I respect your journalist integrity in not asking for special treatment, and your opinions on Pepsi. It's nice to have a thorough reviewer doing such great off the beaten path airlines.
For someone living in the greater NYC area, flying out of Stewart is a game-changer, I simply adored the experience and CONVENIENCE of utilizing this airport. Flying out of JFK for a resident of the tristate area is a nightmare.
I flew with them from London to Toronto (well, Hamilton, which is a tiny cargo airport with like 3 passenger flights a day), and while it wasn't particularly comfortable being able to get a round trip flight to visit my friend for less than £300 was absolutely worth it, and I'd definitely do it again.
15:12 for an LCC, Interjet was one of the best ones out there. They only placed 192 seats on this A321 guaranteeing 34 inches of seat pitch of legroom (their emphasis on comfort also means they had recline and adjustable armrests). They even served complimentary snacks and full bottles of drink.
YYZ charges airlines more than 110 dollars CAD per passenger for EVERY departure. Flying out of Pearson would make the airline not very cost friendly. And getting to Hamilton on the GO transit system is actually quite seamless and cheap. Not to mention that a lot of passengers very much dislike YYZ because of how overcrowded and hectic it can be.
Flew these guys exactly 1 year ago from Boston to Paris through Iceland round trip. 3 x A321neo and 1x A320neo. I know the 3 former internet A321 planes we flew on had massive amounts of legroom and flip down screens showing the flight map. I understand these will be reconfigured to Play standard. We absolutely loved it! Planes were clean, tons of space on the A321s. Crews were awesome and super friendly. Everything was on time and I felt, was very comfortable. The A321 was far more comfortable but we had a whole row to ourselves on all flights. We travel light so the personal item was fine for us. Would absolutely fly them again. I hope they stick around! Huge fan here.
I flew with them from Europe to SWF earlier this year. Being from Upstate NY, I actually appreciate having an international connection outside of NYC and wouldn't want them to change it. Plus, from SWF they also offer a bus into the city.
My guess with Stewart would be flight slots. If they're willing to fly to washington and BOS, they're willing to pay relatively higher fees, but acquiring the actual flight slots for an airport like JFK is shockingly expensive and difficult. I'd also be worried about delays - a long wait to takeoff at JFK could mean missed connections at KEF, which gets real expensive real quick, especially with those tight connections.
All those reasons plus a long runway that it shares with an Air National Guard base. Stewart has hosted a few of these low-cost European startups over the years. They've also got seasonal service to the Faroe Islands with Atlantic Airlines
16:20 Ryanair flies to Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN) and not to Frankfurt Rhein-Main (FRA), they flew to FRA until March 2022. They plan to comeback once the new terminal 3 opens in 2026 with concourse G
I was going to comment the same thing as you there. I'd have expect a little bit more of the same criticism of it, especially that he mentions the odd choice of NY and Hamilton airports. Which is the exact same thing that RyanAir does
Do you know if they‘re actually still calling it Frankfurt-Hahn? Frankfurt is more than 100 kilometers away from Frankfurt-Hahn airport and it’s also located in the middle of nowhere in a different state and I remember Ryanair got a lot of shit for calling Memmingen airport „Munich-West“ because tourists didn‘t really think of „Bavarian countryside that has nothing to do with Munich“ when they thought of Munich and they therefore had to change it
It doesn’t matter if the review is about the most over the top first class or basic economy, I just enjoy listening to someone who enjoys aviation and air travel share their experiences and thoughts. I also like that I feel I’m on board with them and Simply Aviation simply does exactly that! You and the likes of Jen Brooks, Nonstop Dan and Sam Chui keep my spirits up, i really appreciate all your hard work and am especially jealous you get to do this for a job!
That kind of "half jet bridge" (fixed covered stairs ending in a jet bridge attachment) at KEF can also be seen in several airports of medium-sized cities in Brazil. Virtually all airports of major Brazilian cities have true jet bridges now, and if the town is too small it will only have regular stairs, but this half-baked arrangement is sometimes used in the mid-range. It can be seen at the airports of João Pessoa, Campina Grande, Palmas, Londrina, Cuiabá, and Porto Velho, for example. The difference is that in these Brazilian airports the "half jet bridge" is close to the terminal building (they're relatively small airports, after all) and is often joined to a covered short ground-level passageway leading to the terminal, so no bus rides are necessary.
I think YHM can work for Play as demand from Southwestern Ontario is there and a lot of people will try avoid YYZ if possible. You are absolutely right about brand awareness at secondary airports as everyone (non-avgeeks) don't know about the transatlantic option in Hamilton. Google Flights sometimes does tell you about the cheaper fares from nearby airports like YHM if you are searching flights departing from YYZ. I enjoyed flying Wow and hope to try Play soon.
I totally agree with the sentiment on Hamilton. I live in Toronto and Hamilton airport is quite far away (85km). YYZ has great public transit options (airport train, many bus routes, etc) but Hamilton doesn't. It's 1h30 by car from Toronto on a good day, or a 40 minute bus ride from the Hamilton commuter rail station (which is minimum 1hr 30 to ride to from Toronto). Parking is like $30/day at Hamilton. Hamilton is primarily a cargo airport for the Toronto area so it's inconvenient, I'd rather pay more for the convenience of YYZ over YHM.
they’re my regular airline after moving to toronto from dublin! great prices, almost always unbeatable. the transfer in iceland is always smooth with ample time. i found them very strict with carry on sizes, finding most airlines (even ryanair) no longer check, but certain play desks have been super strict and some customers opt to avoid certain employees who seem stricter. you get when you pay for (i.e no food) and probably the least comfy seats i’ve sat on for a plane (i’m only 5’10”). but, staff are friendly, young and bubbly. it’s very worth it over all for someone in there 20s with no extra money. but if i had the means to pay an extra 100 if a better carrier was on sale, id pick that any day for a direct flight with food and amenities included!
