Skywings 2012?
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Skywings 2012?
Hi All,
Im looking at possibly booking a holiday with Olympic for Summer 2012 to Skiathos, but ive been noticing this year that the Airline that charter for Olympic to Greece from BHX are Skywings - are rarely ontime, and not unusual to be delayed 8 hours plus. Does anyone have any news on this front? I always presumed that Olympic used MON, but with a little homework found not to be true.
Thanks Guys.
Im looking at possibly booking a holiday with Olympic for Summer 2012 to Skiathos, but ive been noticing this year that the Airline that charter for Olympic to Greece from BHX are Skywings - are rarely ontime, and not unusual to be delayed 8 hours plus. Does anyone have any news on this front? I always presumed that Olympic used MON, but with a little homework found not to be true.
Thanks Guys.
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Hi Drive4it,
Skywings have indeed experienced a number of long delays this summer and reviews all over the internet are very negative. Whilst Olympic may not have assisted delayed passengers very well, they have recognised that the levels of service Skywings provides is well below par. For this reason Olympic have stated that whilst they can't confirm the actual airlines that will operate their flights next year, no Skywings flights are available to book anymore. This indicates that Skywings will not be used next summer and a replacement carrier will be brought in. Flights are currently listed as being operated by Strategic, Tor Air and Fly Hellas, although I suspect the times and airlines are still subject to changes.
Olympic used to use Monarch for all of their charter flights. This agreement ended before this summer season, with some people suggesting Olympic were not willing to pay the going rate and other suggesting Monarch pulled out to concentrate on the increase in the number of scheduled flights they offer - I suppose we'll never know!
Regards
Sam
Skywings have indeed experienced a number of long delays this summer and reviews all over the internet are very negative. Whilst Olympic may not have assisted delayed passengers very well, they have recognised that the levels of service Skywings provides is well below par. For this reason Olympic have stated that whilst they can't confirm the actual airlines that will operate their flights next year, no Skywings flights are available to book anymore. This indicates that Skywings will not be used next summer and a replacement carrier will be brought in. Flights are currently listed as being operated by Strategic, Tor Air and Fly Hellas, although I suspect the times and airlines are still subject to changes.
Olympic used to use Monarch for all of their charter flights. This agreement ended before this summer season, with some people suggesting Olympic were not willing to pay the going rate and other suggesting Monarch pulled out to concentrate on the increase in the number of scheduled flights they offer - I suppose we'll never know!
Regards
Sam
Drive4it:
I think that unless Olympic Holidays are prepared to tell you the name of the carrier that will be operating your holiday flight, and proffer a flight number, I would ditch them in favour of a larger, more professional outfit that can. Would you trust your 2 weeks in the sun to any of the carriers listed as potential operators by sam1993?
The big boys of the industry are probably more likely to: a) get you away on time/day and b) look after you properly if something does go awry.
Until passengers vote with their feet, tour operators like Olympic may never learn the value of customer service.
I think that unless Olympic Holidays are prepared to tell you the name of the carrier that will be operating your holiday flight, and proffer a flight number, I would ditch them in favour of a larger, more professional outfit that can. Would you trust your 2 weeks in the sun to any of the carriers listed as potential operators by sam1993?
The big boys of the industry are probably more likely to: a) get you away on time/day and b) look after you properly if something does go awry.
Until passengers vote with their feet, tour operators like Olympic may never learn the value of customer service.
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Or seek out one of the small specialist Independents who have been offering Skiathos for years and know every detail of the place. Sunvil or Greek Island Holidays spring to mind.....
Last edited by GROUNDHOG; 24th Aug 2011 at 18:11.
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Cheers guys,
I think ill give them a wide birth, and opt for TOM or TCX.
Maybe im the first of many to vote with my feet.
Also, looking at some of the Aircraft Skywings have, they seemed to have done a few too many miles for my peace of mind with safety
I think ill give them a wide birth, and opt for TOM or TCX.
Maybe im the first of many to vote with my feet.
