Aero Maleth Diversion
Here's the thing,
P&O simply have had to go to Maleth (who >? you may ask lol) as there are NO spare long haul charter aircraft anymore in the UK.
Why,
TUI have vastly increased their own Fly-Cruises with their Marella brand, thus leaving P&O up the creek this season.
P&O were hoping to use Virgin for extra Charters but this did not get going as we know.
TUI have also got 787 airframes in MX this winter to have major checks and cabin refurbs.
As for the Maleth bad reports of the 'soft product' yes true,
P&O could have simply arranged for an enhanced catering on the meals, and perhaps offered free drinks (but they maybe free already anyway?)
Also ensure a pillow and a decent blanket on each seat.
We used to have for our cruise flights for P&O, or Cunard logo headrest covers on the seats - All small things, but the Pax do notice.
Having no IFE is pretty Naff these days on a Long haul flight, but many folk will bring a book, and a Pad to watch content, but there is NO at-seat power
Historically in the past for these Fly-Cruise flights we had wide bodies from Monarch, Thomson/First Choice, Thomas Cook/Condor, BA (using charter 767-300's) and even Virgin Atlantic flying the many cruise ship charters to take pax out to their The Caribbean Fly-Cruises in the winter peak season to BGI, ANU, and SJU.
Great work then for the charter airlines in an otherwise quieter period.
Now there is simply no one that P&O can turn to as TUI do not have enough uplift for even their own, nor these flights.
P&O could buy in seats (bulk amounts) on BA and VS Scheduled flights but this costing even using the cheapest IT fares would likely be prohibitive for P&O to sustain in the long term.
Aer Lingus (MAN), and Norse (LGW), also fly to BGI but these schedules may not fit in with ''cruise ship day''.
So there we have it...
Edit - also Maleth fly their A330's in a very nasty 3-3-3 config at 345 Y (remember Monarch's A300's with 361 seats yuk)
P&O simply have had to go to Maleth (who >? you may ask lol) as there are NO spare long haul charter aircraft anymore in the UK.
Why,
TUI have vastly increased their own Fly-Cruises with their Marella brand, thus leaving P&O up the creek this season.
P&O were hoping to use Virgin for extra Charters but this did not get going as we know.
TUI have also got 787 airframes in MX this winter to have major checks and cabin refurbs.
As for the Maleth bad reports of the 'soft product' yes true,
P&O could have simply arranged for an enhanced catering on the meals, and perhaps offered free drinks (but they maybe free already anyway?)
Also ensure a pillow and a decent blanket on each seat.
We used to have for our cruise flights for P&O, or Cunard logo headrest covers on the seats - All small things, but the Pax do notice.
Having no IFE is pretty Naff these days on a Long haul flight, but many folk will bring a book, and a Pad to watch content, but there is NO at-seat power
Historically in the past for these Fly-Cruise flights we had wide bodies from Monarch, Thomson/First Choice, Thomas Cook/Condor, BA (using charter 767-300's) and even Virgin Atlantic flying the many cruise ship charters to take pax out to their The Caribbean Fly-Cruises in the winter peak season to BGI, ANU, and SJU.
Great work then for the charter airlines in an otherwise quieter period.
Now there is simply no one that P&O can turn to as TUI do not have enough uplift for even their own, nor these flights.
P&O could buy in seats (bulk amounts) on BA and VS Scheduled flights but this costing even using the cheapest IT fares would likely be prohibitive for P&O to sustain in the long term.
Aer Lingus (MAN), and Norse (LGW), also fly to BGI but these schedules may not fit in with ''cruise ship day''.
So there we have it...
Edit - also Maleth fly their A330's in a very nasty 3-3-3 config at 345 Y (remember Monarch's A300's with 361 seats yuk)
Does anyone have any info on Maleth 9H-MFS that had the diversion last week, last flight was from Bermuda to Manchester empty and was supposed to position from Manchester to Gatwick @17.00 today but it doesn’t look like it happened, is there still a question mark over this airframe?
Here's the thing,
P&O simply have had to go to Maleth (who >? you may ask lol) as there are NO spare long haul charter aircraft anymore in the UK......
As for the Maleth bad reports of the 'soft product' yes true,
P&O could have simply arranged for an enhanced catering on the meals, and perhaps offered free drinks (but they maybe free already anyway?)
Also ensure a pillow and a decent blanket on each seat.
We used to have for our cruise flights for P&O, or Cunard logo headrest covers on the seats - All small things, but the Pax do notice.
