Home > MyTravel Airways > 2003 > Review

Taken September 2003 from Antalya, Turkey to Manchester, UK

Time to head back to the UK from Antalya - Turkey (see earlier report for outbound flight). If you checked my outbound report you will know about my trouble getting to Antalya with Mytravel delays and so forth.

On arrival at Antalya after a fantastic holiday, I was amazed to find that our flight back to Manchester was on time and for once another airline was delayed - LTU, Happag Lloyd and Thomas Cook AG flights to Germany were all delayed. The 19:55 flight to Dusseldorf showed a 5 hour delay and then disappeared from the screens. The airport was full as the LTU was an A330-200 and I arrived to find that stranded German holiday makers had just received faxes from the airline, and tempers began to fly.

Antalya is a beautiful marble palace, but when you mix in shouting passengers and poor Turkish dispatchers running around it is not a nice place to be. Still, time passed quickly.

MYT 262 15/9/2003 01:25.

OK so here we go, the thought of an on time Mytravel flight is enough to make you sit down or pinch yourself, but when a new Airbus A320 pulled up at our gate 20 minutes ahead of scheduled I nearly fell on the floor.

Everyone in my party was relieved and happy, but hey this is Mytravel. Does everyone realise that this is usually when they announce a technical problem. Don't worry though that won't happen right!?

I watched closely as the aircraft was prepared, the first officer made his exterior checks, then for some reason the captain. Then they both appeared at the rear end of the aircraft. Then the first officer disappeared back onboard, then the captain was joined by two engineers. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

After a short conversation, the engineers hung back and the captain returned to the flight deck and suspiciously, our flight was announced. With this, I assumed there was no problem, but why was there an obsession with the aft of the aircraft.

As I mentioned, the aircraft was a newer A320 and the plastic panelling and furnishings of the cabin were light grey and much smarter than the aircraft outbound. Same seats, but newer and again very comfortable.

Half way down the cabin to my seats and a quick burst of static over the speakers as the cabin lights failed and the cabin was plunged into darkness. The entire aircraft was without power. The lights flickered twice before eventually the power came back online to the relief of passengers who where a little unnerved.

I, putting two and two together realised that the auxiliary engine in the tail end of the aircraft had failed. That's why there was some interest in the rear of the aircraft from the crew and engineers, prior to us boarding.

The power failed a further twice while boarding, but we finally completed and the captain spoke to us about the flight ahead with no mention of the power outages.

Then it came to push back, which was also irregular. Everyone is used to the engines on an aircraft starting up one at a time and the power switching to the main engines causing a slight flicker of the lights. However, before the right engine had chance to idle, the auxiliary engine failed again and the cabin remained in darkness for some time. Then it came to the second engine, which was right next to my seat. It did not start properly twice! Now, I was getting nervous! Taking three starts to bring it online.

Despite these further engine problems, we got underway and headed down the long taxiway at Antalya.

One safety note, the cabin lights should be switched off to allow passengers eyes to adjust to the darkness. This is so if we should have to evacuate in darkness you can partially see without the use of artificial lighting. But the lights were dimmed only slightly so a completely wasted exercise, which in an emergency situation could have cost lives. Customer service levels are one thing Mytravel, but safety cannot be compromised! This alone would rule them out of carrying me again!

We set off down the runway at Antalya, the engines sounded normal and we lifted into the clear skies over Antalya.

I couldn't believe we got off on time, especially as it was clear we had our share of technical problems. The flight home was 4 hours or so, and after all the bar, meals and duty free services were complete, the cabin lights were dimmed for the remainder of the flight.

The breakfast served coming home was sickening. A sausage, fried potato and a globule of scrambled eggs. It was all dried up and frankly 'minging' as the teenager behind me said.

Cabin announcements were again, stop and start, and half the time they didn't have a clue what to say. I don't wish to come across as fussy, but I review every element of the flight and compared with other airlines, the announcements seemed unprofessional.

We landed at Manchester more or less on time without the use of reverse thrust, again cabin lights barely dimmed so passenger safety was overlooked.

So, that's it. A Mytravel experience on time, we have made it!

I don't believe it!! 20 metres from our stand and we came to a halt. 10 minutes passed, we edged forward slightly to our stand marker point and then the captain came on. 'Sorry for the delay, the ground staff are currently unable to align the stapes correctly to the aircraft'. Liar Liar pants on fire!!!

I had already noticed that one engine had been switched off, but one remained working. Finally after another 10 minutes later, the captain decided to tell the truth.

'Sorry for the delay everyone, we have a problem with our backup engine which means we don't have any power if it won't function. So at the moment we are keeping one of our main engines online to provide power until an engineer can attach a ground power unit, then we can let you get on your way'.

10 minutes later the engine droned as it was switched off and the lights flickered as the power generator outside took over. At last time to go!

But 10 minutes later we are still waiting, and now the sound of a mechanical hinge or pump filled the cabin. It reminded me of those toy dogs you got that barked and then did a back flip. It continued constantly.

It seemed we now had a hydraulic problem, and the hydraulics had to be manually primed before the ground staff could access the baggage holds beneath us. Finally, we where allowed to get off and as I walked down the stairs, I got to the bottom and kept on walking. I'd had all the Mytravel I could take and didn't care for one last look at the aircraft I had just flown on as I normally would.

Our final Mytravel delay was in the baggage hall and 30 minutes passed before the first bags appeared, but it gave me time to watch the news screens in the arrival hall. One of the stories was as follows.

'Troubled Manchester based Mytravel are to restructure their operations and organisation, which will see the departure of several senior management figures to cut massive losses'.

I just laughed.

So in summary, Mytravel to me always have and always will represent delays, technical problems, average service, expensive and in general, poor.

They have made little improvement in terms of delays and remain the UK's most delayed holiday airline. They will not survive if they don't sort themselves out. My feeling is that they should go and I certainly won't be investing any further in them.