Hamilton is a viable alternative i would say, its still in a dense urban area that is part of the Greater Tornoto sprawl, and i for one would try it to avoid YYZ. Have you ever flown with Jet2? They offer amazing pre-ordered food which is good value. Best UK Airline in my view (and 3rd largest).
Love the concept of Play, sadly like shown in your Video many of there flights have a low load factor (or at least to low for their business model). So hopefully they can survive.
Made for interesting watching. I flew on PPB & PPC for the long haul this year and found the legroom on PPC to be uncomfortably tight, especially when there's a full personal item under the seat and the seat in front reclines... Play had some untouchable fares when they launched Hamilton (or Toronto Hamilton as they refer to it), so definitely add $70 for the extra legroom seats. Stewart is far out, but Hamilton isn't too bad for Toronto in my opinion - they're probably missing a trick not advertising it as nearby airport to Niagara Falls... Hamilton will need Play anyway once Swoop disappears, so I'm sure they're getting an excellent deal there!
I want this kind of Airline. Just the basics what matters most is getting you safely to your destination with a decent comfort. 😅 I don’t want to eat on a long flight because I’m just sitting anyway and I will feel just feel bloated.
Please please review jetBlue transatlantic flights! Very similar prices, just a bit higher but I hear the product is waay better! On a different note, I love that hamburg airport provides free water fills unlike DUS or FRA Thanks for measuring the transit time, thats always good info to know which you can't really get anywhere else.
I love PLAY airlines. I flew with them in July 2022 from Boston-Paris, and the crew was amazing. Super friendly and helpful, the food was good, legroom was Insane lol I think I had like 1-2 feet of legroom, and another really cool part is during the cruise phase, the screens above your head come down and show a live view of the outside under the plane. Only real complain I have about PLAY was the flight didn’t take off until about an hour later. Overall, great time flying them. Also Keflavîk was a nightmare lol
I wish they flew to Ottawa. Even though it's the capital of Canada, there is only Air France which connects Ottawa to Europe and beyond. Play will surely make a good business out of Ottawa for passengers traveling to Europe and Iceland.
I'm guessing that airlines would instead run international routes to Toronto and Quebec just because those are the most popular and most well-known cities in the country.
I honestly wouldn’t mind flying Play from the UK (London Stansted in my case) to the USA via Keflavik. Their prices to Stewart Airport (for New York City) from Stansted via Keflavik are pretty reasonable and you get what you pay for. It’s not British Airways, nor Virgin Atlantic at the end of the day. Bring a couple of good books, a fully charged iPad with plenty of games or movies downloaded and some snacks or a sandwich and you’ll be fine.
@@alyonapetrova694 There is a coach service (operated by Megabus) that goes from Stewart Airport to Manhatten, that is specially timed for the Play flights to and from Keflavik. Journey time is approximately 90 minutes.
It's like 70 miles from Stewart. That may be a deterrent for most people if they have to get a taxi or rental whoch is going to add more to your cost of travel. If you are in JFK, then the train would do. I agree with him that they should just fly into the major airports, probably better for demand and customer base.
@@andidede3653 I supposed we’ll have to see what Play thinks. If they did consider moving from Stewart to one of the main airports, I reckon they would go with Newark rather than JFK.
I've flown flyplay before from bru-bwi and had a great flight. Hope to do the same soon except from ams, since I saw they started flying from ams. If you bring your own tablet, a big sandwich or burger and a carry-on, it's a great deal. Even with a checked bag it saved 30% over a legacy carrier (comparing to delta, even more compared to united but they fly direct to iad).
I really love watching your videos as you show us the most honest and transparent reviews as a regular traveller flying in economy. I don’t want any first class review as I have never travelled in it and won’t be able to relate.
16:19 you refer to people looking at flights to Toronto which is YYZ/ YTO not YYC. I guess Hamilton will serve as a Gateway to Kitchener-Waterloo, Grimsby, Buffalo, and Burlington. If promoted as a North America to Europe route. Pretty similar to when Continental used to fly from Bristol, Eng.UK to Newark and Air Transat from Exeter and Newcastle to Toronto on a triangle route YYZ- NCL- EXT - YYZ.
Hi! I really like your videos, and in this particular, I want to offer you a different point of view. I agree with the airline's choice, the one to decide to land in an airport where the fees are lower. For example, if I choose them, isn't because I want to see a specific destination. In fact, I could also only commute, where I can take any other airline (most likely a U.L.C.C.) to go anywhere else. For example, I can use Play to go to North America, and then use any other airline to go to South America... In this view, a client that has already accepted to take Play as the first carrier, would most likely choose a Spirit flight to go to Florida maybe... And this type of client, the one who gives importance more to the money and less to other amenities, would be the one this airline aims to have. This is only my personal pov. thanks for the video, though!
Long haul LCC’s are fine if you go into them with the proper frame of mind. If you expect anything more than the equivalent of a bus ride, you’ll be really disappointed. One thing to always check and this is based on our flights on Singapore based LCC Scoot. If you have luggage you need to check in, always compare the fare plus luggage fees with legacy carriers on the same route. For example, if we’re traveling from Singapore to Bangkok, I’ll compare the Scoot fare, including luggage, with Singapore or Thai. Often times, it can be pretty close. And at 6’2” tall, I have a hard time on Scoot’s 28” seat, whereas SQ and Thai have better seat pitch.
It all looks good and acceptable, except I have just checked for a flight to Boston on their website, and shockingly not only is their fare on a par with AF-KL (!) but the flight included a shambolic 14Hr transit in KEF. Really?!
New York Stewart is ridiculous. It's essentially next to Poughkeepsie but on the other side of the Hudson. It's 50 miles to Manhattan and doing this on transit is cumbersome. Bus to Poughkeepsie and then Metro North or Amtrak.
Geneva Airport has sort of the same jetbridges, but there are four connected to each other and they all serve four bus stands to take you to the main terminal.
