IT DOESN'T PAY TO GO INDEPENDENT

[kes]

Hi CF...I think this discussion could go on forever...and as everyone says its down to personal preference...

Your example  from Gatwick is ok...but the £1000.00 quoted from Manchester in the original post is correct...see below...... 
      (and taxi transfer on top)
Fly thomas cooke  july 2009
Outbound (MAN - CFU)
2 Adult @ 288.49£576.98

Inbound (CFU - MAN)
2 Adult @ 276.49£552.98

Total £1129.96

check link below

http://book.flythomascook.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi

Unfortunately the power is with the package companies and no matter what... with most people (espacially families with children)its all a matter of finance and getting the best deal possible within reason..

[Corfusoon]

Pays to shop around then.

Click here for Flights from £165 return to Manchester.

http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Corfu/Manchester/

You can play the last minute flght game too if you have your accomodation independantly!

Before you give up on independant check your options.

Regards

[kes]

Try following the link for the £165.00 flight...that is one way! and way out of season... and if visitors have prebooked independent accomodation they can`t very well wait in the hope they will get a late flight..just not worth the risk...
anyhow thats gotta be my last post on this subject...My dinner is on the table...
Have to meet up in October (we have booked a package)  or Next May (we are flight only)and have a good chinwag on the subject..

[Corfusoon]

Point is Kes I wouldn’t book now for June. Easyjet won’t even bring its schedules out until the end of next month.

Ang was looking for an October break. That’s what I was working on. Even you said for 4 people a grand is right from your locale.

Now much as I love a good debate I am packing to leave tomorrow for Arillas. (Independent of course) so thats it from me. I shall drink to you tomorrow night.

Don’t discount Independent travel it may well work out far better for you.

Dont be too disparaging about October it’s the most beautiful time in Arillas!

[justphil]

I trust this isn't a forum war or I wouldn't comment. I will spill the beans - we took Joe's advice and booked early. For two, our flights were 340 pounds (400 euros at worst rate.) Our accommodation for a month was 600 euros (admittedly a special deal.) Our taxis were the full 100 euros, but in July we only paid 30 each way. The total cost was 1100 euros (£900) for two for a month. It was the same for two weeks in July.

Admittedly my liver has more money left than I have ....... apparently I have a huge bill to pay unless I come back without it next year. No chance I will have to pay. Just read Eggy on Arillas Today....

Jen just said "it is like spending Christmas with rellies........" And I would add that it is much more fun. Arillas gives us a new lease of life, every time we are there. We would have had the triplets this time if we hadn't planned ahead........ snip snip

best wishes
Phil

[Anna (anna-studios)]

 
    
http://www.charterflights.co.uk/sabs/online_booking.php

I hope to understand well English and in October it only costs 370.00pounds 2 ways for 2 people
also


Going Out

   Mon, 13 Oct 08
Thomas Cook Airlines (TCX772K)    07:05   Depart   Manchester (MAN)
12:30   Arrive   Corfu (CFU)
 

Coming Back

   Mon, 20 Oct 08
Thomas Cook Airlines (TCX772L)    13:30   Depart   Corfu (CFU)
15:00   Arrive   Manchester (MAN)
 


Passenger Information
 
Cost details

    
  Adult £ 159.00 GBP  
  X 2 Adult £ 318.00 GBP  
 
  Airport Tax £ 10.00 GBP  
  X 2 Airport Tax £ 20.00 GBP  
 
  ATOL protection (APC) £ 1.00 GBP  
  X 2 ATOL protection (APC) £ 2.00 GBP  
 
  Fuel supplement £ 15.00 GBP  
  X 2 Fuel supplement £ 30.00 GBP  
 
          
 
  Web discount £ 0.00 GBP  
 
  Total cost £ 370.00 GBP  
 Fare Rules

-  All fares are 100% non-refundable.
 
-  Paper Tickets are required at check-in for this fare. Tickets will be sent to the postal address you provide at the time of booking (if booking is made within 14 days of first departure, tickets should be collected from the Thomas Cook desk at the airport)
 
-  No changes are allowed on scheduled services (including Canada) at any time.
 
-  Flight/route changes are subject to availability and charged from £20.00 per passenger sector plus any increase between the original and prevailing fare. (excluding scheduled services)
 
-  Name changes are permitted via the sales centre and are charged from £25.00 per passenger sector plus any increase between the original and prevailing fare. (excluding scheduled services)
 
-  Changes must be made 96 hours before the first departure within the booking via the sales centre.
 
-  In-flight meals are not included in the base fare (apart from selected long haul flights). Once booked, a meal cannot be removed from the booking. Meal charges are non refundable. No changes to meal requests can be made within 96 hours of first departure
 
-  Bookings made within 96 hours of first departure will receive and incur charges for standard meals.
 
-  Bookings made within 14 days of first departure will incur a ticket servicecharge of £15 per passenger.
 
