Has anyone ever flown with Air Transat before? - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Log · 05-30-2006, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

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.

Yeah I'm looking into that.... I think I might fly direct from Toronto or Montreal with Air Canada. Use my airmiles to get down east then spend a few days touring either one of those cities.

ken0042 · 05-30-2006, 12:36 PM

Look into the cost of using Airmiles- don't assume that free trip is free.

Last year for Grey Cup I cashed in my "free" trip for Calgary to Vancouver, and it cost me $145. My buddy who paid full fare on a seat sale paid about $190.

Log · 05-30-2006, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Look into the cost of using Airmiles- don't assume that free trip is free.

Last year for Grey Cup I cashed in my "free" trip for Calgary to Vancouver, and it cost me $145. My buddy who paid full fare on a seat sale paid about $190.

Yep, I've flown with airmiles before and know I have to cover the taxes.

Tron_fdc · 05-30-2006, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Look into the cost of using Airmiles- don't assume that free trip is free.

Last year for Grey Cup I cashed in my "free" trip for Calgary to Vancouver, and it cost me $145. My buddy who paid full fare on a seat sale paid about $190.

This is true. My Aeroplan account is in the 6 figures, and I've never used them because it's either too expensive to transfer them to my girlfriend so we can both go somewhere, or it's too much of a pain in the ass working around black out dates, first class, transfers, etc etc etc.

Hmmm I wonder if they do that on purpose?

All airlines suck. I've just come to the conclusion that some are only slightly less sucky than others, unless I want to pay 6 times what the going rate is.

cSpooge · 05-30-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Log

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.

request it and pay the extra money if you have to. When i flew down to mexico with my parents for a vaction i could lay down in the exit row I could touch both ends of the row.

LeftWing · 05-30-2006, 02:14 PM

The last time I flew Air Transat it was to the Dominican Republic and back. I'm 6'3 and I remember thinking that I was going to be okay because when I first sat down I had about an inch between the seat and my knee (we were flying on an A330-300 if that helps).

It was about 10 minutes after takeoff when the guy in front of me (who was about 5'6 and in the emergency exit seat that I had requested) put his seat back as far as it would go. Now I certainly admire his tenacity because I didn't think my knees would allow the seat to go back that far, but after he threw his body into it a couple of times it did go back the full distance.

I protested using a word I probably shouldn't have in the presence of small children but that didn't even make this guy twitch. I had a difficult time removing my knees from the seat in front of me as I attempted to open them cowboy style, and I must have jolted the guy again because before I had my knees completely off the seat the guy lifted up his body and dropped it onto his seat again - apperently that technique is quite effective to remove unwanted airline seat bumps.

I openly remarked to my wife about the rudeness, ignorance and intelligence level of 'some people' but nevertheless I got to spend the entire 4 hours+ riding cowboy style. I can't remember how much we saved by flying A.T. but it certainly wasn't enough.

Shame on you Air Transat and Sky Service for so blatently discriminating against tall people. Shame.

ken0042 · 05-30-2006, 02:22 PM

^^ I wouldn't have been so kind to him.

Log · 05-30-2006, 02:35 PM

I think this would be a wise purchase for anyone over 5'10"... Or try to make your own.

http://www.kneedefender.com

RougeUnderoos · 05-30-2006, 02:38 PM

There is an ad in today's Herald for transat and it mentions "Club Class". It doesn't mention any other class so maybe that's the only class they have or maybe you can pony up a little more and sit in slightly better circumstances.

It also advertises flights to Scotland for 250 bucks. Cattle prods would definitely be involved for that one.

Tron_fdc · 05-30-2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

There is an ad in today's Herald for transat and it mentions "Club Class". It doesn't mention any other class so maybe that's the only class they have or maybe you can pony up a little more and sit in slightly better circumstances.

It also advertises flights to Scotland for 250 bucks. Cattle prods would definitely be involved for that one.

I don't recall exactly what club class is, but I do believe it has something to do with slightly better meals, priority boarding and more seat rooom. It's a step down from 1st class, but a step up from economy.

Log · 05-30-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I don't recall exactly what club class is, but I do believe it has something to do with slightly better meals, priority boarding and more seat rooom. It's a step down from 1st class, but a step up from economy.

The travel agent I talked to today advised it is an additional $150 each way, per seat.

