Maleth confirms end of P&O partnership

[minsterman]

We've done a few Caribbean cruises with P&O and always had Tui flights on a dreamliner. They've always been good planes/flights and are part of the attraction of using P&O.

 

Just had an email from P&O saying that they are now using Maleth Aero (as opposed to Tui) and that there will be no inflight entertainment. Looks like they're a charter company using old Airbus A330's.

 

Really not happy about this - presumably if there's no in flight entertainment that also means that phones/tablets cant be charged - there's no way mine will last 8 hours without charging if it's being used constantly.

 

I think it's absolutely ridiculous to expect passengers to put up with 16 hours of flying (both ways) with no entertainment.

[Megabear2]

35 minutes ago, minsterman said:

We've done a few Caribbean cruises with P&O and always had Tui flights on a dreamliner. They've always been good planes/flights and are part of the attraction of using P&O.

 

Just had an email from P&O saying that they are now using Maleth Aero (as opposed to Tui) and that there will be no inflight entertainment. Looks like they're a charter company using old Airbus A330's.

 

Really not happy about this - presumably if there's no in flight entertainment that also means that phones/tablets cant be charged - there's no way mine will last 8 hours without charging if it's being used constantly.

 

I think it's absolutely ridiculous to expect passengers to put up with 16 hours of flying (both ways) with no entertainment.

Where are you flying from and when?

 

They did this last year at very short notice - on the day for a couple of Gatwick and Manchester flights last Christmas.

 

Although we had TUI back from Barbados last year the entertainment system was broken and apparently so on the flight out from Birmingham too.

 

Are you economy, the replacement planes last year didn't have Premium Economy so that was a big problem as well.

[minsterman]

From MAN. It was broken on our Tui flight back to MAN from Barbados last November too - they announced to the whole plane that we'd be getting compensation as a result but obviously nothing ever materialised. I bet P&O werent happy when they found out someone had announced that!!

[Sooty04]

We decided on a P&O cruise to the Caribbean for Christmas and New Year 2023/24 and we’re told that our flight details would follow in due course.  When we did our due diligence checks it was stated that P&O used TUI or BA flying out of London.  We have just received an E-mail to say that P&O were in the final stages of securing a Malta charter company called Maleth Aero.  To say we are extremely unhappy and concerned is an understatement.  Having checked on the airline they currently have seven aircraft and another on order.  In the past four years they have had three air incidents, an engine shut down in flight, an Oceanic Contingency and problems with air speed indicators.  There is one review giving them 3.5 out of five and there are reviews from staff stating how unhappy they are.  That coupled with what Minsterman stated we really feel like cancelling the holiday.

[jack the lad]

We have just had the same email regarding the flight details and it’s not good enough. Might be fine on short flight but 8 hours each way just ridiculous and of course cheaper for P&O. I hope they get lots of complaints and change airlines but we won’t be booking Caribbean with them again.

[Denarius]

The cutbacks continue!

[Megabear2]

Here are their aircraft details for those who want to know:

 

9H-BFS - 21.4 YEARS OLD TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE DEC 2020

THEN SAUDI ARABIA AIRLINES

 

 

9H-MFS - 18 YEARS OLD USED AS A FREIGHTER 2020 THEN SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES - ON GROUND MANCHESTER TODAY

 

9H-CFS 14.9 YEARS OLD - no details

 

9H-EFS - 21.2 YEARS ORIGINALLY 2002 QATAR AIRWAYS LAST SAUDI ARABIAN AIRWAYS - CURRENTLY FLYING NR VALENCIA 

 

9H-RTU - 21.4 YEARS ORIGINALLY 2002 QATAR AIRWAYS - CURRENTLY BLUE PANORAMA AIRLINES - DUE OCTOBER 2023 TO MALETH

 

9H-JFS - 21.5 YEARS ORIGINALLY TAM LINHAS - LEASED AS FREIGHT 2021

 

They are clearly very old.  A couple show backseat tv screens in the photos but clearly they won't be operational.  More importantly they offer only economy seating although three show two rows of "first class searting" which I'd guess are gone.

