IT DOESN'T PAY TO GO INDEPENDENT

[kes]

£1000.00  for  4 is about write for flights to corfu from northwest uk.....last week when I booked for October it only cost £8.00 more for  hotel + b&b  than flight only..
....no contest.....

[Corfusoon]

Well to quote Ang

"£1000 for 2 return flights to Corfu is really value for money"

2 flights to Corfu £1000?

If you will live in the North

Everythhing else is cheaper there I suppose. Of course according to recent statistics you die 30 years younger due to the lack of sun.

How much value can you put on your health!

[sharonF]

It costing us £200 less to stay in Arillas on a package deal than it would had we booked flights and accommodation.  I would definately prefer to book independently, but we couldnt have come this time if we hadnt found this deal. 

Sharon

[kes]

Hmm...someone in corfu got there claws out.!!!
Don`t want to get into a North/South devide debate...but that seems a bit of a  unnecersary snide remark...


   

[sharonF]

haha kes, love the purple hippo.  Wouldnt let it bother you, i'm from the north west and wouldnt change it.

Sharon x

[kes]

Me neither Sharon...(unless it was for Arillas)

[Corfusoon]

Hi Kes,

My husband did not mean any harm he was having a joke, which  unfortunatley the many smiley faces cannot get that a cross very well. We have got some wonderful friends who live up north and love it, and wont come back to the south for all the tea in China!
We are very lucky that in Arillas you have accommodation for everyone tastes and pocket. It does make you wonder how much the hotels etc get paid fromt he tour operaters!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a wonderful holiday where ever you go, and i am sure Arillas will miss you.

Mandy

[sharonF]

Hi Mandy,

Thats one of the reasons we prefer to go independant, would much rather put the money in the pockets of Arillas than the tour operators!  But unfortunately it just wasnt possible this time.  Hope to go indepedent next year though.

Sharon x

[Paul D]

Hi, everyone . We`ve done a package deal for next year simply because the flights we were quoted were far too high by themselves. Add on your accomodation and it was too high for us to go in June
                   Best Wishes  Paul D

[Ang]

I am a bit confused here I don't mind anyone quoting what I have written but please only do so in the right context.....
to quote myself I stated that paying almost £1000 for 2 return flights for 1 week to corfu was NOT value for money...
and I certainly do not make throw away comments!!!!
we have been coming to Arillas for the past 15yrs sometimes 2x a year and always support the local economy and like going independent and don't mind paying more for quality and  the standards we like, this summer we took a package as it was a good price but then decided it was not for us so moved and paid for what we wanted
Furthermore we don't live in the North  we live in Wales so yet another inaccurate assumption made have a look at thomsons flight price's !! must say they have dropped this week but still almost £800.
Anyway I said my bit  but no hard feelings just making the point.
Cheers Ang

[Ang]

Oh and I forgot to mention when we stay in Malaga we again go independant and are happy to pay 100-150Euro a night for our room only accomodation just for a relaxiing bit of R&R.
Ang

[justphil]

We always try to go independent. No choice this last time because we wanted four weeks. We paid a very good price all told, about the same as 2 weeks in July.

Last October a Thomson week at Kaloudis was less than the flights so we took that. It was also just fine with a very good transfer time. There are pros and cons to both.

Our main motivation is that we want the money to end up with our local friends, not a Tour Operator.

Phil

[kes]

Same for us this October ,a week in hotel was same price as flight only...Of course its good to support local economy but package or flight only most visitors eat out and use the supermarkets and bars..so all in all whatever we spend is spread around,..

[Holly]

We usually travel independently, however, for Arillas it just wasn't feasible for us. Living in the North it was easier getting flights and much cheaper to go with Thomsons. I have to admit that Thomsons aren't bad for a package tour operator and their flights are much better than some of the independent airlines. We are a tall family and find that they have a tad more legroom in their planes than some of the others.

[Corfusoon]

Hi Ang

Easyjet to Corfu was £142 each fro Gatwick. Couldnt understand the £500 per flight. It just doesnt cost that much even via Athens.

One of the local hotels would be E210 for 7 nights B&B

E100 for a taxi transfer both ways or hire a car for E25 per day.

So one week for 2 would be £532. £266 each independant.

£1000 for a week? Dont understand what you were looking at. Even if you had to get a cab both ways from Wales I couldnt get to your number. Why would anybody want to pay an extra £500 for that.

As for the disposable comment remark. I think the original statement is difficult to justify ( that it doesnt pay to go independant) I think this was said in haste based on the incorrect thought that your money was only safe if you booked a package through an ABTA bonded agent.

I trust I have explained the legalities of the financial transaction and that your money is safe if you apply the same logic as to any major transaction. Independant still represents great value if you want more than basic accomodation (especially with 3 children ourselves), unusual timings or accomodation that is unavailable on a package. Personally I like scheduled rather than charter flights as I find them more reliable and have greater comeback on the airline than I do on a Package. Then again I have one experience of being delayed 3 entire days which colours my thinking.

I am not knocking the package market but it doesnt suit everbody and may not always be the best deal. In many cases it indeed does pay to go independant.

One last thought. "Value is what is remembered long after the price is forgotten"

Regards (And no hard feelings either)