My experience with such airlines, do not book them. If you order food, check your bags or reserve your seat, it will either cost the same or even more. In this case, the total duration is even longer than a traditional direct flight. 9:43 execept for Gulf airlines, they still have the classic ones
Your videos are so important! The reason I love your channel so much, other than how great your videos are put together and your integrity and infectious passion for travel, is that you understand how important it is to have in depth reviews of the economy Class. Most of us aren’t wealthy enough or have jobs that pay us to travel. Economy videos are really needed! And you lead the way in quality here. Most related channels cater to business/premium/first. Or just have an ‘economy week’ or something. So, keep up the great work! ❤ Lito
I actually rarely watch videos depicting business or first-class journeys, since my chance of travelling on such classes is extremely low. So what if the service is good? Those are not something for the masses or peasantry. I prefer your economy-class reviews because for me that matters more. Keep up the good work!
New York Stewart is honestly so inconvenient if you are in the New York area. Most people would not even consider it as in the NYC area because its so far away. In fact, its literally 2 counties away from NYC, so most people living in the city and the suburbs prefer to just fly out of LGA , JFK, EWR or Westchester county airport (HPN). It would make more sense if play flew to Newark, as it is cheaper, closer to NYC, and many low cost airlines fly there instead of JFK (French Bee for example).
As someone who as flown Milan to Denver through Iceland with Iceland Air I can tell you it gets crazy at security, line was at least 3 hours long and we had to skip like for our flight which was still delayed by one hour at least
🛫Awesome flight review as always there David, we could say that PLAY Air is a new and exciting refreshing player on the scene., in the aviation world. You are truely the best when it comes to aviation flight reviews👍
They sell tickets for 250€ but for only 1 small bag. With a carry on it will be minimum 350€ and than without any meals or a bit of comfort. Get the flight through heathrow, Amsterdam or paris for the same price but with much more comfort.
Best aviation channel by far! Your transparency is appreciated so much, something lacking in the YT industry for flight reviews. - Loyal subscriber from 2017
I’ve used the LAX’s separate boarding bridge thing when I used to fly from Tokyo on SQA380s when visiting relatives in San Diego! BTW HND Terminal 2 has those but it was announced that they’re going to be connected with its main building this spring so don’t forget to visit these oddities ASAP :)
legit honest reviews and transparency is what I appreciate. Much respect. Picking Hamilton is definitely to save money on slots. It's mainly served by other Canadian ULCC and even then, connections within Canada is quite limited. I agree it's bad business choice for Play.
I thought I remember some time ago Heathrow had some of those permanent stairs. Or is my memory failing me - was a long time ago so may have got rid of them.
I took this from New York to Keflavík and it was decent. The airport was very small which I liked and it was about 10 mins away. It was my first time flying internationally and it was very nice. The time we arrive is very early in the morning (about 2am Iceland) but going back home wasn’t such a bad time. I would do again as it was cheap and very nice. I actually hear the Play Airlines airplanes sometimes above my house.
Phenomenal Review. I love how you were able to include which aircraft have which seats. One thing I disagree with you on is Play's usage of Hamilton (YHM) instead of Toronto (YYZ). YHM has lower costs, lower maintenance and a more efficient experience. Play's loads out of YHM is one of their strongest showcasing the demand for European service from YHM (per their monthly reports). If Play were to compete at YYZ, they would be directly competing with Air Canada and Icelandair. When concerning population, Hamilton's region houses over 750,000 people, not including passengers from other municipalities around the region where YHM is closer than YYZ. Also, YHM is giving Play some juicy incentives and it seems to be paying for Play as they haven't had to spend tons of money on advertising.
that lavatory space is ridiculous. Compare that to a Swiss A220 which feels 4 times as big. Also I think Geneva has bridges that lead to a small building and then you need to take the bus.
As a NY suburb dweller I don’t think you appreciate the hell of driving into Kennedy from anywhere that isn’t on Long Island. I’d much rather go to Stewart.
Flew with them from Dublin to Boston and back. Flights were on time and most importantly 3 out of 4 flights were pretty empty, allowing for a whole row of space. The prices were insanely cheap too (205 euro). Crews were nice. 10/10
Those smaller airports often have lower landing and service fees, which is one reason I found flights between Hamilton and London as low as like $150 each way, however Toronto-Pearson would still be better to pay an extra $50-100 because of convenience and actually a much cheaper parking cost
Used them from Stewart...flying Southwest to get there was more expensive...saved $600 compared to Delta or any connection with Icelandair. I'm curious how Atlantic Airways to Faroes is going to work out. Also out of Stewart.
Hey David I am a huge aviation nerd I am not even a teen yet but I loveeee❤ planes. I was wondering if you could maybe one day make a video from ATL to PAP Haiti, again huge fan. BYE!!!✌️😃
Believe me those prices for food is similar to Australia. Depending on brand (home brand or named) water it can be $1:50 up to $2:50-$3. Ready made sandwiches $6-$8.
If you want cheap connections to the rest of the US, fly into Baltimore. It’s a Southwest hub, so they have tons of flights to all over the US, many direct, with a ton of flights available. They also have lots of other budget carriers there if you’re looking to keep it ultra low cost.
Another super cool video. Maybe you can make a video about the people behind SimplyAviation. Why are you flying that frequent? Because of your job or UA-cam or because you're simply loveing it?
I love David's narration and the efforts he makes to make accurate pronunciations and what I love even more is the context and background he provides an all of his videos. No other Aviation reviews UA-camr does that as well! (that is if they even bother in the first place)
But, when you consider all the added costs, are they a better value than a legacy carrier? After looking at this video and considering my WOW experience, I'll say no. If a legacy carrier fare is $150 more or less, it's always going to be a no brainer for me. As an av geek, low cost carriers are usually not worth the hassle.
