Flybe plays on train fare rise criticism to promote winter sale
08.01.06
Airline Flybe has been quick to use widespread criticism of New Year train fare increases to promote cheap tickets on domestic flights within the United Kingdom. Offering fares from £19.99, the Flybe airline has circulated thousands of e-mails stating: 'It's a brand new year and while trains have been ringing in 2006 with overcrowded carriages and ticket price hikes, there's one way of getting where you need to go that hasn't changed a jot.'
Flybe announced a New Year Sale of 5 million seats on flights from Birmingham, Exeter, Norwich and Southampton Airport - quoting newspaper headlines such as 'Trains becoming more overcrowded (Daily Mail, 3 January 2006)', 'Railway operators 'pricing people off trains' (The Independent, 3 January 2006)', and 'Eye watering rail fare rises greet returning commuters (Daily Telegraph, 3 January 2006).'
The airline's promotion is competing mainly with Virgin Cross Country trains, offering fares starting at £19.99 from Birmingham to Edinburgh and Glasgow; from £21.99 from Exeter to Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool and Newcastle, and from £24.99 from Exeter to Edinburgh and Glasgow; also from Southampton Airport to Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow, all from £21.99.
Flybe is also offering seats from £24.99 from Norwich to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, and from £21.99 from Exeter to Norwich. The 5 million tickets include taxes and charges, but are only available on the Internet at www.flybe.com.
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