Is this really worth licking !

Taximania

2012-02-25 00:04:20

Starting to get a little frustrated.

For any people out there who have monitored price movements for the last 4 to 5 year for Goa there has always been a distinct pattern to follow.

Price at immediate start of season and a fortnight just before Crimbo returning back just before Crimbo have always come up to scratch for value.

Likewise booking prices at the end of Feb to middleish of March have offered stunning value for a cheeky last minute end of season getaway.

We're talking possibles of a return flight for £350 or a fortnight at hotel mid express for the £400 mark or a spot of two week all inclusive for around the £700

Not this year though...Defo not this year ,more chance of platting Fog than getting something reasonably priced.

WHICH TAKES ME ONTO THE TITLE OF THE THREAD

Spent my life the last week on comparison sites that put you in direct contact with said tour operator.
Bucket shops selling em cheap by the dozen
Well it just is not working ..

Finally in frustration a letter wings its way of to HQ for answers .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear sirs , I find your website a little bewildering to say the least.
I have used the site for 3 days now and every time I ring a supplier we are told the prices are not live and that price does not exist anymore.
Last night I came home and stayed up until the very early hours of the morning getting details of holidays ready to book,
I phoned many tour operators this morning about the 11th march holidays to Goa for 14 days various accommodation leaving from Manchester with carrier Thomas cook.

And yes..guess what they don't exist.
The flights are available out but not return you say which is as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
That was this morning and now it is late at night and yes you still insist on leaving these holidays up on your site when you known full well that for over 24 hours these flights with Thomas cook are non existent

11th MARCH 14 DAYS RETURN HOLIDAYS TO GOA FROM MANNY WITH T.C DO NOT EXIST

What a waste of 3 days of my life and worse than that what a complete waste of the tour operators time and energy
Maybe tomorrow after 48 hours you may pull them off ?
If the flights do exist then the operators always say that the £700 holidays is not available but I can manage to sell you one for £1000 if you don't take a bag, sit on the wife's knee skip the meal and walk to Baga
"OK then put me down for 4 of them please".

I*E L***Y
More like to me a melted one at the moment

AND THIS I GUESS WILL BE THE ANTICIPATED REPLY

DEAR VALUED CUSTOMER ..
I am sorry in this instance that i*e l***y has not lived up to your expectations but be assured that we really do have you the holiday customers blah blah best interests blah blah at heart
We have currently helped well over three million customers experience their holiday dream.
The prices seen are not live and blah blah blah .

Please with respect save the pencil lead and just try to sort things out,could TRULY be a market leader if only it was it was more efficient and motivated in its operation to secure humble Joe public a cheap holiday.
Is that not what is what set up for

Not trying to be factitious or clever,we are just trying to book a cheap bucket holiday.
Maybe if I go direct with the tour operator I may have some luck
Anyway no hard feelings
All the very best
Taxi;

And happy holidays

RANT OVER

And yes obviously Ive been drinking
Folds soap box away gets coat and walks off towards the door

Edited by Taximania 2012-02-25 11:46:55

nejulie

2012-02-25 08:36:40

Is this really worth licking !

Bet your glad that's off your chest now. Seriously though I totally agree sometimes I wonder if it was easier in the old days before the Internet where you trawled the town centre looking in the the travel agents windows at the late deal cards!! I remember when Teletext started had the same problem then, would sit for hours looking at the screen and the "bargain" prices only when you rang them it had gone!! The amount we spent in phone calls would have have paid for a full price holiday!!

Good luck hope you find something have you looked at the schedule flights? I got a bargain with Air India a couple of years ago booked the week before £250 heathrow to Goa return for 6th March. Just wish I could go back this March

Taximania

2012-02-25 11:38:12

Re: Is this really worth licking !

We trawled the schedule carriers with the like of sky scanner and cheap flights etc.

Lowest flight from Manny to Goa Not going through Mumbai is with Qatar in April for £560 return
Whack a cheap B and B Hotel on top and you are coming out with the £750 mark each.

Don't know if the prices are going to reduce this time,

Want to go to Goa,visas in hand but not impressed with shelling out 700-800 for below average B and B when you can go Mexico Cuba etc all Inc for £900 to £1000 mark
The values just not there at the moment

Got to go , people to phone

Adios

Taxi;

Taximania

2012-02-26 03:15:14

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Three days now, and still they list the 11th march flights of Thomas Cook Madchester to Dabolim that simply do not exist.
All the holidays listed are centering around this ghost flight.

BT will be rubbing there hands.
Can not for the life of me see any other potential winner

Absolute time wasting messers of the highest order :tut

Update.

Give in ! Manny to goa Qatar flight only 550
not the best BUT
Will have to do

silentman

2012-02-29 20:26:04

Re: Is this really worth licking !

£550 Man-Goa sounds a fair price to me

Taximania

2012-03-01 01:05:45

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Fair, I agree

But cheap, Not .

Last 4 to 5 years March and April easily bought for £450 for flight and cheap B+B such as Bierra mar, Mira Hotel, Riverside Regency and Palm Resort etc
Charter flight quite easily grabbed for £350-400

This year with T.C not playing out demand must have outstripped supply.

Also appreciate that to get the £550 flight return I have to travel in April, mid April at that :yikes

But on a plus note with Qatar I don't have to mess around changing airports at Mumbai, just a quick smoke and stretch stop at Doha.

