Na From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9603 posts, RR: 10 Reply 1, posted (10 years 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1493 times:
Time pressure put me onboard an A321 (not sure about the reg, but it carried the logo of German football champion Bayern Munich on its tail and a sticker at the front, most likely D-ALAM) on a flight to Malaga about two weeks ago.
I´m not a fan of long single-aisle planes, and this was no exception. The A321 is my least liked type in the LH fleet already, and Aerolloyds A321 is worse. I would seriously warn everybody taller than 1,80m to fly with it. One of the most cramped airplanes I´ve ever been on. And surprisingly noisy as well (more than I know it from LH). Food was so-so, didn´t expect any wonders, didn´t experience one. Also bad: smoking was allowed on board.
Vote: not recommended!
PS: Just see Global S.S. B747-400F G-GSSA landing in FRA from my office! If weather is improving slightly, spotters might be able to take a nice shot later.
Rick767 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 2662 posts, RR: 52 Reply 2, posted (10 years 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1453 times:
I have flown on a Monarch A321 and an Airtours (as they were then) A321. Both were 220 seat layouts I recall.
No different whatsoever from any other UK charter airline in terms of seat comfort, 29-30" pitch which is comparable to the 757/A320. Prefer the Airbus slightly over the 757, "computer driven magic" feels like it flies on rails....
Saves the airlines money too over the 757 on a similar trip, only drawback is the 15 fewer seats on the 321.
I used to love the smell of Jet-A in the morning...
Captain.md-11 From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2001, 703 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (10 years 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1443 times:
2 years ago I flew on a wet leased BMI A321 flying for Air 2000. The Captain left the cockpit door open during taxi and take-off, so I could see right down to the flight deck. It was quite an awesome sight as it was a night flight (was mean to be afternoon but you know UK Charter airlines ) and the panel was fully lit up by the instrument lights. The flight itself was as good as can be expected, I was quite impressed though as it was my first Bus ride and the aircraft looked quite new. It didn't quite go up like a 757/777/MD-11, but it wasn't exactly slow on the ground run either.
Safe Flying
Twins,twins, everywhere.... but where are the three holers?
Diesel1 From UK - Wales, joined Mar 2001, 1624 posts, RR: 12 Reply 4, posted (10 years 1 week 14 hours ago) and read 1343 times:
Probably should be in trip reports, but here's details of my flight with Airtours on A321 G VOLH during October 99 from CWL-HER
Flight was on nearly new Airbus A321. Was generally smooth, but some strange noise and vibration on climb out of Cardiff.
Inflight film (4 Weddings & a Funeral) helped time pass more quickly.
Food and cabin crew were OK, nothing special.
Return flight a fortnight later was uneventful once we got away
Same A321 as outbound.
Start up was accompanied by clouds on condensation through air conditioning - some wondered whether it was smoke at first.
On taxi out to end of runway there was a lot of clanking noises coming from the undercarriage, these didn't sound good and I've never heard anything like this on the many times I've flown - I thought this was a plane that needed its maintenance at the end of a busy season.
Joni From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (10 years 1 week 13 hours ago) and read 1314 times:
I think that people over 1.8m height are cramped on charter flights reagardless of the plane's make. I'm 1.88m and flying on Airtours (IIRC a 752) caused me constant physical pain.
Finnair's 321 was much better, but as I said the operative words here are Airtours and Finnair, not 752 and 321.
Andreas From Germany, joined Oct 2001, 6104 posts, RR: 34 Reply 6, posted (10 years 1 week 11 hours ago) and read 1269 times:
Same here: Charter planes are a constant threat to the health of people my size (1,90m), and probably even much smaller ones. So that doesn't count really.
And before someone starts another A vs. B war: I flew FRA-PMI on a brandnew Condor 757-300, one of the most beautiful aircraft in the skies nowadays, and on the inside it was....my legs immediately start hurting again just from the memory!!!
Recently I was on a 738 of Hapag-Lloyd (TUI), and it was somewhat better, same with their A310's, so you have to be very picky when choosing your holiday carrier!
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From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 88 posts, 
From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9603 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 2662 posts, 
) and the panel was fully lit up by the instrument lights. The flight itself was as good as can be expected, I was quite impressed though as it was my first Bus ride and the aircraft looked quite new. It didn't quite go up like a 757/777/MD-11, but it wasn't exactly slow on the ground run either.
From UK - Wales, joined Mar 2001, 1624 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
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