EGCC to KMCO European

[VS-075]

Does anyone know how long European have been flying from Manchester to Orlando . They seem to have some bargain flights available booking through Travelcity direct . Competition for Mr Branson i think.

[Ringwayman]

They fly to Sanford; I believe the programme started last week (probably be a repeat of last summer's operation?).

David

[Desk Driver]

Just to Clarify.

These are Charter Flights operated by European for Travel City.

This is no more competition for Virgin than

Air 2000
Brittania
Thomas Cook
Mytravel

[tampabay]

Yes its true European do offer cheap flights to Orlando from MAN, i was on one last summer and the word CHEAP becomes all the more relevant. The interior is DISGRACEFULLY cheap and old, there is a slight musty smell, there are loose panels on the chairs and there is adhesive visible next to the light above the windows. I also have my suspicions about the standard of the aircraft, we took off on the return flight and once we had climbed to about 6000ft we started to circle and we were informed a fuel dump would have to be performed so we could return to Sanford because of faulty leading edge flaps, this took about 40-50 minutes of flying above Central Florida and a less than smooth landing at Sanford. By luck the inbound flight from Manchester landed shortly after and we did and it took about 2 1/2 hours to refuel and get back out to t/o but in their hurry they forgot all about pillows and blankets with only about a quarter of the flight recieving blankets resulting in hurrying and bargaining for blankets once the sky got dark...all in all i would not feel i was entirely safe on a European flight and would rather pay the extra for a competent airline.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

That sounds like a awful flight. My dad has flown on European MAN-CDG on a 737-200, he said that cabin was tatty and old and the food that he got was really bad. I guess EAC are only a Ad-Hoc like Air Atlanta so the standards of the cabin isn't as good as other charter airlines.

Regards
BAe 146-100

[Low Cost Eng]

I was particularly interested in the contribution from Tampabay to this thread as, yet again, people like to get facts in the way of a good story! I know who was operating that aircraft and the return to Sanford was due to an indication of faulty leading edge flaps. On arrival at Sanford it was confirmed as an indication fault only - so safety remained paramount. You people must really get possession of the facts before going into print or are your lives so shallow you sit in front of computers making stories up!

[MerchantVenturer]

Low Cost Eng,

You make a valid point but I would say that most passengers are not aviation 'fans' (I do not include tampabay because I do not know whether or not he/she is) and I would venture that most would absorb only that 'there was a problem to do with the flaps or something'.

I doubt whether many would take opn board that it only turned out to be a faulty indication rather than actual problems with the flaps, even if they were later told this. And how many members of the public are aware of the flaps' function anyway?

That's the problem. Any incident like this and most people look upon it as a black mark for the airline, whereas the airline will quite properly argue that the contrary is the case and they were making sure that their passengers' safety was paramount.

[iwish]

Interesting to look at Tampabay's profile. Learning to be a pilot I see.

Well I wish you the best of luck. However, before you star to slag off companys you know nothing about, just remember when times were hard EAAC bought and operated 5 classic's. Employing many very experiensed Flight and Cabin crew who may otherwise be out of a job.

Well done EAAC keep up the good work.

[VS-075]

Thanks for the replies and putting me straight on the fact European fly to Sanford and not Orlando int , i think i will stick with Virgin pay a bit more and fly straight in .:ok:

[mantug01]

EAF have not started fully to SFB from MAN, they just seem to turn up.

Speaking from a ground crew point of view, the in hold systems on these 747s are ..... showing their age. it does not help when all the baggage cans look like theyve been crushed and bashed back into shape.. they just dont fit!! But saying that it doest help us bashing them more to get them back out ..

The insides are dropping to bits, the best bit is the carpet and the newest bit the new cockpit doors.

We've all said you wouldt get us to fly on it

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Well, you pays your money and you takes your choice, I suppose. Personally, I'd choose BA or Virgin, in the best possible seat I could 'blag' my way into. (Particularly difficult with Virgin, I might add. Must act like a badly behaved rock star next time.)

