they have to make a profit somewhere. They just cannot leave all the planes idle at low season.

It is a "rip-off" when airfares purchased in SIN are half the price of airfares purchased in Australia and the people are sitting next to each other on the same flight in peak season time such as 26 December.

But I am not complaining just making sure I do not fall into the trap where I need to purchase a peak season airfare from Australia ever again....