Britannia and Thomson going downhill

My order of preference of charter airlines (as charters, not the scheduled equivalent):
1. Excel (best flights I’ve ever had)
2. Air Scandic (very impressed with the service)
3. Thomas Cook/JMC (JMC better than TCX)
4. Airtours/My Travel (varied from aircraft to aircraft)
5. Monarch (excellent scheduled service)
6. Britannia (OK)
7. Air 2000/First Choice (disappointing)
8. Air OPS (frankly appalling)

This is just my opinion of course, and I know several people who like First Choice, maybe we were unlucky.

Jumpers for goalposts, the familiar smell of liniment, cricket on the village green, old ladies on bicycles…….. :diablo:

Ive just booked a holiday to Madeira and am flying with Excel. I specifically chose this charter airline out of principal as it is one of the few which dosent charge you for a meal. I know its a charter carrier but the price was attractive and at least I will be guaranteed a meal!

I went years ago flying with Air Atlantis. Looking forward to my jolly holiday mid October, especially since my nanna is paying for it for me and me and partner are staying at a 5 star hotel. Yippy!

I don’t “do” charters – not been on one for more than ten years. However, this reduction in service doesn’t surprise me. Its all part of the Southwest / EasyJet / Ryanair syndrome – almost everyone wants the lowest prices these days, very few people are prepared to pay a few pounds more for quality service, and so everything gets dumbed down to the lowest common factor (and often, its very common). Charter airlines have little choice, because in a fair proportion of their markets they’re competing with CrappyJet and the like.

Best one for me – Virgin Sun. Great livery and superb crew and free rucksacks!

Top charter, for anyone who had the pleasure of flying them, was Airworld (mid/late 90s). They had excellent levels of service and their cabin crew were first rate. They also had an all Airbus fleet 😀

Monarch, Air 2000/First Choice, Air Europa, Caledonian, Flying Colours/JMC/TCX and Airtours/MyTravel are/were also good.

For me the top charters are
1. MyTravel
2. Thomson (Britannia)
3. First Choice (Air 2000)
4. Sata
5. Spanair

Thats the only charter airlines i have been on……I think thats it anyways :S

Very similar to the order I would put them in.

Flew Monarch in 1995 and 1999 so cant really comment what they are like now, but in 1995 they were fantastic but less so in 1999. So I would put Monarch even with Britannia otherwise the list would be the same, with FCA been equal with TCX.

Britannia has always been one of the best charter airlines in the U.K. and IMO remains so.

I’ve travelled with them a number of times and whilst I’d agree they’re not as good as they used to be; for shear punctuality; they’re pretty good and I’ve never had a delay.

In recent years though as I’ve flown with Air 2000 and JMC (now First Choice and Thomas Cook), I’d have to say these guys have overtaken Britannia.

From my own personal experiences only, I would rank the main U.K. Charter airlines in the following order:

1) First Choice
2) Thomas Cook
3) Britannia
4) My Travel
5) Monarch

The top 3 are very close IMO, with a big gap before MYT and MON come over the line. This isn’t based on statistics but my own experiences, though I don’t think the statistics out there will be that different.

Just like I have had a good experience with ryanair, but most others havnt!

Ben – That is awful what happened to your dad, I dont blame you for not liking Thomson.

This thread shows what different experiences people can have – I found MyTravel dreadful but yet some people on here love them, and I have always found Thomson excellent (But some people have had awful experiences.)

My Travel are great

Not money wise but the service on the flight back from Alicante.

It’s my own opinion anyway, stuff the FACT’S

I’m sure the banks agree with you, especially considering their £910 million loss last year.

No money wise but the service on the flight back from Alicante.

I flew with Britannia once (single, not return), in their mid-90s golden era. It was the biggest disappointment and worst flight of my life. The quality of in-flight service was terrible. I’m glad I’ve never had to fly them again. Thankfully, the return flight was on Air Europa.

My Travel are great

I’m sure the banks agree with you, especially considering their £910 million loss last year.

Nothing wrong with MYT in my view

My Travel are great

Concordesst here, must say that i have to disagree, i have just returned from Ibiza today. The holiday was booked at lunn poly, and we were helped all the way by thomson. Although i agree with what you say about reps on buses, our driver spoke pretty good english, whether we got lucky or not i enjoyed it.

And i have had worse food in very good restaurants.

I have to agree with Chris on this one, Thomson in my opinion are the worst holiday company…ever. I’ve probably mentioned it before on here, last year my family and I went on a Thomson holiday to Menorca. Three days after we arrived in the Siestamar apartments in Cala’n Porter, I sliced my foot open on a broken tile in a pool. The rep, gave us the wrong information saying that the local doctors was closed when it was infact open. I could have had stitches but it was too late. Anyway, the last day of the holiday my dad put some chips in the gas oven as we couldn’t be bothered to get dressed up and go out. He lit the gas bottle and realised there was a gas leak and there was a huge gas explosion throwing my dad against the wall. He ended up with 3rd degree burns on his legs, belly, and it singed his eyebrows. He was also in shock for a few weeks and ended up with a broken bone in his back. The next morning, we were told by the rep that we would be contacted immeadiatley once we landed at Newcastle, we are still waiting for that phone call. We are also sewing Thomsons too. They are and always will be in my opinion….time wasters.

Nothing wrong with MYT in my view