Viking Airlines
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ravydavy
I am not sure where you are looking on Viking's website but if you click on timetable at the top of the sites home page the flight is there showing the scheduled departure and arrival times,
OA
I am not sure where you are looking on Viking's website but if you click on timetable at the top of the sites home page the flight is there showing the scheduled departure and arrival times,
OA
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Originally Posted by TFlyguy
Sadly it seems that if you booked with Goldtrail you wont be going anywhere.
BBC - Watchdog: Goldtrail Holidays
Join Date: Jul 2010
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tootsie1
We recently travelled with Viking airlines from Manchester to Sharm el Sheikh. We had never heard of them and preumed they were just a low cost airline. I have to say we were less than impressed with them our return flight was delayed7 hours and the service was terrible.
When we arrived at the airport to return home to Manchester we saw our flight was delayed on the screens. There was very little information given to us, no rep or explanation of why there was a delay. There was also a Viking flight to Gatwick which was delayed. We were told to wait in the reception area and were not able to check our cases in for 3 hours due to the delay. This was frustrating as there were two flight loads of people waiting already and more arriving with not enough space for everyone. Nobody explained why there was a delay and at 11.00pm when our flight was due to leave it became clear that it was not our flight which was delayed but Gatwicks flight as there was a problem with the plane and it had not yet left Gatwick.
The most infuriating aspect of this ordeal was when we were told that Viking were changing the flights allowing the passengers going to Gatwick to take our plane which left us delayed for 7 hours and waiting for the next plane for 9 hours!. I thought this was completely out of order and disgusting that as a company Viking decided to swap flights messing about with peoples plans, purely to suit there own company needs. We were told by a member of airport staff that the company is based at Gatwick and it is harder to obtain airspace so this was the reason for the changes made. This is unacceptable and does not represent an airline that puts it's customers first. When we did finally board our flight we were unhappy with the lack of apologies from the staff and pilot for the extreme unnecessary delays. There was no complimetary drink or apologies! The pilot tried to insult the passengers by blaming the problems on 'bad weather conditions' i mean really it was 28c in England we may have been abroad we were not on the moon! This just added insult to injury and his attempt to cover up a technical problem with the plane only made people more angry. During the flight we reported to a member of staff that we were cold twice. The member of staff stated that she had informed the pilot who controls the air conditioning. The temperature remained the same throughout the flight. The staff came round with blankets charging £6.50 but these had run out by the time they got half way up the plane. When we finally arrived at Manchester we were delayed a further 30 minutes due to a problem with the steps? i mean come on how many planes land everyday and they cant attach the steps to a plane? We had family members waiting for us who had not been informed of the flight changes online only by our communication. The car parking costs were £7.50, but this was not the problem what was so herrendous was the sheer lack of consideration to the passengers and commincation to keep us up to date or truthfully informed of the delays. What made it worse was that we were delayed on the outbound flight for 1 hour due to missing our airspace, this appeared to be just due to bad time management as we boarded the plane late. I would definitley not travel with Viking again and will make sure my friends Know not to either, its just a shame because we had a good holiday but felt this spoilt the end of it really. The trip was very frustrating and tiring and a disapointing end to an otherwise enjoyable holiday!
When we arrived at the airport to return home to Manchester we saw our flight was delayed on the screens. There was very little information given to us, no rep or explanation of why there was a delay. There was also a Viking flight to Gatwick which was delayed. We were told to wait in the reception area and were not able to check our cases in for 3 hours due to the delay. This was frustrating as there were two flight loads of people waiting already and more arriving with not enough space for everyone. Nobody explained why there was a delay and at 11.00pm when our flight was due to leave it became clear that it was not our flight which was delayed but Gatwicks flight as there was a problem with the plane and it had not yet left Gatwick.
