Scilly Helicopter prices 2007 (1 Viewer)

[Rob Laughton]

Dear all,

I recently gave British International a call to book my flights for scilly this year, and was shocked to be told it would be £158 each for a weeks stay!

I think that this company have taken the piss to long out of birders traveling to the islands in October. And this year I will be on the boat. Problem is when the helicopters go up, so does everything else! Its cheaper to fly to America than Scilly nowadays.

What I would like to know is, are birders still going to let British International take the piss like this, it's a bloody joke. £158 each to travel 60 odd miles!

No wonder October on scilly is not like it used to be!

:C :C :C

 

[dan pointon]

I'm sure some people I know got it for 118? Still a rip mind. When you consider the boat is £92 as well, it just shows what can happen when one company is given monopoly of access to such a popular destination.

 

[Archie Archer]

What I would like to know is, are birders still going to let British International take the piss like this, it's a bloody joke. £158 each to travel 60 odd miles! No wonder October on scilly is not like it used to be! :C :C :C

I whole heartedly agree Rob, real birders are being priced out of Scilly. Last October was a complete 'wealthy dudefest'. The scene at the Tresco American Robin was quite unbelievable with some in attendance not even knowing what the bird looked like! There is also a huge reduction in people actually looking for their own birds. God knows what's getting missed these days. I will give it another year but I'm afraid that if the prices keep going through the roof and the annual pilgrimage by the 'rich wrinklies' continues I will have to find a new Autumn destination like quite a few other birders are.

 

[Archie Archer]

...... and another thing! I've heard a nasty rumour that the boat services between the islands are gonna be circa £10.00 for a return ticket this year. I reckon I'm gonna have to pack my 4 man rubber dinghy this year.

 

[robinm]

...... and another thing! I've heard a nasty rumour that the boat services between the islands are gonna be circa £10.00 for a return ticket this year. I reckon I'm gonna have to pack my 4 man rubber dinghy this year.

Here is a link to the fares page of the boats http://www.scillyboating.co.uk/fares.htm

There in October myself (bit of a wrinkly I suppose but definitely not wealthy)

 

[James Hunter]

The tripper boats were £7.00 return last month ( July )

RS

 

[Woodchatshrike]

Why don't you all just go abroard. I learned this years ago.

It's massively overcrowded, expensive when once you get there and the pubs are just full of idiots regurgetating what rarities they have seen that year. Why not channel that money into the price of a flight to the American east coast where you will see lots of nice warblers rather then have half a chance at one plus all the ohter stuff you could see.

 

[CornishExile]

Err... rising fuel prices, anyone? Increasing insurance burdens? And they're all at the end of the day businesses, be they limited or sole traders, that have to make a profit. They're not there to offer us a charitable service.

We've (and this is birder and non-birder alike) got no right to cheap transport. About time we faced up to that on so many levels.

ce

 

[Binocularface]

Why don't you all just go abroard. I learned this years ago.

It's massively overcrowded, expensive when once you get there and the pubs are just full of idiots regurgetating what rarities they have seen that year. Why not channel that money into the price of a flight to the American east coast where you will see lots of nice warblers rather then have half a chance at one plus all the ohter stuff you could see.

Not really the point is it Woodchat, especially as the American east coast is not part of the UK

Besides the carbon footprint would be a lot smaller for a trip to Scillies than one to America!

 

[stanacko]

Its whats known has good old rip off Britain, if every body stopped using these types of travel the prices would soon drop or they would go bust. I went to Norfolk on my own beging of the year and I was charged £48 B&B, the following day I was talking to a fellow birder and he told me of a camp site which charged me £5 for anights stay sleeping in the car and I got a great breakfast full english for a fiver. I shall go again.
Stan.

 

[PhilW]

According to the people we questioned concerning both the ferry cost (its 1/3rd the price from Aberdeen to Shetland and thats overnight) and the helicopter costs both are available at heavily discounts to Scillys residents. Tourists and birders alike are paying a premium. The Scillonian crossing is the most expensive ferry crossing per mile in the UK!

 

[Archie Archer]

We've (and this is birder and non-birder alike) got no right to cheap transport. About time we faced up to that on so many levels.

