Flying to Europe: 2003
How do you find the best airfare to Europe — on a flight that's cheap, convenient, and reliable? Rick and the ETBD team usually let their trusted travel agents do the work for them. But some people prefer to research fares online and and make the reservations themselves. What's your strategy and why?
If you have questions about flying, we suggest you talk to a travel agent. You can also check out Rick's advice on flying.
Read the Distillation: Best Tips for Flying Smart, 2005
Re: Air India
I flew on Air India this summer RT from Chicago to London and it was very
much worth the low price. Service was excellent - the flight attendants
were great; anyone scared about the food, shouldn't worry, there are "American"
and "Indian" foods that were just fine; and the checking in was smooth.
Jenny
WI USA Sat 12/27/2003
Horrible Lufthansa service
We took a one week trip to Lufthansa in early November on Lufthansa Portland,
Oregon to Rome via Frankfurt. Although we made the reservation months in
advance prerequesting seats our assigned seats were not honored and we were
treated very rudely by the gate agents. The seats were very tight on leg
room in economy and the food was very mediocre. Since this was an anniversary
flight I expected to sit next to my husband. We were at the airport 3 hours
early for check in....all to no avail.
nancy <email>
corvallis, or USA Tue 12/23/2003
Canadians travelling via the US to Europe
To any Canadian thinking he can save a few hundred dollars (euros) by travelling
by way of the US. Forget it. The additional hassle of US customs either
at ground border stations or through airport pre-clearance isnt worth it.
Alfred Zeigen
Ottawa, Can Mon 12/22/2003
Airline Tickets
I just purchased tickets from Charlotte, NC to Frankfurt, Germany for May
travel on US Airways for $298, including all taxes.
Stone <email>
columbia, sc USA Tue 12/16/2003
Air miles and European air tickets
In considering price for air tickets to Europe, one should consider the
value of the air miles that are or are not attached. Some outlets like Priceline
shortchange you by not awarding air miles at all. It is generally considered
that one air mile is worth 2 cents if used to best effect. Generally a round
trip to Europe from many places in the US would give you about 10,000 air
miles, 40% of the number required for one free domestic ticket. Thus the
air miles attached to a ticket to Europe are worth about $200. for a non-elite
frequent flyer program member. For an elite level ff member they may be
worth double that. A budget traveller should also be wary of certain airlines
that discriminate against buyers of low fares on awarding either regular
miles or elite qualification miles. Those that treat budget travellers unfairly
on air miles include British Airways, Delta (see www.saveskymiles.com ),
Continental, and any European partner of American Airlines if you are trying
to put the miles on American. Those that are fair to budget travellers include
Northwest, United, USAir, American (except using their partners), Air France,
and KLM.
Dave S.
USA Sat 12/13/2003
Priceline.com Tickets
Today I purchased from Priceline.com 3 round-trip tickets for March 21 to
March 30 - from Sacramento, CA to Paris, France for $489.23 each including
$25.00 travel insurance! Excellent price....although there is a stop-over
in Houston both ways.
Sarah <email>
Rocklin, CA USA Fri 12/12/2003
Excessive ticket taxes
The ridiculous and rising taxes on international air tickets makes me think
of Boston Harbour and English tea! Where will it stop? It is now all too
commonplace to get gouged for well over $100 tax on a ticket to Europe.
Isn't this in effect governmental terrorism against air travlers? Yes, we
did have 9/11, but why is it that the air travellers have to shoulder the
burden? After all, the terrorists were not mad at airlines or air travellers
but at policies of government. Thus, airport security should be a general
expense of govenment, not something foisted off on air travellers through
exhoribant taxes.
Steve
USA Thu 12/11/2003
AirFrance Bargain
I purchased 4 rt tickets from Atlanta to Basel via AirFrance for base fare
$380 travelling in June 2004. Since the Basel Airport (EuroAirport) serves
Basel, Switzerland as well as Mulhouse, France and Friborg (sp), Germany,
it has at least 2 different airport codes. When searching for Basel (BSL)
we found nothing by high rates. However searching for Mulhouse (MLH) the
bargain fare popped up on Travelocity. I attempted to book directly with
AirFrance, but could not find a fare under $1200 for the same flight.
Tim Mynatt <email>
Knoxville, TN USA Wed 12/10/2003
New York to London
Thanks to the poster below for mentioning cheaptickets.com. I just booked
a flight for August 04 from Newark to Heathrow for $309 on British Airways!
I have been scouring the web for 3 weeks looking for something less than
the $603 on BA through Hotwire. You can fly in August on Air-India for $405
but the reviews of this airline are a bit scary...also found Kuwait Air
for $570 (which I would fly). BTW, check out www.airlinequality.com for
some excellent information and passenger reviews of virtually any airline
you can think of.
Jeff Stover
Lock Haven, PA USA Sun 12/07/2003
Gatwick vs Heathrow
I recently was living in East Sussex and only used Gatwick. I found the
airport to be perfect for college students who are traveling to the coastal
cities of Brighton and Eastbourne. The train goes directly into Gatwick
making it easy to gain access to London as well. It is easier than taking
the tube from LHR into the city. Especially with a lot of baggage.
Evan Chapman <email>
Saratoga, NY USA Sun 12/07/2003
Flying to Europe
I just got a $550 fare out of Detroit to Paris, 17 June-2 July on CheapTickets.
The fare was only available with a Thursday departure. On Wednesday the
same flights were about $1300! So if you need a flight out of Detroit, I
wish you the same luck I had!
Gini <email>
Grand Ledge, MI USA Fri 12/05/2003
Virgin Atlantic
We had a great experience flying Virgin Atlantic from SFO to Heathrow in
Sep. The service was friendly. The food was excellent. Almost delicious!
Also the plane had individual personal entertainment units on the back of
each seat so you could watch movies on demand (over 50 choices!) watch sitcoms
or news, watch your progress on the flight tracker, play video games and
even interactive games with the other passengers on the plane. Plus they
give out a cute little bag with socks, earplugs, eyemask, pillow, blanket,
etc when you board. It made the 11 hour trip a lot more enjoyable. One thing
though, make sure you arrive at the virgin check in counter at heathrow
with 3 full hours. We almost missed our plane waiting in line.
Laura <email>
Fremont, CA USA Wed 12/03/2003
Czech Air Newark to Prague
The Airbus was big but packed. Seemed they took out all but one bathroom
to accommodate more seating so you always had people in the aisles waiting
on line. There might have been one bathroom in the back but the line was
always coming forward. Overhead TV's, no individual TV screens. Free booze.Americans
traveling back to NYC area have a special check in counter at the Prague
airport.
Marie
Verona, NJ USA Tue 12/02/2003
Gatwick vs. Heathrow
When I fly to London, I usually fly into Heathrow, but I did fly into Gatwick
once. The airport itself was not bad and wasn't as busy as Heathrow. But
we had a package that included our plane tickets and transport to and from
hotel via a tour bus. So the problem was the traffic on the M-25 in the
morning from Gatwick to London: it took us almost 4 hours to get into the
central city. And when it's 8 am local time but 3 am in your mind, that
trip does not sit well. This year we flew into Heathrow and took the Tube
to our hotel and it was great. It got more crowded as we got closer to London,
but from now on I will take the Tube. It's cheap and very quick.
George <email>
pa USA Mon 12/01/2003
Cheap airfare on-line
I prefer to do my own shopping on-line, although it's rather time consuming.
After searching for cheap air fares for several hours and changing cities
and dates often during my search, I purchased tickets through American Airlines'
website for $382 round trip (from Memphis) flying into London and out of
Rome five weeks later for Spring 2004.
Jane McClung <email>
Memphis, TN USA Fri 11/28/2003
Gatwick vs. Heathrow
In response to steve below regarding his preference for flying into London's
Gatwick Airport over Heathrow - I can't compare them myself since I've only
gone into Heathrow, however I can say that there is also a Heathrow Express
train that goes direct from the airport to Paddington station, so the tube
isn't the only economical option from Heathrow into London. Most of the
time travelers don't get a choice of arrival airports, it is determined
by where you're coming from and what airline you fly.
Daisy
CA USA Wed 11/26/2003
cheapair.com
I just bought two tickets Boston-London, roundtrip, july 1st-september 1st,
for $975 total on Cheapair.com..this is about 400 dollars less than I've
found anywhere else!! yay!
Ceej <email>
Sacramento, CA USA Thu 11/13/2003
Cheap fare to London
AA just released a fare sale to London. Low Season $200, Shoulder $300,
Peak $500. Fly Mon, Tues, Wed.
Bob <email>
Dallas, TX USA Fri 11/07/2003
RE: British Airways Gateway Cities Sale
I just booked mine! Whoo hoo... I'm going back! $333 for RT/NS SFO to London.
Now if I could just get the exchange rates to favor the dollar...
Jason <email>
Reno, NV USA Tue 11/04/2003
Cheap Flights
I followed the advise of an earlier posting to check out 1800flyeurope.com
for cheap air fare. After stressing about expensive flights, I was delighted
to find a flight from Cleveland to Paris for only $403. I called the toll
free number before booking to get more information and the very helpful
ladies on the other end booked me over the phone for no additional charge.
They even changed my mom's return flight to fly into Dallas at no additional
charge! We just got back and the flights were great.
Beth <email>
Rossford, OH USA Tue 11/04/2003
British Airways Gateway Cities Sale
Check out this British Airways sale: fly from any of their gateway cities
for just $100 each way (plus tax). Airfare from Denver, just $298!! Of course,
fares vary depending on day of departure, and deadline for travel is April
6. Fares on sale only three days - through November 6. Go to www.ba.com
GCP
CO USA Tue 11/04/2003
I second Airport Connection
We needed to get from DeGaulle to Rue Cler with a five-month old and an
extra bag. We reserved with Airport Connection and the driver was waiting
for us at baggage claim as promised. There was a slight delay waiting for
the pickup of a couple of other passengers but they were dropped on St.
Germaine des Pres and we were dropped next on Rue Cler in front of our hotel.