The most infuriating aspect of this ordeal was when we were told that Viking were changing the flights allowing the passengers going to Gatwick to take our plane which left us delayed for 7 hours and waiting for the next plane for 9 hours!. I thought this was completely out of order and disgusting that as a company Viking decided to swap flights messing about with peoples plans, purely to suit there own company needs. We were told by a member of airport staff that the company is based at Gatwick and it is harder to obtain airspace so this was the reason for the changes made. This is unacceptable and does not represent an airline that puts it's customers first. When we did finally board our flight we were unhappy with the lack of apologies from the staff and pilot for the extreme unnecessary delays. There was no complimetary drink or apologies! The pilot tried to insult the passengers by blaming the problems on 'bad weather conditions' i mean really it was 28c in England we may have been abroad we were not on the moon! This just added insult to injury and his attempt to cover up a technical problem with the plane only made people more angry. During the flight we reported to a member of staff that we were cold twice. The member of staff stated that she had informed the pilot who controls the air conditioning. The temperature remained the same throughout the flight. The staff came round with blankets charging £6.50 but these had run out by the time they got half way up the plane. When we finally arrived at Manchester we were delayed a further 30 minutes due to a problem with the steps? i mean come on how many planes land everyday and they cant attach the steps to a plane? We had family members waiting for us who had not been informed of the flight changes online only by our communication. The car parking costs were £7.50, but this was not the problem what was so herrendous was the sheer lack of consideration to the passengers and commincation to keep us up to date or truthfully informed of the delays. What made it worse was that we were delayed on the outbound flight for 1 hour due to missing our airspace, this appeared to be just due to bad time management as we boarded the plane late. I would definitley not travel with Viking again and will make sure my friends Know not to either, its just a shame because we had a good holiday but felt this spoilt the end of it really. The trip was very frustrating and tiring and a disapointing end to an otherwise enjoyable holiday!
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Look, mate, these things happen. With ALL airlines. It's not the end of the world! You simply cannot extrapolate one incident to make a sweeping statement about a company's entire operation.
I was delayed for 7 hours at Geneva airport waiting for an easyJet flight. It was inconvenient, but a stand-by crew came to collect us. Last weekend, we waited 40 minutes on a Ryanair flight while French ATC got their a@?%s in gear so we could depart. Again, a bit irritating, but these things happen!
Maybe you just don't understand the very many variables involved in making your flight operate on time.
I was delayed for 7 hours at Geneva airport waiting for an easyJet flight. It was inconvenient, but a stand-by crew came to collect us. Last weekend, we waited 40 minutes on a Ryanair flight while French ATC got their a@?%s in gear so we could depart. Again, a bit irritating, but these things happen!
Maybe you just don't understand the very many variables involved in making your flight operate on time.
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tootsie1, short answer....you get what you pay for. You have paid peanuts but you expect BA service. 
Every charter airline will fly their aircraft non-stop 24/7 throughout the summer, so when an aircraft diverts as it did that day apparently...unfortunately there will be a knock-on effect.
Aircraft do not always return to the same airport they departed from and a simple wikepedia search will show you that Viking have bases at Gatwick and Manchester. It's quite funny how you have taken it personally that the Gatwick passengers were not delayed...classic northern chip on shoulder.
As for the blankets, well if more were loaded on the aircraft it would mean more space taken, weight added which would lead to more fuel and an end up with you paying more for a ticket. As for comp drinks, well i believe for that length of delay you would have received vouchers to spend at the airport..no?
Lastly, are you really blaming Viking for the incompetent Manchester Airport staff who were not ready with steps?.....lol
Every charter airline will fly their aircraft non-stop 24/7 throughout the summer, so when an aircraft diverts as it did that day apparently...unfortunately there will be a knock-on effect. Aircraft do not always return to the same airport they departed from and a simple wikepedia search will show you that Viking have bases at Gatwick and Manchester. It's quite funny how you have taken it personally that the Gatwick passengers were not delayed...classic northern chip on shoulder.
As for the blankets, well if more were loaded on the aircraft it would mean more space taken, weight added which would lead to more fuel and an end up with you paying more for a ticket. As for comp drinks, well i believe for that length of delay you would have received vouchers to spend at the airport..no?
Lastly, are you really blaming Viking for the incompetent Manchester Airport staff who were not ready with steps?.....lol
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Lastly, are you really blaming Viking for the incompetent Manchester Airport staff who were not ready with steps?.....
