Torair

[Airbus321-200]

I've set this new thread up as Torair seem to be expanding into the UK filling the gap Viking left.

I'm sure there will be some interesting comments on them over the Summer.

[whoshotjimmi]

Interesting to see their apparent plans to operate charter out of Manchester, Norwich and Gatwick. Also, the website is displaying vacancies for cabin crew.

[IB4138]

For the sake of continuation, this is what I have posted on the "Viking" thread:

FlyTorair .com website states

For more information on Torair the airline please see our website www. Torair. com]
...the website of Tor Air AB... a separate legal entity.

Flytorair.com website makes the distinction between the two companies.

Mathias Jonsson is Director of Flight Operations at Tor Air AB. Same guy, same title, at Fly Me who filed for bankruptcy in 2007. Seems also to be linked (at some stage) to Fly Excellent who operated a couple of MD83s and ceased operation, returning it's aircraft to lessors in December 2008.

Tor Air AB started operations in 2008, receiving it's Swedish Operators Licence on 1st December that year.

[TSR2]

Another bad day for Tor Air out of Manchester with delays of 8+ hours.

[Keyvon]

Torair has dropped both Bourgas and Faro (were offered from Gatwick) with immediate effect.

They will now only serve their core-destinations to the Greek islands.

[JackRalston]

I flew with Tor Air to Kos on 29th June and returned to Manchester on 6th July. We had a delay on the way out of nearly 3 hrs because of strikes in Greece but had no such issues on the way back. Crew were very friendly and efficient. I had a problem with my seat on the way back meaning the seat wouldn't lock up right and kept going back, I informed them and they said they would get it looked at later.

They do seem to be filling their flights well, only spotted a few empty seats on both flights.

[BOAC]

the seat wouldn't lock up right and kept going back - I know it - you are going to tell us they let you sit in it for landing?:eek:

[StevieW]

Torair were a bit of a mess at Gatwick this past weekend. Saturday afternoon Rhodes left at 1am on Monday morning and an inbound from Kos due at 2pm Saturday arrived home at around 1pm Monday. Other flights had delays of 8-12 hours. SP-HAA went tech at Gatwick on Saturday morning, managed to make it to Kos 9 hours late, but then was stuck there until Tuesday (tech again, I assume?), hence the 47 hour delayed inbound.

Guess that's what happens when you operate three aircraft registered in three different countries with three different sets of crew - no flexibility. It wasn't until late Sunday night that Small Planet were able to send a replacement aircraft and crew across from Poland.

[JackRalston]

I know it - you are going to tell us they let you sit in it for landing?

Had to spend the first 30 minutes (from takeoff onwards) constantly press the button, then I just got fed up and tried my best to keep it up right at landing...that certainly failed!

[windytoo]

Estonian registered aircraft, Lithuanian or Russian pilots. English a second or third language. The agent in Kefallonia lost his rag with them because he couldn't communicate with them. Meanwhile British holidaymakers sit fat, dumb and happy in the back thinking what a bargain they have got.
Would you put your life on the line for a tenner? It seems some people will, although I guess they are doing it through ignorance and not by choice.

[Buster the Bear]

The crew are licensed and many UK based carriers employ pilots whose primary language is not English. It can be more of an issue for the two crew to understand each other if they speak limited english and have no other common language.

[Ian Brooks]

Many speak quite good english listening to them

[on time all the time]

A lot of questions were/are asked about virtual airlines follwing the crash in Cork of the Spanish airplane flying for Manx 2.
Should we not ask the same questions here. How an airline based in Sweden flying mainly from the uk with aircrafts coming from several country, lead by a british business man known for his tendacy to go bankrupt ...is allowed to fly.
I flew recently with someone who flew for Vikings and is still owed money. she was offered to fly for Viking Hellas and was dumped the same way so is owed money there too.....And now we have Tor Air...for how long?

[easyflyer83]

Estonian registered aircraft, Lithuanian or Russian pilots. English a second or third language. The agent in Kefallonia lost his rag with them because he couldn't communicate with them. Meanwhile British holidaymakers sit fat, dumb and happy in the back thinking what a bargain they have got.
Would you put your life on the line for a tenner? It seems some people will, although I guess they are doing it through ignorance and not by choice.


A bit harsh don't you think? Surely flying with Aeroflot or Turkish etc (who's first language also isn't English) is no different to the example you give? Understanding what is being said can be difficult for many who work in the industry. Doesn't New York ATC sometimes have problems being understood due to their strong accents?

I do agree however that in a business sense the operation might not be very stable but there is nothing in the public domain (atleast what I have heard) to suggest they are an unsafe operation.

[BOAC]

You mean apart from posts 6 and 9?

[easyflyer83]

You having a laugh? At both the airlines I have flown for we have had broken seat reclines, in-op crew seats, toilets, APU's etc etc etc. It doesn't make it an unsafe operation.

On a BA upgrade to First the seat in there was broke aswell.

[RoyHudd]

eafyflyer83, you are kidding, right? Russian and Turkish aviation is notorious on the safety front. In the public domain, it is right there. Stop writing misleading opinions. Check the information.

[easyflyer83]

I was using those two as mere examples to get my point across that there are many carriers who's flight crew's mother tongue isn't English. Those same problems arise.........so why don't you check your information? If it suits you better than I could give AF and IB as examples.

Particularly with Russia though I think you are probably still in the 90's. I believe the safety record is vastly improved in that Country which means your view is misleading at best and a gross characterture at worst.

[lefturnout]

I'm confused :confused: Just taking a look at the Newmarket Holidays website which is offering flights from Manston to Dubrovnik next year, it says the flight is being operated by Tor Air yet the airline code is OA, Olympic Air and a bit more delving seems to reveal that it's actually a Small Planet a/c that's operating the flight.
I wouldn't mind booking it (mainly because I enjoy using Manston) but having also read some of the above postings I am now a little wary to say the least, is this all fairly standard practice?

[pamann]

By the time next summer comes around I would imagine it will be 'all change' with the airline operating for Newmarket, as every year they seem to end up using someone else (as often some of these smaller charter airlines tend to sink after a season or two).

Newmarket is a reputable company and fully bonded with ABTA/ATOL so you're quite safe there. They've been around a fair time as well and don't tend to sell bargain £99 breaks to the sun which the dodgy 'fly-by-night' operators that tend to go down the pan seem to sell.

Safe bet I'd say... And a good chance it will be flying with an alternative carrier by the time those tickets land on your door mat.

Support Manston! As you say a really pleasant experience compared to the bigger airports around London. :ok:

[globetrotter79]

lefturnout

Tor Air's correct 3-letter/ICAO code is "OAI"...so it would be my guessing that someone at Newmarket has made a small error in entering the flight numbers in their system...ending up with flights loaded as "OA"

This year, the Newmarket flights were operated under OAI flight numbers of Tor Air with an aircraft leased from Small Planet - so it would appear that they are planning the same for 2012?

[lefturnout]

Many thanks pamann and globetrotter79 I shall go ahead and book it and I'll get to enjoy the Manston experience again next year :ok:

[A and C]

Torair and small planet are doing the work for meridian that Viking were doing before they went bust, and that work was done by XL before that.

This part of the market is riddled with airlines going bust, funny that the bosses names stay the same.

[BOAC]

You having a laugh? At both the airlines I have flown for we have had broken seat reclines, - a broken seat recline and a seat which will not lock upright are two completely different things. Perhaps you should ask a pilot to explain a thing called the 'MEL' to you?