Re: CHEAP FLIGHTS TO CORFU

Started by Lynette, October 09, 2006, 04:39:16 PM

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Lindypops

Mick & Gill   or a diff place. Happy hols.
Lindypops.

Paul/Deb5

Hi all,
long time since I've been on!!!   seasons greetings to everyone.
had to reply to this topic as its a start in having direct flights etc, and I happened to see
in the paper an advert from ba.com for world offers and one was for Corfu and the price
advertised was 'from £60' I say from!!!!!!!! the only downside its from 'Gatwick'.
I will check it out later, as for the last three visits to Corfu we have found our own flights
and local accomadation, rather than give tour operators money.
speak soon.

      Paul /Deb5 

kes

I have noticed that most tour ops are listing flights from £55.00 one way on the initial web page,but then they add taxes & so on which is more that the flight itself.
we have just booked flight only from Mancester in May   Cost £159 return per person ...no meals no prebooked seats & no transfer to resort.We could have booked 2 weeks in Hotel in Arillas for another £45.00...(same company same flight!) this obviousley reflects the stingy payments the ops are passing on to ther hotel owners.
Seems rediculouse when there is now going to be flight from manchester to kuala lumpa for £49.00....some one somewhere is taking the mick!!!!!
As they say ther are winners/losers and then there are the  Travel companies!!!!
Roll on easy jet.........................

Corfusoon

We booked with GB Airlines for the last 2 weeks of May. £180 pounds ish each.

They did however change the flight times the day after.

I guess they will settle in to it.

Does anybody know of a £15 promo code for XL at the moment. I cant seem to find more than £5. (Telegraph)
Style, Luxury, Tranquillity
Helios Court Villa, Arillas, Corfu.
http://www.corfuvilla.holiday

Maggie

  If you quote 'tesco' you might get £10.00 discount. I checked last
  night and it worked. Don't know any others, sorry. A tenners better
  than a fiver off tho!!!!

Joe

Not wishing to cause any issues or start any arguments here (I'm on your side) but I have noticed a lot of bad feelings towards the big Tour Operators. I only work with the guys who fly the plane but this does get me involved with other aspects of the business so I do from time to time get to see the inner workings and the people do work hard to give everyone a really good end product.

A lot of the visitors to this forum (including myself) are seasoned travellers and confident about going abroad, thus we prefer to make our own travel arrangements and rightly so. There are a considerably larger group of people though who are less confident and have very little understanding of what is involved. To these passengers they expect to pay the money and have everything done for them and this is where the big four tour operators come in (well perhaps soon to be 3 but I didn't just say that). These people do not have the time or simply don't want to go through all the effort of booking the components separately or independently. To be honest when I visit my Mum in summer I will book through Thomas Cook, as it is often the cheapest and safest option. I am guaranteed to get to Corfu and back whatever happens, my transfers are included and I have the services of a Rep if something goes wrong. I also know if something goes wrong with the holiday or flights I will be looked after until I get home. The last thing in the world I would want to happen is to be left to struggle to get home by myself in a foreign country, just read the papers it does unfortunately happen.

I know things go wrong (I see the complaints), in what business do they not and ours is especially volatile but some of my best friends here are employed to make things better and improve things. Companies such as ours often seem like big faceless entities (a name I was called recently) just trying to suck in people's money. Yes we are a business and there are tight margins to meet but this is not at people's expense.

Getting back on track seeing I was drifting off topic there I really believe for what is provided to the average holidaymaker in taking a package holiday the price is very reasonable, margins are so tight these days that holidays are even being sold at a loss, I can see on the computers plenty of holidays to Corfu for a week under £200, flights, meals, taxes and transfers included for less than the price of an Ipod, if someone is making serious profit out of all this its not the big travel companies. Perhaps the local hoteliers could make more money selling the rooms independently but the tour operators guarantee to fill the rooms all summer so if the room sits empty they will still get a set rate for it, in this way income is assured and all the advertising is done for them.

Just to reiterate I'm not getting at any one post I'm just playing Devils Advocate as I do see what happens on the other side. I am under no illusions the big companies always get it right but I do believe they supply a good and needed product.