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Lady R - "Anyone any idea why the viking flight from MAN to Paphos was delayed today by 159 mins...when everything else seemed to be going on time or within 10 mins???"
Yes thanks!
TSR2 - "
Quote:
The staff came round with blankets charging £6.50
Sheeeez ....... I hope you get to keep them at that cost."
You sure do, its a full snoozer pack with Neck Pillow, Eye Mask and Blanket, same as sold on many other Charter Airlines.
Yes thanks!
TSR2 - "
Quote:
The staff came round with blankets charging £6.50
Sheeeez ....... I hope you get to keep them at that cost."
You sure do, its a full snoozer pack with Neck Pillow, Eye Mask and Blanket, same as sold on many other Charter Airlines.
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Dont Book Viking
Worst company ever to deal with. Have just had to book my brother, wife and two young children an an alternative flight after they arrived at Las Palmas airport, only to find there was NO check in desk, NO flight and no-one to advise. I called BAA Travel Service who they had booked through, after being unable to get through to Viking after one hour waiting on the line. Glasgow airport advised to phone BAA, as Glasgow said there were no scheduled flights from Viking into Glasgow that weekend. BAA were unable to contact Viking either and eventually advised that there was no return flight arranged and that they should seek an alternative to get home. Had to pay 1.5 times the price of the return flight cost, just for one-way flights at short notice. Don't use. Return flight number on booking confirmation showed flight number as VIK K0000 - maybe this should have sounded some alarm bells!
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flights disappearing!!!
On the viking timetable on their own website...flights are disappearing like mad.......no one replied to my question about delays last weekend.....but the same has happened this weekend but worse...15.35 flight...was still wait in lounge at 23.15...what is happening here!!
if you ring their customer service after holding you are asked to leave a msg and number, however the line then hangs up!!!
IS THIS ABOUT TO GO BUMP OR WHAT!!!
I appreciate this site is for crew etc...but the customer service is poor and at the end of the day..we pay your wages!!
RE-ASSURANCE IS DESPERATELY NEEDED!!!!!
if you ring their customer service after holding you are asked to leave a msg and number, however the line then hangs up!!!
IS THIS ABOUT TO GO BUMP OR WHAT!!!
I appreciate this site is for crew etc...but the customer service is poor and at the end of the day..we pay your wages!!
RE-ASSURANCE IS DESPERATELY NEEDED!!!!!
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Would not touch them with a bargepole again
Can someone explain to me why on earth we arrived at Paphos Airport on Sunday evening at 9.30pm on 25 July ready to catch our flight to Glasgow scheduled to leave at 11.50pm only to be told that we couldnt board and would have to stay in a hotel for the night and catch another flight in the morning. This happened to a number of passengers arriving at this time. We have since been told that due to the Greek air strike which we appreciate is out of everyones control but to actually let 160 people board the plane and then take off early without us and not inform us either was disgusting. The flight apparently took off at 11pm which was enough time to get the remaining 25 passengers on board I would think, we were not told it had left early, check in staff just kept passing the buck saying it was the strike and not telling us the aircraft was waiting. We caught a flight the next day to MANCHESTER and on board no one even knew about our dilmena until we told the captain and crew, they eventually got us sorted out with a mini bus to Glasgow so another 4 hour drive. Not a great end to the holiday at all and I would never fly with them again, on board it was freezing, this is def a ploy to sell the blankets I would think, it was the same on the way out. Our flight was delayed by 2 hours on the way out and nothing was mentioned of the fact. Yes I know there are delays but this airline is dodgy and the comments of everyone ring alarm bells, I wish I had listened.
I have flown Viking as well as many of the other lo-co's and not-so-lo-co's , something the disgruntled / disgusted of (insert location) may want to bear in mind is ( and this applies to any air transport operation ) the fact that flying an aircraft is ,to some degree an exact science with some human interactiom and skill, whereas running to shedule is not so exact due to the many and sometimes unpredictable factors that crop up. Occasionaly it's the passenger that is that factor, along with ( insert any unforseed factor from strikes,weather,late pax,volcanic eruption ,dead cow on rwy,you get the idea....)
