FLIGHTS and travel can hit your hip pocket pretty hard.

Just ask Michael Gamble, from Belmont in Victoria, who travelled from Melbourne to Ballina recently to visit a close friend at Lennox Head.

He sent us this letter after his experience:

"I recently flew on a budget airline from Melbourne to Ballina," he wrote.

"A long walk to the departure lounge, a maximum of 7kg of hand luggage and no service on board unless one was prepared to pay for absolutely everything on offer.

"The in-flight prices were horrendous.

"To buy a single can of beer (low alcohol) was the equivalent of paying nearly $200 for a slab!

"To buy a very small bottle of very average red wine (187ml) - cost $8. Enough for a single glass. I can buy a half decent 750ml bottle (seven standard drinks), locally, for less than $10.

"To add insult to injury, the airline then tried to milk passengers by selling 'scratchies' - $5 a ticket - to their captive market in order to raise additional revenue.

"Most passengers, as far as I could see, declined to take up the offer.

"And they did a plea to contribute to World Vision, a charity whose local CEO (a former priest), is pulling in a reported $300,000 per year."

• What do you think? Are prices too high on flights? Email opinions@northernstar.com.au and let us know about your experiences.