Hoping I've not upset anyone and seeing this thread is called "cheap flights" and not "Joe goes off on one" if anybody has dates they want me to check, much like last year the offers still open and if I have time I will run the numbers and see if I can find you any good flight deals.

Happy holidays
Joe

Corfusoon

Thanks Maggie!

Any advance on £10? There is usually a £15 floating around somewhere.

As a party of 6 it pays for my Prawn Saginaki habit!

Regards
Style, Luxury, Tranquillity
Helios Court Villa, Arillas, Corfu.
http://www.corfuvilla.holiday

Fiona

A great post Joe and I have to tell you that I LOVE Thomas Cook and we have absolutely no gripes about them.  It was TC who introduced us to Arillas when we couldn't find a holiday in Greece with anyone else!!  It was all down to their link with HSBC.

We have had many holidays with them which we have loved.  With regard to TC flights to Corfu, I found a return flight last year for £45, with no extra charges.  I just couldn't believe it but sadly couldn't take advantage of it due to work and having no holiday allowance left!!  Not long to retirement when I shall snap up all the bargains!!  It costs me that much in petrol to visit my daughter near Bristol.

However, I think TC have three properties in Arillas and there are so many more offering equivalent standards of hospitality and, dare I say it, some offering higher standards.  When you find somewhere that you love and it is not with a tour operator what do you do?  There is no choice, but to book your own flights - which airline you choose usually comes down to whichever one is offering the best price - and your selected accommodation.  Sure, the security of a big tour operator is great, but I know that the owners of Arillas accommodation are also there to help whenever they can and, linked with good insurance, lets hope that those of us who now choose to "go it alone" never come "unstuck"!!

By not choosing to use a big tour company, I am probably paying more than I would for a package holiday.  I would certainly recommend TC to anyone and indeed have already introduced quite a few people to Arillas via TC.

Fiona

Joe

Thanks Fiona, perhaps we should offer you a job :-)

Fiona

Hi Joe

Yes, that would be an excellent plan!!  I'd be happy to fly the flag for TC.  Often fancied being a rep, but think I'm too old for it now - I know they work really, really hard.  However, when I'm in Arillas for six months of the year I might be looking for something part-time!!

Fiona

kes

Agreed ,,we have flew last 3 yrs with TC and apart from the coach tx problems a couple of years ago (which now seems to have been reslolved) they are now on my favourites list.

Joe

Quote from: Fiona on January 08, 2007, 08:30:25 PM
Hi Joe

Yes, that would be an excellent plan!!  I'd be happy to fly the flag for TC.  Often fancied being a rep, but think I'm too old for it now - I know they work really, really hard.  However, when I'm in Arillas for six months of the year I might be looking for something part-time!!

Fiona

You can actually get cash in hand from some of the smaller independent travel companies by going on the minibus to meet the arriving passengers and bringing them back, it helps out as the usually they only have small numbers of Reps on the island. All you need is a friendly smile and a good knowledge of Arillas, I'm sure you'd get that job :-)

I've just been looking through our summer flying program and we have reduced our flights to Corfu from Manchester, we used to have one on a Monday morning, a very late Monday and a late Friday becoming two flights in the middle of summer. The early Monday flight is no more, it left Manchester at 9am and so was fantastically timed, we now have no early flights from Manchester to Corfu, this scuppers my weekend plans to see my Mum as I have to take two days off now. I don't believe taking this flight out reflects the popularity of travel to Corfu as we have bought some seats on the Monday morning Monarch flight, it seems to be because we now longer have the aircraft that used to operate this route. It's a shame though, I liked that flight.

Eggy

Joe
Gizza Job Eh!! - I think I may have to talk to you about that sometime as well.
Look out Fiona - You may have competition.
( Excellent Xmas Pics and Mon Amour posting by the way - Thanks for taking the time to share )
Negg

Joe

I enjoyed writing about it, it reminded me how much of a good time it was. I just hope it encourages more people to take the risk and travel out there in Winter even if only for a few days.

Fiona

No problem Negg, perhaps we could set up a little business!! Anything cash in hand sounds a good plan!
By the time I get there (2009) you'll probably have got it all sorted so I'll be coming to see you!!

Fiona