Hi Darren,
I have now got flight numbers Monday 15 Aug TCX 152 back on 29th August TCX 153 (Manchester to Cancun) we have paid `choose your seat` or whatever its called. Can you tell me if this flight is a 3 3 3 or 2 4 2? Are there any seats we should stay away from 2 adults and 1 child (if its 2 4 2 we would go for 2 and one over
the aisle)

Many thanks

Thanks for the update ButterChickenGirl. The usual thing of the minority spoiling it for the remainder.

Darren

buzzer14,

Your flights are operated by one of the ex-MYT A332's as the TCX are on short haul / Canadian Affair. The aircraft should be inbound from Cancun (TCX297). G-MDBD and G-MLJL are operating ex-MAN at the moment with the look of it so is likely to be one of those.

Have a great time

Darren

Stu308,

MAN-ZTH-MAN (TCX 2474/5) are operated by a Boeing 757-200.

Darren

katiesmum,

Your flights are operated by a long haul Airbus A330-200. These are 3-3-3 in economy apart from the rear 5 rows (where the fuselage narrows) that are 2-3-2. The forward cabin (former premium) is also 2-3-2. Seating is personal preference so it's whatever you prefer really. The only ones I'd say avoid are the ones around the stairs for the toilets. Apart from those, all seats offer the same seat pitch and facilities in the respective cabins. You'll find extensive aircraft information on our What Aircraft? guide (link below) including aircraft and cabin photos and a link to the seat plan (ex-MYT).

Darren

Please note PSPs are no longer available to rent, this is sadly down to cost, they were proving too expensive for the company to maintain

The complete end of short haul IFE - in whatever form - is I think, sadly, a step backwards.
TC stopping shorthaul IFE, followed by now the end of the PSPs,
(and I understand that TUI are also soon to end short haul IFE)
I'm lucky in that I get to take a lot of holiday flights, and over the years I've seen a lot of decent movies on planes.
Including many I actually enjoyed, but would not have bought or rented normally.
(I'll not mention the TC longhaul flight on which they showed Mamma Mia,
during which certain passengers were heard to sing along out loud.
Oops...)

Thanks Darren

ukbill wrote:

Please note PSPs are no longer available to rent, this is sadly down to cost, they were proving too expensive for the company to maintain

(I'll not mention the TC longhaul flight on which they showed Mamma Mia,
during which certain passengers were heard to sing along out loud.
Oops...)

Try the 6 hour SSH flight where the IFE could only be played over the PA system, with 232 out of 235 passengers singing along... truly one of the nicest, but loudest, flights ive ever operated. They were all so friendly, it was like being at the theatre... of course the remaining 3 were a 'bit off' regarding the sound, but you get that all the time.

You wouldnt believe how many people dont care we dont have TV on the narrow body fleet. I get asked about TV once a month if that! People are used to traveling low cost nowadays, and they dont have TVs. The sad reality is, that it was costing the compnay more to play the movies than people were spending on headphones. Hollywood needs to be paid too, and we're a business at the end of the day, we are here to make money, especially in this climate.
To keep the price of the holidays at the lower end you have to be realistic and realise that nothing comes for free anymore. Sad, but true ( seeing as though holidays arent exactly cheap as it is), but thats the legacy of the price of fuel.

Hi All (Darren)
We have just booked a AI holiday to cuba for may 2012 but no one is offering premium seating anymore, i was told a while ago that with Thomas cook we would be able to book premium seats on the return journey but not outbound. but when we booked it last thursday we were told it was blocked.
Surely they are not going to fly with premium seats empty.
Or does anyone know any inside info as to when these seats will be released/bookable.

Thanks for any reply
Lyn

lynsgotasecret,

Premium seating is no longer available outbound, and won't be available inbound from 15th May. The premium seats will be extra legroom only, they won't be empty. More details from ButterChickenGirl.

Darren

Thanks Darren

Premium (BIG SEATS) are pre allocated (there is a proceedure for this but not able to divulge), there is no way of reserving seats on the outbound flight in PREM.

Basically you upgrade on the plane to get around the tax so just listen out for the announcement it's actually quite a good idea.

I do wish Thos Cook would actually make their minds up about how they are allocating these seats. Or at least tell all their employees, and then they can all sing off the same hymn sheet.
Upgrading on the aircraft goes against what several people have been told when enquiring direct to the airline.
This information came direct from TC

<You have the option of booking the Premium seats (extra legroom seats) for £50 on your inbound flight only but Premium seats ( extra legroom seats) on outbound flights will be allocated at check-in. There is no way that these will be allocated before departure and no way of selecting these before hand by either the Airline or the Tour Operator. Its going to be on a lottery basis once the final manifest has been sorted out.

If you have selected the Your Seat Your Choice option, you will not have the option to select premium seats (extra legroom seats) on the way out. You will still be able to select your seats elsewhere on the plane. You will still be eligible for the free upgrade to premium seats (extra legroom seats) even if you have prebooked other seats in the standard cabin>.

How is anyone supposed to know what on earth is going on!! The amount of people complaining about this, as well as cancelled holidays, must be reaching an all time high

Hey,
I am wondering with the lease on some of TCX's A330 which ones are the keeping in the fleet for summer 2012?
Looking to book for the dominican republic and interested to see which A330's they are keeping,
Thanks
Z.J.C

BEfreeTODAY wrote:

Basically you upgrade on the plane to get around the tax so just listen out for the announcement it's actually quite a good idea.

As nice as it sounds I can't see how this would make economic sense!
To keep the maths simple, lets assume there's 200 standard seats and 50 premium seats. If you upgrade in the air, all 50 premium seats would need to be empty at take off. This would leave a fifth of the aircraft's seats empty!
The chap I spoke to from the airline this week told me that the allocation would be offered to passangers a few days pre departure, he said not everyone is accepting the upgrade as they might want to keep their existing selection or they've got extra legroom (which is more than prem). He said they would keep calling party by party randomly until prem is full.

It really is very complicated and as mike bravo said I can't really go into Either unfortunately but the basic concept is let's pretend we don't sell the seats so we don't pay the tax.

z.j.c wrote:

I am wondering with the lease on some of TCX's A330 which ones are the keeping in the fleet for summer 2012?

It's the original TCX aircraft that are being returned to the lease company at the end of the summer season; G-OJMB, G-OJMC and G-TCXA. G-OJMB and G-TCXA will go to Air Transat. The ex-MYT will remain.

Darren

Sounds to me as if they are making things as complicated as possible for their paying customers ....... not surpirsed they are losing customer and money!!

Regards,
Pat