Having won flights from Luton to Tel Aviv with Monarch, they were replaced with Wizz Air tickets when the former collapsed.
As we’d never flown from Luton or with Wizz before, we arrived nice and early for our 1.30pm flight. Although check in wasn’t scheduled to open until two and a half hours before the flight, it opened 30 minutes early. Consequently, there were only a few people ahead of us in the queue and we were soon sorted. We had great sympathy for the Wizz girls as people were trying to take cases on as hand luggage which were too big or overweight.
We’d printed boarding cards at home which wouldn’t let us through the automatic barrier so we had to return to check in to have cards printed – apparently this is common unless you have a super-duper printer.
At the downstairs gate, two young men were telling the first 40 passengers with hard bags that they’d have to put them in the hold as it was a full flight. This naturally caused a rumpus with one couple protesting they had necessary medication in theirs. They also enforced the one piece of hand luggage rule and many people were stuffing smaller bags into larger ones whilst a passenger in front tried to board with an Easy Jet boarding card. People should not be allowed out on their own and it makes you wonder how they get through life.
We spotted our plane land which was quickly turned around and we were soon boarding. Despite having rear and front entrances, no one used the rear steps until I pointed this out and a chap began directing people in rows 15 to 30 to the back.
We’d paid extra for front-row seats and although there was a bulkhead in front with a glass window, it felt quite spacious, particularly as we had an empty seat next to us. Unfortunately, there were lots of crumbs on the floor near our seats, but presumably they’re more interested in having on time flights rather than clean planes.
Although we set off 20 minutes late, the flight time was less than the anticipated 5 hours 15 minutes. The pilot warned of turbulence, which turned out to be a bit of a damp squib, and told us that Israeli regulations meant seat belt signs had to be turned on 40 minutes prior to landing – this when lots of people decided they needed the loo but they were turned back.
Staff were friendly and polite and there was a reasonable range of snacks and drinks. We had a G&T each and small pack of Pringles and a bag of nuts for £15. We asked for ice for the G&T and got what was described as the last of it, despite being the first people to be served: lemon was obviously out of the question. The duty free and snack trolley came around again but we resisted.
The return flight seemed much worse, probably because it was scheduled for 9.30pm, took the full 5 hours 15 minutes and was late setting off. This time, although the flight was not full, we had a neighbour and so felt a little more cramped. Once again, there was no ice for our G&T – apparently it had melted!
