Any way to get cheaper flights to Hurghada from UK?

Hi,

I've been looking at flights from the UK to Hurghada for Feb next year to intersect with a liveaboard. I have a couple of spaces left and there's been some interest, but then the flights turn out to be surprisingly expensive.

Charter flights from London are running at 400 GBP to Hurghada.

I'm seeing surprisingly little availability, even Cairo is looking like 300 GBP with a connection. We're all coming all the way from the US and its the same money! Except with proper international baggage allowances. Is it because flight taxes from the UK are going up? Is it a half-term thing? Feb 18-25.

Can anyone recommend anywhere to get cheap charter flights or any cheaper way from UK to Hurghada?

It'd be a shame to let a couple of spots go - I was thinking I could at least share a cabin with my brother and get a chance to hang out with him for a week, since I live in the US now, but for 400 quid he can fly to NY to visit.

Note, I'm not a travel agent, just arranged the boat for a group of tech dive buddies in the US. Given there aren't many safari dates for those inclined to deeper wrecks or longer dives, it'd be a shame to have people miss out.

Chris

Does it have to be from the UK? If not, try flights from the Netherlands.

Hi Deepgeek
We have tickets already booked for Hurghada. Try Easyjet. We paid £435 for 2 return tickets for May. They fly Monday, Friday and Saturdays in Feb. You didn't say what dates. If you can play with the dates you can see the difference. We also stay at the Safir Hotel as it has a dive operation attached to it thatr is brill. They are french but speak english and the hotel is good and cheap. The best is, we can see the dive boat from our balcony, so only have to leave 5 minutes before departure as all kit is on board. The largest party on board has been 10 people and the boat takes about 40 persons. Lunches are also very good and included in price. We pay about £180 for 5 full days of diving incl lunch. Can't wait to get back there..................
Chris

cheapest flights I've heard of were with Jet2 - the downside being that I don't think they fly to hurghada from london. Worth a check though

I found this page for your dates (from Manchester)...

https://reservations.jet2.com/JET2.RESERVATIONS.WEB.PORTAL/TabbedFareSearcherPage.aspx

cheers

C.

Thanks for the replies.

Don't know any tech divers in the Netherlands, but they'd be welcome.
Jet2's flights don't quite match the itinerary from Manchester, but definitely a site to keep an eye on for Northern divers. Still quite pricey though.

Perhaps it's my expectations that need managing but I would have thought February, in an economic downturn, for a charter flight, would be cheaper, particularly from Europe.

How do the holiday companies manage to offer last-minute deals for a week liveaboard of 700 GBP for some boats, including flight? Or is it that they actually bump up the price once you really try to book a flight...