Much easier with a baby than an Air France bus, which would have dropped
us at Esplanade des Invalides, two Metro stops away, or the RER-Metro connection
itself. It's worth the reasonable fare.
Doug
Portland, OR USA Mon 11/03/2003
Paris Airport Shuttle
There is no convenient way to get to the Rue Cler on public transport from
Charles De Gaulle Airport (except via a rather long, unpleasant train ride
with at least one transfer). Not easy to do on jet lag. But now I have found
a simple, easy and relatively inexpensive way to get there. I use Airport
Connection, a door to door shuttle service that meets you and takes takes
you directly to your hotel. Fee: 35 Euro for two; 25 for one. This service
also runs from Orly. They will also take you back to the airport, and I
have found them always to be on time and in plenty of time for my flight.
A useful service if you are not up to hopping on and off trains. Phone Paris
Airport Connection for reservations: from the US 011-33-1 44 18 36 02, or
go to their website: www.airport-connection.com.
Sally B <email>
Wynnewood, PA USA Fri 10/31/2003
Air Consolidaters Network
After months of careful planning for our first trip to Europe, we were surprised
that our return flight tickets, purchased through Air Consolidaters Network
on the internet, were for flights that did not exist. Air Canada cuts back
their schedule after Oct. 15th and our flight was on Oct. 24th. Fortunately,
Spanair works with Air Canada and was able to rebuild our flights home.
It took 32 hours to get from Madrid to San Francisco, but we made it. The
disturbing part was that this flight was doomed and no one picked up on
it. I tried to confirm the flight online, but that failed, seemingly for
some unrelated reason. The lesson is to speak with real people when planning
a trip of this magnitude.
Stan Clark <email>
Santa Rosa, CA USA Fri 10/31/2003
Europe Air Passes
We used Europebyair.com air passes on our most recent trip to Italy in September
to fly between Venice and Catania. We purchased the passes prior to our
trip and had Europebyair do the flight reservations for us. Although each
pass was $99, we had to pay about $30 each in airport fees when we turned
in our passes for tickets at the Venice airport. When the airport fees are
added to the price of the pass, the passes become much less of a good deal.
In fact, we were able to book a one way flight from Catania to Milan through
a local travel agent in Catania for about $80 and this incuded all fees
and taxes. My advice would be to look at the fares of the new low fare airlines
in Europe before you buy airpasses.
David Hochede <email>
Tucson, Az USA Wed 10/29/2003
Getting around in Europe
My husband and I are taking a Rick Steves tour in Spain and Portugal next
year. While researching flights I found a link on his site to Europe passes
(flights within Europe for only $99 each leg). With this in mind, I found
a cheap flight to London a few days before our tour leaves Madrid and plan
on using the passes to get to Madrid, make a few stops in Europe after our
tour, and finally get back to London for an extra few days of sightseeing
and then our flight home. Return trip costs to the same city (as opposed
to 'open-jaw') are much cheaper and these passes offer limitless possibilities
and save tons of time (and money) versus taking the train.
Wendy Jones <email>
Hesperia, CA USA Tue 10/21/2003
Airlines flag light packing
Our family of four, including our two sons (10 and 8) just returned from
a trip to Paris where we stayed in an apartment one door down and six floors
up from Tarte Julie on Rue Cler...it was great. For the first time, each
of us had a backpack suitcase and carried our own stuff. Since we had a
washer in the apartment, I was able to pack very light for everyone, and
we had no baggage to check. It was surprising to us that both in the US
and in Paris, we were questioned about our lack of luggage. In fact, we
were detained in Paris when boarding the plane to be questioned at some
length by an official. We overheard the attendant say that we were 'une
famille sans baggage'. Apparently this is a red flag for airlines. It was
a small inconvenience, but a surprise to us.
Janice March <email>
Valencia, CA USA Wed 10/15/2003
Air France loses luggage
Do not book a flight through Delta/Air France that has a transfer. Our checked
luggage did not make the transfer. It took us 3 days to get it back. Luckily
we got it back before we left Rome. The rest of the trip, all we heard was
comments from other flyers that had experienced problems with Air France
and luggage. They just don't care about your luggage.
Nathan Held <email>
Sherman, IL USA Wed 10/15/2003
Bereavement Fares From Airline Carriers
I'm a retired Brit who spends up to 6 months at a time in America - and
only discovered this site a week ago. Maybe this recent experience of mine
will help others.
I flew to the US on March 31st this year for my latest 6 month visit with a return date on Sept 26th. On Easter Sunday, 20th April, I got a call telling me my mother was in a coma and had 24-48 hrs to live and so I needed to get back ASAP. I was in a bit of a state but tried all my web sites to get a quick flight home but without success. I then rang the airlines, although I usually had to hand the phone over to friends as my voice as unsteady. I soon found out from all of the kind and considerate staff that airlines run a special offer for people in my situation which knocked a lot off the ticket price, although for once I just wanted 2 tickets and didn't care about the cost. I finally had to go with Continental as no one else could fly me out at such short notice and even with the reduced fare, each ticket was $1045. Yipes.
My friend and I had a 3 hr drive to Detroit airport and just made it in time. After 2 stops we got to Belfast (N. Ireland) and I got to my mom's bedside early evening on Easter Monday. We sat with her overnight and she passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning.....but at least I was there. Continental were wonderful and although I'd been told I'd need to show them a copy of the death certificate on my return to the US to ensure I'd be charged the special fare, when I mentioned this at the check-in desk, they said it was fine. I did have a copy ready if they'd asked for it.
I'm posting this really to let people know that in cases of family bereavement, airlines do have special fares. It can't get you a seat if none are available of course, but it does help financially and from my experience, try NOT to fly at short notice on Easter Sunday !
Just one last thing....I'd not taken my original
September return ticket with me (hey, I wasn't thinking clearly after
all) and so on my return to America after the funeral, I effectively had
no return ticket with me. The INS in Cleveland treated me shamefully and
kept me sitting alone for 2 hrs before even bothering to check with the
airline that I did, in fact, have a return ticket. In the process I missed
my ongoing connection to Detroit. The guy told me I was this far (held
his thumb and finger an inch apart) from being sent back home and at no
time did they show any consideration for my mother's recent death. They
finally let me go with a warning and the whole experience left a very
bad taste in my mouth as I can do nothing about it. They are the ones
with all the power. Hopefully I'll never had to fly into Cleveland again
as they are a small airport and the INS there have plenty of time on their
hands....in their own words.
Ian McKillop <email>
Leeds, UK Mon 10/06/2003
More Room on AA
I hadn't been to London for a couple of years, and I was delighted to fly
an American Airlines 777 recently. They've kept their "more room" promise,
and the seats are comfortably wide. In late September the JFK>Heathrow flight
was 70% full; return flight on a Monday was about 50% full. And the roundtrip
price, around $325, was great.
Susan <email>
Phoenicia, NY USA Sat 10/04/2003
Legroom Warning on SAS
Recently took SAS from Seattle to Copenhagen on the new Airbus A340. It
was a great flight except for one problem. All coach seats have a nice video
screen in the seat back with movies and a minicam view out of the cockpit.
However, every other seat has a computer minitower underneath. It uses up
half the underseat legroom - a special problem for folks over 5' 9". All
the window seats have the minitower - e.g. so get the aisle if you are in
the double seats along the side.
Charlie
University Place, WA USA Sat 10/04/2003
Gatwick beats Heathrow
Flying to London, I would ALWAYS choose Gatwick over Heathrow. The Gatwick
Express connection to Victoria Station in central London sure beats the
Tube from Heathrow. Gatwick is newer and nicer than Heathrow. There is reasonably
priced internet access in the departure area at Gatwick, but not at Heathrow.
Finally the service company that handles check-in for a lot (maybe all)
airlines at Heathrow are despots who exist to prevent people from taking
their carry-ons on board. I have a carry-on that is designed as the maximum
allowable IATA size and have never had a problem with check-in personnel
refusing it due to size, except the jerks at Heathrow. I had flown the same
airline numerous times with that same carry-on and the airline's own personnel
had passed it many times. Not the jerks at the service company manning their
desk at Heathrow. As I waited, I had noticed that this service company was
giving problems to a lot of people over their carry-ons. I would pay extra
to fly through Gatwick and avoid Heathrow. I have never had this problem
at Gatwick and have taken the same carryon through there many times.
steve
NC USA Wed 10/01/2003
Aer Lingus
Last month flew from LAX to Dublin non-stop on Aer Lingus on a family vacation.
It was a new Airbus and a great flight with great service. We went on to
London from Dublin. Frankly, I would never think of Aer Lingus in the league
of British Airways, but thought quality of the aircraft and amenities were
superb. ( They are also part of American Airlines "One World" )
William S. Johnson <email>
Newport Beach, CA USA Sun 09/28/2003
Flight Experiences and Cost Cutting
I am living in Finland right now and had to find an airline that would get
me from Buffalo to Helsinki and then in June from Bucharest, Romania to
Buffalo. I used studentuniverse.com and on their online lookup they listed
a Northwest flight at about 781 USD. I called their customer service line
and the woman was able to get the price down to $661! I couldn't believe
how much money she saved me...
As far as flight carriers, I have flown on American and Northwest trans-atlantic,
and many others within Europe. American was lovely, roomy and the food
was quite edible (they gave us a pizza at one point that was actually
good!) but they do not have complimentary alcoholic drinks. Northwest
was a little cramped, but all of my four flights were on time, a big plus
in my book. They did serve wine free so I had 2 bottles so I could pass
out on the Red Eye. Ryanair, I have flown with several times and have
not been displeased. They take you to further out airports, but the cost
of their flights is so low that I think its worth it. EasyJet is just
like Ryanair in my opinion only way more expensive! KLM was a little below
my expectations. The plane from Amsterdam to Helsinki was in disrepair
and loud, and the seats weren't very comfortable. Finnair was, well, GREAT.
Its expensive for international flights, but inside Finland, they have
some great deals. I flew standby to Oulu (600 km) for 48 euros, cheaper
than the train. And they have cameras outside the plane so you can watch
landing and takeoff, and the ground below if you aren't by a window.
