We are looking at booking our flights for May flying from London to Vancouver prices are coming in for Air Transit at around £250 per person cheaper than BA and Virgin, is it too good to be true?
Any advice? Thanks!
Not too good to be true. Don't expect a full service airline. Read all the fine print regarding luggage. But I think you will find it is Air Transat not Air Transit.
Transat... as in Trans-Atlantic.
Check the legroom, it's very variable, 29 inches on some routes, 31-33 on others
My mistake GeoMedic, Air Transat! thanks for your input, appreciate the advice.
Air Transat operate Airbus A330s on the route to YVR; the planes look very small next to the BA 747s. Seating is 3-3-3 which looks a bit snug to me.
AT don't have quite the same soft product as BA or VS: there is a charge for headsets, a charge for a pillow and blanket, a charge for wine or beer after the first drink. They fly to and from Gatwick, which will mean a longer trek for you from Bristol; if you collect Miles or Points with BA or VS you won't do so by flying with AT.
Transat is a decent but unexciting airline. You should depart and arrive safely, but with a bit more minimalist service than VS or BA. Not really in the too good to be true category, but certainly different.
The price is in line with the service offered - if you think of them as a long haul charter airline rather than a full service carrier and set your expectations accordingly then you'll be fine.
If you're looking for the service that would be normal for BA/Virgin at that reduced price then you'll probably be disappointed.
Thanks all for your advice.
Yes we are from Bristol so will have to travel to Gatwick or Heathrow but are used to that. Not aware of any direct flights from Bristol. Birmingham would be another option for us but again not aware of direct flights which is what we want.
Noted re extras we would normally get with Virgin/BA
Virgin have changed their schedule it seems, there were flights for our dates a while back but now they have vanished!
If you are not too fussed about 'bells and whistles' I'd definitely go with Transat as that amount is a good saving. Have flown with them and they were absolutely fine.
I'm seeing Airtransat prices of around $550 for random dates in May compared to around £800 with the likes of BA/Air Canada.
A decent price but I'd consider upgrading to Club Class (at least on your flight back to the UK) which will reduce the savings but give you extra legroom and other benefits.
BristolClubtoe ~
You might like to open this link to a thread on the Vancouver Forum about Air Transat to Vancouver. There are a number of helpful and sensible posts in the thread.
Thanks again for your advice, another thing I've been thinking is of course BA tend to strike alot!
