Tekforums

What sites do people use to book flights?

Im wanting quotes for flights to Prague next year, from either Newcastle, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, or Manchester Airpots.

There are so many sites though, just wondered if anyone found one or two fantastic compared to others?

I always use expedia.. theyre pretty much the same price as any other site (I wouldnt always go for the cheapest plane anyway) and it just works.

www.cheapflights.co.uk are supposed to be good too.

Prices do seem to go up and down for some reason, so check them for a few weeks if you can. Also youll probably find its way cheaper to fly from one airport than it is from another.

Sweet, will check them out thanks.

just check the budget airlines
ryanair, easyjet, go,bmibaby, etc.

A lot of sites dont show these flights.

Just had a quick look actually, and on jet2.com it comes out the cheapest from any other site Ive looked at. I will check the other budget ones you said too  :ptu:

Quote from: chrisdickoJust had a quick look actually, and on jet2.com it comes out the cheapest from any other site Ive looked at. I will check the other budget ones you said too  :ptu:

keep an eye on deals.. ryanair always have good deals for fly for £1 etc.

But be warned... to check luggage is extra - you can normally take a travel case thats good enough for a weekend.
You take that as carry-on luggage - so no fee (upto 10kg)
Also some places charge for using credit card, etc.
Lots of hidden charges & its usually best to go right through checkout on a dummy run & see exactly what your paying.

from my last flight (with ryanair)
*********4.99 GBP Total Fare
********50.76 GBP Taxes, Fees & Charges
********10.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Web Check in
********20.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Checked Bag(s)  (((((you can take upto 10kg on the plane - checked baggage allows a maximum of 15kg)))))
*********6.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Priority Boarding ((((Optional - but I like to grab the emergency seat for extra leg room)
********10.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Debit Card Fee (((No Fee if you use a visa electron))))

*******101.75 GBP Total Paid

Ryan air is really no cheaper once you start paying all the con extra charges.

Plus Id rather spend 100 quid and not fly with chavs.

www.skyscanner.net

http://www.skyscanner.net/

LOL that wasnt in the thread when I hit new post!

Ive had some luck with Flightline ( http://www.flightline.co.uk/ ).  Recently halved the cost of flights to Crete in a couple of weeks by using that site.  

Quote from: SamRyan air is really no cheaper once you start paying all the con extra charges.

Plus Id rather spend 100 quid and not fly with chavs.

Thats what everyone says... Once you learn how Ryanair operate, then it can be exploited.
For weekend breaks, they can be excellent when they have their £1 deals & £9.99 deals
with airport taxes included.
Get an electron card (easy through co-op bank) & you save another £10
Take on the largest bag your allowed (its never weighed, so you could get over 10kg in)
& your all set for a cheap flight away..

My choices are limted to Cardiff & Bristol, so there isnt any destination competiton
Obviously you need to be carful exactly where you flying to... Edinbrugh Airport that some use
isnt the International airport for example & Ryanair advertise Vienna & Bratislava, but for
some routes, they land at the same airport which is an hour drive from both cities.

I personally love no frills.. im not bothered about having a meal or watching a film.
I eat before I fly & my laptop comes with me wherever I go.

I have no problem flying 3 or 4 hour flights this way...  but it is each to their own.

To me, its just like being on a rapid bus... all I want is a seat & a toilet.. and the option
to buy food & alcohol if I wish. People need to see flying as just another means of transport
& not some glamour trip.

Its just a pity major cities dont have central airport strips, imagine flying from central liverpool or manchester
straight into london city airport, or vice versa.
Budget airlines would really come into their own then.

I have no problems with no frills either. I also dont want to eat on a plane at $10 for a mars bar.

However, with Ryanair its feeding time at the zoo just checking in, boarding and then sitting next to a chav the entire trip chomping away with his mouth open.

Then you have the chavs cramming every single item from their house into overhead instead of paying #10 like a normal person.

And swtich / maestro is a flat fee same as electron - the electron thing is a con because they know no one has them.

Im not saying Id fly BA to Paris for $200 but I would fly Easyjet who dont treat their customers like unemployed dole scroungers.

Quote from: SamI have no problems with no frills either. I also dont want to eat on a plane at $10 for a mars bar.

However, with Ryanair its feeding time at the zoo just checking in, boarding and then sitting next to a chav the entire trip chomping away with his mouth open.

Then you have the chavs cramming every single item from their house into overhead instead of paying #10 like a normal person.

And swtich / maestro is a flat fee same as electron - the electron thing is a con because they know no one has them.

Im not saying Id fly BA to Paris for $200 but I would fly Easyjet who dont treat their customers like unemployed dole scroungers.

Funny... Ryanair is online check in only... you do have to queue to drop your luggage off though.
As for the Electron card, the reason they dont charge is because the electron card is an electronic transfer card.
 
