Anyone else remember last minute bargain holidays - teletext, ads in the standard, courier flights

[Balooscub]

Anyone else?

The first time I ever went abroad with now DH was when we were skint students and did a week in Benidorm like this. We flew on a now non existent airline and didn't know what accommodation we were getting until the coach dropped us off but we got lucky and got a really nice hotel for cheap as chips.

Monarch airlines were cheap in my day. Not sure who bought them out, maybe Tui ?

DH and I had a week in the Luxor Hilton for £50 each in about 1993/4
The following year we did similar to Turkey - our room was pretty basic, but it was cheap!
One of my friends did a couple of courier flights - one to Johannesburg and one to New York. Hand luggage only.

My mate at uni did courier flights. What was supposed to be a nice quick NY trip turned into a nightmare as he "forgot" about half a joint in his pocket and the fact that he'd been to countries that put you on the red flag list for the US and he was an active trades union activist. So whisked off by the CIA or FBI, full body search, questioning. They went through whatever he was couriering with a fine tooth comb. Then put on next plane back.

Yes! I was trying to explain to my teen DD the other day about Teletext and back in the day when me and my friend would book a holiday from there and sometimes it was allocation on arrival!!

I did several (via Time Out ads, I think but possibly the Evening Standard) and they were great - went to the US and Singapore. You didn't have to carry anything physical - they used your hold allowance, I think (but it was in my backpacking days and airlines were much better about the size of your cabin luggage)

Our honeymoon was booked out the back of a magazine, one of those ads that gave bare bones of an itinerary and you just rang up with your details and sent a cheque and then your airline tickets and hotel details were sent in the post!

Fond memories

Gosh yes. I remember going into the travel agent in town with my then boyfriend one Saturday morning and booking a last minute holiday leaving the next day. It cost us £99 each for a week in Ibiza bed and breakfast. Not a bad hotel either.

I remember going into the bucket travel shops in Victoria and Earls Court to get flights. I travelled on some really ropey airlines, Aeroflot being a memorable one.

Aeroflot featured on those airline programmes they used to make. Ds1’s ex became cabin crew because she used to watch those reality shows. The man working for Aeroflot made himself a bit of name .. although I don’t remember what it was now !

Our first couples holiday, early 90's - £89 a week b+b in Turkey - £99 for the two weeks !!!

Not knowing anyone who had been to Turkey before I played it safe and booked just the week - and regretted it to this day :)

😅😅

This is quite sad also, the high st travel agents are a thing of the past now.

I took my family to Morocco 15 years for £209 each from a metro advert.