At least the transatlantics ex GLA are better with Cancun and Orlando running to time

Has this become the delay watch thread ?

I'm not sure of the obsession ? Unfortunately all airlines are subject to delays and cancellations, particularly in the (UK) summer months where aircraft utilisation is at its peak and with more passengers travelling it will always be harder to recover when a delay does occur. Airlines don't want these delays nor plan them on purpose. If anything, being on a TUI flight or other charter operator could probably be the best deal should you find yourself in the unfortunate event of a severe delay. They will endeavour to get you to and from your destination on a planned flight rather than just cancel and rebook whenever availabilty arises. They may also more often than not have the flexibility of using resort hotels to keep you in the event of an extreme/indefinite delay. They've also got a reputation on priding themselves with their ontime performance - which is available for all to see. So whilst a small number of flights may be going through a rough patch, in the grand scheme of things anc with a summer of horrendous slot restrictions ontop, they're probably not doing too badly.

Fog at ABZ

EDI probably was but I doubt GLA was.

GLA doesn't have the staff most of the time to deal with any TUI diverts.

"This diverting to NCL has happened a few times on ABZ flights"

Really could have fooled me, you would think they had never seen a diversion before. What an utter shambles at NCL.

Ground staff did not have a clue. They provided only one bus for a full 737 and then resorted to asking taxi drivers dropping off at the airport if they would go to Aberdeen. Young kids were left shivering outside waiting for hours after aircraft had landed.

Captain did not explain why diversion was to NCL and not EDI or GLA.

EDI looked pretty foggy, although open when we eventually drove past 5 hours later, so perhaps that was reason for NCL choice. I would suggest in any future diversion that it would be good for Captain to explain why the chosen diversion airport is so far away.

Running an airline would be easy if it wasn't for all those pesky passengers :ok:

The explanation would be fog in Aberdeen, and the unavailability or unsuitability of closer alternates. It often happens that airports are unavailable for divert for specific reasons. Heathrow was unavailable to be used as a planned alternate when they changed the ATC systems in April, Stansted is unavailable during certain hours in the evening, Bournemouth is unavailable after 10pm during the Winter. Of course in a low fuel situation, it is a different matter, but with sufficient fuel the crew would've been directed towards Newcastle by the flightplan and/or operations, and they wouldn't necessarily be told the reason why.

Yes EDI is a 737 crew base, but the chance of finding a crew to come in on their days off to position the aircraft up to ABZ is far greater in a three aircraft base than a one aircraft base.

Exactly. And yes I was on this flight.

The point I was making was quite simple. Anyone flying in and out of ABZ knows that diversions can happen. It has been happening for years, fog, the (old) airport closing hours etc

I fully appreciate that the Captain can only go where operations tell him. However there was significant anger around the passengers seated around me when it was announced that Newcastle was the diversion, with everyone asking why not GLA, why not EDI. Everyone knew that the transfer time home had just doubled.

I would have thought that given the aircraft had departed GLA -> DLM -> ABZ, the Captain would have been aware that his passengers would have a reasonable expectation that they would land in EDI or GLA if ABZ was unavailable.

A simple "Sorry folks EDI and GLA is not currently available", but like I said there was no explanation other than Aberdeen is a coastal city and it gets fog. Yeah we know, we live there.

EDI has a NOTAM which says it won't accept diversions unless its an emergency due to capacity issues for the duration of the peak summer months. It was the same last year too. NCL probably better choice commercially over GLA since its a 737 base with crews etc

Anyone have any info on TOM1643 ALC-NCL ? over 24 hours delayed now G-TAWI still on the ground in Alicante.

Aircraft tech issue and crew ran out of legal operating hours. Sourcing in a spare at this time of year is easier said than done. Pax are due to return this afternoon.

Yeah was just looking its scheduled to depart in about an hours time

sounds like a rescue stop to me

YH and YK seem to be permanently operating from the Nordics (unsure why they continue to be registered under TUI UK - in fact, YK was only recently "transferred" to TUI UK but hasn't done any UK flying).

YH swapped with YF and spent a few days working from MAN this summer before swapping back - I think the reason was so it could visit LTN, but could be wrong.

parts for G-TAWI in guessing as someone mentioned it had a damaged Windsheild ?

i heard elsewhere it was a cracked windsheild whether that is true or not but G-TUID calling in from MAH would back that claim up.

Does anybody know how many 737 Max's TUI UK will have for summer 19 ? Also any idea where these are going to be based, I presume they will be used to replace 757s to do the Cape Verde and longer flights.

the max will most probably be based at Gatwick and Manchester, I know Glasgow is getting a 737 as well as the 757 next summer but will most probably be the standard 738

2 737s at GLA.
737MAXs at MAN.

where did you find out it's 2 737s at Glasgow

Boeing 757's
 

Boeing 757's

Jethro's shows 757 "EU" leaving December 18, EV leaving Spring 19 along with BG & BH which really hits home that this type in TUI days are numbered and only one full summer season left.

I know it hardly matters as the fleet will be zero in summer 2020 but which bases will lose some or all of their 757's next summer? I suppose BHX could be a candidate as short-haul aircraft 8 arrives only one year after short-haul aircraft 7 arrived?

Pete

So at present nobody is really sure how many Max's they will have for Summer 19, Personally I would imagine that there will be at least one based at LGW,MAN and BHX. I did hear recently from a Swissport staff member that EMA was getting one by July which i cant see if they are being brought in to replace the old 757s unless there are some longer routes that they want to do and need the range

RT callsign change tonight
 

TUI AIR becomes TOMJET tonight. Much easier for the ATC guys. Seeing a TOM123 callsign and having to say TUI AIR123 was confusing, much better as TOMJET123

BRS is due to have 2 max to replace the 2 757. Im not sure if this is next summer or the summer after.

I always thought Britannia sounded better, I believe that's where BY came from.