Tus Airways
Jul 17, 2016, 4:44 pm
#1
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Tus Airways
Tus Airways
This is my mini Trip report of TUS Airways on my recent flight LCA - HFA.
The airline, based in Cyprus, have apparently 2 aircraft, which they use to fly to various destinations, including LCA, TLV, HFA, RHO, and HER. More details can be seen here - http://tusairways.com/About-Us/company-profile
I needed to get from Larnaca to Jerusalem, and flights to TLV were a bit expensive on the date I needed. So I decided to book this TUS Airways flight from Larnaca to Haifa, giving me the oppurtunity to try out this new airline, and also see HFA airport.
Booking:
Flight costed 79 Euros.
Booked online, on the TUS website. You can tell clearly that it is a new, small and undeveloped airline. The payment transfers you to Worldpay, and yes, you can pay with Amex. After payment, it transfers you back, and you receive your confirmation email, which has a PNR code of 8 digits - combination of letters and numbers. On the confirmation, it says to please print out and take to the check-in desk (but in reality you can use your phone, as long as you have the PNR, but even that you only need for rare situations in case they cant find your reservation)
On kayak.com, it seemed that it was some sort of codeshare or some connection with Hahn Air systems, as a different airline, I'm not sure exactly what airline that is, or maybe its just a booking system.
Check in:
No online check-in.
There is 1 check in desk for all the TUS flights. That day, there was I think 2 flights to TLV, 3 to HFA, and 1 to Rhodes.
1 day before the flight, I received another email titled PNR and ticket information, so I quickly glanced at it, and ignored it.
Anyway, I arrive into LCA airport at 10:30am to catch the flight leaving at 11:45, and the agent says, sorry your flight has closed. I expressed amazement as the flight was scheduled for 11:45 , she says no, it's 11:00.
I double checked that last email I received the day before and it turns out that it said to please note changes to the flight times... etc. So they said they would re-book me on the next flight, free of charge. I asked if I could be booked on the TLV flight, they said unfortunately not. Next HFA flight was 3 hours later. About 15 minutes later I get the email, stating my new flight times, at 13:45 arriving HFA 14:30.
I bit I go later to the check in desk, the woman checks me in, and prints my boarding pass, and I start walking off. I glance at the boarding pass, it says TLV on it, with the TLV flight number leaving at 12:45. I went back to the desk, and asked - am I going to TLV or HFA, they looked it up, ripped up my B pass, and gave me the new one, it said HFA. I said "no, I prefer to go to TLV" they said, no you're going to HFA.
I don't know how such a mistake happened - very strange. Something perculiar with their undeveloped system I guess. I wonder what would have happened if I would have attempted to board the TLV flight.
Flight:
Bussed to the plane. Seat config 1-2, 11 rows (rows 2 till 12), plus one for the cabin crew. Cabin crew was a total of one woman, in a T-shirt and trousers (pants), with a badge saying TUS airways with her name.
She did the safety demonstration herself, with no microphone, just speaking loud.
Seat selection is first come first served, meaning no seat allocation.
After take-off water was handed out, along with a biscuit (cookie) . Quite bumpy at beggining and end. Landing in HFA, very nice views. Seats quite hard. I'm quite tall, so had to bend down till I got to my seat. overhead lockers very small, so no regular sized hand luggage.
HFA airport:
HFA is a laugh.
You walk down the aircraft steps, go through 2 doors, and there is a booth with 2 people for passports. The flight was pretty full, so there was a queue for passports, and it was slow, even though most were Israelis. I was last - it took about half hour. Then is customs, telling most people to put case through scanner, then 2 more metres and you are out the airport.
Gate: (the woman turned away when she saw me taking a pic)
Boarding:
Flight:
Haifa Airport:
This is my mini Trip report of TUS Airways on my recent flight LCA - HFA.
The airline, based in Cyprus, have apparently 2 aircraft, which they use to fly to various destinations, including LCA, TLV, HFA, RHO, and HER. More details can be seen here - http://tusairways.com/About-Us/company-profile
I needed to get from Larnaca to Jerusalem, and flights to TLV were a bit expensive on the date I needed. So I decided to book this TUS Airways flight from Larnaca to Haifa, giving me the oppurtunity to try out this new airline, and also see HFA airport.
Booking:
Flight costed 79 Euros.
