Beaucaire From Syria, joined Sep 2003, 5252 posts, RR: 26 Posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 7817 times:
it was expected that LOT's low-cost arm Centralwings would have a hard time fighting against Ryanair ,Wizzair and Skyeurope..
No consistent network-policy ( flights to Germany were cancelled ) ,poor marketing and the rise in fuel-cost's did the rest.. http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/business/?id=76785
Nighthawk From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4993 posts, RR: 38 Reply 1, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 7780 times:
it will be a shame if this airline does dissapear. I flew them last year, and it was a very enjoyable flight. Tickets were not fairly low cost, about £100 return EDI-GDN. Service onboard was excellent, typical low cost buy on board, but the prices were very reasonable - £5 for 4 beers, or £5 for 2 sandwiches and 2 beers IIRC.
Unlike other low cost airlines they didnt hassle you with duty free or scratchcards all flight, they simply did a drinks/snack service then left you in peace to enjoy the flight.
Centralwings was one of the better loco airlines - I was hoping they would expand further, but sadly not to be
Flylot From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 7636 times:
for polish readers: http://www.pasazer.com/in-2803-centralwings,zjadl,zyski,lotu.php
(if you go to the front page, there is a funny image of the Centralwings logo eating away at the LOT logo)
From a purely aesthetic perspective, I'm overjoyed. I hated the livery.
B747forever From United States of America, joined May 2007, 16598 posts, RR: 11 Reply 5, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 7603 times:
Quoting Swiftski (Reply 3): Will LOT take back their planes?
Myt332 From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 9112 posts, RR: 74 Reply 6, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 7578 times:
Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 1): it will be a shame if this airline does dissapear. I flew them last year, and it was a very enjoyable flight.
Hard to believe we were on the same flight! The way I remember it was we boarded the plane, (SP-LMC) we pushed back and the brakes seized up. We were pushed on to a remote stand and told hardly anything for an hour and when they did make any announcement it was in such poor English we couldn't make much out. The onboard food was rather dire albeit it was cheap. The best thing about the airline was like you say, the cheap beer.
I can't say I thought much of the airline and resent them for taking over the decent LOT service to WAW we had from MAN. Hopefully this means we'll get them back but if not then I'd rather have a reputable low cost like U2 take on the route. They are my feelings anyway. I'm glad to see them go.
Nighthawk From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4993 posts, RR: 38 Reply 7, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 7537 times:
Quoting Myt332 (Reply 6): Hard to believe we were on the same flight! The way I remember it was we boarded the plane, (SP-LMC) we pushed back and the brakes seized up. We were pushed on to a remote stand and told hardly anything for an hour and when they did make any announcement it was in such poor English we couldn't make much out. The onboard food was rather dire albeit it was cheap. The best thing about the airline was like you say, the cheap beer.
hardly the airlines fault the breaks seized! Granted they could have communicated a little better, but it wasnt that bad. Ive had worse with air france!
The food was fine, the beer was good, and all was cheap. I would choose them over Easyjet any day, cant stand getting hassled by the F/As every 5 mins to buy something. Easyjet food isnt any better, yet twice the price!
Beaucaire From Syria, joined Sep 2003, 5252 posts, RR: 26 Reply 8, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 7476 times:
Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 7): Easyjet food isnt any better, yet twice the price!
Part of their success- sell junk and charge higher prices than the "quality" Low Cost's like Vueling,who will be history soon.
It's a bad fact for passengers but an established fact for CFO's - the more you treat your customers like sh.it,overcharge them with lousy food or drinks,rip them with baggage-charges-and you're in business..
Welcome to airline-reality !
Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 7): cant stand getting hassled by the F/As every 5 mins to buy something
Then fly a proper airline and not this low cost muck! The only reason C0 didn't try get you to buy much was because they could hardly speak any damn English. In other words, they had god awful customer service! Once again the only redeeming quality of them was the beer!
CopySouthwest From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 123 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 7277 times:
I flew Centralwings LGW-WAW-LGW in 2005 and both flights were completely acceptable. Got me there and back on time and in relative comfort. Lately I see that their prices are not particularly competitive with the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet though.
Perhaps Centralwings could be merged with LOT shorthaul to create a hybrid carrier a la Aer Lingus.
Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight with us today.
Humberside From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2005, 4903 posts, RR: 5 Reply 11, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 7019 times:
Well if they do shut down, no doubt FR, Wizz and DY will pick up the pieces quickly
Konrad From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 494 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 6649 times:
Quoting CopySouthwest (Reply 10): Perhaps Centralwings could be merged with LOT shorthaul to create a hybrid carrier a la Aer Lingus.
I guess thats whats gonna happen. Yet I don't see them being half as successful as Aer Lingus.
Centralwings was also known for being notoriously late. Delays like 3-6 hours were not unusual due to old 737 classics going mechanical without available spare aircraft.
Demise of Centralwings could mean that FR and eventually U2 will seriously consider setting up a base or two in Poland. My personal favorites are WRO(FR) and KRK (FR or U2). Already now FR and U2 compete on several UK routes - LON, LPL and EDI come to mind.
Rumors on Polish aviation forum are that tomorrow FR is going to announce several new PL routes, EDI to KRK, WRO and two other destinations, CRL-KRK and possibly HHN-KRK.
Humberside From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2005, 4903 posts, RR: 5 Reply 14, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 6420 times:
Konrad From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 494 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 6320 times:
Now that 4U decided to move from KRK to KTW (a bad move IMHO) there is an opening for KRK to Germany routes. I am curious to see who jumps in to take that part of the cake. BTW, SXF-KRK has been tried by U2 a year or two years ago and didn't work either. Maybe it is time to try it again?
Freckles From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2007, 386 posts, RR: 9 Reply 18, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 6190 times:
Centralwings are as I consider all locos - crap.
FR, U2 and the rest are just as average in service - and unfortunately, you don't fall under the crowd of "you get what you pay for" with central wings, because the return flight cost £165.
EireRock From Ireland, joined Nov 2007, 301 posts, RR: 5 Reply 20, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 5827 times:
Quoting Myt332 (Reply 9): Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 7):
hardly the airlines fault the breaks seized!
Yea true, it was obviously my fault?
Thats a bit of a smarmy answer don't you think, Nighthawk wasn't insisting it was your fault rather that this can happen to any airline at any time not just C0.
Quoting Myt332 (Reply 9): The only reason C0 didn't try get you to buy much was because they could hardly speak any damn English.
Flylot From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 5696 times:
Back to to the topic. None of the articles state that Centralwings will liquidate, rather they suggest it as a future possibility. Not a difficult point to argue seeing how Centralwings has been in the red since its birth.
GT4EZY From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2007, 1730 posts, RR: 3 Reply 23, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 5503 times:
Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 7): The food was fine, the beer was good, and all was cheap. I would choose them over Easyjet any day, cant stand getting hassled by the F/As every 5 mins to buy something. Easyjet food isnt any better, yet twice the price!
That is low cost for you. When an airline only makes £4 on average per seat, they need to seize upon extra revenue streams. Centralwings, by the sounds of it, didn't and are consequently paying the price. Simple.
AirbusA6 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 1932 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 5434 times:
It's quite difficult to successfully run a LCC as part of a larger full fare carrier, as you can end up falling between 2 stools, not providing the full fare carrier comfort and flexibility, while not having a low enough cost base to compete with the FRs of this world.
AFAIC the only carrier that seems to have pulled this trick off is QF with JQ, but I stand to be corrected...
it's the bus to stansted (now renamed national express a4 to ruin my username)
25 GT4EZY: BA made a relative success of GO. BA were just worried that the operation was canabilising mainline routes.
26 LOT767-300ER: I think the bigger issue LOT has is this paragraph from the link posted above: "Niepokoi fakt, iż LOT przestał zarabiać na połączeniach transatla
27 Konrad: I don't see any takers lining up for that route. Not enough premium traffic I am affraid.
29 AirbusA6: Creating an internal rival to yourself is hardly sensible, and it's debatable how much of a profit Go would have made as a truly independantly funded
30 Flylot: I thought I red that funny, but I guess my polish is better then I think. This information suprises me. LOT typically does well on its transatlantic
31 LOT767-300ER: While a route like ORD-WAW doesnt need a 3 class cabin or a 777 (well except summertime) if someone raised their eyebrow and added PTVs to the equati
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