I don't think a legacy carrier fare would be 150$ more though. I fly across the atlantic near yearly with varying airlines and the cost never came close to what flyplay (or wowair before, and even icelandair way way before) costs. At least 300$ more, if not even more. Of course depending on time booked but I've flown with united for a grand and wowair for 400 before. The only airline that came close was aerlingus, once I flew with them for 440 including a bag and meals.
@@Pvemaster2 Watch the video again. You're thinking about a base fare, but it's much more complicated. When you fly a low cost carrier, the fare is cheap if all you're traveling with is a backpack. Everything else costs extra, including a carry-on bag, a checked bag, food, water, seat selection, a printed boarding pass. Mind you , all these charges are one way, so if you're flying roundtrip it's double. And, you don't get a blanket or a pillow unless you pay for that too. By the time you pay for the extras. The fare is just about the same, or no more than $150 cheaper than a legacy carrier, then you have to sit in a plane with cramped legroom, crappy seat, no WiFi, no entertainment, etc The worst part is, if you need to pay for all those things, the fare may end up being more than that of a legacy carrier. By paying the extra for a legacy carrier, you'll have almost everything you need to enjoy a longhaul flight, including all the beverages you want, at least a meal and a snack service and snacks in between, and a more comfortable seat. I speak from experience when I say, in most cases, flying a low cost carrier on longhaul simply isn't worth it.
Flew Play (BWI-KEF-CDG) in the same time frame as this video. Good decision. Better to spend your money in Paris than to spend it getting there. The whole customs thing in KEF was a little bewildering, however. Stand in one long line to "exit" Iceland, stand in another long line to re-enter - when you actually aren't doing either. You are in transit. Semi-pro tip: We spent a few bucks and booked seats 1A and 1C. As expected, the middle seat didn't sell on any of our four legs. The added space came in handy. Plenty of legroom and, as the reviewer noted, a comfortable seat. Would fly Play again.
This is timely for me. I booked a roundtrip from Stewart Airport (north of New York City) to Amsterdam on PLAY. I paid for extra legroom and all the other premium options. The flight will be in a few months. The reservation process was really hopeless, probably the worst I’ve encountered (after 300+ flights), so I hope the flight experience goes much smoother. I must disagree with you about Stewart. It’s a wonderful little airport for passengers (and a major center for military and cargo). The bus to midtown Manhattan is timed concurrently with the airline schedule, and it’s way more convenient and peaceful than the insanity of JFK.
I just was on the plane from Stewart to Hamburg yesterday! I can tell you it really is true. The price is astonishing, even though the CoachUSA connection is rather pricey at 50 dollars both way if you only pay ~300€ for the flight. But watch out! The location of the bus back to stewart is really hard to find. Overall this was a great deal and I can support your opinion that going over Stewart isnt a huge hassle. It really was very smooth but logically lengthens your 12 hour trip another 3 hours (with wait time at airport included). Have fun with PLAY, i really enjoyed flying with them. But do not trust the outlets! On my flight they didnt work. Bring a big Powerbank.
@@Vezzlyvezzl Yes, the CoachUSA buses, including regular commuter buses from northern NYC suburbs, are tucked away on the 4th floor of the south Port Authority terminal. I can understand anyone getting lost except for those, like me, who regularly take those buses. There are many escalators to reach those gates, and the final one is so out-of-the-way, I sometimes wonder if it’ll still be there when I arrive!
David, your honesty and transparency is soooo refreshing! Plus, you and Felix really know what you're doing! Keep up the good work!
i honestly enjoy watching economy class videos way more than first class
100% !
yes ikr!
probably bcs almost all the audience will only travel in economy and its more realistic
same
Thats because its the only class you can relate to💀
I respect your journalist integrity in not asking for special treatment, and your opinions on Pepsi. It's nice to have a thorough reviewer doing such great off the beaten path airlines.
I think his comment about Pepsi was more about the price than the product!!
@@brianmcdonald6519 no it wasnt
@@brianmcdonald6519 Probably true. Others should see 13:40 for reference.
For someone living in the greater NYC area, flying out of Stewart is a game-changer, I simply adored the experience and CONVENIENCE of utilizing this airport. Flying out of JFK for a resident of the tristate area is a nightmare.
I flew with them from London to Toronto (well, Hamilton, which is a tiny cargo airport with like 3 passenger flights a day), and while it wasn't particularly comfortable being able to get a round trip flight to visit my friend for less than £300 was absolutely worth it, and I'd definitely do it again.
I’m a big fan of your long haul low cost flight reviews!
yes
15:12 for an LCC, Interjet was one of the best ones out there. They only placed 192 seats on this A321 guaranteeing 34 inches of seat pitch of legroom (their emphasis on comfort also means they had recline and adjustable armrests). They even served complimentary snacks and full bottles of drink.
YYZ charges airlines more than 110 dollars CAD per passenger for EVERY departure. Flying out of Pearson would make the airline not very cost friendly. And getting to Hamilton on the GO transit system is actually quite seamless and cheap. Not to mention that a lot of passengers very much dislike YYZ because of how overcrowded and hectic it can be.
Flew these guys exactly 1 year ago from Boston to Paris through Iceland round trip. 3 x A321neo and 1x A320neo. I know the 3 former internet A321 planes we flew on had massive amounts of legroom and flip down screens showing the flight map. I understand these will be reconfigured to Play standard. We absolutely loved it! Planes were clean, tons of space on the A321s. Crews were awesome and super friendly. Everything was on time and I felt, was very comfortable. The A321 was far more comfortable but we had a whole row to ourselves on all flights. We travel light so the personal item was fine for us. Would absolutely fly them again. I hope they stick around! Huge fan here.
I flew with them from Europe to SWF earlier this year. Being from Upstate NY, I actually appreciate having an international connection outside of NYC and wouldn't want them to change it. Plus, from SWF they also offer a bus into the city.
