Has anyone ever flown with Air Transat before?

[Log]

I'm looking at booking some flights down to Mexico. There's pretty much 2 options as far as charters go... Skyservice and Air Transat.

Previously, Air Transat contracted WestJet to do the Mexico charter. Apparently they no longer doing that .

I've flown with Skyservice before and it's the biggest POS airline out there.... they try to cram as many people onto the airplane as humanly possible. I'm 6'1" and my knees were pressed into the seat ahead of me the whole flight. I have vowed to never fly with them again.

Has anyone ever flown on an actual Air Transat aircraft? If so, how was it?

Thanks.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Log

I'm looking at booking some flights down to Mexico. There's pretty much 2 options as far as charters go... Skyservice and Air Transat.

Previously, Air Transat contracted WestJet to do the Mexico charter. Apparently they no longer doing that .

I've flown with Skyservice before and it's the biggest POS airline out there.... they try to cram as many people onto the airplane as humanly possible. I'm 6'1" and my knees were pressed into the seat ahead of me the whole flight. I have vowed to never fly with them again.

Has anyone ever flown on an actual Air Transat aircraft? If so, how was it?

Thanks.

I did in Oct. 2002 to Cuba

They were 45 minutes late loading us on the plane, then sat at the gate for another hour before we started moving.

They do jam as many people on as possible. I'm 6'2" and I don't recall having any issues as far as knee space. There wasn't a lot, but I don't remember it rubbing the seat in front.

[Tron_fdc]

I sat in the Calgary airport waiting for the plane to arrive fom Edmonton for 3 hours, got crammed into a seat that seemed like it wasn't bolted down, and jammed my knees into the one in front of me. I swear I got food poisining from them them as well.

I'd rather ride my bike to Mexico than fly with those pricks.

[Log]

Ah crap....

Are there any other options besides Skyservice and Air Transat?

[ken0042]

I've flown both Air Transat and Skyservice. The only difference is the Air Transat food doesn't taste like barf.

But expect to do your 5 hour long impression of a praying mantis.

I just look at it as a price of saving money on a trip to Mexico.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Log

I've flown with Skyservice before and it's the biggest POS airline out there.... they try to cram as many people onto the airplane as humanly possible. I'm 6'1" and my knees were pressed into the seat ahead of me the whole flight. I have vowed to never fly with them again.

Has anyone ever flown on an actual Air Transat aircraft? If so, how was it?

Thanks.

Funnily enough, I have had a very similar experience on Air Transat, and have subsequently made a vow to never fly with them again.

I think you'll find both airlines work along the same lines. They are Charter airlines, and there is a reason why the price is cheaper....

[jolinar of malkshor]

My opinion is Airtranst is no better than Sky Service. Same goal. Cram as many people on to make as much money.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Log

Ah crap....

Are there any other options besides Skyservice and Air Transat?

Probably not.

All inclusives suck. You get sent down with a bunch of pasty Canadians to some compound (most of which are on holidays from the rig) and you never leave it. The club you go to is hell bent on milking every possible penny they can out of you in the form of tours, hair braiding, crap jewellery and clothing, then they load you back on the plane and bring in the next round of tourists. You might as well fly to northern Manitoba, because you'll see about as much of Mexico (if that's where you're going) as the guy running his combine in Thompson.

If you want to experience a country (and this is my opinion) get to where you're going the cheapest way possible, boook a hotel room for when you get there for one night, and spend the next day looking around for places to stay. Find cheap restaraunts that serve cold cervezas and decent food, and go exploring. There's nothing worse than sitting in a compound in the middle of Mexico and not seeing anything around you, while watching a bunch of tourists get absolutely OBLITERATED around the pool. I can do that here....why would I spend 2 grand to do it in Mexico?

I should warn that my plan has backfired on occasion though.......I've spent a few nights in roach motels because I couldn't find anything, and the girlfriend wasn't too happy about that.

[V]

I know several people that have flown Air Transat and every single one of them have sworn to never use them again.

[Flash Walken]

when you're booking your seat, just make sure you reserve a seat near the emergency exits. You get plenty of leg room that way. If you don't mind the aisle, I'd say aisle seat midway on the plane, emerg. seat. So much room.

[ken0042]

Last time I flew they wouldn't let me book the emergency aisle ahead of time. They needed to see that I appear physically capable of ripping that door off if we crash land.

Nobody wants the last thing they hear to be "I think it's stuck; tee-hee!"

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Probably not.

All inclusives suck. You get sent down with a bunch of pasty Canadians to some compound (most of which are on holidays from the rig) and you never leave it. The club you go to is hell bent on milking every possible penny they can out of you in the form of tours, hair braiding, crap jewellery and clothing, then they load you back on the plane and bring in the next round of tourists. You might as well fly to northern Manitoba, because you'll see about as much of Mexico (if that's where you're going) as the guy running his combine in Thompson.