Sure it can be cold , but a damm sight colder outside ! ask the CC for the temp to be raised, lets face it 2 weeks in the sun and heat will make almost anywhere feel cold.
I fly Viking as well as many of the other lo-co's again in August, its a cheap flight with a seat,toilet and refreshments available,CC to keep me safe and assist me if required and like any flight to far far away land it sure beats walking !
And when I go with BA or Virgin its a seat,toliet and refreshments available etc etc, you get what you pay for but at the end of the day you take off, fly and land regardless.
Rant over ,off to pack my bags
Xrd
Sure it can be cold , but a damm sight colder outside ! ask the CC for the temp to be raised, lets face it 2 weeks in the sun and heat will make almost anywhere feel cold.
I fly Viking as well as many of the other lo-co's again in August, its a cheap flight with a seat,toilet and refreshments available,CC to keep me safe and assist me if required and like any flight to far far away land it sure beats walking !
And when I go with BA or Virgin its a seat,toliet and refreshments available etc etc, you get what you pay for but at the end of the day you take off, fly and land regardless.
Rant over ,off to pack my bags
Xrd
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Lady R
Did you know that Viking is a re-brand of XL Airways with the very same people involved from the CEO, Chief Pilot, Pilots, Cabin Crew, Ground Staff etc etc they have even re-painted some of the XL Aircraft into Viking colours.
Oh and just to remind you XL airways went bust in Sept 08 leaving thousands stranded and millions of pounds in debt.
Buyer beware!!!
Did you know that Viking is a re-brand of XL Airways with the very same people involved from the CEO, Chief Pilot, Pilots, Cabin Crew, Ground Staff etc etc they have even re-painted some of the XL Aircraft into Viking colours.
Oh and just to remind you XL airways went bust in Sept 08 leaving thousands stranded and millions of pounds in debt.
Buyer beware!!!
3 Reds,
Are you sure of all that. I didn't work for XL so don't know all of the personalities involved, but I do work in a minor capacity for Viking.
Is the company really a rebranding of XL? I was told when I joined that Viking had been operating since 2003, yet XL went bust in 2008, so I don't see how that works unless time travel was involved.
The CEO of Viking is Swedish, I believe? did XL have a swedish CEO? As a similar question I believe that the chief pilot is Norwegian. I am surprised that XL, as a UK AOC operator, had foreign nationals in those positions, but I suppose it could have happened.
Some of the pilots I have met have come from XL, but others have come from Ryan Air, BMI baby, Globespan, SAS, Sterling, and others. The same can be said for cabin crew and ground staff.
At least one of their aircraft previously flew with BMI baby, and is now repainted in Viking colours - would that make it a rebranding of BMI? The others came from a variety of companies but the facts are that they belong to leasing companies, as do the aircraft of most airlines, the company that leased them previously is irrelevant.
It is a shame that with the current economic climate you seem so anti an airline which is at least providing some work for employees who have been made redundant by failures of other airlines in Europe. Unlike XL Viking seems to have a very cautious business plan of slow growth to meet demand which hopefully will survive.
As far as the incidents on here, all airlines have their problems - I was parked on a Greek airport on Sunday next to a Tui 737-800 which had been closed up and the crew gone to a hotel because slots had put them out of hours - so at least 180 disgruntled passsengers there who didn't get home that night. I don't know what causes all of the delays but If you operate to Greece in the summer it is difficult to avoid them. And there is no SOP to keep the cabin cold, the crew don't like being cold either but tend not to notice as they are rushing about serving passengers. If you are cold tell someone and the pilots will turn the temperature up, and after a while if you are still cold tell them again and they will turn it up a bit more.
Are you sure of all that. I didn't work for XL so don't know all of the personalities involved, but I do work in a minor capacity for Viking.
Is the company really a rebranding of XL? I was told when I joined that Viking had been operating since 2003, yet XL went bust in 2008, so I don't see how that works unless time travel was involved.