My guess with Stewart would be flight slots. If they're willing to fly to washington and BOS, they're willing to pay relatively higher fees, but acquiring the actual flight slots for an airport like JFK is shockingly expensive and difficult. I'd also be worried about delays - a long wait to takeoff at JFK could mean missed connections at KEF, which gets real expensive real quick, especially with those tight connections.
Logan is usually the best the bang for your buck for travel to Canada and Europe.
All those reasons plus a long runway that it shares with an Air National Guard base. Stewart has hosted a few of these low-cost European startups over the years. They've also got seasonal service to the Faroe Islands with Atlantic Airlines
16:20 Ryanair flies to Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN) and not to Frankfurt Rhein-Main (FRA), they flew to FRA until March 2022. They plan to comeback once the new terminal 3 opens in 2026 with concourse G
I was going to comment the same thing as you there. I'd have expect a little bit more of the same criticism of it, especially that he mentions the odd choice of NY and Hamilton airports.
Which is the exact same thing that RyanAir does
Do you know if they‘re actually still calling it Frankfurt-Hahn? Frankfurt is more than 100 kilometers away from Frankfurt-Hahn airport and it’s also located in the middle of nowhere in a different state and I remember Ryanair got a lot of shit for calling Memmingen airport „Munich-West“ because tourists didn‘t really think of „Bavarian countryside that has nothing to do with Munich“ when they thought of Munich and they therefore had to change it
@@JuliaSmith1 Ryanair still calls it Frankfurt-Hahn while the aiport itself was recently rebranded itself to "Hahn-Airport"
It doesn’t matter if the review is about the most over the top first class or basic economy, I just enjoy listening to someone who enjoys aviation and air travel share their experiences and thoughts. I also like that I feel I’m on board with them and Simply Aviation simply does exactly that! You and the likes of Jen Brooks, Nonstop Dan and Sam Chui keep my spirits up, i really appreciate all your hard work and am especially jealous you get to do this for a job!
Unfollow Sam, he´s an asshole.
Honestly, I really like their Red livery! Just looks really cool in my eyes. Anyone else agree?
Yeah I agree I think it looks really great
I like it too.
Yeah. Red just sticks out. Looks nice with that white also.
True true it really changes from the white liveries 90% of airlines have
Yeah plus the landing tho so smooth😮
That kind of "half jet bridge" (fixed covered stairs ending in a jet bridge attachment) at KEF can also be seen in several airports of medium-sized cities in Brazil. Virtually all airports of major Brazilian cities have true jet bridges now, and if the town is too small it will only have regular stairs, but this half-baked arrangement is sometimes used in the mid-range. It can be seen at the airports of João Pessoa, Campina Grande, Palmas, Londrina, Cuiabá, and Porto Velho, for example. The difference is that in these Brazilian airports the "half jet bridge" is close to the terminal building (they're relatively small airports, after all) and is often joined to a covered short ground-level passageway leading to the terminal, so no bus rides are necessary.
Just 15 minutes ago I was wondering if you had a Play airlines tripreport as I was eyeing some ultra-low cost tickets to Reykjavik, impeccable timing
telepathy? 🤔😉
Beijing Capital (PEK) has those remote stands with jet bridges too, mainly used by domestic operations
Munich as well.
I think YHM can work for Play as demand from Southwestern Ontario is there and a lot of people will try avoid YYZ if possible. You are absolutely right about brand awareness at secondary airports as everyone (non-avgeeks) don't know about the transatlantic option in Hamilton. Google Flights sometimes does tell you about the cheaper fares from nearby airports like YHM if you are searching flights departing from YYZ. I enjoyed flying Wow and hope to try Play soon.
I totally agree with the sentiment on Hamilton. I live in Toronto and Hamilton airport is quite far away (85km). YYZ has great public transit options (airport train, many bus routes, etc) but Hamilton doesn't. It's 1h30 by car from Toronto on a good day, or a 40 minute bus ride from the Hamilton commuter rail station (which is minimum 1hr 30 to ride to from Toronto). Parking is like $30/day at Hamilton.
Hamilton is primarily a cargo airport for the Toronto area so it's inconvenient, I'd rather pay more for the convenience of YYZ over YHM.
they’re my regular airline after moving to toronto from dublin! great prices, almost always unbeatable. the transfer in iceland is always smooth with ample time. i found them very strict with carry on sizes, finding most airlines (even ryanair) no longer check, but certain play desks have been super strict and some customers opt to avoid certain employees who seem stricter. you get when you pay for (i.e no food) and probably the least comfy seats i’ve sat on for a plane (i’m only 5’10”). but, staff are friendly, young and bubbly. it’s very worth it over all for someone in there 20s with no extra money. but if i had the means to pay an extra 100 if a better carrier was on sale, id pick that any day for a direct flight with food and amenities included!
"A bottle of Pepsi is...disgusting." That's A+ commentary right there. Well done and thanks for another great review.
Right??? It was so stupid yet funny.. plus a very nice touch by explaining the meaning of the Icelandic cities! Good job
Hamilton is a viable alternative i would say, its still in a dense urban area that is part of the Greater Tornoto sprawl, and i for one would try it to avoid YYZ.
Have you ever flown with Jet2? They offer amazing pre-ordered food which is good value. Best UK Airline in my view (and 3rd largest).
Love the concept of Play, sadly like shown in your Video many of there flights have a low load factor (or at least to low for their business model). So hopefully they can survive.
Made for interesting watching. I flew on PPB & PPC for the long haul this year and found the legroom on PPC to be uncomfortably tight, especially when there's a full personal item under the seat and the seat in front reclines... Play had some untouchable fares when they launched Hamilton (or Toronto Hamilton as they refer to it), so definitely add $70 for the extra legroom seats. Stewart is far out, but Hamilton isn't too bad for Toronto in my opinion - they're probably missing a trick not advertising it as nearby airport to Niagara Falls... Hamilton will need Play anyway once Swoop disappears, so I'm sure they're getting an excellent deal there!
