First Choice Airways - A leading tour operator airline.
First Choice Airways is a large charter airline which is part of the international travel group First Choice Holidays PLC.
The airline has its headquarters in Manchester and started flying in 1987 under the name of Air 2000, but was rebranded as First Choice in March 2004. More than 80% of First Choice Airways' scheduled and charter flights are used for its parent company First Choice and subsidiaries. Around 80 other tour operators also use this airline.
Low-cost ticketless holiday flights can now be booked online on the FirstChoice.co.uk website.
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First Choice Airways Routes and Destinations
Dependent on the season, First Choice runs charter flights from up to 15 UK airports to around 60 holiday destinations. The main airport hubs with the most choice of flights are Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted and Manchester.
Short haul destinations include Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria, Austria, France, Israel, Italy, Egypt Red Sea. There is a choice of long haul routes to North Africa, the Caribbean, Florida, Mexico, Kenya, the Gambia, India & Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Passenger Opinions, Comments and Reviews
In summer 2005, First Choice introduced the most spacious long haul seat pitch of all the UK’s charter airlines. Three new Boeing 767s were fitted with an amazing 36 inches of legroom in Premium Class and spacious 33 inch legroom seats in the Standard Economy class, as well as excellent improved seat-back TV screens and entertainment. This now makes most First Choice long haul flights very comfortable. They have won the British Travel Award for Best Charter Airline 3 times and the Golden Globe in the same category 6 times.
Opinions about First Choice flights are good. There are a few grumbles about legroom on short haul flights, but it is generally regarded as a good-value charter. Food, service and cabin staff are praised all round.
Other Useful Information
| Booking |
Low fare ticketless holiday flights from the UK can be booked via the FirstChoice.co.uk 'flights search' pages, this is the cheapest option. Keep a record of your booking reference number and flight time schedule for check-in. Credit card (Visa/Mastercard) payment fee is £4 per transaction. Infants under 2 travel for £10 single on parent's lap. An advantage is that First Choice holidays and flights are all ATOL protected. |
| Flight changes |
No refund is given if you cancel your flight. Passenger name, flight date or time changes cost £15 pp plus any price increase, and can be made up to 4 hours before scheduled departure. No refunds if the new flight is cheaper. If an outbound flight is delayed by more than 12 hours, you may cancel your holiday and receive a full refund. |
| Seats |
All seats are allocated at check-in. On First Choice Airways short-haul flights, standard Economy charter seats have a fairly typical 28 inches of legroom, upgrades are possible but not guaranteed. On most long-haul flights, normal Economy seats are a generous 17.8" wide, seat pitch has a comfortable 33" of legroom, or a very roomy 36" in Premium service. Extra legroom seats cannot be reserved for ticketless flights. |
| Meals |
A meal or snack is automatically included on all flights booked online, but you can deduct the meal price from the fare by deselecting them. Special meals can be requested beforehand for a small charge. |
| Baggage |
The baggage allowance is maximum 20kgs per person, (23kg max. per single item), hand luggage 5 kg (45x35x20cm), expect to pay for any excess at check-in. Golf bags and skis cost £7.50 single, larger sports equipment and bicycles cost £30 single, wheelchairs free, all must be pre-arranged. More info http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/info/travelinfo/flyingbaggage.html.
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| Check-In |
Allow at least 2 hours before departure, 90 minutes if you have pre-booked your seat. Check-in desks close 45 minutes before a flight, boarding gates close 15 mins before departure. Day-before check-in is possible flying from Gatwick (North Terminal), Birmingham (Terminal 1) or Manchester (Terminal 2), but book at least 4 days in advance, (not available for passengers travelling with skis). |
| Fleet |
The First Choice Airways fleet consists of 32 aircraft: 19 x Boeing 757; 7 x Airbus 320; 4 x Airbus 321; 2 x Boeing 767. |
Latest News
April 2007 First Choice announces they will cease offering holiday flights from Cardiff airport by November 2007. New First Choice base to open from Exeter airport in November 2007.
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