Prices rocket as up to 100,000 Rangers fans head to Seville
Hotel and flight prices to Seville have soared amid speculation up to 100,000 Rangers fans could travel there for the Europa League Final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Hotels in the city are filling up, with any remaining rooms setting fans back thousands of pounds.
On Friday, Booking.com was quoting £1,675 for one night in Hotel Cervantes in the old town. And one night in a three-bedroom apartment at the Genteel Home Maestranza will set fans back £2,759. Ticket prices have also run wild, with some resale sites asking for up to £2,500 just 24 hours after European football’s governing body, Uefa, held a ballot.
Online agency Livefootballtickets is demanding £20,000 for one VIP brief in a neutral area – plus £6,000 in service fees. Some fans have paid nearly £1,000 for a day-flight trip to see their team on May 18. Barrhead
Travel has chartered a direct flight from Glasgow to Seville for £849 per person. The one-off return flight was secured after supporters flocked to the agency with travel requests.
Travelbank Holidays has also hired a private plane to Spain for the day at £949 a head, leaving at 6am on the morning of the match and returning after the final whistle.
As for the opposition, German rail operators Deutsche Bahn will launch a special train for Frankfurt fans going to the final and there will be 15 extra charter flights from Germany to Seville for their fans.
Last month, Frankfurt took 30,000 fans to their match against Barcelona. If this is repeated, the population of Sevilla could rise by 30% overnight.
Seville mayor Antonio Munoz insisted his city could cope: “We have put a lot of work into preparing plans so we will be able to deal with this.”