PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - First Choice Airways Long Haul Aircraft ?
Old 14th Jun 2004, 13:24
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Floaty
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Bronx of Heathrow
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As far as I know, the company will keep G-OOAN - which is a piece of c**p of a B767 (sorry flight deck! I know you love it!) - and get rid of G-OOAL. Please don't read me the wrong way. I'm not saying G-OOAN is not safe, it's just uncomfortable for crew and pax alike as it is old and cramped.

A new aircraft is to be delivered before next summer and yes it will be a nice one with all the fluff and stuff... better seat pitch, entertainment system blah blah blah... (of course without crew rest area at all because exploiting crew is the charter's favourite game... especially when management forbid the crew to rest in row 47 on a 10 hour flight because it is not glamourous for the airline's image).

At this stage, none of the 767 have been fitted with the new interiors and this won't be possible until another aircraft is delivered. Considering the amount of long-haul destinations the airline is offering compared to the number of long-range aircraft types the airline is operating... they are doing pretty well with the DIY! Not nice to the crew having to position 3 times in 4 days though!

The problem is that until FCA do something with G-OOAN, you'll have to pray and hope you're booked on the new one!!

Personally I doubt they will complete the makeover of G-OOAN in time for next summer, considering their inability to sort out minor problems (see below), unless they plan to keep that bird on the ground for a few week time, which would cost the airline a fortune... Trust me I so much hope to be wrong... until then... alas, the "aircraft from hell" will continue carrying dissatisfied passengers...

This last winter, not much work could be done on the (only) 2 aircraft due to the minimum time spent on the ground between sectors. Water tabs were constantly broken, screens and coolers malfunctioning etc. This says a lot...

And finally: I wonder if FCA will offer a better wine bar in the future... Don't know what you guys think but I wouldn't be happy paying full fare Premium Service to be served the same and only Aussie cab-sauv available on board... in a plastic bottle!

Long story short, it's always the same story, the marketing people promote "it", the retailers sell "it", the customers expect "it"... and the crew "take it" (there) 'coz promises and expectations do not match! Who -you guess- are the ones receiving the abuse?
a) the crew
b) the crew
c) the crew
d) the crew...

I can see it from here....

FJ

Last edited by Floaty; 14th Jun 2004 at 13:47.
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