BoxRec

Price in July 08 for direct Virgin Vegas flight; £780
Price in Jan 09 for Vegas flight for Hatton v Pacman weekend; £1700

Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

Its just business isnt it, if demand is higher than supply then they (Virgin) would be fools not to do it. Cant blame them at all, even though it does piss us all off.

Not nice that Virgin have a monopoly on direct flights to Vegas is it?

My biggest bugbear (not just boxing fans) is admin charges for booking tickets. Its even worse when the charge is made a % of the face value, as though it costs more to process a more expensive ticket! Mofo's.

The OFT needs to look into the practice of passing the lions share of tickets to agents too, where they add on unwanted hotels, coach travel etc etc. Instead of something worthwhile like this they waste time on massive reviews of supermarkets then conclude that everything is basically competitive

It happens alot with Football aswell
I support Celtic and as soon as they get a Euro tie for somewhere that would normally be cheap flights
Prices Soar after the draw is announced

Foggy wrote:Its just business isnt it, if demand is higher than supply then they (Virgin) would be fools not to do it. Cant blame them at all, even though it does piss us all off.

That would be okay if it was a competitive market where the consumer has a choice, but in this case they don't. Virgin are the only ones with the direct Vegas slots. So its a disgrace.

Oh for gods sake


Supply and Demand...

Its the basis of out whole economy


No wait, its a conspiracy against boxing fans!!

Terry and I are still awaiting these articles you stated you'd written on MMA in the Far East KG?

I look forward to reading them.

Perhaps concentrate on doing that first, eh?!

I have written many articles about many subjects over the years, its up to you, dear boy, to go and track them down

Gazmac81 wrote:It happens alot with Football aswell
I support Celtic and as soon as they get a Euro tie for somewhere that would normally be cheap flights
Prices Soar after the draw is announced

the prices soar because the fans are busy buying up the cheapest fares, the second the draw is made

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

I had to pay over the odds for a Health Grill 'cause it was endorsed by George Foreman.

Seriously though you have a good point, but if people pay it then what can you do?

My T Sharp wrote:

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

I had to pay over the odds for a Health Grill 'cause it was endorsed by George Foreman.

Seriously though you have a good point, but if people pay it then what can you do?

Riot? stage a coup?


The possibilities are endless

Khaosai-Galaxy wrote:

My T Sharp wrote:

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

I had to pay over the odds for a Health Grill 'cause it was endorsed by George Foreman.

Seriously though you have a good point, but if people pay it then what can you do?

Riot? stage a coup?


The possibilities are endless

I don't know George Foreman is scary

chinny wrote:
My biggest bugbear (not just boxing fans) is admin charges for booking tickets. Its even worse when the charge is made a % of the face value, as though it costs more to process a more expensive ticket! Mofo's.

Agree. You pay a "booking fee" which is, I assume, their profit.

However, then they whack on a "transaction fee" What IS that? A fee for the "priviledge" of being allowed to pay them?

Then some actually charge a THIRD time to send the tickets to you via e mail, or to have your tickets waiting at the box office.

It's just supply and demand. All the other transatlantic airlines are letting Virgin are have a monopoly on direct flights from London so they get the luxury of controlling that market.

BMI fly direct too (from Manchester twice a week) and there were other business class only airlines that flew direct too but they went bust last year.

The issue is that now Hatton fights out there there is a very uneven demand. There aren't any other reasons for Brits to fly out en masse. I'd be surprised if most of the daily flights are very full.

I work for bmi and it is 3 times a week. We are finishing in april tho as it looses loada money. The costs are incredibly high considering the amount of fuel and the type of plane needed to fly that far. The problem is people are used to low costs offering nothing fares, business airlines are actually selling economy tickets at a loss. You make your money on business passengers but there is not that much of it on Vegas due to it being a leisure markets so no people travelling on business to sustain the route.

People who believe any company would not charge what they can to fit the demand are deluded to how business works we are not a charity!

Blame Hatton for continuing to take his fights where he can earn the most money for himself if anyone. I am not saying he shouldnt try and earn money but he is the one saying he does this and that for the fans not the airlines.

