Panam Revisited...

[MickeyMac]

I'm looking for reviews and experiences on Panam since last spring (2003/2004 travelers) We are considering for the first time ever, taking their Portsmouth, NH to Sanford, FL route. We know the bad, but also know a few folks who work there and the employees have worked hard to try and improve conditions, but I want input from actual travelers before committing. We would be traveling later this year. Thanksgiving timeframe.

It's convenient and easy (so isn't Manchester, but I'm really against the plane changes Delta has and Southwest isn't booking yet and won't be as cheap for Thanksgiving and I want our tickets now!! ) Plus, I'd really for once love a direct flight and be in my own bed just after landing for once in my life! LOL!

Thanks a ton!

 

[MickeyMac]

Bump.

Anyone?

 

[goofy4tink]

Not recently. About 4 years ago and we found it to be quite pleasant. Would fly them again if they flew out of Worc. again.

 

[CAP Aircrew]

I flew on Pan Am when it was in it's heyday. I think it is a safe assumption that the new Pan Am is not the Pan Am of old. That's not to say that it is a bad airline. Their fleet consists of 727's which have since been parked by the major carriers. The 727 (while older) is a great airplane to fly from a pilot's perspective. The majors parked them because they are too expensive to operate now. Pan Am for some reason seems to be doing okay by them.

If the price and timing is right, I would say go for it. There are many people who lwould ove to fly on a 727 (three holer) and the options are quickly becoming limited.

 

[MickeyMac]

What does a three-holer mean? My uncles outhouse is coming to mind and I'm sure you don't mean that...

I'm concerned with the safety of the plane, frankly. My husband is of being bumped. As we'd be flying over Thanksgiving, it would be near impossible to get an alternate flight should that happen, yet I can't find statistics on reliability over the most recent months. Just becuae my friend the mechanic says they are now great, doesn't make it so, know what I mean?

thanks for your feedback, it's very reassuring.

 

[CAP Aircrew]

A "three holer" is pilot language for the type of airplane. In no way is it meant in a derogatory manner and I should have explained this in my previous post. The 727 is referred to as a "Three Holer" because the 3 engines are mounted on the rear section of the plane. I've also heard pilots refer it to the "Porche" of the airways.

Quite simply, it was a fun plane to fly.

I would not question the safety of the airframe. Although the 727 has been around for quite a few years, they have been upgraded with newer engines and better avionics. The 727 has many useful years left on it.

A former member of my squadron was a pilot for Pan Am and loved flying the 727. Another current member of my squadron use to fly 727's for Continental and loved it.

I can honestly say that I've never heard anybody speak ill of the Boeing 727. It's a great plane and as I've mentioned before, many people would be thrilled to fly on it.

My last 727 flight was on United from Chicago to New Orleans. I would go on one again in a NY minute given the opportunity.

Enjoy your flight

 

[MickeyMac]

Wow, what a sweetie! Thank you so much!! (and don't worry about my interpretation - only someone who's worked on an old farm would have made the mental leap I did ) I feel a ton better about the stability of the plane now (as does DH.) Can I ask if you know anything or could point me anywhere to give me stats on how reliable their flights are? Like, do they cancel often or arrive late, that kind of stuff? I can find it on the major airlines, just not on Panam. We've flown Delta and Southwest for years, and trying out a very small airlines makes us nervous.

 

[MickeyMac]

Well, I guess I'm getting a first hand experience here... I went to book a flight - Nov 24 to Dec 5, which was most definately available four days ago, and it's been canceled. The one on the 23rd, too. When I called the reservations office, I was told they "...never used to work on Tues and Wed, oh well, guess they are going back to that." I thought she sounded rather flippant and rude, and asked if we were to book a Monday flight, what would happen to me then as I could have booked this flight four days ago and I'd be out of luck. She said "Well, *we* have to have days off too..."

This really bothers me a lot. I really want to call my friend and complain to him.

 

[Kristi1357]

I had some experience with them 2 years ago - and it was not good. Long story short, the people I was picking up in Sanford had to wait all day (8+ hrs.) in Portsmouth before they were flown down to FL. 8 hour delay and not very good service by the staff as they waited all day either. When I would approach the counter in Sanford, the employees would turn around and go into the backroom. I finally had to call the 800# from the pay phone in the baggage area to find out anything! I think our friends were only compensated with $100 vouchers or something - nothing else. They said they'd never use them again.

Again, this was 2 years ago, so maybe things have gotten better. I sure hope so. Although I believe they are still owned by the railroad company (Gilford maybe?? - I forget the name), but the railroad division also has a horrible reputation.

It sounds like you read about all the problems people had in years past. Also, my BIL was a mechanic there until last year. he would not even fly himself or his family on those planes for free! He said he wanted out before something happened to one of those flights on his shift.

I have no recent info - they could be 100 times better now. Hopefully someone on the DIS has some more recent info for you.

I also read your post re: Southwest. If it were me, I'd wait. I LOVE Southwest! And the drive to Sanford from WDW is about 40 miles. MCO is about half that distance.

Kristi
(sorry so long!)

 

[CAP Aircrew]

Unfortunately I don't know where to send you to get on-time performance information, etc. I checked www.faa.gov however Pan Am was not one of the airlines that they list.

Best of luck.

 

[CRCrazy]

We flew Pan Am last November, and had a fairly positive experience - although I am definitely a Southwest fan!

We flew on a Sunday - and our flight was the only flight out of Pease that day! They had an incredible number of security people on - there were four people at the one screening station!

They also inspected every one of our checked bags.

There were only about 35 people on the plane!

Both the flight there and back were on time - no troubles, but it was not the friendliest airline.

 

[Augustheather97]

we have flown them at least for 4 trips in recent years and have never had a problem....we love the convience of flying into portsmouth and only 15 minutes from our home.....I am flying them sat 3/13/04,,,,,,,and looking forward to it...always friendly

 

[Kristi1357]

Maybe they are getting better - very good news then!

 

[WDWPsychoALice]

cough cough...hi MM

welcome to the darkside MUAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[MickeyMac]

Why hello, PA darling... You crop up everywhere, don't you??

Kristi, about a year and a half ago, management really tried to shake things up service wise and everything reportedly did a complete about face and began really improving. I'm glad to see more recent flyers *have* been having a much better go at things. We've a friend who's a mechanic over there and he said things are much improved (and also supports a lot of what CAP said - that it's a great plane to work on and fly, and a lot of the parts coming in are brand new state of the art and actually more secure)

That said, I tried booking my flights - Wed to the following Sunday. The Wednesday flight disappeared, so I convinced DH to go down on Tuesday night. That flight also disappeared, as I was booking it. Thinking it was a computer glitch, I called reservations, only to be told "oops, not available - oh well, we never used to fly Tuesdays and Wednesdays anyways."

When I aske her if she was aware those are two of the busiest travel days in the year, she said "hey, we need days off too." I asked her what would have happened had I completed the booking three days before and she said "well, you'd have to fly out on Monday then."

It really irritated me. We were all set to go out on a limb and book with them, and she ruined the experience. I plan on calling the corporate offices this morning to complain.

 

[WDWPsychoALice]

UHHH YEA I do seem to be a little bit of everywhere!!

 

[Kristi1357]

I found out today that my sister & family are flying PanAm at the end of April (school vacation). Guess we can find out first-hand how they are now!