Cheapest way of getting a flight?

[Stu666]

My 3-year-old lad is displaying a keen interest in all things flying and keeps asking me if he can go on a 'plane or helicopter in the sky! Not being one to discourage such interest I'd love to surprise him with a short flight somewhere. Problem is we are not flying anywhere on hols any time soon and it would be a shame to make him wait a few years.

What would be the cheapest way to take him up for a trip? A short economy flight to a regional airport? Pleasure flight in a light aircraft/chopper?

His Mum is a bit worried about light aircraft/choppers, seems to think there is more chance of things 'going wrong'.

We are not all that far from MAN and LPL if that helps.

Cheers.

[PhineasC]

I don't know about the cost of a short ride in a small plane, but I guess the cheapest would be a day trip on Ryan Air or another loco, it's probably best to hunt around the Eazyjet Ryan Air websites till you get something you like to look of

[TSR2]

Suggest Liverpool to Belfast with easyjet. Daily flights so you can go out and back same day for around £45 return and by jet.

[pennineuk]

You can get some pretty cheap flights MAN-LGW, although check the schedules acrefully as they are not that frequent these days and getting back may be an issue.

[Cahlibahn]

EZY reckon you can do LPL - Isle of Man - LPL from £17.99 in August....

[Tableview]

I had a quick look at Manx2.com. You can do Blackpool - IOM return for £40 on some dates in September. I don't know if Blackpool is close to you

They use small aircraft which are fun, the Dornier and the LET-410, which seat less than 20 pax, and you can see what goes on in the cockpit from the passenger seats.

[jubilee]

Go to Barton Airport, book a flight in a light aircraft. Usually last about 1hour.
If you can persuade his mother.
J

[rsuggitt]

A 3-yo in a light aircraft ? Hmmm, he'll not be able to see out the windows.

[Doors to Automatic]

Wait till winter and fly for free or next to free with Ryanair :)

[750XL]

As said previously, Dublin / Belfast return would be your best bet on either Easyjet or Ryanair.

Cheap Flights from Manchester to Ireland | Skyscanner (http://www.skyscanner.net/flights/man/ie/october-2012/october-2012/cheapest-flights-from-manchester-to-ireland-in-october-2012.html)

Saturday 6th October you can do MAN-DUB-MAN for £42 each.

Hope that helps

[Stu666]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Best offer I've found so far, that doesn't involve early mornings or late evenings, is LPL - DUB for 17.99 each way per person with EasyJet, although there is about a tenner in charges to add on. I suspect the date has some significance in the cheapness as well, September 11th. Best not tell the wife that!

[Dan Dare]

Can't resist, but children don't seem to need tickets in your part of the world.

Boy, 11, boards plane with no ticket (http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/491376-boy-11-boards-plane-man-no-passport-ticket.html)

Maybe more helpfully I would say that a 3 year old will not enjoy a flight in a light aircraft - they can't see, it is noisy and they are far more prone to sickness.

Some open microlights may be more suitable (as he can see straight out), but I wouldn't take someone so young up unless they were known and VERY well behaved. Any planned flight should be very short, so that would keep costs down.

I still fondly remember trips to the airfield when I was that sort of age, so perhaps a special effort to be near the aircraft would be sufficient to keep the enthusiasm going.

[anotherglassofwine]

LPL - DUB for 17.99 each way per person with EasyJet


Do Easyjet fly to Dub now?

[Stu666]

Maybe it was Belfast, it was late last night anyway :zzz:

[anotherglassofwine]

Ok! You got me excited there... thought there was finally a new option other than Ryanair and Aer Lingus for my trips to Europe! :ugh:

Enjoy the flight! You might even get time to wander around Belfast - great city.

AGOW

[G-ARZG]

Wait a few years until he's old enough to blag his way on to a Manchester to Rome flight, unaccompanied, unticketed, uncounted etc !