Easyjet or Charter to Sharm?

Easyjet started flying to Sharm el Sheikh when they took over the routes and slots of GB Airways at Gatwick. They took the planes and the routes they wanted. Sharm was a route they kept. Hurghada was one they dropped. The trolley on our flight still bore the logo of GB Airways.

There are loads of charters probably about 30 a week going to Sharm from about 8 different departure points in the UK. Thomas Cook and TUI have the most flights. Your seats are assigned, you have to pay for meals, seat assignment and extra luggage but you can do this in advance. The seat pitch on both is much the same, occasionally it is tighter on a charter.

If you take Easyjet you need to remember that your luggage is limited and you have to pay for it, you do not get a seat assigned and it is a scrum to get on. It was particularly scrum like on the return but by buying speedy boarding you get the first bus to the plane. Then take a tip from me make for the back door and go for the emergency exit towards the back of the A319 Airbus. You will have to pay for all food and drink. We spent £19 on beers and hot baguettes. They only have a hot breakfast, otherwise it is just snacks. They do not have any blankets on board, so don’t forget a shawl or pullover, because it is cold on board. Also they do not have a film, just a couple of TV shows which is not worth buying a headset for.

Another feature of Easyjet is that their prices seldom go down close to departure. They tend always to go up, so it is worth booking early or during one of their sales. With charters, particularly in low season you can pick up cheap seats at the last minute

Easyjet has bought a variation in duration to the route with departures on Saturday Sunday,Tuesday and Thursday you can do a long weekend or 10 nights. You can only go from Gatwick.
All this may be academic, the steward told us they were upgrading the fleet and the A319 does not fit. The new planes do not reach Sharm. So will they pull off the route after the winter, or even earlier?

Tropical Sky use both charter flights and Easyjet, and with their computer system they do the searching to see what is cheapest, so it is worth asking them to put your package together.

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