Primera Air

[Ray Finkle]

It gets better!

There's more.

Those on Twitter are suggesting that no alternative dates to NYC were offered just to email for a refund! If there are flights either side of the days cancelled then why not offer them, at least you'd keep the custom?

Even more passengers lost now as they're re-booking with Thomas Cook.

 

[Brum X]

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STN and CDG routes to the USA are now bookable into winter but nothing from BHX.

Yet another BHX one season wonder?

BHX really will have egg on there face if this turns out to be a Summer 2018 programme only after all the fuss about this new venture. We wait with baited breath.

 

[rollo]

Well possibly United cut and ran too soon?

Anyway life goes on but it always seems hard work at BHX

 

[Ray Finkle]

+


BHX really will have egg on there face if this turns out to be a Summer 2018 programme only after all the fuss about this new venture. We wait with baited breath.

Look on the bright side, at least we'll have another operator to the under served destinations of Malaga and Palma

 

[Brum X]

Look on the bright side, at least we'll have another operator to the under served destinations of Malaga and Palma

And Barcelona, LOL

They better not cancel my plane spotting strip, i will be mad

 

[thunderchild]

Hmmm....I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we don’t see any Primera transatlantic flights at all. I don’t want to be negative but I had serious doubts about this from the start so none of this comes as a surprise at all. Just a shame it could have possibly cost us Icelandair and Air Transat (I think UA were on the way out long before Primera were on the scene). Still no official comifirmation of course but it’s not looking good is it?

 

[Ray Finkle]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we don’t see any Primera transatlantic flights at all

If there are flights either side of the days cancelled then why not offer them? Is there a chance that they may not operate?

For any business offering a refund is the absolute last resort as not only have you lost your money but you've also lost your customer.

For an unknown airline attempting to break into a new long haul market this is the worst start possible and the way they have handled it seems atrocious. Sending emails out on a Friday evening half an hour before everyone goes home for the weekend!

If they are serious about a BHX operation then they will need a major PR offensive, or is it now just damage limitation?

 

[Creguk]

A part of me would love to just say "do one" to them! I'm being dramatic I think!

 

[Coathanger16]

A part of me would love to just say "do one" to them! I'm being dramatic I think!

The problem is if Primera do quit BHX (or long haul altogether), where does that leave BHX with flights to the US? I can't seen American or United returning. Delta's unlikely with their presence at LHR and Virgin's at MAN. If JetBlue do look at long haul with A321NEO/LR, they could serve New York JFK but where else? If we want more than just a connection to New York, we really need a based airline and I can't see any other airlines offering that.

 

[Jerry]

If JetBlue do look at long haul with A321NEO/LR, they could serve New York JFK but where else?

Boston and Fort Lauerdale would be the other options.

 

[finchy168]

What a bloody farce!

 

[58terminus]

I'm getting angrier by the day.If they renegade on their TATL flights i really hope BHX do the dirty on them
and make it so expensive for them they pull their sun routes as well.We don't need them. I would hope any favourable deals negotiated for the sun routes were linked to the TATL flights deal.But the way the airport seems to be managed? at the moment i doubt it..
At the moment they are making the airport a laughing stock.
If their is expansion to be had on these routes lets have it from Ryanair Jet2 or Tui. At least we know they will still be here next year.
Bottom line know one on this forum would buy a ticket now from them to N.America . Spain or for the car park.

 

[route66]

Is the latest situation still down to lack of aircraft or poor sales?

 

[Ray Finkle]

It is apparently down to aircraft delivery delays but if it ever comes out that it is actually poor bookings then I can't see where BHX goes from here?

The thing is there has been absolutely no communication of any note whatsoever!

I have no problem with them cancelling Boston and reducing New York, if aircraft are not going to be delivered on time then it's not their fault.

What does bother me is the way that it's been handled.

With emails being sent out late on Friday there are reports of nobody being available over the weekend to resolve the situation and people are angry, very angry.

Why were alternatives not offered? One person on Twitter claims that they've been told to email for a refund. Why not offer a date either side or even STN? Even the smallest offer shows at least some consideration.

Why let this fester over the weekend (if it does)? They are getting slaughtered on social media.

A decent PR department could have spun this out with a release saying something along the lines of 'due to our brand new aircraft not being able to be delivered on time from the manufacturer we have had to make the unfortunate decision to postpone the launch of Boston and reduce our schedule to New York. We will do all that we can for our loyal customers by re-booking them on any of our other existing services free of charge or offering a full refund. Our remaining seats are selling fast so visit primeraair.co.uk to grab a bargain'.

For a new airline to the UK confidence in them must be zero and 58 terminus is quite correct, who would book a flight with them now?

 

[58terminus]

Is the latest situation still down to lack of aircraft or poor sales?

Or just silly overambition? Lets see what happens at Stansted and Paris next winter.
Or doesn't happen

 

[flymetothemoon]

Is the latest situation still down to lack of aircraft or poor sales?

It is almost certainly aircraft deliveries, but they couldn't have handled it worse. Just look what a storm it's
caused on here, never mind the passengers of which I'm one. We have been told absolutely nothing. It really is very poor

 

[Ray Finkle]

It is almost certainly aircraft deliveries, but they couldn't have handled it worse. Just look what a storm it's
caused on here, never mind the passengers of which I'm one. We have been told absolutely nothing. It really is very poor

You shouldn't be affected* as EWR is daily in May and most of June, it doesn't reduce until Toronto commences on June 23rd.

*Assuming EWR actually operates at all.

 

[flymetothemoon]

You shouldn't be affected* as EWR is daily in May and most of June, it doesn't reduce until Toronto commences on June 23rd.

*Assuming EWR actually operates at all.

Ah is that right? Hope springs eternal=thank you

 

[58terminus]

What am i missing here? A small ,9 aircraft is it? Scandinavian airline that is unknown the UK announces multiple TATL routes to commence in 6 months from 2 UK airports 100 miles apart to be flown by new aircraft that have not been built yet. How could it go wrong? Why did we ever think it would work?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Had he still been in post I'm sure that Mr Kehoe would have taken to social media and given an honest reply to any queries directed his way, as it stands I can't find any responses at all from anywhere.

These are some of the comments from Facebook and Twitter. If they belong to anybody and they want me to remove them from here then let me know and I will of course delete them.

Primera have just cancelled our flights from Birmingham to Boston for July 2018. No reason given ! Informed via e mail, telephone number provided just rings out and cuts you off. Not the service we’d expect from a company about to promote it business from BHX.

You have just cancelled birmingham to boston flights in the summer leaving many passengers in shock for the weekend shame on you and the bosses of primera air disgrace

Just been advised my Bhx to Boston, and return New York to Bhx cancelled already. Thanks Primera Air, I should have stuck with the ‘devil you know’ in Virgin Airlines! Clearly the Transatlantic dream is just that........

Flights cancelled to Boston , so angry . No reply on live chat or email. I’ll stick to BA in the future . Have accommodation booked in Boston so I’m out of pocket all ways.