|
Post by dennisn on Oct 3, 2020 8:22:07 GMT
What on earth is going on? I've been tied up for a few days, so when I come back, my inbox is filled with all this messing about. I'm afraid to look at our rescheduled bookings for next year in case TUI have jiggered about with Bristol flights! I shudder at the thought of these flight timings and hope you all get sorted at proper times.
|
|
|
Post by *Di* on Oct 3, 2020 8:31:12 GMT
What on earth is going on? I've been tied up for a few days, so when I come back, my inbox is filled with all this messing about. I'm afraid to look at our rescheduled bookings for next year in case TUI have jiggered about with Bristol flights! I shudder at the thought of these flight timings and hope you all get sorted at proper times. Ive been waiting for your thoughts on this Dennis... can you imagine Angela and family plus all the guests having the Tues arrivals turning up possibly after midnight? Im reluctant to ask TUI to change my booking to say the Wednesday flight as we would have to stay elsewhere as V Maria is full plus one other place I would consider is so much more expensive! Not sure what to do at moment, it may be we just leave it alone see if flights change back but also if things are not clearing re Covid cut our losses and forget about holidays for yet another year. 😢
|
|
|
Post by dennisn on Oct 3, 2020 8:44:59 GMT
|
|
|
Post by *Di* on Oct 3, 2020 8:47:46 GMT
Yes, post midnight arrival at Villa Maria might prove unpopular - at least with Angela. Although I think she regards the business as being important, so she'll put up with it. I wouldn't fancy it myself in her place if she's going to get regular weeks with a horrible night. On the bright side, think of all the stay-out-at-night brigade (I'm thinking Kate and Di and Mick) who'll be coming back in time to help with your suitcases and throw a welcome party for you. Lol Dennis... it is Di and Mick (me).. who is NOT going to be on that late flight so I wont be welcoming myself! More likely we wont even be going way it looks and way Im feeling right now 🤷♀️
|
|
|
Post by dennisn on Oct 3, 2020 8:58:08 GMT
Sorry Di, I was too tempted to do a little gloating! Whilst I've watched quite a lot of this time problem on FB, I've remained quietly thinking there's no way they'll stick with those flight times, Skiathos airport departures well after midnight is ridiculous, you won't catch me going to play chicken with the jet blast at that time! It doesn't affect us, thankfully, but I'll still keep my fingers crossed for you all to get it sorted out satisfactorily. I have of course just looked at out two trips and they remain excellent timings, 6:35am departure from Bristol just couldn't be better - 20 minute drive away gives us a two hour advantage over our previous Birmingham timings.
|
|
|
Post by yorkshiremouth on Oct 4, 2020 6:20:35 GMT
I seem to remember there’s a ban on flights in and out of Skiathos at night. Could be wrong.
|
|
|
Post by *Di* on Oct 4, 2020 6:30:51 GMT
I seem to remember there’s a ban on flights in and out of Skiathos at night. Could be wrong. This was my understanding too, so I thought must be a mistake when I went into manage my booking but then the initial first page of my TUI app that also shows the countdown changed to the same timings? I’m annoyed also that the person I spoke to reassured me time again my original flight time still stood on her system, spelt it out for me and would email confirmation once more to me and to not worry.. hmm no email appeared AT ALL neither confirming what she told me nor the changes? I’m very angry right now.... 😡
|
|
|
Post by dennisn on Oct 4, 2020 6:42:36 GMT
I wonder if the ban on night flying is a result of Chinese whispers and assumptions?
I spoke to Angela yesterday (she remembers you and Mick) and raised it with her and although she has no knowledge of it (yet), she didn’t raise the question of no night flying, just thought it was stupid for the tourists, but she lives on site so she’ll be there. You will no doubt remember that Kostas worked at the airport for years so I think she would have known if there’s a ban.
|
|
|
Post by balddave on Oct 4, 2020 6:48:27 GMT
We were grounded at Skiathos airport once circa 2001, the plane ‘ sunbird airlines ‘ developed a fault which they couldn’t repair before the flight cut off time of 11pm, It may have changed with the new regime running the airport.
