3/28/2008 at 2:51 PM
Tags: Ryanair, LCCs, Flight Reviews, Airline Reviews (all tags)
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Ryanair may have a smokin' hot cabin crew but that does little to placate the increasing number of Treviso-bound passengers who are being re-routed to other airports to land.
The main excuses are fog, rain and low visibility. Instead of landing at Treviso, flights are sent all over Northern Italy and then passengers are bussed back. The most frequent detour seems to be to Brescia (2 hour bus ride away).
University of London student, Patrick Kendrick, gives us the play by play from his recent $125 London to Treviso (to Brescia) flight:
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by CourtScott
3/25/2008 at 2:05 PM
Tags: Skybus, Flight Reviews, Airline Reviews (all tags)
Chicago Tribune reporter John Hilkevitch recently braved sampled Skybus' service--now once-daily to Greensboro, NC--from Gary Airport "outside of Chicago" (in Gary, IN). The Trib's got two of his videos up, plus a written review. Just like Skybus itself, Hilkevitch's praise is simple and to-the-point.
He knows that the shilling onboard is, in fact, ridiculous (though he has a "soft spot for the beef jerky"), but was pleased enough, given the low fare and early arrivals:
On the day I booked the airfare on the Internet, the same non-stop itinerary to Greensboro from O'Hare International Airport was $756.48 on United Airlines and $1,118.97 on US Airways. And neither of those serves beef jerky.
It also didn't hurt that both my outbound and inbound flights landed 20 minutes early—and the two United flights to O'Hare were listed as delayed.
So what's in the trip to Greensboro for tourists from the Chicago area? Sayeth the report: "There are some connecting flights [in Greensboro] to places that people may actually want to go..." Hee. (He does later call Greensboro "beautiful.")
Related Stories:
· It's no flight of fancy... [Chicago Tribune]
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]
by djk
3/19/2008 at 2:30 PM
Tags: Virgin America, Flight Reviews, Airline Reviews, Joe Sharkey (all tags)
It's true. We enjoy Virgin America. The airline's got high-quality entertainment, fun-but-classy crews, low prices and, most importantly, flies where we do. But enough about us. What does grizzled airline reporter Joe Sharkey think?
I was in no mood for a bad trip when I left for a 7 a.m. Virgin America flight to New York. And I didn't get one...The biggest surprise was the seat, which had 55 inches of legroom, compared with the typical 40 inches or less in first-class cabins on most domestic narrow-body flights
The in-flight service was excellent...The in-seat entertainment system had live television and on-demand selections that included about three dozen movies.
Beyond the run-down of the first class experience, Sharkey reports that in-flight WiFi won't be available until fall. Also coming this year are two cities "east of the Mississippi." Let's see: Chicago, Boston and Miami. That's three cities isn't it?
Related Stories:
· A Cross-Country Flight That Can Cure a Bad Mood [NYT]
· Virgin America Flight Reviews [Jaunted]
· Flight Reviews coverage [Jaunted]
by pbb
9/24/2007 at 9:45 AM
Tags: Airline Reviews, Flight Reviews, Silverjet, All Business Class Carriers (all tags)
Many pundits like all-business-class Silverjet for its valet service, which lets customers drive up to the curb, hand off their keys, wait inside and have their boarding passes delivered directly to them in the waiting area. The quick check-in process is a major plus, too: Most passengers say it takes less than 10 minutes from ticket counter to departure gate. But when it comes to on-time flights and cancellations, Silverjet's hardly the best.
It seems a number of travelers have had legs of their trips canceled as the relatively new airline works to get itself off the ground. And while alternative options are usually offered, they aren't always convenient. Here's FlyerTalker herbchris53's experience, after one of the airline's planes had to be taken out of service:
A few months ago, I was going to book a JFK-LHR flight with BA in June/July, when I saw an ad for SilverJet offering a free segment for NYC-LON flights. I booked with SilverJet instead. $1084 return - hooray!
They just called me to say that the 16:45 return flight I booked is "no longer available" and I can take the 10:00 that day or the 16:45 the next day. My schedule does not permit either, so now 24 days before departure, I have to start looking for a new flight.
I guess that's what you get from an operator with a handful of planes.
If you're willing to take the risk, this can be an affordably classy way to fly. But if arriving on time and avoiding canceled flights is a chief concern, it may be best to book elsewhere.
