trev7uk,

Your flights are operated by a Boeing 767-300/ER. All the seating information is on this thread, eg here..

Darren

We booked last October for our holiday to Cozumel this September with First Choice and are booked into the star class premier. Now seats are done by Thomson are these done a few days before departure?

Yes, However please do not start to panic, previously you had no guarantee of sitting together and as comments on this forum have proved, booking months ahead has still left people split up. The computer programme Thomson use means that based on different seating configurations of the entire fleet the least amount of people will be split up. Knowing what I know, I can honestly tell you, that Thomsonfly have less onboard seating "issues" than First Choice used to have.

Dazbo, I hope you can help with 2 questions I have. Fristly, we are flying to Punta Cana on Thusday, FCA070 from LGW What route will our plane being flying before this flight? I would like seee the status of this flight to see if we could experiance a delay! Secondly, this is a fortnightly flight and I noticed there was no flight for this on the 22nd, only a TOM flight! Did a FCA depart?

Flying SCP and really looking forward to it! Last time we did the Caribbean was in 04 and swore after sitting in economy on a TOM plane before the re-fit to upgrade for the next! Promise to write a review when I get back!

Thanks x

emmarushuk,

It depends on the NATS tracks on the day (governed by air traffic and jetstream position). There are two routes; either northern tracks which will take you across the atlantic to Newfoundland then down the eastern seaboard of America to the Bahamas then around to the Dom Rep,



or on the southern route which will take you directly towards the north-eastern side of the Caribbean ring, via th e Azores then west along the caribbean ring.



Both are a similar distance (4,600 miles) / flight time but I would think the southern route is more favoured from LGW. Flights from MAN to that side of the caribbean region favour the northern route. FCA have a skymap on the IFE so you can track your flight progress. I've found it only works 50% of the time though. G-PJLO operated FCA070/1 on 22nd May, G-OOBK on 8th May. You're in for a treat if the last time you went trans-atlantic was on the now short haul TOM 767's!

Have a great time and a few for us all

Darren

Thanks Dazbo but I don't think I was too clear with my question! I was wondering what destination the plane I am travelling on is going to and coming back from on the flight before mine? However, the routing charts are great! We flew over the azores last time so the route over east USA would be great, especially if there are no clouds and we get the right side of the plane!! I am really excited about the flight, I hope SCP lives up to its claims, especially as the old TOM 767 felt really cramped.

Keep up the great work and I will certainly have a few for you and everyone else!!

emmarushuk,

Sorry, think I need some new glasses, or a new brain, or both! Maybe just another holiday. It's been 2 months! G-PJLO operated FCA070/1 on 22nd May. Previous to that, it operated FCA062/3 (LGW-Columbo-LGW). 2 weeks previous on 8th May, G-OOBK operated FCA070/1 and prior to that, operated FCA031/2 (LGW-Porlamar-LGW). It'll be one of those. There seems to be a decent amount of time between the inbound and outbound flights so if there is a delay on the inbound, there's plenty of downtime to absorb it. We got some great views of New York flying from MAN - Varadero (Cuba), flew right over the top and managed to make out the 3 main airports, Manhatton, Liberty Island etc.

Darren

I know how you feel, my last holiday was in September 06 so this one is long overdue! Glad to here that there is plent of time between my plane landing then taking off to the Dom Rep! Finders crossed for the USA route, thanks

Hi,

I will be going to Cancun for 2 weeks in October, i know it a while away yet but will probably be after loads of info in the coming months!

I have paid for the extra legroom and it says on the website that these are by the exit doors. Does that mean there are no seats in front of us? if not, how do we watch TV?

CancunBound,

It depends on the extra legroom row allocated to you. If you are in row 11, that is located by the L/R 2 doors. This is an exit row and you'll have no seats in front, instead you'll have a bulkhead infront of which is the premium cabin. These seats are very roomy. If you are allocated row 20 (or 22 depending on the aircraft assigned), this is an overwing emergency exit row. These seats still have lots of room to strech out, but you'll have seats infront. Your personal screen and tray table are located in your arm-rest. They simply lift up and fold out.

Darren

Hi Dazbo5,

Thanks for replying. Its been a while since i have flown longhaul! i hope the upgrade will be worth it, i have never flown with First Choice before and looking forward to it.

CancunBound,

I'm sure you will. FCA are the best charter airline at the moment in my opinion. You'll have to let everyone know your opinion upon your return. For more information, refer to my trip reports on page 47.

Darren

Phoned FCA today about seating, all is not as it seems, phoned the number for FCA and got Thompson's who gave me a new number for FCA, phoned and asked about pre booking seating and was told that nothing had changed as they had not yet gone over to the Thompson system, Does any one have a clue what is going on, it seems that you can not book your seat numbers and that pre booked seats for star class premium means that you could be in arms reach of each other and could be sitting next to a stranger who would rather be sitting next to their partner, I don't call that pre booking seating :think, when are they going to get their act together after all we are paying them to give us a good service and without us they would go bust.
Alan

AL38, If you read over the previous few pages there is alot about the seating arrangements for SCP and this was something we were concerned about before booking however we are still flying SCP on Thursday. FCA will endevor to do there best to ensure you are together, that's on of the side effects with the 2-3-2 seating arrangement, parties may be split over the aisle or one in front of the other but it's a small price to pay for increased sitting width which a majority of travellers want. If it was purely couples in SCP there will be some that are sat like this. If people could pick were they sit there may be a chance your party may end up in different parts of the cabin should there be no seats together left. The seats will have been allocated on a "best fit" basis to utilise the seating and ensure that people are not seperated but some will. Personally I think this is the best way but others may disagree

Hi Darren,

Thanks for the link to your trip report, i love it! i have flown to Varadero years ago with MyTravel. We were in economy and very cramped!
I will def post a report when i come back, won't be as detailed as yours though.

Can't wait until October!

emmarushuk, yes I have read all the posts & i don't want to give the wrong impression because I really rate FCA and especially SCP but one post says you can book your seat and next you cant plus if Thomas Cook can do it for £10 return (could be more on LH ??) so were is the problem, take a look at http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk/yourseat_yourchoice.asp and this is also a 232 on the airbus A330 upgrade, some people may not mind but if your partner is a nervous flier and you are willing to pay the extra to make sure that their holiday gets off to a good start its all to the good, After all most of us work & save hard & long to have a really good Holiday Once a year, and that's why companies have surveys to ask people what they would like not what they are going to get.
OK rant over, and I do under stand that they do their best with best fit but that is no consolation if you are split up, if there is a larger party the odds are they will be sitting along side some one they know unlike a couple.
Thats why I said they should get there act togeather and make some ground rules that we all understand then it is up to us who we fly with.

Alan

hi,

Newbie here!

Can anyone tell me what aircraft I will be flying on from Glasgow to Palama on 24th June?

Thanks in advance!

cheekymonkey,

Welcome onbaord

GLA-PMI-GLA (FCA1232/3) are operated by a Boeing 757-200.

Darren

PS: Can you post questions regarding your flights on either the dedicated airline thread or the What Aircraft? rather than both please. It just avoids duplication (we read them all!). Thanks

Thanks Dazbo, and will do buddy!