NEWCASTLE
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Thanks for that ....It has been corrected in the November Timetable now on the airport site, although the new Air Wales ABZ link commencing 14th November is not shown.
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According to the latest issue of "Airliner World", Eastern have not yet decided on operating NCL - LCY but if they proceed they could launch by mid January and use 50 seat Saab 2000 a/c.
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XLA 737 400
Transwede,
May I just ask what the problem is with XLA 737 400 aircraft?
I have been watching this thread for some time and it seems people have an issue with this aircraft, or mpre particularly, the airline.
I have flown with XL three times this summer each time on the 400 and it has been a very pleasant experience. I am based with another airline out of NCL and see no problem at all - apart from the ground handling issues which I am aware they have (but doesnt everyone).
NCLPILOT
May I just ask what the problem is with XLA 737 400 aircraft?
I have been watching this thread for some time and it seems people have an issue with this aircraft, or mpre particularly, the airline.
I have flown with XL three times this summer each time on the 400 and it has been a very pleasant experience. I am based with another airline out of NCL and see no problem at all - apart from the ground handling issues which I am aware they have (but doesnt everyone).
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nclpilot:
The issues deal with:
The 734 not being able to do NCL-Greece/Turkey with a full load, often a stop in Italy required.
The 734 not being up to normal XLA standards.
The 734 very often going tech.
Anything else?
The issues deal with:
The 734 not being able to do NCL-Greece/Turkey with a full load, often a stop in Italy required.
The 734 not being up to normal XLA standards.
The 734 very often going tech.
Anything else?
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Please don't forget;
Coming back with no baggage
Not taking enough fuel and pulling back on stand after reaching the end of the runway
Cocking up 5 manual loadsheets in succession and missing slots
The engineers
But none of the 400's problems are a patch on the alleged long haul operation with the 763. Watch a bloody shambles that was.
Bye bye, don't let the door catch you on the way out now.
Coming back with no baggage
Not taking enough fuel and pulling back on stand after reaching the end of the runway
Cocking up 5 manual loadsheets in succession and missing slots
The engineers
But none of the 400's problems are a patch on the alleged long haul operation with the 763. Watch a bloody shambles that was.
Bye bye, don't let the door catch you on the way out now.
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GrahamK
Tech stops are a necessary part of airline operations when flying from a base like NCL on this type of aircraft. As far as I am aware, this route in question ZTH was completed on a majority of the flights and it was the odd occasion when weather did not permit this.
Our airline have done tech stops on a few occasions from one particular destination as the aircraft could not make it direct - it happens with EVERY airline.
When exactly has the 400 gone tech? They have been flying more often than our aircraft! I am sure it has happened on a fewoccasions
Not up to the normal standards- the flights we had were of the same standard of any other charter airline! The crew were great, check in spot on (although servisair but thats another story).
Maude Charlee
Engineers have a safety responsibility and are not there to make frioends with anyone. The engineers at NCl are actually quite nice guys having met them on a few occasions. I assume you involved with the handling agent??
763 - well that was bad planning by the commercial dept. What else can you say.
Manual loadsheets - in this day we should never be required to do loadsheets ever. What is wrong with servisair. However, the flight deck shouold be able to complete these
Come on guys, give XL a break - the 400 can do the job
Tech stops are a necessary part of airline operations when flying from a base like NCL on this type of aircraft. As far as I am aware, this route in question ZTH was completed on a majority of the flights and it was the odd occasion when weather did not permit this.
Our airline have done tech stops on a few occasions from one particular destination as the aircraft could not make it direct - it happens with EVERY airline.
When exactly has the 400 gone tech? They have been flying more often than our aircraft! I am sure it has happened on a fewoccasions
Not up to the normal standards- the flights we had were of the same standard of any other charter airline! The crew were great, check in spot on (although servisair but thats another story).
Maude Charlee
Engineers have a safety responsibility and are not there to make frioends with anyone. The engineers at NCl are actually quite nice guys having met them on a few occasions. I assume you involved with the handling agent??
763 - well that was bad planning by the commercial dept. What else can you say.
