dbennett9

Hi All
We just got back from the UK and I thought I would share our flight experience, we had not flown with Air Transat since THomas Cook got our of the flights from Calgary to Manchester.

We were flying to MAN on the thursday flight - got an email earlier in the week to say we were connecting through Gatwick now!
Flew in the economy cabin going, was really good.
I am 6ft tall and had lots of leg room, width was also good. Overhead TV's going but these are being phased out on their flights. We opted for the Option + service, which was worth it, for the extra baggage, comfort kit, drinks and extra service. They put a special napkin on your headrest to identify to on the flight.
Priority check-in and baggage off load too!

Food and drink was good on the outgoing flight, we had brought magazines, Ipad and other distractions but didnt seem to get to them, felt like it went fast.

On landing in Gatwick, thats when the silliness started. The reason for stopping there was because they had consolidated the two flights. First they off loaded the Gatwick people, that showed that there wasnt many Manchester people at all left on the plane.

We had to off load the plane, with hand luggage and walk basically the length of the airport to the passenger transfer area. Normally this area handles one or two passengers at a time - not probably the 80 or so on the flight.
We queued for ages and got to the desk - only to have our hand luggage checked and go through metal detectors again!!

They asked us if we had any liquids etc, we had not been anywhere other than the plane from YYC!!
After we had been checked we all walked back to the plane and boarded in the same seats and set of for Manchester.
It was nice to see the priority baggage thing worked because as I got through passport check, our bags were just coming out.

Return trip was exceptional - we had booked club class because I was back at work on the Monday and wanted to have a good flight. We got invited to use the fastlane security check at MAN, which was good. On the flight the service was fantastic - very attentive staff. We were offered food and drink as often as we liked, some premium stuff too, I had a brandy after supper.

Dinner service comes with real knives and forks, freshly ground salt and pepper, table cloths. The food was unlike any airline food I had ever had, well cooked full of flavour and also came with wine.

We had our own tv's and at one point ours stopped working, the staff was on it straight away and had us going again in no time. The other meal before landing was also good - and water was always available.

All in all a fantastic experience which can only get better with the upgrades they are doing to the planes.

IF anyone has any questions about the experience - let me know

macadian

How much are they paying you......

shunter1977

Very good to hear as we're planning on flying with them in September and was unsure what they would be like.

Oink

My sister flew on them and said it was worst travelling experience she'd had. Cramped seats, horrible food, had tho pay for booze, old fashioned tvs and shit films, dreadful check-ins, flying out of a crappy UK airport, rude staff and top it all she had to stop in Calgary on their way here. Her assessment of the experience, cheap and very nasty.

Miss Clinique

Food is awful , staff are ignorant. Cheap, but not cheerful.

yzf.shaun

I flew friday, Gatwick to Pearson and it was exceptional.

Plane configuration was 2,4,2 and there was ample legroom. Food was good. Although there seemed to be quite a bit of bickering going on between the stewards but I slept most of the way anyhow.

Mircha

I flew with AT early May (Toronto to Manchester) and had a good experience with them. I felt there was enough legroom on the flights, they had the headphones for free to watch the overhead movies and listen to music. The food was good and they catered for vegetarians and other special meal requests well.

The flight for some reason was moved three hours earlier but not sure why this was the case but was informed by Canadian affair 2 days before the flight although they were choosing to contact my home telephone in the UK to inform me rather than email or call my mobile.

All in all the flight was good and being cheaper helped a lot as I saved £300 flying into Manchester rather than Gatwick and caught the train back home for £13.50 to London Euston.

The other half also flew with AT 2 weeks ago for a visit to the UK and had nothing but good reviews for the flight and even said he didn't have to pay for the wine he had whereas I thought booze was not free. The staff at Gatwick weren't the most friendliest I have to say when he was checking in his bags.

I would recommend AT to anyone flying to Canada. Saying that I am flying with Sunwings when I go at the end of June. Am hoping it's not like Ryan Air!

Molly_Rose

I've flown Air Transat a few times from Pearson to Manchester. Yes it is a bit cramped in economy. Food was ok and I like flying straight through.

JB0591

We have flown air transat a few times, the economy flights have been very similar and as expected. We did club class when we landed and it was great, as per OP experience.

We have also flew Thomas Cook and they were very hit or miss in economy.

dollface

Flown with them several times :

Toronto - Glasgow
Toronto - Gatwick
Toronto - Paris

all good, certainly worth the price and not much difference between them and Air Canada except for the t'v's on the back of the headrests.

printer

Seems like they may be in trouble.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Busines...-take-vacation

Animal

I've used them for personal trips probably about 6-7 times for various flights

Toronto to Gatwick / Manchester
Calgary / Gatwick
Vancouver /Manchester


and I couldn't really complain about them. Food has always been OK and staff have always been friendly and helpful.

Only issue would be having to pay for booze but for the saving made isn't a real complaint.

When I travel back with work I've used other airlines and not much in it really.

el_richo

I wouldn't degrade myself but my cousin flew with them once and said the only people who could possibly consider them to be good or acceptable are the sort of folk who's yearly holiday was a £99 special to magaluf on one of those cheap shitty cramped airlines full of pissed up chavs.

I've picked people up from gatwick and seen the Air Transat check in queue and I tend to agree with him.

He said the seats were cramped as **** and he's only 6'1"

Animal

I've never been on a £99 holiday and never been to Magaluf before and never have or will have that inkling to do so.

I was a Director of Engineering when I was working in the UK so wouldn't call myself a chav as such - though I do enjoy a drink sometimes with good friends and its been known for me to get pissed up during those get togethers so I suppose that must be why I've used Air Transat and will again

nativenewyorker

My mum arrived yesterday with Ait Transat and had nothing but praise for them. She did upgrade but said it was worth it. Food was good, staff very helpful and attentive and 40kg of luggage!!!