V-Flyer

I wish to take my family to Florida at half term next year at the end of March, there are no flights available out of Gatwick for my chosen time the only availability I can see is flying out of Manchester but only Club Orlando.My Question is,as this works out at nearly £12000 for my family of four is it worth it? bearing in mind that this is nearing the end of this service out of Manchester prior to refit.(The costings include Hotel etc but it works out at about £5000 extra for the Club orlando over PE)

Hi,

What dates and hotel are you looking for ???

Regards Jason

I take it this is round the Easter break?

Around 25th March for 14 nights Disneys Yacht and Beach club andyes this is the Easter Break

Hi,

Ummmm See what you mean about flights. I would personally look for another time of year book further ahead and get some Z Class fares. I personally would not blow that much on having a better seat and economy food on a MAN plane.

Regards

Jason

Main problem is that you have left it very late for Easter so most operators will have limited availability and therefore higher prices. I wouldn't pay the Club Orlando premium at that level - as has already been said all you get is a better seat. The food will be the same as economy, as will the entertainment system.

As an alternative, FLYBLU http://www.flyblu.co.uk are supposed to be open for business taking bookings from 14 December so technically they should have lots of seats to sell - they will be flying from Birmingham using 767s. They also plan to fly to St Petes and Fort Lauderdale.

Quotes below are for their Gold cabin (45" seat pitch)travelling out to Orlando 26 March return 9 April 05:

4 Adults Out £568.00 Back £334.00 Total £3,608.00 (plus £379.20 tax). Didn't look at child prices as no idea how old your family are but could be less if you had younger children.

Search for other posts and their website for the slight degree of cynicism as to whether they'll get off the ground (obvious pun intended:))

Hate to say it, but Club World on BA out of Gatwick would probably be better value, even in the old cradle seat. You wouldn't have to get to Manchester, you'd get business class food and you'll be on a modern 777 not an old 747-200. Their prices tend to mirror VS's, so if there are I class fares left, they should match Z on VS.

Not a popular view possibly, but i'm trying to be realistic.

Alternatively, fly VS in Upper to IAD, then get an internal flight (with United perhaps) to MCO. Might get the best availability then, since IAD is a business destination.

Thank you all for your informative replies

quote:Originally posted by patjohnson
Main problem is that you have left it very late for Easter so most operators will have limited availability and therefore higher prices. I wouldn't pay the Club Orlando premium at that level - as has already been said all you get is a better seat. The food will be the same as economy, as will the entertainment system.

As an alternative, FLYBLU http://www.flyblu.co.uk are supposed to be open for business taking bookings from 14 December so technically they should have lots of seats to sell - they will be flying from Birmingham using 767s. They also plan to fly to St Petes and Fort Lauderdale.

Quotes below are for their Gold cabin (45" seat pitch)travelling out to Orlando 26 March return 9 April 05:

4 Adults Out £568.00 Back £334.00 Total £3,608.00 (plus £379.20 tax). Didn't look at child prices as no idea how old your family are but could be less if you had younger children.

Search for other posts and their website for the slight degree of cynicism as to whether they'll get off the ground (obvious pun intended:))

Children are not allowed in their Gold Cabin. This is why we have decided never to use them.

quote:Originally posted by AlanA

quote:Originally posted by patjohnson

As an alternative, FLYBLU http://www.flyblu.co.uk are supposed to be open for business taking bookings from 14 December so technically they should have lots of seats to sell - they will be flying from Birmingham using 767s. They also plan to fly to St Petes and Fort Lauderdale.

Quotes below are for their Gold cabin (45" seat pitch)travelling out to Orlando 26 March return 9 April 05:

4 Adults Out £568.00 Back £334.00 Total £3,608.00 (plus £379.20 tax). Didn't look at child prices as no idea how old your family are but could be less if you had younger children.

)

Children are not allowed in their Gold Cabin. This is why we have decided never to use them.

Alan

In your circumstances I can see why as your son is still a toddler - however, the FLYBLU website FAQs say:

"Is there an age restriction for booking Gold Class?

Children aged 7 years and over are welcome to travel in our Gold cabin.

How old is a child?

With every other airline insisting a child be charged as an adult at 11, we believe we can make a HUGE difference to your flight plans by allowing a child to remain a child until 14! If your child has not had a 14th birthday by the day of departure (on the return sector for return journeys), you are SAFE! Junior IS able to fly on a child ticket! On return a return journey, children must be under 14 on the departure of the return flight in order to qualify for a child fare."

Regards

Pat

quote:Originally posted by patjohnson
Alan

In your circumstances I can see why as your son is still a toddler - however, the FLYBLU website FAQs say:

"Is there an age restriction for booking Gold Class?

Children aged 7 years and over are welcome to travel in our Gold cabin.

How old is a child?

With every other airline insisting a child be charged as an adult at 11, we believe we can make a HUGE difference to your flight plans by allowing a child to remain a child until 14! If your child has not had a 14th birthday by the day of departure (on the return sector for return journeys), you are SAFE! Junior IS able to fly on a child ticket! On return a return journey, children must be under 14 on the departure of the return flight in order to qualify for a child fare."

Regards

Pat

Pat,
For me it is the principal. Due to their policy of not allowing children under 7 into the Gold cabin, treating them like they are lepars, then taking the line after 7 years my money is acceptable to them is why I will not use them.
They have made an arbitary descision with no reason given, and can only assume that they feel ALL children under 7 are out of control and will disrupt the other passengers.
Its the same reason why I will not use TCD.
P.S. that is another company Lloyd could look at by the way.

got to back up alan here

i view it in the same way as companies who used to discriminate against my disabled daughter -- if anyone in a wheel chair was not welcome in their hotel/ business premises before the discrimination act came in to force then they can stick thier company now
i will continue to trade with people who made us welcome before they were forced to
i also have a 18 month old and if he is not welcome anywhere now we will never use that company .

steve

Sorry guys - didn't want to start the kids/no kids debate again - just pointing out that Alan A's original post was inaccurate:

Quote

"Children are not allowed in their Gold Cabin"


Regards
Pat

quote:Originally posted by patjohnson
Sorry guys - didn't want to start the kids/no kids debate again - just pointing out that Alan A's original post was inaccurate:

Quote

"Children are not allowed in their Gold Cabin"


Regards
Pat

Well, not innacurate really [8D]
Children from 0 to 7 are not allowed, that to me is dscrimination against Children, but as I said, its a personal choice why I will not use them or TCD.

in all honesty alan i dont think you are missing much not using TCD
they are getting some very bad reports on the disney boards

steve

I think i got it. Fly BMI to IAD then fly Independence Air from IAD to MCO. tons cheaper then united.

http://www.flyi.com

$74.00 one-way IAD-MCO or MCO-IAD