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Travel and Accommodation => Flights and Travel => Topic started by: BeyazGül Apt. on February 21, 2016, 06:56:18 PM

Title: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BeyazGül Apt. on February 21, 2016, 06:56:18 PM
Please note Thomas Cook have cancelled all flights from Doncaster to Dalaman, and I also understand they have cancelled all flights to Dalaman from Aberdeen and Norwich.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Mayday1 on February 21, 2016, 07:51:37 PM
I believe TC are cancelling flights and using the planes to go to Spain etc...........anywhere but turkey !! We are flying with TC on 25th April from Birmingham to Dalaman and so far so good.......its not been cancelled yet,but I wont count my chickens,until we are sat on the plane and in the air !
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BeyazGül Apt. on February 21, 2016, 08:24:12 PM
We have 2 guests who have already had flights cancelled have re-booked with other air lines 1 with Monarch and the other with JET2, the first one to have their flight cancelled was offered by TC a package deal to either Benidorm or America in an attempt to keep hold of their money and also pay the difference.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Eljhem on February 21, 2016, 08:27:53 PM
TC has cancelled the early Friday morning flight, so we have been moved to Thursday afternoon flight.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BeyazGül Apt. on February 21, 2016, 08:29:18 PM
I am sure Birmingham will be okay, it is the smaller airports TC have cut off purely for commercial reasons, they must be feeling the pinch,
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BeyazGül Apt. on February 21, 2016, 08:31:52 PM
Hi Eljhem which airport is that please.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Eljhem on February 21, 2016, 09:55:20 PM
White Rose, That is Dalaman-Gatwick
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Lizilu20 on February 22, 2016, 11:46:47 AM
We have had our August flight from Manchester to Dalaman cancelled and TC automatically moved us to an earlier flight. We lost our seats as we had paid to sit together but a phone call took care of this and they refunded £19.00 for the inconvenience. Better for us as we no longer have to fly the red eye!  :)

I do sympathise with the folk who have had to move airports as this is a real inconvenience and may well put some people off travelling to Turkey if they have to travel far to a larger airport. This combined with the terrorism fears I would imagine will really affect tourism this year.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Tatilde on February 22, 2016, 12:08:10 PM
We've suffered numerous flight changes and cancellations with TC over the years. The latest one being the cancellation of our flight back to the UK this week. We are now flying with Turkisk Airlines via Istanbul on Saturday. The record was six flight time changes and one cancellation on a round trip a few years ago.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: hodstar on February 22, 2016, 04:34:48 PM
All Friday flights from Newcastle to Dalaman have been cancelled
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: kalkan4eva on February 23, 2016, 12:10:20 AM
Monarch cancelled our Sunday flight from Manchester to Dalaman - It's been removed from their schedule completely as we have friends who were booked on the same flight in September and theirs was cancelled too. They moved us onto the Saturday flight, automatically but we didn't have to accept it. Similar to Lizilu, we had booked our seats and extra legroom and I'm relieved these extras including more weight for luggage and meals were also transferred. Not the best of starts for us and Monarch - easyJet have not cancelled a flight/changed our dates or even times for the past 6 years we've flown with them. We only chose Monarch because of the earlier flight times..they were much more expensive than EJ:(
Starting to wish we had stuck with the late easyJet flights....
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Babs on February 23, 2016, 06:55:32 PM
I might be over simplifying this but then I'm a simple soul!  :laugh:
All these flight cancellations seem a bit "chicken and egg"? Flights are being cancelled and diverted because people don't feel safe about travelling to Turkey but surely that is just adding fuel to the fire? People are believing that it is dangerous and the cancelled flights are confirming that. There is no official advice to avoid travelling to most of turkey, this is the only thing that would stop us coming.
I feel so sorry for those that depend on tourism in Kalkan and other resorts for their livelihood.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: bankieken on February 23, 2016, 10:27:58 PM
Bottom line is that Thomas Cook follow the money.  If bookings are heading away from Turkey they will want to sell seats to those places.
The media are in the business of selling space so anything that panders to the masses hits the front  page. 
Saw Nigel Farage on Sunday morning TV raising concerns that a Muslim country (ie Turkey) could be a member of the EU within 5 years and so we should all be voting to leave.  Absolute rubbish but amazing how many idiots believe it.
Best batten down the hatches as it will take years to recover the confidence of tourists and that's only if the current situation improves.  I would suggest that it can only get worse in the short term and existing businesses (and perhaps more importantly existing building owners) need to wake up and realign their pricing strategy.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: MartynE on February 23, 2016, 11:57:13 PM
I wonder what the media reaction will be if (when) an attack takes place in one of the "safe" alternative destinations. And whether the airlines will then have to cancel all these switched flights.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Chris S on February 24, 2016, 02:26:38 AM
Quote
I would suggest that it can only get worse in the short term and existing businesses (and perhaps more importantly existing building owners) need to wake up and realign their pricing strategy.
Do you really think  'realigning the pricing strategy' (whatever that means) would make any difference?
I haven't been asleep and I think the people who want to come to Kalkan will come and the people who are scared off won't.  The pricing strategy will make little or no difference at all but the overheads will continue at the same or at an increasing rate.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Cosetta on February 24, 2016, 08:45:46 AM
Chris S, how right you are!  We lowered our prices to our starting price in 2009, about 50%, and contacted all renters who had given positive recommendations.  Zero!  If people don't want to come, they won't regardless of the incentive.

