How bad is flying economy these days?
Discussion
Teddy Lop said:
Griffith4ever said:
I hear you, but if it was 100% more space for 100% more money every bugger would upgrade [snip]
Stop right there - they could halve the number of customers getting on the plane for the same gross take, and they wouldn't?BC is 100% more space and then, its 400% the price.
Edited by Griffith4ever on Saturday 18th March 19:59
Also, in economy, the seat price is only one part of it. They can sell speedy boarding, luggage allowances, seat allocations, food and drink, scratchcards, if you're at that end of the market! Then during the booking process they can sell you car hire, accommodation, airport parking. All of these things go into the big pot, and the more people they have the more of these add ons they can sell. Budget airlines (or indeed all airlines) want more customers, not less.
Condi said:
Also, in economy, the seat price is only one part of it. They can sell speedy boarding, luggage allowances, seat allocations, food and drink, scratchcards, if you're at that end of the market! Then during the booking process they can sell you car hire, accommodation, airport parking. All of these things go into the big pot, and the more people they have the more of these add ons they can sell. Budget airlines (or indeed all airlines) want more customers, not less.
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board. Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
Griffith4ever said:
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
GT03ROB said:
Griffith4ever said:
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
I have to say I’m a sucker for an EasyJet toasty.
GT03ROB said:
Griffith4ever said:
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
On one of the alicante return flights the spanish cops escorted some back on the plane. The second the wheels left the ground they started fighting and picking on other passengers.
Griffith4ever said:
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
deja.vu said:
Griffith4ever said:
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
It was a 6am flight, they were all pre loaded, and continued to drink the plane dry all the way
It was good natured but very raucous
Fortunately the return flight was very subdued and mostly pensioners and quite relaxing unlike the outbound
Have just flown London to Sydney on the same plane via Singapore in economy and it was fine. Priority boarding and being able to pick seats helped as did noise cancelling headphones and a melatonin.
Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
matt21 said:
Have just flown London to Sydney on the same plane via Singapore in economy and it was fine. Priority boarding and being able to pick seats helped as did noise cancelling headphones and a melatonin.
Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
What’s the point of Priority Boarding on Long Haul? There’s always enough room in the lockers, and you surely want to be on the plane as short a time as possible.Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
I always board last whether in BC or not…everyone gets there at the same time.
Griffith4ever said:
captain_cynic said:
Maybe I just fly better airlines but I usually can pick the option to have luggage included and don't sell scratch cards on board.
Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
have you sat on a flight from Bristol to Alicante? Several hundred Welsh on their way for a pissed up weekend in " 'Dorms"..Their fun starts with buying everything and anything for sale in flight :-) can't imagine the Liverpool to magaluf is much different.Isn't it a known secret that buying anything on board is going to cost more than buying it at the airport?
And there I was thinking Medellin (Colombia) was dodgy
matt21 said:
Have just flown London to Sydney on the same plane via Singapore in economy and it was fine. Priority boarding and being able to pick seats helped as did noise cancelling headphones and a melatonin.
Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
Singapore airlines is really the gold standard, even in economy class. Better seats, more room. Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
I agree with Loafer that priority boarding really isn't necessary, it's not EasyJet where you need to compete for overhead bin space, fewer seats per bin and fewer cheapskates wearing 15 t-shirts and carrying a massive, overflowing suitcase into the cabin to avoid paying for checked baggage. However I get put into the top economy class boarding group just because I've been a Krisflyer member for more than a few years.
I probably would have jumped at a £500 PE upgrade to Oz, SQ is really a cut above there as well. However I'm typically flying alone so it's just 500 quid for me.
loafer123 said:
matt21 said:
Have just flown London to Sydney on the same plane via Singapore in economy and it was fine. Priority boarding and being able to pick seats helped as did noise cancelling headphones and a melatonin.
Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
What’s the point of Priority Boarding on Long Haul? There’s always enough room in the lockers, and you surely want to be on the plane as short a time as possible.Was tempted by a £500/person per way premium economy upgrade but would still have been a 24hr flight and only slightly less cramped. We are spending the money on nice hotels instead.
I always board last whether in BC or not…everyone gets there at the same time.
I’ve never flown anything but economy in my life - the thought of spunking thousands of my hard earned cash for a bigger seat and a fake smile from the aircraft staff fills me with horror. I could spend that money on something that wouldn’t vanish in a pooof of memories the second I walked off the plane.
If I ran a big company that sent staff on long haul foreign flights in business class I would introduce a money saving measure: offer the staff member half the cost difference between economy and business as a cash bonus. (Ie economy is £500, business is £2500, so the traveller gets £1000 and you, the employer, saves £1000.)
If I ran a big company that sent staff on long haul foreign flights in business class I would introduce a money saving measure: offer the staff member half the cost difference between economy and business as a cash bonus. (Ie economy is £500, business is £2500, so the traveller gets £1000 and you, the employer, saves £1000.)
Dog Star said:
I’ve never flown anything but economy in my life - the thought of spunking thousands of my hard earned cash for a bigger seat and a fake smile from the aircraft staff fills me with horror. I could spend that money on something that wouldn’t vanish in a pooof of memories the second I walked off the plane.
If I ran a big company that sent staff on long haul foreign flights in business class I would introduce a money saving measure: offer the staff member half the cost difference between economy and business as a cash bonus. (Ie economy is £500, business is £2500, so the traveller gets £1000 and you, the employer, saves £1000.)
... that's why you don't run a big company. Your staff would underperform after repeatedly getting off long flights knackered - great way to arrive and meet clients. Employers don't send their staff BC as a perk, they do it either a) get their staff to where they need to be in good shape and b) to be competative in the employment market - the best people won't work for companies that get cheap on them and treat them poorly. It's all very well holding your chin up and "getting on" with your crammed holiday flight once a year, it's altogether another thing trying to do that to employees who are flying on a weekly basis.If I ran a big company that sent staff on long haul foreign flights in business class I would introduce a money saving measure: offer the staff member half the cost difference between economy and business as a cash bonus. (Ie economy is £500, business is £2500, so the traveller gets £1000 and you, the employer, saves £1000.)
You haven't done it, so you are not aware that flying in a better class isn't just "bigger seat and a fake smile" - it is an entirely different ball game in terms of comfort, peace, ability to work, and being fresh when you land. Long haul.
Edited by Griffith4ever on Sunday 19th March 22:36
Dog Star said:
If I ran a big company that sent staff on long haul foreign flights in business class I would introduce a money saving measure: offer the staff member half the cost difference between economy and business as a cash bonus. (Ie economy is £500, business is £2500, so the traveller gets £1000 and you, the employer, saves £1000.)
If they can successfully hide the slow desruction of their zest for life when they're on the 27th econo class 12hr+ flight of the year then I guess they're a keeper. And then their cranium will explode at the Xmas office party.
I don't really get the economics of it myself, but enough operations seem to think it's worth it. I wonder whether employees have requested it and what the reception was.
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff