Will cheap seats become available? should I wait?

Hello Lady!

Hi folks. Your expertise is requested

Myself, my husband and our twin girls who will be 5 mths are travelling to Turkey in May for 4 weeks to visit family. We missed out on the reasonably priced flights with aerlingus in Jan as my husband hadn't had his leave approved.

Our options are now to book with aerlingus anyway at a much higher price.
Book with Turkish Airlines who are quite cheap right now but involve a change of plane in Istanbul
Or take a chance and wait in the hope that aerlingus will have another sale and we will get direct flights cheaper or the same price as Turkish Airlines are now

Would appreciate the advice from any of you who have had experience of booking with aerlingus regularly

thanks

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Hello Lady!

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Prices never drop on Aer Lingus in my experiences and their sales are laughable at the best of times.

I would go with Turkish. They are a better airline than Aer Lingus and they feed you and don't charge for baggage.

Yeah we are very tempted to go with thy but it's the extra travelling time and change with 5 mth old twins that's putting me off a bit.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Hello Lady!

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Try SkyScanner to see if there is any other routes that are more favourable.

Where in Turkey are you headed?

İzmir or Bodrum will do. Only other options are via UK but they are not code shared so would have to collect bags and check in again - not doing that with two babies in tow. Or it Lufthansa via Germany but that involves changing in both Frankfurt and Munich. Again not an option with babies.

The aerlingus flights are going up and down a bit. They were €550 + bags and food in the "sale", went up to €650. Then sale ended and they were just shy of €1000 + bags and food. Yesterday they were €720 + bags and food. Today over €820. It's all the fluctuations that have me wondering should we take a chance and wait?

but the thy flights won't last too much longer. They are €690 including bags and food.

Fred Swanson

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Jamie2k9

Hello Lady! wrote: »

İzmir or Bodrum will do. Only other options are via UK but they are not code shared so would have to collect bags and check in again - not doing that with two babies in tow. Or it Lufthansa via Germany but that involves changing in both Frankfurt and Munich. Again not an option with babies.

The aerlingus flights are going up and down a bit. They were €550 + bags and food in the "sale", went up to €650. Then sale ended and they were just shy of €1000 + bags and food. Yesterday they were €720 + bags and food. Today over €820. It's all the fluctuations that have me wondering should we take a chance and wait?

but the thy flights won't last too much longer. They are €690 including bags and food.

It's a hard call, with the loss of some charters to Turkey this summer prices are going to be pushed up and the very late Easter holidays will have an affect on prices.

Clearing you computer cookies might have an affect for prices.

Hello Lady!

Fred Swanson wrote: »

I would jump at the thy prices tbh.

Changing via the UK or Germany with kids is not recommended. Frankfurt will be a disaster having to change from non Schengen to Schengen areas for the internal flight.

We've done it before when it was just two of us and it was grand to be honest. It's just the total travel time that makes it a non runner.

Hello Lady!

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

It's a hard call, with the loss of some charters to Turkey this summer prices are going to be pushed up and the very late Easter holidays will have an affect on prices.

Clearing you computer cookies might have an affect for prices.

Have been checking from my phone via 3g so non static ip.also got hubby to check from work computer. Doesn't seem to make a difference.

Chucken

I have it now for 775.
Trip Total EUR 775.96
Flights
DUB

ADB
Tue, May 06, 2014
Operated By AER LINGUS
ADB

DUB
Tue, Jun 03, 2014
Operated By AER LINGUS
Fare Summary
Departing EUR 381.98
2 Adults 2 x 170.99
Fare p.p. 136.99
Taxes & Charges 34.00
2 Infants 2 x 20.00
Fare p.p. 20.00
Taxes & Charges 0.00
Returning EUR 365.98
2 Adults 2 x 162.99
Fare p.p. 134.99
Taxes & Charges 28.00
2 Infants 2 x 20.00
Fare p.p. 20.00
Taxes & Charges 0.00
Admin fee
EUR 28.00
Fare Total EUR 775.96
Checked Bag Fees

Hello Lady!

