low cost long haul?

RE: low cost long haul?

Well, to those who say “Yes” to low cost/long haul I would ask if you ever flew to Australia in a Brittania 757? I did and I would never suffer that seating discomfort again. Not even if it was for free.
And as for Virgin, my son regularly flies to USA by Virgin, but on Tuesday last flew BA to Miami. His comments on the flight – “The cabin staff were friendlier,drink(s) before dinner,bottle of wine (not a glass) with dinner,and good food.” Cost £288 return. Guess which airline he’s using next trip?!
I really don’t see how long haul could get much cheaper than it is, providing you check out all the sites and do a bit of forward planning.

RE: low cost long haul?

I think Virgin prices are generally as ‘low-cost’ as long Haul Flights will get.

Regards

Ben

RE: low cost long haul?

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 25-10-02 AT 03:12 PM (GMT)]Laker was low cost…Freddy was the pioneer of low cost travel. To some extent thaty was what Virgin set out to br but I think its changed.

RE: low cost long haul?

I dont think it would work. Long haul is expensive and low cost airlines wouldnt be able to handle the costs if their prices were low-cost. I doubt we will se any low-cost airlines in the near future flying long haul.

RE: low cost long haul?

Low cost-Long Haul. I have got to agree with Preston….BRING IT ON! I’d go for it, thats if i needed/wanted to travel to a far away destination. I do believe though that there would only be a certain minority interested (as the replies to this thread have shown) so I have honestly got to say I dont think it would work.

Regards

Ben

RE: low cost long haul?

This new Australian Airlines is supposed to be a low cost alternative, it’s owned and opperated by Qantas so might be ok, hope they lose the Qantas attitude, still see the post about Australian.

Scattered Intelligence Agency:- www.portalpcs.com/intel

RE: low cost long haul?

It’s been done. Remember People Express? BIG disaster! Mind you, I have an open mind, that was then and this is now. However, I wouldn’t be prepared to invest based on history.

RE: low cost long haul?

Come on ppl – ok i understand the seat pitch idea but some of the others???

Food – Pack yaself sum sandwiches n do it cheap!!!
Drinks – Can of Coke or a flask of Tea??
In flight entertainment – a good book/magazine, a walkman n watching the world go by??

u can make it sound as bad as you want but i dont think seat pitch would b ne worse than BA world traveller economy – or ppl wont go 4 it!

RE: low cost long haul?

I just don’t think that it will fly (pardon the punn). Oh, and San Francisco was spelt incorrectly 🙂

RE: low cost long haul?

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 24-10-02 AT 06:40 PM (GMT)]So you think its a bad idea then?:P :9 :7

Regards, Dazza.

RE: low cost long haul?

In Canada Air Transat and (the former Canada 3000) operate(d) long haul charter flights, and although always full (so it seems), the response from travellers (that I have talked to) is always a nightmare. I think that students, etc., would go for it, but you have to offer something a little more comfortable on long haul flights. Let’s be honest, if you hit a good seat sale the cost of a major carrier is just a bit more in dollars, but you get a lot more in comfort. At 6ft2 I can barely fit into cattle class as it is (praying BA upgrades me on my next flight).

I was speaking to a woman on the plane last year travelling from Glasgow to Heathrow when I was returning to Toronto, and she was going on to San Fransisco. They bumped her morning flight to Heathrow and gave her a credit on that portion of the ticket, so she ended up paying forty-nine pounds sterling, I NEARLY CHOKED on my traditional English breakfast!

RE: low cost long haul?

low cost long haul will never be succesful.

RE: low cost long haul?

No in-flight entertainment,food and drink you have to pay for,bad seat pitch…I shudder at the thought!

RE: low cost long haul?

Long haul flights need meals, drinks, decent seat pitch, a certain amount of in-flight entertainment, all of which are not factored in by low-cost opertators, or if so then at additional cost.
Adding this all in I think the final equation would not be far of the ticket price with most of the current scheduled carriers.
I for one, and I think most others here, would not be prepared to fly 6+ hours without any of the above! 😉

RE: low cost long haul?

Virgin is cheap enough for me!! My friend got £399 return to Hong KOng for March 2003. Aparently around £299 to San Francisco or New York Return. Cant remember which!

RE: low cost long haul?

Bad idea. And all who try it, fail. The reason is that long haul costs are really high and fares are relatively low.

RE: low cost long haul?

if they fly where I want to go, from somewhere convenient (or with decent connections), I’ll fly anyone… as long as there’s enough legroom…

Which, let’s face it… ain’t gonna happen with low cost airlines…