If you want to experience a country (and this is my opinion) get to where you're going the cheapest way possible, boook a hotel room for when you get there for one night, and spend the next day looking around for places to stay. Find cheap restaraunts that serve cold cervezas and decent food, and go exploring. There's nothing worse than sitting in a compound in the middle of Mexico and not seeing anything around you, while watching a bunch of tourists get absolutely OBLITERATED around the pool. I can do that here....why would I spend 2 grand to do it in Mexico?

I should warn that my plan has backfired on occasion though.......I've spent a few nights in roach motels because I couldn't find anything, and the girlfriend wasn't too happy about that.

Huh? You just don't buy the crap at the hotel. You go into town to purchase tours, clothes, etc and bargain with the merchants. That and where else can you go to play "Tequilla Volleyball" in a swimming pool?

[Log]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Probably not.

All inclusives suck. You get sent down with a bunch of pasty Canadians to some compound (most of which are on holidays from the rig) and you never leave it. The club you go to is hell bent on milking every possible penny they can out of you in the form of tours, hair braiding, crap jewellery and clothing, then they load you back on the plane and bring in the next round of tourists. You might as well fly to northern Manitoba, because you'll see about as much of Mexico (if that's where you're going) as the guy running his combine in Thompson.

If you want to experience a country (and this is my opinion) get to where you're going the cheapest way possible, boook a hotel room for when you get there for one night, and spend the next day looking around for places to stay. Find cheap restaraunts that serve cold cervezas and decent food, and go exploring. There's nothing worse than sitting in a compound in the middle of Mexico and not seeing anything around you, while watching a bunch of tourists get absolutely OBLITERATED around the pool. I can do that here....why would I spend 2 grand to do it in Mexico?

I should warn that my plan has backfired on occasion though.......I've spent a few nights in roach motels because I couldn't find anything, and the girlfriend wasn't too happy about that.

Well, considering that I am going there for a honeymoon, there will be no sleazy motels, off the beaten path towns or 8 hour non-a/c bus rides.

We are using my parents timeshare for 2 wks (Mayan Riviera). So don't have the option to fly domestic airlines and go to Florida or California...

Also I hear Thompson isn't exactly all that balmy in January...

[Log]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

when you're booking your seat, just make sure you reserve a seat near the emergency exits. You get plenty of leg room that way. If you don't mind the aisle, I'd say aisle seat midway on the plane, emerg. seat. So much room.

I think if you don't get the emergency exit aisle, you're SOL.... IIRC, only the emergency exit row has the added leg room.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Log

Well, considering that I am going there for a honeymoon, there will be no sleazy motels, off the beaten path towns or 8 hour non-a/c bus rides.

We are using my parents timeshare for 2 wks (Mayan Riviera). So don't have the option to fly domestic airlines and go to Florida or California...

Also I hear Thompson isn't exactly all that balmy in January...

If you're going on a honeymoon and have a place to stay, spend the extra cash and fly Air Canada, American, or whatever Ailine flys to Cancun. Your wife will appreciate it.

The 2 charters you mentioned are nothing more than cattle class taken to the extreme.....

[Radically Red]

I flew Air Transat to the Dominican Republic. Defenitly crammed as many people in as they could.
they were charging for headphones to listen to thier in flight entertainment. Overall wasnt overly impressed with them.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

If you're going on a honeymoon and have a place to stay, spend the extra cash and fly Air Canada, American, or whatever Ailine flys to Cancun. Your wife will appreciate it.

Agreed. Try not to save a few bucks on the one time you go on a honeymoon. Your memories will thank you for it down the road.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Radically Red

they were charging for headphones to listen to thier in flight entertainment. Overall wasnt overly impressed with them.

They all do that.

"We're pleased to provide free in-flight entertainment, but if you don't have headphones we're happy to provide ours for a fee of $5".

Hell, I heard they're saving money and charging extra for every possible thing they can think of. I'm surprised there isn't a surcharge on seatbelts!

[RougeUnderoos]

I went on Skyservice once and it was a rather unpleasant experience. Getting an aisle seat wasn't too bad but on the way home I had a "window seat" but there wasn't a window. The seats are so close together that some of the seats, even if you are right next to the wall, don't have a window. The person in front of me had one, and the person behind me did (sort of, the back of my seat half-covered that one). You are crammed in there and you've got nothing to look at. I'm not exactly a world traveller, but I'd never seen one configured like that before.

[Bobblehead]

I was to Mayan Riviera at the start of the month. on Air Canada the headphones were free (and they threw them in the garbage at the end of the flight) but they are crappy, and because they use that double prong thing you can't just use normal headphones unless you get an adapter.
And on AC, the trip down had 2 wedding parties and the seats behind my wife and I had a 2 year old and a 3 year old. The 2YO was a screamer the entire way (and who apparently are 4 bananas) and the 3 YO liked to kick seats. And WE were the 'nasty people' for glaring at the parents.

My experience with Air Transat was better than Air Canada, but from most people I have talked to, I was the exception.