Huge disparity in prices

I’m looking to travel to Florida in October of next year. As I search the various sites, I’m at the threshold of the dates I want becoming available, I am stunned at the disparity in flight prices.
For example, flying LGW to TPA in October for 2 adults & 3 kids on BA metal I’m quoted £2.5k, however when I look at MAN to MCO for the same period I’m quoted £9k! This is just economy I hasten to add.
Really want to fly with Virgin but why so expensive? I expected cheaper prices on fare release, steadily increasing as the flight fills. Is this the wrong assumption? The results suggest so.

I expected cheaper prices on fare release, steadily increasing as the flight fills. Is this the wrong assumption? The results suggest so.

Indeed - airlines are well aware that a lot of people are keen to book as soon as flights are released and so purposefully only make the most expensive fare buckets available.

Give it time - you have ten/eleven months until you fly. Keep an eye on the price and wait for it to become more acceptable to you. Especially since there are typically Christmas/January/Easter/Summer sales and all sorts.

BA flights go on sale at T-355 days, so all their fares for next October will have been loaded several weeks ago.

VS flights go on sale at T-330 days, so all their fares for late October may not have been loaded yet. It is normal practice for only the highest, most flexible fares to be released straight away, with the cheaper fares following a few days later. Slimpy is quite right - just give it a few days and the discounted VS fares will appear.

Thanks gumshoe

I'll echo what others have said, you need to wait a bit. That said I've noticed VS have been wildly more expensive than any of the One World carriers to and fro the US east coast and LHR/MAN over the next few months. Not sure if it's bad luck on my part or a new strategy but they're not even competitive most times.

I have noticed Virgin Holiday prices changing prices on a daily basis especially to Cuba. Best to wait until the next VS sale?