Ryanair AirExplore

theeney

Hello,

I have a flight booked with Ryanair to Manchester on June 21st.

I just got an email to say that my flight will be operated by AirExplore....

Ive never heard of Ryanair using a charter before.

Any idea why they would do this?

martinsvi

Market has recovered a bit faster than Ryanair expected, they lack planes to perform all flights so they are wet-leasing a couple of AirExplore planes/crew in Dublin, and it was rumored that there will be few planes dry-leased in Stansted from FlyDubai (not sure if this is true as those planes are fancy)

olive20

And Lack of crew!!

2 B737-400 from Air Explore (Slovakia) and 2 B737-400 from Air Contractors (Ireland). Pilots from Carriers and Cabin Crew from Ryanair.
First Fly Dubai aircraft already flying from Stansted with Ryanair Pilots/Ccrew.

Stevek101

738 From FlyDubai, Stansted based.

andy_g

Stevek101 wrote: »

738 From FlyDubai, Stansted based.

Havent seen it yet but looks fantastic like that.

Lami39

Guys, can anyone give any further info on this Airexplore please? I'm very unhappy with the change of airline. Not that I think Ryanair is fantastic by any stretch but they have a decent safety record. I'm terrified of flying with a completely unknown airline from the safety aspect. Not to mention the fact that I've read things on the internet (yes, I know not the most reliable source of info, but short of hightailing it over to a Slovakian airport and physically examining the planes, what choice do I have), that the planes are badly maintained, inadequate legroom, poor safety record, etc. I'm not putting my kids on a plane like that!!!!! Needless to say, this is the last time I will ever fly Ryanair, but I can ill-afford to lose the money we've put into this holiday.

Long-winded of me, I know, but I would greatly appreciate any information from anyone with more knowledge than I have!

Thank you.

Lami39

Suasdaguna1

Lami, Ryanair are not going to stick their neck on the line and jeopardize their long unblemished safety record by sub contracting a gash outfit. You'll be fine and enjoy your trip.

martinsvi

Lami39, I think you're overreacting, AirExplore is a relatively new company that tries to find it's way into market, they haven't been involved into much incidents at all, any talk about bad maintenance is rubbish, Slovakia as any other EU state has strict safety standards and to top it all up they have the exact same 30 inch seat pitch as Ryanair.

By all means, don't fly with them if you don't want to, maybe next time have your holiday ruined by aerlingus strikes and see how that feels?

Aphex

Stevek101 wrote: »

738 From FlyDubai, Stansted based.

Just a quick off topic post, apologies if against the rules.

The one and only thing I dislike about Ryanair is their livery.
I would love if every aircraft in the fleet looked something like this. With completed tail, that is.

Lami39

Suasdaguna1, thank you for that. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance. I have only ever flown with well-known carriers and just got a shock to receive that email the other day.

Lami

arubex

If it's any reassurance, stand-by charter airlines like Titan, Contractors and Air Explore tend to have very experenced aircrew who have worked their way up through the normal scheduled carriers. They don't accept direct-entry like Ryanair etc do.

Operating wet-leases is often a short-notice business with lots of money on the line and those airlines need crews who can plan quickly and accurately. The best way to find such crews is to cream them off the top - costs / salary isn't usually a problem given the fees that are charged on charters.

Edit: as an example, Titan's G-POWH is in Belfast today operating a short-notice sub for Thomas Cook. But during a lunchtime lull it bolted down to Dublin to operate a sub for Aer Lingus. You need a high-calibre crew to handle that sort of contingency, and high-time civil or ex-military are first in line.

MuffinsDa

Aphex wrote: »

I would love if every aircraft in the fleet looked something like this. With completed tail, that is.

flydubai wouldn't be happy if they did that though:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=flydubai&rlz=1C1CHMO_enIE504IE504&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XPeFU7XmONGA7QaE9YCoDw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1271&bih=885&dpr=0.9

mac1961

It actually tells you which flights are with Air Explore on the ryanair website when you choose your dates, I had noticed it myself this morning but didn't think anything of it.

Nonoperational

Lami39 wrote: »

Guys, can anyone give any further info on this Airexplore please? I'm very unhappy with the change of airline. Not that I think Ryanair is fantastic by any stretch but they have a decent safety record. I'm terrified of flying with a completely unknown airline from the safety aspect. Not to mention the fact that I've read things on the internet (yes, I know not the most reliable source of info, but short of hightailing it over to a Slovakian airport and physically examining the planes, what choice do I have), that the planes are badly maintained, inadequate legroom, poor safety record, etc. I'm not putting my kids on a plane like that!!!!! Needless to say, this is the last time I will ever fly Ryanair, but I can ill-afford to lose the money we've put into this holiday.

