 Poster: A snowHead
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Here is my story.
Left the office having just checked EJ for all my preferred routes. They were still not on sale at the time of my departure. Knowing that once on sale they would rise sharply, I rushed to the bus stop. I only live a 25 minute walk from work, but minutes could be critical, and an extra couple of quid seemed worth it - also I had to run a quick errand at Waitrose.
So I caught the bus, and got to the supermarket. It was busy, and I struggled to maintain my composure as I wriggled past the hordes of sluggish customers, all blocking the isles whilst checking the organic credentials of yams and suchlike.
Got to the checkout, paid, left.
Now half way home, and still aware of the time factor, I decided to catch another bus. I felt, for some unfathomable reason, uneasy about this, but logically I concluded it was the sensible thing to do.
Then, in slow motion, just as I saw the bus approaching, a herring gull the size of a swan swooped low over me and WHAMMO. A pint or so (estimated) of thick, warm, horror landed right in my left ear. Decorum prevented me from getting on a bus dripping with guano, so I ran home as fast as my legs would carry me (a velocity which I would describe as "not very fast").
Dilemma. Sit surfing for Easyjet flights covered in shit, or take a shower. Not being either homeless or French I decided on the latter.
Got only half dried, and rushed to the laptop. It took 8 failed attempts to connect to the internet.
Luton to Grenoble, half term, £160 each.
Did anyone on the same flight do any better than that by getting in earlier? If so, I'm buying a gun and shooting every single seagull I see from now on, and also a bag full of slothful Waitrose customers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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paulio,  that gull was just preparing you for the check-in, the boarding and the flight. Lucky for you you weren't trying to book Ryanair... then you're talking albatross.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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That's not too bad. I looked at that week for 2 of us from BRS to INN and it was nearly £300 each!! I booked the week after @£173.00 for the pair of us.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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erica2004, that's very interesting, and challenges the conventional wisdom that - last minute deals excepted - you should book as early as possible.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hang on, my ambiguity alarm just went off.
Do you mean you booked your holiday for a different week, or that you waited a week before booking and your flight costs for the 14th went down?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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paulio, dude, you don't get luckier than birds poopin' on your head... no way anyone got them cheaper...
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paulio, easyjet flights do go down as well as up - GVA-EDI return weekend of May 6 was going to be >£375 return for the pair of us when I checked in (?) January but came down to about £120 return each two weeks in advance...
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On FR or EZ flights which are not going to be fully booked six weeks in advance is supposed to be the best time to find the cheapest flights. Rises can be very sharp thereafter. Should not have told everyone this, of course, but I may be out of date.
BA use a different model for seat pricing where filling seats is less important.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I have found, many times, that Ryanair bring down their prices EXACTLY two weeks before the departure date; this happened to me one year when I wanted to go away over Easter weekend.
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If you book early with easyJet and prices drop thereafter you can get the difference back in credit vouchers; takes a bit of doing, though, hanging on their expensive phone line. Last time I looked into it there was no way of doing it online; I suppose they don't want to make it too easy. But for a big difference it would be worth doing, and takes the hesitation out of booking early. I don't know whether Ryanair do the same.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| parlor wrote: |
| paulio, dude, you don't get luckier than birds poopin' on your head... no way anyone got them cheaper... |
Being the recipient of the "Gulls Of Navarone" didn't feel all that lucky at the time, I must say. Still, I got an insight into how it might feel to be a porn actress.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| pam w wrote: |
| If you book early with easyJet and prices drop thereafter you can get the difference back in credit vouchers; takes a bit of doing, though, hanging on their expensive phone line. Last time I looked into it there was no way of doing it online; I suppose they don't want to make it too easy. But for a big difference it would be worth doing, and takes the hesitation out of booking early. I don't know whether Ryanair do the same. |
This, here, is excellent information. Does Stelios do some "you won't find it cheaper, even with us, guaranteed" thing, then? Excellent.