Managed to throw in Ronni beach resort for £246 for the fortnight so £680 per person it is

Do remember Silent man that average B+B prices for Goa at the moment for anything not resembling a prisoner of war cell is coming in for a package at the £800 mark

As previously mentioned Mexico Cuba and Dominican can all be grabbed for £800-1000 ALL INCLUSIVE coming complete with powder white sands azure clear oceans and NO £100 extra for the dreaded visas

Out-pricing itself

I WONDER :think

30 odd more sleeps and :sun2

roma

2012-03-01 03:17:07

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Very interesting post, Taxmania and I have also spent many fruitless hours trying to get flights. Your frustration leaps out of the screen!!

Glad you eventually got sorted out and have a great trip! We use Qatar and think they are quite good but their prices are up and down like a .....better not say that!!

Taximania

2012-03-01 14:07:22

Re: Is this really worth licking !

You may just be the very chap to help me out here Roma

Never flown Qatar before so had a look at the seat planner on http://www.seatguru.com
Interesting to see that it comes up with a wonderful configuration of 2 -4 -2 across rows as opposed to the usual 3 -4 -3 formation.

Great because sometimes its not the best on a long haul flight for third unknown party to cuddle up to you in there sleep :yikes

snore there t*ts off for 10 hours :yikes

Or just generally tell you there life story from birth to boarding in infinite detail :yikes

So went on the Qatar website to try to pre-book seats so we get the window 2 together and unfortunately they have no email address just the dreaded 0844 numbers which are a no no to a mobile.

Question is as you have used this carrier when can you prebook seats if at all ?
Can it be done now in advance or is it first come first served at check in

Cheers pal :cheers

ukbill

2012-03-01 14:43:36

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Hi Taximania,

Yes - you should have absolutely no problem in booking your Qatar seats way ahead of time on line.
I'm booked for November to Thailand and I've already selected my seats for all four bits of my flights.
You just need the special six character booking reference you should have from when you booked.
Then go to the Qatar website and it lets you select your seats at no extra cost.
(BA, Thomson, Thomas Cook etc etc - eat your hearts out)

Have a great trip

ukbill

2012-03-01 14:49:26

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Remember also though - Doha airport is a dry airport.....no alcoholic drinks available.
(Maybe if you fly expensive class they are - but for those of us who go cattle class....)

Pretty awful if you are quite partial to the falling down liquid but have a long layover there.

Taximania

2012-03-01 15:10:55

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Thanks Bill ; appreciated

On to it now

All the best
Taxi ;

silentman

2012-03-01 21:33:20

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Our flight Man-Doha was 2-4-2 and drinks service great, use call button or go to the galley, flight from Doha-Goa 3-3 not very good it took the crew the best part of 2hrs to serve the meal and drinks, 4 trolleys blocked the single isle, access to the toilets was almost impossible some people where getting very irate, the seat space was very limited. drinks service on the return journey was almost none existent on bot5h flights but think this depends on the crews attitude to alcohol, as we only paid £424 each and the 13hrs it took compared with the 24hrs we have experienced going via Mumbai its the best way to get to Goa.

Taximania

2012-03-02 02:50:18

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Yes, did notice when selecting seating that the Doha Goa leg was a 3 - 3 configuration.
There is also 4 blocks of seats on this sector with a 2 - 2 configuration without a window and we have managed to grab them both ways so happy days to that.
Drink service was OK you say.
Are they complimentary due to it being a scheduled flight ?
What was the fly time on this second leg incidentally ?

How did you manage the £425 for your flight,top price.
When did you travel and when did you book it and who with pal.
I ask because Roma is 100% correct mentioning the massive fluctuations in Qatar airways flights.
I booked the cheapest available on offer for this season at £550 a few days ago and now

WAIT FOR IT ...........

Same flights ARE £750 :yikes

How after 2 days or so can an airline implement an increase of 40% when the flight is only quarter full
Absolutely mind boggling ....

Agree with the Mumbai scenario , everyone is different I suppose but that route would not be good for me either with the extra transit times and papping around changing airports.

ALL THE BEST

Taxi;

roma

2012-03-02 03:00:28

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Hi Taximania - You've obviously sorted out the seat booking so that's great. We ordered Asian Vegetarian meals and they were superb. Best food I've ever had on a plane.

When I was looking to book flights last year the cost of Manchester to Goa was £722. I checked a couple of times a week for a couple of months and it never changed. Manchester to Mumbai (still with Qatar)was £410 so we booked Mumbai and sorted out internal flights for about £60 for two of us.

The week after I did that, Qatar dropped the cost of Manchester- Goa to around £450. I was not amused but many HTers got a great deal. This price only lasted a couple of weeks at the most and then went back up to £600 odd.

Don't understand it - I think you just have to check regularly through the year and pounce when you see a good deal.

Taximania

2012-03-02 03:44:50

Re: Is this really worth licking !

Yes I think that's it in a nutshell.
If you see a deal that's acceptable to your own wallet then go ahead and get it booked.

Never ever going to consistently buy flights or packages at the lowest price all the time unless you have a crystal ball.

Think anywhere in the £400-£500 range for a flight to Goa is happy days to be honest.

Enjoy your breakfast
Adios and gone.....

Taxi;

gointogoa

2012-03-03 11:05:53

Re: Is this really worth licking !

I was told that when a new flight is out they sell seats at a lower price until they have sold enough so they are not going to fly at a loss, then they increase the rest of the prices, if that makes sense :scratch:

enjoy your holls anita

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