Just Booked my first Norwegian

Old Sep 16, 2017, 9:13 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,676
Originally Posted by allturnleft
But its all about a BA loyal flyer being forced to change plans due to BA pricing
Your post was not about BA. Your post was about DY suiting your needs better than other airlines. There will always be instances when one airline is more expensive than another airline because its flights are in greater demand.

Originally Posted by allturnleft
Do the mods not want BA embarrasment !
Where is the embarrassment? If anything, your post suggests that BA is so popular on the route that only expensive tickets are left on the dates that you want to fly.
Andriyko is offline  
Old Sep 16, 2017, 9:16 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), SAS Diamond (*G)
Posts: 584
Originally Posted by allturnleft
But its all about a BA loyal flyer being forced to change plans due to BA pricing
Do the mods not want BA embarrasment !
On the other hand, it's nice to have a positive story about Norwegian in this forum for a change.
klmml is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2017, 2:00 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 557
If the Norwegian-fare is fully-flex, then just book, and cancel if anything else comes up.

Originally Posted by klmml
Not to mention that in my experience, Norwegian BoB is better, and more likely to be loaded; there is (arguably) more legroom; the wifi (usually) works and is free.
No WiFi on the Dreamliner and not shorthaul-BoB AFAIK.

Originally Posted by klmml
If BA see their competition in ET (and WT) as Norwegian, I think I prefer I can't wait to fly them TATL as soon as they serve the airports that I want to depart from.
Just be aware that they are also using 737s across the Atlantic now, so not "the dramliner-experience".
Discus is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2017, 3:19 am
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), SAS Diamond (*G)
Posts: 584
Originally Posted by Discus
Just be aware that they are also using 737s across the Atlantic now, so not "the dramliner-experience".
Personally, I'm aware of that. EDI-BDL is of interest to me, except that I don't live in EDI (anymore). I'd be quite happy to spend that long in a 737 economy seat.
klmml is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2017, 4:14 am
  #35  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci.
Posts: 2,046
Originally Posted by Discus
If the Norwegian-fare is fully-flex, then just book, and cancel if anything else comes up.

".
Exactly my stategy
Will still hold out for an avios award on BA
allturnleft is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2017, 7:43 am
  #36  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: In the Swiss amoeba's head
Programs: Lowest level possible
Posts: 2,829
Originally Posted by klmml
On the other hand, it's nice to have a positive story about Norwegian in this forum for a change.
For some reason, a vast majority of the positive positive stories about Norwegian, most of them about their low fares, are posted *before* people actually fly on them.
Once people have "enjoyed" the chartered 777 or experienced long delays, the stories usually change to "never again". @:-)
Andriyko likes this.

Last edited by DoTheBartMan; Sep 26, 2017 at 7:49 am
DoTheBartMan is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2017, 9:27 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), SAS Diamond (*G)
Posts: 584
Originally Posted by DoTheBartMan
For some reason, a vast majority of the positive positive stories about Norwegian, most of them about their low fares, are posted *before* people actually fly on them.
Once people have "enjoyed" the chartered 777 or experienced long delays, the stories usually change to "never again". @:-)
I've flown them short haul dozens of times. I don't choose them on price, I choose them based on schedule, comfort, wifi, and the BoB concept. No complaints so far. They're just a LCC, nothing 'awful' about them at all.
klmml is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2017, 10:16 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 990
I flew them this week. JFK to OSL return. The worst bit about the whole trip was JFK. Literally a hole I never wish to revisit. But the Norwegian experience was actually awesome. Low fare on the way out and premium (bid to upgrade) on the return. 787 900 place is fab, crew were great. Honestly no different than any other flights I have taken.