Myttin da,

So I take it you've never taken advantage of the £17.50 cheap day trip return trip to St Mary's on board the 'Rustonian III'? I bet you have!

I realise that businesses have to make a profit but why does it cost £80.00 more for a birder to do the same boat crossing in October than it does for 'Johnny Tourist' to do a day trip in the Summer? I reckon birders are being ripped off!

I wonder if they'll be enough of us to organise a coup in October and over throw the Council. Anyone else up for an independent birding state? We can take over Kernow nest year and slowly spread east.

Yn poynt da, meur ras

 

[changer400]

Myttin da,

So I take it you've never taken advantage of the £17.50 cheap day trip return trip to St Mary's on board the 'Rustonian III'? I bet you have!

I realise that businesses have to make a profit but why does it cost £80.00 more for a birder to do the same boat crossing in October than it does for 'Johnny Tourist' to do a day trip in the Summer? I reckon birders are being ripped off!

I wonder if they'll be enough of us to organise a coup in October and over throw the Council. Anyone else up for an independent birding state? We can take over Kernow nest year and slowly spread east.

Yn poynt da, meur ras

Hi Arch

The £92 cost was a weeks return , I am not sure the £17.50 (Its £20 now BTW and only available on Fridays) cheapie is available FROM St Marys , which means you would still have to buy a single back from St Marys as your ticket would be out of date ;-)

Cheers

Si.

 

[Steve]

Birders with one or two exceptions are IMOHO the meanest,tightest, penny pinching,pound stretching,group God ever put breath into.:gn:

 

[BRYBO]

Quite agree concerning the over priced Scillies,nowadays only go if I need anything and then doing a bit of backpacking to the Garrison campsite at £6/night(2006 prices) which helps to cut costs as well as searching out accomodation last minute,the only problem is the hill but I can still manage it and I,m due for that free bus pass in two years. never have any problem sleeping with the wind rocking the trees,the clanking bell and a few pints of Hicks in the Atlantic. I still look foreward to a few happy years going there.

 

[Outboard]

It'll probably be a crap boring year on Scilly anyway so save your money. Get onboard a westbound 747 and go visit Cape May instead. Petrol is 1/3 the price you pay in the UK.

B

 

[CornishExile]

According to the people we questioned concerning both the ferry cost (its 1/3rd the price from Aberdeen to Shetland and thats overnight) and the helicopter costs both are available at heavily discounts to Scillys residents. Tourists and birders alike are paying a premium. The Scillonian crossing is the most expensive ferry crossing per mile in the UK!

Two points.

1) The Orkney & Shetland service is subsidised by the Scottish Executive as a lifeline service. Were it not, it would easily be the most expensive service in the UK per mile, and as it stands, you can't compare the Scillonian to the Hjaltland/Hrossey prices.

2) The principle of island communities getting preferential travel rates is well-established all around the UK on the basis of peripherality. In Shetland BA offer residents the Air Discount Scheme. The Scottish Executive are currently investigating a Road Equivalent Tarriff for the Western Isles, with the aim of reducing ferry prices.

So I take it you've never taken advantage of the £17.50 cheap day trip return trip to St Mary's on board the 'Rustonian III'? I bet you have!

I'd take your money then. In my mad, bad days of twitching I only ever went to Scilly as a last-minute thing when I had to, took the plane or the helicopter, paid my money and considered it well-spent. Likewise the boatmen's fares.

Birders with one or two exceptions are IMOHO the meanest,tightest, penny pinching,pound stretching,group God ever put breath into

So true.

ce

 

[Pie Face]

C.£150 Return to Shetland from Birmingham. I know where I'll be going this Autumn.

 

[Woodchatshrike]

Besides the carbon footprint would be a lot smaller for a trip to Scillies than one to America!

Not really Tristan. Imagine your Carbon footprint chasing every American bird in the Uk by car. That will rack up quite a lot of Carbon. I wonder what the differance would be.

 

[Binocularface]

Not really Tristan. Imagine your Carbon footprint chasing every American bird in the Uk by car. That will rack up quite a lot of Carbon. I wonder what the differance would be.

I reckon you would be doing a lot less miles with a fortnight on scillies than you would with a fortnight on the east coast of the USA. I think the emissions from the flight across the atlantic would pale everything else into insignificance!