Swissdiver - 07/09/2011 21:59 GMT
Might have to fly to IOM and it seems that Flybe is pretty much the only possible carrier. Any feedback? Are they as bad as EasyJet?
Thanks
Flybe ... or not?
Posts
BRUSHES - 07/09/2011 23:47 GMT
the worse attitude of any airline ever!!!! i even paid several extra dollars and flew to another airport from belfast due to their attitude and luggage costs. better fly, drive, ride a bicycle, take a cruise or stay home.
Swissdiver - 08/09/2011 05:45 GMT
Thanks, Brushes. Riding a bicycle to IOM might be challenging though. I might consider a paddle boat then...
MartynSinclair - 08/09/2011 06:49 GMT
As long as you know what you getting for the price price you pay, FlyBe is perfectly adequate. A 62 inch pitch with gourmet meals, in your dreams. A cost effective and reliable LCC it is up there with the best.
Crew are not the jolliest and their baggage rules are strict, but thats their pricing model.
I would hesitate using them for a 3 hour flight in a propjet, but anything up to 90 minutes, its perfect - just manage expectations.
SimonS1 - 08/09/2011 07:38 GMT
I use them quite regularly LGW to IOM. Effectively a monopoly situation so expensive for the service bearing in mind you pay extra for everything on board. Crew are generally miserable as well. They use LGW South terminal which means you will feel out of place unless you are carrying a bucket and spade.
Positives are that timekeeping to IOM is quite good, and I have never yet been challenged carrying 2 bags on board as the gate staff really don't seem to give a wotsit.
Adequate is indeed the word.
flyingformiles - 08/09/2011 08:56 GMT
I fly them regularly from Glasgow to Beflast and Birmingham. Can't say I have had any major issues with them at all.
DanDare1975 - 08/09/2011 09:22 GMT
I have flown Flybe regularly for almost 10 years on domestic flights. I agree with the previous points that with Flybe you are getting what you are paying for, a low cost short haul carrier with no frills. Adequate is definitely the word. Easyjet competes on one of the routes on which I use Flybe, and BMIBaby competes on the others, and I have used a mixture of all three due to availability and price. I can honestly say that Flybe has been by far the most reliable of the three airlines on these routes and is now my preference. When it comes to attitude and customer service, I have not experienced anything worse than BMIBaby, who have stranded me twice after keeping me hanging around for a long time, and when they told me the flight wasn't going to operate I struggled to recover the cost of the ticket I had paid for.
BRUSHES - 08/09/2011 09:34 GMT
may have been too harsh. The flybe agent chased me around the terminal yelling at me that I would not get better treatment nor lower '
extra weight' charges (about 240 sterling) for my belfast-birmingham flite. I tried to buy 2 extra seats which were cheaper than the freight but 'no chance' so BMI flew me to lhr and took all my luggage (1 k member of Star Alliance) without an moment of regret. Even tho I spent and extra hour or two by changing airports, it was worth it in an attempt to negate Flybe's personnel and attitude.
DanDare1975 - 08/09/2011 09:44 GMT
I have also had positive experiences with BMI, but not with BMI Baby which I find very different and vastly inferior. They are however much cheaper. My point is that when you choose and LCC like Flybe, Easyjet or BMI Baby you need to lower your expectations (and ideally have time on your hands) or you are just going to be disappointed with what you get.
seasonedtraveller - 08/09/2011 09:59 GMT
In my experiences of Flybe - when things good well, they go well BUT when things go wrong (delays etc) they go badly wrong and there seems to be absolutely no-one to talk to....A recent flight from exeter to Leeds was cancelled (by text) as I was on my was to the airport...the text tells you, the customer, that you have to call their (peak rate) customer service line.....after many, many attempts, I finally got through only to be told "nothing we can do" " You will need to apply for a refund" - Result, £20.00 refunded - cost of rail ticket £150.00
Travellator - 08/09/2011 10:11 GMT
I use FlyBe regularly ex BHD, once you get to master their website so as NOT to pay for travel insurance it is OK. Their hand baggage size is 50mm smaller than other carriers so regulation size bags with wheels are 50mm too big. They are inconsistent with their hand baggage rules also, I have seen huge carry ons from LGW and sometimes a bag just and I mean just outside gets flung in the hold.
Onboard their new Embraers are nice to fly in but 3hours as MS suggests would be too much, I even enjoy the Q400's.
