Air Wales - by Mark Evans

23 October 2005

Caught flight from Glasgow Prestwick last night to Cardiff (scheduled 6.30pm - carrying for BMIBaby). We had a 40 minute delay at check in and had another 4 delay announcements as the night progressed. We eventually took off at 11pm which is just in time for Air Wales to get away with not having to pay compensation to their passengers under European rules. It turns out that they sent out another plane as the scheduled one had mechanical failure. This is the 3rd time such a delay has happened to me on this route as I'm a regular passenger (almost every week). There seems though to be little apology from the airline and on getting on the plane we were then expected to pay £2 for a cup of tea. You would think that after a lengthy delay of their making - this would be free as a gesture. After this experience I would recommend that all those working in Glasgow should perhaps consider an alternative routing. You can take the train from Glasgow Queen St. (every 15 minutes) to Edinburgh Haymarket (45 minute trip) - then catch the Airport bus outside (£3) . From Edinburgh Airport you can get the BMIBaby 737 back which is quicker than the Air Wales turbo prop. Also this route is often cheaper and pulls up at a stand in Cardiff which does not require a bus transfer to the terminal. Air Wales must learn that they do not have a captive market - poor service will result in a shift of regular passengers. No point in complaining vote with your feet and hit them where it hurts - their revenue stream.

Air Wales - by Clive Carter

24 August 2005

Timetable why bother having one! I have been travelling on the Air Wales flight from Liverpool to Aberdeen and return most weeks for the past couple of months. I can honestly say that over that period the flights that I have travelled on have mostly been at least 25 to 40 minutes late with two flights being delayed for over 3 hours and one flight cancelled completely. The later three being the Monday morning flights up to Aberdeen. It is becoming so regular that am late, I get a cheer when I walk in the office. The excuses given usually turn out to be a pack of lies only to end up with the pilot saying that they had technical problems, one actually told the truth and said he and the co-pilot were stuck in a traffic jam on the M4. I can handle the truth, so why try getting away with treating the passengers like idiots. I would have been using this flight every week for the next year but the poor reliability has put this option in question. Has Air Wales thought of teaming up with a local Coach company to run the service to Aberdeen, as this would prove more reliable and quicker!!

Air Wales - by Graham Jones

15 August 2005

Flew to Paris with Air Wales (BmiBaby) return from Cardiff. My wife was initially a bit concerned with the size of the aircraft when booking the the break but was pleasantly surprised with the amount of room within the cabin and myself with the legroom, being over 6ft tall. We were surprised with the aircraft being a lot quieter than we thought it would be, but it was a bit of an eye opener though whilst waiting for a slot to take off at Charles de Gaulle airport between the giants of the sky. Cabin staff very good and on time each way.

Air Wales - by Anthony Matthews

6 June 2005

Cardiff to Belfast route, operated on behalf of BMI Baby. Flight departed slightly late, but arrived at Belfast more or less on time. 7am departure timed primarily for the business market, but also allows for an early arrival in Ireland for leisure passengers( we were on a short half term break). ATR 42 aircraft a bit noisy on take off, but otherwise OK when cruising height reached. The one cabin crew member very helpful and did his best to keep us all happy, but we all wanted to get to our destination as quickly as possible. Overall, a pleasant experience and really boils down to the fact that we all want to travel as cheaply as possible, on flights which depart and arrive more or less on time. On this basis, Air Wales matched our expectations and are highly recommended, although the service was on behalf of BMI Baby who seem to have trouble filling flights up using their 737 aircraft which they used previously on this route.

Air Wales - by Janet Ebdale

23 April 2005

My mother in law and myself flew with Air Wales in March 2005 and found the flight very good. As we live in Cornwall, the flight from Plymouth to Cardiff was ideal for us. My mother in law is 82yrs old, and the flying time was great. Thank you to all the staff and crew - everyone was very kind and helpful. We will use this airline anytime.

Air Wales - by Paul Walker

21 April 2005

I have travelled each week for 6 months with Air Wales to Cardiff. The plane is nearly always on time. This week we had a problem when Cardiff was closed due to fog. Unfortunately they had to divert to Exeter. This could have been a big issue for many of the travellers in getting to their destination, but by the time we were on the taxiway, the crew had organised for a coach to take us to Cardiff without any fuss. The flight crew are always friendly and I defy anyone to find a friendlier team of people than the Cardiff airport staff, security and operations teams.

Air Wales - by Alan Kettlewell

7 March 2005

Flying from Aberdeen to Liverpool Thurs. 10th Feb 2005 and they tell us at the Gate that the weight onboard was too much. They required two passengers to come off the plane. They offered a refund and a free flight the following morning but the passengers had to pay their own accommodation expenses! Eventually after no one took up their 'generous offer' we were informed that all baggage to Liverpool would be removed from the flight and sent the following day and couriered to passengers address of choice. Remember this is Thursday - I eventually received my baggage on the following Monday. To cut a long story short Air Wales offered £75 compensation to cover essentials for 4 days.