Chucken wrote: »

I have it now for 775.
Trip Total EUR 775.96
Flights
DUB

ADB
Tue, May 06, 2014
Operated By AER LINGUS
ADB

DUB
Tue, Jun 03, 2014
Operated By AER LINGUS
Fare Summary
Departing EUR 381.98
2 Adults 2 x 170.99
Fare p.p. 136.99
Taxes & Charges 34.00
2 Infants 2 x 20.00
Fare p.p. 20.00
Taxes & Charges 0.00
Returning EUR 365.98
2 Adults 2 x 162.99
Fare p.p. 134.99
Taxes & Charges 28.00
2 Infants 2 x 20.00
Fare p.p. 20.00
Taxes & Charges 0.00
Admin fee
EUR 28.00
Fare Total EUR 775.96
Checked Bag Fees

Add in 2 x 20kg bags each way = €100
Plus two meals at cheapest option €20
So bottom line is €895

For the actual date were looking at its €928 BEFORE bags and meals!! :eek: even if we move around dates, it's still around €700 excluding bags and meals.

Turkish airlines price is €604 all in, and babies get their own 10kg checked bag allowance and can travel in their car seats without us having to pay extra to bring the seats (Aerlingus charge €20 per car seat, each way so that would be another €80 to add to the price). They also provide baby meals, so less stuff for us to have to bring.

No competition at the moment really. But if we could get direct flights for €350 per adult all in or we would jump at it. We tried booking via a travel agent for charter flights but they will only give packages for 1 or 2 weeks not 4.

I think we'll have to bite the bullet and go with Turkish Airlines. Dreading the extra 3 hours travelling and transferring but when it's €400+ cheaper, can't really argue against it!

Chucken

Just looked on Skyscanner. 468.27 in total. I'm not sure about luggage etc. You still have the stopover in Istanbul though

http://www.tripair.com/eng/AirticketsPasseger.html

Departure > Thursday 01/05/2014, From Dublin
Departure Arrival
TK 1978 thesi:W DUB, Dublin Arpt
Terminal: 1
Dublin
16:40
IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: I
Istanbul
23:05
TK 1978
738
fare terms
Fare: W
Waiting time until next flight: 02:25
TK 2354 thesi:Y IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: D
Istanbul
01:30
ADB, Adnan Menderes Airport
Terminal: D
Izmir
02:35
TK 2354
738
fare terms
Fare: Rules (Y)
Return > Saturday 31/05/2014, From Izmir
Departure Arrival
TK 2313 thesi:Y ADB, Adnan Menderes Airport
Terminal: D
Izmir
10:00
IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: D
Istanbul
11:10
TK 2313
330
fare terms
Fare: Rules (Y)
Waiting time until next flight: 01:55
TK 1977 thesi IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: I
Istanbul
13:05
DUB, Dublin Arpt
Terminal: 1
Dublin
15:40
TK 1977
738
fare terms
Fare: Rules (P) € 468.27

Hello Lady!

Chucken wrote: »

Just looked on Skyscanner. 468.27 in total. I'm not sure about luggage etc. You still have the stopover in Istanbul though

http://www.tripair.com/eng/AirticketsPasseger.html

Departure > Thursday 01/05/2014, From Dublin
Departure Arrival
TK 1978 thesi:W DUB, Dublin Arpt
Terminal: 1
Dublin
16:40
IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: I
Istanbul
23:05
TK 1978
738
fare terms
Fare: W
Waiting time until next flight: 02:25
TK 2354 thesi:Y IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: D
Istanbul
01:30
ADB, Adnan Menderes Airport
Terminal: D
Izmir
02:35
TK 2354
738
fare terms
Fare: Rules (Y)
Return > Saturday 31/05/2014, From Izmir
Departure Arrival
TK 2313 thesi:Y ADB, Adnan Menderes Airport
Terminal: D
Izmir
10:00
IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: D
Istanbul
11:10
TK 2313
330
fare terms
Fare: Rules (Y)
Waiting time until next flight: 01:55
TK 1977 thesi IST, Ataturk Arpt
Terminal: I
Istanbul
13:05
DUB, Dublin Arpt
Terminal: 1
Dublin
15:40
TK 1977
738
fare terms
Fare: Rules (P) € 468.27

Those flight times aren't great with infants! We are looking at the flights from mid May, not May first. There is a flight departing Dublin at 11.05 and one returning to Ireland at 10 and they are the times we're looking at.

