Yippie! I've booked my flight.........But, book early in future!

[martin-w]

Hi All!
Booked my flight today with Thomson, from Cardiff CWL departing 0715hrs, 7th. May. Arriving at Corfu at 1235pm. local time. Could have gone to Bristol, where there was an evening flight, but decided the flight times from Cardiff were better.
Went on line and was quoted £309 (at Christmas it was £258). I had delayed booking to give my cousin a chance to come with me, but she has to cancel due to a hospital admission/operation. Still £268 from Bristol, but the flight does not arrive until 0035hrs. 8th.May.
Decided to go for Cardiff, Gatwick was quoted at £288, but that would involve a 6 hour coach trip at £81 return, so no thanks!
I started the booking procedure, and got a surprise. Flight £309, plus taxes and charges £39.60, meals £15, baggage (used to be up to 23kg free) now £20, seat reservation £15, card surcharged at 2.5%= £10, giving a grand total of £409!
I was a bit miffed and felt I had been 'ripped off' by these 'hidden' charges.
A friend of mine works for Thomson and she told me that she wasn't surprised. The company have now reduced the scheduled flights to one a week from Cardiff, so seats are now at a premium. Thomson keep so many seats for 'all in deals', and sell flight only seats at a higher price, particularly since Corfu has been the 'start off' port for many popular cruises, so they are 'targeting' the 'spare' seats to this market.
Apparently, you can 'risk it' and leave it until the flight is almost about to leave, and if there are any 'spare' seats, they may be offered at a 'discount'. Given the fact that one plane, one date situation, I doubt there will be any 'spare' seats available.
Anyway, all done and dusted now, looking forward to my holls in Arillas!
Yammas,
Martin.

[Erja]

Better late than never Martin! Now you can start the serious preparations

[TONYNEW]

Good on you Martin you can now sit back and just wait for your hols

[Paul D]

Good news, Martin. That`s a weight off your mind, now.
I agree with you about all the extras- before long we`ll have to stump up more just to have wings on the plane - £100 off  if not!!!!.
 Time regulators got on the airlines` case. For years we`ve had 20kg, now 15 kg.They can`t even use that as an excuse for `greener` flying, cos if you are willing to pay, then the aircraft carries the weight anyway.

    Yammas     Paul

[Sandy x]

Martin, I was going to say you had done better than I had from Bournemouth. Our flights on 5 May with Palmair were £335 each, including tax, baggage and a meal. I've just checked and they are still the same but whether they will come down nearer the time remains to be seen.....but as you say, as there is only one flight a week, you run the risk that it may be full. I am going with them again on 6 October - only £59 to fly out, but £220 to come back so we are returning to Gatwick with Easyjet for £38. Good flight times each way.

There was a sale of Thomson flights in February - I kept getting emails from them. We could have flown reasonably cheaply with them from Bournemouth in May but it was a night flight and my dad can't cope with that this year. Maybe you could look out for the Thomson sale next year Martin because there did seem to be some reductions.

[riggers]

Well done Martin.... I also just love early morning flights. Arillas by noonish.. yayyyyyyyyy

[justphil]

Well done Martin. £409 sounds horrendous to me. £818 for two is more than we have paid for two weeks in July including accommodation. You are dead right - book early.

However you now know you will be there as planned and can just relax and look forward to it. Great news

Phil

[Janis]

Well done, Martin - bet you're more than excited now! We paid for our holiday last night - booked online early thru Thomson, staying two weeks at Kaloudis - £652 for both of us last two weeks in May.
In Sept/Oct we got flights for both of us for £190 from Manchester but thru Easyjet. Flight times not as good, arriving 10.35 pm but leaving daft o'clock (about 1.00am) but think we can just about cope with that!
See you in May!
Love
Janis x

[justlynn]

What a relief, Martin.  You may not have got the best deal ever, but at least you can just relax now knowing that it is all booked.

Just a shame we miss you this year.

Lynn & Colin xx

[kevin.g]

martin well done
warm the place up for us ....yammas

[justphil]

Martin mate, like our kev says, keep it warm for us. Sandy will have warmed up my bench.... she always does. We both so wish we could join you early crew to watch the fireflies. O well, we'll be there in spirit

Phil
 

[Janis]

We'll all get together for a drink and raise our glasses to you, Phil and Jen!

Janis x

[martin-w]

Hi All!
Flight booked and all done and dusted, must confirm my arrival time with Dorita at The Bardis Sun Hotel to get my taxi transfer booked.Really getting in the Arillas mood now. The countdown clock starting to mean something at last.It will be my fifth trip to Arillas!  Think I go up a 'notch' on my Arillas Forum status.
Will keep everything warm folks! I promise to test all the beer, Retsina, wine and food! Hope those firefly's aren't shy.
Looking forward to a great May 'get together'!
Yammas,
Martin.

[kevin.g]

martin
already looking forward to one of the first of the season reports from you ........yammas

[martin-w]

Rang Dorita today. All arranged for 7th. May! Can't wait, really looking forward to my two weeks home in Arillas. Reports and photos will follow a.s.a.p. Kev, Phil, I'll try to photograph the firefly's, but the little b*****s are a bit shy on film. Got an new camera, 12 meg pixels, low light enabled, may get some results! We must have a get together Janis, Brouklis here we come! Lynne and Collin, see you in September/October?
Yammas,
Martin.