Hi Blossom,

Have you looked at flight only & booking hotel sperately, as you could then book your flight times to suit. I always do it this way now, couldn't do the night flights & spend last day of holiday waiting around with no room.

Something to consider maybe.

night flight times never used to bother me and I'd say that if you've got your mind set on this holiday to go for it. What you'll lose out on at the start of the holiday should be able to be clawed back at the end i.e. a later flight home? what time is your flight back? I know this isn't ideal for some as the thought of 'hanging about' with your luggage after check-out time until the pick up puts them off. It never really bothers us as we just leave our luggage (normally a safe place to leave it in the hotel) and treat the last day as any other day.

However, if we had a choice between arriving at resort mid morning or the middle of the night, I'd choose the former. I wouldn't let the flight times put you off the holiday you want though. Good Luck!

Hi Blossom

It would not put me off,our last holiday we didn't arrive until 1:45am just got our heads down and up early the next day,and as we arrived that time our flight home was late evening so we still had all the last day to spend ,we still had the full 14 nights.

And regarding the school dilema,I have booked holidays before getting the consent form signed,our school is strict about it but if your child does attend regular it shouldn't be a problem ,our kids never miss school unless really poorly hence why they have not refused us yet,and even if they did it wouldnt stop me taking them anyway

How grumpy will the kids get with red eye flights ?

John

Also don't forget, luggage collection & transfer time. Your room will have been reserved from around 2pm the 'day' before so that it's ready for you to go straight into. Personally with children I wouldn't fancy it. I'd try and find somewhere with day flights

Where was it you were thinking of going & perhaps we can help?

Thank all
We are wanting to go to Gran Canaria, Playa Taurito, Lago Taurito. It leaves the Monday during the half term.

The return flight leaves at 13.25, so not a late flight back to hopefully claw back some time is it?
Any further thoughts?

Or any further suggestions of destinations - 2 kids aged 11 and 15, we want somewhere with good weather.

where did you want to fly from and when approx?? x

From Bristol ideally. But would consider Gatwick.

The same holiday is available on the same day (25th October) but flying from Gatwick leaving at 17.20 and arriving at 21.20. We live in Paignton, Devon, so obviously have further to travel to the airport, so additional fuel costs plus the parking is more expensive at Gatwick, but the holiday is slightly cheaper per person.

All thoughts HUGELY appreciated

does it work out the price to justify parking fuel etc to gatwick ??

From Bristol it's £2291

From Gatwick it's £2215

I'm also dropping my dogs off to a friend in Wales (3 hours from home lol) so had thought I could do it before going to the airport if it was the Bristol airport.

It's all getting confusing now though lol.

If anyone is able to suggest anywhere else All Inclusive where my kids would have lots to do and nice weather I am all ears

turkey, eygpt are always good. i know on the saturday you can fly from gran canaria on saturday from bristol i will go have a nosey ive got time to burn at work today x

Blossom wrote:

Hi All

After lots of deliberation we have finally decided on where we want to go on holiday!

But, we were just about to book when we realised that we are losing our first day and night as our flight does not get in until 01.35
Is it still worth going do you think or would you choose a different holiday?

We are planning on going during the half term week as my eldest is of the age now where his school is refusing holidays during term time but I could try it - but then now I would be booking the holiday before the request form is even handed in at his school, so if they say no we are stuck! Half term is 23rd October (that's the Saturday) for a week.

Any help and advice is hugely appreciated :)

If they say No what does that mean? They can't stop you going on holiday, you are entitled to take your children out of school for 2 weeks for a family holiday. As long as he is not missing any public exams then there should be no problem. Is the school in an LEA that fines parents? If not then I wouldn't worry, if it is find out what the fine is, It may be worth paying £100 to get a big discount on the holiday price.

If the school says no then the school has 10 days of unauthorised absence and OFSTED get a bit narky, if the school says yes they they have 10 days of Authorised absence and OFSTED gets narky! Either way you get a great holiday with your kids.

Here you go. With Travel Republic, better flight times same hotel

Bristol - Las Palmas (Gran Canaria): Departs 25-Oct-2010 at 10:30, Arrives 25-Oct-2010 at 14:35 (4 hours 5 minutes) TOM6120

Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) - Bristol: Departs 01-Nov-2010 at 15:30, Arrives 01-Nov-2010 at 19:35 (4 hours 5 minutes) TOM6121

ADULT RETURN TICKET 299.00 2 598.00
CHILD RETURN TICKET 299.00 2 598.00
AIR PASSENGER DUTY 5.00 4 20.00
DISCOUNT -166.05 1 -166.05
FAMILY ROOM SIDE SEA VIEW, ALL INCLUSIVE(2 ADULTS, 2 CHILDREN) 996.29 1 996.29
ATOL PROTECTION 0.00 1 0.00
ACCOMMODATION TOTAL FINANCIAL PROTECTION 0.00 1 0.00
CHECKED IN LUGGAGE FOR 1ST ADULT 25.00 1 25.00
CHECKED IN LUGGAGE FOR 2ND ADULT 25.00 1 25.00
CHECKED IN LUGGAGE FOR 1ST CHILD 25.00 1 25.00
CHECKED IN LUGGAGE FOR 2ND CHILD 25.00 1 25.00
SEAT ON COACH 21.73 4 86.92

Total Cost: £2233.16

I also thought of pricing it up diy for you but the Bristol flights on the 25th won't get you back in time for school on the Monday- unless it's an inset day at your son's school. Still he'll only miss one day.

If you book with Thomson directly for the same flights, using their transfers it's

Mon 25 Oct 10
10:30
14:35
TOM 6120

Mon 01 Nov 10
15:30
19:35

TOM 6121

2× Adults £566.362 × Children £566.364 × 1 Check-in item £100.00

4× Coach transfers £80.00

Taxes & charges £143.28

Web saving-£160.16

Total price:£1,295.84

Then use Travel Republic for accommodation only:-

2 Adults
2 Children Family Room Side Sea View

All Inclusive £830.24

Total £2126.08

Thanks for that - just working through it all online now
I am a real worry pants and am scared that because it's not done through a tour operator this way that if things go wrong or do not match up in some way then we are left high and dry - is this the case? Are things more likely to go wrong because its not a package deal?

Do a lot of people book holidays this way and can offer me some reassurance please?

I have visions of booking the flights then going on to book the hotel and it not being available - scared!!

Sorry, something else popped into my head - because Thomson don't offer holidays to that specific hotel will the transfer just be taking us to the nearest hotel and we make our own way there?

If I lived in Paignton, I would never go on holiday abroad! lol

Your heading of 'is it worth it?' and you are talking about the airport then IMO, yes, every time.
If it is about the time you spend on holiday - it depends on how many days you are away.

Seriously, the choice of flying from Bristol or Gatwick (regardless of the time etc) would
be our consideration and it would be Exeter/Bristol even though it could be slightly more expensive.
We are not too bothered about flight times as we have no children but we think about our
return and don't want a long drive home in the middle of the night, especially after a day hanging
around after being 'chucked' out of a room a 10 or 12am, just waiting to go home.
We only look for local(ish) flights and we don't compare the cost of flying from other parts of
the Country so we are never disappointed to hear that a flight from Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester
or even Newcastle is cheaper because it wouldn't suit us!
Saying that, if they were £500 less, then maybe it would be a different matter!
Hope you get sorted.

I always book the flight and hotel separately and have never had any problems. If transfers aren't included have a look at some of the transfer companies to get an idea of the price: I, and others, have found A2B Transfers very good but there are other companies it may be worth looking at.