Aviation Discussion

[Aictos]

Never used Jet2, have used both Ryanair and EasyJet.

I prefer EasyJet tho, just wish they flew to more destinations from their Luton base eg increase flights on their once a day routes to twice or more.

Will be using them later this year along with BA as need to put in some air miles.

 

[flymo]

I'm all checked in and counting the hours until I take BA282 to Heathrow. As much as most of this very chilled-out city break has been fun, and I've never done such a relaxed tour of a city, I'm missing the UK and can't wait to see my Queen of the Skies in a little over 21 hours!

She's on her way to see you.. https://www.flightradar24.com/BAW283/2381e39b

 

[Tetchytyke]

Never been with Jet2, they look like a red Ryanair but with cheesy advertisements

Jet2 are largely a package tour operator these days, but the airline is good. Older planes than Ryanair or EasyJet, but you wouldn't necessarily know from the interior. And they're professional, very professional, and very well organised. Flying with them from Newcastle has always been a joy.

 

[jfollows]

I have probably used Jet2 more than any other airline in recent years because I visit family in Rhodes, flying from Manchester. They have been fine every time I've used them, met my expectations and not let me down. I used Thomas Cook for one of my flights last summer because the Jet2 flight was timed for a 6am departure which is too early for me, and Thomas Cook were fine also. Possibly someone else has taken over or will take over from Thomas Cook to give me a choice in future, but I'm flying there and back in April with Jet2 again this year.

 

[cactustwirly]

But with Jet2 they don't use a proper London airport like Gatwick, instead using Stansted like Ryanair, and they never use jetbridges like Ryanair, I think they also do their own baggage handling in house just like Ryanair.

easyJet at least use Gatwick which is much closer to London and miles better than Stansted, and they actually use the jetbridges at Gatwick and most other Airports.

 

[Techniquest]

How much closer to central London is Gatwick then compared to Stansted? Last I checked it wasn't *that* much difference, and I prefer Stansted to Gatwick personally.

This whole Jet2 discussion has me realising I've not flown with them since I did Cyprus in 2018. This really needs to change!

 

[mirodo]

How much closer to central London is Gatwick then compared to Stansted? Last I checked it wasn't *that* much difference, and I prefer Stansted to Gatwick personally.

Gatwick to Victoria is 26mi 47ch (c. 31 mins). Stansted to Liverpool Street is 36mi 67ch (c. 47 mins).

 

[cactustwirly]

How much closer to central London is Gatwick then compared to Stansted? Last I checked it wasn't *that* much difference, and I prefer Stansted to Gatwick personally.

This whole Jet2 discussion has me realising I've not flown with them since I did Cyprus in 2018. This really needs to change!

It seems like it's ages away from anything, and living West of London it's a lot further than Gatwick.

I don't understand? Stansted is an overcrowded hell hole that's been neglected for the last 20 years.
Gatwick whilst busy is less overcrowded, going through security and immigration there's much less queueing, plus they're refurbishing the North Terminal departures area as well.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Airport preference is always personal. I've no preference between Gatwick or Stansted and both are better than Luton. As for jetbridges, I don't like them for disembarking, they just slow everything down.

Jet2 are a hell of a lot better than Ryanair, but YMMV.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Airport preference is always personal. I've no preference between Gatwick or Stansted and both are better than Luton. As for jetbridges, I don't like them for disembarking, they just slow everything down.

Jet2 are a hell of a lot better than Ryanair, but YMMV.

It is indeed personal - I dislike both Gatwick and Stansted and prefer Luton - it takes too long to get through either of the former two, and Stansted is in the middle of a field nowhere near anywhere useful.

I do agree with you on jetbridges, though, I prefer steps to both doors, quicker and you get to look up and be impressed at the aircraft.

 

[Grumpy]

But with Jet2 they don't use a proper London airport like Gatwick, instead using Stansted like Ryanair, and they never use jetbridges like Ryanair,
.

Not true to state they never use jetbridges. It seems to vary with the airport eg mainly use a jetbridge at Malaga and mainly use steps at Leeds. As stated above using steps means you can load/unload quicker. However if it's wet and windy......

 

[YorkshireBear]

Jet2 expanded from North their London offering still isn't their bread and butter.

 

[Techniquest]

Gatwick to Victoria is 26mi 47ch (c. 31 mins). Stansted to Liverpool Street is 36mi 67ch (c. 47 mins).

Thanks, I had in my head it was only 32 miles to Stansted. Still, not bad really.

Passport/visa check will hopefully be reasonably soon, got to LAX's TBIT (or is it Terminal B? And why are some terminals numbers and others lettered?) at 1020 and desks open at 1305. Despite a screen saying earlier they'd open at 1210.

