Anyone Fly w/Sunwing Airlines before?

[jayjay13]

The reason I'm asking is they have a good deal on flights to Florida right now - Buy One Seat, Get 2nd Seat at 50% OFF on Toronto-Florida routes. Plus, prices start from only $89 roundtrip. Buy a Florida-Orlando roundtrip flight starting from $89, then add a friend at 50% OFF. That’s $135 for 2 or $67 per person. Taxes are an extra $205 per person. This BOGO offer is valid on roundtrip flights from Toronto to Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers and St. Petersburg. Travel is valid on select dates from Jan. 10 to March 3.

Has anyone flown with them before? What's the service like? How is the aircraft, seating, boarding, etc. We're a family of 5 (DH+Me+ Twin DD+Twin DS + Baby DS) and would like to fly to Florida. Is this deal even good for flights to Florida out of Pearson? Seasoned Canadian DISers please help me out.

OH, here's the link to Sunwing: http://www.flysunwing.com/default.asp

Thanks!

 

[happycamper83]

I haven't used them yet, but have tickets on a YYZ to FLL flight in a few weeks. They are a charter airline, which is why they aren't as common or as known - they also do all inclusive vacation packages, etc, and they're more known for that.

My impressions from what I read before booking my flights was fairly typical of any airline.. good and bad reviews, but decent overall. They are also "full service", where not all airlines provide that kind of service.. i.e. meals included in price.

 

[wdw-ocd]

We flew with Sunwing last summer from TO. It was a typical flight with a movie and a breakfast sandwich. The general service was ok. My only complaint was that they made us buy food for dd6 even though we'd pre-ordered a special meal for her but they didn't have it (She's allergic to dairy, nuts, etc.). Despite the stewardesses' attitude, I would go with them in a heartbeat 'cause it sure beats driving for 23 hours!

 

[kilmuir]

I am an avid traveller and usually go on about 3 vacations a year. For the past two years in a row I have travelled exclusively with Sunwing with my wife and daughter. After trying them once we won't go back to any other airline, if we can help it. Sunwing has great service. They actually give you free food, drinks, movies, headseats...what a novelty nowadays. they say that their fleet is the youngest in canada and all the planes are Boeing 737's with leather interior and tv's throughout. I can't understand why people would fly anyone else when the rest of them give you nothing and charge through the nose.
So far I have been to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Cancun and Punta Cana with Sunwing and all the flights have been great, so enjoy your trip.

 

[pl'smama]

We leave on Saturday and are flying with Sunwing. I have never used them before, however ,have had several good reports from others who have used them more than once. Apart from what everyone else has already said, they are much more affordable than other airlines. For example, when we flew down in Dec 2006 we paid just under $1900.00 for three us on AC. I was prepared to pay that much again this time. Our TA was able to get us three seats on Sunwing for, get this, $562.00 in total!!! That includes the meal etc... We are saving over a thousand dollars for the flight! That is just unheard of with other airlines. I also broke the cardinal rule and would periodically check the price on AC. For the same flight etc.. I saw AC go up to over $3400.00 for three tickets That is just disgusting in my book. It should be against the law to gouge like that.

So, go with Sunwing and enjoy using the savings on souvies. That is what I plan to do!!!

Suz

 

[OnMedic]

Our TA was able to get us three seats on Sunwing for, get this, $562.00 in total!!!
Suz

That is great for Canada! Our cut-off is usually $300 or less from Canada via legacy carrier or WJA, or else we run for the boarder! Usually we book $120-$170 each from BUF (except this March Break... ARGHHHHH) and "usually" $115-$130 each from detriot...

This march break all we could find is $218 from DTW!

 

[AZILLI]

This is my third time using Sunwing. Great airline, very good service. They actually haned out champagne this morning as their company was recognized for a business award. My only suggestion would be to make sure the plane is on time, as the flight leaving to Orlando is usully the plane that arrives from St John the night before. I was delyed the first trip. Subcribe to their email special. For the month of January, they had a seat sale for $29 down and 30$ return with tax $182/per person. Not an error $182/person. AC wanted 420/per person. You will love Sunwing.

 

[MontrealCuba]

The Sunwing Airlines flight from Montreal to Santiago (Cuba) on January 5th, 2012, was delayed by more than 7 hours. The delay was due to mechanical problem, as we were told, and the aircraft must have been changed. We arrived at the hotel after 4 am the next day. So we practically lost 1 vacation day out of 7, and it took a lot of time to recover from a sleepless night. Not a good way to enjoy your vacation.
The return flight was OK, except that there was no head set offered to listen to the movie played on small screens in the cabin.
When requested compensation from Sunwing Airlines, did not received a reply. There is no phone number to call customer service, only a website with email sender.

