Thomas Cook
Join Date: Jul 2008
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I accept things go wrong, but they must have asked us 4 times if we were flying TCX while we were in Q. Why not pull us to one side and tell us the truth ?
They knew the problem all the time we queued.
Was chaos at brs and people evil on the bus.
To be fair, they put us in hotel for a few hours,but told us to check in by 10.30.
Why ? When they knew flight not going till 2.55
They knew the problem all the time we queued.
Was chaos at brs and people evil on the bus.
To be fair, they put us in hotel for a few hours,but told us to check in by 10.30.
Why ? When they knew flight not going till 2.55
You have suffered a terrible experience and I feel for you. It's not the way that you would wish to start your holiday.
To put a little balance on the subject though, I have to say that TC treated us very well when we had a delay on our flight to Mexico a couple of years ago. The staff were open and up front with us from the moment we checked in at LGW, right through to in flight announcements from the flight deck on our rescheduled flight following a coach journey to BHX.
Perhaps things have gone down hill for TC Customer Service since then. If that is the case they should remember that, despite all the tour operator failures, we still have a choice of where to spend our pennies.
I hope that you can put the poor start behind you and get on with enjoying your time in the sun.
To put a little balance on the subject though, I have to say that TC treated us very well when we had a delay on our flight to Mexico a couple of years ago. The staff were open and up front with us from the moment we checked in at LGW, right through to in flight announcements from the flight deck on our rescheduled flight following a coach journey to BHX.
Perhaps things have gone down hill for TC Customer Service since then. If that is the case they should remember that, despite all the tour operator failures, we still have a choice of where to spend our pennies.
I hope that you can put the poor start behind you and get on with enjoying your time in the sun.
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Newcastle
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I'm quite surprised they didn't just delay it longer and sub/lease another aircraft in rather than lease a smaller aircraft and transfer the rest of pax by road - even though it would have probably increased the delay. Ofc TCX will know the reasons why but still is clearly the logical and most economical thing to do.
Never good to hear a bad experience like this but seems to be getting more and more common, I think a bit more honesty and transparency is needed!
Hope you've arrived.
Jonny.
Never good to hear a bad experience like this but seems to be getting more and more common, I think a bit more honesty and transparency is needed!
Hope you've arrived.
Jonny.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: wales
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Finally left at 03.10 on 757.
Captain apologised and said an earlier flight had an emergency medical diversion .. another lie ..???
Surely the flight would have continued to brs, and just been late ?
Anyway, it,a around 30 C and beer is cold and I,m sitting on the balcony with a lovely view the rest can wait till we get home
Captain apologised and said an earlier flight had an emergency medical diversion .. another lie ..???
Surely the flight would have continued to brs, and just been late ?
Anyway, it,a around 30 C and beer is cold and I,m sitting on the balcony with a lovely view the rest can wait till we get home
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Belfast
Age: 40
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Nstee, glad you made it and are now enjoying some sun, albeit a little later than expected. Perhaps the Gatwick based 757 was running a little late and that's what the Captain referred to? Anyway, hope you enjoy your holiday!
On another note, G-POWH of Titan currently heading in the general direction of BFS as TCX800P. Anyone any info why? If Orion Man's sources are correct, maybe a temporary wet lease of a 757 to free up some BFS Airbus crew to operate out of BRS?
On another note, G-POWH of Titan currently heading in the general direction of BFS as TCX800P. Anyone any info why? If Orion Man's sources are correct, maybe a temporary wet lease of a 757 to free up some BFS Airbus crew to operate out of BRS?
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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Puts things into perspective , No one likes delays but these charter airliners are maxed out almost at this time in the summer and any incident causes notible delays ! Just enjoy your holiday 
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Nstee, another lie....... I can confirm that the medical emergency was just that, as I was one of the pilots flying that particular aircraft that night.
Divert GVA whilst en-route to LGW
enjoy you're 30' on the sun...Maybe next time wait for the facts before making snide comments.
Divert GVA whilst en-route to LGW
enjoy you're 30' on the sun...Maybe next time wait for the facts before making snide comments.
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Come on guys and girls, let's not start attacking Nstee - how was he or she to know what the truth was having spent hours at the airport with little to no information. It is very sad but these things happen - people die on aircraft and all Bristol airport staff had to say was that there had been an issue.
It doesn't explain why the Small Planet aircraft was used though. The Bristol to Zante is operated by a Bristol aircraft so actually I would question whether the diversion on a flight GVA to LGW was the ultimate cause of the horrendous delay.
It doesn't explain why the Small Planet aircraft was used though. The Bristol to Zante is operated by a Bristol aircraft so actually I would question whether the diversion on a flight GVA to LGW was the ultimate cause of the horrendous delay.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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The main issue is that most airlines tend to be very scarce on info and the truth when things go wrong. So many pax now make quite an instant decision that they are being misled/lied to/led up the garden path. Airlines have only themselves to blame even when the reason is outside their control.
TB
TB
Join Date: Apr 2008
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It doesn't explain why the Small Planet aircraft was used though. The Bristol to Zante is operated by a Bristol aircraft so actually I would question whether the diversion on a flight GVA to LGW was the ultimate cause of the horrendous delay.
Also don't forget the GLA based 757 operated to BJV the following day. Clearly having some issues as the schedule is ramped up for summer. See milehighboy's post below which may explain why the medical emergency has been mentioned.
BRS has been operating with brand new A321's for a few weeks now. I wouldn't expect fresh from the factory machines to have tech issues this early in their lives. Happy to be corrected but again there may be something in what Orion Man mentioned earlier. I'm sure it'll all be ironed out soon, these issues can happen at this time of year when charter airlines push to the limit crews and airframes to utilise every available hour in the air as destinations begin the seasonal swap.
