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radar
Guest
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 Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
 |
|
Hello,
Four weeks ago I was told thatI had to attend a meeting in Stansted and
I thought ' Hey what an oppurtunity to try the new Air Berlin service'
On the web I went to find out that I could fly down for £6 one way
but due to the flight times I would need to come back Easyjet at a
price of £22.
I arrived at Glasgow this morning and was happy to find out that Air
Berlin check in was located in the main terminal building saving the
treck to the St Andrews building or whatever its called now. I
approached the check in desk and had to wait 1 minute in the Queue to
be served by a pleasent lady who asked me if I would like a window or
an aisle seat as I pinched myself to remind me that I was travelling on
a low cost carrier!.
Check in was completed in about 2 minutes and as I made my way to the
departure gate I passed the rather long BA check in Queue full of
impatient travellers. Why is it every time I travel BA it takes a while
to check in and when you reach the front of the Queue it usually takes
a good 5 minutes to be checked in??. Unless you use a BA exec card or
do the online check in it can take a while.
Anyway, Off I went up to departure gate and was a little dissapointed
to notice that we were travelling on a Fokker 100 (operated by
Germania). I was never really that fond of them when I used them with
BMI.
We boarded (with an airbridge) pretty much on time and I was again very
pleasantly suprised to find out I had a nice leather seat with no one
next to me with what I have to say is one of the best seat pitches on a
domestic/European flight that I have ever experienced. We were also
given a sweet at the aircraft door by the stewardess which was another
nice small touch.
About 15 minutes into the flight the stewardess came round offering
sandwitches to everyone
and much to most people's suprise they were free! So I helped myself to
a cheese sandwitch and the stewardess then approached to see if we
would like a drink. At this stage I was getting brave so I played
little boy lost and asked if I could have a cup of tea and an orange
juice to which she replied yes.
The rest of the flight passed quickly and we disembarked at STN again
using an airbridge with the connecting passengers taken directly to the
Air Berlin departure gates for their onward flights.
The meeting finished early and rather than waiting for the 1820 Easyjet
departure I went to the AB desk to see if I still had time to make the
Glasgow flight( departing in 30 minutes) and how much it would cost.
They advised me that it would only cost £49 including tax to get on
the flight which was excellent for a plane departing in 30 minutes. I
checked in (Window seat) and ran to towards the departure gates as
experience has told me that the Queue at Stansted security is usually a
nightmare. I needn't have worried as AB had an agent at the end of the
Queue and was advising all AB passengers that they were allowed to use
the Security Fastrack service saving valuable time. I got to the gate
in plenty of time for the ontime departure and settled back in my nice
leather seat where this time I tried the salami sandwich and again got
away with an got away with an orange Juice and a cup of tea... what a
chancer.
Overall I have to say travelling to STN on AB was a very pleasant
experience and really blew Easyjet away though to be fair I also think
that Easyjet have a product that offers good value and usually find
them very relaiable.Over the last couple of years I have been lucky
enough to travel AF/LH ex EDI in business class within Europe and today
I felt the AB product was superior to both of them.
The only sore point was that each flight only had about 30 pax on
them....not a good sign!
Anyway sorry for waffling and I hope that I haven't bored you.....If
you get the chance support them and give them a try. They deserve it !
Radar
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Fly gla
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
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|
Great trip report. When did you say you travelled 4 weeks ago. So it
wasnt long after it first started. I wonder how they are doing now
though. Have load factors improved.
radar wrote:
| Quote: | Hello,
Four weeks ago I was told thatI had to attend a meeting in Stansted and
I thought ' Hey what an oppurtunity to try the new Air Berlin service'
On the web I went to find out that I could fly down for £6 one way
but due to the flight times I would need to come back Easyjet at a
price of £22.
I arrived at Glasgow this morning and was happy to find out that Air
Berlin check in was located in the main terminal building saving the
treck to the St Andrews building or whatever its called now. I
approached the check in desk and had to wait 1 minute in the Queue to
be served by a pleasent lady who asked me if I would like a window or
an aisle seat as I pinched myself to remind me that I was travelling on
a low cost carrier!.
