top ten charters

RE: top ten charters

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 23-12-01 AT 09:02 AM (GMT)]I haven’t been on many charter airlines but i would have to say the best would be out of the major charter airlines Britannia.I flew them back in 1993 and although being stuck at Manchester Airport for 8 hours as there was a problem with the Aircraft,when we finally left on a 757 for Reus the service was good,although i can’t remember exactley what food we were given,also there was inflight entertainment.
On the way back was a different story.On the coach to the Airport we were told that again there was problems with the aircraft and so they were taking us on a 2 hour journey up to Barcalona where we would get on a DC-10.The service onboard was not very good as i don’t think we had Britannia staff,but the entertainment was good,we were sat right at the front of the aircraft and so we could see the big screen easily!
But i still would travel Palmair any day.I was trying to get a flight down to Teneriefe with them in Febraury but there was no space.Palmair’s service is very good and although there is no televisions onboard,there is alot of legroom and the food is quite good.I am now flying British European on a charter down to Toulouse in Febraury from Guernsey as i am going skiing in Andorra,can’t wait to fly them as BE’s service is excellent.

Regards Saab 2000

RE: top ten charters

I’d say Britannia is the best I’ve flown with, although my flights with Monarch were good, plus I got to fly on a brand new factory fresh A321.

My worst charter flight has been with Airtours. What a pile of crap. I’m glad they’re having an image overhaul, they need it!

You still can’t beat Air Europe though. May they rest in peace.

RE: top ten charters

I have to say that Britannia is the best charter, as they hae aircraft that aren’t too cramped, crew were nice, entertainment good and nice food. It was a return flight from MAN – SFO.

Monarch I think is crap, we flew on a leased MD-11 also from MAN – SFO, the crew were rude, food awful although the films were good.

Airtours was awful also, aircraft (757) had an awful odour (nothing against the 757), most of the food was awful, except for one pasta meal that was gorgeous. The cabin crew were firndly, but the entertainment, lack of legspace (with me bing 5’11”) and the odour let them down.

I have not flown of JMC or AMM so I can’t make a judgement on them.

I was meant to fly AMM from LGW to Recife, Brazil in August, but because of lack of people wanting to go to Brazil on holiday they have decided not to fly there now. So I am flying VS to Los Angeles from LHR in April instead.

Shaun

RE: top ten charters

I feel a little unfair doing this as I can’t really make an informed opinion as I haven’t flown on all these airlines in the past year.

To do it properly you would have to fly each airline the same route within say a week to get a good objection. But here it goes anyway!

1: Brittania

2: Monarch

3: Air 2000

4: Airtours

5: JMC

RE: top ten charters

Using the five airlines mentioned:
Not flown on JMC and I flew on Monarch in 1990 so I can’t really remember.

Airtours – flew with them twice (4 flights counting returns):

EMA-ACE 6 hour delay
ACE -EMA unscheduled stop in Nantes France. According to the captain the runway in Lanzarote was too small to acommodate a full load of fuel (7,874 ft for an MD-83?) and with a strong head wind we had to stop in France.

MAN-MLA 11 hour delay and our group ended up flying out on Britannia. The Airtours flight landed a couple of hours after us at 3:00 am.
MLA-MAN ON TIME! But the video screens didn’t work so we had no entertainment.
Apart from that though the food was the best I’ve had.

Flew quite a few times on both Air 2000 and Britannia who are great. The top spot for a charter would have to go to one of these, but I wouldn’t like to choose between them.

RE: top ten charters

I don’t know what you’ve got against Monarch Airlines. Perhaps you’ve been unlucky with your experiences. Britannia are good, but Monarch are equally as fine. JMC and Airtours are the poor UK charter relations. Whenever we see an Airtours plane at the airport, my family and I always say ‘That must be the delayed Airtours flight from yesterday’. We haven’t had pleasant Airtours holidays either. 10 days of food poisoning on the Costa del Sol. Viva!

RE: top ten charters

Of the five charter airlines you have listed above, I have flown with only four, but here is how I would rank them:

1. Britannia – fantastic food, especially on long-haul (over 5 hours)
2. Airtours – flew with them in 1997 to Herklion, but from what I can remember, they were reasonable. Food was good enough. We flew an A320 from LGW.
3. JMC Air – the word CRAP springs to mind, but definitely better than Monarch. I flew both of their two DC-10 aircrafts which I was glad to hear (thanks to this great forum) that they are going to be scrapped. The ceilings were caving in, we were made to watch Yellow Submarine (the tacky Beatles cartoon) from LGW to POP which was boring. Lack of televisions and well, I could go on and on…… (email me for more)
4. Monarch – ha ha ha! I was relieved to find that the travel agent had made a mistake for our summer hols this year, I thought we were flying Monarchj, but it turns our it is the #1 charter airline…Britannia!!!

Not flown on Air 2000, but I will one day!

RE: top ten charters

Here is my top 5 airlines based on my experience, but don`t expect to agree with them as i`m only 10!

Here goes,

1. Airtours International (VZ/AIH)
2. Cityflyer Express (BA Franchise Partner;BA/CFE)
3. Brittania Airways (BY/BAL)
4. Virgin Atlantic (VS/VIR)
5. Monarch Airways (ZB/MON)

All based on In-Flight Service, Punctuality, Staff Friendliness….. you get the idea.

Regards,
Scott