Booked online, on the TUS website. You can tell clearly that it is a new, small and undeveloped airline. The payment transfers you to Worldpay, and yes, you can pay with Amex. After payment, it transfers you back, and you receive your confirmation email, which has a PNR code of 8 digits - combination of letters and numbers. On the confirmation, it says to please print out and take to the check-in desk (but in reality you can use your phone, as long as you have the PNR, but even that you only need for rare situations in case they cant find your reservation)
On kayak.com, it seemed that it was some sort of codeshare or some connection with Hahn Air systems, as a different airline, I'm not sure exactly what airline that is, or maybe its just a booking system.
Check in:
No online check-in.
There is 1 check in desk for all the TUS flights. That day, there was I think 2 flights to TLV, 3 to HFA, and 1 to Rhodes.
1 day before the flight, I received another email titled PNR and ticket information, so I quickly glanced at it, and ignored it.
Anyway, I arrive into LCA airport at 10:30am to catch the flight leaving at 11:45, and the agent says, sorry your flight has closed. I expressed amazement as the flight was scheduled for 11:45 , she says no, it's 11:00.
I double checked that last email I received the day before and it turns out that it said to please note changes to the flight times... etc. So they said they would re-book me on the next flight, free of charge. I asked if I could be booked on the TLV flight, they said unfortunately not. Next HFA flight was 3 hours later. About 15 minutes later I get the email, stating my new flight times, at 13:45 arriving HFA 14:30.
I bit I go later to the check in desk, the woman checks me in, and prints my boarding pass, and I start walking off. I glance at the boarding pass, it says TLV on it, with the TLV flight number leaving at 12:45. I went back to the desk, and asked - am I going to TLV or HFA, they looked it up, ripped up my B pass, and gave me the new one, it said HFA. I said "no, I prefer to go to TLV" they said, no you're going to HFA.
I don't know how such a mistake happened - very strange. Something perculiar with their undeveloped system I guess. I wonder what would have happened if I would have attempted to board the TLV flight.
Flight:
Bussed to the plane. Seat config 1-2, 11 rows (rows 2 till 12), plus one for the cabin crew. Cabin crew was a total of one woman, in a T-shirt and trousers (pants), with a badge saying TUS airways with her name.
She did the safety demonstration herself, with no microphone, just speaking loud.
Seat selection is first come first served, meaning no seat allocation.
After take-off water was handed out, along with a biscuit (cookie) . Quite bumpy at beggining and end. Landing in HFA, very nice views. Seats quite hard. I'm quite tall, so had to bend down till I got to my seat. overhead lockers very small, so no regular sized hand luggage.
HFA airport:
HFA is a laugh.
You walk down the aircraft steps, go through 2 doors, and there is a booth with 2 people for passports. The flight was pretty full, so there was a queue for passports, and it was slow, even though most were Israelis. I was last - it took about half hour. Then is customs, telling most people to put case through scanner, then 2 more metres and you are out the airport.
Gate: (the woman turned away when she saw me taking a pic)
Boarding:
Flight:
Haifa Airport:
Last edited by benberg2013; Jul 18, 2016 at 3:22 am
Jul 19, 2016, 2:38 am
#5
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HFA
Posts: 1,712
Jul 19, 2016, 2:43 am
#6
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There is a bus stop outside, but i arrived on friday afternoon, and by the time I got out it was around 3.30pm so no public transport around because of shabbat.
I'm not sure where that bus takes you to.
I took a taxi to Neve Sha'anan for 65 shekel for the +-10 minute drive. There is a sign outside with taxi phone numbers.
See also - https://www.google.co.il/maps/dir/%D...2306!3e0?hl=iw
Last edited by benberg2013; Jul 19, 2016 at 2:59 am
Jun 14, 2017, 1:12 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: UA 1K/MM, EK Gold, CX Silver
Posts: 880
You can happily arrive at HFA 40 min before flight with luggage, so I believe it will save time even for people in Tel Aviv. I waited 40 min in the security line for people with hand luggage only at BGN this week !
Jun 14, 2017, 1:20 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jerusalem
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,281
Wouldn't it be better to go the "regular" lines then? From my experience the agents at the HBO line tend to be very slow.
Jun 14, 2017, 1:29 am
#15
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
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Posts: 13,167
So even if I need an extra hour at TLV versus HFA (1:40 versus 0:40), I need 2 extra hours to get there, meaning it's still an extra hour to HFA versus TLV (leaving 2:40 before versus 3:40 before).
Also, I've never waited 40 minutes at security in TLV. If HBO was too long, I'd do the interview and then go on the regular line. And if there was a long line for the interview, double back to check-in and do it there.