'Standby' tickets from Guernsey/Alderney

anoccasionalyachtsman

anoccasionalyachtsman

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 Jun 2015
Messages
4,158
Visit site
If a planned trip worked out there's about a 33% chance that we might find ourselves in one of the above and with a daughter and boyfriend needing to get back to London on a Sunday evening. The last time I wanted a flight back I turned up at the airport and got a very cheap seat, but this was in the early nineties.

Online bookable tickets do the usual ramping up as the date of travel nears, but is there a point where a physical presence at a gate changes things in the passenger's favour?

And does anyone know whether the Sunday afternoon/evening flights to Gatwick are crammed full?

Lastly, what should she say to her boyfriend as she buys the only seat left?
 
There is not the capacity on that route (Guernsey - Gatwick) that there used to be in the early 90's, and flights at popular times do get booked up. And yes, Sunday evening (particularly during the summer) is a popular time, so I would be surprised if you could just turn up and get a seat.

Availability is easier on midweek flights (especially in the middle of the day), but that is probably no use to you, and even then I don't know if you would be able to get standby prices.

Sorry..!
 
A friend of mine regularly flies from Southampton to Alderney to visit her elderly mother and even with advance booking the return flight cost is £220! The advance booking is not to get a better price but to ensure a seat on the Sunday evening flight back.
 
Yes, ferry then train is an option, but maybe not an easier one...

Condor fast ferry Sunday afternoon departures vary between 14h40 and 18h10, and take about 3 hours to Poole. Then get to Poole station and catch the train to London, again times vary but average around 2 and a half hours to Waterloo. So I guess Guernsey to London would be around 6 or 7 hours, depending on connections, delays etc.

Also, the Condor has not been especially reliable lately - if they cancel your sailing then there are not too many options.
 
Giblets said:
A friend of mine regularly flies from Southampton to Alderney to visit her elderly mother and even with advance booking the return flight cost is £220!
Click to expand...

Whereas when I was arranging things for our trip a few weeks ago, there were Southampton / Guernsey flights for exactly a tenth of that!

(one way, admittedly, and only midweek)

Pete
 
prv said:
Whereas when I was arranging things for our trip a few weeks ago, there were Southampton / Guernsey flights for exactly a tenth of that!

(one way, admittedly, and only midweek)

Pete
Click to expand...

Indeed but she tells me that the ferry price from Alderney to Guernsey is also extortionate and the service is very hit and miss and run when they feel like it.
 
Giblets said:
Indeed but she tells me that the ferry price from Alderney to Guernsey is also extortionate and the service is very hit and miss and run when they feel like it.
Click to expand...

What ferry service??? I didn't think there was a direct ferry service. Only the odd charter option.
 
prv said:
Whereas when I was arranging things for our trip a few weeks ago, there were Southampton / Guernsey flights for exactly a tenth of that!

(one way, admittedly, and only midweek)

Pete
Click to expand...
Weekend fares get considerably dearer - I fly out to Jersey on a Thursday rather than a Friday usually, it is at least £50 cheaper a head and there are not often empty seats coming back on a Sunday evening.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top