I want this kind of Airline. Just the basics what matters most is getting you safely to your destination with a decent comfort. 😅 I don’t want to eat on a long flight because I’m just sitting anyway and I will feel just feel bloated.
If I am not mistaken, at 8:17, there is a Canadian North plane. Why would that be at Hamburg?
Please please review jetBlue transatlantic flights! Very similar prices, just a bit higher but I hear the product is waay better!
On a different note, I love that hamburg airport provides free water fills unlike DUS or FRA
Thanks for measuring the transit time, thats always good info to know which you can't really get anywhere else.
I love PLAY airlines. I flew with them in July 2022 from Boston-Paris, and the crew was amazing. Super friendly and helpful, the food was good, legroom was Insane lol I think I had like 1-2 feet of legroom, and another really cool part is during the cruise phase, the screens above your head come down and show a live view of the outside under the plane. Only real complain I have about PLAY was the flight didn’t take off until about an hour later. Overall, great time flying them. Also Keflavîk was a nightmare lol
I wish they flew to Ottawa. Even though it's the capital of Canada, there is only Air France which connects Ottawa to Europe and beyond. Play will surely make a good business out of Ottawa for passengers traveling to Europe and Iceland.
Agreed. I hope more international carriers in general see the potential in Ottawa.
I'm guessing that airlines would instead run international routes to Toronto and Quebec just because those are the most popular and most well-known cities in the country.
I was looking into flying them next year (and Icelandair). Good to see the experience.
I honestly wouldn’t mind flying Play from the UK (London Stansted in my case) to the USA via Keflavik. Their prices to Stewart Airport (for New York City) from Stansted via Keflavik are pretty reasonable and you get what you pay for. It’s not British Airways, nor Virgin Atlantic at the end of the day. Bring a couple of good books, a fully charged iPad with plenty of games or movies downloaded and some snacks or a sandwich and you’ll be fine.
HOW do you get into NYC from Stewart airport? How long of a ride?
@@alyonapetrova694 There is a coach service (operated by Megabus) that goes from Stewart Airport to Manhatten, that is specially timed for the Play flights to and from Keflavik. Journey time is approximately 90 minutes.
It's like 70 miles from Stewart. That may be a deterrent for most people if they have to get a taxi or rental whoch is going to add more to your cost of travel. If you are in JFK, then the train would do. I agree with him that they should just fly into the major airports, probably better for demand and customer base.
@@andidede3653 I supposed we’ll have to see what Play thinks. If they did consider moving from Stewart to one of the main airports, I reckon they would go with Newark rather than JFK.
@@andidede3653
Thanks!👍🏼
I flew on one of Wow airplanes operated by Vietjet air Thai. Still pink livery and Wow printing
I've flown flyplay before from bru-bwi and had a great flight. Hope to do the same soon except from ams, since I saw they started flying from ams. If you bring your own tablet, a big sandwich or burger and a carry-on, it's a great deal. Even with a checked bag it saved 30% over a legacy carrier (comparing to delta, even more compared to united but they fly direct to iad).
I always appreciate your sincere and honest videos David. The Brutally Honest series continues to be my favorite on UA-cam. Great job!❤️✈️
I really love watching your videos as you show us the most honest and transparent reviews as a regular traveller flying in economy. I don’t want any first class review as I have never travelled in it and won’t be able to relate.
16:19 you refer to people looking at flights to Toronto which is YYZ/ YTO not YYC.
I guess Hamilton will serve as a Gateway to Kitchener-Waterloo, Grimsby, Buffalo, and Burlington. If promoted as a North America to Europe route. Pretty similar to when Continental used to fly from Bristol, Eng.UK to Newark and Air Transat from Exeter and Newcastle to Toronto on a triangle route YYZ- NCL- EXT - YYZ.
'been subscribing for quite a while, and ur story telling is getting much better than before. Well done!
Hi! I really like your videos, and in this particular, I want to offer you a different point of view. I agree with the airline's choice, the one to decide to land in an airport where the fees are lower. For example, if I choose them, isn't because I want to see a specific destination. In fact, I could also only commute, where I can take any other airline (most likely a U.L.C.C.) to go anywhere else. For example, I can use Play to go to North America, and then use any other airline to go to South America... In this view, a client that has already accepted to take Play as the first carrier, would most likely choose a Spirit flight to go to Florida maybe... And this type of client, the one who gives importance more to the money and less to other amenities, would be the one this airline aims to have. This is only my personal pov. thanks for the video, though!
Long haul LCC’s are fine if you go into them with the proper frame of mind. If you expect anything more than the equivalent of a bus ride, you’ll be really disappointed. One thing to always check and this is based on our flights on Singapore based LCC Scoot. If you have luggage you need to check in, always compare the fare plus luggage fees with legacy carriers on the same route. For example, if we’re traveling from Singapore to Bangkok, I’ll compare the Scoot fare, including luggage, with Singapore or Thai. Often times, it can be pretty close. And at 6’2” tall, I have a hard time on Scoot’s 28” seat, whereas SQ and Thai have better seat pitch.
ICN(Seoul Incheon) also has jet bridges that are not attached to the terminal
It all looks good and acceptable, except I have just checked for a flight to Boston on their website, and shockingly not only is their fare on a par with AF-KL (!) but the flight included a shambolic 14Hr transit in KEF. Really?!
New York Stewart is ridiculous. It's essentially next to Poughkeepsie but on the other side of the Hudson. It's 50 miles to Manhattan and doing this on transit is cumbersome. Bus to Poughkeepsie and then Metro North or Amtrak.
Geneva Airport has sort of the same jetbridges, but there are four connected to each other and they all serve four bus stands to take you to the main terminal.
