Astraeus - What are they like?

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I'm flying with Astraeus on the 9th of August from MAN to AGP (Malaga). I was wondering if anyone has flown on them and what are your opinions. Is there a chance of going on G-BZZA? Does it have the standard Astraeus cabin or the Buzz cabin?

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[starbag]

Most MAN flights are on the purple seated joy that is ZA. Still has the buzz interior and white exterior. Catering is slightly different from the rest of the fleet due to smaller galleys. I fly out of LGW and after flying most of the charter airlines, I'd say our standard catering is up there with the best of them. What the catering is like on ZA I can't say. No inflight entertainment, so bring a good book, but having flown with several of the MAN crew, you'll have a mighty fine team of lads and lasses looking after you. Hope you have a great flight, and leave us your feedback at the website so we can make your next flight even better

[BAe 146-100]

Hi Starbag,

Thanks for your reply, I can't wait to fly on AEU! Do Astraeus have a in-flight magazine?

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Banana99]

Just make sure your captain isn't called Danny Plyne (or something like that). Had him twice now - both the worst landings ever, and we got struck by lightning and we had to swerve to avoid another aircraft that pulled out in front of us!!!!!

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I doubt if it was really that bad! I was at MAN on Sunday and saw G-BZZA coming in on 24R, it made a hard landing, touching down way past the touchdown zone. Although winds were very high so it wasn't the pilots fault.

BAe 146-100

[Gaza]

The above was a joke.

Danny Fyne (a.k.a. Capt PPRuNe) the owner of these boards, earns his living as a Pilot with Astraeus. As does (or at least did)Bruce Dickinson, one time lead singer with heavy metal group Iron Maiden.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0...812005,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...7/nbruce07.xml

[kopbhoy2]

Bruce is still very much the lead singer in the Maiden, currently on tour in the USA & their new album is out in the autumn...

[essouira]

I flew with them last month to Egypt and the cabin crew worked really hard to keep people smiling. They were excellent. The return flight was very badly delayed. Unfortunately, the travel company lied to us and did not let us know until we had our bags on the bus. That spoilt the return journey for most people as they ended up getting into LGW well after midnight after a miserable few hours in extreme heat. But,hey, you can't blame Astreus for that. Hope you have a good flight with them (the food is awful but show me a charted company where the food isn't !).

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Only 8 days to go until my flight with AEU! I read in Airliner World that Astraeus are planning to get a A330 or a 767 for long haul routes and a A319 for short haul routes. Does anyone know if this rumour is true.

Thanks!
BAe 146-100

[pinni]

astraeus

Dear Bae146-100

Hope you enjoy your flt with Aeu. I work for them, but am not on your flt.

Starbag is partly right. the interior is still very purple on ZA

The food however is standard on all our flights, the catering is very good in comparison to other charters, and you dont pay any extra!

The crew are all friendly, even Danny who is a FO!

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Do you get the breakfast that is on the AEU website.

http://www.flyastraeus.com/meals.htm

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[PAXboy]

Hey 146 - just to say: "I was at MAN on Sunday and saw G-BZZA coming in on 24R, it made a hard landing, touching down way past the touchdown zone."

Technically, a 'hard' landing means one that is VERY VERY hard. In other words, after such a landing, the a/c has to be inspected by engineers. What you saw may have been a 'firm' landing. Even if the pax thought it was 'hard' - it was not!

My reason for pointing this out is that, as this is a pilot's web site, those of us that are guests here must use their terms of reference for a hard landing. The subject has been discussed in threads in the TECH forum and others.

One thing that pilots do not like is pax making judgements on their landings, when they do not have the information to hand to assess why certain actions were taken. We have all got used to smooth landings and some times they are less so.

Before long, you will here the old line "Any landing where you can use the aircraft again - is a good landing."

[pinni]

food

Dear 146
Yes you do get the breakfast that is described. But dont get excited, it sounds better than it is.

You should see the pictures of our crew food, bears no resemblance to what we actually get.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Technically, a 'hard' landing means one that is VERY VERY hard. In other words, after such a landing, the a/c has to be inspected by engineers. What you saw may have been a 'firm' landing. Even if the pax thought it was 'hard' - it was not!

Yes it was "firm" landing. But it was excusable because it was windy.

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[PAXboy]

146: "But it was excusable because it was windy."

Uumm, 146, I think you missed the point. I was trying to (gently) say that it is not for us standing on the sidelines, who do not fly aeroplanes for a living, to 'excuse' anything that they do.

We may observe and ask questions but the process of landing a passenger airliner produces a blizzard of information and the pilot handling may have less than one second to weigh up a large number of factors. A slightly firm landing is nothing to comment about.

Many happy take-offs and landings and enjoy the trip later this week. Let us know how it went and what you thought.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

PAXboy, I know a slightly firm landing is nothing to comment on. I'm sorry if I offended anyone.

BAe 146-100

[Aksai Oiler]

I flew Astreaus last week to the "wonderful" city of Uralsk. Astreus seem to do the hop to the best places - Malabo, Etzion (know to you guys as Taba International), Uralsk, Murmansk to name a few, but I digress

The flight and service to Uralsk was faultless. The landing on the concrete pad runway was rough - but I can't blame that on the pilot because it feels the same in the Air Kazakhstan Yak 40, Yak 42 and 737-200.

Seem to remember one Flight Attendant in particular - the guy sat next to me was a Septic Tank who insisted that the food and ice had bacteria problems - but then again he could have been a relative of Michael Jackson ! But she just pulled him rotten and he deserved it.

Astreaus -

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Aksai Oiler, was the flight from LGW? How long was the flight? Was it a 737-700.

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[robmac]

Paxboy

Get back in your box and give the guy a break, not everyone who loves aeroplanes is lucky enough to fly them, but I am sure that anyone who spends a lot of time standing at the end of a runway is qualified to hold up score cards !!

I saw it once in Gib, when a Nimrod took four attempts to get in on a very windy day, the entire ground crew stood in front of the aircraft when it parked and held up score cards which said "luxemburg nul points".

aksai oiler

A man who knows Kazakhstan, tell me is Tescos still in business at the Czech camp ?. Next time try to let them route you through Almaty, and go for sunrise at Tequilas, the "views" are exquisite.

BAE 146

Personally the only airlines I am interested in flying these days, have flat beds that let you sleep from gear up till gear down. If this lot fly to Aksai, they are probably not at that end of the market. I understand your love of aircraft, but interest in in-flight breakfasts ? you are a very sad man

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

robmac, thanks for your comments . I haven't got a interest in in-flight breakfasts , I just wanted to know what food you actually get on-board .

Thanks
BAe 146-100