Munster fans' fury as airlines hike fares
The semi-finals will be played on the weekend of April 4-6 and the definitive dates will be fixed following talks between the organisers, ERC and Sky TV, with Munster anticipating its game could be played on Saturday, April 5.
But with Gloucester's ground holding only 13,000 -- a capacity Munster could fill twice over -- tickets will be like gold dust. as Munster's allocation is 3,000.
Even with a match date yet to be set, the Munster supporter clubs were inundated with inquiries while one Dublin-based travel company said it had received more than a 100 inquiries by lunchtime by fans looking for information on flight and match packages.
Desperate fans began scouring internet sites for flights to the game for the weekend of April 4 to 6 but quickly accused airlines of upping their prices to cash in on the demand.
Neighbours Barry McGregor (29) and Kevin Holmes (28) from Killonan, Co Limerick said it was a disgrace the contempt airlines showed for rugby fans.
"We are trying to book this all day but the airlines have all upped their prices ridiculously for that weekend. They are only trying to make a fast buck out of us and know full well that they will sell out all their seats before the week is out," said Mr McGregor.
Mr Holmes said: "The airlines are trying to rip us off . I'm a carpenter from Limerick, not a rich Leinster banker. Do they think we are all loaded?"
Yesterday evening, flying from Dublin to Birmingham on the morning of April 6 and returning on April 9, Ryanair offered €160 return for a single passenger. A return Aer Lingus flight from Cork to Birmingham for the same dates cost €347.
Demand
Ryanair's flights from Shannon to Birmingham departing on the Friday were almost sold out last night.
Ryanair insisted it would not be beaten on price by its rivals while Aer Lingus denied it was "pumping" up the prices and said the reasons for the marked price difference was supply and demand.
A spokeswoman said the demand for flights out of Cork to Birmingham on the weekend of April 4 was huge with just a "handful" of seats left.
A return flight going out on April 4 and returning two days later cost more than €400 but the spokeswoman pointed out that a one way flight from Cork a day later on Saturday, April 5 only cost €1.
However, with April 5 anticipated in Munster quarters as the probable date for the semi-final clash with Gloucester, the Aer Lingus Saturday flight departing at 2pm from Cork would be of little use to fans.
- Fergus Black
