Favourite UK Charter Airlines

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

Flying Colours were meant to be quite good before they merged with CKT to form JMC.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

Agree with the point about Airtours. Flew 4 flights (including there and back) and had a 6 hour and 11 hour delay (eventually flying out on Britannia) and an unscheduled stop in Nantes on one of their old MD-83’s. Best meals though.

Air 2000 probably favourite, never had much trouble with Britannia.
Away from the UK and Air Malta aren’t too bad, always on time but a lack of entertainment.

A note about the older Air 2000 757’s. They’ve just ordered 8 new aircraft with the new 777 style interior and RR engines.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

yes, you said monarch on just one of your flights! that’s only one! try flying with them a few more times, they are crap!

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

LAST EDITED ON 25-Mar-01 AT 04:44 PM (GMT)[p]Also, anyone been with Air Scandic? Went with them to Ibiza in october when our Britannia 767 went tech’. Early A300, really tatty inside with flickering lights e.t.c. Pilot did’nt say a bloody thing to us for all the flight.

Utter crap.

Paul.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

Well I may sound a bit odd now, but used to love Dan-Air! Remember them? Also, Air Europe were really good too. When I was a kid I went into the cockpit and the pilot let me engage a switch (presume it was the autopilot) in the centre console between the two pilots. It banked to starboard over the Pyrenees when I did this. Cool 🙂

Happy days.

Paul.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

I have only ever been on two charter flights from Manchester to Palma and back this was a few years ago. Outward it was GB airways 737-200 (pre BA franchise days) this was an good flight out. Very good cabin crew the pilot even explaned why the aircraft had Solbelair title on the outside (It was due to be leased to them flying to Belgium as soon as they came back). Coming back was the opposite this was on a Safair 727-200 long delay (but to be fair the american pilot kept us informed all the time about what was happening) but the cabin crew did not seem to be very happy and the service was very poor.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

Nice to see someone remembers Air Europe (JayW). I flew for them and they were a brilliant airline to fly for and the training was the best of any I know. We as crew were proud to fly for them and still are. The great thing about them was they did both schedule and charter and used the same planes and we also did longhaul. 7 days in Acapulco……ahhh those were the days. Of course most of the aircraft were new and that was a great help in this industry.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

Well, it´s a bit restictive talking only about UK ones. As a permanent visitor and lover of the UK, I have flown many of them I have enjoyed them quite: I loved Bcal with the tinny and cosy Bac1-11 and superb hot meals in 1976 (the first time): The uniform was amusing and really bright (a bit folklorical but nice). I enjoyed Orion, Britannia, Dan Air, Monarch (my favourite one, nice livery and food), Air 2000, British Airtours, British Island Airways (the first to include cocktails)
and many others. I don´t hate any of them. But my favourite one in Europe is Corsair…..haute cuisine in charter flights. In Spain, well regular….not bad neither good….just dull and correct.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

I was just reading through your messages here and I am going from gla to alc im may with kmc on a 757-200 has anyone flow with them what are they like also heard that they are very good all your views all this welcome look forwarded to your replys cheers

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

I am sorry to say this but this year airtours should changed their name to delayedtours as every flight coming into GLA has been delay well 97% of them have if you have been in this sitution let let me know reply to delayedtours the new and approved travel airline

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

My favorite charter airline is Monarch Airline they are clean on time and very friendly my worsted airline is Air Europa that is not an airline back in the late eighties that was a tin with wings as I said if you have any comments about charter airlines please reply because I have alot of issues with most that I have flown with so let me know thanks

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what a top choice with some of the good old favourites!!! do you have any information on ambassador airways?? so far i cant find out a great deal about them

may thanx

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

I agree that scheduled carriers can’t be beaten when comparing them to charter airlines, but the latter seem to offer a much improved service than since, say, ten years ago.

The biggest problem with charter airlines is the fact that there is virtually no room on board, flying long haul on a charter airline is a killer for someone such as myself who is 6ft 3″ tall.

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

I also have flown a few of the british Charter airlines:

Airtours International:- Excellant livery, but the in-flight service was naf. Unlike you’s my flight from man to banjul, the gambia did go on time,and it was in a 752 that was clean, but one of the toilets wasn’t operational. I found that some of the cabin crew were friendly were as some were iggnorant.

Monarch:- I flew on monarch in 98 from man- sanford, orlando. Monarch had wet leased an MD-11 from world airways and it was the most uncomfortable aircraft that i have ever been in. Also the food was disgusting, and the cabin crew were damn right iggnorant. Although they did play some good films and they played a video telling us tourists about orlando just before we landed.

Britannia:- I flew on britannia in 97 from man-sanford again, this flight was in one of their 767’s, and this is definatly best charter flight that i have ever been on. Clean aircraft, good crew, it was just a shame about the bumpy landings.

Although i don’t think you can beat flying on some of the better scheduled airlines

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Sorry, forgot to ask…Has anyone flown with JMC yet? If so, what are they like?

Cheers…

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

I’ve flown with that many charter airlines it is difficult to recall who offers the best service, but here are my own thoughts:

I’m surprised that you mention Britannia has having awful service, I have flown with them many times and I think they are one of the best. Best BY flight I went on was a 767-200 from BHX to Kos, friendly crew, immaculate aircraft and the food was not too bad for a charter airline.

I agree with your point about Airtours. Every time I have flown with them I have had to endure a delay of some kind and I find the staff are not all that friendly either. The 757 fleet is a disgrace, they are old and dirty. To be fair, the A320 I flew on once was very clean though.

Monarch is a good airline. I remember an A321 flight from BHX to Tenerife in ’97 with much amusement. The cabin crew spent the best part of 30 minutes trying to get the TV’s to work, the aircraft, G-OZBC, was brand new at the time and I don’t think the crew were fully used to it, they were getting really stressed at one point and the one steward was starting to act like Basil Fawlty.

Air 2000 was once my favourite, but that was in the early nineties. I last flew with them in ’98 to Crete and I thought the aircraft was quite dirty, plus some of the seats were really tatty. I can’t remember the reg’n of the 757 used, but I think she was an early eighties machine. The in flight service is still quite good though.

Finally, I must mention Air Europe. I had some of my best flights with this airline in the eighties and I was sad when they went belly up. They had a smashing livery too.

Cheers,
JayW

RE: Favourite UK Charter Airlines

sorry. I didn’t mention Monarch Airlines. They should have really came 2nd or 3rd for the brilliant flight i had on one of their A300’s to Alicante. Great service, immaculate aircraft and perhaps a now aging colour-scheme.
Just before Airtours International I would like to Rank Britannia. They’re awful…