ARmy Rumour SErvice

**Ambush-set** · 28-11-2011, 11:49

For anyone who has done more than a few years in the Army (Dont look at your watch STAB's) you would have been at some time or another involved in a stage production put on by CRAB Airways.I only have bad experiences at the hands of these uniformed worms but would be a little bit interested to see if anyone has ever had a positive experience, maybe a flight that actually took off on time or not having to arrive at the airhead a full calander month before flying and please dont get me started on the BSN to KAF for R & R then spend a couple of your days there saga.Test and adjust and in your own time go on....

**scoobydont** · 28-11-2011, 11:53

Check out the I hate movers thread.
I would post a link, but i am a teckno plank.

**Queensman** · 28-11-2011, 11:58

Allow me:

I HATE MOVERS I HATE MOVERS I HATE MOVERS I HATE MOVERS

I HATE CRABS I HATE CRABS I HATE CRABS I HATE CRABS I HATE C

**cloudbuster** · 28-11-2011, 11:58

As the saying goes; "Time to spare? Go CRABAir."

**exbleep** · 28-11-2011, 12:04

First flight to Cyprus back in 1969 (Yes, they did have aeroplanes in them days). Lyneham to Malta on Britannia (with propellers) for the first hop about 8 hours. Twas my eldest daughters first birthday that very day and Crab movers gave her a birthday cake with a candle on at RAF Luqa. Second stage to Akrotiri (about 5 hours I think). All took off on time, very polite, no booze but you could smoke. Had to be weighed alongside the luggage at Lyneham. No delays, no hassle and quite exciting in those days.
So. yes, quite a positive move.
In fact, virtually all my flights have been positive (even once breaking down in Malta on way back to UK to attend a course gave us a few days to explore "the Gut" and they laid on transport to tour the island).
Landing at Goose Bay for refuelling when we couldn't get off (well, it was minus 20 odd outside) and hot drinks and food were passed around.
Landing at Dakar in Senegal on way to Ascension Islands. Weren't allowed in the terminal so we all stood on the runway having a fag while the plane was refuelled.
Coming back from the Falklands, Herc to Ascension (managed to get a seat in a landrover so had it fairly comfy). Got to Ascension to be told we'd have a 2 day wait. Couple of hours later, VC10 landed with slight crack in windscreen. Replaced and we all got on back to Brize. RAF aircrew gave me a lift to Swindon station and I have about 10 minutes before the train. Stanley to Cardiff total time was 24 hours.
So, all in all, pretty good service and never lost my luggage once.

**Arte_et_Marte** · 28-11-2011, 12:12

I've been travelling Crab Air since I was born in 1958. The old boy was RAF. Travelled all over the World as a kid, and dozens of times as a serving soldier.

Cannot recall any major hassle. Unlike fucking Ryanair.

No complaints from me.

**rgjbloke** · 28-11-2011, 12:25

Flew to Cyprus in 1976. Flight delayed for 24 hours on the way there. Flown to South America previously and Northern Ireland with no hassle though. Only thing was on the way back from Guyana, it was in the back of a hercules which was a long and uncomfortable flight. They were talking about diverting to Bermuda because of bad weather. I thought "oh goody" but sadly the weather held up so we didn't. Overall, they got us there ok and mostly on time.

**RE_Samurai** · 28-11-2011, 12:54

Most of the flights I had where delayed by a couple of hours.

The only flight I got that took off on time was going out to Split in 1995. However, as we all know the universe needs balance so the return flight was 6 hours late taking off!!

I was also lucky enough to have a fight back from Gibraltar where the pilot missed the runway on approach, the UK landing was as right as arseholes, the pilot was some dodgy old git who looked due for retirement.

**cloudbuster** · 28-11-2011, 12:56

Originally Posted by RE_Samurai

............, the pilot was some dodgy old git who looked due for retirement.

Rather like most of the AT fleet.

**Milodude** · 28-11-2011, 13:00

No real complaints about crabair tbh. Did end up stranded in Wainwright for a little bit after ex pond jump west (or whatever it was called) in 98. But I think that was due to the craft that were supposed to bring us back being diverted for something else (Kosovo just getting going?) so not really the RAF's fault. And anyway whilst they sorted the civvy charter flight that eventually did bring us back we got an extra few days r 'n' r in in Edmonton

.

The worst one I've been on was some squeezyjet (or similar) type charter flight from Stansted to Brugen when me and a few other lads from Btn went over on a course. The moment tyres touched tarmac at Brugen the jet engines literally screamed back into life and we took back off at what felt like a horrifically step angle and went round again to reattempt landing. Fuck only knows what that was about but it scared the living shoite out of me anyway.