Best budget airline?

moonrakerz

MrSmartprice wrote: »

Ryanair are usually cheapest. They, and Easyjet, also use the newest planes.

Fact 1. Flybe have the "youngest" fleet.

MrSmartprice wrote: »

The worst of the 'budget' airlines is without doubt Monarch, and I refuse to fly with them again at any cost. They have the least legroom, the staff are rude and ignorant, they flout safety requirements and cut corners, and they have tatty old planes. Classic cattle class.

Fact 2. There is no evidence that Monarch "flout safety requirements and cut corners", if you have any evidence to support this statement please pass it on to the CAA.
They have suffered no fatal accidents since 1970 (start of data base).

Fact 3. They are a dreadful airline - but that is no reason to pass off personal opinions as facts.

MrSmartprice

Incapuppy wrote: »

Can you back this claim up?

Yes. I witnessed examples of it on a flight from Faro in 2007. I reported it to the cabin staff who refused to give me a complaint form. They made threats to me if I chose to pursue the matter, which I ignored and called their bluff. One cabin crew member was drunk, two others were clearly using substances to keep themselves awake, and their actions were compromising safety. This included ordering passengers to move seats when the seat belt lights were on for landing. One passenger also had a hot drink spilt onto her due to cabin staff horseplay.

I reported it by letter to the company when I arrived home. They did a cursory investigation. Unsurprisingly the cabin crew concerned, all of whom I named from their badges, closed ranks and denied everything. They even claimed one name, the drunk, had not been on the plane, so someone was presumably using their name badge.

These are not personal opinions. They are events we witnessed ourselves. The response was not that of a responsible airline. I have refused to fly with them since, and relate the tale to others to warn them of what a rubbish airline they are.

As for the age of planes, Flybe may well use new planes, but Ryanair and Easyjet do too. My point is that others, including Monarch and Bmibaby use much older ones.

sturll

MrSmartprice wrote: »

their actions were compromising safety. This included ordering passengers to move seats when the seat belt lights were on for landing.

They were doing that because when a flight isn't full people tend to move once airborne. In order for the pilot to have a nicely balanced flight they move everyone back to their assigned seats for landing.

moonrakerz

MrSmartprice wrote: »

Yes. I witnessed examples of it on a flight from Faro in 2007. I reported it to the cabin staff who refused to give me a complaint form. They made threats to me if I chose to pursue the matter, which I ignored and called their bluff. One cabin crew member was drunk, two others were clearly using substances to keep themselves awake, and their actions were compromising safety. This included ordering passengers to move seats when the seat belt lights were on for landing. One passenger also had a hot drink spilt onto her due to cabin staff horseplay.

I reported it by letter to the company when I arrived home. They did a cursory investigation. Unsurprisingly the cabin crew concerned, all of whom I named from their badges, closed ranks and denied everything. They even claimed one name, the drunk, had not been on the plane, so someone was presumably using their name badge.

These are not personal opinions. They are events we witnessed ourselves. The response was not that of a responsible airline. I have refused to fly with them since, and relate the tale to others to warn them of what a rubbish airline they are.

Some of these are extremely serious allegations - why did you not report them to the authorities ?
You have a duty to report them, by not reporting these incidents you are putting many other travelers at risk - you seem to think that just posting unsubstantiated allegations on a forum absolves you of any responsibility. You refer to them as a "rubbish" airline - IF I had seen what you claim to have witnessed, I think I could find a stronger adjective !

Could I suggest you keep this handy ?


Civil Aviation Authority
Safety Regulation Group, Headquarters
Aviation House - South Area
Gatwick Airport
RH6 0YR

dealsearcher

Useful address moonrakerz - in the ulitmate resort. However MrSmartprice has done exactly the right thing by writing in the first instance to the airline concerned.

Having flown for a certain other low cost airline I can say that corners are often cut. Not necessarily dangerous but I have been put under strong pressure to accept aircraft with defects which should not be deferred. In these instances the passengers have to rely on the training and common sense of the pilots concerned. When there are pressures of long hours with pilots flying up to and over the maximum duty hours (under commanders 'discretion') the decision making can be difficult when pressure is put on them to accept defects.

These airlines regulate themselves over large periods of time between CAA inspections and airlines are often warned of when those inspections are going to occur. BA had some significant well publicized problems in their aircraft servicing a few years ago and they are not low cost.

louise3965

A little vote her for Jet2. We love them

exel1966

Lo-Cost Airlines, It all comes down to your own personal preference and which is nearest to you as all have bases spread far and wide across the UK. They are all pretty much the same really in that they get you from A-B relatively cheaply (nearly free sometimes with Ryanair) in minimal comfort, none are spacious nor luxurious in any way and you will have to pay for all your extras.

Ryanair, Easyjet, Flybe all have very modern aircraft fleets and all have exemplary safety records. None is more up to date than the other as all are currently having new aircraft delivered weekly. Ryanair use the Boeing 737-800. Easyjet use a mixed fleet of A319, A320, A321 and Boeing 737-700, some of these aircraft acquired from GB Airways. Flybe use a mixed fleet of small, medium size aircraft however a large proportion of their fleet are turbo-prop aircraft (propellor driven) which statistically passengers tend not to prefer. Flybe also statistically are far from being a punctual airline and do quite often combine services at the last minute due lack of available crews. I do particulalry like the E195 though and find it quite spacious even though the seat pitch is no greater than others. I never find Flybe to be as cheap as the others though.

The other players Jet2, BMiBaby have older aircraft fleets consisting of Boeing 737, 757's, some aircraft over 25 years old, though they all adhere to the same safety standards (except Ryanair who are regulated by the Irish) and checks as the newer aircraft elsewhere and neither have had any major incidents.

I'd choose the cheapest and the one with the most convenient base, flight timings to what you want/where you are.

MrSmartprice

sturll wrote: »

They were doing that because when a flight isn't full people tend to move once airborne. In order for the pilot to have a nicely balanced flight they move everyone back to their assigned seats for landing.

But they should not be doing that after the seat belt lights are on. They had failed to sort it out earlier because they had been fooling around in the rear galley. I am a regular flyer and have never seen anything like it.

As another poster stated, I correctly reported this to the airline. But I knew I was wasting my time when the cabin crew all denied everything. Frankly, I just cut my losses. Monarch are a disgrace.

exel1966

MrSmartprice wrote: »

two others were clearly using substances to keep themselves awake,

And the substances were ?

There are a number of sustances on the market which are perfectly legal and used by all sorts of professionals. Their use is particulalrly prevelant in industries where irregular shift patterns occur, the aviation industry being one of many.

Without knowing what was being used this comment is nothing more than scandalous and scaremongering in the extreme as it quite clearly infers some wrongdoing.

dealsearcher

MrSmartprice wrote: »

But they should not be doing that after the seat belt lights are on.

You are correct. However the cabin crew can still move around after the seat belt sign has been switched on. They can move passengers then if they have not time to do so beforehand. You have to keep in mind that the cabin crew are very busy on short sectors and may have to move the passengers after the seat belt signs have been switched on. Also this will allow the passengers to stay in their selected seats for as long as possible for their comfort.

The seat belt sign is normally switched on descending through 15,000 feet so there is still some time before landing. The cabin crew will be familiar with this and will know the amount of time they have.

Remember the cabin crew are primarily responsible for your safety. Serving drinks, etc. is a secondary responsibility.