Air Wales - by Lynne Cox

11 February 2005

My daughter and I flew Air Wales from Cardiff to Cork - flight was on time and the trip over was lovely. The cabin crew were very friendly on the flight out and our return flight. Overall we were very impressed with Air Wales and would fly with them again in the future.

Air Wales - by Steve Gresser

13 January 2005

We're an American family who were traveling in the U.K. and Ireland the summer of 2004. On 4th of July, we flew from Plymouth to Cork on Air Wales. Showing up quite early for the flight (we're used to 2 hour requirements for international flights and had driven to Plymouth so we weren't aware of the airport's small size), we were greeted by very cordial - downright friendly - check in staff. They were willing to take our bags early and despite the somewhat stiff weight charges (I found this true on all airlines except BA's flights to/from Arizona) we felt quite welcome to be waiting for our flight. Our ATR-42 was well used but in good shape. The cabin staff were welcoming and accommodating. They even took the time to wish us a happy 4th July (Independence Day). Our flight was comfortable and quick, and the plane performed as expected. The whole cabin crew really did make the flight very pleasant, and I'd have no concerns about flying what my friend in the north east of England calls "Air Boyo" again!

Air Wales - by Ken Snow

11 December 2004

My daughter had the unfortunate experience of travelling Air Wales on Dec.2 this year from Aberdeen to Cardiff. She was booked on the 11am flight. After constant delays, the passengers were informed that the flight was cancelled. That meant that there was a lot of baggage handling to do by the passengers. When enquiries were made regarding an alternative flight, she was calmly told to phone an Air Wales number to enquire if there was a vacancy on the evening flight leaving at 5.30.She did this at a cost of £5 on her mobile phone. She was one of the very lucky 12 people to get a seat. When the passengers went aboard the 5.30 flight, it was discovered that there as 1 passenger too many on the plane. Eventually,2 people volunteered to get off. That meant getting into the luggage hold to remove their luggage!!! Another delay. The flight arrived 45 minutes late in Cardiff. The attitude of the Air Wales staff was terrible. Not helpfull in any way. During this fracas, I phoned Air Wales to ask what was going on, and what was this awful attitude that it's staff were adopting. I was told that if i put my complaints in writing, Air Wales would look at them and reply within 28 days. What a way to run an airline. Pull your finger out Air Wales, or just give it up and go away. At this moment you don't seem to have a clue.

Air Wales - by M T Rhodes

21 July 2004

Amsterdam from Swansea. It was great! The flight left on time, the weather was lovely for mid March, and views were superb. The plane was very comfortable, even for those of us with long legs. Flying on a small plane is quite different to a large carrier, but we thoroughly enjoyed the roller coaster feeling of take off and landing. We're little plane converts! The crew were excellent and very friendly. Unfortunately, we won't be able to fly from Swansea after October, but Cardiff will be just as good.

Air Wales - by Anthony Matthews

28 March 2004

Cardiff - London City (day return) flight on a business trip. Timings outward and return were spot on to allow a full day in London. Outward flight from Cardiff was on time, having arrived from Swansea en-route. Arrival at London City was delayed slightly due to air traffic control - we circled for about 10 minutes before landing. Connections into London were excellent. Using the shuttle bus (quicker than a taxi) I was at Liverpool Street station in 25 minutes. The return flight later that day was bang on time leaving London, and with a good tailwind, we were back in Cardiff 40 minutes later. This was my first flight to London City with Air Wales ( although I have flown with them to Cork and Dublin previously) and one service I will definitely use again, as our London office is located near Liverpool Street station which is a 25-30 minute ride on the shuttle bus from the airport. All in all, very enjoyable compared to the two hour train journey, and actually cheaper than an open return on the train. Keep this up, Air Wales, and I’m sure you’re onto a winner here. Just make sure you keep your prices comparable to an open return ( ordinary -not first class) on the train, and you’ll have my custom.

Air Wales - by Richard Morgan

22 March 2004

This was a short flight (50 minutes) on an ATR 42 (48 seater). The flight was at 14,000 feet and the weather was good, so beautiful views were had of South Wales with the inevitable cloud at Dublin obscuring vision. Good friendly service, although a bit of the Welsh language, even a taped greeting would be a good idea. Flight on time and luggage there to meet me, as I step down from the plane! The other operator on this route, Ryanair, only fly once a day and at an inconvenient time plus they are also more expensive.

Air Wales - by Anthony Matthews

14 March 2004

We took an Air Wales flight from Cardiff to Dublin for a weekend away. Flight timing on the Friday was very convenient after dropping the kids off at school and arriving in Dublin at lunchtime. The outward flight was 15 minutes late out from Cardiff and arriving at Dublin 25 minutes late after some delays by air traffic control at Dublin. Take off was quite noisy, but quietened down when we reached cruising speed/height. Cabin on the ATR-42 was surprisingly spacious and plenty of elbow room. Seat pitch was better then average. The return flight was on time, and this time on take off the aircraft wasn't half as noisy as the outward flight. Very enjoyable in fact and highly recommended. Overall I was impressed with the standard of service and internal cabin arrangement.