The CEO of Viking is Swedish, I believe? did XL have a swedish CEO? As a similar question I believe that the chief pilot is Norwegian. I am surprised that XL, as a UK AOC operator, had foreign nationals in those positions, but I suppose it could have happened.
Some of the pilots I have met have come from XL, but others have come from Ryan Air, BMI baby, Globespan, SAS, Sterling, and others. The same can be said for cabin crew and ground staff.
At least one of their aircraft previously flew with BMI baby, and is now repainted in Viking colours - would that make it a rebranding of BMI? The others came from a variety of companies but the facts are that they belong to leasing companies, as do the aircraft of most airlines, the company that leased them previously is irrelevant.
It is a shame that with the current economic climate you seem so anti an airline which is at least providing some work for employees who have been made redundant by failures of other airlines in Europe. Unlike XL Viking seems to have a very cautious business plan of slow growth to meet demand which hopefully will survive.
As far as the incidents on here, all airlines have their problems - I was parked on a Greek airport on Sunday next to a Tui 737-800 which had been closed up and the crew gone to a hotel because slots had put them out of hours - so at least 180 disgruntled passsengers there who didn't get home that night. I don't know what causes all of the delays but If you operate to Greece in the summer it is difficult to avoid them. And there is no SOP to keep the cabin cold, the crew don't like being cold either but tend not to notice as they are rushing about serving passengers. If you are cold tell someone and the pilots will turn the temperature up, and after a while if you are still cold tell them again and they will turn it up a bit more.
3 Reds,
you are demonstrating your lack of knowledge on how the airline industry works, the same people crop up usualy in the same genre as before ,the same aircraft are re-leased and reliveried, I have flown on the same aircraft in the colours of 3 different carriers.
If I were you I'd still be worried about the "mob" that rebranded BOAC
you are demonstrating your lack of knowledge on how the airline industry works, the same people crop up usualy in the same genre as before ,the same aircraft are re-leased and reliveried, I have flown on the same aircraft in the colours of 3 different carriers.
If I were you I'd still be worried about the "mob" that rebranded BOAC
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Oh excrab I'm sure.
Directors of the collapsed XL Leisure Group, which fell into administration last September leaving thousands of passengers stranded, have emerged as backers of Viking Airlines, a firm that will fly British passengers to and from the Continent this summer.
Less than six months after XL founder Phil Wyatt was filmed crying on TV, amid the collapse of the firm with debts of more than £100m, his new business Black Pearl Investments, named after Johnny Depp's ship in Pirates of the Caribbean, has taken a 50 per cent stake in Viking through its Icelandic operation, BPI Iceland Ltd.
Alongside Wyatt, Halldor Sigurdarson, XL's former finance director, and former XL director Magnus Stephensen, are backers of the new investment firm behind Viking.
A spokesman for Companies House in Sweden told The Independent on Sunday: "I can confirm the shares for BPI Iceland are represented by a Magnus Stephensen. In the latest minutes that we have received, a company called BPI Iceland owns 30,000 shares in Viking Airlines AB."
Mr Stephensen confirmed that BPI had taken a 50 per cent stake in the airline. From this summer Viking Airlines will fly British holidaymakers, after it struck a deal to sell flights in the UK through Meridian Aviation, a firm run by Jim Wyatt, the brother of Phil Wyatt.
Meridian also recently signed a deal to provide seats in the UK to Kiss Flights, which is run by Paul Moss, a former director of Freedom Flights, a subsidiary of XL Leisure.
In September last year Moss is reported to have said: "Phil was – and is – absolutely devastated by the collapse of XL and is absolutely not involved in Kiss."
An industry source said: "While I'm not suggesting for a moment that Phil Wyatt and the others have done anything wrong, the fact that they are emerging at the heart of the industry less than six months after XL failed will leave many feeling very uneasy."
News of Wyatt's re-emergence comes as many people continue to struggle to get their money back in the wake of XL's demise. Zolfo Cooper, handling XL's administration, has conceded that most creditors are unlikely to recoup their losses.
