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Post by dennisn on Jul 27, 2021 13:58:20 GMT
Just as well you are on the Friday flight Dennis, looks like TUI are dropping a lot (maybe even all?) of the Tuesday flights from Bristol this year. I guess too many people have opted out this year and they can't fill those flights, maybe they have moved some original Tuesday travellers to the Fridays to fill those planes up? Yes, Kev, I was thinking the same myself, so I keep looking at Flightradar24 for JSI activity. Not only did today’s Bristol flight not go, but also a Manchester one too (1 2 😀). They should have started last Friday 23rd, but didn’t. I shall do anxious until I see a Friday one actually happen. #getting worried now. I do know they did SOME Friday flights last Friday, because Angela has told me Villa Maria received a full set of Brits.
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Post by kevb on Jul 27, 2021 14:26:45 GMT
In those cases where the same company offers flights on more then one day I think they will just prioritise those flights which were the more popular, which is usually the Friday ones, and then see if folk will transfer from a poorly booked alternative(in this case Tues)to the Friday and then drop the Tuesday.
It's more likely to happen with smaller provincial airports than, say, Manchester which was good for our own KateT to fly on Wednesday from there. I'm sure you will be fine and hopefully so will I from little old EMA.
Tui are only running one flight per week from EMA anyway which makes it safer from cancellation. I notice Jet2 have started flying from EMA to Skiathos as well, I may have to look into this in future. The flights are Sundays which isn't ideal workwise but the flight times look better and in a more normal year I'd hope they would beat Tui on price too. Fingers crossed for us both!
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Post by dennisn on Jul 27, 2021 17:06:37 GMT
Hmm, Bristol is new for Skiathos, so there’s no past history to guide us. I shall just spend the next few weeks quietly in a panic and firing up Flightradar24 at 6:30 every Tuesday and Friday with hope in my heart.
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Post by kevb on Aug 2, 2021 13:20:19 GMT
Finally had an email from Tui, but not exactly the one I expected. On my original booking confirmation the outward flight time was 13:30 but that got changed ages ago to 16:30 (though they never told me) which meant arriving in Skiathos about 22:00 local time which wasn't great. However the latest email from them informs me that, yes they are still going ahead with the flight but the new outward time is 12:30 which is excellent, ETA Skiathos now 18:00 which is much better. The only slight surprise is they are still quoting the same return flight times so we still end up with a rather long day after being turfed out of the hotel on final day but we'll live with it.
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Post by cariad23 on Aug 2, 2021 14:09:56 GMT
i bet they are picking up at another airport after you, i hope they alter next years times 16-30 is dire but sunday flight with jet 2 useless for us.
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Post by kevb on Aug 2, 2021 20:18:38 GMT
They are giving an ETA in Skiathos of 18:00 local time and Greece is 2 hours ahead so that fits with a 12:30 departure and 3.5hr direct flight. Re Jet2 I'm not wild about Sunday flights either but if Jet2 come up with some really competitive prices next year and/or Tui go back to a 16:30 departure I'll have to give it some consideration. If I'm taking mum I don't want to be arriving on the runway at 10pm, had enough late arrivals at other Greek islands in the past and it's not fun.
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Post by cariad23 on Aug 3, 2021 7:07:06 GMT
yes late arrivals, will there still be taxis,(never take the bus) what about vans delivering luggage to the places that coaches cant reach and accommodation late nights all round. The worse is sitting around all day, a day wasted really. Thats good your flight is direct, perhaps coming to ema from elsewhere, Manchester?
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Post by kevb on Aug 3, 2021 10:43:42 GMT
I'm assuming a better slot has become available for whatever reason and Tui have grabbed it. It's pretty much come round full circle. TC used to have 2 Friday flights from EMA, 9am and 12 noon. That started to change to 1pm after they dropped the 9am flight completely (which I quite liked despite having to get up early for it) and then in the final year or two of TC it was 1:30pm if memory serves. There was always enough business at EMA to fill the plane so it didnt come from anywhere else first to my knowledge. This year is a bit odd but I doubt it will have come in from another UK airport for the same journey.
The last really late one I did was Cyprus with a drinking buddy in 2014. There was already a delay because one of the cockpit windows wouldnt close properly and they had to fit a new one. I think we got to the accomodation about 2:30am and it was only 40 min on the transfer bus from airport. I decided then I'd had enough of crawling into apartments in the early hours.
We had an evening flight back from Skiathos in 2019 but from a previous solo trip I knew about the tennis club so we had a last day there. As long as not too many show up they are usually happy to let you store luggage inside (there are always a few people around keeping an eye on things) and there are proper indoor showers so as long as you buy some food and drink you can have a last lazy pool day, get freshened up and then a short taxi ride to the airport.
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Post by cariad23 on Aug 3, 2021 10:46:59 GMT
i remember the nightmare 2019 flight ! one of tc,s last . when we were stuck on the ground after refuelling for ages long long flight
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Post by kevb on Aug 3, 2021 10:53:06 GMT
I'd forgotten about that, yes it really put me off carrying on with TC even if it meant switching airports but then they went bust anyway and I was planning giving Skiathos a miss in 2020 before the pandemic even hit (I wanted to have a look at Parga). Are the Jet2 flights direct returns or refuelling stops? I can't recall which aircraft they are using.
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Post by kevb on Aug 3, 2021 11:01:25 GMT
I've just done a dummy booking with Jet2 and it gives 3hrs 35min as return flight time so that looks like no refuelling stop, excellent. Tui are offering bargains though, same flights as I have this year (out Aug27th, return Sep10th) are currently £177 return per person. I'd be amazed if they drop much lower than that. Manchester dep Aug 11th return 18th £95 return. Bargain.
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Post by cariad23 on Aug 3, 2021 12:21:55 GMT
i checked flight times tui this year 3rd sept onwards back to 16-30 departure
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Post by kevb on Aug 3, 2021 19:42:37 GMT
Ah, that explains why our return flight on 10th stays at 23:00 departure time. If they stick with those times all next season I may have to seriously look at Jet2 even though its Sunday.
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Post by kevb on Aug 12, 2021 19:25:26 GMT
I've now had another email from Tui informing me that our return flight from Skiathos is now 19:00 local time so I'm assuming the flight out of EMA on 10th has been changed back to 12:30 departure? Happy that we will now get back to EMA at 20:40 local time. Less time hanging round after checking out of hotel. Should still be time for a final dip at the tennis club though.
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Post by cariad23 on Aug 13, 2021 8:45:16 GMT
thats good, dreading those late flight times next year
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