In reply to timjones:
Depends, For example for September last week Lufthansa/United were the cheapest direct at around £500 and add to that extra baggage charges for sports equipment that Virgin waive. Indirect flights are much cheaper but imagine having to wait for a bag of climbing kit if it went astray and the hassle of changing planes with all your luggage (they won't check it through due to security). Last time I did this we only just got our connecting plane as we were fast tracked due to one of our group wearing a plastic boot and crutches because of a repaired Achilles tendon.
