Tom 2708P-May 17th-MAN

[rossbox]

G-POWD Arrived in MAN at 06.25 on the 17th May (VK9056) and flew out as TOM2708P at 14.00 to EFL. and returned to MAN as TOM2709. Can anyone tell me did it fly out with a Titan crew or Thompson crew.

[SnackPack]

Generally a 'P' at the end of a flight number indicates that it is a positioning flight, so would have gone out empty with no passengers. Possibly a rescue flight?

If the aircraft is operated by Titan, then it would have had Titan crew as Thomson crew would not be legal to operate their aircraft as they have different AOC.

[rossbox]

My interest is I was on the canx TOM 2708 on the 16th, we were on board waiting for take off @12.40 (Manchester was to close at 13.00) when we were told to go home as the flight was canx due to ash cloud we were told it would not be re scheduled but it was. I am interested in general knowledge about how they managed to get a replacement so soon after we were told there would be no replacement flight. If any reader of these comments has any thoughts or information about the way it's passengers were treated please leave your comments.

[Fernanjet]

TOM 2708P is a positioning flight - ie...empty...no passengers therefore no-one who was travelling on TOM2708 would have been on it.

the aircraft would have been travelling to bring stranded passengers back home....

no conspiracy theory....just bad luck that your holiday, along with countless others was cancelled.

[rossbox]

I agree there is nothing sinister about a airline cancelling it's flight when it still has time to take off before the closure of Manchester Airport and telling it's passengers to go home as the Greek airport would be closed by the time we arrived (This was a lie) They said the flight had a "indefinite delay" not canx at that point but within the hour we were told to collect our bags. One customer who was sat close to me on the aircraft asked a crew member should she get a hotel for the night she was told "no go home" Later that day Thompson's web site said the flight was cancelled but one flight was brought back to fly out in about two and a half hours time asking people to return to the airport and book in.

My question again is having secured a aircraft which arrived at 06.25 and left for Kefallinia at 14.00 why did they not let the the passengers know through the proper channels that a flight was available to those who could make it after all there was say from 05.00 to 14.00 to get people there, they had 9Hrs. they did it in the early hours.
Thankyou for the comments about the letter "P" I do fully understand what that letter means but it was not really necessary if they had contacted us passengers.

This is only part of the story, there is a lot more in-between the two paragraphs.
Thoughts and comments are invited.

[TightSlot]

Your holiday was trashed because of the Ash-Plume disruption. You, and many thousands of others were negatively affected in some way. I'm sorry, I really am: You have my sympathy. I wish it hadn't happened and hope that it won't happen again.

You appear to be searching for some sort of 'smoking gun' that will prove beyond doubt that you are the victim of some sort of airline cock-up or conspiracy: It is unclear whether this is for use in some sort of claim or not.

You are unlikely to find what you are looking for here: This will be a complicated situation and none of the participants will have the full story. You are welcome to continue if you wish: I would suggest that you are wasting your time however.

[Egerton Flyer]

Rossbox,
I was sat at Manchester on the 16th. If you where still on your gate at 12.40, there was no way that you could have departed.
The Airspace around Manchester closed at 13.00 and all aircraft had to be clear of that airspace by that time.
The last departure was around 12.45 and there was a large queue of aircraft at the holding point.

E.F.

[Final 3 Greens]

Interpreting the OP's question, I would suggest that this appears to be (yet) another example of an airline/holiday company failing to communicate effectively.

If passengers were given proper explanations, then they would be a lot happier.

Also, I can understand Rossbox's confusion that a positioning flight left the next day, when it could have at least carried some pax, had they been given the opportunity to get to the airport.

Now it may be that there is a very good reason why it could not, but if Rossbox is not informed, I believe it is understandable that he tries to discover what happened.

Also, from a personal perspective, I find it pretty digusting that a flight left empty - there is an environmental trade off for every flight and whilst I'm not a tree hugger, despatching an empty aircraft does seem akin to hooliganism. Roll on the tax the aircraft, not the pax, law change.

[TightSlot]

...believe it is understandable that he tries to discover what happened.

Understandable, yes, but also probably futile. The information being presented here is only one side of a complicated story - which is why it is unwise for you to draw too many conclusions.

...I find it pretty digusting that a flight left empty

All airlines position empty aircraft around on a regular basis, for a variety of operational reasons - you should accustom yourself to a life of disgust.