Dana <email>
Buffalo, NY USA Thu 09/25/2003
To Paris on Air France/Delta
I flew to Paris a few weeks ago on Air France, and returned on a Delta flight.
First I have to say how wonderful the Boeing 777 is, esp if you get a seat
in the back of the plane where there seems to be more room! I have to say
though that the Delta flight was exceptional, just that much more comfortable
and the flight attendants were great. Air France meals were great, so was
the wine with dinner. CDG wasn't bad either, a nice airport. Though be aware
that your ride may be waiting for you on the upper level curbside rather
than the level you arrive on. We made the mistake of waiting in the heat
for a while before we figured that out.
Lisa <email>
Flagstaff, Az USA Wed 09/24/2003
Lufthansa, Ryanair, Heathrow, experiences
Just got back from London trip by flying Lufthansa from LAX. We had a stopover
in both directions at Frankfurt. I give very high marks to Lufthansa!
I am a bigger guy.. about 300 lbs at just under 6 feet... I was cozy on Lufthansa.. sat in the aisle seat on the way there and REALLY lucked out on the way back. If you are a pair and fly on a 747, ask for rows 55 or 56 either seats A&B or H&J (there is no I). Instead of 3 seats to the window there are only two.. with some room between the seat and the window to store your backpack! My wife and I were so much more cozy in this arrangement!
High marks also to Ryanair from London Stansted (great airport) to Treviso (north of Venice). Word to the wise, if you expect to get to Venice fast..dont fly into Treviso. I didnt mind since I was visiting family.. but Ryanair runs a shuttle (once as far as I can tell) to take you to Mestre and into Venice. Its about a 45 min. drive. Treviso airport is TINY with almost no services..but they did have rental cars! The departure "lounge" has only a small shop to buy a panini or magazine.. and once you get into the gate, another small shop with good tourist buys. But otherwise it is literally sandwiched along the street like any other business. So tiny.. its funny!
Frankfurt airport is NOT condusive to making tight schedules.. very very busy such that they make your plane circle a few times and park you out on a runway and bus you into your gate. We barely made our connector. Very modern airport though.
Heathrow gets incredibly LOW marks. If you have
an early flight...dont even bother to show up until 5am (ours was at 6:30)
since the staff didnt show up til 5:15am.. and then they had no listing
for what gates to go to. All flights (including a 6:15 flight to Milan)
listed the departure gate as "undetermined" until at 6:05 they finally
started to enlighten the hundreds of passengers waiting to know which
gate. The poor folks heading to Milan then had a 15 minute walk to their
gate according to the signs posted. Our flight was delayed 30 min. because
of this.. although the flight and the crew were waiting at our gate the
entire time. Adding to the delay.. once we checked in, we had to go through
the security screen...which didnt bother to open until 5:45am!! Nearly
200 people were backed up into a queue waiting for the Heathrow staff
to show up for work..and then they had the nerve to tell us to hurry along!
happy traveling.
Dave
Roseville, CA USA Tue 09/23/2003
Flying with a bike
If you cn manage it, SAS will fly your bike for free (usually $75-100 or
more ) as checked luggage. I was lucky enough to travel with two others(non
bikers) so I could spread my other checked luggage needs with them.
Johann <email>
Seattle, wa USA Tue 09/23/2003
Lax to Rome and back..
Check out Michael at Save on Travel.com. We booked today, 9-16-2003 and
received the lowest price anywhere on Lufthansa for flights 10-16-30th,
2003 for &683/pp.
Linda <email>
Encino, Ca USA Tue 09/16/2003
Don't fly US Airways
US Airways is the worst way to fly to Dublin. They bumped me from the flight
to Dublin with no clear explanation. I wasn't able to leave for an additional
3 days. Returning we were delayed landing in Philie b/c of weather. I missed
my connecting flight and had to wait 2 and half hours in line to rebook
a connection the next morning. When I asked about overnight accomadations
they acted insulted that I would expect a little help getting a room.
Tom
Boston, MA USA Fri 09/12/2003
Lufthansa E-tickets
I had a horrible experience with Lufthansa just this week. Flew to Berlin
from Philadelphia, via Frankfurt; and back. Somehow none of the Lufthansa
crew (in all 3 airports) has any clue about E-tickets (which the company
is trying hard to push for). I ended up in lines after lines and argument
after argument and almost missed both connecting flights. Unfortunately
Lufthansa now charges extra for real paper tickets; but I would recommend
anyone who is flying Lufthansa to pay that extra to get paper tickets, until
the counter crew has some clue about E-tickets.
yuen <email>
Philadelphia, PA USA Sun 09/07/2003
Icelandair
Icelandair is a fantastic way to travel to Europe. They don't have terribly
many gates in the US, but if you can get to one of them (try using a bargain
airline like Southwest or Frontier, especially if you live out west), it's
worth it. There is a stopover in Iceland on the way to and from, so you're
not stuck on the plane for 9+ hours, and you can do a stopover (up to 72
hours) in Iceland, which is loads of fun. The planes are verging on comfortable,
the food is--dare I say--edible!!!, and the customer service is outstanding.
The prices tend to be lower than most others, as well. They were also fantastic
about fixing some problems created by Expedia (I'll be sticking with Travelocity...).
Amanda Finley <email>
Clayton, MO USA Sat 09/06/2003
Cheap Spain flights.
I just purchased 3 one way tickets from Santiago, Spain to Madrid for 29
Euros for July 8, 2004. I booked directly from the Spanair website - WOW!
Cheaper than the train - and I save many many hours. Even though they charge
you now, you can change or cancel your flight up to shortly before you go.
Quite a deal!
JP
OR USA Fri 09/05/2003
SPAIN
Leaving for Madrid from Philadelphia on Sept. 15. US Airways round trip
for $399 plus tax (approx 450.) Total. Within the country found flights
from Madrid to Granada, Seville to Madrid and Barcelona to Madrid $33.00
for one way. Excited!!
JEAN <email>
Phildelphia, NJ USA Thu 09/04/2003
I've been looking for cheap flights on reliable airlines from Denver
to Paris for a month or so. Finally found QIXO - searches all the main sites
(Travelocity, orbitz, American, United, who knows...) and came back with
a prices about 50 USD cheaper than I found searching on the sites I know.
It was the perfect time and, while not the perfect price, at least reasonable.
Sharon
USA Tue 08/26/2003
Sometimes you find great deals on the Airlines' websites itself. I
booked tix to Maastricht (small airport in Southern part of the Netherlands)
since I will be staying about 10 minutes away from there. I booked my flight
directly on the Northwest airlines website and saved me about $50.00 a ticket
compared to other websites like Expedia/Travelocity. NWA charges no booking
fees either. It would have been cheaper to fly into Amsterdam, but it would
have cost me more on ground transportation to get to the Maastricht region.
Patrick <email>
Las Vegas, NV USA Sun 08/24/2003
save $$$ on flights
Just a tip. When I book tickets to europe, I use yahoo. Then what you have
to do is the following. Find the cheapest Ariline on yahoo that is offering
you the ticket. Then go to the actual webpage of the airline and buy the
ticket directly from that airline this will save you ~$45-50 that yahoo
woudl charge you for ticketing/handling/sending the ticket for you....
Josh
CA USA Thu 08/21/2003
I would agree that fare shopping and booking through airline or online
agency (Travelocity, Orbitz or the like) website is a better idea! Also
realize that you get what you pay for, I flew four flights around Europe
this summer on British Airways, and it has to have the worst customer service,
and overall organization that I have seen in any airline its size! On the
other hand I have also flown on Ryanair, and while it is a bit inconvenient,
it is also very efficient! Overall, the European airlines make the American
outfits look awfully good!
Jeff
CA USA Fri 08/15/2003
On the airfare website Expedia and Travelocity are wonderful. Orbitz
cost a lot by a few dollars. Anyway,I'm still searching and hoping to find
the ellusive cheap airfare to Europe.
Clint Graves <email>
Raleigh, NC USA Tue 08/12/2003
Didn't see much about Travelocity on the Graffitti Wall. Maybe 'cause
EVERYone knows about them now. Just in case, a novice is reading right now,
I have made ALL my reservations through travelocity the past 2 years. Good
service, no problems, ALWAYS good prices! Just one note, if you plan to
use a travel voucher from an airline, they will not honor it.
Gail
Amsterdam, NL Sat 08/02/2003
Just got roundtrip tickets from Houston to Paris, no layovers, for
$360 from 1800flyeurope.com . Great deal, and great people on the other
end. They also say they have the best deals for renting cars in europe,
but it didnt seem too incredibly cheap ($130 for 3 days in Rome).
Sharky Pants
Austin, TX USA Wed 07/30/2003
i watch air fares on my yahoo they posted 289 r/t from philadelphia
needless to say we booked for 289.[ last thursday ]
mike
plymouth, pa USA Sat 07/26/2003
Been watching air fares all summer long. Finally decided to go with
Virgin Atlantic, based on price and others recommendations. They specifically
state on their site that they offer no student discounts. Well I called
the airline and told them I was a student looking for a student discount.....
and they gave me 18% the ticket price!!! The round trip ticket went from
$600 to $514 roundtrip.
Pete <email>
Long Island, NY USA Thu 07/24/2003
Good prices from WestCoast to Italy
Hey folks... expedia is offering great rates from the west coast open jaw
to Italy right now. Well, let me clarify.. I am traveling next Feb/March.
Anyhow SFO to Rome, then Venice back to SFO for less than $650 pp r/t! On
most major carriers to with only one stop inbetween. Just passing along
what seems to be a good deal. I'm not sure if I am willing to book this
early. Any thoughts on getting good rates for March/April '04 - ie. when
is the optimal time to book. Any other west coasters out there pass along
your deals.
Antony S.
Santa Rosa, ca USA Thu 07/24/2003
I fully accept the validity of what David R says and in the circumstances
that he describes his actions were totally correct, but would like to add
a small warning. Most airlines insist that, once a booking has been retrieved
on the computer, staff must add notes to that booking regarding any conversation
with a customer. This means that staff will not be in ignorance of a previous
conversation with a previous member of staff. This is to stop airlines being
'scammed' by unscrupulous passengers ( sadly there are many of these ).