Having no IFE is pretty Naff these days on a Long haul flight, but many folk will bring a book, and a Pad to watch content, but there is NO at-seat power
......
So there we have it...
Edit - also Maleth fly their A330's in a very nasty 3-3-3 config at 345 Y (remember Monarch's A300's with 361 seats yuk)
P&O simply have had to go to Maleth (who >? you may ask lol) as there are NO spare long haul charter aircraft anymore in the UK......
As for the Maleth bad reports of the 'soft product' yes true,
P&O could have simply arranged for an enhanced catering on the meals, and perhaps offered free drinks (but they maybe free already anyway?)
Also ensure a pillow and a decent blanket on each seat.
We used to have for our cruise flights for P&O, or Cunard logo headrest covers on the seats - All small things, but the Pax do notice.
Having no IFE is pretty Naff these days on a Long haul flight, but many folk will bring a book, and a Pad to watch content, but there is NO at-seat power
......
So there we have it...
Edit - also Maleth fly their A330's in a very nasty 3-3-3 config at 345 Y (remember Monarch's A300's with 361 seats yuk)
I was tongue-in-cheek as to who are Maleth.
An old pal of mine who used to fly for Caledonian CKT and KT, was actually recruiting for experienced Cabin Crew last year for European & its associates to start ACMI pax charter flights.
However it seems the Malta connection has got the P&O contract.
I do recall the same operator and aircraft doing, separately, charters to the Formula 1 in Monaco (decent steaks and champagne), and for a car company staff shuttle between their UK and German locations (nothing, not even a glass of water).
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plenty of other Longhaul options, but MLT was clearly the chepaest and/or the one the selected broker could make the most money from.
As for soft product, not every airline has the same capability and skillset to procure and deliver enhanced products, if an Airlines raison d'etre is usually junking around ACMI flying for other carriers then it is unlilely MLT have the capabilities to get this set up, something else which could have been checked beforehand by those earning money out of these flights.
Theres a lesson for P&O here which hopefully they have heeded, and as for those involved who trumpeted the early few flights, they have gone remakably quiet since.
As for soft product, not every airline has the same capability and skillset to procure and deliver enhanced products, if an Airlines raison d'etre is usually junking around ACMI flying for other carriers then it is unlilely MLT have the capabilities to get this set up, something else which could have been checked beforehand by those earning money out of these flights.
Theres a lesson for P&O here which hopefully they have heeded, and as for those involved who trumpeted the early few flights, they have gone remakably quiet since.
plenty of other Longhaul options, (There is NOT) but MLT was clearly the cheapest and/or the one the selected broker could make the most money from.
As for soft product, not every airline has the same capability and skill set to procure and deliver enhanced products (Oh Seriously LOL!),if an Airlines raison d'etre is usually junking around ACMI flying for other carriers then it is unlikely MLT have the capabilities to get this set up, something else which could have been checked beforehand by those earning money out of these flights. (MLT has other A330's in their fleet with J Class seating for ACMI!)
There's a lesson for P&O here (Er, yes) which hopefully they have heeded, and as for those involved who trumpeted the early few flights, they have gone remarkably quiet since.
As for soft product, not every airline has the same capability and skill set to procure and deliver enhanced products (Oh Seriously LOL!),if an Airlines raison d'etre is usually junking around ACMI flying for other carriers then it is unlikely MLT have the capabilities to get this set up, something else which could have been checked beforehand by those earning money out of these flights. (MLT has other A330's in their fleet with J Class seating for ACMI!)
There's a lesson for P&O here (Er, yes) which hopefully they have heeded, and as for those involved who trumpeted the early few flights, they have gone remarkably quiet since.
Sorry, I do beg to differ, and as I posted earlier that there are simply no alternate UK based Long Haul wide body Charter options for P&O today...(Only TUI - and they cannot provide the uplift).
Virgin Atlantic who have previously flown many Cruise Ship charters Contracts seemingly they did not want this gig.
As for Flight Catering/soft product, WHBM concurs with me, that any airline can Contract with a Flight Kitchen and book whatever the paying Charterer wants (P&O Cruises in this case).
If P&O had chosen to go for decent enhanced Hot meals/plus Afternoon Tea, and Dinner/Hot Breakfast on the return homeward then they could have done this.
Both LGW and MAN have the full capacity to provide whatever the Airline and Charterer specifies for its Catering uplift and will pay for.
The A330's that MLT fly, do have ovens/galleys etc, and they are geared up for Legacy ACMI work with 2 A330's with both J and Y Class seating.
