CTA Flights I dont believe it

mickyron


Joined: 05/07/2009
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 18:45

I have just tried to book flights for next year from Manchester , only to be told that all the Saturday flights are sold out. DO YOU BELIEVE IT ? If thats the case me thinks that it will be a vary good year for for the tourist trade in the TRNC next year.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 18:56

Or maybe put on an extra flight?! Sorry, these people are not business minded and don't care about profit or service and, god forbid, should they actually have to work to justify their salaries!



Richard

twaddle


Joined: 06/07/2008
Posts: 245

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 19:03

Well I can never get a flight back to the same airport that I want to fly out of with CTA. The website is virtually useless as far as I am concerned.

If people think that the Pegasus website is bad, they want to check out CTA. It drives me round the bend!!

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 19:10

Twaddle, not too much twaddle from you! Spot on!



Richard

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 19:32

Just tried for 10th July Saturday flight there M/c Ercan. £243.50

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 19:41

What dates did you look for 8th May there too.

mickyron


Joined: 05/07/2009
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 20:22

I phoned CTA and they told me ALL Saturday flights were fully booked. Before that I tried the web site and nothing was coming up on that either.

Dusterbruce


Joined: 03/08/2007
Posts: 1125

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 20:34

I just tried 2 random Saturdays Mar/Apr with no problem, £240.80

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 21:44

Try travel agents, we use Ankara Travel in Girne. As above have found trying to book on line and there are no seats but go to Ankara and they have them.



They will book seats for you from UK as well, e-mail - tickets@ankaratravelagency.com with details and a contact phone number.



Have recently checked seats for next July when we have to go back for big family do and no problem finding seats to and from MAN.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 22:14

twaddle message 3



The only problem I have is with their flight search not believing that when I say Stansted I really do mean Stansted.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 23:33

Try Tom at Flightholiday his details can be found omn here. He has access to all up to date info xxx

andy-f


Joined: 03/05/2009
Posts: 1256

Message Posted:
12/10/2009 23:33

we have just booked for end of may and flying out on a saturday , the travel agent we use said there was very limited seats available for sale due to the big package opperators like anatolian sky holding seats for package tours ?

boglefan



Joined: 07/06/2009
Posts: 511

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 10:35

Transit Management are also vervy helpful if using an agent.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 16:23

We have been having the Manchester tickets problem for a few weeks now and try to assist our clients in other ways - it is often onb opne leg and we are happy to offer wait list but that is no guarantee of another flight being "returned".



info@flightholiday.co.uk

Smity



Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 826

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 16:47

I am having the same trouble from stanstead there are no flight even listed for the daate I want to fly out

Smity



Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 826

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 16:48

Have you tried Pegasus

mickyron


Joined: 05/07/2009
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 17:39

I think in future we will be flying with Pegasus or flying into the south. the only trouble with Pegasus is they only fly from Stansted and this makes it an even longer journey for people from the north of England. We wish Pegasus would fly out of Manchester or Birmingham, then we would see how CTA get on. Do you think they would be in business very long if this did happen?

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 18:03

Have just returned from hols Ercan- Birmingham with CTA. While on plane we heard a rumour that CTA wouldn't be using Birmingham any more after end of 2009 - or v.soon thereafter & that they were "in trouble." Reasons unknown. Plane was packed both ways so its obviously a popular route into Ercan and if the rumours are true then the other airports/airlines are going to capitalise. Found the CTA flying experience one of the worst - v.uncomfy & narrow seats for the length of time we have to perch in them and as for the cabin crew .... ideal candidates for any 'charm school' makeovers. Also, all announcements were virtually incomprehensible/inaudible and I dread to think how the staff would cope in an emergency. None of us on either flight had any words of praise for them. Wonder if they have heard the same rumour we did ???

mickyron


Joined: 05/07/2009
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 18:11

Hi Swannee. The way I was told that all the seats were booked on Saturays for next years flights from Manchester was a clear indication that there is something wrong with the company. Dont you think if that was the case they would put extra flights on. I know its not simple to arrange extra flights but they have nearly 12 months to organise it.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 19:47

Mickyron - there are only so many planes that CTA has so they can only put on a limited number of flights (and they actualy have a lot of them).



