Mystery Flights

[Bjohn]

Hello.

If you want to get away for a weekend is it possible just to turn up at say, Gatwick on a Friday night in the hope that there might be some last minute cheap flights to any destination that you can jump on for a weekend away - like a stand by thing? Or is this unrealistic these days?

[grasscarp]

I dont know how that would work. If you are a standby for a flight you have to be listed for it. You could go on the lastminute.com website and look at what is available. Gatwick on a Friday night, round the M25, for something or nothing - not a good idea!

[Bjohn]

I agree - risky but that's all part of the fun - not driving to Gatwick - getting the train.

Would an airline take someone on who just turns up?

[grasscarp]

Not as a standby. For that you would have to already have a standby ticket. This is usually if you work for an airline and have a free or reduced standby ticket. You can turn up at Gatwick and buy tickets for flights if available, but that would be full fare. I think you really would be best to find what you want before going to Gatwick.

[Buenchico]

Prior to the rise of budget airlines it was possible to simply turn up at an airport and negotiate with the staff on a ticket desk to see how low they'd go with a fare for a flight which was about to depart. A few 'full fare' airlines might still accept such practices (probably mainly on long haul flights) but all of the budget airlines will charge you the highest possible fare for immediate travel.

Your best option (if you want an element of surprise) is to book well ahead but to choose a destination which you know nothing about, or an airport which serves several towns or cities, so that you won't need to decide on your exact destination until you land. For example, Ryanair fly from Stansted to Hahn. Ryanair promote the airport as an entry point to Frankfurt (which is 1 hour 45 minutes away by bus) but there are also bus services to Mainz (which is a very pleasant city, just 1 hour 45 minutes from Hahn Airport) and many other places. See here:
http://www.hahn-airport.de/default.aspx?menu=by_bus&cc=en /> So why not fly to Hahn and decide which bus to catch when you get there? Ryanair were recently offering completely free flights (with no taxes or charges) from Stansted to Hahn. They've now gone up to £1!

Chris