I can never understand how airlines work out prices for their flights. Bit bored today so started searching flights for next August for curiousity sake. Noticed BA have sale on so started with them. Now i live in Belfast, so i like to fly out of Dublin if possible but can go through England as well. Got these prices,

 

London-Bkk return - £573

 

Dublin-Bkk return - £523

 

Dublin-London-Bkk / Bkk-London - £499

 

How do they work this out?!! Going from Dublin and connecting through London is 50 quid cheaper than just booking the LON/BKK flight!

Sometimes KLM does 'promotions' for people from Antwerp or Brussels. A ticket from Antwerp to AMS with hi-speed train and the connecting flight to BKK is a lot cheaper then people who fly direct from AMS to BKK (same plane). You are not allowed to skip the train ride (if you do, you'll pay a fine). Guess they are trying to 'steal' Belgian customers... good for me!

Edited December 31, 201312 yr by coolsmoe

The airlines (at least the big ones) use super-computers to plot their strategies. They base their fares based on predicted loads, fuel prices, supply & demand etc. It's the last minute busnessmen who get fucked. They often pay 1st or Biz prices for that middle seat next to you (if they don't get upgraded).

I can never understand how airlines work out prices for their flights. Bit bored today so started searching flights for next August for curiousity sake. Noticed BA have sale on so started with them. Now i live in Belfast, so i like to fly out of Dublin if possible but can go through England as well. Got these prices,

 

London-Bkk return - £573

 

Dublin-Bkk return - £523

 

Dublin-London-Bkk / Bkk-London - £499

 

How do they work this out?!! Going from Dublin and connecting through London is 50 quid cheaper than just booking the LON/BKK flight!

You have to pay Air Passenger Duty if you start your journey in London. You will find that Belfast-London-BKK-London-Belfast may work out cheaper than London-BKK-London. Since you are in Belfast, you will most likely have to take a flight with one change. In this scenario, there is lot more competition, with BA via London, with KLM via Amsterdam, etc.

 

I try not to understand airline pricing. it is crazy.

Is it not something to do with airport tax with Heathrow being a bigger airport therefor dearer to fly out of.

 

Just out of interest, how do you get to Dublin and how much does it cost? Thought about it but don't know much about the public transport to get there to feel confident about heading there to catch a flight. Also I remember certain travel insurance is invalid unless flying from a uk airport, may be scrapped as was few years ago I heard this.

You have to pay Air Passenger Duty if you start your journey in London. You will find that Belfast-London-BKK-London-Belfast may work out cheaper than London-BKK-London. Since you are in Belfast, you will most likely have to take a flight with one change. In this scenario, there is lot more competition, with BA via London, with KLM via Amsterdam, etc.

 

I try not to understand airline pricing. it is crazy.

 

No mate, out of Belfast is always dearer (usually by £100), sure we would have to pay the same tax and they rip the balls out of what they charge for connecting flight.

 

 

Is it not something to do with airport tax with Heathrow being a bigger airport therefor dearer to fly out of.

 

Just out of interest, how do you get to Dublin and how much does it cost? Thought about it but don't know much about the public transport to get there to feel confident about heading there to catch a flight. Also I remember certain travel insurance is invalid unless flying from a uk airport, may be scrapped as was few years ago I heard this.

 

I use to always fly out of Belfast and connect through England but last 5 or 6 trips have gone from Dublin. Believe me mate WAY easier! Etihad and emirates both go from Dublin and i've never paid more than £540.

 

Ulsterbus/Bus Eirann run a joint service on the hour, every hour from Europa, about £20rtn. Also, Aircoach (i think thats what they are called) go on the half hour for about same price. I usually go Etihads flight around 8/9 in morning. I work nights so leave work a bit early and get the 04.00 bus. In nov i went with emirates for £535, they fly at lunchtime so got the 08.00 bus.

 

My mate went with China Air in Sept from Dublin connecting through Amsterdam for £499 and said they were dead on.

