Air Southwest Flight Report

Amongst all the cahos I thought I might as well keep some regularity going by posting a flight report (of sorts):

SAT10th April LGW – PLH Air Southwest Dash 8 Q300 G-WOWB

I got to LGW 4 hours before departure, knowing that there was no viewing gallery open anymore I headed straight for the North terminal, and was checked in by the BA staff and given a BA boarding card with an Air Southwest flight number.
I went through security and found myself an excellent spot by the window with views of the cargo apron, and the runway, and di some spotting. About 40 minutes prior to my departure time of 1625 the Dash 8 landed, and taxiied ahead of me, parking on stand 55. I was pleased to see it was WOWB as that is not the type that usualy operates the service.
I proceeded down to gate 55 10 minutes later, and settled down in the departure lounge with 30 or so other people (The Dash takes 50)
We boarded about 25 minutes early, and everything was completed efficicently and we were away within minutes, taxiing half way down runway 28R, turning, onto 08R and departing 15 minutes early.
We were into the clouds before we passed the end of the runway, and made our turn eastwards towards Plymouth. Once clear of the cloud I bought a muffin for £1, and soon we were in our descent towards PLH. A short final onto runway 31, and a quick turn off onto the very small ramp.
The left side of the plane disembarked, the right hand side remaining on board for the continuing short flight to Newquay.
I cleared the terminal very very quickly, and went off to enjoy my fun filled week in Cornwall (yeah right)

Sat 17th April PLH-LGW G-WOWA and PL03ZQA
Due to my family having travelled by car and me travelling by plane I was dropped off at the airport 3 and a half hours early so as to allow my family to get back home in time to greet me. The terminal is very sparse and I had lunch and did some school work.
HB-VNK a CitationJet landed about 30 minutes before G-WOWA, the Dash 8 that was going to take me back to LGW via Newqauay.
I checked in very quickly, albeit after a long wait for a couple ahead of me who were arguing the fact they had to pay excess baggage fees of £40, which they eventually did.
We watched the 25 or so passengers disembark the plane, and the flight and cabin crew changed around also. Soon we boarded the plane, and I took the same seat as before, 14A.
The plane had about 20 people on the right hand side who were continuing their flight to newqauay having left LGW earlier, and 10 of us on the elft who had got on at PLH.
The right hand engine spooled up (Or whatever a turboprop does) and the cabin crew started the safety briefing, and the right hand engine promptly spooled down again.
Engineers boarded the plane, and we were informed there was a technical fault, and after a few more announcements we were all asked to disembark so they could carry out an investigation into the problem.
After 15 minutes or so we were told that this aircraft was not going to be fixed today, and that the 2nd aircraft was also in maintenace too.
We were going to have to complete all our journeys by road. A total of 6 flights being cancelled that afternoon due to the problem.
Another 15 minutes passed in which time they told us we were entitled to a refund, but only if we forefitted further travel, and if we accepted the road trip we were not entitled to anything else.
I managed to persuade them to allow me the use of a phone to leave a message on my home phone answer machine.
Imagine what I felt when my brother picked up the phone and told me he was at home, whilst I was STILL in Plymouth, 4 hours later.
Soon I was on my way, enjoying a fun 5 hour taxi ride from PLH to LGW with 3 other people., courtesy of Air Southwest.

As you can probably imagine I was not best pleased, neither was the person I spoke to at PLH, who has had this happen to him on all 3 Air Southwest flights he had booked. I think it goes to show that its not LoCos or Major airlines that are sucespitble to problems like this, but the smaller airlines that have absolutely no back up in case things go wrong. I was just thankful I was not going to Jersey with them!

Next flight is on the 2nd May to Dublin from Luton with Ryanair. I am praying for a 737-200!