We might be able to save €14 booking via skyscanner, but that's all. The prices on the search results don't include the service charge.

Jamie2k9

They have a sale on now, 50% off. Note that in mid May so of the flights are fully booked. So now is probably the best prices you will get.

Hello Lady!

Thanks, got the email about it today. Flights still over €1000 all in. Sale me arse! Turkish Airlines it is then! Booking it tomorrow.

munchkin_utd

Theres also an option for €523 (naturally including bags/ refreshments on board) to Izmir via Munich with the direct flights on Thursdays and Tuesdays (Sat / Sun flights more expensive).
Similar timings to the istanbul change except you are changing at 9pm (8irish) rather than a couple of hours later so in a sense possibly more child friendly.

Hello Lady!

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Theres also an option for €523 (naturally including bags/ refreshments on board) to Izmir via Munich with the direct flights on Thursdays and Tuesdays (Sat / Sun flights more expensive).
Similar timings to the istanbul change except you are changing at 9pm (8irish) rather than a couple of hours later so in a sense possibly more child friendly.

Thanks munchkin
who is that with? Only ever gone via Munich with Lufthansa and that involved a leg in Frankfurt as well.

munchkin_utd

Hello Lady! wrote: »

Thanks munchkin
who is that with? Only ever gone via Munich with Lufthansa and that involved a leg in Frankfurt as well.

theres 4flights a week starting up soon with lufthansa between Dublin and Munich eliminating that awkward extra change in Frankfurt, and that fare is through them.

Hello Lady!

munchkin_utd wrote: »

theres 4flights a week starting up soon with lufthansa between Dublin and Munich eliminating that awkward extra change in Frankfurt, and that fare is through them.

Will check it out before booking anything. Love flying Lufthansa - so easy and efficient! Will check out their policies for travelling with infants and then see what is best for us
Cheers for that!

Hello Lady!

Checked Lufthansa and whilst the outbound flight is great, the return leg is 11 hours. By the time you add in bags etc its slightly more than Turkish Airline's. So its still thy at the moment! Going to look at possibly going out with Lufthansa and back with Turkish, but if that doesn't work out the same price or cheaper than all Turkish then there is not much point.

Hello Lady!

When I tried to book lufthansa one way to take advantage of the shorter travel time outbound, the flight that was €157 as part of a return package jumped to over €700 pp!! :eek:
had planned on booking thy on Friday but only got around to it this evening...and so glad I got sidetracked! What I thought was a bargain at €604, is an even better bargain at €531 all in! Thats for 2 adults, 2 infants, meals included, baby meals, 30 kg baggage for the adults, 10 kg for each infant, car seats allowed onboard at no extra charge provided they meet size requirements, travel cots allowed at no extra charge!!

And that is with child friendly flight times (i.e no flights at 5am or 11pm!).

aerlingus was €721 for closest dates, excl meals, baggage and no extras like travel cots etc,

For that saving I think its worth the extra 2.5 hours travelling each way, and over an hour of that each way is transiting through the airport.

Really chuffed now, can't wait. Knowing I don't have to worry about excess baggage and can bring travel cots rather than buy them when I get there is a huge bonus!

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Hello Lady!

Thanks! Delighted!

Jamie2k9

In future EI usually have there best fares well in adanvce, September/October booking peiod for following summer is always good but you got a great deal with Lufthansa.

Hello Lady!

Thanks for that. Yeah we usually book much earlier, but we had twin girls in December and until they arrived safe and sound we didn't want to book anything. But I was keeping an eye on EI and the prices weren't all that great. We have booked flights for May before for around €220-260 per person, all in, bags meals etc. But this year I haven't seen them below €300 for the dates we want, give or take a week

I think they are going to have to get wise and be more competitive now that Lufthansa are in competition and Turkish are offering such good prices. I know it's not direct, but when you are saving hundreds of euro and getting better allowances a lot of people won't mind the stopover. Particularly those with holiday apartments who go for 3 or 4 weeks.

BTW it was THY I got the good price with