Check in was completed in about 2 minutes and as I made my way to the
departure gate I passed the rather long BA check in Queue full of
impatient travellers. Why is it every time I travel BA it takes a while
to check in and when you reach the front of the Queue it usually takes
a good 5 minutes to be checked in??. Unless you use a BA exec card or
do the online check in it can take a while.
Anyway, Off I went up to departure gate and was a little dissapointed
to notice that we were travelling on a Fokker 100 (operated by
Germania). I was never really that fond of them when I used them with
BMI.
We boarded (with an airbridge) pretty much on time and I was again very
pleasantly suprised to find out I had a nice leather seat with no one
next to me with what I have to say is one of the best seat pitches on a
domestic/European flight that I have ever experienced. We were also
given a sweet at the aircraft door by the stewardess which was another
nice small touch.
About 15 minutes into the flight the stewardess came round offering
sandwitches to everyone
and much to most people's suprise they were free! So I helped myself to
a cheese sandwitch and the stewardess then approached to see if we
would like a drink. At this stage I was getting brave so I played
little boy lost and asked if I could have a cup of tea and an orange
juice to which she replied yes.
The rest of the flight passed quickly and we disembarked at STN again
using an airbridge with the connecting passengers taken directly to the
Air Berlin departure gates for their onward flights.
The meeting finished early and rather than waiting for the 1820 Easyjet
departure I went to the AB desk to see if I still had time to make the
Glasgow flight( departing in 30 minutes) and how much it would cost.
They advised me that it would only cost £49 including tax to get on
the flight which was excellent for a plane departing in 30 minutes. I
checked in (Window seat) and ran to towards the departure gates as
experience has told me that the Queue at Stansted security is usually a
nightmare. I needn't have worried as AB had an agent at the end of the
Queue and was advising all AB passengers that they were allowed to use
the Security Fastrack service saving valuable time. I got to the gate
in plenty of time for the ontime departure and settled back in my nice
leather seat where this time I tried the salami sandwich and again got
away with an got away with an orange Juice and a cup of tea... what a
chancer.
Overall I have to say travelling to STN on AB was a very pleasant
experience and really blew Easyjet away though to be fair I also think
that Easyjet have a product that offers good value and usually find
them very relaiable.Over the last couple of years I have been lucky
enough to travel AF/LH ex EDI in business class within Europe and today
I felt the AB product was superior to both of them.
The only sore point was that each flight only had about 30 pax on
them....not a good sign!
Anyway sorry for waffling and I hope that I haven't bored you.....If
you get the chance support them and give them a try. They deserve it !
Radar
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radar
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
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Thanks...Travelled this morning...and I'm knackered!
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Mister Niceguy
Guest
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
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|
"radar" <david.ganson (AT) bti (DOT) co.uk> wrote in news:1137530458.591630.256540
@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
| Quote: | Hello,
Four weeks ago I was told thatI had to attend a meeting in Stansted
and
I thought ' Hey what an oppurtunity to try the new Air Berlin service'
On the web I went to find out that I could fly down for £6 one way
but due to the flight times I would need to come back Easyjet at a
price of £22.
I arrived at Glasgow this morning and was happy to find out that Air
Berlin check in was located in the main terminal building saving the
treck to the St Andrews building or whatever its called now. I
approached the check in desk and had to wait 1 minute in the Queue to
be served by a pleasent lady who asked me if I would like a window or
an aisle seat as I pinched myself to remind me that I was travelling
on
a low cost carrier!.
Check in was completed in about 2 minutes and as I made my way to the
departure gate I passed the rather long BA check in Queue full of
impatient travellers. Why is it every time I travel BA it takes a
while
to check in and when you reach the front of the Queue it usually takes
a good 5 minutes to be checked in??. Unless you use a BA exec card or
do the online check in it can take a while.
Anyway, Off I went up to departure gate and was a little dissapointed
to notice that we were travelling on a Fokker 100 (operated by
Germania). I was never really that fond of them when I used them with
BMI.
We boarded (with an airbridge) pretty much on time and I was again
very
pleasantly suprised to find out I had a nice leather seat with no one
next to me with what I have to say is one of the best seat pitches on
a
domestic/European flight that I have ever experienced. We were also
given a sweet at the aircraft door by the stewardess which was another
nice small touch.
