Simon Calder says: bagging a low fare is a tricky art

 
Price drop: a few carriers, notably easyJet, invite you to apply for a refund of the difference if the fare falls after you’ve bought
PA
Simon Calder17 November 2014

We were tracking flights for a number of weeks and finally booked. A week later, the fare halved. What are our rights? — Tracie Dawson

I share your pain, because I booked four tickets to Italy at £160 each for a trip in January, only to discover a week later in a Ryanair sale that the same seats were only £80.

While air fares generally increase the closer you get to departure, airlines will sometimes cut prices to stimulate bookings. Standard fare rules mean you have to lump it. A few carriers, notably easyJet, invite you to apply for a refund of the difference if the fare falls after you’ve bought, but an exclusion applies for seat sales — the most likely cause of a price fall.

My rule when buying tickets on airlines other than easyJet is: once I have decided to buy, I never look to see how much the fare has changed. I considered the Stansted-Brindisi fare good value at £160 return, and that would normally be that. So how come I know that the price halved? Because Ryanair announced a 24-hour flash sale for January flights.

To ensure it was genuine before tweeting the news (@SimonCalder), I needed to test it. The best way to do that: check fares for the flights I had booked. So in January, I shall fly to Italy alongside people who I know have paid half as much as me. I shall tell myself we’ve all got a good deal — but some passengers are more astute, or fortunate, than others.

Email your queries to s@hols.tv

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