Simon Calder's new book on No-Frills airlines. [Archive]

DistantRumble

17th Jun 2002, 12:10

No Frills : The Truth Behind The Low Cost Revolution In The Skies

Paperback - 287 pages (9 May, 2002)
Virgin Books; ISBN: 185227932X

Just bought this. Excellent read. Fair amount of detail and well researched.

If anyone's following the other thread I'm posting to regarding lateness then they'll find a lot in here as supplementary material.

Any other reviews ?

World Traveller

17th Jun 2002, 15:07

Hmm, I bought it on impulse a couple of weeks ago. Whilst it makes reasonably interesting reading, there is a lot of 'old' material in it (i..e rehashing newspaper features of the last 5 or so years). In fact armed with Sunday broadsheets I reckon most of use could make a half decent effort at this type of book! Also rehashes a lot of old stuff on Laker etc.

It is thin on detail of the early days of easyJet and Ryanair. I imagine there was quite some hassle getting the likes of BAA and Schiphol to accept these 'bizarre orange 737s' that turned up 7 or 8 years ago. There are also a fair few typos and factual errors (I don't have it to hand so can't give exact details).

Whilst Calder seems quite willing to write in first-person, the book just lacks the cutting edge, the controversy, the personal opinions etc that could set it aside as brilliant. the style reallyb is a Sunday broadsheet feature rather than serious book. I have no doubt someone will give this type of book a go. Mr Simons sir??

However, the following of Barabara Cassani is moderatley interesting - the one-day timeline at the rear is also quite interesting.

Not a book I'd recommend spending £16 on - if you can get it from a library or discount book store then fine!

If ya want a read on british civil aviation go buy 'The Spirit of Dan-Air'! Brilliant book, and I've told the author so myself. I have yet to read 'the story of Air Europe', but its on the hit list.....

World Traveller
<just a punter, and a £16 lighter one at that!>