Where have all the cheap flights gone

[thelace]

Every year, the lads go away for the 3rd weekend in January for a cheap holiday to soak up some culture and beer....

Over the last few years we've been to Berlin, Barcelona, Milan and Paris....

Flights are now out for January and we have a choice of Barcelona, Malaga, Belfast and Paris.

We used to have a choice of over a dozen destinations which caused great debate, research and plain arguments down the pub....

I realise there's a credit crunch on. But these companies cannot make a penny if their planes aren't in the air.

[Menelaus]

Every year, the lads go away for the 3rd weekend in January for a cheap holiday to soak up some culture and beer....

Over the last few years we've been to Berlin, Barcelona, Milan and Paris....

Flights are now out for January and we have a choice of Barcelona, Malaga, Belfast and Paris.

We used to have a choice of over a dozen destinations which caused great debate, research and plain arguments down the pub....

I realise there's a credit crunch on. But these companies cannot make a penny if their planes aren't in the air.

Mexico.

/Oink, cough...

[Mich the Tester]

What is this ‘cheap’ you speak of? You’re a contractor. Travel first class on Eurostar or buy a luxury car. None of this Air Cattle transport.

[stingman123]

Every year, the lads go away for the 3rd weekend in January for a cheap holiday to soak up some culture and beer....

Over the last few years we've been to Berlin, Barcelona, Milan and Paris....

Flights are now out for January and we have a choice of Barcelona, Malaga, Belfast and Paris.

We used to have a choice of over a dozen destinations which caused great debate, research and plain arguments down the pub....

I realise there's a credit crunch on. But these companies cannot make a penny if their planes aren't in the air.

Some of the companies have no planes in the air because they are companies no longer

[thelace]

What is this ‘cheap’ you speak of? You’re a contractor. Travel first class on Eurostar or buy a luxury car. None of this Air Cattle transport.

Mates work in local government, NHS, and (hopefully still) Nissan.

I humour them

[thelace]

Some of the companies have no planes in the air because they are companies no longer

Mainly used easyjet (which gives us the above options). All the rest Ryanair (though I wouldn't travel with them again), Jet2, FlyBE, BMI, etc are all still around, but only for summer holidays....

[Mich the Tester]

I don’t use planes these days simply because it’s become such a bloody miserable experience what with all the long queues for security checks, tiny seats, fat sweaty people sitting next to you, food from hell, airport lounges that stink of the world’s strongest perfumes, airlines telling you the flight’s double booked, enormous parking fees at the airport, Americans, chavs, and arriving in some concrete jungle in the semi-desert that’s a 75 minute taxi ride from town through rush hour traffic in a bashed up old Mercedes 190 diesel taxi with no air conditioning and a smelly worker person in the driving seat swearing in foreignese..

It’s so much better to get the train around Europe. Travelling first class on Europe’s high speed trains is like a throwback to the golden age of air travel when only civilized, educated people could afford to fly. Attractive hostesses, large comfy seats, luxurious first class lounges, good food with metal knives and forks, well stocked wine cupboards and Europe’s countryside whizzing past at 300kph. Add to that; you depart and arrive in the middle of town where you want to be. Well, at least that’s how it is on SOME of the trains.

[Zippy]

MTT is right. Why not get an overnight train from Paris to Spain or Italy? You could always take your own booze so you don't waste valuable drinking time

[TykeMerc]

MTT is right. Why not get an overnight train from Paris to Spain or Italy? You could always take your own booze so you don't waste valuable drinking time

Odds are if one of his mates works for Nissan then he's based in the North East, the train ticket to London alone would be more than a flight to somewhere interesting from a regional airport.

[Mich the Tester]

MTT is right. Why not get an overnight train from Paris to Spain or Italy? You could always take your own booze so you don't waste valuable drinking time

I took the overnight 'trenotel' from Paris to Madrid; it's a bit of a wobbly ride through France but gets more comfortable as you get on the broad gauge rails in Spain. A very palatable Ribera del Duero and some Patxaranc, some Basque liquor that turns people into terrorists, served by a rather attractive waitress from Bilbao ensured a good night's sleep. Food was OK, scenery in the morning approaching Madrid was stunning.