They could be so much better with the minimum of effort.
router21 - 08/09/2011 11:09 GMT
There is an alternative of Aer Arran from London City. Far more pleasant airport. They do fly smaller planes either an
ATR 42 or sometimes a leased Suckling Airlines Dornier
which has about 32 seats. The crew are 100 x better than FlyMaybe as are their call centre staff. They give a free 20kg
baggage allowance on the IOM route and even a free tea/soft drink and biscuit and the latter would cost you about
£5 on FlyMaybe. If you do use FlyMaybe do not get conned into agreeing to accept the seat they assign you during the online booking process as they cunningly (or should I say conningly) charge you £5 whereas if you say continue without seats they charge nothing and you can either be assigned seats at airport check in or when you check in online for free. Also bear in mind on Flybe their overhead lockers are so small that virtually nothing except a coat and very small computer bag etc will fit and the seating is so tight
that nothing can really be put under the seats so Flymaybe virtually force you to pay for luggage also watch out for them trying to sell you travel insurance. Good luck and support the Irish !
WarrenStanborough7 - 09/09/2011 02:35 GMT
After reading all the negative comments about FlyBe I was very sceptical about using them from ORY/SOU recently. But to my surprise the whole experience was enjoyable. However I did familiarise my self with all their rules before I arrived at the airport. As an (apparently) added bonus we had a cheery crew.
Swissdiver - 09/09/2011 05:26 GMT
Thanks all.
In general I avoid by all means those airlines that would simply let you down in case of a problem to arise (hence not applying the Iata rules). It seems that Flybe is among them... But, as noted above, it seems that Flybe is almost in a monopoly situation in IOM. Se (Fly)be it!
Btw, I considered Aer Arran from LCY. But then I would have to use two different tickets (GVA LCY and LCY IOM). Let's not make things worse...
For the dates that would suit me, I'll have to connect in SOU on the outbound journey (inbound would be direct) but heard it is a decent airport. Any comment?
Potakas - 09/09/2011 10:55 GMT
Had one experience with them. Don't have to much time to write it down (or I don't want to remember it again :p) . Based on my only one experience with them I prefer easyjet.
MartynSinclair - 09/09/2011 11:13 GMT
There's always National Express or the Big Bus plus a ferry.
Boy, I woud love to read your comments about the food, seats, lack of pop, delays, roadworks, bagage allowance, state of the loos.
Mind you, due to sea level travel, there will be little additional passenger gas problems.
We are just soooooooooooooo spoilt sometimes!
KeaneJohn - 09/09/2011 11:24 GMT
Southampton is a good little airport, quick to be processed through on arrival and departure. How long is the time inbetween flights ?
If you are not being ripped off by Flybe's Economy Plus product where you get to use their lounge you can purchase admission to the airport lounge there for approximately £20.
I wouldnt want to spend more than an hour or so here though as it isn't that big.
conair346 - 09/09/2011 12:10 GMT
Brushes - While I'm not flybe's biggest fan, I doubt their agents in Belfast City chased you around the terminal. (Also the size of the terminal means they could just yell from their desk and you'd hear them wherever you are inside)
I personally know many of their ticket desk staff, passenger & loading agents, pilots and the base manager. I suspect that you might be using hyperbole.
Through my contacts I was guaranteed carriage on the next available flight regardless of seats available on the 'next' flight to depart Manchester at Christmas during the snow disruption. So I've not had a bad experience, its just poor value for money I find on most bookings I make.
And the lies their head office gave out with regards the Christmas snow disruption, makes me dislike them a bit. My flight was cancelled and the crew/aircraft used to bulk out Gatwick flights as it was closed so much. As Manchester was open during all of the snow problems except for 2 hours and Belfast City open a lot of the time, there were still seats available and they chose to cancel select departures to utilise capacity better elsewhere.
I wouldnt have minded if they told me the truth, but it was lies from head office and their agents in Manchester. It was my former colleagues in Belfast who set the story straight.
Munkyboi - 09/09/2011 12:50 GMT
FlyBE are not a "low cost" airline, they try to give this impression by charging for everything. But their base cost to way too high.
I have flown on the LGW-ABZ route a number of times, and always check the price with them and BA ex LHR, recently BE have been more expensive than BA on base price, BEFORE adding on seats/luggage/booking fee/credit card fee.
I live near to LGW so it's convenient but as a premium BA member I'd rather have the inconvenience of LHR and BA than BE and LGW.
Additionally had a flight cancelled earlier this year due to ash, I requested a refund of the price and the cheeky blighters did not refund the booking fee/credit card charge. Looking on the website it says that these are not refundable in "any circumstance". However on checking with the air user council, they confirmed my expectation of a full refund. I had to fax BE to request the additional refund, which 10 days later appeared on my c/c statement.
Bullfrog - 09/09/2011 13:54 GMT
My experiences with FlyBe have been just fine.
Southampton Airport is an easy train ride from London. Getting to the departure lounge is very quick as the terminal is small.
FlyBe fares are not low cost, but their service is excellent. Customer Services has dealt with a few problems quickly & effectively.
