V-Flyer

Could anyone give me a proper answer please as to why flights to UK are so much dearer from New Zealand than flying the other way. I would like to fly Virgin and pick up a flight from Sydney, I have checked across several dates, plus there never seem to be the same special deals on the Australia site either.

I am an almost expat... and as a previously frequent flier on the VA LHW/Logan route have stacked up miles I would like to use.

Its not just a Virgin issue it also appears the same for ANZ and SQ etc. ?|

Any advise would be very much appreciated.

Welcome to V-Flyer.

There are always going to be discrepancies in costs of many things in different parts of the world.

I would guess that the awful state of the pound, compared to most world currencies, has a lot to do with the current poor value ex-UK. Oil is paid for in dollars.

The other thing to consider is that, as has been said many times before, a seat on an plane is worth as much as people will pay for it. If VS (and the other airlines) are getting enough bums on seats ex-UK, then they have very little incentive to reduce prices.


Nick

Thanks for the reply, that could be a reason now but it has unfortunately always been the case this side of the world, I think it is also likely to be a lack of competition especially here in N.Z. - its just galling - but if we had some specials now and again it would be great....

Pagan wrote:Thanks for the reply, that could be a reason now but it has unfortunately always been the case this side of the world, I think it is also likely to be a lack of competition especially here in N.Z. - its just galling - but if we had some specials now and again it would be great....

You are probably closer to the reality. Lots of airlines price differentially in different parts of the world either to attract business or to reflect local circumstances. VS is also guilty of rarely offering the extent of UK sales to people in destinations it flies too.

Sometimes this works well - try to book a short notice flexible J on Continental, LHR to EWR for example and it's £2,100 if you use a UK-registered CC, try it with a US-registered CC and it's double!

Have you tried a miles booking?

The cost difference is the same with Air Canada. If I select a flight to go to YYZ and back form the UK, it's around £550. If one of my team do the same flilght dates, but from YYZ to LHR, it's £750.

There is a price difference as stated above, because the market can support it.

ukcobra wrote:..... because the market can support it.

Great phrase! It sums up the capitalist system very neatly, and that is what it is all about - market forces.

Nick