I have a couple of other trips booked with them, hope they stay afloat!
Bogwoppit is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2017, 3:38 pm
  #39  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: In the Swiss amoeba's head
Programs: Lowest level possible
Posts: 2,829
Originally Posted by klmml
I've flown them short haul dozens of times. I don't choose them on price, I choose them based on schedule, comfort, wifi, and the BoB concept. No complaints so far. They're just a LCC, nothing 'awful' about them at all.
Norwegian short haul and long haul are like two completely different airlines. They have their act together for short haul operations, but they've tried to apply the same model for long haul. People may be content waiting a couple of hours for a replacement aircraft when a short haul aircraft breaks, but their long haul operations have had problems from the start.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/trav...-a2928781.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...ir_Travel.html

http://www.newsinenglish.no/2017/08/...elays-in-july/

Last edited by DoTheBartMan; Sep 26, 2017 at 3:44 pm
DoTheBartMan is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2017, 12:35 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), SAS Diamond (*G)
Posts: 584
Originally Posted by DoTheBartMan
Norwegian short haul and long haul are like two completely different airlines. They have their act together for short haul operations, but they've tried to apply the same model for long haul. People may be content waiting a couple of hours for a replacement aircraft when a short haul aircraft breaks, but their long haul operations have had problems from the start.
Sure, bashing an airline is always going to make a good headline. But the CAA figures for Gatwick (not sure where c-w-s got his in the other thread, mine are from the CAA website, reporting period 1), suggests that things aren't so clear cut.

Route - Airline - flights matched - percent on time - average delay minutes
LGW-LAS - DY - 18 - 56% - 25
LGW-LAS - VS - 33 - 55% - 27
LGW-JFK - BA - 57 - 82% - 21
LGW-JFK - DY - 62 - 61% - 31
LGW-MCO - BA - 60 - 70% - 15
LGW-MCO - VS - 64 - 56% - 21

(I've not included DY on LGW-MCO, as they only operated nine flights)

Based on the delay statistics, then, and without knowing the airline codes, would you be able tell me which is the LCC? Sure, IRROPs might be less fun on DY, but to suggest DY longhaul flights are a slow-motion trainwreck from the start would be a bit harsh.

As for July being a bad month, SK and DY both try to work their fleets as hard as possible, because it's the holiday season. Both airlines change their schedules substantially for the summer season, perhaps based on experience in their home territory that business travel basically collapses in July due to Scandinavian vacation habits. Is that a sensible thing to apply to the rest of their operation? Perhaps not, but we'll see in time.


I'm not saying that all is rosy and wonderful, but until I have that direct competition on long haul O&D routes from my local airport, I don't have any axe to grind.
klmml is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2017, 1:32 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 335
Planning to fly Norwegian next Christmas, assuming this years flight prices remain the same as the prices this year. Whilst I accept that the service will almost certainly be reduced compared to other airlines, I'll be low on cash at that stage (after a five month break from work for travel). From Managua to London (the main flight being Norwegian), you can book a flight for under £300 - can't complain about that, in my opinion.
Recondite is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2017, 3:47 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
Originally Posted by Recondite
Planning to fly Norwegian next Christmas, assuming this years flight prices remain the same as the prices this year. Whilst I accept that the service will almost certainly be reduced compared to other airlines, I'll be low on cash at that stage (after a five month break from work for travel). From Managua to London (the main flight being Norwegian), you can book a flight for under £300 - can't complain about that, in my opinion.
That is how I feel as well. I am taking a year off of work, some of it hanging out with my girlfriend and some of it traveling, and I booked a flight on Wow from ORD to DUB for $150. All I'm traveling with is a backpack that meets their size requirements, and I will be in Europe for a month or so, so even worst case scenario, I lose a day or two up front due to some crazy delay and poor ability to recover, it is annoying, but worth the gamble to save $500.

Now, if I were working and had just 10 days in Europe, I'd probably pay more for a more reliable legacy.

But even with that said, last December I booked a flight on DL that was supposed to be PEK-DTW-CVG to spent two weeks at home with my family for Christmas. DL flies an A330 between DTW and PEK (On a similar length flight from YYZ to PEK AC flies a 777, UA flys a 777 from ORD to PEK, AA flies a 787 from ORD, and Hainan flies a 787 from ORD). The inbound aircraft was delayed by more than 3 hours because it had to stop for fuel in SEA, all the other airlines with their larger planes made it to PEK without a tech stop, that day. The delay meant that I would likely miss the last flight from DTW to CVG and Delta rebooked me to fly the next morning on a route through SEA and LAX. I recieved no compensation because it was considered a "weather" issue.

