SK's LHR Christmas fare gamble - I'm glad they seem to have lost
Dec 19, 2014, 3:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
SK's LHR Christmas fare gamble - I'm glad they seem to have lost
I have been following SK's fares from LHR to Scandinavian gateways (I'm not choosey - CPH, ARN, or even GOT will work for me, if the price is right) before Christmas and back again after New Year's Eve for several months. However, even when I started checking back in September the price was much higher than during any year I can remember during the last 15 years or so, and they only got worse. So I ended up booking an award ticket (available in economy!) out, and flying back with BA on a semi-decent fare. Now I see that my flight on Sunday, and all other flights too, are showing 9+ seats available in C and several in Y (but no other economy booking classes). By contrast, in the past, they were always packed full (and I would often get an OpUp as *G). So Merry Christmas, Scrooge Airlines! I'm glad your strategy seems to have backfired. And in fairness, BA seemed to (by sheer coincidence of course) have chosen an identical price strategy, with the same result.
Dec 19, 2014, 3:19 pm
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
The prices for CPH/GOT/ARN-LHR non-stop trips have changed in such a way that I'm often looking at buying miles/points and redeeming them for an award ticket on such routes because it saves me a lot of pennies and then some. The award space availability has been good for me, and I have to thank these two airlines for pricing themselves and selling themselves like they are -- at least for however long this arbitrage op is there.
Dec 19, 2014, 4:15 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: OSL
Programs: SK Diamond, LH SEN, KL Ivory, AY Basic, OZ silver
Posts: 1,103
Agreed. have flown SK at the beginning of December to LHR (the new T2). Wasn't impressed by the price then, either (about 4000 NOK). Fortunately my boss paid, so I ended up cramped up to next to mr. 2 meter tall sumo wrestler in a plus seat instead of an eco seat at the price where I could have bought 4 tickets at DY and 10 at FR or so. But it got me 5000 points as well... and yes, that flight was full despite their pricing. Same for the return leg, by the way: high prices and overbooked.
From next year on, especially when there's almost no points left on this route, I probably will not fly SK for my annual visit in December.
From next year on, especially when there's almost no points left on this route, I probably will not fly SK for my annual visit in December.