Air Travel Secrets
Five Ways To Travel In Comfort And Style For Less Than A Budget Air Fare
Budget airlines are often far from budget! Many simply fly to destinations that offer you no other choice of direct carrier, so you are forced to use them and they charge you heftily for the privilege. In peak periods, we have all heard of absurd one way easyJet or Ryan Air prices; £800 one way from London to Hurghada, for example, and that does not even include the luggage which with most budget airlines costs extra! As a result, many people who hate the hoards and unwashed aspect of rip off ‘budget’ travel, have become extremely creative. Do you want to know how? We share with you five ways to avoid the crowds and arrive in style without burning a hole in your pocket.s
RULE NO 1 – Choose your Carrier Wisely
If you still wish to fly with commercial carriers, think outside the box for your choice of carrier. For example, some of the non-EU carriers still have Business Class configurations that mean ‘business class’. Big wide seats, individually served meals and generous free baggage allowances. Effectively, they are still living in the 80’s sense of business class travel not the cut down version that European carriers make us all put up with today.
When flying to destinations, always ask about the local carrier don’t just slog it out with the usual budget suspects. Carriers that still provide an excellent Business Class are Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airlines, Corsair (France) , Air Serbia, Etihad, Egypt Air, Royal Air Maroc and Emirates. Always take a look at these carriers when considering a flight. You will be amazed by their route networks and what good value they really provide considering that everything is included.
RULE NO 2 - BOOK VIA THE WEBSITE DOMAIN
Every carrier has different tariffs that reflect the living wage and currencies of the country it operates from. Passengers can save thousands just by paying in local currencies from countries where the lower cost of living dictates the prices. Examples are flights out of North African domains are three times cheaper than out of London. UK domains are always HIGH cost and passengers are financially mugged. Likewise, never buy a flight out of a Swiss domain.
RULE No 3 - EMPTY LEG PRIVATE JET TRAVEL
If you are a group and you wish to fly to Tivat, Ibiza or somewhere within 3 hours flight, then it often works out cheaper to log on to a private jet site such as www.emptyleg.com and see what they are offering. The rich and famous are thrifty and they hate paying for empty return legs for jets to return. So the company puts the empty legs out to market so to speak. You have to take the time and location that suits them. However, a private jet flight from Luton to Palma in peak season for example can work out as little at £350 per person with 90kg of luggage. That beats easyJet. There are plenty of sites offering such services, simply Google ‘private jet one way services’ and a plethora of options will turn up.
RULE NO 4 - JOIN A MEMBERSHIP CLUB
Surfair.com is a private carrier out of Biggin Hill which offers clients limitless flights for a monthly membership fee or big ticket bundles on private jets to popular destinations such as Zurich, Geneva, Cannes, Ibiza and Palma. Clearly, if you fly a lot, which many summer commuters do, it works out cheaper than paying peak budget prices every time. The service is sort of semi-scheduled and booking is done through an App at a moment’s notice.
RULE NO 5 - ASK THE LOCAL 5-STAR HOTEL CONCIERGE OR ASK US.
Strange but true! Many private jet owners, being rich for a reason and secretly lonely, discreetly put their spare seat capacity out for “tender” even when they are on the plane themselves. Always dress smartly and ask the concierge of the local prestigious 5 star hotels if they happen to “know” of any private jet options locally. Miraculously, after a whispered phone call, you are the recipient of a “don’t tell your friends” offer. We have had our travel guests cadge lifts for as little as £250 and even made some good business deals with the owners on the way. It was worth asking the question!!
As you can see, when you have had enough of the false economies of budget airlines, the disappointing customer care and pseudo-business class, there are many tricks for you to get more comfortable and affordable air travel than you might have imagined.
For any further advice our travel experience team would be glad to help. Get in touch now.
