Have not flown with First Choice since their Air 2000 days.

Our outbound Boeing 757 took off about ten minutes late at 0835. Because of a strong following wind flight time to Fuerteventura was only 3 hours 20 minutes giving us an arrival over thirty minutes ahead of schedule.

The flight was unexceptional. Leather seats were quite comfortable although the leg room was a bit parsimonious. The flight seemed full and the first two hours involved the cabin crew flogging duty frees, snacks and drinks to be consumed on board, including tea and coffee which led some passengers to presume there would be no meal provided – it was never mentioned.

However, into the third hour of the flight a cooked breakfast together with tea or coffee was served. It was nothing special.

There was also a film via the overhead monitors that, to watch, you had to buy headphones. The head cabin attendant put in a tremendous sell re the film (apparently a sequel to a previous Disney film about pirates and other odd characters in the Caribbean) because he was presumably on a commission for head sets sold. I didn’t bother to watch the film – I never do.

The airline no longer provides complimentary pillows. You have to pay £4 for a comfort set, or some such epithet, that includes pillows.

The return flight a week later on another Boeing 757 was much the same, except the female head cabin attendant was not so pushy (I suppose those who wanted them had already purchased head sets on the outbound). The meal was served earlier in the flight and was not bad – cottage pie, vegetables, sponge pud and cheese and crackers.

This time we had a 70mph headwind giving us a flight time of 4 hours 5 minutes and an arrival at Bristol twenty minutes late just before six in the evening.

It was an exceptionally clear early evening in winter as we turned over the south west tip of Bath onto the approach path that runs to the south of Bristol. From this vantage and with cabin lights dimmed we had a marvellous view of the Greater Bristol conurbation that seems to go on forever and is almost joined to Bath.

Both Bristol and Fuerteventura airports were easy to pass through and security queues were not long at either and. Furthermore, the security staff I encountered at both ends were cheerful and approachable.

I have averaged the Flight On Time marks - 10 outbound and 6 inbound.