I *much* prefer Heathrow based on experience of LAX so far, and I hope San Francisco won't be this horrendously frustrating. Yes, those on Twitter will have already seen the big hint at my next adventure, and now so have you all reading this thread...

Krakow is of course coming up later this week first! However, the head's firmly in Trip Planning Process Mode while I wait in this queue, and there is a BA sale on at present too. Something tells me the magic plastic will be out on Sunday...

Now that LA is done and out of the way, bring on clearing another item from my Bucket List, Poland! Finally for now, Days 1-3 of the LA trip report are up over on techsworldfrenzy.wordpress.com for your reading pleasure

 

[matacaster]

Jet2 expanded from North their London offering still isn't their bread and butter.

For those who want to take a look at what an airline operating in God's own country, Yorkshire, offers.

 

[Bald Rick]

It is indeed personal - I dislike both Gatwick and Stansted and prefer Luton - it takes too long to get through either of the former two, and Stansted is in the middle of a field nowhere near anywhere useful.

I prefer Luton over Gatwick (just), with Stansted a distant last, somewhere behind Palma de Mallorca airport on a Summer Saturday.

As we’ve discussed previously, Luton is much, much improved since the rebuild. Lots of space, good facilities. All it needs is better access to the station....

 

[Bletchleyite]

As we’ve discussed previously, Luton is much, much improved since the rebuild. Lots of space, good facilities. All it needs is better access to the station....

And it is of course going to get that.

In the meantime you can use the regular Arriva bus to/from the "offside" of the station and avoid the scrum and surly staff, and it's cheaper too if I recall.

 

[Bald Rick]

And it is of course going to get that.

In the meantime you can use the regular Arriva bus to/from the "offside" of the station and avoid the scrum and surly staff, and it's cheaper too if I recall.

I missed the winking emoji!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I missed the winking emoji!

 

[Tetchytyke]

As we’ve discussed previously, Luton is much, much improved since the rebuild.

Ah to be fair, I moved away just before they started the work. I liked Luton because it was 10 miles from my house, but that was about it.

I always preferred Consett International Airport

 

[Bald Rick]

Ah to be fair, I moved away just before they started the work. I liked Luton because it was 10 miles from my house, but that was about it.

Funnily enough Luton is fairly local to me too. I’ll be using it again soon.

The rebuild has completely transformed it. I can’t rememebr when I last had to wait for more than 5 minutes to check in, or go through security, or go through immigration. For check in and immigration often there is no wait at all. Bags rarely take longer than 10 minutes to be delivered (even if you get through immigration without waiting). The ‘offer’ I departures is now very good, and there’s a lot more space.

What I will say is that it’s not particularly good from the outside, and has been been a building site in one form or another for nearly 5 years. The terminal extension, bus interchange, multi storey, second multi storey, and now the DART. Thankfully that will be over next year (although if Terminal 2 happens there will be more later in the decade). But then seeing as you might spend 2 minutes on the outside and 2 hours on the inside, I don’t think that really matters in the big picture.

 

[Techniquest]

Unless you're a smoker of course, then you spent hours outside and virtually no time inside if it can be helped Been there done that, thankfully not since September 2019 though

Luton, I too have praised it highly in recent months. Very good airport and once the rail link goes in it'll be even better. I just wish I could get bargain Advances to Luton Airport. I can to Stansted Airport, which is a good reason to rate it higher in the low fare airline airports, but it is what it is. Gatwick is similar, it costs me a fortune to get there most of the time so I don't bother.

Anyway, I survived BA282 quite well in the end, even in a middle seat. Tired and all that today mind, only a couple of hours kip had, and let's not comment on the low-salt 'breakfast' I got given. My Day 6 trip report will go on about that enough as it is...Generally though, not a great crew (the one lass on my side of the plane was right proper grumpy, the one serving the rows ahead of me was much nicer) unlike on the way over, who were far better.

More importantly though is that it was an almost perfectly smooth flight from start to finish. Great flight on G-BYGB, and tomorrow I jet off on BA872 0905 Heathrow to Krakow Currently enjoying a bargain windowless room at easyHotel Heathrow, catching up on all sorts currently then the plan is to get up by 6am, out the hotel by 0615, arrive Heathrow no later than 0645 (depends on bus wait times and traffic) and drop the bag off by 0715.

I even got a window seat (after I changed it) when I checked in this morning, did that as soon as I came out of the customs area! Bring on Krakow I say, although as some of you may have already heard I'm not going for the same reasons as when I booked...

 

[WestCoast]

Low cost is an industry term which refers to an airline’s cost base. It has nothing whatever to do with the fares.

Jet2.com will happily sell £800 returns to Tenerife during peak periods.

It still has low costs compared to legacy network airlines.

It may also be the next one to go pop in the U.K.

