Jet2.com

[58terminus]

There was a slight delay departing BHX going out to LPA however we were informed that this due to French air traffic control restrictions

Glad you enjoyed your flights and holiday. But your report did make wonder how much longer airlines can get away with "French air traffic control restrictions" as a cover all excuse for every delay to a flight heading south.

 

[Brum X]

Glad you enjoyed your flights and holiday. But your report did make wonder how much longer airlines can get away with "French air traffic control restrictions" as a cover all excuse for every delay to a flight heading south.

Are you saying it is fake news 58terminus ? But you do make a good point.

 

[Coathanger16]

Glad you enjoyed your flights and holiday. But your report did make wonder how much longer airlines can get away with "French air traffic control restrictions" as a cover all excuse for every delay to a flight heading south.

You'd be surprised just how often French ATC are actually the cause of delays across Europe!

Sounds like you had a good time @Brum X

 

[58terminus]

Are you saying it is fake news 58terminus ?

I have no idea.But the this explanation for a delay seems to have been used since i first started taking an interest in aviation.
Might be interesting to ask for detailed explanation of the restrictions at the time.
"Oh its the French,you know what their like"
should cover that.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

It was not the French Air Traffic Controllers (this time!), but a computer failure.

French Air Traffic Control 'outage'

Kevin

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Glad you enjoyed your flights and holiday. But your report did make wonder how much longer airlines can get away with "French air traffic control restrictions" as a cover all excuse for every delay to a flight heading south.

If they can alter the planned programme around in the afternoon to have zero effect then never. Otherwise - yes it’s the truth. If your heading away in the afternoon, and your aircraft has been to Balearics or Mainland Spain and has routed through France then your delay is caused by usually, 9/10, the french.

 

[Brum X]

It was not the French Air Traffic Controllers (this time!), but a computer failure.

French Air Traffic Control 'outage'

Kevin

Thanks for the information Kevin

 

[58terminus]

If your heading away in the afternoon, and your aircraft has been to Balearics or Mainland Spain and has routed through France then your delay is caused by usually, 9/10, the french.

Dam those Frenchies.Screwing up our {too) tight scheduling.

 

[rollo]

On one of our regular trips to Gran Canaria there's was a French air traffic control issue and when we boarded the captain explained our flight would depart on time but would have an extended flight duration as we would be heading out our over Cornwall and on towards southern Ireland airspace before turning south and come under their atlantic control until reaching Spanish airspace. He also explained not all airlines could do this as the aircraft needs a higher level of navigational/radio equipment to operate this route but fortunately this particular airline had this equipment.

Surprisingly the airline concerned was the much maligned Ryanair.

 

[Coathanger16]

On one of our regular trips to Gran Canaria there's was a French air traffic control issue and when we boarded the captain explained our flight would depart on time but would have an extended flight duration as we would be heading out our over Cornwall and on towards southern Ireland airspace before turning south and come under their atlantic control until reaching Spanish airspace. He also explained not all airlines could do this as the aircraft needs a higher level of navigational/radio equipment to operate this route but fortunately this particular airline had this equipment.

Surprisingly the airline concerned was the much maligned Ryanair.

These are the Shanwick Oceanic routes. For most of the time the only time they're used from mainland UK for short-haul flights are during disruption to French airspace where its quicker to fly a longer routing than through France.

As for Ryanair, flights from Ireland will nearly always use these routes to get to the Canaries, hence rather than have a sub-fleet its probably easier for Ryanair to have all aircraft delivered with the required fit.

View attachment 14505

 

[Ray Finkle]

G-LSAB positioned in from LBA earlier and is now operating this mornings Palma.

 

[Karl C]

Morning all,

I was wondering if anyone knew a 'definitive' answer as to why jet2 base all their older planes at BHX. I've heard it so many times before that it doesn't matter as they maintain their older aircraft very well or they use the newer ones at short field airports. The latter doesnt hold water as STN is all newer frames. What I'm after is not guesswork but the actual reason for this, if anyone knows it.
I've asked jet2 myself during a heated debate with one of their escalation managers. He didn't know and he couldn't find out either.
I would be very interested to know why this occurs.

Many thanks

Karl

 

[Creguk]

Why do you think they use older planes at BHX. I'm intreagued what people think.