-  Standard Baggage allowance is 15kg (Premium Cabin services may allow more) unless extra baggage allowance has been pre-selected. In this case the allowance is 20kg. Excess baggage will incur an additional charge.
 
-  If you fail to present your tickets at check-in you will be liable to pay £5 per passenger for the same tickets to be re-issued and we will assume a baggage allowance of 15kg per passenger.
 
-  A £1 per passenger ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) is included in the cost of all fares.
 
 hi all i dont think is so bad at all if you look very carefull and you are not in hurry.



take care

[Sammy1]

Thanks for that website Anna
I haven't used that website before and just for other people's information there are also flights on there for a similar price from Gatwick and Birmingham.

[Ang]

Thomson flight only from cardiff to corfu 1 week return for 2 £797.00 thats flying out on any friday for the month of october,what is it that Im missing here??Oh sorry it must be that I dont book well in advance to get a cheaper price .
Im trying to point out that not evryone is able to get cheaper flights if they want to fly from a local airport at a time when it suits them.
Ang

[justphil]

Thanks Anna. We KNOW you are right. That is how we came to stay with you in July. We would have done in September but you were as good as full. We wish you a happy and successful season for next year.
much love
Jen and Phil

[vivian]

Hi Anna,
Thats the flight that Pete and I are on.
When we tried to book flight only there was no room but when we booked a package
with TC we got the same flight (funny how suddenly there were 2 seats) and a weeks accomadation for £218.
I dont know how it worked bt it did so we will see you then (all being well) Love Viv

[blondegirl]

We met a couple staying at the BS Studios last week, it was their 2nd visit this year... they booked a cheap package to Corfu... told the Tour OP. they didnt want the accommodation which they said was fine, and then this couple booked with Poppy at the BS. Hired a car for the week.   The only thing is the reps miss out on is the commission on "trips" etc. but you might not do that anyway, we never do through the reps.

[Mike and Debbie]

June 4 weeks and accomodation at Makris £1530 icluding flights and accomodation.

If i could get time off i would be there

[adamcal]

I KNOW THESE POST'S WERE LAST YEAR BUT I HAVE COME BACK FROM ARILLA'S THIS WAS MY FIRST VISIT WE BOOKED THE VILLA LINAKIS AND THEN WE BOOKED FLIGHT'S  WITH THE DOOMED XL,THE FLIGBHT'S WERE FOR 6 PEOPLE SO PANIC SET IN I HAD TO FIND A FLIGHT THAT LEFT ON A MONDAY AND PAY IT WITH MY CREDIT CARD OR ELSE THE HOLIDAY WAS NON-EXISTENT.WE BOOKED THOMAS COOK FLIGHTS FOR NOT MORE THAN WHAT XL COST US SO IT WORKED OUT IN THE END AND I DID RECEIVE MY MONEY BACK BUT WE ARE THINKING OF GOING BACK TO ARILLA'S IN 2011 AND WE WILL ONLY BE BOOKING THE FLIGHT'S WITH THOMAS COOK NO ACCOMODATION BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PRICES FOR A PACKAGE HOLIDAY TO ARILLA'S AND COMPARE RENTING FROM THE OWNER YOU ARE STILL SAVING MONEY AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENED THAT THE ACCOMODATION WAS DOUBLE BOOKED I'M SURE THIS COULD BE EASILY SORTED THE FRIENDLY PEOPLE IN ARILLA'S I'M SURE ARE VERY HONOURABLE FROM MARTHA LONGMUIR

[justphil]

Try again. My last post disappeared so let's try again.

Anna Krasakis and her family Kostas, Theo and Tassos are some of the most honest and lovely people you can meet. The studios and apartments are so clean and tidy you could feel ashamed. Well we did - jen and me only wash our pathways once a year. At Annas it is every day.

The rooms are fab -a  typical Greek holiday. If you want red carpets go to Spain, if you want peace and happiness come to Arills

Phil

[iluvsangeorge]

Nowadays the choice of which way to do it is a complete lottery, and no-one can say which is cheaper for other people, or even how much it will cost them when flight prices can change several times a day.

For example, we have been visiting Corfu for many years both independantly and packages, and I constantly check out the package prices and flight prices from airports within a 3 hours car journey.

This year we were planning to go 'independant' in May to our friends' apartments which they provide for us at no cost if there are vacancies, so we leave it 'lateish' but not very late.
Admittedly our choice of dates was limited by his other bookings and our own commitments but believe me due to the very high flight prices then we saved well £200 for 2 of us by booking instead a Thomsons 11 day package at nearby Theo's Hotel taking into account transfers, even though we would have no charge for our friend's accommodation ! Breakfasts were also included in that package.

We still saw just as much of our friends by visiting and spending time with them most days so everyone was happy.

We had checked Easyjet which was not really a viable option for us due to the airport distances coupled with times of check-in,  "extras" such as suitcases, and boarding organisation, plus the flight prices were NOT cheap.

So now it's back to the Internet and flight lottery for our autumn Corfu trip but this time it must be 'flight only' to stay with our friends.

Dennis