[Megabear2]

25 minutes ago, Sooty04 said:

We decided on a P&O cruise to the Caribbean for Christmas and New Year 2023/24 and we’re told that our flight details would follow in due course.  When we did our due diligence checks it was stated that P&O used TUI or BA flying out of London.  We have just received an E-mail to say that P&O were in the final stages of securing a Malta charter company called Maleth Aero.  To say we are extremely unhappy and concerned is an understatement.  Having checked on the airline they currently have seven aircraft and another on order.  In the past four years they have had three air incidents, an engine shut down in flight, an Oceanic Contingency and problems with air speed indicators.  There is one review giving them 3.5 out of five and there are reviews from staff stating how unhappy they are.  That coupled with what Minsterman stated we really feel like cancelling the holiday.

You are on a London flight?

[Megabear2]

17 minutes ago, jack the lad said:

We have just had the same email regarding the flight details and it’s not good enough. Might be fine on short flight but 8 hours each way just ridiculous and of course cheaper for P&O. I hope they get lots of complaints and change airlines but we won’t be booking Caribbean with them again.

Where and when is your flight please? Trying to get a full picture of where these aircraft are intended to fly from.  Earlier this year I noted on certain cruises only Manchester flights did not carry a premium and am trying to link these dates/cruises.  There are quite a few on sale stating Manchester only flight availability at this stage.

[jack the lad]

We fly on 27/01/24 from a London airport, have not yet been told which one. A little annoying as would like to book hotel and parking. Also now thinking of cancelling 

[Megabear2]

42 minutes ago, Sooty04 said:

We decided on a P&O cruise to the Caribbean for Christmas and New Year 2023/24 and we’re told that our flight details would follow in due course.  When we did our due diligence checks it was stated that P&O used TUI or BA flying out of London.  We have just received an E-mail to say that P&O were in the final stages of securing a Malta charter company called Maleth Aero.  To say we are extremely unhappy and concerned is an understatement.  Having checked on the airline they currently have seven aircraft and another on order.  In the past four years they have had three air incidents, an engine shut down in flight, an Oceanic Contingency and problems with air speed indicators.  There is one review giving them 3.5 out of five and there are reviews from staff stating how unhappy they are.  That coupled with what Minsterman stated we really feel like cancelling the holiday.

May I ask what if any flights are shown in your My Cruise flights section?  I've just double checked mine which are shown as TUI 98 and 99 respectively.  Do yours show at all or are you awaiting allocation?  

 

My seat booking date should open on 7 October a week before my final payment falls due.

[Sooty04]

25 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

You are on a London flight?

Yes we are on a London flight but still to be allocated.  I have contacted P&O to state my displeasure and written to the CEO Paul Ludlow (watch this space).

[JulesnMatt]

We have had the same email this morning and feel like cancelling now. Last year on our Caribbean cruise, the people not on the TUI flights had a nightmare with delays/service issues/no inflight entertainment etc. I know its a new operator this year & perhaps you have to give them a chance, but still...

 

We're flying from Manchester.

[minsterman]

Have written (email) to Paul Ludlow before. Never even got a courtesy response even pretending they're going to listen to you. Too busy trying to attract new customers and not interested in past customers or keeping customers happy.

 

They seem to be just trying make everything as cheap as possible to attract new customers, so it's all about cost cutting. Of course once they've had the new customers and p***ed them off with their cheapness, they'll then have to try and win them back. 

[minsterman]

1 minute ago, JulesnMatt said:

We have had the same email this morning and feel like cancelling now. Last year on our Caribbean cruise, the people not on the TUI flights had a nightmare with delays/service issues/no inflight entertainment etc. I know its a new operator this year & perhaps you have to give them a chance, but still...

 

We're flying from Manchester.

Did you get charged extra? We know of two that have not had to pay a supplement (one couple on the same flights as us) but they charged us the extra £100 each!

[JEBEV]

You ask the question 'If we had known this detail, would we have booked this cruise?'

The answer for our group of 4, flying from Manchester in November, is definitely No!

The flights occupy 2 full days of our caribbean holiday and should be an enjoyable experience.

I'm offended by the P&O communication which states "We’ve been working with Maleth to provide a fantastic in-flight service" to then state that on our 8/9 hour flight there is no in flight entertainment.

