Air Transat - talk to me.

[fatboy b]

We're looking at a holiday in the Rockies next summer with and arrival & departure from different Canadian cities (Calgary & Vancouver).

These guys are offering $517 (CAN) economy, and $1316 (CAN) business. Sounds a bloody good deal to me. So apart from all the jokes about taking your own fuel, what's people's experience, and is business wort the extra?

Ta.

ETA - bugger - that doesn't include the taxes.

Edited by fatboy b on Tuesday 12th October 13:07

[Puggit]

Think intercontinental charter experience and you won't be far wrong...

2 links for your perusal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_23...

http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/transat.htm

[fatboy b]

Puggit said:

Think intercontinental charter experience and you won't be far wrong...

hmmm - that bad hey?

[5potTurbo]

Air Transat is a fairly small French-Canadian airline

My grandparents, tight arses that they were, used to fly with them to visit one of my Aunts in Toronto
If I were you, low fares aside, I would avoid them.

[NismoGT]

Puggit said:

Think intercontinental charter experience and you won't be far wrong...

2 links for your perusal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_23...

http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/transat.htm

Seems to have pretty good reviews on skytrax.

If you want to see a consistantly st airline , look at Thomas Cook.

[fatboy b]

NismoGT said:

Puggit said:

Think intercontinental charter experience and you won't be far wrong...

2 links for your perusal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_23...

http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/transat.htm

Seems to have pretty good reviews on skytrax.

If you want to see a consistantly st airline , look at Thomas Cook.

Double bugger - they were the alternative to AT.

[Puggit]

Most of Air Transat's better reviews are for their premium products.

There are very few 'average' ratings - it's either good or bad. I refused to fly with them when I worked for a Toronto based company and ensure the company paid double to fly me on AC.

[NismoGT]

fatboy b said:

NismoGT said:

Puggit said:

Think intercontinental charter experience and you won't be far wrong...

2 links for your perusal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_23...

http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/transat.htm

Seems to have pretty good reviews on skytrax.

If you want to see a consistantly st airline , look at Thomas Cook.

Double bugger - they were the alternative to AT.

I flew with them Sunday. Never again!

[thatone1967]

the mrs has used them...not too good

try these guys

http://www.canadianaffair.com/

[louiebaby]

I'm looking to fly with them next summer. I'll follow this thread with interest. My thoughts so far are: "You get what you pay for."

I'm expecting an old plane, with about half a dozen screens dotted about, nothing per person, cheap food, no booze and ugly trolley dollies. At £252 per person cheaper than BA, I think it's worth it.

Canadian Affair, Air Transat and Thomas Cook all have different prices for flights leaving and arriving the same places at the same time when I checked the other night, so I suspect it's all one and the same.

[NismoGT]

louiebaby said:

I'm looking to fly with them next summer. I'll follow this thread with interest. My thoughts so far are: "You get what you pay for."

I'm expecting an old plane, with about half a dozen screens dotted about, nothing per person, cheap food, no booze and ugly trolley dollies. At £252 per person cheaper than BA, I think it's worth it.

Canadian Affair, Air Transat and Thomas Cook all have different prices for flights leaving and arriving the same places at the same time when I checked the other night, so I suspect it's all one and the same.

Thomas Cook have no inflight entertainment. The screens have been removed and radio systems in the arm rests de-activated.

You can rent a PSP off them for £10 though.

[fatboy b]

thatone1967 said:

the mrs has used them...not too good

try these guys

http://www.canadianaffair.com/

They point back to Thomas Cook for the flights I want.

Looks like a change of plan. Maybe a flight to and from the same place, and drive one way & train back.

[Thunderace]

thatone1967 said:

the mrs has used them...not too good

try these guys

http://www.canadianaffair.com/

Canadian Affair use Thomas Cook and Air Transat as their 'partners'.

We fly to Vancouver at least once a year (since 1996) and always book through Canadian Affair, it saves about £2-300 each over scheduled airlines that we'd rather spend out there.