Also, looking at some of the Aircraft Skywings have, they seemed to have done a few too many miles for my peace of mind with safety
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Drive4it I suggest you wait till later in the year before booking anything. Olympic are a good Tour Company no better or worse than TUI or TC and by year end you will have a better idea who is flying on what.
Concerning age of aircraft both TUI and TC have a/c of the same vintage as Skywings A320 according to JP Airline Fleets so you cannot guarantee you will not fly from BHX on one of those.
Anyway my suggestion is to sit and wait for peace of mind and to give Olympic a chance otherwise in the end holiday makers will only get a choice of a TUI or a Thomas Cook holiday in the future which from a competition basis is not recommended.
Concerning age of aircraft both TUI and TC have a/c of the same vintage as Skywings A320 according to JP Airline Fleets so you cannot guarantee you will not fly from BHX on one of those.
Anyway my suggestion is to sit and wait for peace of mind and to give Olympic a chance otherwise in the end holiday makers will only get a choice of a TUI or a Thomas Cook holiday in the future which from a competition basis is not recommended.
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To those that are saying book with TCX / TOM because: quote The big boys of the industry are probably more likely to: a) get you away on time/day and b) look after you properly if something does go awry unquote Are you assuming that 100% of holidays booked through "The big Boys" will actually have you travelling on a specific TOM or TCX branded aircraft?
Think again.....................
Think again.....................
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SkyWings cancellations
Birmingham airport website is showing the 2015 arrival from Paphos as cancelled as is the 2330 departure to Zakynthos. Those waiting to depart are advised to contact Swissport.
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I have been booking Olympic Holidays for twenty years and can assure you the customer service is usually top notch. They have obviously had some problems this year hence they are looking for a replacement airline.
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Driveforit.
Don't fly with Olmpic.MY sister had long delays out of BHX with them,and 12 hrs on the way back.
Travel Service had appeared with flight numbers to do the programme out of BHX with 738s but seem to have been pulled at the last second, and replaced with the quite awful Skywings
.
They have been trying to catch up by using an RJ100 on some of its flts to Greece !
Next season they show as Strategic, Little Planet and Tor Air..no doubt who ever are cheaper.
Pick one of the larger operators and save yourself grief I would say for next year !
Nigel
Don't fly with Olmpic.MY sister had long delays out of BHX with them,and 12 hrs on the way back.
Travel Service had appeared with flight numbers to do the programme out of BHX with 738s but seem to have been pulled at the last second, and replaced with the quite awful Skywings
.They have been trying to catch up by using an RJ100 on some of its flts to Greece !
Next season they show as Strategic, Little Planet and Tor Air..no doubt who ever are cheaper.
Pick one of the larger operators and save yourself grief I would say for next year !
Nigel
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"Travel Agent".
An extremely diplomatic assessment of Olympic.
Bottom line is they picked the cheapest operator they could find.They should have stuck with Travel Service who appeared with flt numbers out of BHX before Olympic changed their minds.
If you pick an airline that uses a rust bucket of a plane with no replacement if it brakes down it was always going to end in chaos.
Therefore I have no sympathy for Olympic at all and the airlines they seem likely to use next year are also cheap ones.
Seems a cheap and risky venture flying with Olympic, who refused to apologise to my sister for such appalling delays on her Sky Wings flts this year.
All of you out there steer clear and book with TOM,MON,TCX.!!
Nigel
An extremely diplomatic assessment of Olympic.
Bottom line is they picked the cheapest operator they could find.They should have stuck with Travel Service who appeared with flt numbers out of BHX before Olympic changed their minds.
If you pick an airline that uses a rust bucket of a plane with no replacement if it brakes down it was always going to end in chaos.
Therefore I have no sympathy for Olympic at all and the airlines they seem likely to use next year are also cheap ones.
Seems a cheap and risky venture flying with Olympic, who refused to apologise to my sister for such appalling delays on her Sky Wings flts this year.
All of you out there steer clear and book with TOM,MON,TCX.!!
Nigel
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Next season they show as Strategic, Little Planet and Tor Air..no doubt who ever are cheaper.
Bottom line is they picked the cheapest operator they could find.
