Book now or wait until Jan 09???????

[Colin Richardson]

Just to try and get peoples thoughts, we are definitely going to Icmeler next year but dont know whether to book now or wait until early next year. We normally book in Sep for July.
What with the uncertainty wih airlines, the economic climate etc etc. will prices reamin high or will they come down, arguably, some tour operators may well cancel some holidays if there is simply no demand. Im unsure how it works, would they already be committed to a level of accommodation and flights or could this be changed?
If so then they may well be discounts to try and boost the market.

What do people think.

Thanks

[Jula]

We booked for August 2009 in August 2008 and already the price has gone up by £300. I personally always book early. Suppose it's all down to choice.

[steve-mcr]

No-one really knows whats going to happen with the economy, with travel companies, airlines etc. Everyone can speculate but no-one can give a 100% guarantee. My feeling is that if you can find a good deal at a price your willing to pay go for it. I did. Just make sure you've got the protection if things do go t*ts up.

[mazz]

I'd say the same, if you see something at a price you think is good book it. I booked a package at the start of October which has since has gone up £100.
It's difficult, because nobody really knows what's going to happen, and there aren't so many flights to Dalaman on offer for next summer - from my local airport (Exeter) there is only 1 flight to Dalaman instead of the usual 3 next summer and they're not flying to Antalya at all (which they have for the last few years).
I've also noticed there seem to be more flights with the return journey leaving dalaman at silly o'clock in the morning - in effect cutting your holiday short (shouldn't be allowed!!)

Mazz

[ochlynda]

We booked back in April for next year myself,hubby and 11 year old daughter.Cost then £911 for 2 weeks same holiday now £2016 and no I haven't miss typed.

Lynda

[KarenH]

i would book as soon as you see something you are happy with.....

i booked april 08 for july 09.....the price i paid, £1050.....same holiday now £2103

[Vixx]

We booked in October for next October. Booked through one of the larger tour operators so would be covered if any problems. The price of the holiday has increased since we booked it.

Already the tour operator has told us that the flight times have changed, we had booked the afternoon flight going out and evening flight coming back. They said we would have to fly out at 9.30pm and back at 2.30am.
We don't mind coming back at silly o'clock as this would actually give us a few more hours in Icmeler, but we changed our outbound from evening to the morning flight, again giving us more hours in Icmeler.

No doubt, they will change the flights again before we go

[JT]

Just to make a point on the comments from Vixx about "Booked through one of the larger tour operators so would be covered if any problems"

if you book through our company you are also covered as your flights are booked in the UK through Abta and Atol licensed companies.

[markbullock]

my family and i have booked our apartments for next year in july simply to be sure we gotwere we wanted to go,however i havent got any flights yet as prices seem to be very high at the minute,and remember always book on youre credit card for extra security.

[Silverfox BC]

We have booked for both May and October 09, we have found over the last two years that it is more and more difficult getting flights. We have not managed to get a flight from Birmingham for two years. When we came back in June this year and booked for May 09 we were told the flight from Birmingham was already full. So our advice is book as soon as you find something you want.

[bill atkinson]

hi .. me and my friends book with aegean flights every june for the following june and october 1 year and 1yr 4mths before ,best prices ,as they get more exspensive the longer you wait.credit card which protects you against airlines going bust,we now go private apartments /self catering so we don,t have to pay in full till we are at the resort,a small deposit is then all we can loss.transfer on the day we arrive or pay the driver, this is as tight as we can make it ,for ourselves.as you,ll agree money is hard to come by so we protect it as much as we can. bill atkinson

[maryb]

I know how you feel silverfox we have flown from bristol e.mids manchester, but could not get flight,even been told no birmingham flight available last october, our friends were on it staying at the same apartments as us, while we were in bristol airport. we all booked at the same time. So tobe told that flight did not exist was a joke. But have got one for next August..........

[JT]

Sliverfox I do not understand what you mean about flights full from Birmingham in May.

I know your dates as I have known for many years what times you are in Icmeler and there have ALWAYS been flights from Birmingham for your dates and never full.

I see flights now for your dates in May

[Silverfox BC]

When we have gone to the travel agent on return in June we have gone to rebook for the following year and have not been able to go from Birmingham, so much so in fact a couple of years ago when we went in two parties, six in an apartment and us two in the hotel next door, he got it all on the screen and booked the apartment first, when he then went to book the hotel for us, it came up flight full and we had to pay extra to go from Manchester which was funny really when five were coming up to ours from Bristol and one from Lowestoft to all go together and they ended up sleeping at ours on their own as we left the day before to go from Manchester. No comment about who we should have booked with please Mr. T. we know and we only wanted to get there a day early really to go drinking with you

[maryb]

admin we are the same as Tony, we were staying at the same aparts,going the same time as our friends we where told there was not even a flight from Bham, so last May when i confronted them they said i could pay 46 pounds each there were 4 of us. to change from E.Mids to Bham,but we asked for bham to start with. so it was e.mids we flew from.For the last 3 years we have had this problem. Or booking us on a bham flight because we book early then changing it.

[Fanny]

Hi Maryb, am guessing you know what I'd suggest for in the future........ICR ha ha
seriously, they'll take the hassle out of it and am sure if there are flights to be had, they'll find them for you

[JT]

You need to give me a call for flights as there and always was flights from Birmingham.

Some of the smaller airports next year don't start flying into Turkey until the end of May.

[maryb]

Thanks for that, i am tied to dates and times.

[dotty]

My advice is book as early as possible, leaving it later won't get you a better deal, at least thats my experience. Give ICR a call and get it sorted out now, think of the peace of mind!