Manual loadsheets - in this day we should never be required to do loadsheets ever. What is wrong with servisair. However, the flight deck shouold be able to complete these
Come on guys, give XL a break - the 400 can do the job
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Staraviation: re. your quote:
"...we should never have to do manual loadsheets ever...what is wrong with Servisair..."
There must be a reason why your crews have to do manual loadsheets. Has your airline provided the a/c's trim and performance characteristics to Servisair's system support department? If they haven't, then the a/c clearly won't be set up in the DCS for a computerised loadsheet! This being the case, iit's the fault of your airline, NOT the handling agent.
"...we should never have to do manual loadsheets ever...what is wrong with Servisair..."
There must be a reason why your crews have to do manual loadsheets. Has your airline provided the a/c's trim and performance characteristics to Servisair's system support department? If they haven't, then the a/c clearly won't be set up in the DCS for a computerised loadsheet! This being the case, iit's the fault of your airline, NOT the handling agent.
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staraviation,
The XL 737-400 a/c started the season off very badly, but it did get better during the course of the season. However pax have noticed the difference to the -800's that NCL had last summer. I.E no ife, instead portable DVD players. I agree with you that the 734's can do the job, but only those to the shorter destinations such as PMI, ALC etc, but the longer Turkish/Greek flights justify the -800 or even 757.
If the -400 does return, surely it will not be operating the XL SSH flight? And lets not forget that companies like MyTravel, Thomson etc charter some of these flights and it will reflect on them what happens with the aircraft etc
I fear that XL's name at NCL has been tarnished by the long haul operations during the course of the summer. Pax tend not to notice the difference between short and long haul.
XL is welcome at NCL, providing a decent service is offered, which more often than not they do!!!
On the Servisair front, improvement is needed but between the two agents in NCL, which is the lesser of two evils. If one agent got all the contracts then service levels will decrease, so maybe if XL re-negociate the contract with Servisair service will improve. Servisair's reputation in recent years has gone down as a number of contracts have been lost to Swissport, eg AEA, BGH, FCA, BE, SK, PGT plus a few more.
The XL 737-400 a/c started the season off very badly, but it did get better during the course of the season. However pax have noticed the difference to the -800's that NCL had last summer. I.E no ife, instead portable DVD players. I agree with you that the 734's can do the job, but only those to the shorter destinations such as PMI, ALC etc, but the longer Turkish/Greek flights justify the -800 or even 757.
If the -400 does return, surely it will not be operating the XL SSH flight? And lets not forget that companies like MyTravel, Thomson etc charter some of these flights and it will reflect on them what happens with the aircraft etc
I fear that XL's name at NCL has been tarnished by the long haul operations during the course of the summer. Pax tend not to notice the difference between short and long haul.
XL is welcome at NCL, providing a decent service is offered, which more often than not they do!!!
On the Servisair front, improvement is needed but between the two agents in NCL, which is the lesser of two evils. If one agent got all the contracts then service levels will decrease, so maybe if XL re-negociate the contract with Servisair service will improve. Servisair's reputation in recent years has gone down as a number of contracts have been lost to Swissport, eg AEA, BGH, FCA, BE, SK, PGT plus a few more.
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Transwede,
Your points are valid and the product offered last year should be the same re the IFE. perhaps this may be installed but I would not hold your breath.
I would assume a 757/-800 will do the SSH flights - surely not the-400??!! A 757 is better suited on this route but an -800 can do at a push.
I am sure it will be most eye opening to see whom handles XL next year. It must be time for a change though.
NCL pilot - whom do you fly for?
Your points are valid and the product offered last year should be the same re the IFE. perhaps this may be installed but I would not hold your breath.
I would assume a 757/-800 will do the SSH flights - surely not the-400??!! A 757 is better suited on this route but an -800 can do at a push.
I am sure it will be most eye opening to see whom handles XL next year. It must be time for a change though.
NCL pilot - whom do you fly for?
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staraviation,
Judging from posts on this forum, XL plan to base just 2 737 aircraft again, plus the FJE 757 which will cover the former SCY programme, plus a few other flights. Currently there seems to be a few too many flights for just 2 737 aircraft so expect some flights to be passed to another carrier. So presuming this is the plan, expect the -800 to op the SSH or even it being operated by FJE 757.
