Tui or Jet2

[LNW-GW Joint]

Why would you willingly chose to fly Ryanair over something else?

You get what you pay for, and they fly routes nobody else does.
I prefer easyJet but sometimes Ryanair is the only option (date, time, route).
Their timekeeping seems better that EZ.

 

[WestCoast]

You get what you pay for, and they fly routes nobody else does.
I prefer easyJet but sometimes Ryanair is the only option (date, time, route).
Their timekeeping seems better that EZ.

Last year, Ryanair (and also Jet2) seemed to do very well on overall reliability compared to easyJet, TUI, BA and especially Wizz.

 

[Cross City]

I must be lucky in that I've only ever had something go wrong on a flight once and that's because some pilot had the indecency to crash his private jet at Birmingham an hour before I was due to leave. I wasn't in any rush as it was a leisure trip while I was on a uni break and Flybe sorted me out a flight a couple of days later, no bother to me because I lived a 15 minute bus ride from BHX at the time.

Similar experiences with EasyJet during Covid, refunded my flights and we put it towards another holiday with them when everything had calmed down.

Flown Ryanair dozens of times and never ever had anything go wrong. They're the largest, safest and most on time airline in Europe for a very good reason. People who pay £20 for a flight and then moan are the worst kind of people.

I've not used Jet2 as they always seem to be significantly more expensive out of BHX than Easy/Tui are out of other nearby airports. Famly that have used them have said they're good. It's mad how a Jersey based cargo airline (Channel Express) with a very limited passenger charter operation has turned itself into one of the leading holiday airlines in the UK in Jet2.

 

[Snow1964]

It's mad how a Jersey based cargo airline (Channel Express) with a very limited passenger charter operation has turned itself into one of the leading holiday airlines in the UK in Jet2.

They were Bournemouth (Hurn airport) based, not Jersey
Jet2 is now based in Leeds

Jet2 started as a low cost offshoot with 737-300s, but I remember the propellor cargo planes at Bournemouth: Fokker Freindships, Handley Page Heralds, Lockheed L188 electra etc.

They have used Jet2 name since 2006 (but I think call sign might still be channel). Having grown with secondhand planes now becoming established as a holiday airline, and have lots of brand new planes on order. Although currently mainly older Boeing planes, looks to be moving to Airbus with 98 new planes, 60 of A321neo (delivery 2023-2029) and shorter 180 seat A320neo with deliveries running through to 2031

TUI seems to mainly Boeing 737-800 and newer 737-max8 with Bowing 787 dreamliners for long haul. There are some 230 Seat 737-max10 on order, converted from max8 (although Boeing hasn't yet got this type certified).

TUI seems to be selling quite low numbers of seats separately nowadays (most are part of packages)

 

[Cross City]

They were Bournemouth (Hurn airport) based, not Jersey
Jet2 is now based in Leeds

Jet2 started as a low cost offshoot with 737-300s, but I remember the propellor cargo planes at Bournemouth: Fokker Freindships, Handley Page Heralds, Lockheed L188 electra etc.

They have used Jet2 name since 2006 (but I think call sign might still be channel). Having grown with secondhand planes now becoming established as a holiday airline, and have lots of brand new planes on order. Although currently mainly older Boeing planes, looks to be moving to Airbus with 98 new planes, 60 of A321neo (delivery 2023-2029) and shorter 180 seat A320neo with deliveries running through to 2031

TUI seems to mainly Boeing 737-800 and newer 737-max8 with Bowing 787 dreamliners for long haul. There are some 230 Seat 737-max10 on order, converted from max8 (although Boeing hasn't yet got this type certified).

TUI seems to be selling quite low numbers of seats separately nowadays (most are part of packages)

Aah yes they were Bournemouth based my mistake. Used to love seeing their Electras and Fokkers around when I was a kid in the 90s.

If you could ever describe beige in airline form TUI would be it. Shame really because Britannia were a great airline.

 

[william.martin]

They have used Jet2 name since 2006 (but I think call sign might still be channel).

They are channex.

 

[westv]

One thing that is better with TUI is their holidays website. It has more options then Jet2's site for choosing and filtering.

 

[D2007wsm]

I have flown with TUI twice in the last few years to Turkey and haven’t had a problem. Both on the 737/8 and the 737 MAX 8 the seats were fine and the flights were on time. Only problem was last year it was originally scheduled for a Dreamliner and they then changed it beforehand to a MAX 8.

As for this year, I’m not so impressed. Had again booked a holiday in May to Turkey with TUI from Bristol. Last week I received an email from them saying ‘Your Flights Have Changed’. I openeed the email thinking it would be a change of time, but when I looked the flights had been changed to Gatwick on an airline I’ve never head of. I can understand changes are sometimes needed, but Gatwick is 130 miles away, Bristol is 15!