Today, even legacies have operational issues because they try to make gains around the margins, leaving the passenger holding the bag when things fall through.
allturnleft and Recondite like this.

Last edited by onuhistorian0116; Sep 28, 2017 at 12:04 am Reason: Spelling edit
onuhistorian0116 is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2017, 5:16 am
  #43  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 990
I have more travel plans upset by mainline carriers than low cost, and I have done tons of both. KLM have issues every time I fly with them, I keep getting stranded in GLA due to weather (when all other airlines are still flying). But you know what, it is what it is. I find the best deal that will get me to where I want to be as directly as possible. I also accept that once in a while I end up spending an extra day or two somewhere I chose to be.

If I get stranded, I book my own hotel and move on, deal with it later. Norwegian may struggle with getting planes replaced, but so do many other airlines.

Last edited by Bogwoppit; Sep 28, 2017 at 4:22 am
Bogwoppit is offline  
Old Sep 28, 2017, 12:32 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
Originally Posted by Bogwoppit
I have more travel plans upset by mainline carriers than low cost, and I have done tons of both. KLM have issues every time I fly with them, I keep getting stranded in GLA due to weather (when all other airlines are still flying).
Yep. It is worse in the US where regional airlines operate nearly half of the domestic legacy flights. You pay legacy airfare, so you can pay more to check a bag, now pay more to carry on a bag, and the crew makes less than their peers at an LCC. Further, the last two major American crashes were regional jets, there was the famous Colagan flight that crashed on approach in Buffalo in part because the pilots were tired from long commutes to work and because they had little experience and poor training in icing conditions. Also, a Comair flight operating for Delta crashed into moutains at LEX, because it took of from the incorrect runway. The pilots had violated sterile cockpit rules during the taxi, and if you read the black box transcripts you can see they were not very professional.

Also, in terms of reliability, regional flights are pretty poor. They do not count towards the legacies operational statistics, so mainline flights are often privileged by dispatch. About ten years ago there was a Comair flight from JFK to IAD that over the course of a month did not operate a singal flight on time.

Also, when flying from outstations, the ground staff will often be outsourced to regional ground companies, who at some airports may be contracted out for multiple airlines. When things go sideways, these people don't actually work for the airline you bought your ticket from, and therefore are not as invested in your final outcome, and often times they tell you that you have to call the airline. Under the wings, I once witnessed outsourced baggage handlers litterly drop bags out of a plane until the baggage conveyor belt pulled up to the plane.

I haven't flown intra Europe as much, but my limited experience is that legacies in Europe are also cutting amenities for the passengers, free checked bags are going away, as I said in another post, OK doesn't even provide free in flight water anymore. Also, airlines like Air Berlin (not sure if it is a legacy or just a "full service" carreir in an alliance) to an extreme and Alitalia to a lesser extend are in financial trouble and may not be the most reliable options. From a safety stand point, AF has its own history of safety issues and seems to crash a plane about once every decade or so.

Outside of Asia, I am not really sure what the advantage of a legacy really is, other than a historical paint scheme on the plane.

Last edited by onuhistorian0116; Sep 28, 2017 at 12:51 am
onuhistorian0116 is offline  
Old Sep 28, 2017, 1:06 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
Originally Posted by Discus
Just be aware that they are also using 737s across the Atlantic now, so not "the dramliner-experience".
I know that the 787 has better cabin pressure than the 737, but other than that, what is the difference for a main cabin passenger?

I see people complain on airline forums that they would never want to ride a small uncomfortable narrowbody acrossed an ocean. From a comfort standpoint, I don't really see a difference between a 737/A320/757 and a wide body. It isn't like you are riding a CRJ-200 for 8 hours, where you have to bend down to stand up and the window is not even properly aligned with the seat. Seat pitch, not aircraft type, is going to play the largest rule in deciding how comfortable I will be. I find an Asiana A320 with a 33 inch seat pitch more comfortable than a Delta 747 with 31 inch seat pitch.
onuhistorian0116 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.