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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:37 am
  #1  
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Cheaper to fly more flights?

So confused. Why is it £2 cheaper to take the exact same london to washington flight. but with two "free" flights to and from Glasgow?
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:39 am
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
So confused. Why is it £2 cheaper to take the exact same london to washington flight. but with two "free" flights to and from Glasgow?
Shorter total flight times (that is direct flights vs. connecting flights) have more value. That's why connecting flights are often cheaper than direct point-to-point flights.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:39 am
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:39 am
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Supply, demand, competition, etc.

Why can it be £2000 cheaper to fly DUB-LHR-JFK rather than just LHR-JFK
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:41 am
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So why not just not turn up for the DUB part?
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:42 am
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
So why not just not turn up for the DUB part?
Because it's sold with a condition that you have to fly it in order, and that if you don't turn up, your remaining flights are cancelled.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:44 am
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Originally Posted by Cymro
Because it's sold with a condition that you have to fly it in order, and that if you don't turn up, your remaining flights are cancelled.
Oh ok. I think I follow. So it's assuming people from London will want a direct flight. However from Glasgow I may be tempted to fly direct on another carrier, ergo they tempt me to BA with a lower fare? (overall)
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:49 am
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I thought with your vast travel knowledge and expertise that you would know all this stuff already, right?
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:53 am
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
Oh ok. I think I follow. So it's assuming people from London will want a direct flight. However from Glasgow I may be tempted to fly direct on another carrier, ergo they tempt me to BA with a lower fare? (overall)
Bingo. However note that BA release at 355 days, and many airlines release seats at 300 or 330 days. So the full competition effect will not be in these fares.

On the other hand, if you start from INV and go IAD but return from BWI instead, it's only £777 in WTP.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:55 am
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Originally Posted by rossmacd
I thought with your vast travel knowledge and expertise that you would know all this stuff already, right?
You going to be able to give me a bit more information on that passive aggressive little cat scratch? What are you talking about.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:55 am
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
Oh ok. I think I follow. So it's assuming people from London will want a direct flight. However from Glasgow I may be tempted to fly direct on another carrier, ergo they tempt me to BA with a lower fare? (overall)
Pretty much.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 8:00 am
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Last summer I found that it was $700 cheaper to fly 109 miles from MSN to ORD rather than take the bus to start a TATL. Ironically the flight was cancelled owing to a thunderstorm and there were no seats to connect to the next available TATL so I took the bus anyway at my own expense. I thought it better not to ask for a refund for the MSN-ORD leg.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 8:07 am
  #13  
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You certainly came to the right place to get the answer to that question.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 9:33 am
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
You going to be able to give me a bit more information on that passive aggressive little cat scratch? What are you talking about.
There's a lot to learn here. Sometimes reading is better than writing.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 9:33 am
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
You going to be able to give me a bit more information on that passive aggressive little cat scratch? What are you talking about.
You have flown dozens of carriers in the last 5 years but didn't know that indirect flights such as ex-EU, ex-GLA/INV etc were often (much) cheaper?
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