SOUTHEND - 3 The new beginning
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The OLT website is in German, when you get to the main website homepage, there should be a bar which appears at the top with a "Translate" option on it (there is on my system anyway). It translates the page into English. Once you've done that, go on the "Schedules" link and it now says London-Luton (LTN)
Last edited by FRatSTN; 8th Oct 2012 at 18:15.
FRatSTN - sounds like some 3rd party piece of software installed on your PC is trying to translate OLT's web page into English for you, but is making a bit of a mess of the job and translating some words incorrectly.
vulcanised - don't be that harsh on OLT. Yes, they've cancelled a lot of their planned flights, but they've done in in advance as per EU261 and given everyone notice rather than letting people be stranded at airports. Apart from something playing up on FRatSTN's PC, I haven't seen anything else for a long time to indicate that they will fly to Luton - everything seems to point to Southend
Yes, I agree the lack of both a website in English / French / Italian / Hungarian and the lack of a marketing campaign outside Germany is not doing them any favours, but that hurts nobody apart from the airline itself.
Perhaps it's now time to let OLT just get on with the flying and judge them on things like flight completions, flight delays, baggage handling, in flight service, etc ?
Yes, I agree the lack of both a website in English / French / Italian / Hungarian and the lack of a marketing campaign outside Germany is not doing them any favours, but that hurts nobody apart from the airline itself.
Perhaps it's now time to let OLT just get on with the flying and judge them on things like flight completions, flight delays, baggage handling, in flight service, etc ?
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I can see their flights on radar (in Luxembourg) operating pretty well from Saarbrucken during last week to Vienna, Munich and Hamburg. There are no planned to flights to any of the London airports until next Easter, and as far as I can see it will be SEN, although negotations must continue between airline and airport managements. When Expressflight comes back from his holiday, maybe he will tell us more of what he knows. To start a Saarbrucken-London service this time of the year I believe would have lost them a lot of money, but once set up and promoted properly with a good times schedule, it can work.
Just returned home this afternoon.
My thoughts on OLT are that that no one outside their organisation knows exactly what their future plans are; possibly they are still quite fluid. As I understand it the DRS-SEN will operate daily from tomorrow until the end of the German holiday period on 4 November, and then be suspended until March 2013 and recommence after that. The SCN-SEN will operate from 2O November, also just for the duration of the German holiday period and will then be suspended with a view to recommencing in March 2013.
It's worth noting that a number of the other previously announced new routes within Europe are also being put back until next March. It is perhaps a combination of seasonal factors, lack of adequate marketing time and a poor website for anything other than the German market that has caused this rather unfortunate rethink. The original plans seemed to have been born out of a desire to keep the Contact Air F100s busy; perhaps they now see grounding some over Winter as the more prudent commecial decision.
Edit: I see that DRS-SEN will also operate over the Christmas period according to their website.
My thoughts on OLT are that that no one outside their organisation knows exactly what their future plans are; possibly they are still quite fluid. As I understand it the DRS-SEN will operate daily from tomorrow until the end of the German holiday period on 4 November, and then be suspended until March 2013 and recommence after that. The SCN-SEN will operate from 2O November, also just for the duration of the German holiday period and will then be suspended with a view to recommencing in March 2013.
It's worth noting that a number of the other previously announced new routes within Europe are also being put back until next March. It is perhaps a combination of seasonal factors, lack of adequate marketing time and a poor website for anything other than the German market that has caused this rather unfortunate rethink. The original plans seemed to have been born out of a desire to keep the Contact Air F100s busy; perhaps they now see grounding some over Winter as the more prudent commecial decision.
Edit: I see that DRS-SEN will also operate over the Christmas period according to their website.
Last edited by Expressflight; 14th Oct 2012 at 18:06. Reason: Additional info
I see this morning that although the SEN arrivals board shows the DRS flight, the DRS departures board shows it as 'cancelled'. Don't know what that's all about, but an interesting way to launch a new route!
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I am still convinced that OLT will not be flying into the UK before next Easter.
Today....did passengers arrive to check in, or had they already been notified and reimbursed? I am mystified by Stobart's silence...although normally if they have not announced the new routes as definite, then they wont happen. OLT is operating normally from Dresden and Saarbrucken to other cities today.
Today....did passengers arrive to check in, or had they already been notified and reimbursed? I am mystified by Stobart's silence...although normally if they have not announced the new routes as definite, then they wont happen. OLT is operating normally from Dresden and Saarbrucken to other cities today.
The relevant person at Southend airport explained that they had told OLT that Southend would happily publicly endorse OLT in the UK press if OLT had an English language option on their website. Southend was particularly concerned that sending people in the UK to a website without an English language option would leave them open to abuse and accusations in the press. Since OLT still do not have an English feature on their website, any enquiries to Southend about OLT are met with the response 'We are talking to OLT'.
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 15th Oct 2012 at 10:45.
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OLT = Shambles.....
What kind of professionally run airline sets up routes that they have no possibility of operating on the dates that they advertise. It is all very well and good saying that the airline complies with EU261 where the passenger gets nothing but a refund if their flight is cancelled with more than 2 weeks notice. This leaves the would be passengers to fork out more money on another route which has gone up in price since booking with OLT. I don't think those people will be back to book with OLT again in a hurry.
What kind of an airline doesn't advertise the route or prepare an English language website in advance of routes to the uk but still takes people's money for a route that has never been confirmed with the airport operator and then cancels the inaugural flights which were never going to operate anyway.
Shambles and certainly not what Southend needs...
What kind of professionally run airline sets up routes that they have no possibility of operating on the dates that they advertise. It is all very well and good saying that the airline complies with EU261 where the passenger gets nothing but a refund if their flight is cancelled with more than 2 weeks notice. This leaves the would be passengers to fork out more money on another route which has gone up in price since booking with OLT. I don't think those people will be back to book with OLT again in a hurry.
