TCD Flights

[Queenie]

Ok, I keep hearing things about TCD flights, about how bad they are right now. Let's do a quick poll here: if you have flown with TCD in the last few months (say, since June) vote if you were happy or not with the service and flight. Should provide some interesting reading, especially for those of us due to fly with TCD soon!

 

[ely3857]

Hiya

Flew with TCD 28th July.

Had a bit of a delay on way there as baggage hold wouldnt shut properly but as they were so slow in boarding we werent sat waiting too long.

Had an hour or so delay on way back due to a tech fault but they did keep us informed of this.

All in all a cheap & cheerfull flight. We valued the extra leg room and the delays were really minimal and we made time up on the way back.

7/10 For plane (Air Atlanta - clean but a bit tired looking)
8/10 For food
9/10 For price



Jodie

 

[lucy_love_]

fantastic idea queenie

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I think there is the potential for incorrect impressions with threads like this, because it is only human narture for those people who have had a bad time to want to contribute compared to those whose travel was uneventful. This could easily give a false impression of the potential for delays, causing unnecessary worry for those about to head off to Orlando.

Regards

Rob

 

[we*luv*orlando!!]

Hiya

Flew with TCD 28th July.

Had a bit of a delay on way there as baggage hold wouldnt shut properly but as they were so slow in boarding we werent sat waiting too long.

Had an hour or so delay on way back due to a tech fault but they did keep us informed of this.

All in all a cheap & cheerfull flight. We valued the extra leg room and the delays were really minimal and we made time up on the way back.

7/10 For plane (Air Atlanta - clean but a bit tired looking)
8/10 For food
9/10 For price



Jodie

We also flew out on 28th July from Gatwick - Excel flights. I would agree with these comments. One hour delay going, two hour delay coming back but Excels service was better than Virgins in our opinion, kept us well supplied with drinks and food was fine. Cheap and cheerful and left us with more money in our pockets to spend. I did admit to feeling a little smug as I sat there in my £489 seat thinking about those who upgrade to Sunshine first or go with Virgin or BA - it's the same journey, does spending hundreds more really enhance it that much?

Toni

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

it's the same journey, does spending hundreds more really enhance it that much?

Yes,

Regards

Rob

 

[nicknsara]

sorry rob i have to disagree with you for a change.

surely the idea of a poll is to see what people think and give ther honest opinions?.there are four different catagories so most people can find one which suits them.

if its the last one service etc they vote for it.surely people have the choice rob?

however i do agree rob that sometimes TCD do get a bad press for tech things which theyt cannot control causeing long delays.

i think its the service thing rob not the delays.

of me soap box


nick n sara

 

[we*luv*orlando!!]

Hi Rob

Surely that piccie is not a TCD airline! I thought I had seen it in a BA advert (who BTW I would never travel with after the last 3 summers of strikes). Out of interest how much would a seat like that cost on a summer Orlando flight?

Cheers

Toni

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Hi Rob

Surely that piccie is not a TCD airline! I thought I had seen it in a BA advert (who BTW I would never travel with after the last 3 summers of strikes). Out of interest how much would a seat like that cost on a summer Orlando flight?

Cheers

Toni

We prefer the Virgin seat, its longer and wider than the BA "copy" plus you get a sleep suit to wear
Its certainly worth it, tons of leg room, superb food, and on the way back a decent sleep meaning that when I pick up the car and drive the 150 or so miles, I am not trying desperatly to keep my eyes open!
In November it costs me around £3,000 for two adults and a child.
Plus of course, the clubhouse at Gatwick and the Delta club room at MCO

[/IMG]

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

sorry rob i have to disagree with you for a change.

surely the idea of a poll is to see what people think and give ther honest opinions?.there are four different catagories so most people can find one which suits them.

if its the last one service etc they vote for it.surely people have the choice rob?

however i do agree rob that sometimes TCD do get a bad press for tech things which theyt cannot control causeing long delays.

i think its the service thing rob not the delays.

of me soap box


nick n sara

I agree that service is important, but unfortunately the poll asked about service AND delays. We can get full information about delays of all the airlines flying to Orlando direct from the CAA (I posted average punctuality rates in a different thread a few weeks ago). Getting the info this way means that you get a full picture, not a partial picture from people who may be motivated to post negative comments, understandably, because of a bad experience they've had.

I agree with you about sharing comments on service. This can be useful, although again it should be taken with a small pinch of salt because those people who had a satisfactory but unremarkable experience probably won't add any comments.

Regards

Rob

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

We prefer the Virgin seat, its longer and wider than the BA "copy" plus you get a sleep suit to wear

Surely you mean the Virgin "copy" as the BA Club World seat was introduced a long time before Virgin's suites?

