BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog

Subject: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 04:03 PM

Just been watching Watchdog.

The school holiday for 4 nights (last week of October 2009)

2 bed bungalow 1700 at Nottingham

I week later £400

300 % markup

No wonder parents take their children in school time.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 04:12 PM

Same goes for all those cheap flights out of Stansted to Ibiza and Croatia, etc.

The attendance problem is so bad in Essex schools (primary and secondary), that the County Council, Schools, Children and Families Service had to get Governor Services to start addressing the issue in Governor training and full governing body meetings.

What can a school do? I think the airlines should be penalised for encouraging truancy.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 01:26 PM

What is worse is the excees baggage that the airlines charge.

I paid through BMI baby for my daughter to take 3 bags on her flight to go and live in Holland for a year. I think it was about £70.

When we got to the airport, they wanted to charge me £270 extra for excess baggage. I almost fell through the floor.
I wrongly thought that becuase i had paid £70 for three bags, that she was allowed 18 KG per bag.
We had to do devious things to get it down to £200.
She was taking all her belongings for a year stay.

In the end, what was about £30 pound return flight, with all the crafty add ons and excess baggage, it cost more like £350 to go to Amsterdam.
Cheap flights B***ocks.
They are getting more for flights than they ever did in my day.
Trouble is we will have to pay £200 for when she returns to England next year with all her belongings.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 01:28 PM

Oh Christ, I have just realised that the round trip will be more like £550.
Bastards.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 02:18 PM

Wouldn't it be cheaper to travel light and buy what you need at the other end?

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 02:57 PM

Yes it would, but try explaining it to your daughter at the airport. She was embarrssed because I was having a go at BMI and just wanted me to pay.
Just like a dutiful Dad I saw the pained expression in her face and relented and paid up.
They are still rob dogging bastards and will never get my custom again.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: GREEN WELLIES
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 09:48 AM

I too saw the programme and while I dont agree with the price hike during school holiday times and think it should be out-lawed, if someone is daft enough to pay 300% more to go that particular week then they I say more fool them.

I will qualify that by saying when our son was between school starting age and around 13/14 we saw nothing wrong with taking him out of school for a week or two for a holiday because we simply could not afford to go at half term or during the summer, also we had particularly sympathetic teaching staff at both schools. We stopped when he was studying for GCSE's and A levels, and the time he took out for holiday was infact the only time he had off - he even had chicken pox in the summer holidays ! I dont see those circumstances as encouraging truancy. I believe if a child is going to be truant they will anyway - holiday or not.

I think if the goverment will not do anything about this then parents have to vote with their feet and take their holidays to suit them. If enough do it something will have to happen, surely.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 11:40 AM

It would have been much, much cheaper to catch the P&O from Hull, overnight to Europoort, and catch a train to wherever in The Netherlands.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 05:20 PM

I agree John, but as it was the first time Lisa was going off into the far yonder on her own for a year, we thought it best to get her there by air. We had somebody we trusted picking her up from Schiphol.

In hindsight eh.

This is the problem, what might seem expensive, may not be. :-)

Les

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 07:54 PM

Oh Christ, I have just realised that the round trip will be more like £550.
Bastards.

Cheaper by Taxi I suspect!

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 06:11 AM

Yep, I can understand that, Les. Heart-stopping moments for all, I guess. Hope she's well and happy.
BWM

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 07:46 AM

She seems to be thoroughly enjoying it John. She has been there 2 and a half months now. Mind you video calling with Skype is one of the best things since sliced bread and all for nowt if you have a Pc and a camera etc.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 02:21 PM

Heard it on BeebRadio4 tonight. The govmint and schools reckon taking kids out of school without permission is truancy. Even if it is parent taking them on holiday outside normal holiday periods. It is different if you get permission, but many don't at least in some parts of Essex. Which is why Governor Services had to broach the topic with School Governors. They were encouraged to add attendance issues to GBM agendas, update attendance policies and making certain parents received copies of the policy, etc.

I should think that year round school, with parents being able to opt when they take holidays would be the best solution. That way the airlines and holiday parks haven't any reason or specific season to escalate prices.

Subject: RE: BS: Centre Parks - Rob Dogs -As per watchdog
From: Folkiedave
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 07:01 PM

It was mooted a while ago (to come in around now) and there was a presentation at the AFO conferene about it. And if I was there it must have been 2203,2004, 2005 at a guess.

Wonder what happened to that?