About 15 minutes into the flight the stewardess came round offering
sandwitches to everyone
and much to most people's suprise they were free! So I helped myself
to
a cheese sandwitch and the stewardess then approached to see if we
would like a drink. At this stage I was getting brave so I played
little boy lost and asked if I could have a cup of tea and an orange
juice to which she replied yes.
The rest of the flight passed quickly and we disembarked at STN again
using an airbridge with the connecting passengers taken directly to
the
Air Berlin departure gates for their onward flights.
The meeting finished early and rather than waiting for the 1820
Easyjet
departure I went to the AB desk to see if I still had time to make the
Glasgow flight( departing in 30 minutes) and how much it would cost.
They advised me that it would only cost £49 including tax to get on
the flight which was excellent for a plane departing in 30 minutes. I
checked in (Window seat) and ran to towards the departure gates as
experience has told me that the Queue at Stansted security is usually
a
nightmare. I needn't have worried as AB had an agent at the end of the
Queue and was advising all AB passengers that they were allowed to use
the Security Fastrack service saving valuable time. I got to the gate
in plenty of time for the ontime departure and settled back in my nice
leather seat where this time I tried the salami sandwich and again got
away with an got away with an orange Juice and a cup of tea... what a
chancer.
Overall I have to say travelling to STN on AB was a very pleasant
experience and really blew Easyjet away though to be fair I also think
that Easyjet have a product that offers good value and usually find
them very relaiable.Over the last couple of years I have been lucky
enough to travel AF/LH ex EDI in business class within Europe and
today
I felt the AB product was superior to both of them.
The only sore point was that each flight only had about 30 pax on
them....not a good sign!
Anyway sorry for waffling and I hope that I haven't bored you.....If
you get the chance support them and give them a try. They deserve it !
Radar
|
Good post. Yes, it would be good for AB to succeed on this route but
it's going to be hard when they're up against easyjet and its now
sophisticated publicity machine.
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| Back to top |
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paris
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
I was once again on my weekly tour of Western Europe and again I used
the AB Flights to/from Dus. Departed 09.30 Monday morning. 71
passengers on board. 16 connected to Dus...Don't know about other
destinations?
Returned this evening. 61 on board 738 from Dus to Stn with 11
transfering to Gla flight. Again 61 on board. Fkr 100. Service, as
usual, V.Good. I'm booked for trips in advance for months to
come...can't beat them on price or service, espesially outbound from
Gla to Germany, as aircraft all dock together at Stn. No need to go to
terminal. All luggage as normal goes straight to final dest.
Mister Niceguy wrote:
| Quote: | "radar" <david.ganson (AT) bti (DOT) co.uk> wrote in news:1137530458.591630.256540
@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
Hello,
Four weeks ago I was told thatI had to attend a meeting in Stansted
and
I thought ' Hey what an oppurtunity to try the new Air Berlin service'
On the web I went to find out that I could fly down for £6 one way
but due to the flight times I would need to come back Easyjet at a
price of £22.
I arrived at Glasgow this morning and was happy to find out that Air
Berlin check in was located in the main terminal building saving the
treck to the St Andrews building or whatever its called now. I
approached the check in desk and had to wait 1 minute in the Queue to
be served by a pleasent lady who asked me if I would like a window or
an aisle seat as I pinched myself to remind me that I was travelling
on
a low cost carrier!.
Check in was completed in about 2 minutes and as I made my way to the
departure gate I passed the rather long BA check in Queue full of
impatient travellers. Why is it every time I travel BA it takes a
while
to check in and when you reach the front of the Queue it usually takes
a good 5 minutes to be checked in??. Unless you use a BA exec card or
do the online check in it can take a while.
Anyway, Off I went up to departure gate and was a little dissapointed
to notice that we were travelling on a Fokker 100 (operated by
Germania). I was never really that fond of them when I used them with
BMI.
We boarded (with an airbridge) pretty much on time and I was again
very
pleasantly suprised to find out I had a nice leather seat with no one
next to me with what I have to say is one of the best seat pitches on
a
domestic/European flight that I have ever experienced. We were also
given a sweet at the aircraft door by the stewardess which was another
nice small touch.
