TuRbUleNc3 From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 519 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 years 10 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1360 times:
Only just got back from Palma ..this mornings PMI-MAN that i was on had been delayed 8hrs all in all for tech reasons, bloody joke!!! whats worse there was no information for 8hrs, no reps were seen until it landed.
Captain said FCA were having bad tech probs today with most of the fleet, anyone at MAN aware of this?
BFS From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 734 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1290 times:
Thats a shame, but at the end of the day its no more than bad luck. I still think they're a pretty good company and I would go out of my way to travel with them if I was going on a package holiday. I'm quite surprised about the reps not being around - I was a rep for them last year at MAH at although we didn't have many delays, we always had to be around to take the flak. Oh I miss those days!
Boysteve From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2004, 872 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1251 times:
I have never flown FCA but I'm going to stick up for them here! My parents regularly fly on them from MAN-Innsbruck for their annual holiday, and did so again just the other week. They were impressed with checking in the previous day for early morning flights (at MAN anyway) and the fact that hot complimentary meals were served both ways (beats BACon!). They also report that the leg room is superior to that of other holiday airlines. Both flights were on time departing and early arriving. In fact given a choice between 2 similar priced holidays next year with one on FCA and one on A.N.Other, the FCA may swing it!
One comment from my mother though, she didn't feel like cottage pie at 11am when it was 30 degrees C both in MAN and Innsbruck! A salad would have been prefered if any FCA employees wanna take note!
TuRbUleNc3 From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 519 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1233 times:
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 4): hot complimentary meals were served both ways
8hr delay and we didnt even get one, typical eh? TOM provided this when we were 3hrs late last year
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 4): Both flights were on time departing
our flight out went like clockwork, only left around 5mins late
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 4): They also report that the leg room is superior to that of other holiday airlines
Legroom was terrible both ways, they were squashed to hell and im only 5ft 6, i had more room on the TOM flight to SSH last december, probably that bit more due to the magazine rack being at the top of the seat. Much preferred
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 4): One comment from my mother though, she didn't feel like cottage pie at 11am
Heh, thats what was served coming back from PMI yesterday believe it or not, even though i dont like plane food..id have been happy to eat it!
Rdwootty From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2005, 900 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1212 times:
Again it is not the delay that is the problem . it is lack of information and the staff doing a disapearing act. This is what makes most pax annoyed. If they knmow they should say.I was delayed at TFS with ZB and we had information every 15 mins.They also advised us not to leave the gate area because as soon as they could we w o9uld be away. We were 1 hour late.T^he staff should, as part of training , be made to understand the fact that giving passenegrs information on a delay is not against the rules!!!
FlyKev From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2006, 1349 posts, RR: 6 Reply 7, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1206 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Heres some words lets see what we can make from them.
Charter. Delays. Utilisation. Heavy. Summer.
Charter flights are often subject to delays as they have heavy utilisation during the summer.
This means that shoudl one delay occur the knock on effect is huge.
To be honest, Ive had my fair share of dealys with FCA and DP, but then again, Ive had many delays on charter flights.
All these times, Ive found the support from staff excelent, and never have I seen a lack of information.
I Believe people often 'over dramatise' delays, especially for charter flights, often because they are angry at loosing time on their holidays.
Oh and if you want better food, legroom, service etc. fly scheduled on BA or similar.
Kev.
The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only
Boysteve From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2004, 872 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1166 times:
Quoting FlyKev (Reply 7): Oh and if you want better food, legroom, service etc. fly scheduled on BA or similar
I don't think you can talk about BA and food from the regions! Remember we have to pay for food on direct flights to the continent on BACon, unlike certain charter airlines where its thrown in!
TuRbUleNc3 From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 519 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1133 times:
Quoting FlyKev (Reply 7): Oh and if you want better food, legroom, service etc. fly scheduled on BA or similar
You expect a good standard of service no matter what airline, as i said im not keen on aircraft frozen meals, but after 5hrs with no food, you do start and get a bit hungry.
Quoting FlyKev (Reply 7): I Believe people often 'over dramatise' delays, especially for charter flights, often because they are angry at loosing time on their holidays.
To be honest, i wouldnt have minded the delay coming out as you have your holiday to look forward to, when your coming back you just want to be home. Plus if it was at a uk airport, the check in staff are always around for information or info desks are open.
Conveniently the information desk at PMI was closed throughout the day and no check in staff or reps seen. Soon as the plane landed from manchester, all the reps started coming out of the woodwork.
This is what aggrevated me more.
Steve7E7 From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 470 posts, RR: 52 Reply 11, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1117 times:
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Reply 9): but after 5hrs with no food, you do start and get a bit hungry.
No MaccyD's or BK in PMI then?
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Reply 9): when your coming back you just want to be home.
