Oasis flies high

There's been a lot written in the media and online since the new airline Oasis launched, but I have to say I've been very impressed.

Although the flight time was changed to leave two hours earlier from Hong Kong (apparently because of the continued refusal by Russia to let them fly over their airspace), it then actually left 40 minutes later than that. This meant that I still missed my coach home from Gatwick. So with the next coach full and facing a four hour wait at the airport, I bought an extra £53 ticket and jumped on a train.

I e-mailed the CEO (as he was inviting feedback on their website) asking if they'd be good enough to refund me the extra ticket cost, as they'd assured me it would arrive in good time. They replied, not to refund the ticket cost but offering me another free economy return to Hong Kong with them! Very nice too, and I can even transfer it to someone else if I'm not planning on going back so soon.

And this is the impression I get from them overall: new, learning but always keen to help and to right wrongs, whether they are theirs or not. So I'd recommend them completely, even if their flights are currently two hours longer in the air, which they say they are in the process of sorting out by Nov 26. Incidentally, rumours fly whether the 'Russia' problem is down to Oasis, the Russian authorities or perhaps a rival airline greasing palms to ensure permission is not forthcoming...