It also means that ( and I suspect this is what happened in David R?s case
) a floorwalking supervisor can spot a ?bad call? and insist that notes
are added, in case the passenger calls again, in order to give the correct
outcome. This of course in no way excuses the original posting regarding
Continental but you have to understand how many bogus calls there are during
a day to airlines with passengers wanting to change non changeable tickets
due to 'a death in the family'. When the airline asks the caller to ask
the funeral parlour back home to fax a confirmation or for any other appropriate
means of verification ( very simple procedures which are always done by
legitimate callers ) then you start to get an inkling of how genuine the
call is. Most of us have suffered the loss of a close family member and
are sympathetic to genuine callers. I would like to say the airline I work
for would NEVER have treated any passenger in the way Continental did but
I also know we get the odd ?bad egg? in our reservations department ? thank
Heavens they are soon weeded out and asked to leave the company. As David
R pointed out asking for the ticket to be upgraded to a full 'C' class ticket
is always one of the best options and one that is nearly always accepted
by genuine callers. The bogus callers always want something for free and
are nearly always travelling on the very cheapest type of ticket. I am an
airline worker who used to work in an airline?s reservation centre for over
eight years five of which were spent taking calls. Believe me there comes
a time when you realise you have heard it all - from total honesty ( most
) to blackearted professional liar ( a small but annoying minority ). Airlines
do know how to deal with the latter but we ENJOY helping the former. It?s
great to go home at the end of a shift knowing you have been of real help
to someone. So if you ever are in a situation where you need help from an
airline due to a family tragedy or any other legitimate reason please try
and remember ? be truthful, come to the point quickly, be prepared to substantiate
your story if possible and be prepared to pay a small but reasonable amount
if you need changes and are not holding a fully changeable ticket. If non
of that works ? ask to speak to the supervisor !
Al Bishop <email>
Nottingham, UK Sun 07/20/2003
Results
David R.
New York, NY USA Wed 07/16/2003
onetravel.com
I just spent quite some time researching fares for a month-long trip --
Raleigh-Durham (NC) to London, and either London or Amsterdam back to RDU,
leave any day between Sep 2 and Sep 9. I think I visited every site mentioned
here, plus some! Aside from hotwire.com, which sends you to expensive Orbitz
for open-jaws, I found that http://www.onetravel.com/ consistently had the
best price. It also lists the real price, including taxes, unlike some sites
that tease you with "base" prices (I'm looking at you, BestFares).
Kathy <email>
Cary, NC USA Tue 07/15/2003
Saving on airfares
I reserved 2 plane tickets in June to Zurich. One was free with frequent
miles. I reserved them both through American Airlines. Since then the fare
has gone down twice in the same week. I contacted American Airlines and
they are refunding the difference, over $160 for the 1 ticket which I paid
for, and will refund more if the price goes down more. A friend of mine
reserved her tickets on Expedia, and they do nothing if the fare goes down.
Now I check the discount airfare sites, get the lowest fare, then contact
that airline. Often you can get the same rate or a little lower (no fees).
I will be checking their website everyday until we leave in September!
Ginnie <email>
Media, PA USA Fri 07/11/2003
students
The way to go for students traveling abroad is the sta. I have booked well
in advance and saved many dollars
Todd Olsen <email>
Denver, CO USA Tue 07/08/2003
Agent vs. Self
My experience has been that I spend alot of time looking for low priced
fares, but wind up buying through an agent. My situation is that I am flying
out of a regional airport, not a major hub. Advertised "low dollar" deals
usually only apply to the hub, even on-line companies such as Travelocity
and Price-Line will focus on main routes. I have found that agents can cut
through some of this to get a respectable price. It helps tremendously if
you know what options to give the agent for flexibility that translate into
low fares, this is where on-line shopping can help. You learn to leave and
return on a Monday through Thursday, Know the seasons, and know what cities
in Europe are gateway bargains at the moment (For some reason, Brussels
was coming up as lower cost this Spring!) Timing of the purchase matters
as well, tickets for the Spring shoulder season (Late April/May/Early June)
seem to take a dip in February and early March for example as airlines try
to fill flights. In the end, it never hurts to check all your options, but
above all, go with a trusted source.
Paul <email>
IA USA Tue 07/08/2003
Agent or self?
I rarely disagree with Rick, but I have had much better luck doing the work
myself online than with travel agents. So much so that I stopped using travel
agents at all three years ago. I even do all of my own business travel,
even tho the company has an agent. I've routinely found better flights for
a fraction of the cost. One example: My family wanted to go from London
to Dublin. The agent wanted to sign us up for a train to Wales, then a ferry
to somewhere in southern Ireland, and then another train into Dublin, for
$1200 for three people! I found a flight for $300 -- total cost! I also
advise against using ticket brokers; my one and only experience with a broker
left me standing at the ticket counter with an outdated ticket!
Carol
Chicago, IL USA Sun 06/22/2003
Travel Agents & Fees
I'm planning a trip to England this fall and started to research the Web
sites for airfare. A customer (travel agent)where I work said that Aer Lingus
had great fares to Dublin and then on to England. I checked that out and
yes, they had a good fare from Chicago to Dublin. I then went to Orbitz
and found an even cheaper fare from American Airlines direct to Manchester,
England for $60 less and that is through the American web site. I was trying
to find out the best way to get to either Leeds or Newcastle on the web
but wasn't able to. I was going to go to the travel agent BUT after I saw
the fees they charged any fare they could come up with wouldn't be a deal.
I was very surprised at the various charges levied on the customer (haven't
used a travel agent in years and years). I know that not all travel agents
charge such high fees but I don't have the time to research travel agents
too. I think I'll just continue to do it myself.
Betty <email>
Chicago, USA Mon 06/16/2003
air fares
I know that Rick promotes using a travel agent but I have found that booking
over the internet is not only easy but more economical. Several internets
services will monitor fares to various locations and do this free of charge.
Tony Ambrose <email>
Louisville, KY USA Mon 06/16/2003
europe airlines
Take advantage of the super cheap European airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet.
I found a flight from London to Zurich on Easyjet for 11.50 British pounds.
I've flown from London to Salzburg on Ryanair with a passenger who got tickets
for 3 pounds (those are hard to come by - usually about 10-20 pounds).
angel
chicago, il USA Sat 06/07/2003
Air-India
I have found that somtetimes the best way to fly is to take a flight that
originated in another country and is passing through the US to another destination.
I have flown to Brazil on JAL (originating Tokyo through NYC to Sao Paulo)
for cheaper than the major American airlines. For our next trip to Europe,
we plan to use Air-India as it passes through NYC on its way to London.
We have priced seats that are $300 ea. roundtrip in September, lower than
we have seen elsewhere.
Ana B
wallingford, ct USA Sat 06/07/2003
Cheap flights to Europe
Thanks to the Graffiti wall I was able to book fare from Mia to CDG in June
for $326.00 incl. taxes with Auto Europe. Check them out, very good experience...
Jodean Berthume <email>
Lake Worth, Fl USA Sun 06/01/2003
Surviving strikes and flights
Just flew back from Paris on the day the air traffic controllers were striking,
and it turned out to be a surprisingly nice experience! My United flight
was delayed by 8 hours but they made the announcement the night before.
By calling ahead, I knew when my flight would be leaving and could spend
an extra half day in Paris before going to the airport. Then upon arrival,
there were no lines anywhere - in fact, I was literally the only person
in the walkway to "Satellite 1" where the flight gate was. Naturally I wouldn't
have liked it if the flight had been cancelled - nobody could tell me why
this flight was one of the few that made it - but this illustrates how you
can help yourself by calling ahead. Even though the initial message was
in French, which I do not speak, by staying on the line eventually someone
says in English "to continue this call in English, press 2", and after that
I was able to get all the information I needed. During almost four weeks
in France I encountered no anti-American sentiment but ran into several
big demonstrations about their pension plans - I think they're more worried
about their own problems than a handful of American tourists.
Derek <email>
Chicago, Il USA Fri 05/30/2003
French Strikes
I emailed Michael, an artist/guide who lives in Paris that I read about
on this site. I am forwarding his responses for added info here about
the strikes. Also try: www.expatica.com
There are supposed to be strikes happening in France today. These are not yet affecting transportation this week within the city. There are air traffic controller strikes which will affect flights today. Still, Air France is only canceling it's domestic flights and not the international flights. There is a teachers, postal and France telecom strike. None of these should have an affect on any trip this week. The daily street cleaners are working at half staff this week. Now the unions are calling for strikes next week at the start of June. This would probably affect transit within the city. This happened already two weeks ago. I had clients visiting for tours all week long. We did have to walk most of the time, but there were a couple of times I enforced taking what little transit was available. What was open was free, since there were no ticket sellers working. (one couple wanted to get a cab back to their hotel. I knew that this would be next to impossible. As we neared the bus terminal for the line they needed I took them aboard. It was a very crowded ride, but they made it back without much effort.)
The big strike day this month on Tuesday 13May also saw the major sites of Paris close their doors for the day. That included the Eiffel Tower. The following day things were back to normal, but there was still a transit workers slow down.This is worst than a strike because it give you false hope that a train will come. The slowdown by the workers was called illegal here. You can strike as long as you give warning in advance. This didn't stop the slowdown. It wasn't a great problem for me or any of the people I assisted here, but I was still concerned about the situation escalating. It would have been a rotten end to a vacation if their flights were canceled or something of that sort. Everyone made it home safely that week. It doesn't seem to be all of the unions that are calling for strikes. Not every worker seems to want the strikes. This has what made them less definite.
In the big workers strike in 1998, all the unions quickly walked and the country came to a stand still. There doesn't seem to be the same sort of thrust in this workers action. It's also happening at a different time of the year than in 1998. I'm telling you all of this and tomorrow it could all be settled. There is a site that you can check periodically before your trip to check for possible strikes.
You never can tell here what might happen. We had
expected some major action this week, but things have been quiet. There
have been further rounds of negotiations with the government, so possibly
this will pass. Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I would rather stay
positive. Please try not to worry that this will interfere with your travels.
