[Albion] Roma away. No flight? or no match ticket?

[Herr Tubthumper]

The really galling thing about the scramble as several thousand Albion fans tried to sort travel and accommodation and match tickets is that when it came to travel, the fact that we were all operating separately made flights more expensive - much more expensive - for the majority. This works well for the airlines, but looks like market failure from the fan/traveller/customer's point of view. Is there a way of making this work better for us if there's a next time?

I agree to a point. A direct flight will always cost a premium when there’s demand but there are a number of routes and travel options you can take to Rome. If you wanted to keep the cost down there were a number of train, flight, car combos you could have taken. A friend of mine booked relatively late and got a decent price.

 

[Weststander]

You’ve probably shelled out best part of £400 (flights and accommodation) to watch the game…in a Pub!

Nice one

Isn’t that what huge numbers did in Amsterdam with no regrets, far from it!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Isn’t that what huge numbers did in Amsterdam with no regrets, far from it!

Really? I know a number of people who have regrets from the Wednesday night

 

[Weststander]

Really? I know a number of people who have regrets from the Wednesday night

Nothing a clinic can’t remedy

 

[nevergoagain]

No ticket here, still hopeful but going whatever happens. Had no ticket for Amsterdam and a great few days. Home end for Athens which was also fine. I've been advised against home end in Rome by various sources saying they will block access with British ID.

 

[dwayne]

I agree to a point. A direct flight will always cost a premium when there’s demand but there are a number of routes and travel options you can take to Rome. If you wanted to keep the cost down there were a number of train, flight, car combos you could have taken. A friend of mine booked relatively late and got a decent price.

Or you just had to be smart when the draw was made.

I had every single flight combination open and ready on 3 different devices.

Where possible I had reserved the flight price for some of the more complicated trips like Baku.

For trips like Rome , Milan etc where there are plenty of flights from London I went for the direct flights that most people would have as their last choice eg Stansted. Easier for me I guess as I live in London.

Finally I made sure I watched a live broadcast of the draw. I believe the YouTube stream was a minute behind.

With all that in mind and a booking time of 45 seconds I got a £67 direct return flight Wednesday to Friday.

 

[Vin]

Or you just had to be smart when the draw was made.

I had every single flight combination open and ready on 3 different devices.

Where possible I had reserved the flight price for some of the more complicated trips like Baku.

For trips like Rome , Milan etc where there are plenty of flights from London I went for the direct flights that most people would have as their last choice eg Stansted. Easier for me I guess as I live in London.

Finally I made sure I watched a live broadcast of the draw. I believe the YouTube stream was a minute behind.

With all that in mind and a booking time of 45 seconds I got a £67 direct return flight Wednesday to Friday.

So did I but got thrown out like a lot of others. Shame you’re not so smart when identifying a decent youngster.

 

[arewethereyet?]

We’re using Vuelling. A budget Spanish airline I’d never heard of before, part of same group that owns British Airways. Can’t find a cancellation option, only passenger change. Opposite of Lufthansa

And it’s Vueling not Vuelling, they currently have about 25 flights a day from Gatwick across Europe. Very popular airline.

 

[dwayne]

So did I but got thrown out like a lot of others. Shame you’re not so smart when identifying a decent youngster.

Secret is to just have the date and journey plugged in but don't go through to the basket. I had practiced the key stokes on all the major airlines to get to the basket. Ryanair particularly painful at over 10 clicks, still took me 45 seconds after draw made.

I got slightly obsessed with it the morning of the draw. Sad I know.

 

[Official Old Man]

Thought I'd be first in Rome but easyJet 12:50 out of Gatwick stuck on tarmac. Seems we have a problem.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

Thought I'd be first in Rome but easyJet 12:50 out of Gatwick stuck on tarmac. Seems we have a problem.

Problem eventually sorted by looks of it

 

[Arkwright]

Thought I'd be first in Rome but easyJet 12:50 out of Gatwick stuck on tarmac. Seems we have a problem.

Got a mate and his wife already in Rome flew Easyjet this morning.
Looks a bit cloudy, wear a jumper.

 

[Poyningsgull]

And it’s Vueling not Vuelling, they currently have about 25 flights a day from Gatwick across Europe. Very popular airline.

Popular but crap

 

[mwrpoole]

The really galling thing about the scramble as several thousand Albion fans tried to sort travel and accommodation and match tickets is that when it came to travel, the fact that we were all operating separately made flights more expensive - much more expensive - for the majority. This works well for the airlines, but looks like market failure from the fan/traveller/customer's point of view. Is there a way of making this work better for us if there's a next time?

There is really where the club should be doing travel packages, as other clubs, who admittedly are seasoned european campaigners, do. I have friends who are Chelsea & Liverpool STH’s and have been to numerous matches across Europe. They always go on a club package, sometimes there & back same day, sometimes 2-3 days. They can’t believe we are all organising our own travel & accommodation!

 

[Springal]

There is really where the club should be doing travel packages, as other clubs, who admittedly are seasoned european campaigners, do. I have friends who are Chelsea & Liverpool STH’s and have been to numerous matches across Europe. They always go on a club package, sometimes there & back same day, sometimes 2-3 days. They can’t believe we are all organising our own travel & accommodation!

Which clubs did for their Europa League or Champions League knock out ties ? Can you share details

 

[empire]

Ryanair are selling in roma end 80 euros

 

[arewethereyet?]

Popular but crap

Don’t disagree with that.

 

[mwrpoole]

Which clubs did for their Europa League or Champions League knock out ties ? Can you share details

The Liverpool fan might have only done CL finals, but the Chelsea fan has done group & knock out matches as well as final's. I know that Chelsea did have a thing going with Thomas Cook who organised everything, not sure if they still do.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

There is really where the club should be doing travel packages, as other clubs, who admittedly are seasoned european campaigners, do. I have friends who are Chelsea & Liverpool STH’s and have been to numerous matches across Europe. They always go on a club package, sometimes there & back same day, sometimes 2-3 days. They can’t believe we are all organising our own travel & accommodation!

Are they actually official club trips? I once went to an England game on a charter and it was organized by a guy who usually organized all the Arsenal European trips but he was an independent.

 

[Official Old Man]

It's raining, but I'm here.
And the taxi driver is a lunatic, love the Italians already.