About 15 minutes into the flight the stewardess came round offering
sandwitches to everyone
and much to most people's suprise they were free! So I helped myself
to
a cheese sandwitch and the stewardess then approached to see if we
would like a drink. At this stage I was getting brave so I played
little boy lost and asked if I could have a cup of tea and an orange
juice to which she replied yes.
The rest of the flight passed quickly and we disembarked at STN again
using an airbridge with the connecting passengers taken directly to
the
Air Berlin departure gates for their onward flights.
The meeting finished early and rather than waiting for the 1820
Easyjet
departure I went to the AB desk to see if I still had time to make the
Glasgow flight( departing in 30 minutes) and how much it would cost.
They advised me that it would only cost £49 including tax to get on
the flight which was excellent for a plane departing in 30 minutes. I
checked in (Window seat) and ran to towards the departure gates as
experience has told me that the Queue at Stansted security is usually
a
nightmare. I needn't have worried as AB had an agent at the end of the
Queue and was advising all AB passengers that they were allowed to use
the Security Fastrack service saving valuable time. I got to the gate
in plenty of time for the ontime departure and settled back in my nice
leather seat where this time I tried the salami sandwich and again got
away with an got away with an orange Juice and a cup of tea... what a
chancer.
Overall I have to say travelling to STN on AB was a very pleasant
experience and really blew Easyjet away though to be fair I also think
that Easyjet have a product that offers good value and usually find
them very relaiable.Over the last couple of years I have been lucky
enough to travel AF/LH ex EDI in business class within Europe and
today
I felt the AB product was superior to both of them.
The only sore point was that each flight only had about 30 pax on
them....not a good sign!
Anyway sorry for waffling and I hope that I haven't bored you.....If
you get the chance support them and give them a try. They deserve it !
Radar
Good post. Yes, it would be good for AB to succeed on this route but
it's going to be hard when they're up against easyjet and its now
sophisticated publicity machine.
|
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| Back to top |
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B
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
paris wrote:
| Quote: | I was once again on my weekly tour of Western Europe and again I used
the AB Flights to/from Dus. Departed 09.30 Monday morning. 71
passengers on board. 16 connected to Dus...Don't know about other
destinations?
Returned this evening. 61 on board 738 from Dus to Stn with 11
transfering to Gla flight. Again 61 on board. Fkr 100. Service, as
usual, V.Good. I'm booked for trips in advance for months to
come...can't beat them on price or service, espesially outbound from
Gla to Germany, as aircraft all dock together at Stn. No need to go to
terminal. All luggage as normal goes straight to final dest.
|
How long before other lo-co's cotton on to this at their hubs, EZY, RYR
etc, er, well, maybe not RYR ;-)
B
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Clive Braham
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:52 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
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|
"B" <blimpie (AT) btopenworld (DOT) com> wrote
can't beat them on price or service, espesially outbound from
| Quote: | Gla to Germany, as aircraft all dock together at Stn. No need to go to
terminal. All luggage as normal goes straight to final dest.
How long before other lo-co's cotton on to this at their hubs, EZY, RYR
etc, er, well, maybe not RYR ;-)
B
|
Well Sterling are doing it at CPH.
C
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Doug Maclean
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:46 am Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
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|
I have heard recently from a contact that their loads have really increased.
Almost none heading for Stansted only. I would place a small wager on a
direct German service appearing this year to compliment the Stansted
services.
Doug
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Clive Braham
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:50 am Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
"Doug Maclean" <drmayr (AT) btinternet (DOT) com> wrote
| Quote: | I have heard recently from a contact that their loads have really
increased. Almost none heading for Stansted only. I would place a small
wager on a direct German service appearing this year to compliment the
Stansted services.
Doug
|
Fingers and toes crossed.
Clive
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| Back to top |
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Mister Niceguy
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
"Clive Braham" <clive (AT) braham5 (DOT) freeserve.co.uk> wrote in news:dqmkcu$rgr
$1 (AT) news7 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk:
| Quote: |
"B" <blimpie (AT) btopenworld (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1137619909.210517.74580 (AT) g44g2000cwa (DOT) googlegroups.com...
can't beat them on price or service, espesially outbound from
Gla to Germany, as aircraft all dock together at Stn. No need to go
to
terminal. All luggage as normal goes straight to final dest.
