Last-minute deals like they used to be no longer a thing, when airlines with empty planes offered tickets at rock-bottom prices and it was worth taking the risk of booking at the last minute.
Today, it's a real drag for latecomers. Especially for Sardinians, who don't have many options for reaching the island. Prices are out of control, reports Adiconsum Sardegna, which conducted a survey yesterday on the Skyscanner portal.
The hottest route is Linate-Cagliari: tickets are hard to find and cost nearly €800 departing on December 20th and returning on January 6th. The minimum cost is €523 for Bologna-Alghero, €404 to fly from Pisa to Cagliari and back, €377 from Bologna to Cagliari, and €372 from Venice to Cagliari.
"Anyone who, for whatever reason, finds themselves needing to book a flight to Sardinia for Christmas today is faced with completely out-of-control fares," explains President Giorgio Vargiu. "It's all due to the infamous algorithm used by airlines to increase fares when Italians travel the most. This is a hateful phenomenon that the Antitrust Authority will have to rule on by the end of the year, but it has already announced that, under the current regulations, no unfair commercial practices have emerged."
Vargiu is calling for the approval of legislation that "regulates and prevents tariffs from being set using an algorithm."
Here are the minimum prices found by the association.
Bologna-Alghero (December 21-January 5) from €523
Pisa-Cagliari (December 22-January 5) from €404
Bologna-Cagliari (December 21-January 6) from €377
Venice-Cagliari (December 22-January 5) from €372
Turin-Cagliari (December 23-January 5) from €339
Rome-Alghero (December 20-January 6) from €290
Milan-Alghero (December 20-January 6) from €285
Milan-Cagliari (December 24-January 6) from €279 (up to a maximum of €795 from Linate)
Verona-Cagliari (December 23-January 5) from €257
Turin-Olbia (December 24-January 5) from 234 euros
(Unioneonline)