Norwegian Gatwick Dreamliner long haul problems

richardw

Many thought this service may have teething problems http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Cancelled-Norwegian-Air-Shuttle-Flight-Strands-Hundreds-at-LAX-for-Days-268604312.html

Alan_Bowen

Its not just Norwegian, although with one Gatwick based plane this was bound to happen but looking at the Thomson delay complaints, they are nearly all the Dreamliner as well. It appears to be far from a dream more a nightmare

bagand96

I wouldn't want to book a screamliner flight for a couple of years yet. Certainly not with an airline that has no or little backup.

Going to Toronto next month with BA. The early flight is a 747, the later flight a 787. I've booked the early flight, it may well be a tatty 20 year old crate, but it'll stand more chance of going on time than the later flight!

EDIT: interesting that the news article conviniently ignores the fact it was a 787. Well, we can't be slagging off Boeing's Dream machine can we?! God bless America!

CKhalvashi

Rumour has it here that TGZ are waiting for either the teething problems to stop or the A350 to be a success before ordering anything for mid/long-haul, as the 787 seems to be plagued with problems.

It's largely due to Boeing not thinking that airlines care more about reliability than cutting age technology.....

callum9999

bagand96 wrote: »

I wouldn't want to book a screamliner flight for a couple of years yet. Certainly not with an airline that has no or little backup.

Going to Toronto next month with BA. The early flight is a 747, the later flight a 787. I've booked the early flight, it may well be a tatty 20 year old crate, but it'll stand more chance of going on time than the later flight!

EDIT: interesting that the news article conviniently ignores the fact it was a 787. Well, we can't be slagging off Boeing's Dream machine can we?! God bless America!

They presumably "ignore the fact" because it's not really relevant... Plenty of airlines now operate the Dreamliner with little or no problems (why on Earth do you think they keep buying them if they're as awful as the media says...) and any issues Norwegian are having are due to their ineptness - not the planes themselves. Norwegian long haul have had nothing but problems since they started - it's their own fault for not fixing them before they expanded.

budgetflyer

Very interesting article on Headforpoints a few weeks back

Is the Norwegian Gatwick to New York service really "low cost"?

Apparently not.

VJP

I am now thinking about selling my Gatwick >>> LAX flight in November as I bought the flights on the basis that at £450 they were about £100 cheaper than any other airline, and because I thought the Dreamliner would be a good experience.
I can see from reviews that another private airline is often leased to make up for logistical failings (no surprise with only 3 transatlantic planes in the fleet!). This airline, Euro Atlantic, seems to be supplying dirty planes, with poor quality of staff, and I think the flight for this reason alone will be a nightmare - and now I hear about all these delays!

I know Norwegian Air cover themselves saying that sometimes they can not provide the Dreamliner, but I'm wondering if there is anyway to get a full refund based on the fact that they sold the flights on the strength off the Dreamliner - which is clear from the website...

Alan_Bowen

Frankly I would much rather not fly the Dreamliner, a plastic plane that self combusts at Heathrow is not in my comfort zone at all. I admit I also never flew the DC10 while it was in passenger service, both incidentally being the only passenger planes compulsorily grounded for safety. As to getting a refund, no chance whatsoever, just ask the Swedes and Norwegians who have been putting up with similar delays for over a year. Not sure it is the airline's fault at all, their European operations are excellent and widely praised.