I have been flying a few times between MAN & GLA this year and have no problems with the Q400 at all. It's perfect for the 55 minute flight time.

However comma I now have the SAAB 2000 to contend with and so can say with some feeling - bring back the Dash :eek:

Not flown on either but I was under the impression the SAAB 2000 is quite similar to the Q400 in terms of both speed and noise/comfort?

It would be interesting to see statistically how many people choose a flight based on the type of aircraft and those instances where type is more important than times, prices and perks such FF miles where applicable. It would also be intersting to see where people avoid a flight just due to the type.

Maybe I'm just more used to it. Been flying small and large TPs since I was tiny but I find the Q400 totally acceptable.

I had to chuckle a few months back boarding a A319 and a passenger said 'oh, the plane is so SMALL" - this being on a domestic hop. This proved that there are some people who just buy a plane ticket and have no idea what they are flying, and that everything is relative.

Dash-8, Saab 2000, are perfectly fine and comfortable for the time your on them with Flybe. I mean if you don't like them get the Train/go on a boat/drive :ugh:

I mean honestly:rolleyes:

Q400 vs. A319
 

I think what we've got here is a psychological (and illogical) reaction to propellers. I'm sure some surveyed passengers decide they aren't going to like the Q400 before a propeller has so much as turned. Perhaps if the same people were surveyed after their flight they may have a different opinion.

That all presupposes that any scientific surveys have actually been completed, and the alleged dislike of props. is just anecdotal / an urban myth.

In my case, and I would agree that I don't represent the average punter, I do look at the type when booking. I have to say that if I have a choice I will opt for the jet, especially on sectors exceeding an hour. Having said that, I will agree that the DHC-8 is arguably the most comfortable turboprop around. My only minor gripe is that subject to the final load one can, for weight & balance reasons, be moved from one's selected (and perhaps paid for) seat. Yes I know that one can move back again once in the cruise but playing musical chairs makes it all a bit of a farce.

WAT/NOC-BHX not bookable after 27th of March.

NOC/WAT
 

Looks like there more blocked rather not unbookable - You can still select dates upto August 15 - Hopefully just a system issue.

Mad when the loads are so good (I know load factor is different than yield)

Do you think their gone ?

5Q

TPs all the way
 

I've always preferred turboprops and go out of my way to fly on them. I book flights because of the aircraft sometimes rather than the destination.

Saab 340b, Saab 2000, Jetstream 31, 41, Dash 8s (of all varieties), Fokkers, King Air 350i ... and the list goes on.

I love jets as well, but prefer TPs, they have so much more character.

Also (re. above comment) musical chairs can happen on jets as well occasionally.

NOC/WAT
 

There are several routes ex BHX that are showing full/not available.

My guess is that they are sorting the timetable out as there are more aircraft required in the evening than the morning, move them around a little and you can get rid or reallocate one.

Centre cities

NOC/WAT
 

I really hope that both BHX routes are going to be re bookable soon and that it's just a reviewal or something.
WAT & NOC are also still waiting on Manchester timetables for next year ... Is it looking like they are to be suspended

Perhaps they are in discussions over landing fees/airport charges with the said airports

BXH
 

Currently showing no flights which were previously bookable at BHX are.

Knock, Waterford, Porto, Toulouse, Oslo and Hamburg.

Add this to flights already dropped, Cologne, Florence, Palma, Alicante, Reykjavik and Hanover cut from 2 to one and this could be a very large decrease.

The press release for BHX stated 25 routes, this would match the above being dropped.

Most of these routes were launched last year, if they got it so wrong I don't hold out much hope for the new routes being launched this year.

Perhaps it is just a timetable update.

(sorry meant BHX UK not BHM Alabama)

Centre cities

BE @ BHX
 

If BHX-NOC and WAT are chopped then Irish routes from BHX have dropped off a cliff at high speed, with SNN also gone, that could be just ORK and DUB left....


Not sure what BE's agenda at BHX is (or do they even have one?), last year it was all best friends, lots of positive talk about how important the Midlands is to them and the 'magnificent 7' routes were launched with promises of more to come, which they did in the form of OSL, HAM and TXL. Now it would appear they are very flaky friends, less than a year later most of the BHX routes launched are dropped or currently not bookable. Even though luckily for BHX, KEF, ALC, IBZ and PMI are served by others, this is some come down by BE and smacks of a complete lack of direction in route planning and strategy. Let's hope it is just a glitch in their systems, although as time goes on I am beginning to have my doubts.

"Most of these routes were launched last year, if they got it so wrong I don't hold out much hope for the new routes being launched this year"

If they got it so wrong then I wouldn't hold out much hope of a long term future for BE as it stands! How on earth could they have mis-judged route development so badly? I think even the most experienced of PR merchants would struggle to put a positive spin on all this if indeed this is the final BE schedule for summer. Embarrassing for BHX, yet again getting into bed with the wrong airline....

Ummm , just a quick one , Have Flybe 'officially' announced their Full summer schedule ? there is just the purple Wednesday thing going on at the moment

I've been waiting since 30th Nov for customer services to reply to an email. What's the timescale I can expect for a straight forward query relating to a voucher

Wow. I'm fearing the worst.

Newsletter received from BE at 16:50: Full summer schedule now bookable [EDIT from BHX that is]. See also press releases here - not looking good: https://www.flybe.com/corporate/media/news/1412/

Re Customer Service: Try their Twitter team, they are usually to speed up things. However, 2 weeks waiting time is not too bad at all so far, I'd usually start chasing once its 4-6 weeks.

Can't see how the schedules are finalised. NQY currwntly requires 3 aircraft 3 days a week and 2 the rest due to having LGW, BHX and STN all depart around 1100 ex NQY. However currwntly NQY only has one based Q so either the schedules need changing or extra aircraft and routes need to be added to NQY for summer15.

Plus the MD of NQY was on local radio last week stating that an announcement was due this week for new and extra services for day returns and connections or sumthing similar.

Can't really see with the growth of NQY-MAN that they would drop down from 8 to 7 weekly either. Rather increase to possibly 14.

More work being done me thinks and more to be announced I hope.


cs

I was under the impression the last announcements would be next Monday. Maybe they have finalised everything just yet