Expensive Easy

[Final 3 Greens]

Just booked a flight to Prague from Stansted at a few days notice and paid GBP230.

I don't have a problem with this as the schedule works well for me and the ticket cost is rechargeable.

However CSA (Czech Airlines) would have been substantially less expensive, as well as offering full service.

It just goes to show how 'low cost' airlines are not always and full service scheduled airlines often offer better value to the short notice business traveller, who also appreciate an allocated seat etc.

I have another 4-5 trips to book over the next couple of months and CSA will be getting that business, as their schedule is ok for these subsequent journeys.

[bealine]

May I ask if you also tried www.ba.com ? Fares from £70 return (plus approx £29 tax) are available from 26 May (1 week's notice) at this present time (07.22 hrs BST)

However, the fare would be £244 (plus tax) if you go tomorrow! Still - we're not "no-frills"!

:D

It just goes to prove that George Orwell was right "You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time..."

Maybe that's why EasyJet made their first loss last quarter?


EasyCruises? Bring yer own sheets, mop and bucket - save a packet!:yuk:

[Departures Beckham]

3Greens: Lots of people are now-checking in for CSA flights with Opodo (http://www.opodo.co.uk) issued tickets, so it looks like they may be offering some good fares. Loads on the CSA flights are good, and they offer both eonomy and business class service .... also collect SkyTeam points.

EasyCruise .... all that's included in the price is the paddles!

[PAXboy]

It may be that some folks will think that 'the lcc casrriers have been unmasked' but for most folks these days - the key question is:- How far away is the airport?

I have banged on about this before but an article I was reading about LBA was focussing on it's catchment area of pax within XX minutes drive.

With the bad road and rail connections, an airport that is closer is better than a cheaper flight!

[Final 3 Greens]

Bealine

Sadly you don't operate from STN. It's ironic that the EZY flt was GO which was started by .....

I'm doing 2-4 sectors per week at the moment and am schedule constrained, as the estate agents say I'm buying on location, location and location and sadly LHR/LGW are just too far to drive when there's a choice on my doorstep.

But rest assured, I do use BA when it fits, the last time being LCY/CDG on 17/5 (had to come back from ORY with AF, but it was a BA tkt.)

Departures Beckham

Thanks for the tip. As it happens I use Opodo for all my tickets and their CSA deals are good, just as you say. I also find Opodo to be a good agent, very helpful and pleasant to deal with. their website has improved a lot recently.

[GwynM]

I don't understand the point of the original post. Easyjet are perfectly clear about their policy, book early and it's cheap, book late and it's expensive. Maybe it's just an excuse to knock them?

[Final 3 Greens]

Gwyn

The point of the post was made pretty explicit in this passage

It just goes to show how 'low cost' airlines are not always and full service scheduled airlines often offer better value to the short notice business traveller, who also appreciate an allocated seat etc.

In other words, buy with your eyes open.

Having re-read the post, I see nothing knocking EasyJet at all, just a statement of fact that CSA were somewhat lower cost on this route and that full service airlines often offer better value at the last minute.

Maybe you are just being a little sensitive about the subject?

Anyway, the true LCA at the moment is BA ;) as Bealine has pointed out a few times recently and they also do service pretty well ....... if they had a hub at STN, they'd get loads more business from me and I have used them for about 25 sectors in the last year.

[Bill16STN]

I had the misfortune to use Easy Jet last week for the very first time, before I continue I'd just like to add that I was a frequent flyer with Buzz & I also fly regularly with Lufthansa/BMI, BA etc. etc.

EZY not so cheap SHOCK HORROR!!!

Firstly: I found the website to be very unsatisfactory, the full price of the flights weren't shown, only after I'd selected was the tax added & then finally a £4.00 credit card booking fee was also added. I ended up paying £94.00 return LTN-EDN.

Secondly: Is there some new aviation rule that only the EZY cabin crew are aware of? As in being allowed to hang ones jacket on the rear of the seat-back in front of you on take off, but being asked to place the jacket upon your lap for landing. I & most of my fellow passengers had never experienced this before. ... Or is it the relatively young and in-experienced CC justifying their position?

Oh & thirdly: not really an Easy jet thing, however: has anyone else noticed that LTN is such a dump?

Keep Smiling

Bill16STN;)

[MerchantVenturer]

My wife and flew BRS-EDI and return the week before last. The overall fare was £25 each (there and back). We did book at a time that easyJet was paying the UK tax. We have a BRS-NCL booked for September for £15 there and back, again booked at a time that easy was paying the UK tax. We also used a debit card rather than a credit card to avoid the cc charge. So, the fares are there.

As to easyJet, I must admit to a slight apprehension before flying. I had flown several times with Go and was very impressed with them and their fares. The EDI flight was my first since easy completely absorbed Go.

I was very pleasantly surprised. Apart from the seat scramble, which I do not like at all, the service, comfort and professionalism of the crews were every bit as good as Go - as were the prices, on this trip at any rate.

