Easyjet have launched to much fanfare a "new" concept to ticketing ..... the "Flexi Fare" !!!!! Now I remember some 20 years ago that British Airways use to have fully flexible fares so Im not too sure which smart ass thought it was a new idea. Back in those days you even use to get a FREE Daily Mail newspaper, sandwich, drinks - including alcoholic ones and you didn't have to pay extra for baggage - it was all included in the ticket price. It looks like things have gone round full circle.
I decided to compare the prices and was astonished at the premium being charged. The "benefits" to the flexi fare include: unlimited date changes within a 4 week period of your original date, speedy boarding and 1 piece of 20kg hold luggage. I chose a 2 week return flight leaving London Gatwick on Friday 1st July and returning on Thursday 14th July. The standard fare PLUS adding speedy boarding and 1 piece of hold luggage came to £165.98. The Flexi fare came to £365.98 ...... £200 MORE for the "benefit" of being able to change the date - albeit within a limited time period. I am somewhat puzzled as to who Easyjet are marketing this fare to - surely a "business traveller" would chose the cheapest option especially as it is only a 2 hour flight from London! Just to add to the equation I checked Monarch for the same dates and similar departure times, with luggage and priority boarding and it came to £150.96 !!!! The moral of the story is shop around all the so called "Low Cost" carriers before booking.
When you book your holiday the chances of cancelling are fairly slim ... possibly due to illness, so make sure that you have travel insurance when booking and then you will be covered for that eventuality. Imagine if a family of 4 were booking - Standard Easyjet = £663.92 versus Flexi Fare = £1463.92. Thats £800 more - an annual family travel insurance can be bought from the post office for only £79.
Thanks to "Taggy" on the Trip Advisor Benidorm forum for highlighting the Easyjet issue & link.