There is so much in Paris to see and do, along with a variety of options
to get around possible strike actions. It's a fairly simple solution to
transport. If the National museums are affected in some manner then it
is still possible to visit a number of privately run institutions of great
merit. Hope to hear from you again soon. Have a good weekend. Sincerely,
Michael
P. Hutchins
Portland, OR USA Thu 05/29/2003
Pension Strikes
Regarding the Pension strikes in France, we were in France May 3-23. We
drove approximately 2500 miles around the country. We were in Normandy,
Loire Valley, Dordogne, Carcassonne, Provence, Chamonix and Paris. The strikes
have had a minimal impact from what we saw. Sainte-Chapelle in Paris was
the only major site we came across that was closed due to the strike. Hopefully
there won't be any dramatic changes. France is a wonderful country to visit.
We found the best thing about France was the kind and generous French people.
Ray <email>
Lafayette, CA USA Wed 05/28/2003
Pension Strikes and Travel Plans
I will be traveling to and in France next week (June 3rd - 14th). We're
not really relying on train trips for much (just one day trip) and plan
on walking/using a car the rest of the time. Anyone know if the pension
strikes that are happening over there might effect me? Thanks in advance.
matt
Cedar Rapids, IA USA Wed 05/28/2003
No carry-ons
Due to all the security hassles, I no longer bring carry-on luggage. I have
avoided many problems by just checking one small bag. I've never had a problem
or delay with overseas baggage claims, and if the bag is lost, there's nothing
valuable anyway. Nowadays, I just bring a jacket and moneybelt (with the
essential tickets, passport, debit/credit cards)on the plane with me.
Allen
USA Sat 05/17/2003
Students and Youth Fares
If you are a student or under 26 got to statravel.com . They offer great,
flexible deals and their website has improved greatly. I just today (May
12) purchased air fare flying from Chicago, O'Hare to Athens, Greece on
June 4-returning from London, Heathrow August 16 for $638 (tax included).
Also consider buying air passes or look into european carriers if you are
planning on going to Greece from another European city. Flying saves a lot
of precious time over the ferries and trains and can be cheaper than getting
a room on a ferry. STA offers advice and links on this and virgin express
offers good deals from some cities.
Katie
Oak Park, IL USA Mon 05/12/2003
Cheap London trip
Hey, for those of you that are thinking a doing a week trip to London, I
saw a site from msnbc.com that was for go-today.com. Me and my wife are
going for a little more than $1300 round-trip including hotel for 7 days,
6 nights! I kinda thought it was a joke for it's some sort of "spring-madness" promo they have going on. I kid you not, that's all it was for both! It
seems that the promo is only good for travel from now until June 15th. If
you're interested, here's the link: http://www.go-today.com//UK_FGMM.ASP
E DeLaRosa <email>
Austin, TX USA Fri 05/09/2003
Share your rate saving sites with us....
Anne from New Orleans: Sorry airgorilla.com didn't work out for you. At
the time I purchased my ticket it was as cheap as Hotwire and beat Expedia,
Orbitz etc. and all direct airlines I checked...yes apples for apples. Where
did you find cheaper rates...Would like to use them in the future.
Monica
CA USA Thu 05/08/2003
Frankfurt and Amsterdam Lufthansa and KlM
FrankfurtAnd Amsterdam Airports are two of my favorite airports KLM And
Lufthansa are the best airlines When i go to turkey I Fly these Airlines
So fly Lufthansa Or Klm
Emre <email>
College Station, TX USA Sat 05/03/2003
Carry-on Luggage
We just flew British Airways from Philadelphia to Paris (through London).
For the first time in five trips, we had to check our luggage. Although
our bags were carry-on size (one was even purchased from Rick Steves' store),
we were told that they exceeded the allotted weight allowance by a considerable
amount. Importantly, we packed light and left room in both bags for souvenirs.
We're not sure if this is a universal change; however, we thought we should
pass this bit of information along.
Janet & Ray <email>
Bethlehem, PA USA Fri 05/02/2003
STA Airfares
I know not everyone here is a student, but I would just like to recommend
STA Travel! With all of the SARs scare in Toronto, my boyfriend and I decided
to change our May flight to Europe (to keep our parents from worrying).
The people at STA were so helpful! I am currently in Pullman WA, all the
way across the state from the office in Seattle, but they found a way to
get our tickets back and send us new ones that connect through other cities.
These flights were still reasonably priced (same as before), even though
it was short notice. We had to pay a cancellation fee on Air Canada, but
the nice people at STA said that they would be able to charge our credit
cards without us being there to sign it (and they charged us the right amount,
I checked). They have sent me lots of emails updating the progress of our
tickets, and even called me to confirm when the work was done! I would highly
recommend STA Travel!
Jenny Onustack <email>
Bothell, WA USA Mon 04/28/2003
Careful of web fares!
I agree on knowing what the total costs are before committing to purchasing
an airfare. Taxes and all kinds of fees can turn a bargain into a nightmare.
I try to read all the fine print I can stand. Its amazing what details are
available, yet no one reads them.
Jon
Walnut Creek, CA USA Wed 04/23/2003
Air Gorilla
I checked out the Air Gorilla site mentioned below. An original price of
$358 ended up being $483 after the taxes, PLUS a $19 processing fee PLUS
a $19 e-ticket fee ($34 for paper tickets). Doesn't seem like that much
of a bargain. The same flight on other sites was $433. Just make sure you
are comparing apples to apples when using these websites!
Anne <email>
New Orleans, LA USA Mon 04/21/2003
Online Sale from LAX
I dunno if its just Easter.. but today, the flights out of LAX to just about
anywhere in Europe dropped big time!! On Orbitz - I got LAX to London Heathrow
for $426 per person on Lufthansa in September! That is $200 cheaper than
Virgin Air. Orbitz and Expedia both have deals. (not from SFO though; NorCal
folk, we still have to go to LA) Oh well, a $39 Southwest Flight will take
care of that. Happy Travels!
DR
Sacramento, ca USA Sun 04/20/2003
Flying from Pacific NW
The comment on flights from Portland OR being expensive is true. Look further
north! Three of my four flights to Europe have been on Air Canada or Lufthansa
leaving from Vancouver B.C. Best prices and relatively fast flight routes.
Joy Olsen <email>
Vancouver, WA USA Sun 04/20/2003
SAN to FRA
Got a great rate for September from San Diego to Frankfurt with www.airgorilla.com.
This was a suggestion from a previous posting on this site. Same rate as
Hotwire at the time but you get to see the times before you book, which
is nice if you don't want to chance weird arrival and departure times.
Monica
CA USA Sat 04/19/2003
SFO - Milan July 13-25
We were looking at $1400 tix on British Air and happened to look late one
night in February and they were $750. Be patient and persevere!
Chad <email>
SFO, CA USA Thu 04/17/2003
Direct to Airlines
I usually run a search through the travel sites. I find Orbitz to be a great
source. Then I take the flight info and go directly to the airline site
and search the flight. I usually end up getting a better deal doing this.
I have saved an average of $100 each time. It might be a little extra work,
but for a struggling college student like me every penny counts.
Kate
Los Angeles CA, USA Wed 04/16/2003
Not Cheap from West
Sorry to those who are having a hard time finding cheap flights from the
west coast, but it is usually more expensive than east/midwest. Longer flights=more
fuel and such. I have noticed Portland OR is expensive to fly in or out
of, period. Some people I know find it worthwhile to drive up to Seattle
and fly out from there as there can be a big difference in price. If you
haven't already, give Rick's travel agent Elizabeth Holmes a call (800/588-8361).
I hope it works out for everyone.
Katie
Chicago IL, USA Wed 04/16/2003
Travel agents
I have had great service connecting to the UK - and great prices - from
Elsiefromengland.com My wife and I flew from Portland to London in February,
Via Air Canada. Elsie From England booked our connecting flight (a free
shuttle from Portland) through Vancouver,BC. The price: $476 per person
RT PDX / Heathrow and return. Terrific.
Dave Paull <email>
Portland, OR USA Wed 04/16/2003
Finally found cheap flight
Just found flight to Frankfurt from Seattle for $535 in July!! Leaving July
4 returning in August. Booked on Travelocity through US Airways. Incredible!
Heather Keller <email>
Portland, Or USA Tue 04/15/2003
Airfare
I got a ticket to frankfurt, germany for $350 roundtrip out of Houston.
I rented a car at the airport. I was on the autobahn in 30minutes!
amy <email>
houston, tx USA Mon 04/14/2003
Finally Found the Fares I want
I took Fred's advice on AutoEurope.com. Not all of my first choice airports
resulted in options, but I got SFO to Munich (train down to Venice) for
around $650 per person for flights in September. The cost of the train down
to Venice is far cheaper than the more expensive fares I am finding elsewhere..
and hey, I guess I'll have to deal with some good German beer and Bavarian
food!
Bruce
Roseville CA, USA Mon 04/14/2003
Flying to Europe open jaw
I'm sold on using a travel agent. By moving our start date up to June 18
into the last day of the "shoulder season", we went from $980 to $$680 per
person. I never would have figured that out. We were able to get a great
price flying open jaw into London and out of Venice.
Dave Hook <email>
San Jose, CA USA Sun 04/13/2003
flying to europe
Great deals still available! Booked yesterday with AutoEurope.com and got
$557 R/T LAX to Zurich, travelling 6/15 and 9/04. This is about $100 less
than all other sources I tried.
fred gerber <email>
Palm Desert, ca USA Fri 04/11/2003
Cheap flights
Hey all! Found a great place for cheap flights. The website is: www.bucketshop.com.
Check it out
Fawnagirl <email>
USA Mon 04/07/2003
No cheap flights to Italy in the summer!
I've read other postings from would-be travelers to Europe this summer who
are unable to find anything under $850. I'm also reading gleeful postings
from people who've 'snagged' great prices in the $500 range, but despite
following the steps they say they took, all I get is $850 or more -- mostly
more. I'm trying to get six people rt to Italy on the 21st and 24th of July,
returning August 6, including one child, and don't want to spend all my
travel money on the flights!