Does anyone know of XL possibly becoming an all year round base at NCL for Winter 06/07? there are a number of flights they could operate, eg the ski charters. I am aware that MYT have passed all their winter work at BRS onto XLA, hence BRS is now a year round operation. Lets hope NCL will get it too.
On another topic has anyone seen the Thomsonfly programme? Approx 47 flights per week, though there have been quite a few time changes so far which is to be expected. And they will operate the 2 SZG charter flights on wed/sat with the loco 737 a/c so it seems the sched and charter operations are now mixing.
Judging from posts on this forum, XL plan to base just 2 737 aircraft again, plus the FJE 757 which will cover the former SCY programme, plus a few other flights. Currently there seems to be a few too many flights for just 2 737 aircraft so expect some flights to be passed to another carrier. So presuming this is the plan, expect the -800 to op the SSH or even it being operated by FJE 757.
Does anyone know of XL possibly becoming an all year round base at NCL for Winter 06/07? there are a number of flights they could operate, eg the ski charters. I am aware that MYT have passed all their winter work at BRS onto XLA, hence BRS is now a year round operation. Lets hope NCL will get it too.
On another topic has anyone seen the Thomsonfly programme? Approx 47 flights per week, though there have been quite a few time changes so far which is to be expected. And they will operate the 2 SZG charter flights on wed/sat with the loco 737 a/c so it seems the sched and charter operations are now mixing.
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I see excel will be using Helios for the sunday Larnaca which Scandic done this past summer, so what will the FJE 757 be doing on a Sunday?
Last edited by Evileyes; 31st Jan 2006 at 16:48.
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Don't know whether this info helps but the Olympic Holidays flights to LCA and PFO will be flown by Eurocypria. I know in the past Air Scandic carried a fair few Olympic Holiday pax.
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bmiboyz,
you are quite right Olympic Holidays used to have passengers on SCY flights quite alot, but this was only a small allocation, with several other tour ops sharing the flight, so Olympic was not the min charterer of the aircraft. As with this summer Olympic will be using ECA on a wed to PFO and Sat night to LCA.
With XLA operating a winter service to SSH, do we think that maybe an aircraft will be based all year round? Great news for the airport if it is.
Thomson Winter06/07 is indeed now on sale, but not much new.
Incidentally, have just been flicking through an old copy of Airliner World, in particular the article on Newcastle airport. When interviewed John Parkin mentioned that new routes in South-east and Eastern europe had been indentified, but nothing that fits this description has been announced, could we be in for another spate of new announcements? Also mentioned was France, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland, with only Cork matching any of these markets.
Could we possibly see the likes of TLS, ZRH, VCE etc in future announcements, only time will tell!!!
Finally, does anyone have any timings, operator etc of the new flight to Preveza?
Just looked, Thomson add Taba!! Excellent news, as well as apparantly competeing with EZY on numerous AGP rotations.
Just looked, Thomson add Taba!! Excellent news, as well as apparantly competeing with EZY on numerous AGP rotations.
you are quite right Olympic Holidays used to have passengers on SCY flights quite alot, but this was only a small allocation, with several other tour ops sharing the flight, so Olympic was not the min charterer of the aircraft. As with this summer Olympic will be using ECA on a wed to PFO and Sat night to LCA.
With XLA operating a winter service to SSH, do we think that maybe an aircraft will be based all year round? Great news for the airport if it is.
Thomson Winter06/07 is indeed now on sale, but not much new.
Incidentally, have just been flicking through an old copy of Airliner World, in particular the article on Newcastle airport. When interviewed John Parkin mentioned that new routes in South-east and Eastern europe had been indentified, but nothing that fits this description has been announced, could we be in for another spate of new announcements? Also mentioned was France, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland, with only Cork matching any of these markets.
Could we possibly see the likes of TLS, ZRH, VCE etc in future announcements, only time will tell!!!
Finally, does anyone have any timings, operator etc of the new flight to Preveza?
Just looked, Thomson add Taba!! Excellent news, as well as apparantly competeing with EZY on numerous AGP rotations.
Just looked, Thomson add Taba!! Excellent news, as well as apparantly competeing with EZY on numerous AGP rotations.