Who actually pays £1,800 for a 8 hour flight?

[hesbel]

We were invited to go and stay with some friends for a week at their house in Antigua over new years. No accommodation cost so would be willing to pay a bit more for flights.

Usually when we fly to the Caribbean at peak but not New Years, we pay around £500-600 each in economy. At New Years, the flights are £1,800 each. They have been this price since their release. Who on earth can pay that sort of money for an economy ticket?

Someone with more money than sense....

I mean, we’re a family of five and flights to Canada are usually around £1k each so we spend £5k on flights quite regularly. I imagine less people fly to Antigua so cost will be higher.

I've noticed a huge increase in the cost of some flight routes in general.

A nonsensical, bitter, jealous comment! You don’t have to be stupid (no sense) to choose to purchase a plane ticket in a peak travel time. Odd comment.

People that have money, it’s simple economics. One of my brothers flies first class everywhere, he is so wealthy it’s no biggie to him. I remember reading about a sheik who gave a doorman a tip at a fancy hotel. It was something crazy like 5k and this was years ago. But it would be like regular folk giving a penny.

Or just someone with a decent amount of money 🤷‍♀️

Its not ‘no sense’ to spend money you have on something you want.

If someone will pay it they will charge it. Lots of people want to go away at that time of year so demand is high and some people on high incomes can pay those prices. With family a long haul trip away I’m used to trying to book flights over Xmas/New Years and facing silly prices. Sometimes flying on less popular days eg on Christmas Day or New Years Eve helps lower the cost but otherwise you just have to adjust your dates or fork out the money.

Just try swimming it one way, I'm sure you'll pay for the return flight ;-)

Lots of people can pay it and lots of people do. It might seem expensive for a holiday, but not everybody is purely holidaying: we often pay exorbitant prices to fly at peak times (Christmas, Easter, NY, summer) because those are the times of year we want to spend with family and friends who live overseas. We have a bit of a grumble about it sometimes, but it just is what it is.

Given you're not paying for accommodation the cost doesn't seem prohibitive, what happens to the price if you go earlier and come back later and pay for a few days accommodation either side of the visit with friends?

people flying to australia

Plenty of people.

People who want or have to go at peak times.

Perhaps they don't have flexible holidays so can't go at other times.

One thing I'm really grateful for is that I don't have these restrictions and hence life is cheaper, less crowded and hence more pleasant.

In eight hours?

Which airline? I’m interested.

I’ve paid ££££ for 8 hour flight, that’s quite far! I thought the price was proportionate to the service provided.

We’re paying 10k to fly business class to Australia at Christmas.

We have zero accommodation costs, reduced food costs and we have the money to be able to do it, rather than travel economy squashed with two young children.

If you don’t see it as value for money, then look for different dates, different routes or don’t go.