First Choice Airways longhaul plans
 

Reports from the rumour mill over at Jetset say First choice will be adding Australia, Hawaii, South Africa, Costa Rica and San Fransisco by summer 2007. Possibly Guam in 2008.

Also the 787s due to arrive from 2009 will be configured with only 218 seats (less than the 757).

what would they use to get there then? i wouldnt have thought they would stop halfway in a 767.
on a side not why don't BA fly to alaska or any other european airline:)

Would you want to go to Alaska?! :cool:

Probably not! But in saying that there is a huge cruise market around Alaska! I hope FCA do open up some of the above L/H routes - give us a bit more choice than BA / VS!!

I think the Germans like Alaska. I know Condor have some flights there

The majority of the Alaskan cruises start in either Vancouver or Seattle.

cheers ;)
FF

With 218 seats, could mean that they are looking to push them to the maximum ranges

First Choice 757
 

Just a quick question, does the 757 fly any longhaul routes, and if so, from what bases, many thanks in advance!

First Choice do a bit of swapping around if any of the B767's become tech. Whenever the allocated 767 is broken, they send a B757 to operate the SFB.

On any normal week no longhaul flights would be operated by a B757.

On another note, notice how all SFB flights are on different days, this is for a reason

Tuesday - East Midlands - 1 B767 free all day and night

Thursday - Glasgow - 1 B757 free all day and night

Friday - Manchester - 1 B757 free all day and night

Saturday - Gatwick - 1 B757 free all day and night

NEastMidlands

Isnt that just coincidence. If it was planned- you would think they would have the 767 free for MAN+LGW.

GW76

No, this would mean no routes to Salvador/Barbados or Puerto Plata/Salvador and since FC are focusing on Long haul.

Hi all,

So if a B757-200 was used on this long haul route, or another B757-200 is used again, what the hell do FCA say to all the pax, especially those who have paid £200 more for their star class premier serivce, because their B757's certainly don't have that.

Any answers or suggestions people??

I certainly would not of liked to have been stuck on the return night flight from Sanford on a FCA B757-200, lots of leg room, I don't think!!
Unless they keep a B757-200 that is configured with less seats and comes with star class and star class premier service!!

Any comments??

Cheers all. :ok: :ok:

firstforfirstchoice

Oh! the passengers get a short haul aircraft with 28" seat pitch dont worry about that. They do get a refund for SCP, but thats it.

They even put this in the terms and conditions "We can change the aircraft and/or withdraw services" or something like that

I must stress since April it has only happened twice.

I think next year once the two more come, there will be a B767 free on every day, not the same one obviosly.

If my FCA aircraft went tech, i would be happy that, at least they have a back-up aircraft! I'd rather 28' pitch etc than a 24 hr delay!

Flew with FCA to Tenerife south and back in th elast week on 757.

Have to say whilst rest of the holiday was great the flight certainly wasn't!

It reminded me why I haven't done charter for years! :mad:

Don't think I would be happy sitting on one of those long haul, had less room to move than on my aurigny ATR flight to LGW!

After all First Choice is only a hoiliday airline and most people are happy to be getting to where they are going rather than stuck in an airport

Just to add to the confusion, apparently from what i've herd, next summer 1 of the 767s will be sat in BRS during most of the week, not sure if they'll utilise it on short haul during the week, but BRS-SFB is sat flight and POP and VRA are at the moment on alternate sundays, this means that 1 will prob be spare mon-fri in BRS, cant see FCA sitting a 767 doing nothing all week though, it is apparently a based a/c to go with the 2 757s that are replacing the 2 321s there at the mo, so your guess is as good as mine. I have herd a rumour that due to strong sales the POP may come to weekly so maybe they'll change the day it flies that route :confused: .

Could BRS-Cancun be a possibility?

Hi all,

Not sure where all of these FCA B767's are going next Summer 2007, as they have another two B767's due soon. So perhaps they will use one B767, or more on short haul routes, but I can't see it been at Bristol, more like at Manchester, London Gatwick, or possibly Birmingham, as they based a B767 at BHX a few years ago, which operated many of the short haul routes, as well as the Orlando flight, along with the other B757-200.

FCA currently have-

G-OOAN
G-OOBK
G-OOBL
G-OOBM

PLus another two B767's that are expected to join later this year, so that makes six B767's unless G-OOAN returns to where ever she came from.

So does anyone know where these extra B767's will go??

I know they are expanding their long haul services next summer 2007, but the expansion does not cater for two extra B767-300's.

So perhaps one of these will not be configured for their star class service, perhaps it will operate on popular short haul routes, from one of there bigger hubs.

Any comments/suggestions anyone??

Cheers, Nick. :ok: :ok:

The aircraft will not be based at BRS but at LGW or MAN and will position in for the first flight and position out after and operate some more flights from either EMA, GLA, MAN or LGW similar to the way EMA ops this year.

The expansion does cover 6 aircraft, with one each day not doing a flight, remember flights to Kenya, Sri Lanka and Maldives are very time consuming due to the time of the flight.

G-OOAN is stopping