Started watching your channel as it is the real no nonsense economy class review videos compared to "other" avgeek bloggers. 👌 Keep it up
When I flew from Delhi - Seoul - Boston on Korean Air, we also used the detached Jet Bridges
My experience with such airlines, do not book them. If you order food, check your bags or reserve your seat, it will either cost the same or even more. In this case, the total duration is even longer than a traditional direct flight. 9:43 execept for Gulf airlines, they still have the classic ones
low cost airlines are a false economy unless you play by their rules
Well isn't a layover always going to be longer in duration than a direct flight...?
Honestly David I love how you do economy reviews because it’s what most of us fly❤
Your videos are so important! The reason I love your channel so much, other than how great your videos are put together and your integrity and infectious passion for travel, is that you understand how important it is to have in depth reviews of the economy Class. Most of us aren’t wealthy enough or have jobs that pay us to travel. Economy videos are really needed! And you lead the way in quality here.
Most related channels cater to business/premium/first. Or just have an ‘economy week’ or something. So, keep up the great work! ❤
Lito
I actually rarely watch videos depicting business or first-class journeys, since my chance of travelling on such classes is extremely low. So what if the service is good? Those are not something for the masses or peasantry. I prefer your economy-class reviews because for me that matters more. Keep up the good work!
New York Stewart is honestly so inconvenient if you are in the New York area. Most people would not even consider it as in the NYC area because its so far away. In fact, its literally 2 counties away from NYC, so most people living in the city and the suburbs prefer to just fly out of LGA , JFK, EWR or Westchester county airport (HPN). It would make more sense if play flew to Newark, as it is cheaper, closer to NYC, and many low cost airlines fly there instead of JFK (French Bee for example).
I prefer watching reviews on Ecomony seats as it is more practical. Appreciate your down to earth presentation with clarity on details.
As someone who as flown Milan to Denver through Iceland with Iceland Air I can tell you it gets crazy at security, line was at least 3 hours long and we had to skip like for our flight which was still delayed by one hour at least
That Hamburg terrace needs some planters.
Good video.
P.S. Surprised to see that Iceland is in Schengen.
🛫Awesome flight review as always there David, we could say that PLAY Air is a new and exciting refreshing player on the scene., in the aviation world. You are truely the best when it comes to aviation flight reviews👍
They sell tickets for 250€ but for only 1 small bag. With a carry on it will be minimum 350€ and than without any meals or a bit of comfort. Get the flight through heathrow, Amsterdam or paris for the same price but with much more comfort.
I watch all your videos and appreciate the effort you put. Keep going man.
Honesty and transparency - that's why I'm a subscriber!!!
Best aviation channel by far! Your transparency is appreciated so much, something lacking in the YT industry for flight reviews. - Loyal subscriber from 2017
I’ve used the LAX’s separate boarding bridge thing when I used to fly from Tokyo on SQA380s when visiting relatives in San Diego!
BTW HND Terminal 2 has those but it was announced that they’re going to be connected with its main building this spring so don’t forget to visit these oddities ASAP :)
legit honest reviews and transparency is what I appreciate. Much respect.
Picking Hamilton is definitely to save money on slots. It's mainly served by other Canadian ULCC and even then, connections within Canada is quite limited. I agree it's bad business choice for Play.
I thought I remember some time ago Heathrow had some of those permanent stairs. Or is my memory failing me - was a long time ago so may have got rid of them.
4:42 When you're lucky you can see a 777-300ER or A380 from Emirates, Emirates Operates Hamburg-Dubai twice Daily
I took this from New York to Keflavík and it was decent. The airport was very small which I liked and it was about 10 mins away. It was my first time flying internationally and it was very nice. The time we arrive is very early in the morning (about 2am Iceland) but going back home wasn’t such a bad time. I would do again as it was cheap and very nice. I actually hear the Play Airlines airplanes sometimes above my house.
Phenomenal Review. I love how you were able to include which aircraft have which seats.
One thing I disagree with you on is Play's usage of Hamilton (YHM) instead of Toronto (YYZ).
YHM has lower costs, lower maintenance and a more efficient experience. Play's loads out of YHM is one of their strongest showcasing the demand for European service from YHM (per their monthly reports). If Play were to compete at YYZ, they would be directly competing with Air Canada and Icelandair. When concerning population, Hamilton's region houses over 750,000 people, not including passengers from other municipalities around the region where YHM is closer than YYZ.
Also, YHM is giving Play some juicy incentives and it seems to be paying for Play as they haven't had to spend tons of money on advertising.
They will start to fly from Vilnius as it seems. Because they are looking for staff. Can't find how to book flights on that airline.
Haneda also has the detached passenger boarding bridges!
20:52, And install USB ports and universal power outlet on the Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo.
@SimplyAviation
*We love your reviews of basic tier seats in economy!*
I hope you do many more. Thank you!
✈😃
that lavatory space is ridiculous. Compare that to a Swiss A220 which feels 4 times as big.
Also I think Geneva has bridges that lead to a small building and then you need to take the bus.
As a NY suburb dweller I don’t think you appreciate the hell of driving into Kennedy from anywhere that isn’t on Long Island. I’d much rather go to Stewart.
Flew with them from Dublin to Boston and back. Flights were on time and most importantly 3 out of 4 flights were pretty empty, allowing for a whole row of space. The prices were insanely cheap too (205 euro). Crews were nice. 10/10
Hi , ☺️ Is there an app for this airline or is it ONLY possible to check in online from the official website❓
Those smaller airports often have lower landing and service fees, which is one reason I found flights between Hamilton and London as low as like $150 each way, however Toronto-Pearson would still be better to pay an extra $50-100 because of convenience and actually a much cheaper parking cost
Seoul ICN has remote gates at Terminal 2
Used them from Stewart...flying Southwest to get there was more expensive...saved $600 compared to Delta or any connection with Icelandair.
I'm curious how Atlantic Airways to Faroes is going to work out. Also out of Stewart.
