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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

term time holidays and travel agents....

22 replies

highhopes2010 · 13/06/2011 22:42

why can't travel agents be fair and even out the price of holidays so they aren't so bloody expensive during holidays,i'm sure they would have lots more people/families going on them then(like me).Grin.

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worraliberty · 13/06/2011 22:54

According to them, they don't hike the price up during the holidays..they just lower the prices during quiet times to fill the hotels etc...

Yeah right Hmm

SoupDragon · 13/06/2011 22:56

Travel agents do not decide the price of the holidays.

Andrewofgg · 13/06/2011 22:57

Travel agents don't set the price; hoteliers and airlines do. And they up the price when the demand is high. It's not rocket science.

ShellyBoobs · 13/06/2011 23:06

"why can't travel agents be fair and even out the price of holidays so they aren't so bloody expensive during holidays,i'm sure they would have lots more people/families going on them then(like me)"

Because if holidays were the same price at peak time as off-peak the demand wouldn't be manageable. Airlines can't suddenly magic up extra planes to get people to the hundreds of extra hotels that would have to appear overnight during school holidays.

The solution is exactly what they do now: set prices so that they get just enough customers to fill the places available.

Andrewofgg · 13/06/2011 23:08

It's a bit depressing that anybody has to explain this piece of news from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious.

penguin73 · 14/06/2011 06:31

The same reason flowers go up around Mothers' Day and Valentine's Day -supply and demand. Simple business sense (and not an excuse to take your kids out of school but that's a whole different thread!)

DontCallMePeanut · 14/06/2011 07:50

Hmm It's the Hoteliers and the airlines who put the prices up, not the travel agent. That's why it's cheaper for me to take DS to see his Grandparents during term time... I don't use travel agents. Grin

On top of that, when something is "in demand", you know you can put the price up slightly. Especially when the product (eg; flight seats, hotel rooms) cannot be mass reproduced. So, it's making the customer compete for the goods, in a way.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 14/06/2011 07:56

Don'tcallme my face is green with envy. We can't take holidays out of school time, DH is a teacher and his head would be cross.
OTOH, living abroad is in some ways, a blessing. DD and DH finish school on Friday so me and DD are off to England for four days next week, and DH is going to Thailand to scuba dive the week after.
andrewoffggg pretty snide, no?

SoupDragon · 14/06/2011 08:10

Slightly snide but accurate don't you think?

PerryCombover · 14/06/2011 08:17

That is an excellent question and one that has always perplexed me too. Glad you asked.
Can you also find out why some shops sell lots of turkeys during the winter?

DontCallMePeanut · 14/06/2011 08:22

Kreecher, It's a pain, it really is... I'm abusing the ability whilst he's too young for school, and Uni breaks up a LOT earlier Grin

Trills · 14/06/2011 08:40

Because Travel Agents don't exist to make your life easier. They exist to make a profit.

highhopes2010 · 14/06/2011 09:21

Actually should of phrased it better i know -totally Blush.no excuse but was tired and just heard it on the news and also really want to go on holiday in the holidays but can't ever ever afford it. I agree with you all that yes I was being an anreasonable dickhead putting it that way.will now go and hide.

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DontCallMePeanut · 14/06/2011 09:32

YWNB an U "dickhead"...

Have a Brew, see if that wakes you up a bit. Is there perhaps a way you could save a bit away each month? Won't get you a holiday this year, but something to look forward to.

DontCallMePeanut · 14/06/2011 09:34

Also, instead of using travel agents, it may be worth using websites such as skyscanner.net, and booking the elements of your hoildays seperately. Wink

highhopes2010 · 14/06/2011 10:22

Thanks Dontcallme am bit dippy sometimesBlush. Never heard of skyscanner.net going to have a look at it now. Looked at my thread this morning and thought what a dick I was and what a shit start to my day! Have also stopped smoking so my brain is all over the place(more then usual). Thanks again.Smile.

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highhopes2010 · 14/06/2011 10:25

Also Dontcallme I'm trying to save but every time I do something more important comes along and I always have to break into it! Going round in circles constantly. Will keep trying though.

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Andrewofgg · 14/06/2011 19:36

Kreecher, enjoy the trips!

darleneoconnor · 14/06/2011 19:40

What we should be doing instead is getting the schools to not all have their holidays at the same time. One advantage of living in Scotland is that our holidays are different so we get term times prices for some weeks of the holidays.

diabolo · 14/06/2011 19:47

I'm school admin, so have to take my holidays during peak times.

Don't buy a "package", arrange it independently and you'll save ££££. Book flights in October / November time with whoever offers the cheapest (might be in the middle of the night). Use Owners Direct to rent apartments / villas, direct from the owners, without any of the mark-up travel agents have.

highhopes2010 · 14/06/2011 19:55

I'm moving to Scotland......and never putting another comment on here.....unless I've had a drink-I speak more sense then.Grin.

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highhopes2010 · 14/06/2011 19:57

diabolo thanks,will definately try that.

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