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Price in July 08 for direct Virgin Vegas flight; £780
Price in Jan 09 for Vegas flight for Hatton v Pacman weekend; £1700

Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

Thats the way it is at the moment.

Grenada Dec 2007 c£500.00

Grenada Dec 2008 c£1500.00

adamwillan wrote:



Blame Hatton for continuing to take his fights where he can earn the most money for himself if anyone. I am not saying he shouldnt try and earn money but he is the one saying he does this and that for the fans not the airlines.

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Price in July 08 for direct Virgin Vegas flight; £780
Price in Jan 09 for Vegas flight for Hatton v Pacman weekend; £1700

Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

Bloody hell!!!

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Price in July 08 for direct Virgin Vegas flight; £780
Price in Jan 09 for Vegas flight for Hatton v Pacman weekend; £1700

Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

On review of some flight websites the price hike only seems to be for direct flights.

I've just seen one stopping & changing in New York that costs £326 return (out 29 April back 6 May) from Manchester

My T Sharp wrote:

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Price in July 08 for direct Virgin Vegas flight; £780
Price in Jan 09 for Vegas flight for Hatton v Pacman weekend; £1700

Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

On review of some flight websites the price hike only seems to be for direct flights.

I've just seen one stopping & changing in New York that costs £326 return (out 29 April back 6 May) from Manchester

I remember when we did the first Ricky show in Vegas - to get the cheaper flights out there - there were loads of changes involved.

We got some reasonably priced ones changing at Philly!!! - there are of course quite a few other routes!!

Spud wrote:

My T Sharp wrote:

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Price in July 08 for direct Virgin Vegas flight; £780
Price in Jan 09 for Vegas flight for Hatton v Pacman weekend; £1700

Anyone else have examples of companies taking the piss on Boxing fans?

On review of some flight websites the price hike only seems to be for direct flights.

I've just seen one stopping & changing in New York that costs £326 return (out 29 April back 6 May) from Manchester

I remember when we did the first Ricky show in Vegas - to get the cheaper flights out there - there were loads of changes involved.

We got some reasonably priced ones changing at Philly!!! - there are of course quite a few other routes!!

DD DD Just seen that Philly is actually the cheapest!

Do they do a B-Hop tour?? That would be immense as a stop off.

adamwillan wrote:I work for bmi and it is 3 times a week. We are finishing in april tho as it looses loada money. The costs are incredibly high considering the amount of fuel and the type of plane needed to fly that far. The problem is people are used to low costs offering nothing fares, business airlines are actually selling economy tickets at a loss. You make your money on business passengers but there is not that much of it on Vegas due to it being a leisure markets so no people travelling on business to sustain the route.

People who believe any company would not charge what they can to fit the demand are deluded to how business works we are not a charity!

Blame Hatton for continuing to take his fights where he can earn the most money for himself if anyone. I am not saying he shouldnt try and earn money but he is the one saying he does this and that for the fans not the airlines.

I knew it always was 3 times a week but i checked the timetable and couldn't see any Tuesday flights there. I'd heard that they were stopping so thought maybe they'd cut down already.
Haven't you at least put a 'hold off until May' note in the suggestion box?

My T Sharp wrote: DD DD Just seen that Philly is actually the cheapest!

Do they do a B-Hop tour?? That would be immense as a stop off.

How much are the Philly flights and which airline please?

Dirk Kelly wrote:

My T Sharp wrote: DD DD Just seen that Philly is actually the cheapest!

Do they do a B-Hop tour?? That would be immense as a stop off.

How much are the Philly flights and which airline please?

It was £300 when I was working there. Via BA. return flight from Philly to Vegas cost me $200 in December 07.

It's a shame.

Plus if the fight falls through (i dont think it will I add) then all those who were quick on the draw and bought tickets cheap, will have a trip there for no reason.

Given the economy, I see travelling sport's fans numbers dwindling fast.

It's generally working class that go and currently around 5% of those that attended Vegas last year are probably now out of work !