Say NO to Budget Airlines!
Fed up of being swindled by budget airlines? John Hillman certainly is.
You sit at home staring at the page on the website, clutching your credit card in your trembling hand, tiny beads of sweat dripping down your furrowed brow. “Don’t do it, you’ll regret it later,” says the sensible voice, you know, the one that you owe all the good stuff in your life to.
But there’s another more seductive noise working its magic. “Go on, everybody does it,” says the silky voice with the smooth Irish lilt, “go on, go on, go on.” You cave in, “what the hell?” you think, and begin punching your details into the keyboard. Sold.
That’s it, you’ve done it, and a couple of months later you’re going to have to face the consequences. Your wife will try to pretend that she understands, but deep down she’ll resent it, your kids meanwhile will just openly hate you, while you sit there ashamed and humiliated, waiting for what seems like an eternity as the officials finish with the hardened repeat offenders, the ones who knew to pay extra for priority boarding.
There is a reason why 17.4 million people took the ferry to France last year while only 12 million flew. Ok so P&O Ferries is the only service to France that lets foot passengers take dogs, but I don’t think that there are 5.4 million dog owning hiking enthusiasts out there.
No, the simple fact is that we are fed up with the endless restrictions of air travel – being charged to check in luggage, the queues, the cattle-pen security checks, those jolly little surprise charges, like the abominable ‘checking in fee’ I had to pay (20 euro twice, once each way) when I flew to Bologna two months ago.
Basically when it comes to the continent you want to walk out your front door, get in your car and drive, get out of your car for a nice spot of lunch and a dreamy gaze across the English Channel, then back into the comfort of your own wheels, Dad Rock IV turned up to 11, for a spin down to wherever it is you plan to spend your summer break.
When it comes to the family holiday you want it start immediately, not after a group of venture capitalist have taken their pound of flesh. So strike a blow for the civilized British tourist; you can take our free in-flight drinks, our seats and our toilet facilities, but you’ll never take our alternative travel options!
—————————————————
image credit: nedrichards
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment