| | It was in December when I monitored the prices for return air tickets to certain destinations in Europe. I would say that the average price for a return air ticket to most destinations in Europe would range between SGD$1500 to SGD$2100, inclusive of taxes and fuel surcharges depending on the airlines. An example of the prices in December were SGD$1400+ for a return ticket to London or SGD$1700+ to Rome/Milan by Thai Airways. Frankfurt was also made possible by China Eastern Airlines for SGD$1451.
I was comparing the prices for Singapore Airlines to other airlines. Of course, for the excellent comfort and service offered by Singapore Airlines, it was of no surprise that a typical return ticket to Europe would range anywhere between SGD$1900+ to SGD$2200. For me, I would label it would be of an average of SGD$2000 for a return air ticket to anywhere in Europe by Singapore Airlines and any prices below that would be considered a bargain. There were also pretty good airlines like British Airways or Qantas which offered a return ticket for around SGD$1700 to SGD$1800.
I could only travel with Singapore Airlines because my girl would getting her air ticket at zero cost by using her annual staff privilege ticket. It was undeniable that I was attracted to the better pricing offered by other airlines but it made no sense for her to fork out for a full price ticket (which was cheaper than Singapore Airlines) by travelling on other airlines together with me as there I get to save around SGD$600 to SGD$700, there she would spend an additional of SGD$1400 and it would come to square-one.
Initially, tickets to Rome/Milan were priced at around SGD$1900+ by Singapore Airlines but I wasn't able to to get a return flight under a week's time due to their flight frequency. Rome only had flights on alternate days whilst Milan had flights on a daily basis so Milan was appropriate. However, the accommodation in Milan would range between SGD$700-SGD$1300 for a night's stay so imagine a week's stay there - it would cost an aircraft's Rolls Royce Trent engine. Rome was ommited due to the frequency of flights and Milan was too ommited, due to the hefty accomodation charges.
There came plan two for our vacation, London or Paris. She flies to London at least once every month and has been to Paris for a couple of times so I could not make a one-stop destination because it would be unfair for her that she would be just visiting Paris all again.
I booked a return A380 flight to London by Singapore Airlines and Eurostar's High-Speed rail from London's St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord station. We chose London-Paris over a London-Brussels (Belgium) because she knows I was all too keen to appreciate the Eiffel Tower. The duration for a bullet-train from London to Paris would take around 2 hours, probably faster than a budget carrier like Ryanair or Easyjet because of the time wastage for check-in/out and airport transfers. For Eurostar, it was around SGD$250 per person for a return trip from London to Paris. However, I was lucky to be booking during the promotional season for Eurostar and I managed to get a return ticket for SGD$215 inclusive of a night's accomodation in Central Paris.
Not to digress, I forked out SGD$2050 for a return ticket to London by Singapore Airlines but there came January when airline companies decided to do mad slashing in their prices. Of course, I would be entitled to cancel my ticket and get a full refund less SGD$75 administrative charges but that wasn't the point. The point was that I could not travel on any other airlines as mentioned above because it would defeat its purpose.
There came the first promotion which lasted for a week - Singapore Airlines.
For Europe, it was around SGD$1200 to SGD$1400 for a return ticket to certain destinations in Europe - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow by Singapore Airlines. Whatever happened to their average SGD$2000 per return ticket like how I paid SGD$2050 for it? There were clauses of course, and it requires a minimum two travellers per booking. I randomly clicked on Paris and it was SGD$2406 inclusive of taxes for two return tickets which makes SGD$1203 per person! Paris was SGD$2004 for a single return ticket in December so look how the prices plummered. I was thinking to cancel my air ticket and re-book them but it was too late as I only found out on the very last day of the promotion.
There came the second shock in no more than a week later - Air Asia.
Asia's budget carrier Air Asia had a new route out of Asia - a return ticket to London for SGD$800+ inclusive of taxes. It was no-frills budget so I would not further comment on it.
The "last-but-not-least" shock was again, a week later - Air France.
It was Air France next and they had their Valentine's promotional return air tickets to certain destinations in Europe - London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan for around SGD$1300 to SGD$1500, all inclusive of taxes. It was really reasonable at such prices by a pretty good airline on the same tier with British Airways or Qantas but I think I wouldn't want delve further because my heart would ache.
I would depart on the 6th February and I hope -
1. I would enjoy my vacation with her;
2. Airline companies would stop further slashing their prices.
Meanhwhile, do have a great Lunar New Year and a sweet Valentine's 2009. I have more or less ceased blogging because there's nothing happy or delightful to write about in my life. What you see are merely facades; my life, my relationship and all. I haven't been happy all my life, especially in the past half-a-decade and I'm turning 26, getting old.
Goodbye.
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| | Posted 1/29/2009 2:36 PM - 131 Views - 4 eProps - 3 comments
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