I’ve noticed that amongst British travellers it seems to be getting less common (maybe that’s beacuse the aircraft are getting better?) I remember on charter flights in the mid-1980s people would sometimes applaud when the plane landed (particularly at their holiday airport).

A couple of brief stories. I remember flying on a chartered Dan-Air 732 MAN-LEI in 1986 – my first flight ever. At that time, Dan-Air had a reputation for flying old aircraft and I remember almost everyone clapping as the plane landed both in LEI and MAN.

Two years later we flew on an Air Europe 733 charter from MAN-PMI. The outward flight was fine but the return was subject to an indefinite delay due to a strike by French ATC. PMI had only one cramped terminal back then for international flights, which was heaving with people, some had clearly been stuck there for over 12 hours. We boarded the aircraft approx 3 hours into the delay, taxied to the runway and started to accelerate. However, after only a few seconds the plane started to decelerate and we were taken back to the crowded terminal as there was a technical fault with one of the engines. Some 4.5 hours later, we eventually boarded the aircraft again and it took off. Air Europe were obviously sympathetic, but we didn’t receive any complimentary snacks in the terminal as a result of the delay. We finally arrived in MAN at about 5:30 am to a huge round of applause.

Will the seating be reconfigured? I assume passengers aren’t going to need Club World Flat Beds on a 2.5 hour flight.

Nice photos! I swear that the doors of the RJ100 are grinning 🙂

Saw it in the Evening Standard tonight:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/business/articles/timid79186?source=

A LUTON-BASED airline has become the latest no-frills flyer to go bust – without even getting into the air.

Now was launched at a swish Press conference in London last year, but 15 months later the airline that promised to be a ‘second generation’ low-cost carrier to rival the likes of Ryanair and easyJet has called in the receivers.

It is the latest in an increasing fleet of budget airlines going bust amid a price war that Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has warned will lead to a bloodbath’.

Now said: ‘Following problems with completing the agreed funding for the Now Airlines project, the launch has been deferred until further notice. Now Airlines has been put into receivership.’

Its launch was to have been led by Lars Welinder, a former tax-free shopping executive, and Nick Grimwood, a one-time Virgin Express pilot whose previous interests included the failed start-up of a low-cost transatlantic carrier.

Other directors included ex-Liffe trading exchange chairman Jack Wigglesworth and Albert Churchman, a former senior partner of accountants Ernst & Young.

The airline was to have been launched with an innovative business-model with fixed fares such as £40 Luton-Manchester and £60 Luton-Rome. But it failed after the collapse of a Luxembourg-based syndicate of high-net worth individuals who had pledged to back the start-up with £10m.

Other recent industry failures include Birmingham-based Duo and Air Planet, based at Leeds Bradford. Irish airlines SkyNet, JetGreen and JetMagic have also gone down this year, alongside a handful of budget players on the Continent.

I flew Malev in November from LHR to BUD and was impressed with the quality of service. The cabin crew on both flights were attentive and the aircraft were clean and well maintained. The meals were obviously inspired by Hungary, but they were full meals and wholesome. The cabin crew also brought around freshly baked bread rolls – a nice touch – we were offered a second helping and 3 rounds of complimentary drinks! The return flight on a 737NG also had overhead TVs which showed silent video sketch shows and cartoons.

I haven’t flown BA to BUD, but on other recent BA flights to Europe in EuroTraveller of similar duration have been good. BA usually brings round the All Day Deli (basically a picnic box) though on the last flight my water had burst open and flooded the box. The cabin crew obligingly gave me a replacement. BA’s cabin crew are usually good and the overall service is of a consistently high quality. I doubt the 757s would have AV systems (I understand its only the ‘long-haul’ European 757s which do/did).

To be honest, I’d choose Malev for the simple reason that its something different. That said, I can’t collect points with Malev 🙂

I have an idea. How about myself and some forum members setup an experiment to imimiate a real airline usng believable routes and aircraft etc and see if we can get mentioned in Aviation Magazines or even a Tabloid Newspaper like skybus did!

Who wants to help, ill cover all costs!

Hmmm… I used to fantasise about setting up my own airline 😀

People living near airports will have no reason to complain about noisy night flights with Airbus’ latest innovation.

It’s in Airliner World this month so if it’s a hoax it’s working! Earlier post should have read 15 destinations, not aircraft.