So what's the problem here?
The whole Contract stinks and the UK Travel Industry has been very critical of P&O's total flunk up here...
Thread Starter
Here's the thing,
P&O simply have had to go to Maleth (who >? you may ask lol) as there are NO spare long haul charter aircraft anymore in the UK.
Why,
TUI have vastly increased their own Fly-Cruises with their Marella brand, thus leaving P&O up the creek this season.
P&O were hoping to use Virgin for extra Charters but this did not get going as we know.
TUI have also got 787 airframes in MX this winter to have major checks and cabin refurbs.
As for the Maleth bad reports of the 'soft product' yes true,
P&O could have simply arranged for an enhanced catering on the meals, and perhaps offered free drinks (but they maybe free already anyway?)
Also ensure a pillow and a decent blanket on each seat.
We used to have for our cruise flights for P&O, or Cunard logo headrest covers on the seats - All small things, but the Pax do notice.
Having no IFE is pretty Naff these days on a Long haul flight, but many folk will bring a book, and a Pad to watch content, but there is NO at-seat power
Historically in the past for these Fly-Cruise flights we had wide bodies from Monarch, Thomson/First Choice, Thomas Cook/Condor, BA (using charter 767-300's) and even Virgin Atlantic flying the many cruise ship charters to take pax out to their The Caribbean Fly-Cruises in the winter peak season to BGI, ANU, and SJU.
Great work then for the charter airlines in an otherwise quieter period.
Now there is simply no one that P&O can turn to as TUI do not have enough uplift for even their own, nor these flights.
P&O could buy in seats (bulk amounts) on BA and VS Scheduled flights but this costing even using the cheapest IT fares would likely be prohibitive for P&O to sustain in the long term.
Aer Lingus (MAN), and Norse (LGW), also fly to BGI but these schedules may not fit in with ''cruise ship day''.
So there we have it...
Edit - also Maleth fly their A330's in a very nasty 3-3-3 config at 345 Y (remember Monarch's A300's with 361 seats yuk)
P&O simply have had to go to Maleth (who >? you may ask lol) as there are NO spare long haul charter aircraft anymore in the UK.
Why,
TUI have vastly increased their own Fly-Cruises with their Marella brand, thus leaving P&O up the creek this season.
P&O were hoping to use Virgin for extra Charters but this did not get going as we know.
TUI have also got 787 airframes in MX this winter to have major checks and cabin refurbs.
As for the Maleth bad reports of the 'soft product' yes true,
P&O could have simply arranged for an enhanced catering on the meals, and perhaps offered free drinks (but they maybe free already anyway?)
Also ensure a pillow and a decent blanket on each seat.
We used to have for our cruise flights for P&O, or Cunard logo headrest covers on the seats - All small things, but the Pax do notice.
Having no IFE is pretty Naff these days on a Long haul flight, but many folk will bring a book, and a Pad to watch content, but there is NO at-seat power
Historically in the past for these Fly-Cruise flights we had wide bodies from Monarch, Thomson/First Choice, Thomas Cook/Condor, BA (using charter 767-300's) and even Virgin Atlantic flying the many cruise ship charters to take pax out to their The Caribbean Fly-Cruises in the winter peak season to BGI, ANU, and SJU.
Great work then for the charter airlines in an otherwise quieter period.
Now there is simply no one that P&O can turn to as TUI do not have enough uplift for even their own, nor these flights.
P&O could buy in seats (bulk amounts) on BA and VS Scheduled flights but this costing even using the cheapest IT fares would likely be prohibitive for P&O to sustain in the long term.
Aer Lingus (MAN), and Norse (LGW), also fly to BGI but these schedules may not fit in with ''cruise ship day''.
So there we have it...
Edit - also Maleth fly their A330's in a very nasty 3-3-3 config at 345 Y (remember Monarch's A300's with 361 seats yuk)
Thread Starter
Sorry, I do beg to differ, and as I posted earlier that there are simply no alternate UK based Long Haul wide body Charter options for P&O today...(Only TUI - and they cannot provide the uplift).
Virgin Atlantic who have previously flown many Cruise Ship charters Contracts seemingly they did not want this gig.
As for Flight Catering/soft product, WHBM concurs with me, that any airline can Contract with a Flight Kitchen and book whatever the paying Charterer wants (P&O Cruises in this case).
If P&O had chosen to go for decent enhanced Hot meals/plus Afternoon Tea, and Dinner/Hot Breakfast on the return homeward then they could have done this.