 

[Karl C]

I haven't a clue chap. It baffles me why jet2 do it. A relatively new base too. There isn't even a mix of new and old...just old.

 

[Coathanger16]

Originally when the base opened they were all new weren't they?

 

[Brum X]

The aircraft I travelled out on to LPA was 19.4 years old but really you wouldn't of known that unless you looked it up like myself.

 

[Bhx_fifteen]

The aircraft I travelled out on to LPA was 19.4 years old but really you wouldn't of known that unless you looked it up like myself.

I must slightly disagree there! Whilst it’s true that Jet2 do an amazing job of keeping their interiors modern and consistent (unlike pretty much every airline I can think of!), I feel a real difference with newer 737s (in general, not just with Jet2).

The sky interior lighting, overhead bins that stow away more subtly (but offer more storage) and the bigger, oval windows (rather than rectangular) make the aircraft feel super modern. This update is what made me prefer the 737 to A320 family.

I flew to AGP with Ryanair in May. On the way there was an older 737 (with updated interior), and return was the sky interiors. Even my non-av-geek friend who I travelled with was shocked. “This is a nice Ryanair plane, isn’t it?!”

 

[Karl C]

Fully agree with Bhx_fifteen. There is more to this decision than any of us know. Glad to have the airline at BHX, but after only two years they have totally removed all of their new builds and left the Midland travelling public with the much much older machines. One of those I suppose. Nobody will ever know the reason.

Cheers

Karl

 

[big vern]

I have recently booked a ski holiday with neilsons who are using jet2 to andorra next winter. I have booked ski carraige via neilsons, neilsons shows no restrictions but when I check jet2 it shows a max length of 180cm for skis/skibag. My skis are 177cm but bag is over 180cm so now I either buy a new bag or dont take skis. I called jet2 and they confirm that 180cm restriction because of the space in the aircraft hold(hmmmmmm) I then contacted neilsons about the restriction who didnt know and seemed suprised (Quote:I have checked on the Jet2 Website as if checking for a flight and it says 22kgs. I haven’t found anywhere that gives lengths of bag. Are you able to let me know where you have seen this please ?) and I am waiting for a final reply. Fybe E175/195 is 250cm and Q400 167cm and TUI only have a weight restriction
So if you are a taller person who needs skis over 180cm or have skis longer than 180cm you will be in for a major problem and at check in if you are unaware you will have to leave your skis behind.

After getting nowhere at all with jet2 over the ski length I contacted a ski and snowboard page on a well known social media site. The lady who responded was quite suprised at the ski length restriction and lack of info from jet 2 and contacted jet2 herself, she was suprised with the response and attitude from jet2 so as a freelance journalist she contacted jet2 in journo mode asking why half of skiers will not be able to take their skis on holiday and that she was going to press. Within 2 hours jet2 press office had called her with a certain amount of glee that there was a mistake on the website that has been rectified and the ski length should have been 290cm the longest in the industry. As she said to me it was a shame that it took a jounalist and bad press for them to listen.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Fully agree with Bhx_fifteen. There is more to this decision than any of us know. Glad to have the airline at BHX, but after only two years they have totally removed all of their new builds and left the Midland travelling public with the much much older machines. One of those I suppose. Nobody will ever know the reason.

Cheers

Karl

It's a question that I have seen asked many times but am yet to hear a definitive answer. Outside of the Jet2 ops room there are probably very few people who know the reason and those that do are more than likely not going to discuss anything in public.

We're with them next year so we'll see what's based next summer.

After getting nowhere at all with jet2 over the ski length I contacted a ski and snowboard page on a well known social media site. The lady who responded was quite suprised at the ski length restriction and lack of info from jet 2 and contacted jet2 herself, she was suprised with the response and attitude from jet2 so as a freelance journalist she contacted jet2 in journo mode asking why half of skiers will not be able to take their skis on holiday and that she was going to press. Within 2 hours jet2 press office had called her with a certain amount of glee that there was a mistake on the website that has been rectified and the ski length should have been 290cm the longest in the industry. As she said to me it was a shame that it took a jounalist and bad press for them to listen.

The power of the press eh.

Glad it's all sorted