You should know all about them after being in business taking card payments, etc. There is no surcharge on
taking electron cards, as there is no bank promise - Same reason you prob. didnt take electron when running
your business in the UK - or maybe you can clear if/if not /why/why not your decision about electron?

For me, Easyjet isnt an option as it seems between them & ryanair they have monopilised bristol airport & dont fly to the same destinations... or Easyjet is the only option - depending on where I want to go!

Im only trying to defend ryanair in its ease of use, in the simplest form of flying.
Yea, its a bit like cattlemarket... but like I said.. I take my laptop. I also take headphones & some munchies from the departure lounge shops. Hibernate into my own little world until landing time.... then rush through immigration & baggage while the cattle wonder wtf is going on!

There is only one airport at or near Edinburgh Egg - or did you mean something else?

Meh I dont see the problem with being in a crap cramped plane if its the cheapest option. f**k it its only for 2-3 hours anyway... Ive been stuck on buses in 30-40C heat, no air con, twice the amount of people than seats for 12 hours at a time... Thats when you can start moaning.

Quote from: CeathreamhnanThere is only one airport at or near Edinburgh Egg - or did you mean something else?

might be glasgow.. i think the actual airport it lands at is preswick or somthing

Yeah Prestwick is a good 3 - 4 times the distance away compared to GLA

Quote from: CeathreamhnanYeah Prestwick is a good 3 - 4 times the distance away compared to GLA

yep, there are others as well... like I said, Vienna, Austria & Bratislava, Slovakia actually lands at the same airport!
Gerona is another - advertised as Barcelona.


Anyway.. as for Prague, if your looking for somwhere to stay on a budget, I recommend
http://www.salvator.cz - especially is theres a group of you.

Ive stayed in both suites & theres tons of room for upto 5 or 6.
Fantastic location as well.. come out the hotel, turn left, walk 100yds & your on the edge of the old square & about 300yds from wencleses square or whatever its called. The Bridge isnt that far either...

Quote from: EggtasticoGerona is another - advertised as Barcelona.

I know various people who have been caught out by this, its about an hours drive!

I flew from Girona, it really is in the middle of nowhere. Easy to find though if youre driving.

Quote from: Beaker

Quote from: EggtasticoGerona is another - advertised as Barcelona.

I know various people who have been caught out by this, its about an hours drive!

I was almost caught by that one a couple of years ago, thankfully I was aware of the "its near there, honest" scams and was checking where the actual airports were on google maps before I booked my flight.

Quote from: MongooseI was almost caught by that one a couple of years ago, thankfully I was aware of the "its near there, honest" scams and was checking where the actual airports were on google maps before I booked my flight.

one lass i know ignored my advice, and booked Ryanair rather than Easyjet because it was £25 cheaper, then when she got there had to spend £150ish on car hire for a car she didnt need when she got to Barcelona.  

Cheers guys :)

thanks egg, I will check that hotel out as well. There is going to be about 10-12 of us I think.

Quote from: chrisdickoCheers guys :)

thanks egg, I will check that hotel out as well. There is going to be about 10-12 of us I think.

grab yourselves the 2x suites & a 3rd room as a shag pad then.
IIRC the 2 suites have 2 bathrooms... You pay for the room & not per person
& an extra bed is optional.

If its just a weekend, you spend much time in the hotel, so I never see the point
of spending big on one!
Also has a pool table downstairs.. great for a largish group waiting to meet
ie get killer on the go & have a few beers while waiting for the vain ones.

Karlovy Lazne is a decent club to end up in as well..
its a rundown building converted to a night club, different types of music on each floor..
but being prague & full of foreigners, everyone ends up in the 80s cheese room getting
pissed on cocktails
http://www.karlovylazne.cz/

club lavka is pretty much next door as well
http://www.lavka.cz/index.php

both are located on the town side of St Charles Bridge (look to the right)

Nice one, thanks for the pointers again!

I didnt have a clue where anything is to be honest, but Ill bookmark them and try to find them.

I went just for one night with the GF as a stop gap when we were travelling. I seem to remember there being some form of club right next to the river/famous bridge....looked quite sleazy as well which will be good. Does that sound familiar to you?

Actually, the one Im thinking of is that one you linked to! Club Karlovy!

