Britannia Going Lo-cost Airline?

[DrinksMealsSales]

Just heard a snippet from someone that Britannia or rather the TUI Group is considering starting up a no frills type airline, using some of brits aircraft? Is there any truth in this anyone?

[BYlady]

Hi DrinksMealsSales - I believe that there is no truth in the Preussag group starting a new low cost carrier. What is happening however, is that Preussag are looking at the increasing success of seat only sales and will be tailoring the service onboard and fleet of the aircraft to this. Britannia will still be the carrier and Britannia crew will be used to operate the flights. Currently, seat only sales (those people who choose not to have a meal on the Aircraft) are integrated with our package customers so who knows, if sales of seat only increase then they might allocate certain aircraft and flights to that demand.

As far as I can see, Britannia will remain doing what it's good at and that's being a successful charter airline taking holiday makers to their destinations.;) :p

[DrinksMealsSales]

Thank you BYLady. Thought we were going to have to don Orange shirts!! What a relief!

[BYlady]

Although they do say the future's bright - the future's Orange ?!

Nah, I'd rather stick with my beautiful royal blue outfit !!;) ;)

[WelshCityFlyer]

I'm sorry to be the one to poor the metaphorical cold water on this one, but somebody has to:-

Just wait UNTIL you actually start to implement this idea, my company already do.

Imagine.... an aircraft, full to the brim of passengers. Lets say a 757 for example. Of all the 230 + (depending on airline), people it carries, 130 have ordered meals, 100 have not. Now - going by the 'correct' policies laid down, these 100 no meals passengers SHOULD be sitting at the rear of the aircraft. Of course, in reality, they will be (and ARE), scattered all over the place. The crew cannot find them: the manifest SAYS they are all in different places - they have to get their flight tickets out, to prove whether or not a meal was ordered....

Oh, by the way, lets make it worse - ITS A PALMA!!! - yes, 2.5 hours TOPS. This is a nightmare scenario, worse than the imagination, but IT IS HAPPENING.

Imagine - can't find the no meals pax adequately, not enough meals loaded on board, very upset pax, 'don't' look too professional, etc, etc...

Say what you will, personally, I would rather work aboard a 'dedicated' no frills <no meals> aircraft/environment anyday. than this "mixed bag"

For the psychological wellbeing of the Brittania crew, I sincerely hope that this method is NOT adopted by yourselves - think on.....


WCF

[corsaman]

as an aside, what happens when the 'no-meals on seat only' companies use other carriers for their services, such as Futura, Spanair, British Midland and Air Europa - it wouldn't surprise me if they cater full, so the poor passenger ends up paying for a meal they would have got anyway. That would be rather unfair!

[BYlady]

I think Summer 2003 will be yet another challenging year for all of us at BY. What with Thomson charging for meals, transfers etc.

We are always reassured that any no - meal passengers are seated at the rear of the aircraft next to the rear galley where the smell of wonderfully cooked and carefully prepared inflight meals drift into the cabin and up their noses ! - However, we all know that unfortunately this is not the case to be. No-meals are here, there and everywhere, at the front of the aircraft and a few dotted around the middle, some spread out in the rear cabin !
And now that our "customers" have the option to "select your seat", they'll be all over the place !

Really, we spend half the time trying to find out who's where and who's paid for what when really this information should have been organised by those who pre seat and check in.

[BYlady]

P.S. 741A - I really like your idea - maybe we should bring it up at the next cabin services meeting !! Although for our lovely SLF, we'll need to print instructions on how to put the label on on the back !:) :p