But people have short memories.  In 2004 we had the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people.  Spain is a major transit point for terrorists wanting to enter Europe.  An article in the Daily Mail on Jan 22, 2016 quotes: "'We will recover our land from the invaders': ISIS issues chilling threat to launch terror attacks in Spain to reimpose Muslim rule after 500 years."

Yet flights and tourists are going to Spain.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: bankieken on February 24, 2016, 09:55:30 AM
My comment in relation to 'building owners' was directed at those landlords that rent to local businesses / restaurants and see them as cash cows which gets reflected in the prices being charged during the season.

I'll be in Kalkan for 6 or 7 weeks this year but my philosophy is 'if I think the establishment is overcharging I won't give it my custom.' I don't often frequent the harbourside restaurants particularly during the July / August period as there are plenty of other options but I do think that if restaurants can't turn a profit due to high rents / lower visitor numbers then something has to give.
 
I have sympathy for owners who let their villas / apartments - if the customer can't even get to the resort via a TC or TUI flight then no matter what the price it won't make a difference.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Chris S on February 24, 2016, 12:44:44 PM
Hi Bankieken,                                                                                                                                                                           I accept your point.  It seems ridiculous that the rents charged at the rebuilt harbourside restaurants are so prohibitively high, to the extent that 3 units remain unoccupied in this prime location.  Surely, leases could have agreed at reasonable rents with suitably worded break clauses in view of the prevailing problems in the tourist industry.
[/size]I worry that restauranteurs may withdraw from Kalkan and not return, leading to a long term decline of Kalkan as an attractive destination for tourists, bearing in mind that a large part of Kalkan's draw is its reputation for great food.[/font]
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BeyazGül Apt. on February 24, 2016, 04:12:18 PM
"But people have short memories.  In 2004 we had the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people.  Spain is a major transit point for terrorists wanting to enter Europe.  An article in the Daily Mail on Jan 22, 2016 quotes: "'We will recover our land from the invaders': ISIS issues chilling threat to launch terror attacks in Spain to reimpose Muslim rule after 500 years."

Yet flights and tourists are going to Spain" .

[/quote]
Apologies didn't know how to do the quote thing

WOW !! . TC were offering our cancelled flight only guest's alternative package deals to Benidorm ??? .
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: bankieken on February 24, 2016, 05:02:07 PM
Hi Bankieken,                                                                                                                                                                           I accept your point.  It seems ridiculous that the rents charged at the rebuilt harbourside restaurants are so prohibitively high, to the extent that 3 units remain unoccupied in this prime location.  Surely, leases could have agreed at reasonable rents with suitably worded break clauses in view of the prevailing problems in the tourist industry.
I worry that restauranteurs may withdraw from Kalkan and not return, leading to a long term decline of Kalkan as an attractive destination for tourists, bearing in mind that a large part of Kalkan's draw is its reputation for great food.

Chris S

You make a good point about the empty units at the harbour but unfortunately it sometimes takes people a while to recognise the scale of a problem before doing anything about it.  If this season really is as bad as everyone is saying it will be I suspect, in the short term, only a small minority of commercial building owners might wake up to the reality of the situation.
 
