Thomson are ignoring their responsibilities. They need to realise they are often dealing with large investments from people who have possibly done without to get that special holiday. Their summer advertising campaign does not mention long haul delays which ofter run into double figures.

and later posts around the same topic.

I'll try and keep this short because I know that I'm in danger of taking this way off topic.

Next summer it will be 30 years since I visited China (yes, I was very young or at least compared to what I am now ) and I thought that it would be a nice idea to go back - there have been some stupendous changes in the intervening decades. So I've been looking at prices for a similar tour and was amazed to realise that the cost had barely changed and that I could expect a much better standard of accommodation now than then and I wouldn't have to put up with the vagaries of flying with JAL and an enforced long layover in Belgrade. And all this is with the vary same operator that took care of the arrangements for the original trip. And I'm not allowing for inflation - I'm referring to the actual price quoted in £sterling then and now.

Proportionate to average earnings the cost of longhaul holidays has fallen massively - that's what happens once a mass market develops but have our expectations fallen in line with that? It appears not. I think that we, as consumers, have to decide just what do we want? Because as I see it the choice is between being able to have longhaul holidays to what a previous generation would have regarded as impossibly exotic destinations being brought down to make them more affordable to more people with the resultant impact that has on the level of service we can expect - or a high quality, more personalised service that doesn't just see us as a 'bum on a seat' and will absorb the added costs without question when things go wrong but that will cost a lot more and at price that will force a lot of people out of the market? We can't have it both ways. For me, I'm probably going to be happy to accept the relatively cheap and cheerful option for this trip down memory lane because I still want to be able to do my regular trip to Cuba and this time around I can't afford to pay the equivalent of the close to 20% of my annual salary that first trip to China cost.

SM

PS I forgot to say that what I paid in 1981 was lower than it might have been because we were being partly subsidised by the Chinese government - some of our accommodation costs were covered by them. Had I been paying the full costs for myself at that time the discrepancy between the price then and the price now makes the proposed trip next year look an even better bargain.

Irene67,

Take your own if you have them, I always do as I don't like the supplied ones, or use the ones supplied. There's still plenty of those.

Darren

I note from the departure board at Gatwick that todays Thomson flight to Goa appears to have been delayed to 04:00, does anyone know the reason for this?

Miccie,

Technical problem with the aircraft on a previous flight I believe and consequent knock on delay.

Darren

Thanks Dazbo, just keeping an eye as we are on that flight next week, snow allowing that is!

First time poster!

Im flying from Manchester (MAN) to Tenerife (TFS) on 28/12/10 on Thomson airways.

What type of plane will I be on? Ive been told it will be a 757 or 767.

Would really prefer a 767 to be honest.

Ive also been told that they can change the plane on the day of the flight, why would they do this, not pre booked seats because of this?

Cheers

Hi Darren,

Any news on which aircraft is doing the Cancun run tomorrow? Will it have the Premium Class section or all economy?

Cheers

james 84,

Welcome onboard
Please quote flight numbers when requesting aircraft information as there are often several flights to TFS. It ensure we get the correct one and information for you. MAN-TFS-MAN (TOM292/3) are operated by a Boeing 757-200. Aircraft types don't often change, but the assigned aircraft does occasionally due to an aircraft with a technical problem for example. You'll find further aircraft information on our What Aircraft? guide (link below).

Darren

SAEAGLE,

Please quote flight numbers! I can't always remember what everyone is on! You'll be pleased to know the grounded aircraft has returned to the sky so things are getting back to normal. I hope you had a nice time in Cancun. I can't see the aircraft for tomorrow, there's nothing showing on the system as yet but you should have your usual ex-FCA 76W.

Darren

Thanks Darren.

Sorry - no idea what the flight number is. It's his Dad again but I will let him know that he is likely to get the seats he paid for on the flight back home.

Cheers

saeagle (snr)

SMa,

Thanks for your considered response. I would very much like to discuss some of the points you have raised but do not wish to spoil the purpose of this particular sub forum. Having had a look around somewhere in the general forum to discuss the package tour operators, there does not seem to be anywhere. Ah well.

Goa "technical problems" - again.

we do have a tour operator and travel agents thread but not for discussing airlines

wizard

Cheers Darren, its flight TOM2202 BTY!

as Ive not pre booked seats have you got any tips on what to ask for when we check in (ie best avalible seats?)

I cant open the what aircraft link for some reason, is it a big plane? any idea of the in flight entertainment

Cheers again

SMa,

Thanks for your considered response. I would very much like to discuss some of the points you have raised but do not wish to spoil the purpose of this particular sub forum. Having had a look around somewhere in the general forum to discuss the package tour operators, there does not seem to be anywhere. Ah well.

we do have a tour operator and travel agents thread but not for discussing airlines

And more general topics are oftern raised and dicussed in the 'General Inquiries, HInts and Tips' thread where similar discussions about broader aspects of the workings of the travel industry have been aired in the past too.

SMa

james 84,

Seating is pre-allocated before check-in so there's not a lot of point asking for seats as they'll have already have been assigned and can't be changed. Seating is personal preference anyway. Just click on the link below for the What Aircraft? guide, it's working fine for me. All the information including aircraft and cabin photos, seating plans and currect IFE is listed. The Boeing 757-200 is mid-sized twin engined narrow bodied aircraft with 235 seats. It's big enough!

Darren

We off to Sharm El Sheik on Monday on Thomson TOM652 from Doncaster (Robin Hood) Airport. You've already told me that it'll be a 737-800 (Sardine Tin?) - Thanks for that.

Assuming we get away (Doncaster seems to close at the slightest sneeze of snow) will the aircraft have "normal" 3.5mm jacks for the headphones or is it the double barrelled type? In order to avoid yet another hidden extra we've got some double barrelled Continental ones we could use. Will they fit?

Thanks,
Richard

thomson are normaly fitted with the international standard TWIN MONO

dickyt wrote:

You've already told me that it'll be a 737-800 (Sardine Tin?)

They're actually quite nice aircraft and not quite a sardine tin! You'd get plenty in their if you tried, but you might be pleasantly surprised. It brings back happy memories of flying to see Santa for a week 2 years ago does the 73H! The two pin adapters you have will work fine.

Darren

Darren,
Quick reply as always! Thanks very much. The 737 sardine can comment was one made by someone on an earlier TOM652, on Tripadvisor.

Hope you and yours, and all on this forum have a magic Christmas and Best Wishes for the new year.

Richard