12 METRO Wednesday, October 21, 2009 D The sky is not the limit: The towering new 100m (327ft) Ares I-X rocket moves towards launch pad 39B at Nasas Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Picture: Reuters The Big Picture Simply outrageous! Supporters: Being ripped-off I am disappointed that both Aer Lingus and Ryanair have increased the price of flights to Paris by up to 500 per cent to coincide with Irelands World Cup play-off game. Disappointed but unsurprised. As fans of Liverpool or Manchester United know, the price of flights to those cities more than doubles when the teams are playing at home. In the recent past, Munster rugby fans have also been fleeced by airlines who know the fans have little or no practical choice but to fly to these events. The greedy airlines quote supply and demand as the reasons, or in Ryanairs case they dont give a reason, merely saying theyre cheaper than Aer Lingus. The airlines should just have the guts to make these seats available in an outright auction, because thats more or less what theyre doing anyway. At least then they could drop the pretence. If anything, these flights should be cheaper than usual as theyll be full! Instead, within minutes of the draw, they had ramped up the price. Its exploitation, plain and simple. The airlines like to make out, when theyre offering cheap fares on flights leaving at ungodly hours, that they strive to offer customers lower fares. However, when they see that they have their customers over a barrel, they hammer them. It says all you need to know about airlines and what they think of their customers! Disgruntled Football Fan Is anyone else as annoyed as me about the ticket prices for the Ireland vs France game? Its insane! 145 is the minimum price, not to mention Aer Lingus and Ryanair raising their prices. Croke Park is making ridiculous money from Irish and French fans Dublins best-read letters page Metro Mail E-mail letters to mail@metroireland.ie with a name. Or text us. Text MAIL followed by comment and name to 53131. *Texts cost 30cent per message + standard network charges. SP. Oxygen8 Communications, Hospitality House, Cumberland Street South, D2. Customer service number 0818286606 talk to us Double standards: Annoyed Taxpayer, surely you have been a leech on the public finances at one time or another, be it as a student or on the dole? Also, the student has as much of a right as you do to sit down, having paid for a ticket. Unless youre advocating the addition of discriminatory by- laws to the existing mandates of CI and Dublin Bus, in contravention of existing equality legislation? What other legal double-standards do you advocate? Meatball Who else? Annoyed Taxpayer, you say students shouldnt take a seat because they dont pay tax? Does that apply to the unemployed, artists, tourists and stay-at-home parents too? Jon M Agreed: Well said, Annoyed Taxpayer, I agree with you. School children have no regard for other commuters. If the Dart wasnt electrified, they would end up on the roof! PT Ignorance is bliss: Pat, your ignorance is hilarious. Teachers are paid nine months salary spread out over 12 months. If they were getting three months paid leave, do you not think a lot more people would be teachers? Civil Servant In Brief who just want to support their team. It has the highest stadium prices in Europe, which is scandalous as supporters are forced to pay for ridiculously expensive tickets at prices other countries just wouldnt dream of charging! Simply put, I wish to attend Croker and support the Irish team without having to worry about budgeting my rent and food for the week! Fergus M Give it a lash, Trap! Emmo, yes, I believe Ireland can pull off an upset next month! Okay, so we havent got the most elite squad of players that ever wore the green jersey, and the football we play is, at times, shocking. But results are what counts, and Trapattoni has definitely injected some much-needed belief into a team that, at the start of the qualifying campaign, was all but depleted. And for all you naysayers who think we dont stand a chance, keep your opinions to yourselves and get behind your country for feck sake! In this climate, we sure could use some triumphs to lift us! A Believer Sendusyour txt Annoyed Taxpayer, youre right, students shouldnt be allowed to sit as they dont pay tax. Lets also refuse them healthcare because they dont pay tax towards that either! Ciaran Anna, currants are, unsurprisingly, dried currants. Sultanas are dried green grapes and raisins are dried red or black grapes. Sarah Anna, the sultana is a mistress, a currant is what you get in a river and a raisin is a yummy little fruit! Cheeky bugger The Seanad costs 25million a year to run. Senators receive more than 70,000 in wages, with unvouched expenses averaging 45,000. And they sit for an average of 80 days? End it now! Jo It took an hour and 20mins to travel 9.5km (six miles) on the No.37 bus the other morning. And the 8.40 and 8.50am failed to turn up! What an awful service! AJ OMG, you could all moan for Ireland! Jokes please! BB txt MAIL to 53131* index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html