First flight with Jet2 was 15 years ago and I've always thought they were a very decent budget/leisure airline, I know they were pretty unknown out of the South until a couple of years ago. They used to have some quite grotty interiors on their old 757s I remember though. Strange to think that they were the little upstart in the mid '00s competing with Monarch and Thomas Cook and now they're the only real "leisure airline" left apart from TUI (ex-Britannia & Thomson).

I am regularly visting family in the Canaries and unfortunately I rarely find their fares competitive now against Ryanair and easyJet. I think they focus on the package holiday customers first and foremost, good for them if that's making them the money.

 

[Crawley Ben]

Turkish Airlines flight TK1997 from Istanbul to Gatwick was diverted to Cologne, Germany this afternoon after twice failing to land due to the strong winds (was mentioned me to by colleagues at Gatwick after it happened)

Just curious as to why Cologne was the airport chosen for the diversion given it must have been a further hour or so flying time away (at a guess) instead of diverting to another UK airport?

Cheers

Ben

 

[Bald Rick]

Turkish Airlines flight TK1997 from Istanbul to Gatwick was diverted to Cologne, Germany this afternoon after twice failing to land due to the strong winds (was mentioned me to by colleagues at Gatwick after it happened)

Just curious as to why Cologne was the airport chosen for the diversion given it must have been a further hour or so flying time away (at a guess)instead of diverting to another UK airport?

Cheers

Ben

Birmingham airport was fun this afternoon too. Several flights had go around, several gave up and went elsewhere. Interestingly the first to struggle was also Turkish Airlines from IST, TK1969. Passengers on the following 777 from Islamabad PK791 must have had some fun touring the West Midlands at 6000 feet before spending a few hours in Manchester, finally flying back to Birmingham 5 hours late.

 

[WestCoast]

Turkish Airlines flight TK1997 from Istanbul to Gatwick was diverted to Cologne, Germany this afternoon after twice failing to land due to the strong winds (was mentioned me to by colleagues at Gatwick after it happened)

Just curious as to why Cologne was the airport chosen for the diversion given it must have been a further hour or so flying time away (at a guess) instead of diverting to another UK airport?

Cheers

Ben

I could hazard a guess. I believe when choosing a diversion airport the pilots will typically consult their operations centre, they will typically want to land planes at airports where they have existing operations. If wind was reported an issue at a couple of UK airports the easiest option may be seen to be Cologne. Turkish Airlines has a lot more flights into Germany than the UK so may make life easier if they have to get a new plane or crew in service.

 

[Techniquest]

Sounds like I was lucky to land at 1022 yesterday! It was a bit breezy at half 2 in the afternoon and that was the last time I saw daylight, been in my hotel room since. Just as well from the sounds of it!

Also sounds possible I'll have disruption out of Heathrow today,so I'd best hurry up and get ready to go eh?

 

[AM9]

Not true to state they never use jetbridges. It seems to vary with the airport eg mainly use a jetbridge at Malaga and mainly use steps at Leeds. As stated above using steps means you can load/unload quicker. However if it's wet and windy......

I had a holiday booked in Madeira in 2017 using Monarch from Luton. 3 weeks before leaving, the airline folded so had to change flights. Agent got us seats on Jet 2, they even honoured the extra leg room seats of the Monarch flights. The departure time was better, 09:30 instead of 07:05, and despite the drive to Stanstead, avoiding the cynical depressing experience at Luton was well worth it. The only downside was the longish delay in getting the luggage at Stanstead. Jet 2 otherwise was similar to the Monarch experience.

 

[Mills444]

Evening all I just saw an Iberia A340 going over my house on IB3166 and I looked up and saw that a good couple of Madrid-Heathrow flights are A340's whereas the rest are A320's and just wondered if anyone knew the reason why.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Evening all I just saw an Iberia A340 going over my house on IB3166 and I looked up and saw that a good couple of Madrid-Heathrow flights are A340's whereas the rest are A320's and just wondered if anyone knew the reason why.

I believe it is due to cargo customers which are quite profitable. I think BA have some around the place too.

 

[Techniquest]

I believe it is due to cargo customers which are quite profitable. I think BA have some around the place too.

The exact reason why there's a 777 on one round trip with BA on the Heathrow to Madrid sector isn't it. I really want to do that run just for the novelty, no interest in Madrid whatsoever!

Did BA872 0905 Heathrow-Kraków this morning, absolutely no issues whatsoever on that flight. Pushed back 8 late, but a beautiful day for flying above the clouds and past the UK. Put the brakes on just 1 minute late, not bad whatsoever.

Had a decent crew too, better than the lot I had over from LAX. Sadly I already know they're not due to be on BA873 on Friday, so hoping to hit the jackpot and have an amazing crew.

G-NEOP was a winner and was a 321neo as advertised when I booked the trip. I must remember to order the 2020 spotting book soon too!