No mate, out of Belfast is always dearer (usually by £100), sure we would have to pay the same tax and they rip the balls out of what they charge for connecting flight.

 

 

 

I use to always fly out of Belfast and connect through England but last 5 or 6 trips have gone from Dublin. Believe me mate WAY easier! Etihad and emirates both go from Dublin and i've never paid more than £540.

 

Ulsterbus/Bus Eirann run a joint service on the hour, every hour from Europa, about £20rtn. Also, Aircoach (i think thats what they are called) go on the half hour for about same price. I usually go Etihads flight around 8/9 in morning. I work nights so leave work a bit early and get the 04.00 bus. In nov i went with emirates for £535, they fly at lunchtime so got the 08.00 bus.

 

My mate went with China Air in Sept from Dublin connecting through Amsterdam for £499 and said they were dead on.

£500 May have to look into this travelling from Dublin although it I was to leave straight after work which I hope to do on next trip, I'd need a flight about 11 fs. Finish 3pm, home shower, taxi to Europa, then bus depending on what time I get to Europa, still takes about an hour to Dublin or is it quicker now?

 

And is it outside the airport you bus goes to?

 

Just checked flights, when I add transport to Dublin, are dearer than my current quotes at the minute. Just wish work would hurry up and sort hours so I can get cracking with booking lol

Takes about 1hr 45mins, bus drops outside terminal.

 

Yeah going by Dublin isn't neccessarily cheaper, i usually find prices quite similar once i add flight to England on BUT personally i find it a lot easier and it just seems a lot quicker than going via England. It would have to be a really good deal to make me change back to flying out of the city to heathrow or wherever.

 

Just keep it in mind when you're booking mate, i use kayak or skyscanner, just put in dublin-bkk return, see what comes up.

I am from the states and have been looking at fares for the past month.  Wanted to travel in March but have been waiting to see what the political situation was going to be like.   Now a sudden spike in fares from $1300 US to over $1800 round trip.  This is from the midwest.  Further checking on the seats available I see a lot of the flights only half full.   Hopefully they through this air fare spike in and in a few days they drop back down to a comfortable level.  No way will I pay the $1800 to fly to LOS.

Each market is treated differently by the fare computer so it often happens that a combination with an extra leg is cheaper than the direct flight alone.  Another factor they consider is your browsing history.  It can be that if you keep checking flight prices every day that the price will go up to encourage you to pull the trigger.

 

Airlines set a target price for each route but the yield management system will deviate a lot to optimize the return.  There are routes that continuously lose money for the airline even when the planes fly full.  On the other hand, there are very profitable routes that can fly 60% full.

It is important departure date (period), the expected interest from customers, the real interest of customers, external influences (politics, economics etc.), date to departure date (too long high price often, too soon high price often too), promotion, how many orders of tickets holding air travel angencies and travel bureau..

I am not an expert, but just an observation several year.

Edited January 18, 201412 yr by THAJEC

I am from the states and have been looking at fares for the past month.  Wanted to travel in March but have been waiting to see what the political situation was going to be like.   Now a sudden spike in fares from $1300 US to over $1800 round trip.  This is from the midwest.  Further checking on the seats available I see a lot of the flights only half full.   Hopefully they through this air fare spike in and in a few days they drop back down to a comfortable level.  No way will I pay the $1800 to fly to LOS.

 

 

Have you thought of flying to the west coast and the flying on an Asian based airline to LOS? I live in the midwest as well and have been doing this for years.

 

PB#1

Have you thought of flying to the west coast and the flying on an Asian based airline to LOS? I live in the midwest as well and have been doing this for years.

 

PB#1

Yes I have done that before.  I may try that again.  Prices from LAX have been a little high also.  Where I am from Delta has a strangle hold on the terminals.  If all else fails I will  take your adviice and go to the west coast.   Sort of want to wait and see what happens after Feb 2 when the elections are  scheduled.