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pam w, I am astonished, but sure enough, digging deeply enough on their website (you have to read the Ts&Cs and who would ever do that...,
"2 Price promise
Any easyJet passenger who has made a booking and subsequently finds that lower fares (when taken together with all applicable charges) for the same easyJet flight have become available will be refunded the difference as a credit against future flights on easyJet. The only exception to this is if the lower fares are part of a promotional offer. Please note that each Journey will be treated separately. This credit will be valid for use against bookings made within 6 months from the date of issue. It will expire at midnight on the expiry date and the validity of the credit file cannot be extended.
To qualify for a refund the fare must be still available for sale and must be for the same date, destination, and flight number.
If your price promise request is in respect of a booking that has been subject to a "flight transfer" or "name change" (see relevant paragraphs below), easyJet will not refund below the value of the original fare paid in the initial booking. All transfer fees and name change fees are non-refundable.
To make a claim the passenger must telephone our call centre on 0871 244 2366 (calls cost 10p per minute; calls from mobiles and other networks may cost more. For other telephone numbers visit the contact us section.) Claims made by fax, letter, or email cannot be accepted."
So you're probably better off doing nothing rather than swapping a long and egregiously expensive phone bill for some qEasy credit notes...  I wonder, however, just how open the "claims by, etc." would be open to challenge. I see exactly why they're doing it but still. They'd probably actually make more money by flying no flights and just getting people to call in looking for refunds.
OMIGOD! - have I just invented the virtual airline? no stress, no hassle, just sit listening to music-on-hold under a sun lamp for your two weeks holiday? At least you wouldn't lose your luggage.
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You know it makes sense.
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| paulio wrote: |
Then, in slow motion, just as I saw the bus approaching, a herring gull the size of a swan swooped low over me and WHAMMO. A pint or so (estimated) of thick, warm, horror landed right in my left ear. Decorum prevented me from getting on a bus dripping with guano, so I ran home as fast as my legs would carry me (a velocity which I would describe as "not very fast").
Dilemma. Sit surfing for Easyjet flights covered in shit, or take a shower. Not being either homeless or French I decided on the latter. |
I would take that as an omen to avoid anything with wings for your selected dates and take the ferry instead! 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| David Murdoch wrote: |
pam w, I am astonished, but sure enough, digging deeply enough on their website (you have to read the Ts&Cs and who would ever do that...,
"2 Price promise
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To make a claim the passenger must telephone our call centre on 0871 244 2366 (calls cost 10p per minute; calls from mobiles and other networks may cost more. For other telephone numbers visit the contact us section.) Claims made by fax, letter, or email cannot be accepted."
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If you want to try and avoid that 10p/min, this thread may be of interest:
http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1104504432
Some alternative non-premium numbers might be:
01582 700036
01293 426554
Or at a push 0031 235684880
I have never tried this, if anyone gets any success out of these, please post and say so.
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Poster: A snowHead
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^ good heads up there on those numbers paulio.
It's outrageous that Easyjet charge for customer service though, surely it's a consumer right not to be charged by a company in such circumstances!?!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
surely it's a consumer right not to be charged by a company in such circumstances!?!
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I agree it's outrageous, but they all seem to use the wretched 0870 numbers these days; I use saynoto0870 a fair bit - the number for eurotunnel found on that site DOES work. I personally always try to find a way of using a geographical number - and I always haved a warm glow towards companies that use them. Even the 0845 numbers are very annoying if you have, as most of us do these days, phone services with free calls to geographical numbers.
With my car insurance company I asked them for a number I could use from France, and got one. It works fine and, even better, on the odd times I've used it I get through to the same girl, who seems very good.
The 0031 number above is not likely to work?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
The 0031 number above is not likely to work
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Not much point if it does, it would cost more, it's a number in Holland.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well this is the "global" ski club so I thought a Dutch number was fair game. Also, some people have special phone tariffs which would make that cheaper than an 0871.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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paulio, It will be probably cheaper as David Murdoch, says, to do nothing and take the hit! It probably has cost you a fair amount in relation to your time already. Enjoy the holiday!
