I am traveling to London and Ireland with my family of 5 this August and am considering buying tickets on Maxjet and Ryan air for the trip. I am worried about Maxjet staying in business until then based on some of the forum comments. Any thoughts or alternatives? PS Sorry if this question is in the wrong place; this is my first visit to flyertalk.

None at those prices.

Welcome to FT!


I believe that MaxJet has a better chance at surviving than EQUOs(?), but it is a start up and it has very limited resources, so it's difficult to predict if they will be around 6 months from now. From what I've read, it looks like they will, but do you really want to trust my opinion when spending ~$10K?

Eos

I don't think it will be a problem, they seem to be doing better than they were. Other options in the same price range would include Premium Economy on BA & VS. Or Business Class on Air India or Kuwait Airways (although the price might be higher)

Cheers

Assuming that you're flying from IAD and thinking of using the new route that MaxJet is supposedly about to start, then sadiqhassan has identified the reasonable non-stop alternatives to London. Those premium economy flights might cost you less than MaxJet considering that you're trying to buy them in the US, where they're often very keenly priced. But they are premium economy, not business class, whereas MaxJet will at least provide a business class seat even if it's not state-of-the-art stuff but one or generations old.

I suspect that the question you'd like answered is "Should you buy MaxJet tickets?" I wouldn't dare to answer that, but if I asked myself the question "Would I buy MaxJet tickets?", I'd personally answer that with an immediate "No" - not for travel 6 months away. There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip. Even if MaxJet itself were to survive until August there's no corresponding guarantee that the IAD route would survive that long. LON-WAS is a different market from LON-NYC.

If I made that choice myself, I might be proved wrong and have missed out on a bargain if MaxJet survives that long. But the other side of the coin is the hassle of trying to get my money back if MaxJet goes under, plus the hassle of then trying to make alternative arrangements when cheap tickets might be more difficult to come by.

However, that's all a very personal take on the dilemma.

Since there aren't really any "cheap" tickets anyhow, I'd say why not risk it as long as you are assured of a refund, either from your credit card company or buy purchasing some form of travel insurance. In either case be sure that you are really covered.

Credit card companies generally do cover you even though they aren't required to (because the ticket is purchased more than 60 days before you're seeking the refund) , but you may not want to count on their goodwill for $10,000 worth of refund money.

Travel insurance probably exists that will cover you, but just be sure you've understood the policy terms.

If MaxJet goes under, then you get your money back and buy tickets on another carrier that probably won't cost much more then than they do now. Keep your ear to the pavement about 3-4 months from now, in case you hear sounds of trouble from MaxJet, but I'd be willing to bet they will survive through the summer at least, if not much longer. I would gladly have bought my tickets on MaxJet if only they were flying to BOS. But I will not pay for business class over coach if it means giving up a nonstop flight.

One further thought: make sure you have the money to buy the other set of tickets BEFORE you get reimbursed, in case MaxJet folds at the most inopportune time and you don't have the reimbursement before your vacation begins.

I think the tickets are $1000 rt each. The sunday Wash post had an article saying that Maxijet is owned privately by 15- 20 people, all with megabucks.

For some reason www.Maxjet.com won't price August flights, but it does show a fare of ~$1500 R/T. I'm not sure if the taxes are included because it won't go to that point. Either way, I see a problem already. Their business plan was based on ~$2500 per seat R/T with occasional special offers. August is NOT the time to have SPECIALS.

That could mean that the airline is already hurting and lowering their fares to fill the seats.

and finally, just because the airline is owned by few with deep pockets, it does not mean they are happy if they are loosing a mil or 2 a day..... no matter how deep your pockets are, the ride stops as soon as you don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.


oh, one more thing. Most if not all the articles about both airlines that I've read, are nothing more than an official corp fluff, PR stuff, under the disguise of a newspaper article. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying it's the "advertisment" articles we see in the back pages of the papers, but it seems like the reporter is just reporting what the PR person tells her/him.

Not only the fare level, but I think that the business plan was reported to be based on about 70% LF breakeven, and reports in another PPlace suggest that they may only be doing about 50% even with these lowered fares.

IME, those who have made megabucks have made them by knowing, amongst other things, when to call a halt to things that are not working.

But my scepticism may all prove to be unfounded ...

If you are going to fly on with Ryanair, make sure you check the luggage allowances VERY carefully. They will be less than the transatlantic flight

It's a good point, although I'd nominate this for understatement of the month.

(Especially after the beginning of the compulsory per bag charge, even when within the free weight allowance.)

Well..........on the basis that I used my AMEX card and it is only 6 weeks away i have booked for all 6 of my family to go Maxjet to IAD. I love Washington! If it folds so be it! I will get a refund. But the booking system is such that I can see that already on the return flight they have about a 25% load. They need to get their word out more!

The only annoying thing is that after booking they send me an e-mail saying I could go to NYC for 2/3 of the price! Maybe do that later.......

And let's not knock Ryanair too much. Sometimes if you stay away from a major airport they are a wonderful airline to know. Service is terrible but you know that!