Much prefer it when we get on an Air Transat flight rather than Thomas Cook, unfortunately both legs in August were with Thomas Cook and gave us serious 'never again' thoughts. The flight was packed, legroom felt worse than ever, worst in-flight meal I can remember, all drinks had to be paid for, every ounce of overweight baggage charged for at £10 a kilo, unfriendly staff. There was still seat-back inflight entertainment.

Not sure if our views will have mellowed by the time in comes to book for next year or if we'll stick with 'never again' and pay the extra for scheduled and have a brighter start to the trip.

[Markytop]

Am guessing you have seen this thread from the past?

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

See my comment within that about my experience of the "take your own fuel" comment.

If it comes down to a choice between slightly shorter legroom on a Thomas Cook flight, paying more for scheduled, or risking not having enough fuel, I think i would rather have cramp in my legs and wallet rather than an unscheduled stopover in Newfoundland or a potentially longer and wetter stopover a few miles short of Newfoundland

Of course, that was a few years ago now and practices might have changed. Part of me thinks it doesnt really matter which airline you fly with, there is the underlying risk with them all, its just some provide a greater air of confidence than others. I dont put Air Transat in that category though.

[Puggit]

With regard to AC - they've finished updating their fleet now, but if you do fly with them you can see what plane you are flying in when you book the tickets. Their 777s are comfier than most for economy

[Chilli]

These are the guys that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic in a practically new jet, aren't they? First the pilots were hailed as heros', then villains, can't remember which, or why.
I used to work with a guy whose father was a pilot for them....I know that doesn't help, just thought I'd mention it.

Anyways, you'll be fine!

[thatone1967]

Chilli said:

These are the guys that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic in a practically new jet, aren't they? First the pilots were hailed as heros', then villains, can't remember which, or why.
I used to work with a guy whose father was a pilot for them....I know that doesn't help, just thought I'd mention it.

Anyways, you'll be fine!

IIRC that was down the the ground "staff" loading llbs instead of kilos.

[Chilli]

thatone1967 said:

Chilli said:

These are the guys that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic in a practically new jet, aren't they? First the pilots were hailed as heros', then villains, can't remember which, or why.
I used to work with a guy whose father was a pilot for them....I know that doesn't help, just thought I'd mention it.

Anyways, you'll be fine!

IIRC that was down the the ground "staff" loading llbs instead of kilos.

That's right, but then when the dust settled they were hauled over the coals for not trusting their instruments that were telling them they were running dry.

[Puggit]

Chilli said:

thatone1967 said:

Chilli said:

These are the guys that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic in a practically new jet, aren't they? First the pilots were hailed as heros', then villains, can't remember which, or why.
I used to work with a guy whose father was a pilot for them....I know that doesn't help, just thought I'd mention it.

Anyways, you'll be fine!

IIRC that was down the the ground "staff" loading llbs instead of kilos.

That's right, but then when the dust settled they were hauled over the coals for not trusting their instruments that were telling them they were running dry.

You could always read my link in the 2nd post

[fatboy b]

Chilli said:

thatone1967 said:

Chilli said:

These are the guys that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic in a practically new jet, aren't they? First the pilots were hailed as heros', then villains, can't remember which, or why.
I used to work with a guy whose father was a pilot for them....I know that doesn't help, just thought I'd mention it.

Anyways, you'll be fine!

IIRC that was down the the ground "staff" loading llbs instead of kilos.

That's right, but then when the dust settled they were hauled over the coals for not trusting their instruments that were telling them they were running dry.

I think you're getting wires crossed here guys.

Air Transat A330 ran out of fuel mid atlantic following an incorrect bracket being fitted to a new engine that subsequently chaffed a fuel hose.

Air Canada B767 ran out of fuel on an internal flight following fuel being loaded in lbs, and telling the flight crew the figure, who assumed it was in kgs. And they had no fuel gauges.