I was tempted to add this to an ongoing thread in Gen Chit Chat that has got a little off topic, but decided instead to put it here.
Puts on Victor Meldrew hat...
Being totally hacked off with Monarch's decision to pull out of Granada last November, citing load factors as their reasons, and hence being forced to use traffic chaos ridden Malaga instead and hating every minute of the experience, I decided to see what the big boys are doing...
Example
BA, are allied to Iberia, under a code sharing agreement.
Flight Gatwick-Granada Date 8 July 2008...
BA2464 Dep LGW 0900
Arr MAD1225 change (6 hours layover)
IB270 Dep MAD1835
Arr GRX1935
Total fare, quoted by BA £731 one way... Expensive yes?
But...booked separately
BA2464 Dep LGW 0900
Arr MAD 1225 change (6 hours layover)
Fare £87
IB270 Dep MAD 1835
Arr GRX 1935
Fare 183 Euros (£144)
Total fare £231
Same flights, same dates, same 6 hours layover in Madrid...£500 differential just by splitting the trip into its two sectors and booking each separately.
Still fairly expensive by todays el cheapo airlines standards but BA are taking the p*ss.