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BA charge £600 for Paris flight
Peter Allen in Paris16.09.08
British Airways was today accused of cashing in on the Channel Tunnel fire misery by offering desperate passengers £600 fares between Paris and London.
With Eurostar trains between the two cities reduced to a token service after last week's blaze, major airlines are enjoying a big increase in business on the highly profitable 200-mile route.
But rather than reducing fares to a level occasional travellers can afford, BA and competitors such as Air France are advertising high prices. While BA claims its fares are usual for those booking for a late seat, passenger groups accused it of "acting like highwaymen".
Jean-Claude Delarue, spokesman for France's influential Federation of Transport Users, said: "It's an absolute scandal. The Channel Tunnel fire has caused huge problems to thousands and airlines should be responding by offering cheap and convenient alternatives. Instead they are cashing in. They're even layingon bigger planes to maximise profits. People-need to get across the Channel, yet airlines are pouncing on them like highwaymen."
Nabila Ramdani, 30, who regularly commutes between Paris and London by train, said: "A fairly priced alternative is an absolute necessity. Surely if airlines are getting all this extra business it might be an idea to reduce prices to figures which ordinary people can actually afford?"
A BA spokesman said: "People booking at the last minute will of course find prices higher. There is no question of us cashing in."
He added: "We are actually increasing capacity on our flights to Paris by putting on larger aircraft to meet the increased demand from travellers who cannot now travel by Eurostar.
The £600 fare quoted is for a business seat in Club Europe because all the cheaper seats have been sold. We have categorically not increased our fares and we are not cashing in."
Reader views (16)
Does nobody read the actual report?
The price quoted was for a BUSINESS CLASS seat. Talk about sensationalist journalism. The prices for most airlines are decided on a sliding scale, becoming more expensive closer to the date of the flight.
Why is everyone so shocked that someone had to pay slightly more for a flight when booking on the day (chunnel emergency or no emergency) than those passengers who booked that same flight several months in advance.
- Dan, birmingham
Doesn't surprise me one bit. When I accidentally missed my outbound flight last month to Canada, BA cancelled my return as a 'penalty', re-sold my seats and kept my money! Even when I explained mitigating circumstances (genuine mistake, I work for a charity and so can't afford to pay twice over but would have accepted a 'fine') I was told to get lost.
- Rob D, London
Why should BA be supportive to people who are not even their customers? These people would usually use the train rather than consider BA so BA are entitled to cash in on them.
- Daniel, West Yorks, UK
British Airways are money mad and this important story proves it. Their minimum economy fare to Paris is now close to £500, with 'Club' fares more than £700. What can Club Class offer you on a one hour flight!! It's nothing to do with supply and demand. It's to do with sheer greed. Does the Ivy charge £200 for a steak and chips because there's a queue to get in? Of course not, it charges a FAIR price with a fair profit built in. BA should do the same....
- Christine Allington, Southampton, Hants
More Brownite Euro-Communist rubbish. BA are a private company, not the Benefits Agency. Nobody, except Frenchmen going home, and bon voyage to them, NEEDS to fly to Paris. Pay up or shut up.
Mind you, it brings home the value of a competitive capitalist economy rather than the price gouging, state subsidised Socialist Euro monopolies that are being foisted on us by Brussels - like the delightful little racket the French farmers are still enjoying as the price of food soars uncontrollably.
Strange silence from the Greenies over this. Do they indulge in their usual bashing of capitalism or start agreeing with BA and start whining about cheap flights killing polar bears. Too much for their simple little brains to cope with, probably?
- Justin, London, UK
The standard business class fare from London to Paris return in October is GBP637.20. This is normal. If someone wants to book at the last moment when economy class is full, this is the price. BA is not a charity. There are lots of other options, such as getting a train to a regional airport and flying from there.
- Percy Vere, Cairo, Egypt
It's called a free market economy. Nobody is forcing anyone else to fly, there are alternatives.
- Dennis, Taplow U.K.
The fares charged by BA are absolutely disgraceful, and the 'fair enough' approach expressed by so many little people sickens me. Let's stand up and be counted rather than let rip-off firms charge these extortionate prices. If you're happy to pay £600 for a one hour flight then there's something deeply wrong with you.
- Ian Owen, Tottenham, North London
That is what the cost would be for a last minute ticket anyway. Why should they suddenly become a charity!
- Charlie, London
Virgin & GNER did the same thing in Glasgow following the terrorist attack - people who had booked flights suddenly had to find nearly £200 to get home (even though those train seats would otherwise have been empty and all money obtained for last minute ticket purchases was pure profit). There is no such thing anymore of 'all pulling together in times of crisis' - it is everyone/business for themselves which, sadly, has filtered through all aspects of our lives now!
- Andy, London
To be fair, there might have only been business class left. For those who really could not afford the flights, could they not have got a train to Calais and then the good old ferry? They do still operate!
- Kitty, London
BA are completely correct - I fly a lot and anyone booking flights at such short notice is crazy if they think the prices would normally be lower at this stage.
- James T, London
So as soon as the tunnel is fixed people know which mode to use. At least it should stop people moaning about high rail fares.
- George, Stockport England
Supply and Demand, anyone?
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
What exactly is the all fuss about?
From Dover to Calais alone, there are 3 ferry companies, of which 2 run every hour and 1 every 2 hours. There is also a TGV terminal in Frethun outside Calais with hourly services to Paris Gare-du-Nord.
Dover to Boulogne-sur-mer: 3 daily superfast services for passenger cars only. Train services to Paris here, too.
Newhaven-Dieppe: 2 daily services
And there are the regular ferries from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, Le Havre (TGV terminal) and St. Malo etc..
Althought Eurostar is by far the fastest and most convenient way to get from London to Paris, there is no shortage of alternatives.
- Weddigen, London SW
I don't see anything wrong with this. One's loss is other people's gains. I am sure if London-Paris flights are cancelled due to, say, weather, Eurostar can and will profit from it as well.
- Ed, London