Meanwhile, figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers released today are likely to provide little cheer for the UK travel industry. In under two years, the number of insolvent tour operators/travel agents has increased by 50 per cent, with 15 going in bust in the final three months of 2008. But PwC's Ian Oakley-Smith, said: "With around 30 airline failures forecast over the next year, travel organisers operating under the Atol scheme will be expected to find alternative air travel for their customers. This could finish off a number of smaller companies."
But he added: "XL had 3 per cent of the market and its demise will have freed up share for other travel companies. As more become insolvent in 2009, this will benefit some of the larger players and the gulf between winner and losers will widen''
Taken from :XL directors take secret Viking stake - Business News, Business - The Independent
Directors of the collapsed XL Leisure Group, which fell into administration last September leaving thousands of passengers stranded, have emerged as backers of Viking Airlines, a firm that will fly British passengers to and from the Continent this summer.
Less than six months after XL founder Phil Wyatt was filmed crying on TV, amid the collapse of the firm with debts of more than £100m, his new business Black Pearl Investments, named after Johnny Depp's ship in Pirates of the Caribbean, has taken a 50 per cent stake in Viking through its Icelandic operation, BPI Iceland Ltd.
Alongside Wyatt, Halldor Sigurdarson, XL's former finance director, and former XL director Magnus Stephensen, are backers of the new investment firm behind Viking.
A spokesman for Companies House in Sweden told The Independent on Sunday: "I can confirm the shares for BPI Iceland are represented by a Magnus Stephensen. In the latest minutes that we have received, a company called BPI Iceland owns 30,000 shares in Viking Airlines AB."
Mr Stephensen confirmed that BPI had taken a 50 per cent stake in the airline. From this summer Viking Airlines will fly British holidaymakers, after it struck a deal to sell flights in the UK through Meridian Aviation, a firm run by Jim Wyatt, the brother of Phil Wyatt.
Meridian also recently signed a deal to provide seats in the UK to Kiss Flights, which is run by Paul Moss, a former director of Freedom Flights, a subsidiary of XL Leisure.
In September last year Moss is reported to have said: "Phil was – and is – absolutely devastated by the collapse of XL and is absolutely not involved in Kiss."
An industry source said: "While I'm not suggesting for a moment that Phil Wyatt and the others have done anything wrong, the fact that they are emerging at the heart of the industry less than six months after XL failed will leave many feeling very uneasy."
News of Wyatt's re-emergence comes as many people continue to struggle to get their money back in the wake of XL's demise. Zolfo Cooper, handling XL's administration, has conceded that most creditors are unlikely to recoup their losses.
Meanwhile, figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers released today are likely to provide little cheer for the UK travel industry. In under two years, the number of insolvent tour operators/travel agents has increased by 50 per cent, with 15 going in bust in the final three months of 2008. But PwC's Ian Oakley-Smith, said: "With around 30 airline failures forecast over the next year, travel organisers operating under the Atol scheme will be expected to find alternative air travel for their customers. This could finish off a number of smaller companies."
But he added: "XL had 3 per cent of the market and its demise will have freed up share for other travel companies. As more become insolvent in 2009, this will benefit some of the larger players and the gulf between winner and losers will widen''
Taken from :XL directors take secret Viking stake - Business News, Business - The Independent
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Gatwick to Banjul, The Gambia with Viking
Just got back from The Gambia. We flew Gatwick to Banjul with Viking. The flight was booked through The Gambia Experience so they obviously charter the flight from Viking. It was the first time we'd ever heard of or used Viking and, quite frankly, after reading this website I was very worried. It turned out that there was nothing to worry about. The flights were on time, the food was good, the staff were extremely friendly and efficient. The service (duty free and bar) had plenty of choice (both ways). We paid for extra leg room and got it! On the return flight each seat had a bottle of water on it (tell me any other budget airline which give them away free???). The only problem we had was when we landed in Gatwick and the steps didn't work so we had to wait about 20/30 minutes for the ground staff to bring new steps. Not really the end of the world!!! I would certainly use Viking again. 