I was checking on buying tickets into Rome 4/23/09 and out of Athens 05/09/09 in conjunction with a cruise I have reserved. 2 weeks ago I plugged in dates that were the closest I could get at the time and got fares of around $1200 coach. I checked again yesterday-it is $1800. That's a 35% increase. I know it's 11 months away, but if these fares stick I will cancel the cruise. I will not pay $1800 to fly in coach to Europe. I will join the ranks of those having staycations. This may be what the airlines want-get rid of vacation travelers. It will definitely work if these fares stick. And the trickle down effect to all the related travel suppliers will also be felt as there will be no money spent on parking, taxis, hotels, meals, cruises, etc.

35% is nothing. You should see the Percentage change on some domestic routes over the past few weeks. Some as much as 300%, or more

similar happend to tickets outbound Germany to US resp. westcoast. Before 31.5.08 direct flight with LH 880 USD, now 1250 upwards.

Class "W" 50% Miles, expired on last Saturday 31.5.

Bad luck I'd say, that's life, hurry up when special offers are availble

I have had the TA add cruise air to my cruise reservation for now in case I need it as it prices out as $1200. I can always cancel the cruise air if prices drop when I make final payment and choose my own flights. When you take cruise air you have to take the flights they assign. it's almost always going to be crummy, many connection flights.

Why would the airlines want to ger rid of vacation travelers?

Have you noticed the unreal prices for oil? The airlines had to raise prices because given the sky-rockting cost of oil they cannot afford the low-fares anymore. Granted this sucks for the consumer, and I too would not want to pay 1800 for r/t FCO. But this hardly the airlines fault.

I don't blame the airlines. But if they all got together and went to our useless congresscritters to demand change in the value of the dollar (the weak dollar+speculators in commodities such as oil which is driving the prices up), and maybe if all the airlines threatened to not fly at all for one day to protest fuel costs, the screeching halt to business across the world would get congress's attention. I'm not an economist, but something has to be done to stop the speculators. Just today 1 person made a comment about $150 oil by July and the price shot up $10 a barrel. This is nothing but speculation.

A lot of cruise lines will let you request flts/airlines for a small additional fee (usually around $50. pp). Have your TA check with the air dept of the cruise line.
I did a Rome to Athens itinerary a few years back and loved it. Sailed thru the Corinth Canal which was cool.

Crude Oil June, Friday 6 2008 - 17:22:15
$137.93

Sure have. FLL-SEA, which used to be around 250-350 r/t is now well north of 600 or more with only B class or higher showing availability. Surveying Orbitz indicates the other carriers have done the same.

It doesn't appear the fares have been hiked, but rather the lower fare buckets have been emptied out.

I'm afraid my frequent leisure trips are now a thing of the past. The fares on my usual domestic and international routes have skyrocketed in the past month. I guess I better get used to gardening as a leisure activity.

If airlines' costs were raised 35%, shouldn't they reflect that on the ticket price?
You can't keep asking airlines to lose money doing business. Many airlines will park their planes because it's cheaper to park them than fly them.
Airlines are not trying to�get rid of vacation travelers�. Today, most airlines just hope they can break even.

I know what you mean! I have a Mediterranean cruise booked for April and I'm already figuring I'm going to have to cancel it because airfare will be so high. Hopefully not.

Like airlines, cruise lines are complaining about high fuel costs and passing along surcharges to passengers�as much as $11/day. (For a family of four on a 12-day cruise, that's an extra $528!) Before I get so deeply into this it gets moved to the cruise forum, I'll just add that I foresee cruise lines cutting back on far away sailings, one reason being the high airfare on overseas travel making the total cruise cost too expensive.

Considering the 100% increase in fuel costs over the last few months, you should be happy that the fares only went up 35%.

And if you're having sticker shock on the airfare, wait 'till you see how far (or how little) your dollar will get you once you're in Rome. Suddenly the $7 Starbucks coffee at home will seem like a bargain compared to a $20US drink there

Again..get use to high fares..im sure the fares will go higher than this..if you want that fare at 35% extra lock it in now before it goes up more..CO knows that as it raises fares less people will travel so thats why they are grounding airplanes..(all the airlines are doing the same) they are holding back the supply of seats and raising the fares in a huge way..its the laws of supply and demand at work..there will be less people traveling for sure..It wont be an everyday thing to hop down to florida for the weekend anymore..travel will become special again IMHO

Doubtful. It will be the same seat, the service levels may even come down a notch, and in addition to fare hikes there will also be an increase in "unbundled fees." Upped fares don't mean we'll be seeing Krug up front on LAX-EWR. Nothing special about what's coming, IMO.