Not me mate, in fact the longer I spend at an airport the better. Thinking about it, I ought to start a thread complaining how unfair FCA have been on all my previous flights with them, by turning up either on time or early....only on my last trip away did we depart late and we still landed at LGW early.
Every charter airline suffers delays during the summer season as is well documented on these forums.Maybe you've been unlucky in the past with FCA, I can only speak of my own experience.
Incidentally my first flight with them was back in '88 on the then Air 2000.
Bh4007 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 239 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
At the end of the day, delays are usually for the passenger's safety and ALL airlines have them. If they didn't, then flying would be about as safe as road travel!
Perfection is one of the things that makes flying so safe. Technical delays are usually caused by the smallest thing.
e.g if backup of one of the backup no-smoking lamps packs in then the plane goes nowhere!!
As for the lack of information, in my view, if you were being paid like £7/hour - would you want to face a load of angry holiday makers having a personal attack at you??? (especially if its the late night 'Alicante lot' !!)
OMFG a Airline has a Delay! BAD BAD airline, lets start a thread and Bitch!
Actually, if you take the time to read..you'll see i actually was asking if anyone was aware of the apparent tech problems through 'most' of the fleet for the topic...care to view the section of it for your benefit? Let me show you
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Thread starter): Captain said FCA were having bad tech probs today with most of the fleet, anyone at MAN aware of this?
But yes, BAD BAD airline for not providing any information.
Quoting Kazzie (Reply 10): get over it, they happen within All Airlines.
Attitudes like that is what im talking about, you'd fit nicely on his shift
Quoting Bh4007 (Reply 12): As for the lack of information, in my view, if you were being paid like £7/hour - would you want to face a load of angry holiday makers having a personal attack at you??? (especially if its the late night 'Alicante lot' !!)
i was paid less than that and had to deal with it, he didnt have the time for passengers nor patience. If you work in a passenger industry involving customer service, you have to be prepared for anything, but most of all to help when its needed.
Quoting Steve7E7 (Reply 11): Every charter airline suffers delays during the summer season as is well documented on these forums.Maybe you've been unlucky in the past with FCA, I can only speak of my own experience.
Agreed, however, im more annoyed at the fact we had no information during this time..not that the flight was late..we just wanted to know what was going on but couldnt find out anything. Thats what pisses me off the most because you expect to be kept updated, as another user stated in a previous post on this thread. It makes life so much easier and keeps passengers a lot calmer.
A340600 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2003, 4103 posts, RR: 53 Reply 14, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 1045 times:
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Reply 5): Legroom was terrible both ways, they were squashed to hell and im only 5ft 6, i had more room on the TOM flight to SSH last december, probably that bit more due to the magazine rack being at the top of the seat.
FCA legroom isn't that bad, one of the best of the charter airlines at 29 inches. I found the Airbus fleet to have slightly more though that's just a personal thing.
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 8): unlike certain charter airlines where its thrown in!
No British charters 'throw' it in anymore, you pay or go hungry.
Sam
Despite the name I am a Boeing man through and through!
TuRbUleNc3 From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 519 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 1031 times:
Quoting A340600 (Reply 14): FCA legroom isn't that bad, one of the best of the charter airlines at 29 inches. I found the Airbus fleet to have slightly more though that's just a personal thing.
Been so long since i flew on an airbus i dont know. Seems a lot more room with TOM 's new recaro seats, maybe just my imagination.
Quoting A340600 (Reply 14): No British charters 'throw' it in anymore, you pay or go hungry
There was me thinking AEU provided them complimentary?? am i wrong in thinking that?
FlyKev From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2006, 1349 posts, RR: 6 Reply 17, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 965 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Quoting Boysteve (Reply 16): Sorry I thought FCA was a charter airline, has it gone all 'Monarch Scheduled' on us?
FCA, you must pay additionally for food at time of booking, same as ThomsonFly. I think its only My Travel who dont charge you extra for food on your flight now.
Kev.
The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only
AeroWesty From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 18827 posts, RR: 64 Reply 18, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 959 times:
Quoting A340600 (Reply 14): FCA legroom isn't that bad, one of the best of the charter airlines at 29 inches
If this is the case, I'd love a delay, just to put off having to sit in a seat like that for as long as possible.
BFS From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 734 posts, RR: 2 Reply 19, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days ago) and read 931 times:
Bh4007
£7 per hour?? Closer to £0.70 per hour! Working 6 days a week including some 18 hour shifts (Fridays in MAH were always painfully long) means it isn't surprising that reps can't be bothered dealing with angry passengers, especially given that most of them are nursing hangovers most of the time. Nevertheless, it is their job to be there during a delay and any good rep should know how to difuse angry situations. Sadly, they are few and far between.