What kind of an airline doesn't advertise the route or prepare an English language website in advance of routes to the uk but still takes people's money for a route that has never been confirmed with the airport operator and then cancels the inaugural flights which were never going to operate anyway.
Shambles and certainly not what Southend needs...
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Shambles and certainly not what Southend needs...
SEN: are better of without them.
We had at BLK Danish Air Transport (DAT connecting BLK with Northern France, although billed Paris.
Botton like their website BLK to Albert Picardie Airport never really happened...We could go on the website, maybe find a one way booking.At least the website was in English.
I think maybe SEN might have put their pax in the picture, especially if tickets had been booked.
Last edited by Ernest Lanc's; 15th Oct 2012 at 13:57.
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What makes you think SEN knew of the outcome?
I think the management at SEN would know who is and who is not flying out of their airport at least a few days in advance.
The future if OLT at SEN is to obscure as to be believed.
Look what davidjohnson6 has to say:-
The relevant person at Southend airport explained that they had told OLT that Southend would happily publicly endorse OLT in the UK press if OLT had an English language option on their website. Southend was particularly concerned that sending people in the UK to a website without an English language option would leave them open to abuse and accusations in the press. Since OLT still do not have an English feature on their website, any enquiries to Southend about OLT are met with the response 'We are talking to OLT'.
Originally Posted by vulcanised
Wonder if OLT are going to show up tomorrow?
If they do, the question is where?
If they do, the question is where?
Ernest - perhaps I should clarify what I wrote earlier today...
Southend's expectation for OLT is:
Flights from Dresden from 15 Oct to 03 Nov, a short period around Xmas, and then from 23 March onwards
Flights from Saarbrucken from 20 Oct to 03 Nov and again from 23 March onwards
Southend do not want to publicise an airline which does not have an English language website. At a first enquiry from a member of the public, Southend will give a non-committal "We are in talks with OLT but expect it highly likely that flights will take place". If you push the right person at Southend hard enough, they will admit that OLT flights are expected to take place.
Southend's biggest concern is that they publicise flights in the UK English-language press on an airline without an English language website, someone who can't speak German tries to make a booking and makes a complete screw-up, and then said idiot complains to the Daily Mail about how terrible Southend airport are for making that person lose lots of money on their credit card.
And yes, Southend admit they would rather not have to play this silly game, preferring instead to give a single consistent straight answer on the matter, without having to worry about the different interests of their airline customer and the Daily Mail.
I have a booking with OLT from Southend later this month, in less than 2 weeks time. At school I learnt to speak some German, so can cope with a German-language website. I have not heard anything by phone or email from either Southend or OLT to say the flight will be delayed or cancelled. If OLT cancel my flight, I shall not be happy and will make a complaint under EU261, requesting refund + compensation.
Looking at the Dresden arrival/departure board, my best guess is that either loads between Dresden and Southend+Vienna were very low and/or that a F100 went tech and a Saab was used as a replacement
Edit - Just noticed that OLT seem to have pulled their Dresden-Southend-Dresden flights from sale for Tues 16th, Wed 17th and Tues 30th October.
As a (not very nice) thought - there's a flight from Southend to Dresden still on sale for Thurs 18th October for 49 euros - anyone fancy buying a seat, in the hope that it's cancelled and then claiming a refund + 250 euros compensation ?
You'll have to spend the time chasing OLT through a complaints process though...
Southend's expectation for OLT is:
Flights from Dresden from 15 Oct to 03 Nov, a short period around Xmas, and then from 23 March onwards
Flights from Saarbrucken from 20 Oct to 03 Nov and again from 23 March onwards
Southend do not want to publicise an airline which does not have an English language website. At a first enquiry from a member of the public, Southend will give a non-committal "We are in talks with OLT but expect it highly likely that flights will take place". If you push the right person at Southend hard enough, they will admit that OLT flights are expected to take place.
Southend's biggest concern is that they publicise flights in the UK English-language press on an airline without an English language website, someone who can't speak German tries to make a booking and makes a complete screw-up, and then said idiot complains to the Daily Mail about how terrible Southend airport are for making that person lose lots of money on their credit card.
And yes, Southend admit they would rather not have to play this silly game, preferring instead to give a single consistent straight answer on the matter, without having to worry about the different interests of their airline customer and the Daily Mail.
I have a booking with OLT from Southend later this month, in less than 2 weeks time. At school I learnt to speak some German, so can cope with a German-language website. I have not heard anything by phone or email from either Southend or OLT to say the flight will be delayed or cancelled. If OLT cancel my flight, I shall not be happy and will make a complaint under EU261, requesting refund + compensation.
Looking at the Dresden arrival/departure board, my best guess is that either loads between Dresden and Southend+Vienna were very low and/or that a F100 went tech and a Saab was used as a replacement
Edit - Just noticed that OLT seem to have pulled their Dresden-Southend-Dresden flights from sale for Tues 16th, Wed 17th and Tues 30th October.
As a (not very nice) thought - there's a flight from Southend to Dresden still on sale for Thurs 18th October for 49 euros - anyone fancy buying a seat, in the hope that it's cancelled and then claiming a refund + 250 euros compensation ?
You'll have to spend the time chasing OLT through a complaints process though...
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 15th Oct 2012 at 16:38.
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davidjohnson6
Thank's for your reply - I was answering when I spotted your edit..Which makes my reply irrelevant.
Edit - Just noticed that OLT seem to have pulled their Dresden-Southend-Dresden flights from sale for Tues 16th, Wed 17th and Tues 30th October.
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Today....did passengers arrive to check in, or had they already been notified and reimbursed?