Perhaps Kalkan will experience a relative decline in popularity from its peak but I don't think it would be long term or terminal. Everything goes in cycles and maybe the peak for Kalkan in this cycle has happened.  It will come back stronger and hopefully with a more long term view on developing tourism rather than have a take the money and run mentality.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Kalkan regular on February 24, 2016, 06:52:13 PM
About 6 or 7 years ago I remember a restaurant owner telling us that if they were busy when the landlord walked past he would come in demanding more rent as they obviously could afford it (we were there when he came in making a fuss).....if they were quiet however he didn't reduce the rent. Another restaurant owner told us that because he had had a good year the landlord wanted to raise the rent massively. He decided not to pay, moved out of the town area and is doing well. The site stayed empty for 2 years, can't see how the greedy landlord benefitted.

I think for the new harbour restaurants there is the additional costs of fitting them out as well as the very high rent. I think in other years it may be worth the outlay but I think caution is probably the right response this year unless you can afford to make a loss. I think no rent for the 3 units might sharpen the Belydeye's mind and budgeting.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: DRBD on February 25, 2016, 06:19:18 AM
Not sure the Belediye will budge much, there is another restaurant on the outskirts of town that was/is used by local Turkish but has been seen to have more tourists using it so the landlords being the Belediye have put the rent up. Shouldnt think for a minute that if the tourist arent here to use it the rent will be reduced.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Christina on February 29, 2016, 03:21:10 PM
Just looking forward to beyond the summer....

I fly to Dalaman from Manchester with Thomas Cook every year at the end of December to enjoy New Year in Kalkan.  However, I notice that this coming December, it doesn't look like any TC flights will be operating on that route. The only direct flight available is from Manchester to Antalya on 27th December. There are indirect flights to Dalaman via Istanbul with Turkish airlines, but these are around the same price as the Antalya flight, and there is a 12 hour stop over involved. I spoke to TC staff to ask if direct flight to Dalaman might be released at a later date, but they could not confirm this. In the light of the cancelled summer fights, it does not seem likely.

Many of my Kalkan ex-pat friends from the North of England spend Christmas in the UK, and are usually on the Manchester to Dalaman flight just prior to New Year..... I thought it might be useful for them to be aware of this in case the Antalya flight fills up quickly, or goes up in price due to demand. It is already £160 one-way.

Finally, in February this year I was booked on the last TC flight from Dalaman back to Manchester at the end of my New Year stay.  A few weeks before, I received an email from TC to advise that they had cancelled the flight due to 'business reasons'. They refunded my fare and I ended up flying home from Antalya.

Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: samson on March 10, 2016, 12:06:02 PM
 >:( so now Monarch have cancelled our flight in June. have offered us another but at a horrible time . who wants to leave for the airport at 1am!
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Blue Lizard on March 10, 2016, 02:43:26 PM
Us too!! only they never told us until I asked why the flight details had gone from the website? they offered the early morning zombie flight .I would rather slide down an unplanned wooden handrail in just a mankini than book with Monarch again...ever!   I now have to pay more to find an equivalent flight which they have no interest in covering the cost of the difference for >:D >:D
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Chris_S on March 11, 2016, 11:10:11 AM
Monarch seem to have thinned out some flights , especially from Gatwick and Luton (I don't look much farther North than Birmingham, sorry! ::) ).

Since Monarch flights to Dalaman from down South have tended to occur at half-past-impossible, thus resulting in lost days of Kalkan time, we gave up on them a couple of years ago.

It's BA now (Gatwick), included luggage, and free drinks.  Careful selection of flights don't always mean it's more expensive either - just depends!

We added on a couple of days to this years break, the cheaper flights covered the increased accommodation, with some to spare.