Both LGW and MAN have the full capacity to provide whatever the Airline and Charterer specifies for its Catering uplift and will pay for.
The A330's that MLT fly, do have ovens/galleys etc, and they are geared up for Legacy ACMI work with 2 A330's with both J and Y Class seating.
So what's the problem here?
The whole Contract stinks and the UK Travel Industry has been very critical of P&O's total flunk up here...
Virgin Atlantic who have previously flown many Cruise Ship charters Contracts seemingly they did not want this gig.
As for Flight Catering/soft product, WHBM concurs with me, that any airline can Contract with a Flight Kitchen and book whatever the paying Charterer wants (P&O Cruises in this case).
If P&O had chosen to go for decent enhanced Hot meals/plus Afternoon Tea, and Dinner/Hot Breakfast on the return homeward then they could have done this.
Both LGW and MAN have the full capacity to provide whatever the Airline and Charterer specifies for its Catering uplift and will pay for.
The A330's that MLT fly, do have ovens/galleys etc, and they are geared up for Legacy ACMI work with 2 A330's with both J and Y Class seating.
So what's the problem here?
The whole Contract stinks and the UK Travel Industry has been very critical of P&O's total flunk up here...
Thread Starter
On a mundane level, P&O needed every possible seat, so even if a 242 configuration was available, the 3-3-3 layout would have been required.
Last edited by wowzz; 5th Jan 2024 at 15:01.
When we arrived in BGI (Sat 18th Nov) and when we left (Sat 2nd Dec) there was a scheduled Norse 789 (from LGW) on the ground on both occasions, so the timing of their flights might be of use to P&O.
However, FR24 currently shows that another A332 9H-EFS is currently en-route LGW-BGI as MLT1972 (for the first rotation of the weekend, albeit 2hrs down), so will presumably operate tomorrows flight also?
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Thread Starter
That's my understanding also, from people I spoke to on-board Britannia who had flown Maleth. The catering doesn't seem to be the focus of complaints.
When we arrived in BGI (Sat 18th Nov) and when we left (Sat 2nd Dec) there was a scheduled Norse 789 (from LGW) on the ground on both occasions, so the timing of their flights might be of use to P&O.
However, FR24 currently shows that another A332 9H-EFS is currently en-route LGW-BGI as MLT1972 (for the first rotation of the weekend, albeit 2hrs down), so will presumably operate tomorrows flight also?
When we arrived in BGI (Sat 18th Nov) and when we left (Sat 2nd Dec) there was a scheduled Norse 789 (from LGW) on the ground on both occasions, so the timing of their flights might be of use to P&O.
However, FR24 currently shows that another A332 9H-EFS is currently en-route LGW-BGI as MLT1972 (for the first rotation of the weekend, albeit 2hrs down), so will presumably operate tomorrows flight also?
Certainly Norse flights have been operating out of LGW recently, in place of MAH flights.
Possible that could've changed, but for today (according to what I can currently see on FR24) there are 5 Tui 787 and 2 Maleth 330's making their way from the UK to BGI (for P&O). It should be the same pattern of operation tomorrow, as the ship turn-around is done over 2 days.
Last edited by Wycombe; 5th Jan 2024 at 19:54.
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Thread Starter
Don't think so. On the day we left the ship, we were given a list of flights and report times/places to meet onboard. Norse was not listed.
Possible that could've changed, but for today (according to what I can currently see on FR24) there are 5 Tui 787 and 2 Maleth 330's making their way from the UK to BGI (for P&O).
It should be the same pattern of operation tomorrow, as the ship turn-around is done over 2 days.
Possible that could've changed, but for today (according to what I can currently see on FR24) there are 5 Tui 787 and 2 Maleth 330's making their way from the UK to BGI (for P&O).
It should be the same pattern of operation tomorrow, as the ship turn-around is done over 2 days.
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As we have already discussed, the soft product on a charter is wholly down to the charterer, though I think some like to try and palm off poor experiences onto their selected airline operator.
I do recall the same operator and aircraft doing, separately, charters to the Formula 1 in Monaco (decent steaks and champagne), and for a car company staff shuttle between their UK and German locations (nothing, not even a glass of water).
I do recall the same operator and aircraft doing, separately, charters to the Formula 1 in Monaco (decent steaks and champagne), and for a car company staff shuttle between their UK and German locations (nothing, not even a glass of water).
I'm not at LGW but from what I can see on FR24, it looks like 9H-MFS was pushed back (at around 11am) but has returned to stand!
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