I think the best advice to anyone about to book for Goa is go 'DIY'. Book a flight to Mumbai on scheduled. Let's face it prices have not risen that much compared to 10 years ago.

I think the days of a budget package to Goa might be over, let's hope that those already booked are secure.

It will be interesting to see in the coming months if the supposed drop in tourism by 20% is not greater. Anyhoo.. if it's quieter that's all good news for those booked.

knobsy,
not ridiculous reality, wake up to what is happening in the world today, did I or for that matter you foresee this big crunch when we booked our holidays, in my case I booked this years Christmas's holiday in November 2007 when all in the garden looked Rosy, I do think Big Neil is on the correct wavelength with the booking of scheduled flights, this maybe the only way in the future, because tour operators and budget charter flights will be squeezed that much that they will not be making enough money to continue trading.

I am sick of reading about people moaning about flight changes :cry, at this moment in time I have a holiday with flight changes, the XL people don't and even some are now having to pay to get home, do you not feel any sympathy for them, they like probibly most people tried to get a good deal and not for one minute did the people think they or the tour operators or the people on line who took there booking and money would think it would end up in such a mess
..jxk8

Flight discussions are not normally on the Goa forum unless they are very specific to Goa. Please keep further posts directly related to the changes for Goa flights.
Thanks

jxk8
I think its rather rude to make a sweeping statement.

Fiona,
re: above statement, to which was made by knobsy, (may I certainly point out that I am certainly not rude).
Is this not a personal statement, to which you feel cannot be edited out, I see a lot of bias in you decision to edit my posted comments.
I am only stating how today's situation is and may I say is getting worse by the day (if that upsets people tuff thats how it is), to which your forum buys into mine and other peoples views and to all who have oppinions of what is going on in todays world and to which can be posted on this site, there was nothing derogitive aimed at knobsy in my post, to which now I personally take offence at your edit of my post...jxk8

I think the best advice to anyone about to book for Goa is go 'DIY'. Book a flight to Mumbai on scheduled.
Not that easy big Neil
We booked a flight to Mumbai with Air India march time for 5th jan till 27th jan
booked perfect flights depart 21.30 arrive 11.40 and returns were depart 15.30 arrive 18.45
so we booked coaches to heathrow, hotel for 1 night mumbia ,return flights to goa arriving back to mumbia with lots of time for the travel to the international airport and booking in ect ect
Well just as a matter of interest and with whats been goimg on with xl and all ,i went to Air Indias web page typed in my pin number and to my horror found out that they have changed my flights by 13hours i now leave heathrow at 08.45 arriving at 23.40 and return is 07.15 now ive got to stay an extra night in mumbia and change return flights to the day before and stay over
also because of the morning flight ill have to travell heathrow at 3am not east as we are taking our 3yr old grand daughter The cost for all these changes and extra hotel bills will really hit us hard
im going to try to cancel and go with BA but as it says non transferable and no refund for canceling which i didnt know untill we payed in full it may not be easy
They didnt even tell me im so annoyed
sharon uk

Hi Ssharonuk

I feel for you, especially with a three year old child, we can just about put up with it and have a moan but they can't not at that age.

Give Jet Airways a try they have always give us great service and the only ever set back was when we were delayed because of the weather in early august this year, i have not heard any complaints about them so far, good leg room and good food, Indain and continental. Worth a try. If you join for free their priveledge club you can start saving your points for future flights which also includes other airlines, hotels and car hire.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Mike

Jet is the best way to travel to Goa schedule. We usually travel with Jet but were recommended Sri Lanka Airlines so decided to give them a try this year and if you look at the Sri Lanka discussion on here you can see what has happened to them. Flight changes by days etc. Wish we had stayed with Jet. One time we travelled with them we were late leaving Heathrown but they rushed us through Mumbai to catch the last plane down to Goa.

jxk8

I apologise for using the word 'rude'. It was a bit strong, and posted with emotion rather than intelligent debate.

The reason being, I was slightly annoyed at being tagged a 'Moaner' (or whatever it was), because of my thoughts on the change of schedule, and being told to spare a thought for those who booked with XL.

If you read the content of the thread, you'll see that the real reason behind the 'moaning' is the lack of communication between FC and their clients. To some people (my wife included), this was a massive change of circumstances. Not the end of the world stuff, but enough to warrant our looking for a different choice of destination. It's the fact that we only found out by word-of-mouth that leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. Also, as I posted above, other people will have booked connecting flights around the original time slots laid out when first booking the holiday. These will have to be either transferred to an earlier flight, or they may have to book a different charter at additional expense to themselves. If this isn't just cause to have a 'moan' in your book, then que sera.

XL clients had no choice in the matter, as the news was broken after it was too late. This situation I refer to above could and should be handled differently, as the timescales involved up to departure are still to everyones advantage.

Does anyone know if the Thomas cook flights are still the same? I dont know a lot about the charters but my friends are coming out for the 1st time on sat 29th from Gatwick 19.50...we are picking them up at Dabolim.... reading this thread it seems to be mainly Thomsons and First choice making most changes???
Chilly

Hiya Mike.How do i go about joining the "priveledge club" Do i do it on the flight or before..We are flying with Jet Airways in March..
Thanx Sleep_r_us.

sleep you can do it online on the website and after you book/fly you can claim the points
chilly

Thanx Chilly we booked with them yesterday so i'll try later..

The saturday Thomas Cook flight has moved back by 20 mins but arrival time at Dabolim still the same

thanks calhorn

Hi,was flying with fc thur 12 feb,managed to change flight to sat 14 feb.Have been diverted to gatwick once before it took us 8hrs to get to tenerife.Hope sat flight stays direct.

For anyone who has booked any special dietary meal or medical assistance for the flight with FirstChoice/ Thomson , make sure this will be honoured on your new flight, and get it in writing.

Also what is the compulsory International departure tax from 1st November?

Strangely enough in February , on the Firstchoice website, a 2 person 21 night stay holiday is about 250 cheaper than a 14 Night one going out the same day. Wonder how this can be justified?

Lisa

just read above post and we are booked with First Choice for 15th January, what do you mean by ''new flight''. Also when you say ''medical assistance'' is that the disabled assistance at the airports each end as i have this booked. Am getting worried now and not had any letters from First Choice.

We've had another confirmation letter about our forthcoming holiday ... flight number has changed again to TOM353 and says its Thomsonfly

hello Gemma33

I am getting so confused with this as I am sure you were on same numbered flight as us - FCA 086/087 - out of Gatwick, except your going in november and we are going in january. Is this flight now with Thomsonfly for whole of season or am I missing the point?
We have not been notified at all from First Choice regarding changes and also have disabled assistance booked at each end. Sorry to be a pain but I keep re-reading this very important thread and am starting to panick bigtime now as lots of people have heard and we haven't.