When I flew FCA premier star class longhaul in March this year, they had a therapist on board. She charged about £15 for a head and shoulder massage. You could also have a facial for about the same price.

Regarding seating, we were told at check in that the seats in premier star class were assigned a few days before the flight on a first booked basis rather than turning up and asking for particular seats. However, things may have changed since then.

Sydney, did you have to book the therapist in advance?

You could, via the F.C. website, but on the day of our flight the therapist handed out leaflets whilst passengers were boarding at Gatwick.

I have had a quick look on the F.C. website and cannot see any mention of a therapist. It may be worth sending them an e-mail to see whether they are still offering this service.

thanks Sydney, will email them.

They are usually only allocated to cancun flights however.

Doesnt matter what time you turn up to check in, if you are Star Class Premier seats are done the week before.

Thankyou all for your info and advice, we have found it all very helpful.
We will post our findings and experiences when we return home.
Best wishes,
Mark and Claire.

Air Therapists were available on all flights to Mexico, and also to Goa and the Maldives. They were removed from flights after the August security scare due to the therapist not being allowed to carry her case of liquid products onboard any more. They have not been re-introduced since, and I do not think that the service is going to be offered again in the future.

As for the Star Class Premier seating, this is indeed all pre-allocated before check-in, and the staff at the airport are not officially allowed to deviate from the seating list given to them. For a family of 4, it is quite likely that you will be seated two behind two at the window.

In SCP you receive an amenity kit on both outbound and inbound flights (in Star Class it is O/B only). The O/B kit in SCP is a gift bag with a range of products including facial spritz, lip balm, moisturiser, tissues and a shoe horn. I/B the kit is eyeshades, socks, and earplugs in a fleecey drawstring bag. These kits will be changing to a new product sometime in December, so you may receive the new design. O/B will be a case with Temple Spa skincare products and I/B will be a similar bag to what it is now, albeit with a different design.

With regards to the IFE (and this is also in response to what I said I was going to find out in the above posts) - your screen is 9" and of a widescreen design. Movies for December are:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
The Devil Wears Prada
Click
You, Me and Dupree
Lady In The Water
John Tucker Must Die
The Lake House
Cars
Garfield 2
The Break Up
Like Mike 2

You also have 7 channels of TV programming, including shows like The Simpsons, Top Gear, Gordon Ramsay's The F Word, Catherine Tate Show and Little Britain.

All of the channels are on-demand, so you can start, stop, rewind and fast forward whenever you want. There is a Skymap channel to show you where you are and a number of Holiday Information Channels also.

You've got twelve music channels and ten games, which you can play against other passengers, including Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and Battleship.

Your flight operates O/B via Sanford for refuelling and a crew change, but I'm sure you are aware of that. This does mean you will get more food though!

The choices are:
Outbound - Beef in Ale; Chicken, Champagne and Asparagus or Cherry Tomato and Feta Cheese Pasta. With these you get a fanned melon salad to start, green salad with balsamic dressing, hot bread, a chocolate orange dome for dessert (to die for!) and Lily O'Briens chocolates.

Before arriving in Sanford you will have Afternoon Tea, which consists of 3 finger sandwiches; scone, jam and cream; some grapes and a chocolate mint.

And then en route from Sanford to Puerto Vallarta you will receive another hot meal, this time a Pasta Arrabiata and millionaire's shortbread slice.

All your drinks are complimentary.

And then coming home.....

It's a choice of Beef Diane; Chicken with Woodland Mushroom Sauce or Sweet Potato Chilli. Your starter is a mozarella and tomato salad, the side salad is penne pasta with red pesto and desert is Blackberry and Apple Crumble with full cream.

Before you get back to the UK you'll have breakfast - Kelloggs Corn Flakes, a croissant with strawberry jam, Leerdammer cheese and an orange juice cuplet.

You'll also get ice cream served mid-way through the outbound flight, as well as a cocktail and some fruit pre-takeoff.

I hope I haven't left anything out!!!

Enjoy your holiday, I look forward to hearing about your flights when you get home.

Sausageandmash,
omg we wont sleep now for the next 12 nights and thats just me n the wife dont think i can tell the kids.
thanks alot for the great info and we would like to wish you a very happy christmas and a great new year.

Rachie-m

First Choice have just e-mailed me to say they no longer offer the air therapy service.

That is a pity as I was going to use this service when I fly to Goa in February.

Thanks for the info

I am flying from Manchester to Sanford next July in SCPremier, I have been reading other reviews on other sites and it seems that a few people have got to the airport to find that their aircraft has been downgraded and SCP is not available. How often does this happen as Im terrified that this will happen to us as I am so looking forward to the flights even though I am a terrible flyer.

jaxter,

I am flying from Manchester to Sanford next July in SCPremier, I have been reading other reviews on other sites and it seems that a few people have got to the airport to find that their aircraft has been downgraded and SCP is not available. How often does this happen as Im terrified that this will happen to us as I am so looking forward to the flights even though I am a terrible flyer.

The chances are rare. FCA had a spate of technical problems with some of the aircraft and as such, had to cover flights with their Boeing 757-200's. The 767's are used on all of FCA's long haul flights unless there is a technical problem to prevent them from covering the flights. The chances of it happening to you are slim. All aircraft have technical problems from time to time. The passengers who it happened to were just unlucky.

I'm sure you'll have great flights. I've flown with FCA 3 times this year on their long haul 767-300's, and short haul on Boeing 757-200's + Airbus A320-200's. As far as charter ailines go, they are up their with the best, especially when it comes to long haul.

Darren

Hi
I have just flown back Manchester - Sanford 'star class premier' it was really nice you will love it
Next time i would save the expense of upgrading and book the normal/economy, but was glad we did it

Does anyone know whether the tickets sent from First Choice two weeks before departure, are sent recorded delivery?

I ask as, in spite of having a box outside of my house with the word 'post' on it, our postman insists on putting our mail through the letter box, whereupon my dog plays frisbee with them or decides to shred them.

I don't think they will be sent recorded delivery.

Can you not fix a letter cage ?

Kath HT Admin

We have had a new replacement double glazed front door put on and I do not think we can screw a cage onto it.

Sticking one on would not help as he would jump on it and take it off of the door.

hi all am travelling to cozumel on fca 16 in june does anyone know if there is a fuel stop on this flight? im presuming its an 767-300er flight.

Our tickets were sent through normal post we had our 2 weeks before departure in September

sydney,
I booked a First Choice holiday online on Thursday last week and the tickets arrived Saturday morning,i.e.two days later, for flights in three weeks time.They came normal 1st class post, not recorded.