How long before other lo-co's cotton on to this at their hubs, EZY,
RYR
etc, er, well, maybe not RYR ;-)
B
Well Sterling are doing it at CPH.
|
OTOH flybe stopped doing it a year or two back. Maybe the model for
the future is a "transfer charge" if you want your bags shifted onwards?
|
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| Back to top |
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Clive Braham
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:50 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
"Mister Niceguy" <me (AT) privacy (DOT) net> wrote
All luggage as normal goes straight to final dest.
| Quote: |
How long before other lo-co's cotton on to this at their hubs, EZY,
RYR
etc, er, well, maybe not RYR ;-)
B
Well Sterling are doing it at CPH.
OTOH flybe stopped doing it a year or two back. Maybe the model for
the future is a "transfer charge" if you want your bags shifted onwards?
|
I hope not really as we would be a spoke and elsewhere a hub. We want as
many point to point routes as possible. However, if it proves a point to the
likes of Air Berlin and Sterling that some direct services could be
sustained in the future, it's a start.
Clive
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Mister Niceguy
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
"Clive Braham" <clive (AT) braham5 (DOT) freeserve.co.uk> wrote in
news:dqo8vg$ibh$1 (AT) newsg1 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk:
| Quote: |
"Mister Niceguy" <me (AT) privacy (DOT) net> wrote in message
news:Xns97506121E3501niceguyonzetnet (AT) 194 (DOT) 247.47.119...
All luggage as normal goes straight to final dest.
How long before other lo-co's cotton on to this at their hubs, EZY,
RYR
etc, er, well, maybe not RYR ;-)
B
Well Sterling are doing it at CPH.
OTOH flybe stopped doing it a year or two back. Maybe the model for
the future is a "transfer charge" if you want your bags shifted
onwards?
I hope not really as we would be a spoke and elsewhere a hub. We want
as many point to point routes as possible. However, if it proves a
point to the likes of Air Berlin and Sterling that some direct
services could be sustained in the future, it's a start.
|
Drifting OT slightly, I wonder if the coming and going of various
flights has something to do with the fact that once people have
visited a place they tend not to go there again. I was thinking
of Prague but the same could be true of Berlin. Yes, there may
be a direct flight one day but is it sustainable?
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GLAGAZ
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
Doug Maclean wrote:
| Quote: | I have heard recently from a contact that their loads have really increased.
Almost none heading for Stansted only. I would place a small wager on a
direct German service appearing this year to compliment the Stansted
services.
Doug
|
Only 4 seats left on STN-GLA tonight. Operated by the 738.
Gaz
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Clive Braham
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
"Mister Niceguy" <me (AT) privacy (DOT) net> wrote
| Quote: |
Drifting OT slightly, I wonder if the coming and going of various
flights has something to do with the fact that once people have
visited a place they tend not to go there again. I was thinking
of Prague but the same could be true of Berlin. Yes, there may
be a direct flight one day but is it sustainable?
|
Well folks like to try different places. I've been to Paris, Dublin, London
and Amsterdam a number of times for short breaks but that's mainly because
they were so accesible. If I was planning another city break I'd certainly
be looking at other options now available, like Prague. After that trip,
probably somewhere else. So what you are saying is true - I probably won't
want to go to Amsterdam again for quite some time, as the alternative
options increase.
Clive
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Doug Maclean
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: Air Berlin GLA/STN report...Low Cost Carrier! |
|
|
"GLAGAZ" <spazgaz (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote
| Quote: |
Doug Maclean wrote:
I have heard recently from a contact that their loads have really
increased.
Almost none heading for Stansted only. I would place a small wager on a
direct German service appearing this year to compliment the Stansted
services.
Doug
Only 4 seats left on STN-GLA tonight. Operated by the 738.
Gaz
|
Good for them they are finding the market unlike GSM..
I came up on the last RYR last night and there were only 2 seats on their
738. Shows there are plenty of pax if the fares are right.
Doug
|
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