To ask what our rights are as TUI have changed our flights to a Lithuanian airline

[wineoclockthanks]

Whose planes are 25+ years old.

I'm a nervous flyer anyway and really don't like the idea of this.

I can't call them until the morning, but does anyone know what our rights are please?

OP as others have said the plane and airline you are flying with will be subject to exactly the same safety standards as a TUI aircraft and very likely the specification of the plane will be exactly the same. It is not uncommon to fly with a Flag carrier and find the service is provided by someone else. I once flew with Finnair on a flight operated by flyby (who I avoid because they have a habit of bumping you to a later flight if the previous on has few filled seats, not because of safety). I have had to use various airlines including Blueair, a Romanian low cost airline. Everything was fine and in fact the luggage allowance is far more generous with Blueair than Easyjet etc and you get served a drink and a sweet for landing! Also a lot of budget airlines fleet is far newer than more established airlines.

@wineoclockthanks This happened to us last week!

The reason TUI changed the plane is that their newer ones have been recalled due anti stall software has failing (faulty sensors) which causes the aircraft to pitch downwards in flight.

The whole fleet has been recalled and TUI are getting planes that are safe to replace them until the problem is resolved.

If I were you I'd go with the older plane! It's probably a whole lot safer than the brand new ones.

British Airways are retiring a 747 this month. It's 28 and flies daily. Old doesn't mean bad.

They also have several 20+ years aircraft in their fleet.

Thanks to all for the reassurance. I

The first site that came up when it googled had he following lines which worried me.

'The average age of seven aircraft used by GetJet Airlines, a Vilnius-based air carrier that will fly customers of Lithuania's two biggest tour operators, Novaturas and Tez Tour, is 24 years and 9 months, which is a concern by modern aviation standards, according the daily Lietuvos Rytas reported LETA/BNS.'

We came back from the canaries last week with Tui and it was a Greek airline plane and crew. Everything was very good.

Getjet have a fleet of 16 and an average age of 21 years.

They have a mix of old and not so old, some of the older aircraft are actually in storage not service, so they bring the averages up.

If flights are taking off and landing in the U.K. they are perfectly safe. Please don't be worried - TUI flights also operate in other countries, the U.K. isn't a magical plane place. Honestly - go, enjoy your holiday, it's just a bus in a sky and I say that as someone with 15 years experience flying for a living

also my favourite plane to work on pre private was the BA 747 which was 20 years old. Age is nothing, they are refitted all the time. Do you want to talk about what makes you nervous about flying? Perhaps we can help

Nothing to add re planes but just wanted to wish you luck on getting any answer/sense/anything useful out of TUI whatsoever, their 'customer service' is truly astonishing. Zante however is lovely - have a great holiday OP

Age is nothing, they are refitted all the time.

Agree. I know someone who works in aircraft leasing, and he always says that it's a bit like someone saying they've had the same hammer for 40 years, they've only had four new heads and six new handles.

It will be fine. Have a great holiday.

SmartLynx have been operating 10 years and have 24 Airbus A320s. They have had 1 accident consisting of a tyre bursting on landing requiring the aircraft to be towed to a stand.

The first delivery was 1988 but the average age of SmartLynx A320s are 17.4 years.

You have to remember in that time anything replaceable will have been.

BA A320 average 12 years

Smart lynx have been around a lot more than 10 years. Over 25 years.

I work in the industry (not for the airlines mentioned) and please do not adopt the usual stereotype of thinking because I am female I am cabin crew.

Your contract is with the airline, but that airline has every right to sub-charter their flights. This is common amongst all airlines in the peak season, including BA who contract out to Titan Airways. And In my opinion BA customers who end up on Titan get a better deal.

There are 2 types of aircraft lease, wetlease, where your airline charters the fully crewed aircraft and dry lease, where empty equipment is brought in (sometimes with and sometimes without cockpit crew) and in neither case is your safety compromised.

The age of the aircraft (some are real workhorses) is not an issue.

Enjoy your holiday.

25 years isn't old for a plane . After flying on a Tui branded plane at new year tbh I would be pleased they changed airline ! The tui planes we flew on had crammed too many rows of seats in ,I have never experienced so little space as on these planes. Two weeks ago our tui flights were Norweigan airlines ,they were great

Tui have many of their 73's grounded at the moment so this will be happening Op.

Enjoy your holiday.

We've had the same email today, flying to Italy in August and we're flying out by Getjet, not sure about coming back. Was concerned initially (just because it's a change to the original arrangements) but on reading this and info on the grounding of certain TUI aircraft I'm just happy to be flying on a safe flight. The age of the planes doesn't worry me, as already said, they have to adhere to strict safety standards.