YOUR LETTERS

As a perfect example of this. Last Christmas we went to the UK for a few days. We almost didn't bother because everyone was saying that prices were WAY too high. In the end we paid €31.00 Euros each return! When we told our friends, they pretty much without exception said, “I didn't think Ryanair were flying here this winter.”

Many of the points raised in your letters on this subject are based on hearsay or are just plain wrong. Derek Clark for instance states that high prices on the return journey to the UK “Can only reflect on the massive airport taxes inflicted by Palma Airport.” This is nonsense. Flight prices are pretty much purely based on supply and demand. At the end of October, not only are the planes taking holidaymakers home, but many returning seasonal workers are filling up the planes as well. This will always push the price up. At other times of the year the outbound and return prices are reasonably comparable.

Many of your letters are criticising Ryanair, “Rude unhelpful staff, nonchalant and below par service.” “…Operators like Ryanair giving below minimum Service …” “…heaven help us if it were to be Ryanair!” etc. Some of these written by people who admit to having never flown with Ryanair. I have flown with Ryanair a few times and have found the staff to be universally courteous and professional, (and no, I don't work for Ryanair!) Of course, it's not just me, 67 million people a year fly with Ryanair, and even the Panorama program admitted they have one of the youngest fleets of planes in the air and have an enviable record on safety and punctuality. I have to admit, it does feel like being on a bus rather than a plane, but for goodness sake, the flight is just over two hours, and I'll happily sit on a bus for that time for the pleasure that a family visit can bring.

The truth is that over the winter there are thousands of flights to Majorca, at really low prices, from pretty much all over the UK. As a bit of research, I decided to check out flights over the next few weeks from the South East, Midlands, North West and Scotland. Twenty minutes of hopping round the internet found flights for short breaks from all of these areas with lowest prices of between £30.00 and £40.00 return including all taxes, charges and credit card handling fees. For longer stays, the above with luggage are between £60.00 and £65.00. With all these, paying by Electron saves a further tenner. I'm sure that more time online would find even more bargains.

Can I suggest that we should take advantage of the above deals. Contact friends and family; bring them out here for a few days. Take them to your favourite bars, let them meet your real friends when they have time to get to know one another rather than during the hectic summer months. Let them see the real Palma in December, which always reminds me of the idealised Dickensian Christmases you see on TV, right down to the chestnut sellers on the corners. Maybe use the Parc de Mar car park and take advantage of the free cycle hire to trundle all along the Paseo Maritimo and maybe into Portixol. Show them what real tapas tastes like in La Lonja where you can still order a feast, with plenty of wine, for under 20.00 Euros a head. Show them the Cathedral, or one of the many art exhibitions, (we currently have a free Picasso exhibition in Palma, with one from Salvador Dali coming soon.) If they are into art or photography, let them explore the countryside here or just enjoy the light during a time of year when sometimes in the UK it's cloudy and depressingly dull all day.

Who knows, at the end of the day, they might enjoy it so much, they comeback again next year, and bring their friends.
This is still a beautiful Island, with a tremendous amount to offer, let's use the amazing deals that are on offer to share it with the ones we love.

Andy Charlton
Palma Nova