Frustration with the premium applied to KLM and Lufthansa long haul flights!

[smala01]

I work for multinational national based near Bristol - over the last couple of months we averaged approx 500 long haul outward sectors per month. My company along with the majority of others (I assume) have a cheapest ticket policy. We must take the cheapest usable ticket (Y) with a small (£60) personal discretion allowed for convenience.

Bristol would be far and away the most convenient airport to begin many of the journeys for myself and fellow colleagues (mainly to India and Far East – Lufty flight times are excellent) so I was excited by the introduction of the daily flight to FRA a few months back.

The trouble is the premium attached to this service (compared to a LHR legacy carrier) is about 25%. We are therefore forced to take the Heathrow “hell” option!

Of course if this flight is commercially successful then there is no need to change, but if the loads are still poor then PLEASE Lufthansa / KLM give us a comparable price so we can fly with you and support our local airport!

Smala01

[Ray D'Avecta]

Not sure what you mean by premium, but for long haul flights originating from provincial UK airports, you are getting the UK to AMS legs for next to nothing. Add to that the fact that airport taxes are less in Holland than in the UK, more often than not, flying KLM is cheaper than direct flights from the UK.

Perhaps you should get someone from your company's travel dept to contact KLM head office to set up a commercial arrangement.

[G&T ice n slice]

Hmmm, the dreaded "cheapest airfare" rule

Of course doesn't cover
(a) the 4-hours door-to-London airport (driving with safety margin)
at your hourly rate what does that cost ?
(b) the 60 squid petrol cost
(c) mileage allowance if you're lucky enuff to be able to claim that
(d) parking cost at a London airport
(e) the 4-hours London airirport back to door
at your hourly rate what does that cost ?
(f) the 60 squid petrol cost
(g) mileage allowance if you're lucky enuff to be able to claim that

Suggest you make some costings & comparisons of
'local' and a 'London airport' scenarios & tackle your bean-counters

Cheers