We frequently sell Manchester and Birmingham return flights to Ercan. If you want them tell Alan on info@flightholiday.co.uk as I will be away and can't help.



Tom

Blackbird



Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 1432

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 02:07

I have been a victim of CTA 'full' flights. I have also been told that I have the last seat - on every occasion the plane is only half full

LondonCypriot


Joined: 15/12/2008
Posts: 426

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 02:15

You also have the option to use Turkish Airlines for your flights with a brief stop over in Istanbul.

mia100max


Joined: 19/03/2008
Posts: 404

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 10:10

Monarch doing flights Dec, Jan for £5 + taxes Manchester - Larnaca at the moment

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 12:12

Blackbird - when the aircraft is half full the other seats have probably been bought by tour operators who have paid for them.

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 12:39

As Tom says, many seats have been prebooked by Tour Operators, some of which are having a tough time selling package hols in NC.



Maybe it is worth a shot asking them if they are prepared to sell flight only or getting a quote for the cheapest package available.



We have been surprised at how cheap a package can be compared with buying direct flights only.

LondonCypriot


Joined: 15/12/2008
Posts: 426

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 12:43

But there taxes and charges are 155 pounds , Monarch. What a marketing con

pjnxi



Joined: 12/02/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 13:13

Monarch 25 nov___2 dec 09 £5 e/w= £10 +tax etc £74 = £84. from man/lca pj.

LondonCypriot


Joined: 15/12/2008
Posts: 426

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 13:50

TAXES SHOULD BE MAXIMUM 30 POUNDS , ITS A MARKETING SCAM

LondonCypriot


Joined: 15/12/2008
Posts: 426

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 13:52

Does this include luggage? Tea coffee, booz , sandwich ??? So much add ons

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 22:20

with Monarch you pay for everything ,baggage ,tea,coffee sandwiches old uncle Tom cobly and all.Used them in June from Man/Larnaca.Spot on with departures and arrivals both ways..

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 23:00

Just run a check on Monarch 12th Dec - 9th Jan for 2 - £444.44 including 1 case each 20kg and no meal or drink. I have booked with CTA same dates £430 25kg Meal & drink.

Blackbird



Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 1432

Message Posted:
15/10/2009 00:55

Yes I know I once had to fly from Stanstead because the flight form Manchester was 'full.' Luckily I had the 'last seat from Stanstead'. My wife and son flew from Manchester on a plane that was half full, my flight wasnt even half full!

I was really pleased on having to pay the extra to fly down to Stanstead. This is just one example of the

terrible service that CTA provide.

Blackbird



Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 1432

Message Posted:
15/10/2009 00:55

Yes I know

scoobydoo


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 2434

Message Posted:
15/10/2009 06:55

Mickyron,



I used to fly from manchester and was frequently told that flights were full and finding that this is not the case once you actually got the aircraft!



I then found that if I rang around all the tour operators listed in the back of one of the free magazines, I very often could find a flight.



I was once told CTA allocate a certain amount of seats per operator and once they have allocated the seats they then claim the plane is full when in fact the operators often still had seats to sell, I actually believe in this 'rumour' as I have said above, I could find a seat by a bit of ringing around.



Try it, you have nothing to lose if you want to fly Mcr to Ercan, the alternatives are as you know Stansted or Larnaca.



Good luck

mickyron


Joined: 05/07/2009
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
15/10/2009 20:01

Thanks everybody.



We will try the tour operators and see what we come up with.

oulton17


Joined: 20/05/2009
Posts: 29

Message Posted:
15/10/2009 21:48

flights just out now for aug /sep 2010 with cta £312, always travel with them but not at that price.tried turkish airways for same dates £276.had a look at net flights.com ,they come in at £267-------man --ercan,anybody got any cheaper?