 

[minnie mum]

We have used Sunwing in the past for winter getaways (but not to Orlando) and have really enjoyed the trips. Well, as much as you can enjoy any air trip nowadays. We found the aircraft well maintained and the flight attendants courteous and attentive. We actually had champagne with our breakfast on our outbound flight!

 

[DutchsMommy]

We took advantage of the really great deals right now and are flying down Feb 8th. I pre-booked our seats and plane looks pratically empty so I am just hoping it doesnt get cancelled for any reason?! I am glad to hear the mostly positive reviews though.

 

[OnMedic]

Sunwing is a charter airline and fly as tight as possible on scheduling and aircraft to keep the price attractive... and stuff happens. However, if it was a mechanical issue, they should have responded in kind to you. I would suggest you get your agent all over them! We gave chased them down on behalf of our customers in the past with some response and compensation.

 

[petunia]

We fly with our 4 kids, and have flown Sunwing twice now, once to Orlando and once to Cuba. We LOVE the service. As posted above, free headsets, drinks, meals, hot towel and a chocolate; )...None of which we get when we fly AC or Westjet. They are also kind and helpful, and without paying for arranged seating seated the 6 of us together, where we have been split up with other airlines lately...Sunwing all the way!

 

[kwannabee]

I thought Sunwing was great...we travelled to Cuba, Dominican Republic and Jamaica with them, not to Florida though becuase flying out of Canada the prices were crazy, with them and any airline leaving from home

But anyway i thought the planes were comfortable and the food wasnt half bad actually, plus it was free Im flying this time with jetblue out of syracuse so ill be able to make a comparison afterwards, but from what i know i would definately recommend Sunwing!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Im flying this time with jetblue out of syracuse so ill be able to make a comparison afterwards, but from what i know i would definately recommend Sunwing!

I have flown with both airlines, and I assure you.......you will LOVE Jetblue , and you will LOVE the Syracuse airport .

The seats are MUCH roomier on the Jetblue planes. My 6' 4" hubby even managed to be comfy and not encroach on the people seated next to him.

The Syracuse airport is so much smaller and so incredibly easy to navigate much much MUCH more so than Pearson.

Awesome free snacks on Jetblue (as much as you want....cookies, chips, popcorn, animal crackers, juices, Dunkin Donuts coffee, pop, bottled water.....the list goes on).

The TV (with Direct TV service, 36 channels if I remember correctly) on every seat is soooo nice (Sunwing only has one drop-down screen every 5 rows or so, and no choice on what you watch.....one movie for the way down and one on the way home). It really makes the time fly by (pardon the pun ) while you're in the air when you can pick your favourite show and kick back and relax.

Plus, its very cool to track your journey on one of the channels (maybe channel 13?)....there's a live map that lets you know where you are, how high up you are, how fast the plane is travelling, etc.).

While we really liked the Sunwing staff, the Jetblue flight attendants were even nicer. Great sense of humour and efficient to a fault.

Add in the fact that you get to pick your seats when you book AND the big $$$'s you save over flying out of Toronto, and Jetblue wins for us by a landslide!!

 

[kwannabee]

Thanks Gina thats good to know! If the flights out of canada had been reasonable i would have gone Sunwing for sure, so Jetblue was my 2nd choice, and i took a quick drive to Syracuse to check out the airport so we'd know what to expect. As for the actual plane im glad to hear it will be comfy...its the first time my kids have flown and my oldest son is a little nervous actually hes really nervous

poor kid. So having a tv right in front of him will be great!

 

[My3kiddos]

It's good to hear positive reviews about Sunwing. They are now flying out of at least 3 US airports and we are using them to fly to Punta Cana. Booking is only available thru a vacation website, but the price is great. My question is would you opt for the premium seats or are regular ones ok? It's $10 each way to choose regular seats and $40 each way for premium seats (exit row or front of plane). I really like that we get 44lbs of luggage per person free. If we upgrade to premium we get an additional 22lbs free. I think me, youngest son, daughter, and my mom would be ok with the regular seats, but my fiance (6'3") and oldest son (6'8" and growing) would maybe need the extra leg room. What is your opinion? We have flown AirTran with no issues with leg room, but it was a shorter flight by about 3 hours.

 

[LittleFlounder]

I've flown with Sunwing twice from Toronto to Orlando and I really like them! I haven't had any issues with them. I have not booked the flights for our upcoming trip (in November), but when I do, we will likely be going with Sunwing!