Sandy Walker <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA Sun 04/06/2003
what cheap flights?
I'm here in Calif. and cannot find anything "reasonable" on any of the travel
sites for flights to Italy for September. I don't see anything under $850.
Am I sensing a West Coast bias? How can I sympathize with the reports that
airlines are going bankrupt when I feel like I am being forced to pay for
the guy who refuses to fly (i.e. almost double what I would otherwise expect)
??
Bruce
Roseville, CA USA Thu 04/03/2003
Air Fare
Have had GREAT luck with travelocity! My husband and I are flying to paris
(non-stop) from Detroit for $336! We booked 2 months ago. NWA was gracious
to refund our credit card to get the savings.
Patti
Ann Arbor, MI USA Thu 04/03/2003
Tickets to Europe for June/July 2003
I'm drooling over the airfares you all received to various points in Europe.
Using all the sites referenced in these messages I still cannot find roundtrip
tickets from Portland, Or. to Frankfurt for less than $1100 each! Is that
the new pricing and I just missed booking it 50% less by a few weeks?
Rick Rappaport <email>
Portland, OR USA Wed 04/02/2003
Flight Cancellations
If you are going to Europe in the next couple of months, be sure to check
your flight schedules often. I had been keeping an eye on my Delta flight,
and sure enough, it was cancelled over the weekend. However, they did not
bother to re-schedule my domestic flight to get to that international segment.
I had to call and have that done myself. Nor have they informed me of the
change - yet - though maybe they would get around to it eventually. This
is not something I would want to find out about on the day of my flight.
Right now the new flight is less convenient, but not impossible for me to
make. Obviously, I booked the one I wanted orginally so I am not delighted
with the change. Anyway, the schedules are easy to check over the net, so
pull yours up occasionally so that you do not get an unwanted surprise when
you get to the airport.
Linda
GA USA Tue 04/01/2003
air fare deals
check out the web site:student universe. you have to either be a college
student or work at a college or university. I work at a community college
and just booked an American Airlines rt flight from Portland, Oregon to
London in June for 666.12! You can't buy tickets for other people on this
deal, but I was able to book my son on the same flight with me directly
with American for $865. I figure what I saved with my ticket made it a good
average price.
Chere Weiss <email>
kelso, WA USA Tue 03/25/2003
Cheap Fares
The airfares are so low right now! Travelocity in my opinion has the best
flexible fares options. You just give a range of dates and where you want
to travel to and they find the cheapest fare in that time frame. I just
bought a $540 rt ticket (tax included) from Dallas to paris leaving sept
1 and returning dec 30 on continental. I know with the war situation and
the uncertainty that it would be smart to wait and see what happens but
this was such a good deal, i didnt want to risk passing it up. I saved a
lot of money and i think if you find a really good deal, you should jump
on it. The best way to find a great deal is to shop around for a couple
of weeks, everyday compare travelocity.com and sidestep.com and watch the
fluctuations closely. That way you get an idea of what a good fare is. I
found the best day for low fares was on late sunday. If you're in paris
in sept, I hope to see you there!! Happy travels!
Jennifer <email>
euless, tx USA Tue 03/18/2003
SAS is great
If you live in the Pacific Northwest, I'd highly recommend flying SAS to
Europe. They fly direct from Seattle to Copenhagen with connections to most
of Europe. Very good service, nice new planes with seatback videos.
Marcia Dorwin <email>
Spokane, WA USA Sun 03/16/2003
Good Irish travel company
This being March, St. Patrick's month and all, I recently watched Rick's
public TV special on Ireland. I wanted to add a compliment to the agency
I just booked our Ireland trip with - Alliance Travel. Deirdre was very
helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable about Ireland as she is from Cork.
We are very excited about our trip and booking with them was very easy and
stress-free. I recommend them highly; their info can be found at www.alliancetravel.com
Joanne White <email>
Sacramento, ca USA Sat 03/08/2003
Bad travel agency service
My significant other & I received absolutely the WORST service we have ever
had to endure/tolerate from a travel agency! The woman with whom we spoke
to at Travel Team in Seattle was rude, abrasive, short-tempered, unhelpful,
uninformative, confrontational, adversarial. When we finally asked to speak
with someone else, she told us "no one here wants to talk to you!" We asked
to speak with the manager and were told she *was* the manager. It's a real
shame because we used them last year to purchase tickets for our yearly
trip to England and they were quite good. We would advise others to avoid
this agency and will actively dissuade our friends from using them. There
is NO excuse. Period.
On the other hand, we called Elizabeth Holmes Travel Agency in Seattle
and got excellent, prompt, friendly, and very helpful service! Kudos to
them, and a great big raspberry to Travel "Team"!
Scott F. Henderson <email>
Seattle, WA USA Thu 03/06/2003
Air France/Bags
Air France is very bad about mis-routed and lost bags. I am very polite
about it with the agent, but I ask to see the routing tag before she slaps
it on my bag. Make sure you know the three letter codes that should be on
your bags coming and going before you get to the airport. If Air France
DOES loose your bag - - goooood luck. They are not very helpful
W R
Heathrow, FL USA Tue 03/04/2003
Flight to France Less Expensive on Weekends
I just purchased RT ticket from Dulles to Toulouse, France through Cheaptickets.com
and I have discovered that their prices drop significantly during the weekend
($1350 to $650). If you are considering trips to France in June/July you
may want to keep this in mind. My trip is through Air France.
Mark <email>
Blacksburg, VA USA Tue 03/04/2003
Travec Travel a bad business
When my fiance proposed July 2002 we decided we were going to Italy for
our honeymoon. We purchased the tickets from flights.com for March. Travec
Travel out of NY, NY issued the tickets. Surprise, March was not going to
work for the wedding after all. We contacted Travec immediately and were
told to mail the tickets back and our credit card would be credited minus
a fee. We waited and waited for the credit, but they never issued it. We
know they received the tickets since we mailed them via certified mail.
Made many attempts to contact Travec via phone and only got fax tones. I
then went to their website and the website indicated Travec had declared
bankrupcy. We are still out $1300 and are working with the credit card company
to see any of our money. Travec is completely unreachable and makes no effort
to return fax messages. I have never had such an experience and from now
on will only purchase airline tickets directly from the airline, even if
it means spending a little more, at least I'm pretty much guaranteed to
not be ripped off $1300! The positive of this is we are still going to Europe
but just have to wait to purchase these tickets until we see the $1300.
Any advise on recovering the money would be appreiciated if there are any
similiar occurances.
Sarah Burnett <email>
Federal Way, WA USA Sun 03/02/2003
Happy with little stress!
Expedia has always been the best source for me. I made reservations in Dec.
when we first found out we were going to Germany. I couldn't have stood
the stress of too much shopping around, so I am pleased with the rate of
$493 round trip from Wichita, Ks. to Frankfurt. We usually have to go to
K.C. for better prices, but in this case, it was a better price and more
convenient from right here at home. I called United after making the reservations
and got the seats we wanted too. So far, so good. This will be our first
time to Europe, and my first flight in 30 years. EEEEK!
Barbara <email>
El Dorado, KS USA Sun 03/02/2003
Great Deals at autoeurope.com
AutoEurope is advertising some fabulous deals for spring and summer travel
to Europe. Example: Less than $500 RT Houston-Rome all summer. Choose air
only or various packages. From my experience booking tickets through for
a trip my son made to London last month, I have only priase for both their
online and their telephone customer service. Visit www.autoeurope.com.
Tim <email>
Minot, ND USA Sat 03/01/2003
Flight to Europe
Just book my flights thru Northwest Airlines, $519.35 for June 2003 Agent
told me that they are required to publish lower fares in small markets,
columbus, oh, cleveland flint michigan, dayton ohio
Jack <email>
Bellefontaine, Ohio USA Tue 02/25/2003
Open Jaw Redux
Thanks Lisa for the info on AirGorilla.com. However, for an open jaw ticket
Cincinnati=>Paris-CDG, Frankfurt=>Cincinnati, I got the same rate booking
directly with Air France for July travel, and I saved the handling and paper
ticket charges that Air Gorillas wanted. Looks like Air France is very rate
competitive if one leg of your trip goes into Paris. During our trip, we
will take the train from Paris to London which saves several hundred dollars
compared to the best Cincinnati=>London-Gatwick rate I could find.
Jerry
Montgomery, OH USA Mon 02/24/2003
Open Jaw tickets
If you are looking for open jaw tickets at a good fare try AirGorilla.com.
Funny name but their web site is easy to navigate and the tickets came promptly.
I got the Air Canada conf # and was able to call and reserve the seats I
wanted. I'm flying Air Canada LA to London, Paris to LA for less than $650.
Also, my son had to fly from Ohio and I needed to meet him somewhere;I was
able to accomodate all of those needs. Can't wait to meet him in Toronto
for our Grand Tour of Europe!
Lisa <email>
CA USA Sat 02/22/2003
Tips for finding cheap flights to Europe
For those of you considering going to Europe this year, the rates are great!
Here are some of my tricks:
First, I look at places like Expedia or Travelocity to see which airlines look good for the times I want to fly (if you aren't sure on your dates, you can run a search for the best fares over a 12 month period to give you a better idea). Also, go to www.sidestep.com, and download their free travel search engine which searches 100+ travel websites for deals.
Then, check the airlines' sites directly. I had a great experience with Travelocity last year when we decided to stay an extra day in the UK. We did have to pay a change fee, but that was all. Expedia is also good as taxes, etc., are included in the quoted price--no surprises.
If you are having problems finding a good rate to the Continent, fly into London and take an EasyJet flight from there (easyjet.com). Their rates are like taking Greyhound here in the States (though they sometimes use inconvenient airports). Whatever you do, make sure you sign up for frequent flier miles for the trans-atlantic part of your trip.
