First choice package holiday - direct flight is not direct !

sky_rat

I booked a package holiday to Dominican Republic (Punta Cana) with First Choice and the website stated the flights were 'direct'.  See screenshot below...




When I look at the flights on the BA website, it shows that the outbound flight is indirect because it stops at Antigua.  See screenshot below...





The duration of the outbound flight is 2 hours 50 minutes longer due to this stop as shown in the screenshot below...



I feel like I have been mis-sold the holiday in terms of the flights being direct, because it turns out that the outbound flight is in fact indirect.

I assume direct flights are more expensive than indirect flights, because indirect flights increase the journey time and are extra hassle ?

When I spoke to First Choice they told me that the outbound flight has to refuel at Antigua because Punta Cana is a long way.  If this was the case then it would also apply to the inbound flight which is a direct flight !

First Choice said that they still class flights that stop to refuel as a direct flight, which is misleading.

First choice also said that passengers would stay on the aircraft whilst refuelling.  

From experience of flying back from Mallorca last year, we boarded the aircraft before the it had been refuelled.  They were going to ask passengers to disembark the aircraft as they dont like to refuel with passengers on board as its a safety risk, but eventually they decided to refuel with passengers on board (seat belts off, window shutter open in case of fire).

The BA outbound flight is 2 hours and 50 minutes longer due to this stop, but it doesn't take that long to refuel an aircraft either.

I've been trying to contact BA to find more information but they end the call because they are too busy.

Caz3121

there is a difference between 'direct' flights and 'non-stop' flights
Direct flight means that you travel on the same aircraft with the same flight number, it does not mean that it is a non-stop flight (although many will be)
https://thepointsguy.com/news/the-difference-between-direct-and-nonstop-flights/
During Summer schedule BA will drop / pickup passengers in Antigua and does not operate non-stop to Punta Cana
In the Winter schedule (from end October) they operate non-stop (which is why your return does not stop)

SiliconChip

sky_rat said:

When I spoke to First Choice they told me that the outbound flight has to refuel at Antigua because Punta Cana is a long way.  If this was the case then it would also apply to the inbound flight which is a direct flight !

I can't comment on the rest of your post but what First Choice have said about this point may well be correct: the outbound flight will be flying against the prevailing wind and will inevitably use more fuel than the return flight that will be aided by tailwinds and be more fuel efficient.

TadleyBaggie

sky_rat said:

When I spoke to First Choice they told me that the outbound flight has to refuel at Antigua because Punta Cana is a long way.  If this was the case then it would also apply to the inbound flight which is a direct flight !

Not necessarily, due to the jet stream, eastbound flights can pick up extra ground speed and travel further on the same fuel. A good example was the (now defunct) BA1/BA2 flights from London City to JFK and back on an Airbus 318. The flight to JFK had to stop in Shannon to refuel (which also allowed the passengers to pass through US Immigration, the return flight was able to fly directly from JFK to London City.

Caz3121

It is not a refuelling issue
Punta Cana and Antigua flights operate on same aircraft in summer schedule. There will be passengers onboard disembarking in Antigua. Winter schedule (when demand is higher) there are non-stop flights to Antigua and non-stop flights to Punta Cana.
A 'Direct' flight does not mean there will not be stops en-route (common misunderstanding)
OP is travelling out in summer schedule (no BA non-stops) and returning in Winter schedule (non-stop)
If want to travel non-stop both directions then would need to travel out after 1st November (or try to find if there is another airline - possibly TUI from Manchester)

eDicky

As mentioned, a 'direct' flight is not always nonstop.

I don't believe the stop at Antigua has anything to do with refueling. My experience with such routes is that they serve two destinations at once. The first stop disembarks passengers bound for that destination and picks up the homebound passengers, who arrived on the nonstop flight and will now have to stop at the second destination while the disembarking and boarding process is repeated there. So a kind of circular route. Or this particular route could be a seasonal thing as Caz suggests.

tacpot12

I don't think you have been missold the flight as you were told how long you would be on the 'plane by the First Choice website. It doesn't really matter how much of that time is in the air or on the ground. 

sky_rat

Thanks all, shame First Choice did not explain it the same way you all have !

Apologies I did not realise the difference between indirect and non stop, nor did I realise that BA does not operate non-stop to Punta Cana in summer.

I'm more used to holidays flying short hall with budget airlines than flying long haul !

CKhalvashi

TadleyBaggie said:

sky_rat said:

When I spoke to First Choice they told me that the outbound flight has to refuel at Antigua because Punta Cana is a long way.  If this was the case then it would also apply to the inbound flight which is a direct flight !

Not necessarily, due to the jet stream, eastbound flights can pick up extra ground speed and travel further on the same fuel. A good example was the (now defunct) BA1/BA2 flights from London City to JFK and back on an Airbus 318. The flight to JFK had to stop in Shannon to refuel (which also allowed the passengers to pass through US Immigration, the return flight was able to fly directly from JFK to London City.

It also allowed the flight to take off from City in the first place. An A318 on steep climb performance can't take off with a full load from LCY.

In addition, as you've now worked out indirect isn't non-stop, simply that you won't need to de-plane, go into an airport and then re-board (something missing with the BA1/2 service but everyone will agree it's direct).