They know these are times families want to go together, supply and demand, no doubt it will be a different figure in Mid January! The airlines know and take advantage!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Also, some people have special phone tariffs which would make that cheaper than an 0871.
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yes, good point - I do!
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| Roy Hockley wrote: |
paulio, It will be probably cheaper as David Murdoch, says, to do nothing and take the hit! It probably has cost you a fair amount in relation to your time already. Enjoy the holiday!
They know these are times families want to go together, supply and demand, no doubt it will be a different figure in Mid January! The airlines know and take advantage! |
It has cost me a fair amount in shampoo and laundry.
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| Quote: |
I would take that as an omen to avoid anything with wings for your selected dates and take the ferry instead!
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...but don't go up on deck!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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paulio, I think it's exceedingly improbable that the flights you bought will go down in price - you got a pretty good deal I reckon. I bet they're much more today.
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| Colin B wrote: |
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The 0031 number above is not likely to work
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Not much point if it does, it would cost more, it's a number in Holland. |
Our tariff with Talk Talk includes free calls to overseas numbers, so it would be good to know if the Dutch number works or not.
PS Just tried 01582 700036, option 1, and got through.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 15-07-08 13:26; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| paulio, I think it's exceedingly improbable that the flights you bought will go down in price - you got a pretty good deal I reckon. I bet they're much more today. |
Definitely. I don't think for a moment that they'll dip below the price I bought them. I checked this morning though and they're only a little more. They have definitely gone up and then down again since I got them.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Just ring them from work.
Or use Skype at 1p . min to any number
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You know it makes sense.
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paulio, Sorry - i meant I booked the 22nd Feb instead of the 15th. In fact when EJ opened booking for the BRS - INN, the half term week was still £300.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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i thin its perfectly fair for airlines to charge what they want when they want.. its all supply and demand,, if you want to secure early flights then the airline willmay offer mid range prices to fill seats,, if sales go well then expect to pay more to secure your flights nearer the end of the year.. if you have the balls wait untill the last minute..
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Poster: A snowHead
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its perfectly fair for airlines to charge what they want when they want
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Agreed. When airlines carry skis "free" it just means that those without so much baggage are subsidising those with lots. If there are people desperate enough and rich enough to pay £2K just for flights for half term, it's good business sense for the airlines to take it. And the sooner we pay £X per kilo for combined passenger and baggage weight the better. That might reduce some costs for families whose skinny 3 year olds are paying full cost and subsidising great fat lardy adults.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Exactly why all gulls should be shot out of the sky like the vermin they are - rats with wings!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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pam w, That might be true if passengers were lumped into the hold and squashed in. Until that time, it is the seat being paid for.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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beequin, since we already treated as self loading luggage by many airlines, I am with Pamw on this one.
Why should a lardy so-and-so not pay excess, when the whole purpose of charging the baggage by weight rather than volume is to allegedly counter the increased fuel usage.
Free the skinny 3 year old!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| beequin wrote: |
| pam w, That might be true if passengers were lumped into the hold and squashed in. Until that time, it is the seat being paid for. |
That implies a volume charge, not a weight charge.
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| laundryman wrote: |
| beequin wrote: |
| pam w, That might be true if passengers were lumped into the hold and squashed in. Until that time, it is the seat being paid for. |
That implies a volume charge, not a weight charge. |
Exactly...more weight = more fuel...That's the main cost and the main reason why they're doing they best to put people off checking bagages...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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pam w, a totally valid free market concept.. but alas you may struggle to get it past the p.c. fattist lobbies.. luggage will be limited to 20 kg a bag soon as the average baggage handler is not as tough as they used to be and will put their back out lifting it up.. unless you pay up and travel premium or upper .. in which case in these credit crunch times they will carry you to the plane, never mind the luggage
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