Does Thomas Cook gave a plane shortage?

[Groovee]

Just had a fabulous 2 weeks here in Orlando. Left the villa and had checked our Glasgow flight was on time. Got to the airport and it appears we have an 8 hour delay as our plane has been sent to Cancun.

Today's Manchester flight was seriously delayed coming out due to the Cancun flight being very delayed. They're due to arrive at 9.15pm. Our flight has been scheduled for 10.45pm.

Saw a whole load of people being put on buses outside. Not sure if they are the Manchester Thomas cook flight which is still classed with delay or if they were the Thomson Dreamliner passengers who have been advised to go to the Thomson desk.

For the last few weeks it appears the Manchester TC flight is running late because the flight which lands on a Friday am from Cancun is regularly late.

With all the diversions today of the plane from Glasgow being directed to Cancun and various other people reporting long delays as much as 2 days are Thomas Cook having issues with a lack of planes?

 

[Groovee]

Oh and despite all the delays the airport is dead. There is hardly anyone here.

 

[edinburghlass]

Fire at heathrow today on a Dreamliner, no passengers were onboard, which has caused delays across the country. I know Edinburgh had nothing flying to any London airport for quite a while as gatwick was taking the heathrow traffic due to land.

 

[edinburghlass]

Just on the news a thomsons flight to Orlando had to return to manchester

 

[Groovee]

I knew the Manchester Dreamliner had to return and the Heathrow Dreamliner fire had closed the airport but with all the delays Thomas Cook have had in the last few weeks, do they not have enough planes for the routes they offer?

 

[edinburghlass]

Which airport are you at? I've just tweeted Glasgow Airport and asked if they have any news on flights out of Orlando.

 

[Elise79]

Unfortunately most airlines don't have spare planes sitting around as they only make money when they are in the air.

Usually one day delays takes a while to catch up and these days most airlines are the same unless they have large fleets they can switch around.

Hope you are not too inconvenienced.

 

[Groovee]

We're at Sanford. We're due to leave at 10.45pm. Only another 4 hours ish. Been here since 11.30am and I've been up since 3.30am.

 

[2Tiggies]

We're at Sanford. We're due to leave at 10.45pm. Only another 4 hours ish. Been here since 11.30am and I've been up since 3.30am.

I hope you manage to get some sleep on the plane

On a positive note, we have some lovely Scottish summer weather to welcome you home this weekend

 

[gemmybear83]

My friend has been delayed at cancun for 48 hours - complete nightmare!!

She was delayed on the way out as well.

Hope you manage to get one soon

 

[flortlebap]

Sorry to hear that - it's probably the worst time to be delayed, you must be exhausted

Would they not foot the bill for a hotel so you could get some rest?

 

[Groovee]

We're now in Glasgow. The cabin crew were excellent. I do think the customer service was poor in Sanford from TC. It was just "you are delayed get toiletries etc out your main luggage and put in hand luggage!"

Glad to be home.

 

[sjfc99]

They've had a few of the A330s with technical problems over the last couple of weeks, and at this time of year when the fleet flies non-stop if something happens to a plane the whole thing falls apart like a pack of cards.

There was a Sanford- Glasgow flight delayed by 24 hours a couple Saturdays ago as it dumped hydraulic fluid allover the place. This then knocked on to a Glasgow-Las Vegas flight being delayed by 24 hours. The plane sent up to Glasgow on the Sunday left MAN late, and further delayed on leaving Glasgow as one of the engines refused to start. They then also had to bring in another plane for the folk from the Sunday coming home. The aircraft that went tech in Sanford on the Sat didn't fly home until the Wednesday.

 

[Groovee]

There was a Sanford- Glasgow flight delayed by 24 hours a couple Saturdays ago as it dumped hydraulic fluid allover the place. This then knocked on to a Glasgow-Las Vegas flight being delayed by 24 hours. The plane sent up to Glasgow on the Sunday left MAN late, and further delayed on leaving Glasgow as one of the engines refused to start. They then also had to bring in another plane for the folk from the Sunday coming home. The aircraft that went tech in Sanford on the Sat didn't fly home until the Wednesday.

The Sunday return flight to Glasgow was 49 hours delayed! Someone else I know was on it.

As we passed through immigration the woman said that she was surprised with the delay as Florida flights are never late! But recently I've seen a lot of delays going on with TC which is making me wonder.

One of the cabin crew was saying she was on the delayed flight which had her stuck for 2 more days. She said she really hopes she doesn't get allocated Cancun as all their flights are having delays.

 

[Toryn]

According to dare I say it other sites Thomas cook seem to be having lots of delays and regularly over the last week Doesn't seem to be a reason

 

[Groovee]

The Monday before we flew out one of the A330's had an engine malfunction at Gatwick I think it was and since before then their timings haven't been the best!

 

[zippy99]

As someone who has claimed over £2000 under the EC ruling for a delayed flight (with virgin - €600 x 4) I was inclined to feel that these airlines would be doing their best to avoid such delays as those compensation claims that have gone to court have won - with such a precedent now set I would have thought they'd be doing their utmost to avoid delays.

 

[2Tiggies]

As someone who has claimed over £2000 under the EC ruling for a delayed flight (with virgin - €600 x 4) I was inclined to feel that these airlines would be doing their best to avoid such delays as those compensation claims that have gone to court have won - with such a precedent now set I would have thought they'd be doing their utmost to avoid delays.

Yes, you'd think! I wonder (and don't know the answer to this) what percentage of folk actually do proceed with claims for delays like this and then follow them through to the end. That may have some bearing on the attitude of the airlines They are certainly attracting negative attention through the media with the recent incidents; it's not as though this was a once off isolated situation. Their timing is pretty bad too, given that so many those who book holidays, especially packages, often wait for the new brochures to come out and try book early .... and flights and flight inclusive packages' windows will be opening soon for next year's summer holidays. At best you'd think they would make a huge effort to take care of and give at least some compensation to those affected to offset the negativity with some positive reports.