If I'm travelling by myself I prefer the Virgin seat (although both are wonderfully comfortable), but if I'm travelling with Jane I much prefer the BA seating arrangement as it means we can actually see each other to talk. The Virgin suite does feel a little bit like you are in solitary confinement!

Regards

Rob

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Hi Rob

Surely that piccie is not a TCD airline! I thought I had seen it in a BA advert (who BTW I would never travel with after the last 3 summers of strikes). Out of interest how much would a seat like that cost on a summer Orlando flight?

Cheers

Toni

No, you're right Toni, it's BA's Club World seat. Not entirely sure how much it costs because we've only ever travelled in Club to Orlando when using Airmiles to pay for the seats (mostly collected via Tesco and my Amex card). At a guess I would say somewhere between £1,000 and £1,500 per adult.

Regards

Rob

 

[Queenie]

Sure the seat looks great but I pay £1,000 for my entire holiday!!! Flights, car, insurance, accomodation, park tickets, food, souvenirs - the lot!!! There's no way I'd ever pay that for a seat unless I won the lottery and had money to burn. On the flight out I'm so excited that I'm barely aware of the seat, on the way back I'm knackered so the same thing applies. Plus as I'm so short I have more than enough legroom. Last year when we were on an Air Atlanta plane, the seat was incredibly comfy, even though the plane was pretty old looking. I was perfectly happy.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Sure the seat looks great but I pay £1,000 for my entire holiday!!! Flights, car, insurance, accomodation, park tickets, food, souvenirs - the lot!!! There's no way I'd ever pay that for a seat unless I won the lottery and had money to burn. On the flight out I'm so excited that I'm barely aware of the seat, on the way back I'm knackered so the same thing applies. Plus as I'm so short I have more than enough legroom. Last year when we were on an Air Atlanta plane, the seat was incredibly comfy, even though the plane was pretty old looking. I was perfectly happy.

Then thank God we are all different! I do get fed up of people who think that cheap is the only way to go and that to pay more is "money to burn" I work hard for my vacations, and if I want to go the best that that's what I will do.
Quite frankly I take the opposite view. If you cannot afford to go in style, then don't go at all. Go to Spain or Margate.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Surely you mean the Virgin "copy" as the BA Club World seat was introduced a long time before Virgin's suites?

If I'm travelling by myself I prefer the Virgin seat (although both are wonderfully comfortable), but if I'm travelling with Jane I much prefer the BA seating arrangement as it means we can actually see each other to talk. The Virgin suite does feel a little bit like you are in solitary confinement!

Regards

Rob

that's what i love about it My own personal space without having to talk to the wife unless I want to
We normally go for 6A, 6K and 7A as the two 6's are pretty close anyway, so the wife can keep a check on the little 'un and I can wear my Bose headphones blissfully unaware of anything <grin>

BA's seat wasn't full flat, but a cradle style as far as I recall on the MCO flights?

 

[jen_uk]

that's what i love about it My own personal space without having to talk to the wife unless I want to
We normally go for 6A, 6K and 7A as the two 6's are pretty close anyway, so the wife can keep a check on the little 'un and I can wear my Bose headphones blissfully unaware of anything <grin>

Im glad you are not my husband!!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Im glad you are not my husband!!

Mee too!

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

BA's seat wasn't full flat, but a cradle style as far as I recall on the MCO flights?

No, all the B777s used on the Tampa & Orlando routes were converted last winter (Miami has had fully flat beds for a long time). It's New Club World on all flights to Florida now.

How good are the Bose headphones? I've never tried a pair (tend not to be too bothered with noise) and I'm interested if they are as good as the marketing claims.

Regards

Rob

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

The Bose are excellent.
the sound quality is superb, but what I really like about them is that you can remove the plug and lead, still switch them on and use them to eliminate that aircraft noise whilst reading or dozing
The plug comes with many adaptors for various sockets.

I got them at Premium Outlet mall, with a free Bose CD player

 

[Frances999]

We prefer the Virgin seat, its longer and wider than the BA "copy" plus you get a sleep suit to wear
Its certainly worth it, tons of leg room, superb food, and on the way back a decent sleep meaning that when I pick up the car and drive the 150 or so miles, I am not trying desperatly to keep my eyes open!
In November it costs me around £3,000 for two adults and a child.
Plus of course, the clubhouse at Gatwick and the Delta club room at MCO

Ditto. I've said it before, Virgin's UCS far exceeds the quality of BA IMO. The conversion to the sleeper bed is much more comfortable (and actually like a bed) in comparison with the BA version which still has the slightly uncomfortable feel of a chair even when fully flat. We have always had 5* service from Virgin as well, and the clubhouse is an excellent way to start the journey. We only travel UC when it is just DH and I, but I have enough flying club miles for our next Orlando trip, so all five of us can travel UC

Have you heard about a change for the overnight flights Obi Won Kenobi? I read something on the VA website about 'Good Night Flights' - what exactly is this? Thanks.