A win-win situation, providing we avoid BSG....
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: kalkan4eva on March 11, 2016, 03:50:07 PM
Sadly BA do not fly to Dalaman from Manchester (that's the dark miserable place past Birmingham called the North which houses the great unwashed....) otherwise I'd be tempted to try them out. To be honest, we've never had a problem with easyJet - good flights, rarely late, pleasant staff etc, but their flight times are rubbish. We've been arriving at silly o clock in Kalkan for the past 4 or 5 years and I really miss getting there mid-afternoon - seeing THAT view in the daylight :) So we paid more this year to fly with Monarch on a better flight schedule but I have been singularly unimpressed by them so far....and we haven't even got to the airport yet! I would never fly with Thomas Cook again, so our choices in flat cap and whippet land are pretty few and far between. We've flown with Jet 2 and their times are now as bad as easyJet and their flights much more expensive - shame really as they used to be quite reasonable.
Monarch have now withdrawn the hot meals we paid for in advance but wont refund as they can offer us a "suitable alternative" which is sandwiches and crisps for the princely sum of £9 each  :o :o. I am coeliac so not exactly a suitable alternative for me :P
Don't forget they have already cancelled our flight and moved us onto a "suitable alternative". How can they define what is actually suitable for a customer..? The sheer arrogance of it! We accepted because we felt the real alternative for declining the flight was the situation you find yourselves in now BL :( :(.
My countdown app has just flashed up Kalkan 3 months today so I'm going to ignore Monarch's attempts to spoil my happy build-up time and picture myself at Palm Beach for smiley happy thoughts.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Blue Lizard on March 11, 2016, 05:08:59 PM
I am now back in the Easyjet fold ..I have booked our flight times again that we normally book..as K4E says it gets us to Kalkan late...midnightish if it's on time?(luckily only £40 more than monarch in total)  Today Monarch were kind enough to mail me that I could add hold luggage for my flight (which no longer exists....errrr! even though I already had it booked? )...are they taking the p**s on purpose? anyway once my refund is in my account I will send them an expletive laden sarcastic reply....it wont do any good but I will feel better  >:D >:D
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Kalkan regular on March 11, 2016, 06:56:31 PM
Due to a recent change in the T&C's at Thomas Cook they consider a flight change of less than 12 hours is not a 'significant' change so you can't get a refund if you don't accept the change. Now 12hrs to me is very significant, it can mean you need another night's accommodation or you lose a full day of holiday.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Irene on March 11, 2016, 08:18:26 PM
We are late-comers to Easyjet - but have been pleasantly surprised.  Pleasant, professional staff, not constantly trying to sell you something, flights always on time and so far none
cancelled (fingers crossed)!   Monarch /T Cook are completely mercenary - it's just a shame there isn't more competition - going to look at BA for our Autumn flights. 

As you say it's not just the change of flight times etc - it's all the knock on inconvenience to all concerned that is a real pain. Good luck to all who have been affected by these unscrupulous airlines.  Perhaps we should set up our own?! ;D
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Babs on March 11, 2016, 09:03:17 PM
We are faithful easyjet passengers, for the past 8 or 9 years we've not had any problems......long may it continue, fingers crossed!
They keep to the same times year after year, mid afternoon leaving Gatwick which although it's dark when we arrive, we always have time to nip out for a drink before bed and then get to spend the day on the beach,Mohave a late lunch and fly back late......getting back at silly o'clock which is the only downside!
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Irene on March 11, 2016, 09:17:26 PM
This sounds familiar to me Babs - must be the same flights, going out in April - can't wait😀
Enjoy whenever you go x
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BeyazGül Apt. on March 11, 2016, 10:52:01 PM
Flying out tomorrow from Stansted by Pegasus via Istanbul.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: kalkan4eva on March 11, 2016, 11:56:50 PM
Cancelling our Sunday flight and putting us on one on a Saturday is a great inconvenience as we'd already secured accommodation, booked transfers, UK Airport taxi, fast track security and airport lounge - all of which had to be changed. Also, even though Saturday isn't a work day for me, normally, I'd arranged to be in that day due work pressures. It really was take it or leave it with Monarch and they dangled the carrot of all the added extras (which we'd paid for BTW..) would also transfer onto the flight of their choice. The thought of trying to get a flight, the extra leg room seats etc for our chosen date just filled me with dread.
We booked our flights with them for June 2016 last July and I can't help feeling we were duped by Monarch. I'm expecting more changes as the flight date approaches.....arriving at 1am on a lovely easyJet flight is suddenly appealing :( :(
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Cuddles on March 12, 2016, 06:51:06 AM
Even Pegasus appear to be cutting back on flights. I was informed about 2 weeks ago that they were cancelling my return flight from Istanbul SAW to London LGW at 13.20 on 31 May. Originally it meant a 10.35 flight out of Dalaman but now it is 06.00!
At least it was less than £100 return but it still makes for an expensive trip to the dentist.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: DRBD on March 12, 2016, 08:11:33 AM
So these flight cut backs by the airlines to Turkey are going to cause problems for those of us who live here need to get back to the UK for various reasons.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: kalkan4eva on March 17, 2016, 01:56:43 PM
There's a thread on a Facebook page called Friends of Kalkan which makes for uncomfortable reading if you have booked with either Thomas Cook or Monarch. Some people have had their flights changed four times, some are no longer leaving from and returning to the same airport (bit difficult for onsite parking that one!) some had not even been informed their flights had changed. It appears that Monarch in particular are cancelling weekend flights - which doesn't bode well for us moved from a Sunday to a Saturday >:(
People are advised to check online and see how full their flights are as an indicator of pending cancellation - ours is pretty empty but I'm hoping (straw-clutching) that people have chosen not to book their seats in advance because it costs extra..? Also, I'm pretty worried as our return flight - on a Monday - is VERY empty...assume they need an outward flight in order to offer the inward flight and that's also looking dire.
Why is it just Monarch and TC who are behaving this way? easyJet and Jet2 appear to be fine!
I will NEVER book with Monarch again as this uncertainty is giving me palpitations....good old easyJet, I will never desert you again!
The wider issue is, of course, people appear to be deserting Turkey in their droves...it is going to have a massive impact on their tourist season which is incredibly sad  :( :(
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Blue Lizard on March 17, 2016, 02:58:26 PM
Keeping fingers crossed for you!...I have received my refund from Monarch so have sent them an expletive laden tirade.I was very imaginative with what they could do with flights and bookings :angel:.If they have a "Don't sell him a flight in future list" I think I might have just made it  :P
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: brian j p on March 17, 2016, 03:18:11 PM
flying with Monarch     Leeds to Dalaman returns     in  April/May  and September/October  , so far no issues , hope it remains  that way !
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: pw on March 17, 2016, 07:10:15 PM
flying with Monarch     Leeds to Dalaman returns     in  April/May  and September/October  , so far no issues , hope it remains  that way !