I had the choice to keep the Gatwick flights, cancel or amend the holiday and if more expensive recieve a 10% incentive. I managed after phoning them, because the app and website would not work to go 3 days earlier from Bristol on an easyJet A321neo.

 

[stj]

Both better than rail as you never have to stand!

 

[WizCastro197]

I have flown with TUI twice in the last few years to Turkey and haven’t had a problem. Both on the 737/8 and the 737 MAX 8 the seats were fine and the flights were on time. Only problem was last year it was originally scheduled for a Dreamliner and they then changed it beforehand to a MAX 8.

As for this year, I’m not so impressed. Had again booked a holiday in May to Turkey with TUI from Bristol. Last week I received an email from them saying ‘Your Flights Have Changed’. I openeed the email thinking it would be a change of time, but when I looked the flights had been changed to Gatwick on an airline I’ve never head of. I can understand changes are sometimes needed, but Gatwick is 130 miles away, Bristol is 15!

I had the choice to keep the Gatwick flights, cancel or amend the holiday and if more expensive recieve a 10% incentive. I managed after phoning them, because the app and website would not work to go 3 days earlier from Bristol on an easyJet A321neo.

What was the airline? Titan?

 

[BJames]

What was the airline? Titan?

I remember Tui gave us Albastar out of Gatwick's South Terminal just before covid - they'd originally said it would be Norwegian, then that it might be Titan - both ways ended up being an Albastar plane, staffed mainly by Albastar crew but two members of Tui staff doing some of the service on there as well. It was ok, not as good as Tui's normal planes though. It was suggested by a travel agent at the time that the Tui flights that do operate out of Gatwick South (it is usually North) are often run by other airlines.

 

[william.martin]

Thanks for all of your advice guys, I find it really interesting to see all of your opinions on who is better as they do pretty much the same thing however Jet2 do just seem to be generally both the better airline and holiday provider so therefore we are flying on one of there a321's to Lanzarote in the summer!
May I add from a previous flight that Jess Glynne isn't actually that noisy

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

What was the airline? Titan?

I've just got back from Finnish Lapland (airport was Kittila, KTT) on a package holiday using Jet2 (not their package) from Manchester on a nearly-new 738.
Excellent flights, check-in etc (MAN T2). Not much legroom, but that is normal these days on LCCs or even flag carriers on short haul.
Rather too much heavy selling of duty free, but that's also normal on a charter flight.
At Kittila airport was another Jet2 738 from Bristol, and a completely de-branded white A321 that I discovered was Titan Airways from Gatwick.
Presumably this was subcontracted from TUI.
KTT was a technically interesting airport with massive snowdrifts all around, but a clear runway and normal operations (bar the de-icing truck) at -10C.
The pilot warned us of heavy braking once on the runway, and indeed it was.
For Jet2 crew it must make a nice change from their usual beach destinations.

 

[william.martin]

For Jet2 crew it must make a nice change from their usual beach destinations.

I can imagine it would be, if I was airline crew I would want to work for an airline such as BA due to getting to visit many different places.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Most short haul is crewed on an out-and-back basis so it’s not like crew get to explore. One airport looks very much like another.

 

[cactustwirly]

Most short haul is crewed on an out-and-back basis so it’s not like crew get to explore. One airport looks very much like another.

BA from Heathrow is mixed short and long haul. Plus they outstation aircraft overnight at Athens, Vienna etc.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

BA from Heathrow is mixed short and long haul. Plus they outstation aircraft overnight at Athens, Vienna etc.

The same is true for AF/KL/LH/LX etc, who overnight at Manchester and other UK airports.
Our time zone also makes a difference for first flights to Europe each day.
EZ and RY are also pan-European airlines and your flight from the UK might not originate here.

 

[william.martin]

SIT.REP

On Saturday I made the 4 hour flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote aboard Jet2s airbus a321 CEO, and it was hell - the seats were comfy however as ever on medium haul flights there was no infotainment and half of the duty free advertised wasn't actually present, my severe boredom wasn't helped by the fact that the only sighting of land I had was about 5 minutes of Portugal. I will definitely be booking myself onto a TUI dreamliner (787) purely for the infotainment going to Tenerife next year. However I will still defend Jet2 for being the best airline for flights up to 3 hours.

 

[Jamiescott1]

SIT.REP

On Saturday I made the 4 hour flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote aboard Jet2s airbus a321 CEO, and it was hell - the seats were comfy however as ever on medium haul flights there was no infotainment and half of the duty free advertised wasn't actually present, my severe boredom wasn't helped by the fact that the only sighting of land I had was about 5 minutes of Portugal. I will definitely be booking myself onto a TUI dreamliner (787) purely for the infotainment going to Tenerife next year. However I will still defend Jet2 for being the best airline for flights up to 3 hours.

