jamies80085 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2008, 154 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 7837 times:
Two years ago my family and I took a trip to Ibiza. We take the trip every year, for two weeks of sunshine Manchester is severely lacking in! This particular year Thomas Cook took our money to provide us with a holiday, so the flights were with them. This was only my second return trip with TCX following the merger with My Travel a few years earlier. My previous TCX experience started with a 7.5 hour delay whist G-TCCA was being repaired, giving me an A332 for the trip which was different I suppose. Hopefully my second experience of them would be something a little less eventful and on time!
Apologies it’s taken me so long to write up this TR, time is tight for students these days
As is usually the case when I fly with my family and grandparents, we arrived at the airport ridiculously early, so to pass the time we had a walk around after check-in. the queue was reasonable, given how early we had arrived and only took 10 minutes to clear.
We hadn’t pre booked any seats online, as the price to do so was rather high for the sake of a two hour flight, so at check-in I requested a certain seat, only to be told they had already been allocated. Bit of a shame, but the seat I was assigned was pretty reasonable.
Spacious and empty coach interchange connected to the train station midway between T1 and T2
Security at T2
Rather busy terminal 1
Thomas cook check in
Pretty happy I’d already passed through that queue
Security was as ever straight forward, it only took 5 minutes, and especially quick given this was at around 6am, peak time. Once through I had a look round, and took a few photographs
Flight in from DUB
G-DIMB, now flying for TCX
I stood watching the 767 for a while, as there was a large dint in the nose cone (can’t see it in the picture) maintenance came but cleared it for its flight to Mombasa.
Now, when the package holiday was booked earlier on in the year, we received the confirmation document when the aircraft was listed as a B187. Having looked up the aircraft on the TCX website this is what came up: http://www.leighgill.co.uk/projects/...ervation/Seating_plan_b187_187.gif
At the time the pic was on the TCX website, but since then it’s been removed. Basically, a 757-200 but in a lower seat config. In fact the aircraft used for our flight was one that’s chartered by Canadian affair, flying between the UK and Canada. Clearly a 757 on a flight like that may be a bit eye watering in the usual 29” seat pitch, so the nice people at
Thomas Cook took out a few rows, and adjusting the seat pitch to 34”/35”! Not too bad for the two hour flight I’d be on.
The aircraft arrived in at around 7ish, roughly 2-2.5 hours from Toronto I think.
Boarding happened pretty quickly and we were all on board by about 9:10, 9:15
The obligatory shots
Captain announced a delay of about 20 mins or so whilst we refuelled, which seemed peculiar, as the a/c had been on
the ground for plenty of time.
Newly refurbished baggage reclaim (for the 2009 season)
Pretty good flight, took off late, but landed early. The crew were friendly as you’d expect, and the plane was exceptional
for legroom!
28th August 2009 and it was return day.
Cases lined up outside ready for the coach transfer back to the airport and onward to Manchester
Check-in was very fast; we arrived and were straight to the front of the queue. In Ibiza once checked in you go behind the desks then up to the next level, onward to security, and then airside. The terminal is once long building stretching up the apron.
Boarded the aircraft via bus and steps as there are no direct bridges to aircraft in Ibiza.
All the stuff the driver needs to know
Baggage
Good parking
This is why I love boarding via steps
Once all pax were on board, the flight crew made his announcements and congratulated cabin crew on turning the aircraft in 30 mins. Unfortunately euro control wouldn’t move our slot forward, but we did take off 2 mins early, so it’s better than nothing.
lychemsa From United States of America, joined Oct 2009, 906 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 7671 times:
BAViscount From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 2338 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 7632 times:
Nice report! The last time I went to IBZ was in 1984 (on a BCal DC10 from LGW), so your report brought back some memories. Your flights looked great for a charter, amazing legroom, and the food didn't look too bad either!
Ibiza is great, plenty to do all the time. There's two sides to the island, the east side is more family orientated with the better beaches, and the north / west side is more livley, better sunsets. The beaches and the sea are always clean, and ususally the sun is always shining
Es Cana is my home from home, we always stay there, but not in the same hotel each year, we like to move around. Can't say i've ever stayed at the Ereso, looks well though.
Cross my heart and hope to fly, f**k right off into the middle of the sky... that would be my ecstasy
BAViscount From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 2338 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 7498 times:
Quoting jamies80085 (Reply 3): Es Cana is my home from home, we always stay there, but not in the same hotel each year, we like to move around. Can't say i've ever stayed at the Ereso, looks well though.
Good idea, variety is the spice of life! My family tends to find something they like and stick with it...I stayed at the Ereso twice, but the family went back there at least four or five times after I stopped going on holiday with them! It is a nice hotel though, back when we were going there they used to have a great evening barbecue a few evenings a week...the steak kebabs were the best I've ever tasted! But of course I'm talking about the 1980s, things have probably changed there by now, probably even for the better.
Ibiza is a lovely island, although I haven't been there since it became the international party venue that it is these days! Back then if you wanted the 24 hour party scene you stayed in San Antonio...the rest of the island was pretty much all family orientated. There was a Club 18-30 hotel in Es Cana though...I remember people used to stand looking over the wall at the pool area and watch all the antics that were going on!! There was a club in Es Cana too, I think it was called the Pink Panther, or something like that - is it still there?
d3funct From Australia, joined Aug 2011, 15 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 6939 times:
Nice report!!
I notice that numerous passengers in your video cheered on landing... is that still the norm for some in Europe or was it just a group of people cheering for the holiday?
n272wa From Ireland, joined Jun 2007, 375 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 6455 times:
Nice report - thanks for posting! Nice shot of the EI arriving in from DUB
Never flown TCX, but they actually look half decent given that it is a charter!
Look forward to reading more of your reports!
Best wishes,
Mike
Next Flights: (EI)DUB-HAM-DUB, (EI)DUB-LIS-DUB, (EI)DUB-ORD-DUB
We stayed quite close to Es Cana, between there and Santa Eularia. We only went to Es Cana the day of the hippy market though - a bit crowded for my liking!
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 5683 times:
Quoting jamies80085 (Thread starter): Basically, a 757-200 but in a lower seat config. In fact the aircraft used for our flight was one that’s chartered by Canadian affair, flying between the UK and Canada. Clearly a 757 on a flight like that may be a bit eye watering in the usual 29” seat pitch, so the nice people at
Thomas Cook took out a few rows, and adjusting the seat pitch to 34”/35”! Not too bad for the two hour flight I’d be on.
Great legroo for a charter. Wre the meals included, or did you have to pay extra?
Thanks for sending me your report, really enjoyed it! brings back memories. es cana is usually pretty quiet, with the exception of Wednesdays, which as you say is hippy market day, nothing special tbh though.
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