Last tip: Be nice to yourself. Make your first
night your splurge night. Stay in the same town/area for the first two
nights minimum, and for at least one of those nights, stay at one of the
upper end places ETBD recommends. We took an overnight flight last Feb.
from St. Louis to London, caught the noon train up to Edinburgh (if this
is your first time to Scotland, you've gotta do this!), and stayed at
a castle to the south of the city for a high season B&B rate because it
was the middle of the winter. We were so glad we did. We made up for it
cost-wise later.
Amanda Finley <email>
St. Louis, MO USA Mon 02/17/2003
Ticket Change Fees
If you must change an international flight...DO YOUR HOMEWORK!! Delta is
the carrier that I feel most comfortable with and why I chose to use them
for up coming trip. I did, however, have to change my husband's flight to
arrive in a different town a week early (keeping his return flight the same).
I phoned and got prices for the new flight I was booking him on and also
checked on the internet prior to going to make the change at the ticket
counter. I understood that the amount I had to pay was the difference in
the fare that I originally paid and the new fare plus a $200 change fee.
I was fine with this because it would have cost much more for a new ticket.
Once I got to the airport to make the change, the new airfare had jumped $200!! I went ahead and paid the difference plus the additional fee (in total about $600) and left in complete shock. After I left the airport, I went home to check the price of the airfare online and surprisingly enough I had paid $200 more than what I should have. I hopped on the phone to Delta and the only answer they could give me was "fares change every minute". I did find out that you can get a refund of the difference in ticket prices if you find one that is less than the one you previously purchased (less a $150 processing fee).
After two more trips to the airport and three more phone calls to Delta, I finally received a refund of the difference in the two prices. If this situation happens to you, call the reservation desk and ask them if the fare for your itinerary has flucuated within the time you bought the ticket. If the answer is no, you should receive a refund. I was not reimbursed on my credit card, but given a $200 travel voucher. I'm okay with this because I will need it anyway within the next couple of months. I'm sure I could have fought for a refund.
Moral of the story: Do your homework and be prepared!
If you know you paid too much in this kind of situation, be persistant
and don't lose your temper! (I wanted to several times).
Jennifer
Evansville, IN USA Mon 02/17/2003
Skytrax airlines ratings
Found a good website for anyone thinking about taking to the air:www.airlinequality.com/Forum/seats.htm.
It's run by Skytrax and it reviews airlines. This address will take you
to the passenger comments section - enlightening and occasionally scary
(check the comments on Ryanair!) but of course you have to keep in mind
that people are more likely to post complaints than praise. If you get what
you feel you paid for, why make a big deal about it? Still, it might be
helpful!
Tricia
Tallahassee, USA Sat 02/15/2003
Consider Non-U.S. Carriers
In searching Travelocity for the best fare to Rome I noticed that some of
the Delta flights were actually operated by Alitalia, the Italian airline
-- but the Alitalia fare was fully $500 cheaper! I bought my ticket off
the Alitalia Web site. I've never flown this airline, so I can't vouch for
quality, but how bad could it be? Certainly no worse than flying Delta :)
Nicki <email>
Bayonne, NJ USA Fri 02/14/2003
What Europe Air Sale?
I need an "open jaw" ticket for Europe this summer, and so far I have seen
very little "sales" activity--maybe $50 off a $1200 Delta base fare. I would
think that current war jitters, European hostility toward US Iraq policy
and airline losses would dampen demand and generate some serious deals.
But, not much dealing so far. Maybe the airlines are holding back to see
how world events play out.
Jerry
Montgomery, OH USA Fri 02/14/2003
Europe air sale
I missed the big blowout sale for Europe this week (2/11-2/13) but talked
to a travel agent and she said buying in March/April for summer travel would
still get the low fares. Comments?
Deb Chase <email>
Rye, NH USA Fri 02/14/2003
BA/Best Fares
We just bought tix to London from San Francisco through Best Fares. They
were about $11 cheaper than BA directly but after the $59 subscription fee
I would have done better dealing directly with BA. Especially since I had
to wait 32 minutes on hold just to buy the fare! I still got a great price
Depart May 12, and Return October 30. $382 RT
Vanessa Wells <email>
Penngrove, Ca USA Wed 02/12/2003
G
I just returned from France flying AirFrance to JFK. The plane to Paris
in January was half-full, which made it easier to stretch out. The return
trip, however, was jam-packed and a little too overheated. On the other
hand, the service was efficient, pleasant and the individual video/audio
sets at every seat were a big plus. The food, for those who think AirFrance
might be a lot of ooh-la-la in that department, was fair on the way over
and pretty good on the way back. All in all, a pleasant journey. Recommended.
Shelley
Hudson, NY USA Wed 02/12/2003
Baggage on BA
Their 70 lbs (32 kg) limit is for checked baggage. You can have two such
items, each up to 70 lbs. Carry-on varies by "class of travel". All classes
allow a "medium" bag measuring up to 22"X16"X8", but weight maximums vary
- either 13 lbs, 26 lbs, or 40 lbs. Some classes allow an additional laptop
carry-on. You can check this out on the British Airways website.
Mike <email>
Seattle, WA USA Wed 02/12/2003
More cheap fares
Cheap summer fares this morning I found through Expedia on Continental:
SEA to CDG starting at $608.35!
Bryan Walton <email>
Sammamish, WA USA Wed 02/12/2003
Unbelievable flight deals through BA
Hello everyone. attention! British airways has unbelievable flight deals
right now. $95 each way fares until 2/13! I am flying roundtrip to london
via San Francisco next month (march) for only $282.00.. and that includes
tax! wow
Danny F. <email>
Madera, CA USA Tue 02/11/2003
The deals are flyin
The deals are flyin' indeed. I just nabbed high season (summer) round-trip
tickets Seattle-Paris for $650 - all taxes/fees included. Bestfares.com
is running a promotion for even less, but couldn't match/come close to my
travel dates.
Mike <email>
Seattle, WA USA Tue 02/11/2003
Priceline rocks
Priceline does it again! $330 round trip Denver to Paris. The gateway cities
(London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam etc.) are just now opening up one at time
for late spring/summer travel.
Gary <email>
Denver, CO USA Sat 02/08/2003
Hot fares
Snatch and grab if you find a good airfare. Early Wednesday (1:30am) I purchased
an open-jaw ticket CID-Basel/CDG-CID 6/6-6/28 for $437.90. 2 connections
but under 14 hrs total trip time. American and British Airlines thru Expedia.
It was not a bargain fare I was shown all the info. Prices back up at breakfast.
Liz <email>
IA USA Fri 02/07/2003
cheap air fare
Try airdeals.com. We did Boston to Paris in June for approximatley $500.
Tickets are non-refundable with a $200 change fee, but to date they appear
to have the best rate for this summer as well.
Kathy <email>
Northboro, MA USA Fri 02/07/2003
Expedia Bargain Fares
I've been finding "bargain fares" on Expedia for RT SEA-CDG, under $600,
for June/July 2003 travel. The fare varies somewhat depending on specific
dates entered. When you buy these bargain fares, you don't find out the
carrier, travel times, or routes until after you commit. I'd like to hear
from anyone who has experience with these fares. Do these tend to be the
seats/times/carriers/routes no one really wants and they have to be discounted
in order to sell? Or can these be a good deal, with arrangements comparable
to what you could expect paying normal fare? Thanks.
Mike <email>
Seattle, WA USA Thu 02/06/2003
Cheap Airline Fares
I was lucky enough Tuesday to grab a r/t from Tampa to Paris for $488 for
my upcoming trip in September. I checked the next day and they were back
to $1100+. You have to keep checking!
Marsha Oldinski <email>
Sarasota, FL USA Thu 02/06/2003
Hi Jerry, Delta works best for me too, and I have checked fares on
their website very, very often since early last fall. On 9/11, there were
great fares for this summer that were only available on that day - should
have booked. Yesterday, as I noted, rates dropped a lot. I looked to see
if their site announce a fare sale to Europe and couldn't find one, but
the rates were down. I have not noticed any substantial fluctuations by
day of the week or anything else, but the fares do seem to change by a few
dollars up or down each day. I had also read that sale fares often came
out on Tuesday, but these lower fares appeared on Wednesday. My best advice
so far is to try to find a travel agent (TA) who works with a consolidator
who sells Delta. I had to specifically ask my TA for this before he found
it for me. I will be saving $300 over the currently published (ie - lower
as of yesterday) internet rate by using a consolidator. Before the rates
dropped, the savings were much larger. Also note that Delta's website does
not allow you to book a child's reduced fare, which is an issue for me.
Anyway, these fares are not as low as the consolidator fares for US Airways
or United, I just prefer Delta's schedule and don't particularly want to
go through Chicago, Philadephia or DC to get to Europe from Georgia.
Linda
GA USA Thu 02/06/2003
Delta To Europe
My wife and I are traveling to Europe this summer. Delta is the most convenient
carrier for us. I think I read once that at certain times of the week (maybe
at night) they will post discounted prices for a short period on their website.
Any advice on this or any other tactic to get a better rate?
Jerry Ballman <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA Thu 02/06/2003
Late Spring/Early Summer Airfares
Flight on Delta to Europe (At least the ones I'm checking) are a couple
hundred cheaper today than they have been in months. I also found a local
travel agent who can get me even lower rates through a consolidator.
Linda
GA USA Wed 02/05/2003
re: Cheap Travel
This morning American is offering very cheap fares to Europe for Summer
Travel. For example, mid-June to mid-July, SEA to CDG, is $526 r/t. Makes
me wish I had waited, but you never know!
Bryan Walton <email>
Sammamish, WA USA Tue 02/04/2003
cheap travel
I want to point out to travelers that prices depend a lot on the time of
the year. Off season is always the cheapest, usually until March 1 from
Nov.1 on (not including holiday travel). Until the beginning of June it
is still cheaper than flying in summer. It also pays to book through a travel
consolidator. I recently booked a flight Detroit-Frankfurt/Germany for $249
round trip, one has to leave by Feb. 28 the latest. Anyone having questions,
contact me.
Lucy <email>
Oh USA Mon 02/03/2003
Cheap inter-Europe flights
Some friends advised on looking into inter-Europe flights on Ryan Air. Yes!
They are dirt cheap. The trouble is to get to Europe from the West Coast.