I think we can glean from tampabay's story as to what the presentation of this aircraft was like: not very confidence inspiring and remember, tampabay was a CUSTOMER. (Yeah, great. Let's buy five old 747s and provide EMPLOYMENT to people. Kind of smacks of the old Rugby League maxim: 'Never mind t'effing ball, let's get on wee't bloody game!')

This is not to denigrate the heroic actions of all the staff who keep these tired aircraft going, but I really wonder sometimes.

G-ALHI (Knackered old captain.)

[Redstripe]

Prior to 9/11 the EAAC aircraft were flying scheduled services for BA. They are in the same interior fit that BA used. EAAC are in the process of acquiring 2 ex-Virgin airframes. These aircraft will be in Virgin cabin fit.

The interiors may be older than some of the shiney new 330s operated by some charter airlines, but then you get a 31" seat pitch as opposed to 28". Makes a BIG difference on a 10 hour flight!

EAAC/TCD also offer a business class seat [the BA 'cradle' seat] at a MUCH lower fare than can be found elsewhere.

[gps117]

the reason why eac 747's are looking a little tired is that they are all ex BA's - 200's that they retired after 09/11. The insides were knackered then and i bet eac haven't touched them. Good solid aircraft tho wit plent of life left in them. DXO only had 48000 hours on it when it left BA. BA's oldest 100's flew for over 100,000 hours!

[LGW Vulture]

I know that three of EAAC's ex-BA 747's had done 90,000 + hours.

GPS, isn't DXO with Air Atlanta and thus has nothing to do with this thread???

[tampabay]

In response to "iwish" i was in NO WAY slagging off the pilots or staff on the flight, they tried to make the best of a bad situation. As well as training to be a pilot ( 20 hours in UK and 5 hours in US ) i have a fairly good knowledge of aviation and am about to go to university to study aeronautical engineering. I know that the aircraft European use are safe or else they wouldn't be flying (but some other holidaymakers would have their doubts ). The interiors leave much to be desired and if European want customers to come back i would suggest they do something about it. I would just be worried that since the aircraft are so old there may be THAT ONE flight too much for the plane and an accident happens, but then again you get what you pay for, fly BA, pay the extra and get a modern plane, simple. Also, if i was a little critical about the flight home its because the actual time i was awake that day ( roughly 36 hours ), wake up 8:00am EST, get to the airport at 17:00pm EST t/o around 19:30pm EST, come back and finally take-off ( the successful flight ) 10:00pm in very stormy weather, couldn't get to sleep on the plane due to VERY tight leg room and a figity old woman in front, arrive in Manchester 10:00am BST, takes about 2 hours to get out the airport due to baggage handler shift change and a fire alarm, then a grueling 5-6 hour journey back up to Glasgow ( where i live ) finally arrive home at 19:00pm BST and my head is so sore due to sleep deprivation, i cant get to sleep so i am up until around 01:00am BST

[surely not]

Tampabay, you can't hold the airline responsible for you travelling to MAN from your home in GLA for the flight!!

In a previous post the leg room was shown as 31" in Y class. Compared to other charter airlines that is giving you an extra 2" more. I'm over 6' and 31" leg room sounds bliss compared to 29-28" on other airlines.

I understand from a long standing acquaintance that the interiors will be receiving some TLC this year.

People on the thread keep stating that BA interiors are superior. I've flown in some of their fleet that are far from new or immaculate inside.

As for delays, all airlines have a few bad delays every season. I'd rather be delayed and have the problem looked into than ignore it and hope it went away!

[tampabay]

I wasn't blaming EAF for the journey home! i was stating that as a reason for my rather harsh decription earlier in the topic. EAF took me to Orlando and got me back in one piece thats the most important thing. I am just stating that if they can allow there cabin to be so tatty they might be as "lax" about other things. Remember it only takes ONE mistake to cause a major accident and with the age of the aircraft combines to create a not too promising outlook and if i was a member of the public who knew nothing about aviation i would not be flying European again! But is the news about EAF purchasing ex Virgin aircraft then it shows they realise this fact too