Same. Fingers and toes crossed!!

pw
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: MartynE on March 18, 2016, 09:39:10 AM
EasyJet. Every time. You know it makes sense ;)

Have never had any problems with them, which is a lot more than I could say for Thomas Cook (wrench needed to prise yourself into the miniscule seat pitch) or Monarch (what extras can I sell you today sir?).
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Chris_S on March 18, 2016, 11:30:22 AM
Alas, Monarch, being no longer family owned, is showing all the signs of Private Equity mishandling.  These same people are dumping the Airbus for Boeings.  Being ex-Aerospace industry, that seems odd, until you realise that the Equity is probably mainly US-based.

Considering they are based in Luton, (which I would add is barely away from the days of a tent in the car park for a terminal - see 1970s), their scheduling is obviously based around the opposite of customer requirements!  I shan't go into the add-ons bit, but the O'Leary effect has a lot to do with it - if you can't beat 'em, do the same scams.  At least you got Bacardi if you ask for it, EasyJet give you some clear liquid in a plastic pouch - not Bacardi, but then, there's no Trading Standards at 37,000 feet!

Note, however that today (Friday 18 March) there has been quite a lot of price changes on Monarch Dalaman flights (but not all - just a lot of the ones I looked at), generally downwards.

Dalaman flights have been the preserve of BA when they run them for us, having been abused repeatedly by Thomas Cook Customer no-service, we would holiday in Damascus before using them again, and the old Monarch in the days of Tapestry which was respectable.  (Remember those days?  You could upgrade to non-cattle class with Tapestry/Monarch - almost a 'turn left' scenario - if you were prompt, they sold out in minutes.  I wonder why?)

Remember also, some airlines refer to paying passengers as SLC.

That's Self-Loading Cargo.
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: Babs on March 18, 2016, 12:47:33 PM
Chris-S I'll put up with dodgy drinks from easy jet and I promise not to cringe when they charge a fortune for a tea bag and some hot water just because it's in a branded cup, as long as the don't cancel or reschedule our flights. Never had any problem with them.....oh no, wait, there was the time we arrived early and we had to wait for someone to meet us to let us into our apartment!  ;D
Title: Re: TC Flight cancellations
Post by: BarbH on March 18, 2016, 02:08:54 PM
Sad to hear about the problems with Monarch, I have always used them from Gatwick. Normally fly out on the first flight at around 6 am and return  from Dalaman at 13,00, always book extra leg room seats which are  nice and roomy.

The only time we was  delayed was on a Wednesday afternboon flight other than that no problems. We did have our tuesday flight cancelled once but was offered the MOnday flight which was more expensive but at no extra cost.

Sorry to say no Kalkan this year due to my mobility....been waiting nearly 5 years for hip and knee operations but that is another story!!!!
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