BA Citiexpress fly BRS-EDI as well and I could not find a price anywhere near the £25 'return' I paid with easyJet.

[Final 3 Greens]

So the conclusion seems to be .... friendly prices for those leisure travellers booking well in advance and higher than scheduled prices for business people booking at the last minute.

Fair enough, no one forces you to fly with them, but I think I'll be sticking with CSA on the Prague run in the future, especially as the easyJet cabin baggage limit is a measly 5kgs.

When you think that the average laptop weighs 3kgs, this isn't very business user friendly, since a decent briefcase tends to weigh in at a couple of kgs, so if you put anything else in their (e.g, papers) you could be asked to check it as hold luggage - they must be joking :\

[flypastpastfast]

The last posting made mention of easyjet baggage allowance. On EZY, with carry on, you are allowed 5Kg PLUS 1 laptop computer of unspecified weight!

This is something I found out recently, as it is hidden in the small print, but it is true. So if you have a very heavy laptop - easyjet is the one for you. Although from day one I have agreed with the first poster here, that easy is ok for travelling on leisure, but for last minute (a week before) bookings is very very expensive, and the big carriers are usually cheaper. I only use them if it is most convenient to go to stansted etc....

Flyp.

[Final 3 Greens]

flypastpastfast

I didn't know that ....... and neither do the BAA apparently, as they sent someone back from the frontof the security queue at STN because he had a laptop case and a small overnight bag.

He was furious, as the queue was about 10-15mins and the security supervisor quite bluntly said that the BAA allow only one piece of hand luggage for 'security' reasons and that he would have to check one in.

Now I understand the gentleman's immense frustration.

Anyone else using STN at the moment? It seems to me to becoming less user friendly to business pax these days. There's only one airside lounge left open and the guy manning that the other day was expressing a concern it will be shut due to lack of interest and that he will be out of a job.

Add that to some pretty horrendous queues, especially 1st thing in the morning and City is starting to look a better bet for many destinations.

[Final 3 Greens]

Flypastpastfast's point about extra luggage is spot on.

I've looked up Easy's carriers regs and found this.....

In addition, passengers may carry on board a handbag, clutchbag, coat, umbrella, duty-free goods (small items), a laptop computer, car seats for infant passengers (see "infants and unaccompanied minors" below) and small items of photographic or scientific equipment. These will not form part of the above allowances.

I suppose that the BAA have the final decision and 'security' is a blanket coverall.

I wonder what would happen if you arrived with one of each of the above, as it doesn't say OR anywhere in the sentence :}

[Departures Beckham]

BAA are sending a lot of people back from central search to check-in items which they feel are unsuitable (too many, too large, too heavy), which is both god and bad. The problem is that the rule is not uniformly enforced as we still get some passengers getting to the gates with heavy items which they have hidden from check-in agents, and the policy of just one item goes against the rules of many airlines.

As for the Exec Lounge, I haven't heard of any plans for its closure and if Pakistan International (PIA) do come and say hello, that will be our fifth regular airline offering business class service (Luxair, CSA Czech, Cyprus Airways and El-Al). I guess if Servisair did want to close it, either BAA or a private company would have to take it over and charge handling agents a per passenger fee (BAA used to run the Millennium Lounge in Sat 1). Back in the old days we had 5 lounges (Servisar, SAS, Millenium Lounge, KLM International and KLM Domestics). I can't see BAA allowing the airport to go down to zero.

[Final 3 Greens]

Thanks for the info DP.

Maybe the lounge person was having a bad day, glad to hear that it will be available, since I like to arrive early at the a/p and then do some work in the lounge, rather than risk missing the flt by cutting it fine.

[PAXboy]

With regards to EZY prices, seating and lap tops ...

As some will recall, I am a long term EZY fan. Used much on biz and leisure. Paid the minimum and the maximum.

Seat Scramble? I have never found it to be so. Have always seen folks being entirely civil about who sits where. Most of my travel is alone but when travelling as a couple, no problem about finding seats together or asking someoen to shift up to make a pair.

Lap tops: Never been stopped about this. I carry the lap top in a shoulder bag. When asked about it I lift it into view of the agent in as nonchalant a way as possible. Even if it has weighed (ahem) a tad above 5Kgs :rolleyes: I have never been asked for inspection of contents or a demand for it to be weighed.

Luton a dump? You should have seen it five years ago!! The check in hall is a cow shed of the worst kind but not materially worse than LHR T2 check-in, with that low ceiling.

[Final 3 Greens]

PAXboy

Funnily enough, I put my laptop in a very slim briefcase and lifted it effortlessly .... seems to be the way to go:O

[Departures Beckham]

I'll look out for you two next time, Mr P. Boy and Mr F. Greens :D

[Final 3 Greens]

Ah ha DB

I shall take my laptop out of the bag and announce that I can carry it as a separate piece, whereupon my bag will magically weight 4kgs ..... then I'll put it back in again before the central search gestapo stop me ... a cunning plan :D

[Departures Beckham]

Damn it, you're one of those cunning pax! I'll catch you one day, one day.....