What should one expect on a charter flight?

[AlpenCrazy]

I'm not sure if I should complain about a recent long haul charter flight we travelled on. In all my years I don't think I've ever flown long haul charter, so not sure if this is the norm and we should just accept it as so. Would appreciate input.

Tui flights to Cancun, as part of package for four costing over £7.5k.

Travelled both ways in economy section (c. 280 seats in this cabin vs 80 seats in Premium section at front). Our cabin had 4 loos between 280 people. Flight 10-11 hours.

Complimentary drinks served once during ten hour flight around an hour after take off. Main meal served around an hour later, with snack meal around two hours before landing.

We were very thirsty around halfway (5 hours) into flight and had drunk all water we'd bought airside, so DH asked stewardess for some tea. She thrust two cups filled with boiling hot water at him, plus a cup with milk sachets in, and he burnt his chest so badly from trying to manage to carry it all with no help I think he will probably have a burn mark there for years.

Service after the first meal was non existent with cabin crew seemingly on break for many hours with curtains drawn meaning it wasn't possible to cross the plane at all to walk around during the flight, which my doctors had asked me to do. Curtain drawn to the front for Premier and advised we weren't to cross it, and curtain drawn at rear of plane for staff break. Nowhere else to cross.

Is this ok from a health and safety perspective on a 10 hour flight?

I suspect none of this is unusual but it's really put me off travelling charter long haul.

Unless you’re with someone like Emirates, Qatar, Singapore then yes long haul is like that with all. Even business class on BA....
Assume the food will be shit and take allll the drinks and food and ents you think you’ll need. And pack hand luggage as if a case might not arrive too, ie a swim wear and underwear shoved in as a minimum
Happy holiday...

Glad you asked @washyourface 😂 I will google and return...

What's the difference between a charter and scheduled flight?

Scheduled is like a bus with a timetable and chartered is like a hired coach doesn't make sense now I've written it down

A very brief google tells me that on long haul Tui flights a meal is included plus refreshments before landing. The meal is accompanied by a complimentary drink. So a little bit of research would have let you know what to expect.

It also says that you should be able to purchase additional food and drink onboard - was this not available?

I work in the airline industry and have flown alot long and short haul with many different airlines.
I flew to Barbados with a charter airline in February this year and experienced much the same as you.
Definately the no frills long haul experience. We too had to keep walking to the galley for drinks and were made to feel we shouldn't have been because the cabin crew looked mightliy pissed off at being interrupted.
When I finally managed to drop off for a nap the hard sell started over the tannoy. The long and unnecessarily long talk about today's best deals available to buy went on for ever.
The breakfast on our return flight was a apparently a bap but mistaken by us a a hard cardboard ball.stuffed with 2 rubber discs one yellow pretending to be egg we think and the other grey masquerading as some kind of nasty sausagmeat!

Tbh, the in-flight experience was pretty diabolical and along long way inferior than any other long haul flight I have ever taken!!

So why would the service be different on a chartered flight as opposed to scheduled?

Sorry if I sound stupid. I haven't flown since 2010

EskiVodka - i like that explanation - don't understand it meself but sounds good

Charter flights are planes hired by the tour operator. You have paid for it as part of a package so any costs they can cut, they will.
Scheduled airlines sell their seats to everyone so they are in competition with other airlines. So you can chose between BA, Air France, EasyJet etc to fly to Paris. Not sure it makes them much nicer because cost is such an issue. The real differences are with the more expensive seats because they all want the repeat business travellers.

You get what you pay for.
A charter flight will be for package tour clients, everything will be done on the cheap - including cabin crew wages.
However, some pt companies use scheduled services, & the service & facilities will be much better. Check what flights are used before you book.

Yes this is normal for economy long haul - except for the burns. But why did your husband try and struggle with everything rather than make 2 trips? Or make the tea there and carry the 2 cups?

You can't just wander around the plane, but you could have walked up and down. You definitely don't go walking in to other classes.

Sounds like you need to upgrade on your next flight

It sounds like a pretty crap experience but unfortunately pretty much par for the course these days. For a ten hour flight I guess we all need to consider what level of discomfort is worth the cheap fare.