“City Matters” fan committee

[Thx_to_Neil_Young]

Just responded to an SOS from the Club for our Branch to take more tickets for Newcastle Away (the game that’s open sale).

That's very strange as there's only been the odd seat available in the wheelchair section on the ticket site for the last day or so.....

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

Here is (hopefully) a much less contentious suggestion for @Prestwich_Blue:

Generally I might use the Ticket Exchange once a season if I'm out of the country with work and that coincides with a weekday league game. Recently however I have had to miss several due to an operation (last night was the first game back) so I've put my ticket on and it sold three times. I don't want the money credited to my bank account 45 days after the game (why that length of time anyway) and I'd prefer to have the option as before of having it taken off the cost of my next seasoncard.

 

[fathellensbellend]

Thank you for doing your "homework" Colin and showing some of these people NOT to pluck remarks out of the sky that are just plain bullshit.

So which bit is plain bullshit, as it appears a number of people on this thread alone have shown how much cheaper they can travel without the need to use Thomas Cook.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

So which bit is plain bullshit, as it appears a number of people on this thread alone have shown how much cheaper they can travel without the need to use Thomas Cook.

We may have been talking at cross-purposes. Yes you can get the trip a lot cheaper but not for the day. The best you can do independently to get back quickly is fly back the morning after.

With TC/Spike you're paying for a night flight, Manchester direct to Cologne and no hassle transfers to Gelsenkirchen or the stadium. That's attractive to older people who don't want to be messing about or even younger ones who like the convenience, people on their own who can't share costs and people who need to be back at work the following day.

Comparing like-for-like (TC v Spike's trip) showed similar pricing. I've just checked Skyscanner and the best you can get otherwise (to get there in good time and back early the following morning) is flying Manchester to Dusseldorf, arriving 09:30 local time, then flying back from Cologne at 06:55 local time the following morning arriving back at 07:35. That's £252 but there's no transfers.

There's a flight that arrives Dusseldorf at 5pm which is £191 but that might be risky timewise.

 

[fathellensbellend]

We may have been talking at cross-purposes. Yes you can get the trip a lot cheaper but not for the day. The best you can do independently to get back quickly is fly back the morning after.

With TC/Spike you're paying for a night flight, Manchester direct to Cologne and no hassle transfers to Gelsenkirchen or the stadium. That's attractive to older people who don't want to be messing about or even younger ones who like the convenience, people on their own who can't share costs and people who need to be back at work the following day.

Comparing like-for-like (TC v Spike's trip) showed similar pricing. I've just checked Skyscanner and the best you can get otherwise (to get back early the following morning) is flying Manchester to Dusseldorf, arriving 09:30 local time, then flying back from Cologne at 06:55 local time the following morning arriving back at 07:30. That's £252 but there's no transfers.

With the best will in the world Spike is going directly against TC, but essentially they are looking to maximise profit, they are similar operations. By organising your own travel, huge savings can be made, i have never used Thomas Cook Or Spike, and everytime i have managed to secure far better prices for myself. If there is a squeeze on tickets and Thomas Cook take priority, then they will be unaffordable to myself, and many others, thus rendering the loyalty points earnt worthless. Also Thomas Cook have in the past declined to provide travel to some Euro aways, what happens then.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

That's very strange as there's only been the odd seat available in the wheelchair section on the ticket site for the last day or so.....

We are taking 25 out of our moderate size Supporters Club Branch

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

With the best will in the world Spike is going directly against TC, but essentially they are looking to maximise profit, they are similar operations.

Yes and they're called commercial businesses.

By organising your own travel, huge savings can be made, i have never used Thomas Cook Or Spike, and everytime i have managed to secure far better prices for myself.

See my response above. Of course you can, if you aren't bothered about coming back the same day or sorting yourself out when you get to the destination airport. Not everyone wants to do that though.

If there is a squeeze on tickets and Thomas Cook take priority, then they will be unaffordable to myself, and many others, thus rendering the loyalty points earnt worthless.

I think what you're saying is that if TC get a load of tickets then people may be forced to use them at their prices but that's not what is planned. The minutes say this applies to one plane only. I believe we also agreed (although it's not in the minutes so need to confirm) that only ST holders on the CL scheme will be allowed to book under the new arrangement. The TC trip is already on sale for Schalke (without a guaranteed ticket) and people will have booked it either because they know they've got a ticket or are likely to get one.

Also Thomas Cook have in the past declined to provide travel to some Euro aways, what happens then.

It depends on the circumstances why they declined but one may be that they don't think it's worth it. So this new arrangement should help but if they still don't offer a trip then the tickets will be sold in the normal way via points.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Here is (hopefully) a much less contentious suggestion for @Prestwich_Blue:

Generally I might use the Ticket Exchange once a season if I'm out of the country with work and that coincides with a weekday league game. Recently however I have had to miss several due to an operation (last night was the first game back) so I've put my ticket on and it sold three times. I don't want the money credited to my bank account 45 days after the game (why that length of time anyway) and I'd prefer to have the option as before of having it taken off the cost of my next seasoncard.

I know the club did this up to this season. I'm not sure why they changed but I'll certainly ask.

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

Thanks @Prestwich_Blue

I'd just like it as an additional option as I know other people had complained that it wasn't available as a cash refund previously.

 

[Thx_to_Neil_Young]

We are taking 25 out of our moderate size Supporters Club Branch

You suggested the SOS was today yet it was already effectively sold out on the Club's website; I'm confused...