Volcanic Ash cancels flights to Mallorca (and other less important places)

[ragdollabbi]

Eleanor, sorry, don't want to appear rude but why can't airlines, property owners etc etc just have a set price and charge that across the whole year/season. That way, the person who can't travel until school holidays (me) would not feel as if they were being penalised. As Sparky says the price to fly an aircraft full of people costs the same in January as it does in April, July/August and October (peak school holidays). I have to say, that we are paying more for our flights in October than we did in July (both flights from Newcastle). Accommodation can be at least double the price in July/August than it is at other times of the year......WHY?

 

[eleanor]

In an ideal world it would be great to be able to do that. As I said before as a teacher I am aware of the frustrations. The fact is that the main rental months are during the school holidays July and August and as such that is the time that has to be filled to carry a property through the remainder of the year.

You will often see on here people post regarding finding somewhere to stay out of main high season. The answer has always been that there is much choice and deals can be done. This is not the case during the main season July and August. Many will book from year to year to secure an apartment or villa for this time. You will often find that many owners are not fully booked during the (short) season but are able to rent during the school holidays. Again the rental needs to cover for 52 weeks of the year. Also of course, besides what I have already listed of costs in my previous post, there is the cost of advertising, websites, marketing generally, paying for someone to look after the property during the winter etc etc. Remember also that taxes are paid on any rental. As I said before, owners who make large profits are few and far between.

 

[Sparky]

I still don't understand why it has to be more expensive at peak times, basically it means people with children have to subsidize those that can take their holidays whenever they want.
It is nothing personal Eleanor but it is my opinion and i dare say, that of everyone with children at school.

 

[ragdollabbi]

Sparky, I totally agree with you, and I don't have school age kids, but work in a school, so it angers me too. I would love to take my hols when flights, accommodation etc are cheaper but unfortunately can't. Another group of people who do the same are the Car Hire people. 12 days car hire in July....approx £340.......6 days car hire in October....£75. The maths just doen't work out. It's the same type of car, in the same location, driven by the same person why the difference. Sorry Eleanor, this is not personal

 

[Sparky]

Exactly Ragdollabbi hire car operators are really guilty of it, florists are the same on Valentines Day and Mothers Day but the next day they drop prices back down.

 

[eleanor]

As I have said as a teacher I understand the frustrations as I too have been effected by school holidays. I think it is also important to appreciate it isn't always people with children who wish to holiday in July or August. It is a matter of choice for some. I do not feel that those with children are subsidising those without children. Those with children if they wished, could visit during Easter, Whitsun or October half term. The main rental months are July and August, these are the only two months when most owners find ease of renting. Therefore the only two months which can be relied on for rental revenue. Any other rentals during other times of the year can therefore be considered a bonus in terms of overall weeks rented during the year. If the season was longer then the difference would not be so acute. Having said that, I have checked out on Ownersdirect.co.uk properties in various Canary Isles where rental all year is available. Prices do not level out. The difference being that the prices seem to be higher than PP throughout the year and again much higher during the school holidays.
From our point of view if we didn't rent we wouldn't own. The season is short and seems to be getting shorter each year. We have to look on it as a business and like many businesses, it brings with it many headaches.

 

[eleanor]

Sparky and Ragdollabbi, you have both said to me that this isn't personal. I do feel slightly ganged up on here, so I would love to hear what some of the other owners feel about this subject. - Where are you all? OH I forgot - Bella's girls night out! lol

 

[El Gordo]

The World is unfair

I am afraid the whole world operates in the same way.

If you get a good rate on your savings its because someone else is being given a bad one. Your good fortune in any field is to the detriment of someone else.

It usually only the better off who can pay someone to get good deals for them (tax avoidance etc) or smartest people who have time to research the market.
I have just saved £400 per year by changing from npower to Sainsburys Energy, despite just recently (2years ago changing to npower for the same reason! Once they get you they increase their prices.

The same with ISAs, they get you in with a good rate then reduce it hoping you wont move, loyalty is not rewarded.

If you get a cheap flight because you book ahead, others that book after you will pay more. If you wait until the last minute the same flight cost a fortune and is usually only bought by people with no choice, possibly an emergency.

Its all about supply and demand.

Whats the answer? I hate to say it but Capitalism is to blame!!

Its an unfair world, you just have to make sure you are in the winning side.

 

[Sparky]

Eleanor, can i just point out that i did not mention owners, i actually said those in the " accomodation sector " and that is why i asked you not to take it personally. A misunderstanding i think.

