I added an entry a while ago concerning flights with Airtours from Bristol to Rhodes where I said it would be interesting to see how Airtours perform on Long Haul.

The aircraft for both the outbound and inbound flight was a Boeing 767-300. The aircraft was clean and comfortable both ways with ample legroom even though it was an 8 hour flight. The flights themselves however were eventful! We were delayed an hour on departure from Cardiff, but I can't blame Airtours for this as some arrogant man who had booked extra legroom seats thought it gave him the right to turn up at check in 20 mins before departure and demand to fly! Most of the passengers were boarded by this time!

Anyway, the departure from Cardiff was late but everything went fine. The flight was pleasant and comfortable with ice cream served during the inflight movie. The second incident occured on approach to Sanford. The pilot was approaching the airport as normal when at around 300ft he had to initiate a go-around due to a trainee pilot in a Cessna blocking the runway! The second attempt at landing was more successful and we touched down just 20 minutes late.

The return flight was the usual uneventful overnight flight from the USA, but we were in for a surprise when we were making our descent into Cardiff. We began our descent as normal over Cork, but about 15 minutes before landing the Captain came over the PA to inform us that there was low cloud at Cardiff and that as the Instrument Landing System (ILS) was only half working (typical of a second rate airport such as Cardiff), we would have to land in Birmingham (where the system was working properly, of course). Once we had landed in Birmingham, the captain spoke to his operations department and Cardiff airport to see if he could fly us there, but the ILS was still inoperable. Onward travel arrangements (consisting of finding your own way to Cardiff on the train changing at Birmingham New Street) were made which were a total disaster!

However I must remind you that the main culprit in this incident was Cardiff Airport and therefore I do not have any cause for complaint with Airtours International who, I think, performed exceptionally well in difficult circumstances.

Well Done!