Cape Verde Islands

I have just returned from Cape Verde, where I had been signing up for my new apartment. I did not have a choice of dates, I just had to book, and my return flight from Lisbon to Sal with TAP cost me 665€.(Lets just say 200 people on board at even 600€ is 120,000€, not a bad little earner)
There has been a lot of talk about Monarch, Ryanair, and Easyjet, "looking" at this route. My own feeling is that if we are left with the current situation for much longer, a lot of owners who are counting on tourists to rent their apartments, are going to find that there are lots of cheaper destinations to be found. You also require a Visa which is just another expense which goes against Cape Verde. Last year when I returned from Sal, I posted a heading, "Do they really want us here." Now just over a year later, I am still not convinced the answer is "Yes," but I love the place, and I hope so much it will get better.

Agree with you JB. TAP are advertising flights London to Sal for £450. 160511 comes up at this price. I think it said until 23rd June though ?

This has been the same situation re flights ever since I went on one of the first Astraeus Airlines flights several years ago.

In fact despite lots of people saying prices would eventually come down .. it is quite the opposite they have escalated somewhat

Whilst Tui have the monopoly with direct flights from the UK it is unlikely to change until we have some real competitors going there also

OK Mikee, I accept what you say, but are some of the airlines looking, or have they looked, and decided it is too far. There are cheap flights to the Canaries, has no one considered a link up?

Hi JB ... well a few names have been mooted, Monarch being the most likely I would think .. those hoping for private rental income will welcome any interest

Any one found cheap flights latley, things seem very slow at minute.
Dee

cheap flights, CHEAP FLIGHTS get outa it think yourselves lucky that you have direct flights and dont have to go enroute to aboo daboo first,tui price on offer pre school holidays 250 knickers during school holidays a whopping 450 knicker size large.
flights aint the problem its cv, its taking to long its like waiting for the reincarnation of william longshanks just isnt gonna be in our lifetime the way things are going

I will have to book my flights from Lisbon to Sal in the next weeks or so. The best price I can get for each flight is £558.90 return for a four week stay. It is the same for a two week stay with TAP.
If another airline does not come along soon, the people who are hoping to let out their apartments are going to be disappointed. It is cheaper to go to the West Indies, or even USA, where you also need a Visa, but it does not cost anything. As I have said before, "Do they really want us there?"

I know what you are saying JB and I forsee no change in the situation in the near future, for what you would pay for 2 flights alone you can get an A/I holiday in Egypt or the Caribbean.

It doesn't bode well for private rentals and is the main reason I decided not to buy in CV .. hopefully competition will come along soon.

Hi Mikee.
I must say, I think that decision was very clever of you. I would imagine that almost everyone who considered buying in Cape Verde, and made out a list of plus and minus things, did not consider the fact that it is one of the most expensive holiday destinations to get to. (Myself included) Over the years, it has been obvious that some purchasers, in their costings, have allowed for rental returns to supplement a loan, or possibly a second mortgage, but I'm afraid with the excessive flight prices, it is going to be difficult to fill these apartments. The only slight advantage is "winter sun" but since the main competitors are well established, and not as expensive, it will be hard work.
In my previous post, I said that the best price I could get together with my visa is going to be around £600. Everything is more expensive in Santa Maria, so sadly I am seriously thinking of missing it out this year. I did try to get a price from Thomson's, but after replying four times to their "Contact Us" without any reply, I gave up.