Hey David I am a huge aviation nerd I am not even a teen yet but I loveeee❤ planes. I was wondering if you could maybe one day make a video from ATL to PAP Haiti, again huge fan. BYE!!!✌️😃
Believe me those prices for food is similar to Australia. Depending on brand (home brand or named) water it can be $1:50 up to $2:50-$3. Ready made sandwiches $6-$8.
If you want cheap connections to the rest of the US, fly into Baltimore. It’s a Southwest hub, so they have tons of flights to all over the US, many direct, with a ton of flights available. They also have lots of other budget carriers there if you’re looking to keep it ultra low cost.
PUJ airport has those stairs you mentioned.
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) also has jet bridges that are not connected to the terminal.
Great flight review. I appreciate your honesty in your videos.
In the USA Frontier and Allegiant use the smaller airports and its wonderful
I really appreciate your honesty and how you do things that normal people would
There is another airport where i recently noticed also features stand alone jetbridges: Incheon in front of Terminal 2
im really impressd with your proaunciation of Keflavík and Reykjavík sounded very icelandic.
Is seat reservation free during check in?
Thank you for your work, this is the best channel of its kind!
Another super cool video. Maybe you can make a video about the people behind SimplyAviation. Why are you flying that frequent? Because of your job or UA-cam or because you're simply loveing it?
Im always intrigued by the low cost airlines. The amount of Innovation they do to make profit and they keep extreaxting ideas to keep things running
I love David's narration and the efforts he makes to make accurate pronunciations and what I love even more is the context and background he provides an all of his videos. No other Aviation reviews UA-camr does that as well! (that is if they even bother in the first place)
I usually buy food before I go the airport for a flight and bring an empty 12ml bottle as well.
Hello fellow avgeeks, how do you know what specific aircraft you'll be flying?
I believe I’ve seen a jet bridge not connected to a terminal at Geneva airport in Switzerland
But, when you consider all the added costs, are they a better value than a legacy carrier? After looking at this video and considering my WOW experience, I'll say no.
If a legacy carrier fare is $150 more or less, it's always going to be a no brainer for me.
As an av geek, low cost carriers are usually not worth the hassle.
I don't think a legacy carrier fare would be 150$ more though. I fly across the atlantic near yearly with varying airlines and the cost never came close to what flyplay (or wowair before, and even icelandair way way before) costs. At least 300$ more, if not even more. Of course depending on time booked but I've flown with united for a grand and wowair for 400 before. The only airline that came close was aerlingus, once I flew with them for 440 including a bag and meals.
@@Pvemaster2 Watch the video again. You're thinking about a base fare, but it's much more complicated.
When you fly a low cost carrier, the fare is cheap if all you're traveling with is a backpack. Everything else costs extra, including a carry-on bag, a checked bag, food, water, seat selection, a printed boarding pass. Mind you , all these charges are one way, so if you're flying roundtrip it's double. And, you don't get a blanket or a pillow unless you pay for that too.
By the time you pay for the extras. The fare is just about the same, or no more than $150 cheaper than a legacy carrier, then you have to sit in a plane with cramped legroom, crappy seat, no WiFi, no entertainment, etc
The worst part is, if you need to pay for all those things, the fare may end up being more than that of a legacy carrier. By paying the extra for a legacy carrier, you'll have almost everything you need to enjoy a longhaul flight, including all the beverages you want, at least a meal and a snack service and snacks in between, and a more comfortable seat.
I speak from experience when I say, in most cases, flying a low cost carrier on longhaul simply isn't worth it.
@@Pvemaster2 Not true.
Absolutely agreed.
Flew Play (BWI-KEF-CDG) in the same time frame as this video. Good decision. Better to spend your money in Paris than to spend it getting there. The whole customs thing in KEF was a little bewildering, however. Stand in one long line to "exit" Iceland, stand in another long line to re-enter - when you actually aren't doing either. You are in transit. Semi-pro tip: We spent a few bucks and booked seats 1A and 1C. As expected, the middle seat didn't sell on any of our four legs. The added space came in handy. Plenty of legroom and, as the reviewer noted, a comfortable seat. Would fly Play again.
in the hamilton airport has those stairs
i think
Thx... u r so right. 90% fly in eco... but 90% of yt videos seem to be about business just as you said.
Beijing PEK's Terminal 3 have jetways not connected to the terminal mostly serves mainland Chinese domestic flights.
This is timely for me. I booked a roundtrip from Stewart Airport (north of New York City) to Amsterdam on PLAY. I paid for extra legroom and all the other premium options. The flight will be in a few months. The reservation process was really hopeless, probably the worst I’ve encountered (after 300+ flights), so I hope the flight experience goes much smoother. I must disagree with you about Stewart. It’s a wonderful little airport for passengers (and a major center for military and cargo). The bus to midtown Manhattan is timed concurrently with the airline schedule, and it’s way more convenient and peaceful than the insanity of JFK.
I just was on the plane from Stewart to Hamburg yesterday! I can tell you it really is true. The price is astonishing, even though the CoachUSA connection is rather pricey at 50 dollars both way if you only pay ~300€ for the flight.
But watch out! The location of the bus back to stewart is really hard to find. Overall this was a great deal and I can support your opinion that going over Stewart isnt a huge hassle. It really was very smooth but logically lengthens your 12 hour trip another 3 hours (with wait time at airport included). Have fun with PLAY, i really enjoyed flying with them.
But do not trust the outlets! On my flight they didnt work. Bring a big Powerbank.
@@Vezzlyvezzl Yes, the CoachUSA buses, including regular commuter buses from northern NYC suburbs, are tucked away on the 4th floor of the south Port Authority terminal. I can understand anyone getting lost except for those, like me, who regularly take those buses. There are many escalators to reach those gates, and the final one is so out-of-the-way, I sometimes wonder if it’ll still be there when I arrive!
Beijing Capital airport also has similar jetbridges. 12:09