Long-winded of me, I know, but I would greatly appreciate any information from anyone with more knowledge than I have!

Thank you.

Lami39

Nothing to worry about, enjoy the holiday. Don't think about the plane.

Bazzy

just out of curiosity what sort of money would you pay for a wet lease v a dry lease roughly?

Aphex

MuffinsDa wrote: »

flydubai wouldn't be happy if they did that though:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=flydubai&rlz=1C1CHMO_enIE504IE504&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XPeFU7XmONGA7QaE9YCoDw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1271&bih=885&dpr=0.9

I knew it was Fly Dubai's livery, but something with similar colours would be much nicer than the current blue and yellow Ryanair colour scheme, (That harp has to go too). Just my opinion, so go easy. :P

fr336

Aphex wrote: »

I knew it was Fly Dubai's livery, but something with similar colours would be much nicer than the current blue and yellow Ryanair colour scheme, (That harp has to go too). Just my opinion, so go easy. :P

Get out.

billie1b

fr336 wrote: »

Get out.

Ha, go easy on him will ya

fr336

billie1b wrote: »

Ha, go easy on him will ya

He'll be waiting a while for the harp to go, Britannia (allegedly) rules the waves, FR rules the skies thank you very much :pac:

Funnily enough the Air Dubai bit on the FR ac there reminds me of an Aer Arrann livery at some point.

SimonTemplar

I think AirExplore is a terrible name for an airline. It is one syllable away from AirExplode.

teacherhead

SimonTemplar wrote: »

I think AirExplore is a terrible name for an airline. It is one syllable away from AirExplode.

worse.... One letter away

mr.anonymous

Stevek101 wrote: »

738 From FlyDubai, Stansted based.

[Wasn't sure where to fit this in...]

Does anyone know why this aircraft is Irish (EI) registered, instead of registered 'A6-...' like the rest of the FlyDubai fleet?

I didn't think a lease like this would require that the nationality of the aircraft change.

bkehoe

Because the UAE is not an EASA country and Ryanair want to operate the aircraft under their AOC with their crews.

adam88

bkehoe wrote: »

Because the UAE is not an EASA country and Ryanair want to operate the aircraft under their AOC with their crews.

Can someone explain what that means ??????

Also Is the interior pretty much the same. I.e. Leg room. Lack of IFE ETC

mr.anonymous

bkehoe wrote: »

Because the UAE is not an EASA country and Ryanair want to operate the aircraft under their AOC with their crews.

Thank you. That makes sense.

adam88 wrote: »

Can someone explain what that means ??????

Also Is the interior pretty much the same. I.e. Leg room. Lack of IFE ETC

The United Arab Emirates are outside of the catch of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and also obviously our national authority, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).

The IAA issue Ryanair's Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which lists the registrations of the aircraft they fly, the accountable managers and other information. So what was said above makes sense if RYR want their crews to operate these aircraft.

I read that FlyDubai is a Low Cost Carrier (LCC - more acronyms :rolleyes:). So I would imagine that the seat layout is at least similar. I think that Ryanair are the only one who opt for the 189 seat configuration, so perhaps FlyDubai aircraft have slightly less. Although, I can't imagine it being much less. There wouldn't be any Business Class seating or In-Flight Entertainment on an LCC's aircraft.

Growler!!!

LCC in the Middle East is a little different.

Have a gander at this:

http://www.flydubai.com/en/news/press-gallery/image/25/

mr.anonymous

Growler!!! wrote: »

LCC in the Middle East is a little different.

Have a gander at this:

http://www.flydubai.com/en/news/press-gallery/image/25/

They don't know their comfort!

bkehoe

I don't think the Flydubai a/c that are in STN have the Sky Interiors unless Flydubai upgraded them after they were delivered. The do have 189 seats.

L1011

Sky Interior is very much over-rated - its just some different sidewalls and bins basically.

If your general interior fitout is so dated it can be the only way to show a plane is newer though - was on an 8 month old United 737 with slightly tatty cloth seats, no IFE of any description (not even the in seat audio) and the Sky Interior.