Can't you take a book, tablet, phone with earphones?
Out of the 2 I prefer jet2 as they use their own planes (except a couple of wet lease titan planes) and seem to be more personal.
Saying that, I do find their recorded flight announcements patronising for a frequent flyer and the only airline I've come across where you can't wear earphones during taxi, take off and landing.

 

[cactustwirly]

SIT.REP

On Saturday I made the 4 hour flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote aboard Jet2s airbus a321 CEO, and it was hell - the seats were comfy however as ever on medium haul flights there was no infotainment and half of the duty free advertised wasn't actually present, my severe boredom wasn't helped by the fact that the only sighting of land I had was about 5 minutes of Portugal. I will definitely be booking myself onto a TUI dreamliner (787) purely for the infotainment going to Tenerife next year. However I will still defend Jet2 for being the best airline for flights up to 3 hours.

That's standard for any short haul flight.
BA have WiFi fitted to their planes, but that's a chargeable extra which I don't bother with.

Just download music or videos to watch.

There is only 1 dreamliner for short haul routes, so the chances of getting it are very low.
Most of the 787s are for Mexico and the Caribbean etc

 

[Cross City]

SIT.REP

On Saturday I made the 4 hour flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote aboard Jet2s airbus a321 CEO, and it was hell - the seats were comfy however as ever on medium haul flights there was no infotainment and half of the duty free advertised wasn't actually present, my severe boredom wasn't helped by the fact that the only sighting of land I had was about 5 minutes of Portugal. I will definitely be booking myself onto a TUI dreamliner (787) purely for the infotainment going to Tenerife next year. However I will still defend Jet2 for being the best airline for flights up to 3 hours.

So Jet2 is great for 3 hours... But 'hell' for 4 hours.

Lol. Tablets, phones, Netflix and Spotify exist.

4 hours isn't medium haul either.

 

[Neptune]

SIT.REP

On Saturday I made the 4 hour flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote aboard Jet2s airbus a321 CEO, and it was hell - the seats were comfy however as ever on medium haul flights there was no infotainment and half of the duty free advertised wasn't actually present, my severe boredom wasn't helped by the fact that the only sighting of land I had was about 5 minutes of Portugal. I will definitely be booking myself onto a TUI dreamliner (787) purely for the infotainment going to Tenerife next year. However I will still defend Jet2 for being the best airline for flights up to 3 hours.

Did you look at how your fellow passengers ‘coped’ with this short haul flight especially between those vital hours 3 & 4?

Tablet, Book, Headphones to listen to podcast/music, even watch something on a smartphone? Surely you have at least one of these things to use on a flight like everyone else seems to do.

 

[AlterEgo]

SIT.REP

On Saturday I made the 4 hour flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote aboard Jet2s airbus a321 CEO, and it was hell - the seats were comfy however as ever on medium haul flights there was no infotainment and half of the duty free advertised wasn't actually present, my severe boredom wasn't helped by the fact that the only sighting of land I had was about 5 minutes of Portugal. I will definitely be booking myself onto a TUI dreamliner (787) purely for the infotainment going to Tenerife next year. However I will still defend Jet2 for being the best airline for flights up to 3 hours.

It is quite rare to get the TUI 787 into Tenerife - it operates usually only in the winter - and in any case booking it just so you can get some low quality "infotainment" is a bit mad. Download some stuff onto your phone or tablet.

 

[jfollows]

An opinion from yesterday's Times (from the editor of Which? Travel) (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/one-lesson-of-rhodes-is-beware-who-you-book-with-zg07nxh8k)
Now, I don't think I've used TUI but I have used Jet2 to Rhodes on multiple occasions because my sister lives there (currently evacuated but otherwise OK). I also don't care for "in flight entertainment" so I can understand if this is a consideration - I've just done three 10-hour business class flights and I didn't use it.
But it does strike me that TUI and Ryanair (at least) were wrong to keep feeding people into Rhodes, whereas Jet2 cancelled its outbound flights at some expense to itself.
At the end of the day they're flights, and I won't cut off my nose to spite my face by avoiding Ryanair if they happen to fly directly between the places I want to travel, but otherwise I continue to note that Jet2 appears to operate with something more than simple commercial considerations, or it has concluded that its commercial considerations are best served by acting promptly and more thoughtfully than other airlines.

