With us, numbers down 20% a year for the last four years.
Customers definitely leaving Xmas purchases to later and later in the year.
Things not helped when other schools offer deals on Groupon-style sites for buttons and at peak sales times of the year. Can't call Xmas peak flying time!
We don't sell on price, rather we offer a true recreational flying experience: friends and family up close with aircraft.
I suspect fall in sales was due to:
A 20% price hike two-ish years ago.
A lot of competition in marketing from agencies (and we only deal with two - one UK and one Scottish) who offer crazy discounts - like 25% off when they pay us minus just 20% commission! Yes, we could buy our own flights from them and make a profit! The route to madness!
A lot of competition from hotel deals: room, b&b and dinner for two + bottle of wine for £70!! And so both can enjoy the gift - and it lasts a lot longer than a 30 min flight.
Flying may once have seemed exotic, now you can get a flight and two nights in Paris/Milan/Nice etc at off-peak times for an hour's flight.