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"picked the cheapest"
That is because the travelling public refuse to pay realistic prices, they still expect a week's holiday in Greece for £99 including all the taxes, hotel, resort transfers etc etc... Some holidaymakers need to wake up to reality with the high oil prices, crippling APD and strong Euro. You cannot fill a small car for less than £60 nowadays!!
That is because the travelling public refuse to pay realistic prices, they still expect a week's holiday in Greece for £99 including all the taxes, hotel, resort transfers etc etc... Some holidaymakers need to wake up to reality with the high oil prices, crippling APD and strong Euro. You cannot fill a small car for less than £60 nowadays!!
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"picked the cheapest"
That is because the travelling public refuse to pay realistic prices, they still expect a week's holiday in Greece for £99 including all the taxes, hotel, resort transfers etc etc... Some holidaymakers need to wake up to reality with the high oil prices, crippling APD and strong Euro. You cannot fill a small car for less than £60 nowadays!!
That is because the travelling public refuse to pay realistic prices, they still expect a week's holiday in Greece for £99 including all the taxes, hotel, resort transfers etc etc... Some holidaymakers need to wake up to reality with the high oil prices, crippling APD and strong Euro. You cannot fill a small car for less than £60 nowadays!!
Expect less than £100 for a 4,000 mile return trip, but probably pay £70 to fill their car up to get them 400 miles!
British consumers generally know "the price of everything, and the value of nothing" and nowhere is this more true than when spending their hard earned cash on the annual holiday.
That's how come the likes of Ryanair make such a living ex UK.
The Germans would never stand for the nonsense which has been Skywings / Olympic Holidays this year!
That's how come the likes of Ryanair make such a living ex UK.
The Germans would never stand for the nonsense which has been Skywings / Olympic Holidays this year!
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Pushing their luck?
Quite staggered what this airline has got up to in the last two days at BHX.
The A320 operated in late from JSI/SKG last night and they took the opportunity to cancel the outbound Corfu (it might have had a low load or empty) with the inbound operating to Gatwick in the early hours (airline not known) and the passengers were coached to BHX.
Was the A320 tech - oh no it departed in the early hours on the delayed Friday morning Viking Hellas service to Heraklion and came back over 24 hours late this morning to operate the usual Saturday BHX-LCA (although a couple of hours late).
However rather than returning to BHX the aircraft did the delayed Friday Viking Hellas service LCA-BFS-LCA and should be sitting on the BFS tarmac now as I type, 24 hours late.
Obviously decided to make a few quid subbing for Viking or some might say doing a favour for Olympic Holidays - whatever quite a carry on.
LCA-BHX due 20.00 tonight is now 10am tomorrow!
They even had a spare aircraft in BHX on Friday (MD83) but that went to Manchester to operate a delayed Small Planet flight to Corfu and again the return rather than go to its intended destination came back into BHX in the
earlier hours and I assume the passengers were coached.
The MD83 sat in BHX all day today but has operated tonight's roads less than an hour late.
Pete
The A320 operated in late from JSI/SKG last night and they took the opportunity to cancel the outbound Corfu (it might have had a low load or empty) with the inbound operating to Gatwick in the early hours (airline not known) and the passengers were coached to BHX.
Was the A320 tech - oh no it departed in the early hours on the delayed Friday morning Viking Hellas service to Heraklion and came back over 24 hours late this morning to operate the usual Saturday BHX-LCA (although a couple of hours late).
However rather than returning to BHX the aircraft did the delayed Friday Viking Hellas service LCA-BFS-LCA and should be sitting on the BFS tarmac now as I type, 24 hours late.
Obviously decided to make a few quid subbing for Viking or some might say doing a favour for Olympic Holidays - whatever quite a carry on.
LCA-BHX due 20.00 tonight is now 10am tomorrow!
They even had a spare aircraft in BHX on Friday (MD83) but that went to Manchester to operate a delayed Small Planet flight to Corfu and again the return rather than go to its intended destination came back into BHX in the
earlier hours and I assume the passengers were coached.
The MD83 sat in BHX all day today but has operated tonight's roads less than an hour late.
Pete