Just be thankful to the people at the cold face like Turbine1 who do their best to deliver us on time and safely to our destination. Never forget they have lives and homes to get back to at the end of their shifts, delays frustrate crew as much as they do passengers!
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Just be thankful to the people at the cold face like Turbine1 who do their best to deliver us on time and safely to our destination. Never forget they have lives and homes to get back to at the end of their shifts, delays frustrate crew as much as they do passengers!
I think we are digressing from the original point that ground crew should be empowered to give more valuable information during disruption.
This is outrageous Claude1, please retract your cynical, insulting and untrue comments:
No-one said it was a ride in the park for crew but the big difference is crew haven't forked out hundreds of pounds for the flights, and indeed they will get flight pay and disruption pay. So whilst it's an inconvenience it's also more pounds in their pockets.
Join Date: Feb 2009
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I would like to confirm as crew myself we get flight pay which is about £35 a flight so £70 return sector we do NOT get distribution payments if your delayed we are and we do not get paid for delays
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Beardy - quite frankly I think it is insulting that you can compare the inconvenience, frustration and financial penalties that passengers face with crew who are doing their job. I acknowledge that it is frustrating for them too but I stand by my comment - passengers pay hundreds of pounds for flights and holidays and unless they have a good argument for European legislation (something that airlines will often argue is not payable) charter airlines simply do not cut mustard when it comes to looking after passengers during delays.
I am not retracting anything. A number of airlines will pay disruption pay to their crew as part of their legal contract. If Thomas cook don't well I cannot comment. But it's like any job - I am paid to be flexible in my line if work and I don't have the same legislated working hours which if I go over I am immediately grounded.
Comparing disruption for crew and that for passengers is in my opinion like comparing apples and oranges. Simple as that
I am not retracting anything. A number of airlines will pay disruption pay to their crew as part of their legal contract. If Thomas cook don't well I cannot comment. But it's like any job - I am paid to be flexible in my line if work and I don't have the same legislated working hours which if I go over I am immediately grounded.
Comparing disruption for crew and that for passengers is in my opinion like comparing apples and oranges. Simple as that
Join Date: Dec 2008
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EGAC IS BETTER
What a nice post, thank you.
People rarely appreciate that delays are often as bad or worse for crew as they are for pax. I appreciate that we are not the paying customer and it is not our holiday being degraded. But, I'd far rather avoid the extra £4/hr duty pay that I'd pick up on a delayed flight.
I have always found that telling the pax the absolute truth makes them calm and reasonable. Unfortunately, the recent Euro laws regarding delay compensation has encouraged airlines to be very economical with the truth, so as to avoid the enormous cost liability of a delay. The above posts demonstrate that. One or two of them are nearly correct!
However, it has to be said, if airlines had been better at dealing with customers and delays in the first place, the Euro laws probably would not have been needed.
What a nice post, thank you.
People rarely appreciate that delays are often as bad or worse for crew as they are for pax. I appreciate that we are not the paying customer and it is not our holiday being degraded. But, I'd far rather avoid the extra £4/hr duty pay that I'd pick up on a delayed flight.
I have always found that telling the pax the absolute truth makes them calm and reasonable. Unfortunately, the recent Euro laws regarding delay compensation has encouraged airlines to be very economical with the truth, so as to avoid the enormous cost liability of a delay. The above posts demonstrate that. One or two of them are nearly correct!
However, it has to be said, if airlines had been better at dealing with customers and delays in the first place, the Euro laws probably would not have been needed.
Cloud1
I did not compare passenger and crew frustration, you did. Then you say there is no comparison (apples and oranges.)
Crew too become deeply frustrated when things go wrong, which is not as rare as they would like it to be. As stated elsewhere Thomas Cook do not pay their crew disruption pay, there is no benefit, financial or otherwise, in delays, as you imply, which is what I considered to be outrageous. Crew are there principally for your safety, service is an added benefit; crew duty hours are there to ensure that they will be sufficiently alert to cope with any emergency at the end of their shift and were not decided by the crew nor the company, there is a limited amount of discretion to extend crew duty hour limits. The crew most of all want people to enjoy their holidays, but at times they are hampered by events and the law.
I would ask you to compare how charter airlines looked after their customers during the problems with volcanic ash with how scheduled airlines coped. The charters accommodated holidaymakers in resort for over 2 weeks at no cost to the passenger.
I am sorry that your holiday was disrupted, really I am. Please do not blame the crew, they do not want delays, it is not their fault; moreover they do not have the same opportunities to vent their frustrations as you do, nor do they have the same recourse to the law nor travel insurance.
I did not compare passenger and crew frustration, you did. Then you say there is no comparison (apples and oranges.)
Crew too become deeply frustrated when things go wrong, which is not as rare as they would like it to be. As stated elsewhere Thomas Cook do not pay their crew disruption pay, there is no benefit, financial or otherwise, in delays, as you imply, which is what I considered to be outrageous. Crew are there principally for your safety, service is an added benefit; crew duty hours are there to ensure that they will be sufficiently alert to cope with any emergency at the end of their shift and were not decided by the crew nor the company, there is a limited amount of discretion to extend crew duty hour limits. The crew most of all want people to enjoy their holidays, but at times they are hampered by events and the law.
I would ask you to compare how charter airlines looked after their customers during the problems with volcanic ash with how scheduled airlines coped. The charters accommodated holidaymakers in resort for over 2 weeks at no cost to the passenger.
I am sorry that your holiday was disrupted, really I am. Please do not blame the crew, they do not want delays, it is not their fault; moreover they do not have the same opportunities to vent their frustrations as you do, nor do they have the same recourse to the law nor travel insurance.
Last edited by beardy; 28th May 2014 at 09:20.