just wondering,,, I have book to fly to cozumel with first coice on 29th may 09 but have got a tom flight code we have upgraded to premier is the baggage allowance still 30kg as i read somewhere that as from may 09 it will be coming down to 23kg...
also is it possible to prebook your seats like thomas cook...

Hi skootsmon
As Thomson and First Choice merge it's all a bit wooly I'm afraid.
First Choice recently had a bit of bother issuing tickets to lots of folk where the luggage allowance was lower than that promised when they booked. The company relented and wrote individually to customers providing a letter to be handed to checkin staff giving back the higher allowance.
If you've got the promise made to you at booking time in writing - you should be OK
- elsewise you should note that the First Choice website today does state that premium only gets 23Kg.

On seating - definitely not like Thomas Cook
- if you are flying on a Thomson Airlines ex-First Choice plane you are not allowed to pay to pre-book specific seats.
Though sometimes you can if it's a Thomson Airlines Thomsonfly plane.
Always you can book "seats together" for payment (though you get that included in premium)
but this can and often does mean sitting across an aisle of behind your companion.
I've actually seen very unhappy honeymooon couples on First Choice flights sitting behind one another for 10 hours!
Hopefully Thomson will get their seating systems act together sometime in the future.

All seats inc Premier are allocated the day before on a best fit basis you will be sat together which means side by side over the asile or behind each other.

Ref weight its 30kg = 23kg hold 7kg Hand but within the size allowed.

NO CASE TO WEIGH MORE THAN 23kg.

This is for departures after 1 May 2009

I have just checked with First Choice/Thomson and as we are in the Premium Cabin and booked over a year ago we get 30KG which relates to 25kg in the hold and 5 kg hand luggage.

Although the letter we got telling us of the increased luggage allowance does not explain this, it just states we have a 30kg luggage allowance.

We are travelling to Goa on 24th January from Manchester Flight no TOM135

doz123,

You Will Have 30KG Of Which A Maximum Of 25KG Can Be Checked In And 5KG Can Then Be Hand Luggage.

Thomson Airways Baggage

GowerL7,

Be aware that passengers who've booked with First Choice have a different baggage allowance to Thomsonfly passengers. Baggage allowances are listed on First Choices website. For those that booked before the changes, they will have the previous allowances. All new booking are under the new allowances.

Darren

Have seen on the Thomson thread the IFE listings for their a/c. Anybody able to shed some light if they are the same on the former FCA 767s? If not, any chance of IFE listings for Jan/Feb for said a/c? Going to Cancun 5 weeks tomorrow (not that I'm counting or anything).

Keep up the good work guys, your efforts are appreciated!

Lozza16,

The listing is virtually identical.

Darren

Hi all

Flying to Punta Cana on 30th April. I phoned a few weeks ago to upgrade to premium and was told, they could not accept anymore bookings, was gutted! Anyway just rang today to book seats together and was told there was some premium upgrades left!! whoo hoo, So now booked on Premium.

Flight numbers are TOM033 and TOM071. Does anyone know whether this will be a FC plane or a Thomson plane?

Watford Travellers,

TOM033/071 are operated by ex-FCA aircraft, officially Thomson Airways on your return flight.

Darren

Hi,
How much did they charge you for your Premium seats at this later stage?

Hope you don'nt me asking.

Angie.

Hi

Thanks for that quick response Dazbo. Should have asked earlier, are there any major differences to the two planes?

Angie - It was quite a lot £240 each. I wouldn't have normally have paid that much for the upgrade but we got a really good price originally so only paying the same price now, as we would have if we booked the holiday now in star class (if that makes sense!) Also, as it is our honeymoon, mother in law is paying for it!

The real bonus for me in upgrading (did it last year) is being able to avoid the huge queues on the way back at PC airport (as you have your own check in desk), that looked horrendous!

Tracey

Tracey,
Yes that why we like upgrading its not so much of a scrum in the Dom. Rep airports.We try and get our upgrades with FC/TOM when booking our holiday as they do go up higher nearer to departure.

We are off to Puerto Plata on April 27th.