 

[ragdollabbi]

Eleanor, it's not just about accommodation, but as Sparky says, car hire companies, florists, card shops etc all do it at a time when they know people are going to be 'forced' into paying big money for goods that they are able to buy cheaper at other times. 150 people on a flight off season costs the same to operate as it would in high season/school holidays so why the huge price difference. Care hire, as I have already mentioned is exactly the same, so why should it be more expensive in high season. We realise apartment/villa rental is a business and must be treated as such, but sometimes owners must realise that accommodation filled for say 26 weeks of the year at perhaps a lower price (or average price) is better than 10/12 weeks at prices that are too expensive for a lot of people resulting in accommodation being empty. Even better 52 weeks at £xxx is better than 10/12 weeks at sky high prices. Let's hear some more comments before Sparky & I get blamed for ganging up again lol

 

[eleanor]

Eleanor, can i just point out that i did not mention owners, i actually said those in the " accomodation sector " and that is why i asked you not to take it personally. A misunderstanding i think.

I owe you an apology. That is indeed what you said. Sorry Sparky.

 

[ragdollabbi]

Sorry Eleanor, I did mention 'owners'........it's not personal, promise

 

[eleanor]

I was joking when I said I felt ganged up on. Believe me, I'm well able to defend myself lol

I think I have been misunderstood here too. I believe most owners who rent would love to rent their property for 26 weeks a year. It just does not work like that! As I keep saying, the season is very short! It is just not possible to rent for 26 weeks a year even at minimum rates as the market is just not there. Therefore the rentals charged during the height of the season has to reflect that due to the annual costings involved with a property. The season seems to be less and less each year with more and more restaurants and businesses opening later and closing earlier. This obviously has an effect on the number of visitors to Pollensa.
There actually does come a point whereby it is not viable to rent out. Some money is sometimes not better than no money. I have already explained the costs such as cleaning, bedding etc. etc.

 

[tangofan]

Sorry but I have to disagree with Eleanor when she says people with children could go at Easter or school half terms, ie Whitsun or October. We had a week in Tenerife at Easter and it cost about half as much either side of the Easter School holidays. Also my daughter is in Turkey this week and paid £320 for a 2 week apartment package but the cost of a WEEK at half term is £589!

I do have a small amount of sympathy for the owners and know that there is not a lot of profit on holidays even for the big tour operators but having had 3children we have suffered premium prices in school holidays for long enough and are grateful that our youngest is almost off our hands and is in fact planning his first trip to Magaluf! Roll on off peak holidays for us!

PS: I certainly do not agree with taking children out of school to go on holiday off peak and I am sure Eleanor as a teacher would support this but the trouble is high prices often force people to do this.

 

[clinkham]

Err, could I but in with two words? 'Market Forces'.

It may not feel 'fair' to some. However, that's how it is. With everything. The accomodation providers have to balance the income from the busy weeks with the probable lack of income in the less popular weeks. And balance all that with the overheads to maintain the properties.

I don't see any way round it. Flexible school holidays,though, would certainly help.

 

[ragdollabbi]

Doesn't matter what they do with school holidays, the airlines etc would still jump on the bandwagon and increase flight/holidays accordingly. It's true though, that more and more people are taking their children out of school to go on holiday at cheaper times. Personally speaking, we never fly out of Glasgow/Edinburgh airports and both are approx 20/25 miles away from us. We usually travel south to Newcastle to save a little bit of money.

 

[roig cat]

I have to take my children out of school as I can almost never get annual leave in school holidays! I then have to pay high costs of child care throughout the holidays which cancels out any saving on reduced holiday costs. Whichever way your coming from no one wins!

 

[Chemical Dave]

Let's hear some more comments before Sparky & I get blamed for ganging up again lol

Abbi

I think you might get more comments if this discussion was not in a thread about the volcanic eruptions. I only came across it by chance. As has already been stated I also think it's not fair but it's down to market forces, captive markets, supply and demand and capitalism.

Adios

Dave

 

[ragdollabbi]

Abbi

I think you might get more comments if this discussion was not in a thread about the volcanic eruptions. I only came across it by chance. As has already been stated I also think it's not fair but it's down to market forces, captive markets, supply and demand and capitalism.

Adios

Dave

Hi Dave

Not a post started by me but the original post just seemed to change direction, hence the reason that it is in a thread about volcanic eruptions. I can understand that probably a lot of people will not read a post regarding volcanic eruptions now, but c'est la vie

 

[Cocoa07]

Sorry - think it might be my fault as I was saying that airlines will no doubt use the ash cloud as a way to justify price rises in 2011 along with putting prices up in school holidays and all other daylight robbery tactics that they use - luggage, meals, pre-booking seats, etc...

My daughter has just started yr 11 and will be going to college from next year but after that I can't wait to go to PP out of school holiday time. Our costs rocketed when we had to change from our usual holidays at the end of June when she was little.
The weather was usually lovely - a little cooler in the evening and the odd rainy day but it was always great.

Anyway - sorry for steering off topic especially as we are still fighting for our goddam expenses from Monarch!