(http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/3d/61/bc/klub-karlovy-lazne.jpg)

i wouldnt call it sleezy.. had quite a few good nights there... at least from memory, as we usually would have been drinking all day

Lavka Bar & Club is a great all round venue (Dance Club with the Most Modern Sound & Lighting Technology, 7 Bars and 2 Dance Floors, Garden Restaurant, Gallery, Fitness) perfectly located in the city center of Prague - special open air dance floor in the garden under the Charles Bridge. On cold winter nights, Lavka is a good spot for a drink and a dance. On a hot summers evening though, this is simply one of the bests of Prague nightlife all rolled into one... The unique inside and outdoor club

Karlovy Lazne (with its 5 clubs on 5 floors) is the largest dance music club in Czech Republic and probably the biggest establishment of its type in Central Europe. Karlovy Lazne is situated in located 50 meters from the Old Town end of the Charles Bridge on the Vltava Rivers bank. Approximately EUR 4 (only EUR 2 till 9 PM!) entrance fee allows access to five floors of varying music: MC Music Cafe (with free internet access) - black music (hip-hop, rap & RnB); Discotheque (with futuristic design) - latest dance-floor disco hits; Kaleidoskop - 60s to 80s immortal music hits; Paradogs - all styles of electronic dance music (house, trance, techno) presented by the best Czech and Worlds top DJs; Chill Out - calm, relaxing downtempo music. Every floor of club features at least one bar...
Type of Events in the Karlovy Lazne Club: Discotheque, Dance Music Party, Live Acts
Music Styles in the Karlovy Lazne Club: Disco, House Music, Electro, Trance, Techno, RnB, Rap, Hip-Hop, DownTempo, Chill-Out, 60s, 70s, 80s

take from http://clubbing.guide-to-prague.be/
more fun wondering around, but you do get to the point of being so pissed you have no idea where to go.. so its always a good idea to have some clubs & not end up in brothel or worse still in Big Sister, where you shag for free - but its being streamed live on the internet with about 40 hidden cameras
^ unless your on a budget ofcourse o)

Actually, yeah Im thinking of a different entrance.....

The entrance Im thinking of is near the entrance to that club, but it sort of comes off a path which is under cover, and there is loads of small, sh*t shops there selling crap.....then once you come from the under cover path if you turned directly left, the bridge would be there.....


Yeah, it is always good to have an idea where to go! Ive done that before and not had a clue and it sort of spoilt things! The Big Sister thing sounds sh*t funny!! Might try popping there  :rofl:

Quote from: chrisdickoActually, yeah Im thinking of a different entrance.....

The entrance Im thinking of is near the entrance to that club, but it sort of comes off a path which is under cover, and there is loads of small, sh*t shops there selling crap.....then once you come from the under cover path if you turned directly left, the bridge would be there.....


Yeah, it is always good to have an idea where to go! Ive done that before and not had a clue and it sort of spoilt things! The Big Sister thing sounds sh*t funny!! Might try popping there  :rofl:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sister_%28brothel%29

Big Sister is a brothel and associated voyeuristic free site, located in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the only brothel where customers can use the womens services for free, subsidized by paying Internet viewers; live video and audio streams and archived videos of the activity in the brothel are available on the website for a fee.[1] These subscription fees, as well as sales of DVDs of the recorded action, represent the companys main source of income. The produced video content contains coverage of the guests with the women, as well as amateur couples that come into the house, and coverage of the shooting of adult productions that take place in the house.

haha, classic!!

Ive just sent that link to someone I know would be well up for it  :rofl:

Quote from: Eggtasticoi wouldnt call it sleezy.. had quite a few good nights there... at least from memory, as we usually would have been drinking all day

Lavka Bar & Club is a great all round venue (Dance Club with the Most Modern Sound & Lighting Technology, 7 Bars and 2 Dance Floors, Garden Restaurant, Gallery, Fitness) perfectly located in the city center of Prague - special open air dance floor in the garden under the Charles Bridge. On cold winter nights, Lavka is a good spot for a drink and a dance. On a hot summers evening though, this is simply one of the bests of Prague nightlife all rolled into one... The unique inside and outdoor club

Karlovy Lazne (with its 5 clubs on 5 floors) is the largest dance music club in Czech Republic and probably the biggest establishment of its type in Central Europe. Karlovy Lazne is situated in located 50 meters from the Old Town end of the Charles Bridge on the Vltava Rivers bank. Approximately EUR 4 (only EUR 2 till 9 PM!) entrance fee allows access to five floors of varying music: MC Music Cafe (with free internet access) - black music (hip-hop, rap & RnB); Discotheque (with futuristic design) - latest dance-floor disco hits; Kaleidoskop - 60s to 80s immortal music hits; Paradogs - all styles of electronic dance music (house, trance, techno) presented by the best Czech and Worlds top DJs; Chill Out - calm, relaxing downtempo music. Every floor of club features at least one bar...
Type of Events in the Karlovy Lazne Club: Discotheque, Dance Music Party, Live Acts
Music Styles in the Karlovy Lazne Club: Disco, House Music, Electro, Trance, Techno, RnB, Rap, Hip-Hop, DownTempo, Chill-Out, 60s, 70s, 80s

take from http://clubbing.guide-to-prague.be/
more fun wondering around, but you do get to the point of being so pissed you have no idea where to go.. so its always a good idea to have some clubs & not end up in brothel or worse still in Big Sister, where you shag for free - but its being streamed live on the internet with about 40 hidden cameras
^ unless your on a budget ofcourse o)

The best club in prague is the Lucerne musik bar, without doubt, I love it.