Booking a flight from UK to OZ

I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
ticket.

I've been looking at the Qantas/BA online booking sites and I
discovered that my ticket for Sept will cost £780. However, if I
booked the same trip for April (this month) I would be able to get it
for £580.

Why is there such a big difference, and should I wait a bit
longer before booking my flight? Are there any disadvantages to
waiting?

thanks.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

School holidays, spring, start of racing season, tourism big time starts in
September, April is the start of the 'down time' (compared to UK obviously
winter isnt such a big deal)

--

"xgkick" wrote in message
...
|
| I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
| a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
| ticket.
|
| I've been looking at the Qantas/BA online booking sites and I
| discovered that my ticket for Sept will cost £780. However, if I
| booked the same trip for April (this month) I would be able to get it
| for £580.
|
| Why is there such a big difference, and should I wait a bit
| longer before booking my flight? Are there any disadvantages to
| waiting?
|
| thanks.
|
|
| --
| Posted via http://britishexpats.com

"xgkick" wrote in message
...

I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
ticket.

I've been looking at the Qantas/BA online booking sites and I
discovered that my ticket for Sept will cost £780. However, if I
booked the same trip for April (this month) I would be able to get it
for £580.

Why is there such a big difference, and should I wait a bit
longer before booking my flight? Are there any disadvantages to
waiting?

thanks.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

I went October last year and at the time of booking had a hell of a problem
getting any tickets that were cheap. Found out it was because of the Rugby
World Cup, BUT I did manage to find some tickets on Singapore Airlines for
£706 inc tax from Manchester and Heathrow. I booked mine in May 2003 and
booked via ebookers website so give them a try.

Must admit that the 777 used on the MAN-SIN leg was far better than the
747-400 on the SIN-SYD leg and vice verse. I would recommened Sinapore
Airlines to anyone.

Also have heard good things about Emirates and they are usually around
Singapore Airlines for price and now do the trip with 1 change in Dubai.

Skippy


--
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On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 16:21:11 +0000, xgkick
wrote:


I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
ticket.

travel to Australia has three definate price points, peak, sholder and
off-peak. You need to find what the exact dates for each period are -
I don't know - and then look for the best fares in that time period.

You probably are finding that current fares are off-peak and when you
want to come is peak, hence the big difference.

Tom

In Sep a cost of GBP 780.00 if that includes tax is about the best you will
get on BA/Qantas
I checked with the agent I use in the UK www.honatravel.com and they had the
following other options
Japan Airlines - 640.00 + tax
Korean Air - 660.00 + tax
BA/Qantas - 717.00 + tax
Singapore - 737.00 + tax

You will probably need to ring them (or email flight request) as many of
their fares are not shown on the website.


"xgkick" wrote in message
...

I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
ticket.

I've been looking at the Qantas/BA online booking sites and I
discovered that my ticket for Sept will cost £780. However, if I
booked the same trip for April (this month) I would be able to get it
for £580.

Why is there such a big difference, and should I wait a bit
longer before booking my flight? Are there any disadvantages to
waiting?

thanks.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Think of it this way. Your flight equates to less than A$1900 (I'm assuming
it is a return ticket). We were quoted A$2400 to fly Qantas/BA to Europe in
May-June.

In Australia you can find some decent motel rooms for $60 a night (£25),
that won't even get you a double room in a youth hostel in the UK!

A cup of coffee is $2-3. A return train ticket from Melbourne-Warrnambool
(approx 3 hours) is $82, or $57 off-peak. If I were to walk up on the day
and book a ticket from Newcastle-on-Tyne to London (3 hours) it would cost
£80 ($190) one-way! Not to mention £19 one-way for London-Dover. etc etc etc

Don't worry about the initial airfare ... remember that when you get here
most things are 2-3 times cheaper (except domestic flights).

Most of all, have fun!

Cheers,

Lyn


----- Original Message -----
From: "xgkick"
Newsgroups: rec.travel.australia+nz
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 2:21 AM
Subject: Booking a flight from UK to OZ



I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
ticket.

I've been looking at the Qantas/BA online booking sites and I
discovered that my ticket for Sept will cost £780. However, if I
booked the same trip for April (this month) I would be able to get it
for £580.

Why is there such a big difference, and should I wait a bit
longer before booking my flight? Are there any disadvantages to
waiting?

thanks.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Tom Hatfield
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004
16:21:11 +0000, xgkick
wrote:


I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at
booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will
get me a cheaper
ticket.

travel to Australia has
three definate price points, peak, sholder and
off-peak. You need to
find what the exact dates for each period are -
I don't know - and
then look for the best fares in that time period.

You probably are
finding that current fares are off-peak and when you
want to come is
peak, hence the big difference.

Tom

Thanks everyone for
the replies. It all makes sense now.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Snip Snip
A cup of coffee is $2-3. A return train ticket from Melbourne-Warrnambool
(approx 3 hours) is $82, or $57 off-peak. If I were to walk up on the day
and book a ticket from Newcastle-on-Tyne to London (3 hours) it would cost
£80 ($190) one-way! Not to mention £19 one-way for London-Dover. etc etc etc

AT least here, hotdogs are usually around $2.50 ~$3.00 and not the
equivalent of $15.00 that I had to inadvertantly pay in London
town.....


Don't worry about the initial airfare ... remember that when you get here
most things are 2-3 times cheaper (except domestic flights).

Most of all, have fun!

Cheers,

Lyn

"xgkick" wrote in message
...

I'm visiting Australia in September and I'm currently looking at booking
a flight. I've been told that booking earlier will get me a cheaper
ticket.


Usually true

I've been looking at the Qantas/BA online booking sites and I
discovered that my ticket for Sept will cost £780. However, if I
booked the same trip for April (this month) I would be able to get it
for £580.


Yep

Why is there such a big difference, and should I wait a bit
longer before booking my flight? Are there any disadvantages to
waiting?


Because of the market for long haul varying by year

DONT WAIT

Call a good travelagent, I Suggest trailfinders and STA

Keith