RORY BOLAND | THUNDERER

One lesson of Rhodes is beware who you book with​

Rory Boland

Tuesday July 25 2023, 9.00pm, The Times

Last weekend, as pictures of frightened locals and tourists escaping raging wildfires in parts of Greece emerged, the managing director of one mid-sized tour operator was already on a plane in the opposite direction to ensure the guests in its care were safe and looked after by local teams.

Meanwhile, customers of Ryanair who wanted to know if they should still fly into an island in the middle of a crisis were essentially asked: what crisis? Ryanair curtly told customers: “Flights to/from Rhodes and Corfu are operating as normal and unaffected by the forest fires.”

Similarly, as nearly 19,000 people were evacuated from southeast Rhodes, some holiday companies continued to tell holidaymakers it was fine to fly. What that meant for some was arriving to find they would need emergency accommodation on an island that had none. In many cases, kind locals stepped in to help with food, water, even beds. They should bill the tour operators directly.

Holiday companies and airlines are used to dealing with large-scale disruption like this — think volcanic ash clouds and Covid travel corridors. But the way they handle crises varies greatly. Some invest huge amounts of money in customer care, while others essentially have a fly ’em and forget policy. When something goes wrong, they are uncontactable and unrepentant.

Legally, there was and is nothing to prevent airlines and holiday companies from taking more holidaymakers to Rhodes this week. The Foreign Office, which was at first missing in action, didn’t issue a travel warning. Responsible tour operators then took matters into their own hands and cancelled trips — the cost of which they will need to bear. But others will ship more people out this week, or potentially bank their cash if customers make the sensible decision to cancel.

We can have a somewhat warped idea of holiday companies and airlines being warm, jolly organisations because they send us out for our happiest moments of the year. We don’t think about them in the same way we do our banks or broadband providers, but we should.

For many online travel agents and some airlines, customers are simply a number in their annual report. So when a crisis hits, customer care comes second to customer money. They will refuse amendments and refunds, even in the most extraordinary of circumstances.

This is why the most important decision you’ll make when you book your next holiday is who you book with. Some companies will fly their MD over to make sure you get home if the worst happens; others will fly you into the middle of a natural disaster with nowhere to stay.

Rory Boland is editor of Which? Travel

 

[D2007wsm]

When I went on a TUI 737-800 it had drop down screens which showed a safety video and then a map. However, their 737-MAX8’s don’t, they do have USBs in the seats though.

I like having the map to see your progress, though the entertainment isn’t relevant when you have your phone.

I think they should have the WiFi like the easyJet A321neo I went on this year which allows you to see the map, view the onboard magazine and play a few games.

 

[Cross City]

When I went on a TUI 737-800 it had drop down screens which showed a safety video and then a map. However, their 737-MAX8’s don’t, they do have USBs in the seats though.

I like having the map to see your progress, though the entertainment isn’t relevant when you have your phone.

I think they should have the WiFi like the easyJet A321neo I went on this year which allows you to see the map, view the onboard magazine and play a few games.

Location services work on google maps most of the time even when your phone is in airplane mode.

 

[thejuggler]

I prefer to take my own IFE and for 3-4 hours. With the constant interruptions and announcements for drinks, food, rubbish clear, duty free there is little free time to get engrossed in anything of any length.

 

[westv]

Has there been any comments anywhere as to how TUI and Jet2 package holiday customers were dealt with during the disruption this week?

 

[william.martin]

I have just booked a holiday to Tenerife in October/ November (returning on bonfire night which will be interesting) with TUI so I will be able to answer my own question.

When I went on a TUI 737-800 it had drop down screens which showed a safety video and then a map. However, their 737-MAX8’s don’t, they do have USBs in the seats though.

I like having the map to see your progress, though the entertainment isn’t relevant when you have your phone.

I think they should have the WiFi like the easyJet A321neo I went on this year which allows you to see the map, view the onboard magazine and play a few games.

I should be on a 737/800 for my flight to Tenerife according to when I booked my seats however when I look at the flight history it has alway been either a 787/9 or the hire in 777, I hope it is one of those as I struggled without IFE going to Lanzarote and Tenerife is about 45 minutes further - we will have to wait and see.

 

[cactustwirly]

I have just booked a holiday to Tenerife in October/ November (returning on bonfire night which will be interesting) with TUI so I will be able to answer my own question.

I should be on a 737/800 for my flight to Tenerife according to when I booked my seats however when I look at the flight history it has alway been either a 787/9 or the hire in 777, I hope it is one of those as I struggled without IFE going to Lanzarote and Tenerife is about 45 minutes further - we will have to wait and see.

BHX-TFS is showing a mixture of Sunwing 737s TUI MAX 8s or 737-800s and a few flights are showing as 787 operated. However future flights are all 737s