P&O obviously stated in the booking conditions that they would inform customers which charter flights they would get nearer the time however our assumption was that, as in previous years, it would be a known carrier e.g. TUI, BA, Virgin Atlantic etc.  

Everything no doubt will be covered in P&O's t&c's leaving you basically no opportunity to change or cancel.

What you have the right to do though is to 'Vote with your feet' so no more P&O cruises for us. 

[JulesnMatt]

2 minutes ago, minsterman said:

Did you get charged extra? We know of two that have not had to pay a supplement (one couple on the same flights as us) but they charged us the extra £100 each!

No, nothing about supplements?! Was that in the same email?

 

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Here are their aircraft details for those who want to know:

 

9H-CFS 14.9 YEARS OLD - no details

 

They are clearly very old.  A couple show backseat tv screens in the photos but clearly they won't be operational.  More importantly they offer only economy seating although three show two rows of "first class searting" which I'd guess are gone.

This is the spec sheet for this plane, doesn't tell you much as a passenger though, this looks like the newest of their craft, does show a small business section with infoscreens but as you say probably not operational. 

We have a Jet2 flight back from Malta on the Azura repositioning cruise, so will wait with baited breath to see if they change that too.

 

I have edited as attachment not opening, it is available on the Maleth web site.

 

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by yorkshirephil

[Megabear2]

46 minutes ago, minsterman said:

Have written (email) to Paul Ludlow before. Never even got a courtesy response even pretending they're going to listen to you. Too busy trying to attract new customers and not interested in past customers or keeping customers happy.

 

They seem to be just trying make everything as cheap as possible to attract new customers, so it's all about cost cutting. Of course once they've had the new customers and p***ed them off with their cheapness, they'll then have to try and win them back. 

Try this email address. At least two others have raised points via it in the past few weeks  and had fairly prompt replies/answers.

 

Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com

[Thejuggler]

Any aircraft under 30 years old is young.  BA operate first generation 777s which are 25+ years old.  I was on an almost 35 year old Jet2 aircraft a few weeks ago, it didn't show its age.

 

No IFE is a first world problem,  Phone or tablet and a spare battery pack.

[minsterman]

1 hour ago, Thejuggler said:

Any aircraft under 30 years old is young.  BA operate first generation 777s which are 25+ years old.  I was on an almost 35 year old Jet2 aircraft a few weeks ago, it didn't show its age.

 

No IFE is a first world problem,  Phone or tablet and a spare battery pack.

Couldn't agree more,  but we're on a cruise forum - they're ALL first world problems!

 

You can pass that on to my 78 year Dad who has Parkinsons and is travelling with us - tell him he can just buy a tablet and charger and then try and just swipe his shaky fingers across the screen to make it work.

[Harryjacobs]

Who remembers the good ole days of long haul flights before TVs on seat backs?  Take a good book and have a snooze is how we used to do it.

Im sorry and I dont want to offend but I agree its a first world problem!

 

[yorkshirephil]

37 minutes ago, Harryjacobs said:

Who remembers the good ole days of long haul flights before TVs on seat backs?  Take a good book and have a snooze is how we used to do it.

Im sorry and I dont want to offend but I agree its a first world problem!

 

I remember desperate Danair flights from the 70s, they are first world problems but things become custom and practice and we tend to not want to go backwards. 

[carlanthony24]

Yes it’s not ideal. They could have said you are flying TUI or even Virgin Atlantic than the airline could have substituted the aircraft who would still blame P&O for that.

 

The way I look at it is they could have just cancelled the cruise like they did last year when flights couldn’t be arranged and people still moaned. Damned if you do damned if you don’t. 14.9 year aircraft is not old really if only British Airways still had 747’s you would still fly on them even though they are 30+ years.

 

Just be lucky any company offers premium or even business class. I could just imagine the likes of Virgin or BA going all economy at some point to maximise profits

Edited September 19, 2023 by carlanthony24

[Sooty04]

Some people seem to be missing the point.  P&O’s website states they use TUI or BA from London to the Caribbean not Maleth Aero.  Maleth Aero only have seven aircraft and in the last 4 years they have had 3 air incidents.  Would you want to fly with them?

 

n.b.  It has nothing to do with the in flight entertainment etc.

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by Sooty04