I am interested in routes in Italy. Ryan Air flies out of England and Ireland
mostly to most European cities. But airfare to the British Isles from the
West Coast in the fall seem expensive when I pick my dates. Yet I see r/t
to London offered in the area papers for roughly $350-400! I'm confused.
DR <email>
Sacramento, Ca USA Fri 01/31/2003
Great Deal!
I checked Travelocity and Expedia for the flights Chicago/Paris and they
were higher than booking directly with Air France. Wow! $301 Seattle/Paris!
You'll REALLY enjoy your trip knowing you saved a bundle :o) Have fun!
Susi
Chicago, IL USA Thu 01/30/2003
cheap summer fares
Yes, it's incredible the difference a few days can make. Unfortunately,
school here in the Seattle area (Lake Wash. Sch. Dist) gets out a week 1/2
later than the 15th. Still, I feel pretty good having gotten an $800 r/t
fare considering all the lousy fares I see every day!
Bryan Walton <email>
Sammamish, WA USA Thu 01/30/2003
cheap summer fares
My roommate is from Romania & she informed me that she always gets flights
to europe in the summer on or before June 15th. Sure enough, she was right
on the money. I've been watching the fares and wanting to leave on June
19th with only finding tickets from NYC to CDG and similar locations for
700.00 After checking June 15th departure date, I found tickets for 430.00
on American and United through studentuniverse.com and others.
James <email>
pittsburgh, pa USA Thu 01/30/2003
re: Closing Bags Without Locks
The wire loop should help unless the bag is inspected, since anything to
slow the thieves is good. Also, the fare watcher tips should help, especially
if you're traveling off season. We don't have much choice but to go in the
summer because the kids are in school otherwise.
Bryan Walton <email>
Sammamish, WA USA Wed 01/29/2003
Closing bags without locks
Now that we're not allowed to use locks on checked baggage, may I suggest
two common household devices to deter theft and keep the bag shut? One is
a wire loop, commonly used for a key ring. Thread the coiled wire through
your zipper heads to keep the zippers together. Another option is a metal
twist tie, found on grocery produce. Also, I'm taking my mom to France in
April for $301 per person (flying Northwest Airlines from Seattle to Paris).
The west coast to London is just a little bit spendier. Low fares were available
through April, generally, so anyone waiting to buy tickets should do so
soon. I also got a $198 ticket to New Orleans last week. My secret? I use
Travelocity's fare watcher (e-mail alert) service religiously.
Heidi <email>
Portland, OR USA Wed 01/29/2003
Air fares
It wasn't just the New Year's Eve champagne! Myself and 3 other ladies are
going to Paris in April! We booked an Air France web special, with taxes & fees (which are considerable) it's $515 per person.
Susi
Chicago, IL USA Tue 01/28/2003
open jaw tickets to England
I need 2 tickets open-jaws, flying into Edinburgh and out of London in late
May. I looked at many websites and Air Lingus was the cheapest: $750. Last
year at the same time of year we flew to Munich for $392 with NWA. Now,
it's impossible to find anything close to that.
Dana <email>
Peoria, IL USA Mon 01/27/2003
BA's carry-on rules
British Airlines (and Qantas) are THE WORST when it comes to carry on. I'm
a pro travel photographer. I was allowed to empty about a third of my most
important carry-on items into a small backpack I luckily had, carry that
on, and check-in the rest (this was business class). I was traveling through
Europe/North Africa for 2 months with hundreds of rolls of film so if my
bag was lost, my trip was over. They didn't care (even though my travel
photos gives them extra business). This was after 15 minutes of arguing
with the agents behind the counter. I fly to northern Europe all the time
with Air France and never have any hassles. Air France and American are
the best! As far as locking your checked luggage, DO IT. They don't care
if your trip is ruined if your bag is "gone through" and things are missing.
It's only about money and lawsuits. I will never again fly on B.A. or Virgin
- I'll stick with American. If it's good enough for Mick Jagger, Howard
Stern, and Oprah, it's good enogh for me. MJB
Mark Bastrzycki <email>
Whittier, CA USA Sun 01/26/2003
RE: Flight Prices
$1400 to France from Seattle? How did you find that? I just did a quick
search on yahoo travel for flexible travel dates, and came up with a low
of around $350 US plus taxes. Of course, it depends on when you want to
travel. For cheapest airfare, use yahoo travel to find the cheapest airlines
and dates, then book it wherever you want. I usually check yahoo travel
and then go to the airlines website directly once I know the cheapest dates
and options. :-)
indigirl <email>
USA Fri 01/24/2003
re: Flight Prices
I don't think the exchange rate is going to have any effect on your airline
fare. This said, the prices to France have been consistently in the $1400
R/T range from Seattle for months now with the occasional sale (most recently
Continental) to about $1100. If you can be flexible, I think the best thing
would be to wait until later in the spring when there will likely be summer
travel sales. We booked our flight last August when the price dropped to
$800 R/t for a couple of hours one day.
Bryan Walton <email>
Sammamish, WA USA Fri 01/24/2003
Leaving checked bags unlocked
Has anyone had any problems with baggage theft since the new requirement
for keeping checked luggage unlocked has come into effect? We're going to
France this summer and the new rules make me very uncomfortable. We don't
want to carry on all our luggage.
Bryan Walton <email>
Sammamish, WA USA Fri 01/24/2003
Carry-on Baggage Weight
Most airlines will give you a few pounds of leeway regarding your carry
on. Virgin Atlantic is the most strict, and even they would let you go 2
pounds over, I'm sure BA will do the same. As a backup plan, carry a plastic
bag some other small bag that you can store 2 pounds worth of stuff in,
this way your bag will be under the weight limit. I took 14 pounds of stuff
out of my carryon when I flew Virgin Atlantic, checked in, got the "carry-on
OK" tag, then put all the stuff back in it. The really should be more strict
about size rather than weight, but this is how they do it.
Dave
New York, NY USA Fri 01/24/2003
British Airways Cabin Baggage Restrictions
I?ll soon be traveling to London via British Airways and I?m a bit concerned
I won?t be able to carry-on my bag. My bag meets the permissible dimensions,
but I suspect I?ll be pushing the 13 pound allowance. Does anyone have any
recent experience carrying-on luggage on BA? Think they?ll make me check
my bag if it?s, say, 15 pounds? Thanks!
Paul
Washington, DC USA Fri 01/24/2003
Air Canada
Tricia, Air Canada is the big, full service airline in Canada and a good,
reliable airline. Food is ok and service usually pretty good. Nothing special
but we only call it "Scare Canada" for fun. They look after their planes
well.
Canada Wed 01/15/2003
Booking now, or waiting for cheaper
Tricia, with a group of 7, I think that was wise. So, it may get slightly
cheaper, but those are pretty good rates, and you can't squeeze 7 into the
last two cheap seats. There are only two of us, but I think I'll look into
that myself, as coming from the Savannah area, I will likely go through
Atlanta anyway.
Linda
GA USA Mon 01/13/2003
Too early for good summer fares?
Linda and Kennyson, I'm in the same quandary - buy tickets now and get the
dates I want or gamble on lower fares later. Since there are 7 of us, I
picked door #1, just to be safe. Justfares.com is offering open-jaw Atlanta
to Ireland and back from Paris to Atlanta on the high season dates I want
for $558 (adult) and $458 (child). It's on Air Canada, which I know nothing
about, but I don't think I can do much better pricewise. Similiar prices
were ofered on USAir, but the Chapter 11 thing worries me.
Tricia <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA Sun 01/12/2003
Air travel to europe
Hello, I just returned from a great 16 day trip to Spain and France. We
bought our tickets open jaw ( Fly in to one city and out of another) on
expedia.com and paid $750 round trip per person. This is a great fare. Try
to buy as far in advance as possible if you know the dates you are flying.
If you can leave on a wednesday or thursday instead of friday or saturday
you will find better availability and better fares. Bon Voyage.
Jeff
San Diego, CA USA Fri 01/10/2003
Airfares for late spring/early summer
Kennyson, I am debating the same thing. I can say that in 1991 at the height
of the Gulf War, my husband and I scored some phenomenally cheap ticket
to Hawaii - no where near the action. The airfares available right now are
OK, but not great. I am leaving late May and returning mid-June. I tend
to think it's a little early for the best deals to be out, but I also want
fairly specific dates, so don't want to wait too long.
Linda
GA USA Fri 01/10/2003
Animals on Airlines
I, for one, appreciate the earlier post warning about the possibility of
animals in the passenger section of an airline. I have flown many times
within the United States and internationally and had no idea that this could
occur. At least those of us who are allergic to certain animals and were
not aware that we may have to ocassionally share an airplane with them for
8 hours will be that much wiser.
kelly
dallas, tx USA Thu 01/09/2003
Flight Prices
I'm contemplating booking a flight to Paris now for a vacation I'm going
to be going on in mid June. I'd like some feedback from fellow travellers
out there whether it's better to book now (even with the Dollar/Euro exchange
rate pretty poor) than to wait and potentially face even higher airfare
prices later on, especially considering the Iraq situation. Any thoughts?
I did do some quantitative research on exchange rates during the 91 Gulf
War, but the results failed to sway me in either direction. Thanks!
Kennyson
USA Thu 01/09/2003
Use your company's travel agent
If you're an employee of a large company, or any size company that does
a fair amount of travel, check with your company's travel agent for booking
fares. Even if you don't travel for business, your company's travel agent
often has discounts with certain airlines that you can take advantage of,
even for personal use. I was able to take advantage of my company's 25%
discount with Lufthansa and got a peak season flight for a very reasonable
price.
Chris
Philadelphia, PA USA Wed 01/08/2003
Charging for Drinks Transatlantic
I was surprised on a New Year's trip to London that Continental Airlines
is charging for alcoholic drinks transatlantic. This is new since I flew
them to Rome last April. After initial disappointment, I think I like the
idea. $4.00 for a drink is reasonable, and it lessens the possibility of
being seated next to someone who gets absolutely sloshed.
Freckle Face
Portland, OR USA Tue 01/07/2003