Have a great honeymoon and congratulations on your forthcoming marraige.

Angie.

Watford Travellers,

TOM aircraft have a much smaller premium cabin (31 seats) compared to 63 on the ex-FCA. Apart from that, service levels are the same. There's 1" difference in seat pitch but that's hardly noticable (36" compared to 37"). You're on the better ones in my opinion!

Darren

Angie - thanks for your best wishes, you have a great time too - I noticed from Thomson thread that you had to change flights, glad you got to go where you wanted in the end!

Dazbo - I am under 5ft so believe me, that one inch will make no difference what so ever!! Infact my problem is too much space and my feet dangling!! the one thing I love is the foot rests! I hope I dont get front seats because, I need that foot rest otherwise my legs really ache after a while.

We Flew with FC last year in premium and loved it, glad we have the same planes again and I'm sure the service will be just good no matter what staff are operating.

Hi there can anyone tell me do they still do star class and star class premium, I have booked premium seats and was wondering if that is the same as star class premium. Flying to Dom Rep in May. Thanks

dinner-lady,

The aircraft still have two cabin classes; economy and premium economy. Star Class / Star Class Premium was just First Choices name for them. Flights are operated by ex-FCA aircraft so you'll be on the same aircraft.

Darren

we booked holiday with First Choice but flying on thomson flight

flight No; TOM4501 we have paid for extra legroom - is this classed as the emergency exit seats or do they have the separate cabin with the extra legroom ie premium cabin but with out the premium service like the Monach plane we flew on in Sept.

Also what would the seat configuration be?

Thanks

That was my orginal post which darren kindly answered

19.12.08

So we checked in the night before and we were asked 3 times oh you have booked extra leg room - didnt take a lot of notice really excited about holiday.

Boarded plane on Friday 19th 7.05am flight and made for our seats row 13 , boy were we surprised no extra leg room !!! spoke to steward and he replied i am really sorry but no these seats are not the extra leg room ,this plane should only be flying the real shot hall ie 2hrs not 4.1/2 to tenerife .

Not the end of the worrld but do like to get what i had paid for - spoke to rep in resort they aplogised and said we would get a full refund in UK and we filled in the report. They also said they would sort it out for our return flight - didnt hold my breath as usually i find now you get the same seat on retur. Return flight row 12 again no extra leg room again spoke to stewardess and got more all less the same reply as going over . She was very apologetic but sort of hinted she was fed up with the people being misled from Thomson/ First Choice

So i duly wrote my letter of complaint on retuen and received today a cheque for £ 25.00 for 1 seat refund

I find it quiet sad when you send in all the facts ie boarding passes , letter from resort and they dont even read the letter correctly.

I now will have to write in another letter , again photocopies of every thing and I will send photos this time and see if i get my full £ 100.00 back

ED

For those of you interested:-

Star Class(economy)
Outbound:-
Sausage and Mash
Country Chicken
2nd meal:-
Cheese & Ham roll
Scone, Clotted cream and Jam and Butter.
Inbound:-
Beef Stew
Chicken Korma
2nd service
Pain au
Chocolat, Nutri Grain
Bar, Orange Juice
Cuplet, Milk

Star Class Premier(Premium Economy)
Outbound:-
Braised Beef
Mediterranen Chicken
Veg Ravioli

2nd meal(light snack)
3 finger sandwich=
Egg mayo
Salmon & watercress salad
Chicken & Tomato
Scone, Cream, jam, Chocolate portion

Inbound

Beef Cobbler
Creamy Chicken
Sweet Potato Chilli
2nd meal:-
Rumblers Bowl
Croissant, Orange Juice Cuplet,Jam, Butter

The 2nd meal service will be swapped round if you go to Mombassa, Maldives, Goa or Sri Lanka So that the Breakfast is served on the outbound flight and the afternoon tea(sandwich's) is served comming home.

Hi BY-TOM-AMM-FCA
Will this menu be still being served in April/May we are on flights from Manchester to POP April27th TOM125/May12th TOM123

Many thanks,
Angie.