FlyingColours From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2315 posts, RR: 11 Reply 20, posted (6 years 10 months 2 days ago) and read 928 times:
Quoting FlyKev (Reply 17): DP, you must pay additionally for food at time of booking,
Yes that is correct however if you book your tickets within 72 hours of departure you should get a meal thrown in
Quoting Steve7E7 (Reply 11): 2 delays in 18 years aint bad going.
Thats a good record, the longest delay I've had is 3 hours and that was way beyond our control (the runway sort of melted in CFU and got stuck to our & 6 other aircraft). The most average delay I've had all season is less than 1 hour and that is usually because we get an earlier slot but miss it because it takes ages to board. Most of the time we are early.
Quoting A340600 (Reply 14): DP legroom isn't that bad, one of the best of the charter airlines at 29 inches. I found the Airbus fleet to have slightly more though that's just a personal thing.
True, the Airbii do have a tiny little bit more legroom and generally feel spacious. The 757 fleet is mixed in the forward cabin as depending on the configuration (galley & toilets that is) seats ABC may have more legroom. Incidentally G-CPEP (an ex BA bird) appears to have more room according to other crews - I haven't noticed to be honest.
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Thread starter): Only just got back from Palma ..this mornings PMI-MAN that i was on had been delayed 8hrs all in all for tech reasons, bloody joke!!! whats worse there was no information for 8hrs, no reps were seen until it landed.
Captain said FCA were having bad tech probs today with most of the fleet, anyone at MAN aware of this?
Well I'm sorry you had a bad time with us, the airline has no control over the reps though (even though we all work for the same team they are technically a different organisation/company - ala they are holiday reps and we are still Air 2000).
I can't say anything about your delays though simply because I don't know, I came back from TFS on Saturday morning (off at 8am) and went home and everything was looking normal, there was a delayed longhaul coming in but that was it.
Sometimes something will break during a flight and effectivly ground the aircraft from minutes to hours, like I came back the other day having just managed to break the TV at row 1, now this is the only isle TV on the AC that needs to be stowed for TO/LNDG, now because the thing wouldn't go back up (gotta pull that cord and push it all the way up) the AC wouldn't be allowed to leave MAN until it was fixed. See how a simple thing such as that can cause a delay?
Phil
FlyingColours
Lifes a train racing towards you, now you can either run away or grab a chair & a beer and watch it come - Phil
Bh4007 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 239 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (6 years 10 months 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 838 times:
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Reply 15): Seems a lot more room with TOM 's new recaro seats, maybe just my imagination.
The way they've put the pocket higher up on the seat has to be one of the most simple but effective tricks ever - it fools you into thinking there's more than 28" of room on their 752s!!
Cwldude From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 691 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (6 years 10 months 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 780 times:
TOM aren't clever in doing that, they're just giving you the whole of your 28" wheras other airlines may boast to have 29-30" but you actually only get 25-26 to use because the rest is taken up by the magazine rack, yes?
As for the delay, FCA seem to have performing well this season as far as I've seen, that is, excluding CWL, where once again they've been hit by delays this evening as our shoddy A320 is now stranded in Bourgas... again!... Anyone actually know what's wrong with it now?!
Just be greatful it was only 8 hours and now something a lot more extreme... However I do understand how pissed off you are, I suppose I would be too... but yes, be even more greatful at the fact it was your return flight!
Thomson Airways - The UKs premier charter airline // now flown : BY -AA -AJ -AE -AT; OO -AX -AU -RA -BG; BRIG; OBYD
Cwldude From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 691 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (6 years 10 months 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 780 times:
Oh... and as for the meals... I think it's actually the MyTravel group of tour operators that give you the meals for free, as I'm going to LPA in November, flying with TOM, but travelling with Airtours, and my meals have been thrown in! Woohoo
Thomson Airways - The UKs premier charter airline // now flown : BY -AA -AJ -AE -AT; OO -AX -AU -RA -BG; BRIG; OBYD
Captaingomes From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 6413 posts, RR: 58 Reply 24, posted (6 years 10 months 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 746 times:
Quoting TuRbUleNc3 (Reply 9): You expect a good standard of service no matter what airline, as i said im not keen on aircraft frozen meals, but after 5hrs with no food, you do start and get a bit hungry.
If you were hungry, why didn't you buy yourself a meal at the airport? PMI isn't exactly a small airport, I'm sure there was some decent food around
"it's kind of like an Airbus, it's an engineering marvel, but there's no sense of passion" -- J. Clarkson re: Coxster
Destinations From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 194 posts, RR: 0 Reply 25, posted (6 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 661 times:
I have just returned from Male and the delay was only 1 and half hours but that was due to a van or something hitting the aicraft on tuesday. Im not complaining though.
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