Helios ZU548/9 LCA-NCL-LCA

[Pembo330]

This weekend I'm off to Cyprus, flying out to Larnaca on ZU549, a Helios Boeing 737-800.

Really looking forward to the holiday so the prospect of sun and sea (and a couple of flights) seem more than enticing.

I've been keeping an eye on this flight for the last few weeks and it has yet to be on time. I've done a bit of digging and given Helios only have 2 738s for U.K. flights (the 733 does Greek flights), it should be relatively easy to trace the previous flight. Well, on a Saturday lunchtime, Helios fly into both Luton and Gatwick. On Saturday evening, they fly to Heathrow and Newcastle. By my reckoning, the Luton flight becomes the Heathrow flight and the Gatwick one becomes ours.

So, why is the NCL flight always late? Well according to our tickets, ZU548 departs LCA at 18:55. According to the Helios website, the landing flight from Gatwick doesn't land until 18:25!! If this is correct, then there is no wonder our flight never leaves LCA on time! Great scheduling!

Can anyone confirm this is the reason?

Does anyone have any views and experiences of Helios?

All news, views and pics welcome as it'll wet the appetite for what will hopefully be a great holiday. :D

[TimS]

The LGW-LCA on Saturdays is actually scheduled to land at 1810, quote from the Helios res system:

sklgwlca,zu
1 ZU 411 YIA 6 LGWLCA 1045 1810 737 1 M 05JUN30OCT
BDKLMUVWPS
P CLASS FROM UK - NOT ABLE TO USE WITH ANY OTHER CLASS
**** NOTE FLIGHT OPERATES VIA PFO ****

45 minutes perfectly acceptable turnaround.

Helios timekeeping generally very acceptable in our experience

Brgds

TimS

[Pembo330]

Thats a slightly different time to the website, but it makes more sense.

The Gatwick flight actually passes through Paphos first; I wonder if that gives it any problems?

Thanks for the info Tim.

[GrahamK]

Doesnt the 733 do the LHR flights as well?

[Pembo330]

They may, but according to Airliner World, the 733 (an ex Deutche BA aircraft) was acquired to serve the Greek Islands and Athens.

This then would free up a 738 to do the new Heathrow route.

[Pembo330]

Flight Report ZU549/8 - NCL-LCA-NCL 12/06 & 26/06

Every report I had read about Helios Airways in 2003 was positive. Their UK flights were being run with NG 737s which had leather seats, good timekeeping and excellent service. So, when I was booking my 2004 Summer holiday, I decided to try flying with these fine people rather than the usual UK charter Airlines.

In the weeks prior to departure, I checked Ceefax on most Saturday evenings to see how the flight was performing. In short, there wasn't one week that the flight ran to time (and I maybe only missed checking two weeks from April - June). I naturally prepared myself for a delay and a poor start to the holiday.

ZU549 was due to depart NCL on the 12th June @ 22:55, but it was 23:30 by the time we pushed back, a short delay of 35 minutes. The aircraft was 5B-DBH, a 737-800. We were allocated seats 14 A and B, which is the row in front of the emergency exits on the wing. The problem with this seat was, they don't recline (presumably because of the emergency exit behind). This made for a very cramped space, particularly when the guys and girls in row 13 decided to recline their seats.

The seats were leather (much more comfortable) and the entertainment average (headsets £3). I didn't find the crew particularly friendly, but then I probably wasn't that friendly in the early hours either. The flight was smooth and non-eventful, though we did see a spectacular thunderstorm which we by-passed; always a great view on a night flight. The flights was 4 and a half hours and we landed at Larnaca at 6am local time on the Sunday morning.

****

The return flight on Saturday 26th June (ZU548) was again delayed, this time by 3 hours. The only reason given was "late arrival of incoming aircraft". This time we were on DBI, the other 738 in the fleet. We were assigned better seats (18 E and F), which were reclining seats two rows behind the second over wing exit. The flight once again was non-eventful, though I did find again that the crew were less than pleasant, (less than happy at accepting sterling in exchange for drinks), and the food and entertainment nothing more than average. After a flight of just over 5 hours, we arrived at NCL at 1am, 3 hours and 5 minutes later than billed.

****

The delays have left me with a negative impression of Helios. Not because I have incurred delays (because they happen) but because they were two delays in amongst many others week after week on this route. Something is seriously wrong with the schedule or operations, or it is an amazing coincidence that this flight doesn't run to time whilst many other Helios runs do.

I have yesterday e-mailed Helios with this comment and await their response.

In summary, I found Helios to be nothing other than average and next time I plan on visiting Cyprus, I will try and go on a more conventional U.K. charter airline first and foremost.