Related Stories:
· One reason not to fly SilverJet [FlyerTalk]
· Silverjet Expanding to Dubai [Jaunted]
· Silverjet's Girl-on-Girl Lav Action [Jaunted]
by jnaw
8/21/2007 at 11:35 AM
Tags: Flight Reviews, Airline Reviews, Allegiant Air (all tags)
Allegiant Air recently announced a laundry list of new non-stop flights to Phoenix from Midwest hot spots like Missoula and Rapid City. Deep discounts and on-time departures mean travelers will be lining up for tickets in no time. Here is what a customer we contacted said about their experience with Allegiant Air knows how to please its passengers:
Price and super friendly service are the two major things that stick out. Plus they were actually on time.
We have also heard stories where even disgruntled customers are happy with with the carrier's top-notch customer service. Rare indeed.
Smiling representatives with Can-Do attitudes who are eager to help? We didn't believe it until we heard these Allegiant Air stories either.
Have you flown on Allegiant Air? Let us know your thoughts on the Allegiant Air experience here.
Related Stories:
· Allegiant Air [Official Site]
[Photo: Allegiant Air]
by jnaw
8/13/2007 at 9:49 AM
Tags: Virgin America, Flight Reviews, Airline Reviews (all tags)
We were on Virgin America's inaugural flight last Wednesday from JFK to SFO, and posted a full report last week. However, many of our readers wanted to know how Virgin America would perform once revenue flights were up and running.
Fair enough. With that in mind we arrived at the SFO international terminal last Friday night to board a 9:10 PM Virgin America flight to JFK, scheduled to arrive at 5:45 AM the next day. What did we find? Lots. As a caveat we would add that Virgin America is a brand new airline, and it just so happens to have the best cabin slash in-flight features we have seen on an airline. With that in mind, you should know we are rooting for them. We too want air travel in the U.S. to be a pleasant experience.
Ok, enough, here is our Virgin America flight review.
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by markj
8/07/2007 at 10:45 AM
Tags: Airline Reviews, Oasis Hong Kong, Airlines, Flight Reviews (all tags)
We rarely see airlines getting consistent four-star reviews these days. Maybe that's why Oasis Hong Kong Airlines caught our eye: Dozens of customers are talking up the carrier for providing seamless service and amenities that--these days--have gone by the wayside.
Just listen to this:
We have come to the conclusion that this airline is good - not because it is low cost, but because it is good. The service on board was at least equal to that which I have received on occasions in business class on BA, attentive staff who addressed you by name and customer focused. The seats were comfortable ... and both flights took off on time...We had what could have amounted to a three course meal, and with plentiful liquid refreshment we wanted for nothing ... An excellent service for an affordable price.
Another reason we took note?
Flew out to Honk Kong, flight left on time with no hitches. Hot meal served shortly after takeoff. Watched a couple of films, both about six months old. Breakfast served about two hours before touchdown. Flight crew attentive and helpful. Water was freely available and most soft drinks etc were priced at £1 each. Flew back to Gatwick this morning (28th), flight left on time again.
On time departures and free food? From a budget carrier? What's not to love?
Related Stories:
· Oasis Hong Kong Airlines [Official Site]
[Photo: Getty/BBC]
by jnaw
7/31/2007 at 4:59 PM
Tags: Clickair, Airline Reviews (all tags)
Last week we told you about Clickair's attempt to recreate the Running of the Bulls by challenging its passengers to a mad dash for their seats.
This week we decided to take a look at why this budget Barcelona-based airline, which flies to 40 European destinations, has become one of the Spaniards’ favorite carriers.
Here’s a hint: It’s got something to do with cost and service.
Passengers say this no-frills carrier with no in-flight entertainment offers nothing special when it comes to leg room, seat comfort, or the standard for-purchase airline food.
What it does offer is on time flights and no surprises when it comes to final charges.
One of Clickair’s passengers—a regular commuter between London and Velencia--had this to say about his experience with the two-year-old carrier:
Its good to have another choice on this route beside Easy and Ryan...Prices competitive with Ryan and Easy although high summer prices were not, but I like the fact the price advertised are what you pay (unlike the Ryan booking system)…I will continue to play the field with the other two airlines but due to flight times only if they offer a much cheaper price. Service staff smart and friendly.
One quick tip? Those in the know head straight for the mid-window rows, which have the greatest amount of that much-coveted legroom.
Related Stories:
· clickair Site [Official Site]
[Photo Credit: mlgescool]
by jnaw
