lallygirl,

I've no personal experience of flying with Highland Airways, but i've seen their Jetstream 31 around Blackpool a few times on pilot training. The pilots don't serve you coffee, they'll be too busy flying for that but they certainly carry out the pre flight safety brief. I've never heard anything bad about them. Their aircraft are mainly used on corporate charter work, such as the flight you are on. There's plenty of information about them on their website.

Darren

Cheers Darren, as usual you are a star
I sort of knew they were having a laugh
If there is a seat available tomorrow I think I will give it ago
I am an hour away from Cardiff and Valley is 20 mins from where I need to be- must beat 5 hrs drive each way even if the pi;ot doesn't serve the coffee!!!
Lally

Hee Hee - just noticed I typed jerusalem 31

Hi Lallygirl,

Highland operate Cardiff-Valley twice a day in morning and afternoon (As Valley closes approx 1800 as its an RAF airport, not a commercial airport, but there is a terminal for the Highland flight)
I'm afraid the pilots dont serve you tea and coffee, but there is a cabin crew member onboard, with light refreshments available.
The aircraft is indeed a J31 with 18 seats.
The flight time i think is just under 1 hour and most comments involve the stunning views you get to see on the flight (subject to weather!!)
Have a good flight

Thanks Caaardiff
Plan is to get the 7.30 out and the 17.40 back from Valley - hopefully views will be good.
Disappointed about the pilot though - they were really having a go at me in work for being so daft as to believe them

I really never knew much about this airline and its routes. Glad I do now. Living in South Wales I am thinking about going from cardiff to Anglesey and back for a day trip. Bit risky if there is canceelation on the return though!

If anyone has done anything like this could they help me out with what I could do for a few hours close by. maybe take a train or use my bus pass etc. Nothing too adventurous. The main aim is to go on the flights and hopefully the weather will be nice and get some good views.

I notice it can be done for less than £40 return-- sounds good.

cheers,

Pete

pedrogooner,

I've just done a similar things from Blackpool to the Isle of Man, a day return just for a day out (details here. As long as the flights run on time and you leave a couple of hours between flights, you'll be fine. Highland Airways are a little known airline but they are reliable and offer a good service from what I can gather. There's always a risk an aircraft can have a technical problem or the weather closes in, especially around Anglesey preventing a flight from operating, but if you thought the worst you'd never do anything! I'd say go for it. You always have the option of busses and trains if there's a problem. It's a long swim back from Isle of Man, I didn't have that luxury!

Darren

Yea. I have worked out the options and tend to be a sort of risk taking guy anyway. I was just wondering if anyone has done the Cardiff/Anglesey/Cardiff day trip.

I am now trying to look around for other small airlines dotted around the UK doing similar things to Highland Airways.

I could go one way to Anglesey on the early morning run and then bus/train to Caernarfon. Then Welsh Highland steam train to Porthmadog. Various options from Porthmadog with trains and/or buses.

Could prove a challenge doing it all in a day but I think I will go for it.

pedrogooner,

That sounds like a great day out to me, especially with a ride on a Jetstream 41 included! I've been looking at various options for another day trip but haven't come up with a plan yet, not as easy as it sounds is it!

Darren

Pedrogooner,

Like Darren I think that is a great day trip out - although perhaps (and just on this occasion) the steam train sounds even better than the Jetstream.

Nivsy

I was on that train a few weeks back. The line all the way to Porthmadog hadn't been fully completed and only went as far as Beddgelert. I think by September it should be fully operational. I'll have to keep my eye on that. It will be a massive boost to Porthmadog as they will then have connections for the Ffestiniog railway and the BR Cambrian Coast trains.

My proposed trip is looking even better now. I do want to do it all in a 'long' day!

Money saving tips!

The single fare on the train from Holyhead to Bangor is £7.10

A 2 zone North Wales Rover http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pr288e170a04000401a827150cf1c5f6/details.html is only £7 and if you bought zones A and G it would cover the train AND the bus from Bangor to Caernarfon

There is a station at Valley if you don't have a burning desire to visit Holyhead but not all trains stop there.
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And if you don't mind a longer bus ride, Arriva run from RAF Valley to Bangor every hour to connect for Caernarfon and their North Wales Day Saver is £5.50. See http://www.arrivabus.co.uk - click the + next to Route Planner, put Bangor in town box and check routes 4 and 5.
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The normal single fare for the train from Porthmadog to Cardiff is £45.30. But if you book early you can get an Advance ticket, they're on sale now for early September at £14 although a few services have already risen to £17 so don't hang around!

Many thanks Steve for all that very useful information. Much appreciated.

Pete

You lot are really making me jealous! I'll have to think about doing something similar when I'm in the UK with a day to spare ............ could I 'do' the Isle of Man in one day with a hire car?

Alsacienne,

We're getting a bit off topic now

The Isle of Man is only a small place so you could easily travel around the main tourist spots in a day, especially with the speed limits being far more relaxed than here!

Darren

sorry for being !!

Just got carried away!!

Highland Airways service from Cardiff to Anglesey is very good. They do carry a cabin crew member, very personal service, i think a lot of the passengers use it a lot so there is quite a good social feeling on board! Light refreshments.... hmmm, a carton of juice each on the seat when boarding!! Can't grumble though.

The route is funded in part by the Welsh Assembly as a "public service obligation" flight. Nearly all Highland Airways services in Scotland are run on a similar basis.

You should get some nice views en-route, but it depends on the roueting taken which depends on a lot of factors, including weather, ATC, and activity at Anglesey. Landing at Anglesey is an experience in itself, parking in a flightline of RAF Hawks!

The route is very rarely cancelled, Highland are generally very good, and I guess partly because its a PSO flight. In the past if they have a problem with the cardiff aircraft they have chartered another aircraft, or even flown an aircraft all the way down from Inverness, to operate Cardiff-Anglesey-Cardiff and then back Inverness.

Enjoy it!!

Fair bit of speculation that Highland Airways are in trouble due to bad weather in recent weeks and are in dire need of new investment. I understand flights are continuing for the moment.

A big shame for the industry in general and specifically for Scotland which is still getting over the demise of FlyGlobespan.

Nivsy

Highland airways are not taking any bookings online today, so that does not sound promising. I believe they are in talks with various banks today. Financial problems.