|
|
|
Post by *Di* on Oct 4, 2020 6:55:32 GMT
I wonder if the ban on night flying is a result of Chinese whispers and assumptions? I spoke to Angela yesterday (she remembers you and Mick) and raised it with her and although she has no knowledge of it (yet), she didn’t raise the question of no night flying, just thought it was stupid for the tourists, but she lives on site so she’ll be there. You will no doubt remember that Kostas worked at the airport for years so I think she would have known if there’s a ban. Dennis we would happily change our holiday to the morning after (Wednesday 8.15 flight) that I have seen when I tried a pretend booking with TUI.. but our booking with Villa Maria is Tues-Tues and no availability showing at all on new bookings.. so what happens to our booked room if we pull out, TUI hope someone else takes the stupid midnight arrival instead of us?
|
|
|
Post by yorkshiremouth on Oct 4, 2020 7:16:52 GMT
I wonder if the ban on night flying is a result of Chinese whispers and assumptions? I spoke to Angela yesterday (she remembers you and Mick) and raised it with her and although she has no knowledge of it (yet), she didn’t raise the question of no night flying, just thought it was stupid for the tourists, but she lives on site so she’ll be there. You will no doubt remember that Kostas worked at the airport for years so I think she would have known if there’s a ban. Aye, I certainly can’t find any confirmation of a ban online. However, I can’t ever remember any plane landing later on at night. Apart from anything else, is there any need? The airport isn’t that busy!
|
|
|
Post by dennisn on Oct 4, 2020 7:22:42 GMT
I’m not saying the ban is a myth, just wondering if that’s the case. And thinking that (in Dave’s case) airlines tell you anything and any time as they see fit - one year our return flight from Corfu arrived at Corfu some hours late and it parked immediately at the end of the airfield, nowhere near the usual stand. They kept us in Departures for four hours before taking us off to a hotel. Eventually told us the pilot had run out of hours, which he knew before he even left UK, which was why he parked it out of the way!
As for re-selling the Tuesday room, presumably TUI have allocated a room or rooms to Tuesday changeovers and have to stick to that because of earlier and later week bookings. But I reckon I’d be trying to get TUI to give me a decent time change at no cost.
|
|
|
Post by *Di* on Oct 4, 2020 7:33:17 GMT
I’m not saying the ban is a myth, just wondering if that’s the case. And thinking that (in Dave’s case) airlines tell you anything and any time as they see fit - one year our return flight from Corfu arrived at Corfu some hours late and it parked immediately at the end of the airfield, nowhere near the usual stand. They kept us in Departures for four hours before taking us off to a hotel. Eventually told us the pilot had run out of hours, which he knew before he even left UK, which was why he parked it out of the way! As for re-selling the Tuesday room, presumably TUI have allocated a room or rooms to Tuesday changeovers and have to stick to that because of earlier and later week bookings. But I reckon I’d be trying to get TUI to give me a decent time change at no cost. That’s the thing Dennis the only Tues flight out now on new bookings is the 17.15 one.. and no Villa Maria? And the Morfia available one (Wed) is much more expensive and ours wasnt cheap?
|
|
|
Post by dennisn on Oct 4, 2020 7:38:22 GMT
Apart from anything else, is there any need? The airport isn’t that busy! Remember, there are six considerations (at least) - departure slots UK, air traffic controllers, Landing slots Skiathos.And the same for returns.
Then that plane probably does another destination beforehand on the same day, so another six time considerations. Our Corfu delay was due to the plane being delayed arriving at Bristol from Spain (sat on the tarmac several hours keeping passengers aboard due to a bomb scare and eventually offloaded the passengers returning to Bristol and took off with the new passengers for Corfu. He was scheduled to do two holidays that day and the several hours waiting to offload took him into "driver's hours" regulations. He had enough to get people to Corfu, but not back again.
If you use Flightradar24 and identify a plane, rather than a flight, you can see some records of a single plane doing more than one trip on a single day.
|
|
|
Post by balddave on Oct 4, 2020 7:45:55 GMT
Dennis I think your multiple flight theory may be correct, with aircraft fleet and staffing levels being reduced they need to maximise use ability. One thing this scenario is highlighting is TUI’s very poor communication and misinformation.
|
|