@theCBE · 05-30-2006, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

It also advertises flights to Scotland for 250 bucks. Cattle prods would definitely be involved for that one.

Did it have a specific dates for that?? or was it pretty open ended?

Nufy · 05-30-2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

^^ I wouldn't have been so kind to him.

When that happens to me I tend to get a very nasty hacking cough for a few minutes. Usually I can only cough in the forward direction.

Surprisingly they seem to put their seat back up after a short while.

RougeUnderoos · 05-30-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @theCBE

Did it have a specific dates for that?? or was it pretty open ended?

Sure enough at the bottom there is some fine print and there are all sorts of restrictions. As for dates, this is all it says: "Price valid on selected June to July departures and fares may vary according to departure dates yada yada yada".

Tron_fdc · 05-30-2006, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Log

The travel agent I talked to today advised it is an additional $150 each way, per seat.

A quick rundown

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ialTravel/home

Check with the travel agent though to find out exactly what you're getting. Seems to me they've changed the name about 4 times...

I-Hate-Hulse · 05-30-2006, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftWing

I openly remarked to my wife about the rudeness, ignorance and intelligence level of 'some people' but nevertheless I got to spend the entire 4 hours+ riding cowboy style. I can't remember how much we saved by flying A.T. but it certainly wasn't enough.

Out of curiosity, did you directly ask the guy to not recline his seat?

trew · 05-30-2006, 04:32 PM

Last year I had my first, last, and only experience with Sunquest/Sky Service.

We were supposed to go to Cuba, but my girlfriend accidentally left her passport on the connecting flight to Toronto. We couldn't board our flight and lost the entire vacation. Yes this was our fault, but it really took a situation like this to show me exactly what these vacation companies are all about.

The Sunquest/Skyservice people in airport were not able, willing, or interested in helping us. They said that there was nothing they could do for us, and that we should phone the customer service line once we recovered the passport. When we finally located the passport that Saturday evening, it looked like we had a shot at only losing a day of our trip. I tell you, it was a real kick in the nuts when we called that number and found out that the customer service department was CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND.

By the time we did get a hold of someone, we found out that there was no transfers, refunds, credits, standby flights, or any possibility of cancellation insurance (not that we purchased it, thankfully, but they made sure that we knew so even if we had). Our only option was to purchase a full fare ticket with another airline and arrange our own transportation to the resort. This would have allowed us to claim our two last days of vacation, and our return flight. If we wanted to pay extra for more days at the hotel in lieu of our missed time, they wouldn't even allow us to move the return flight to a different date. It was a total write-off.

Contrast this to Westjet, who did everything possible to recover the passport and put us in touch with real people (with direct phone numbers) who tracked down our plane, instructed the cleaning crew to find the passport, and then made arrangements to fly it back to Toronto. They got it back to us by 9 PM that night and did whatever they could to try and save our vacation. A vacation package, I might add, that was purchased through a competitor.

I've missed flights with normal airlines before, and they have always been able to do something for me. Sure it cost me extra money, but never a whole lot.

This is my conclusion on the charter flights and package companies: Once they get your money they don't care about you, and want to spare every expense in fulfilling their limited obligations. They don't care if you are comfortable, they don't care if you enjoy yourself. They don't care if you like the supposed 4* resort you booked. Heck they don't even care if you make it there in the first place.

jonesy · 05-30-2006, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotze

No, if you are short, you have to always concede to the taller, its in the handbook, he wasn't paying right.

you know, when I was reading that story, I imagined you as the fellow in front. Good job! shorties unite!

Ranchlander · 05-30-2006, 07:23 PM

I flew to Europe with Transat and didn't really have any huge problems. Apparently our pilot was the same one that crashlanded that plane into the middle of an island in the Atlantic about 3 years ago because their was a fuel miscalculation. I guess he was pretty skilled.

Only issue I really had was that their wasn't much room in the aisles, but I guess that is the plane manufacturers fault, not the airlines.

@theCBE · 05-30-2006, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Sure enough at the bottom there is some fine print and there are all sorts of restrictions. As for dates, this is all it says: "Price valid on selected June to July departures and fares may vary according to departure dates yada yada yada".

Thanks.. I don't need to go till September but I'll keep my eye on that. I'm travelling on an tight budget so I don't really care about the quality of the airline as long as it gets me and my luggage there in one peace.