Air Atlanta / Travel City Direct

[VS-075]

I have read in another forum that Air Atlanta are to fly a service to Sanford from Manchester from the 1st of may 2004 using 747-300 aircraft painted in Travel City Direct colours does anyone have anymore information Thanks in advance.

[takenthe5thamendment]

Hi VS-075,

No info for you from me on your query, but I do have an observation

Travel City Direct!
I took my kids to Sanford with them two years ago, you get a stop in Gander for refuelling.
The aeroplane was shabby and the service was poor.
A lady a few seats away from me was taken ill - no call for medical support ( I would have been more than willing, even if it was to be there in my professional capacity for reassurance) the first thing anyone knew was when the paramedics boarded the aircraft at Gander and carted her off.

I didn't like them at all and would never use them again, but then you get what you pay for!

[MerchantVenturer]

Travel City Direct are to commence a peak season weekly B 747 service from Cardiff to Orlando Sanford commencing 20 July 2004.

The following press notice appears on the CWL official website.

Travel City Direct has unveiled peak-season flights from Cardiff to Orlando for the 36,000 Welsh passengers still driving to Gatwick, Heathrow, or Manchester.

Boeing 747 jumbo-jets will be returning to Cardiff International Airport this Summer, for a new trans-Atlantic service to Orlando in Florida.

The UK’s largest independent Florida specialist – Swansea based Travel City Direct – has announced a new peak-season programme of 747 flights from Cardiff International, offering scheduled-flight standards at great value for money prices.

From 20th July, Travel City Direct will operate a weekly service to Orlando’s Sanford airport, using a 449-seat Boeing 747. This service will complement the popular annual summer season charter service to Orlando Sanford from Cardiff International Airport operated by My Travel.

Unique to this service will be Travel City’s commitment to offering scheduled airline standards at chartered-flight prices.

The 747 jumbo aircraft is fitted with leather seating in all three cabins – Economy (398 seats at 31 inch pitch, which is more generous than most charter airlines); Upper Deck (29 seats at 34 inch pitch), and Sunshine First (22 seats at 54 inch pitch – equivalent to most scheduled airlines’ business class).

With a wide range of packages available, including hotels, self-catering, twin-centre holidays, and simple fly-drives, prices have been held to £399 for a 14-night fly-drive and £499 for a two-week full package holiday.

An up-grade to “Sunshine First” costs just £299 – a fraction of the cost of a Club or Business Class seat on major scheduled airlines.

According to Travel City Direct director, Steve Boardman: “More than 36,000 Welsh passengers are still making the trek to Gatwick, Heathrow, or Manchester for their flights to Orlando.

“As a Welsh-based company, and the UK’s largest independent Florida specialist, we are bringing a new jumbo-jet service to Cardiff International to provide a time and cost saving alternative for those travellers”, said Mr Boardman.

“We have also ensured that our pricing, for this peak-season programme, is geared to eliminate the extra costs and supplements that other operators charge for high-season bookings, and for flights from regional airports”, said Mr Boardman.

“When you add in the fact that Cardiff International offers the lowest-cost airport car-parking south of Manchester - and that both Cardiff International and Orlando Sanford airports (both owned by Cardiff-based TBI) offer smooth and speedy check-in procedures, we can see no reason for Welsh holidaymakers to make the daunting and costly trip to Gatwick, Heathrow, or Manchester”, he added.

Sanford International Airport has fast gained a reputation with the main UK and European charter operators for its efficient and speedy throughputs of passengers, making the onward journey to the Florida resorts that much quicker and hassle-free.

Cardiff International Airport’s managing director, Jon Horne, said: “This new programme sees the return of Boeing 747 services to our airport – one of the few outside London which can accommodate a jumbo-jet.”

[newswatcher]

see also this (http://www.travelcitydirect.com/) follow link to "Fly Jumbo".

[jetstream7]

takenthe5thamendment

Travel City are the tour operator, not the airline ... and from this year they are using Air Atlanta instead of EAC for their flights .

The switch to Air Atlanta has contributed to the problems EAC have.

If you had to stop at Gander, then it is unlikely that you were on an EAC 747 - more like American Trans Air (ATA) and one of their Tristars?

Can't see any reason why not to use Travel City Direct... other than they're a pretty sharp bunch and have no qualms about ending contracts at short notice thus contributing to many hundreds of people finding themselves out of work...

By the way... did you let Travel City Direct know your disatisfaction with your flight?

[Dogs_ears_up]

It sounds an excellent idea! Now all they have to do is fill it every week and make a profit (Gulp!)

[debtair]

Airliners.net has the Air Atlanta B747s in their new Travel City Direct livery.

Hope this click through works

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?id=565237,565238,565239,565240&engine_version=5