Air Berlin BHD-STN-BHD

Air Berlin
Inaugural Belfast City Airport (EGAC/BHD) to London Stansted (EGSS/STN)
Fokker 100 D-AGPE
Seat 21C
STD 0920 ATD 0950
STA 1025 ATA 1040

Air Berlin
London Stansted (EGSS/STN) to Belfast City Airport (EGAC/BHD)
Fokker 100 D-AGPE
Seat 18A then 17F
STD 1645 ATD 1650
STA 1745 ATA 1745

Robert and myself booked onto this first Belfast City departure for Air Berlin as to encourage them to “develop intercommunity relations” with some things in the province. I won’t go into these but that was main aim for trip.

Anyway Robert came to my house last night as I only live minutes from the City Airport whereas he is a good 30-40 minutes away. We spent the night speculating on our aircraft type as there were a few conflicting story but main underlining theme was a Fokker 100.

Mark L kindly informed us there was a Wal-Mart Aviation Global Express parked up, we assumed, on the General Aviation Apron so we decided to head down to the airport early.

After a very restless night due to someone forgetting to switch the heating off and me not being bothered enough to get up and go downstairs to turn it off, the alarm eventually went off at 0530 after setting it when going to bed at 0230!

I got up and as normal I went about frantically trying to do last minute “packing” of laptop etc and printing out booking confirmation etc. Then went downstairs to try and arouse Robert but that didn’t work so I went for my shower and thankfully he had stirred whilst I was in shower and was up and getting ready.

We got into a taxi at ten past six (was booked for twenty past so was surprised as my house is usually hard for them to find and I was kind of expecting half past!) and we were down at the old entrance to Belfast City Airport in about six minutes having had red lights all the way. Reason for choosing old entrance was because it is beside (or near enough) the General Aviation Apron (aka Old Terminal before current was opened in circa 2000), which is where I expected to see a Global Express.

Unfortunately the based PC12 and EI-AHM (some random Helicopter) were the sole occupants and the GE had gone to the far side, which in hindsight I think was because GA wouldn’t be able to hold the aircraft as it’s a stretched version. Anyway we called for the courtesy bus as it was raining and eventually after 10 minutes it turns up just as BHD employee does also! Coincidence? I think not!

We get to the terminal and approach the Air Berlin sole check in counter where we are told they are not open to 0720. We then headed up to the café were I took the BHD pictures bar the Air Berlin.

At 0720 we came back down to the same check in desk where to be honest we expected to find SOMETHING happening for the first new airline into BHD for a considerable amount of time but all we found was a small A4 sign saying “Belfast to Stansted Now Booking” – surely the passengers would already know this.

We enquired as to seating layout and she confirmed it was AC DEF which meant a Fokker 100 as the majority had pointed out. We were assigned row 21 which we knew would be toward rear but we assumed these would mean we could taking photos of engine and wings, oh how wrong where we!

A German Air Berlin Marketing “Rep” was showing the check in girls how to use the Air Berlin software so it took a short while to complete the task of checking in, especially adding the extra complication of us checking in for return flight also!

After checking in we went back to Café to photograph the arrival of our little fcuker (as the very old pilot joke goes) and at 0859 a landing light was visible near the threshold and D-AGPE touched down on runway 22. It was a short taxi in via A2 and Alpha where we then headed down to the gate to await boarding.

As we walked down steps from Café we noticed Blue and White Balloons all over Air Berlin Check In and Champagne being drunk by all around Check In and the ticket desk! Not fair we thinks as we were first passengers to check in for the flight. Ahh well you win some you loose some (mind you I doubt I would have drunk champers but it’s the offer that counts!)

Security was very smooth and we were through in about two minutes, well I was. Robert likes to try to be a “hard man” lol (joking) so wears a big metal buckle belt. The metal detector has a disagreement with Robert on the subject of belt and this meant Robert was VERY thoroughly search by a Maybin Security person. Now ive been patted down before but this guy must have really liked Robert lol!

We proceeded to sit down immediately infront of security area beside Door D which was across Gate 5. Forum members having travelled through BHD may be aware its all glass between you and the aircraft so this makes it ideal to watch (just don’t take camera out!).

I know the BHD Management Team so was able to roughly work out what was going on. We had made it down in time to see the last of the people disembark. Approx 6 or 7 people who has disembarked seemed to be hanging around the Gate area so I assume these were Air Berlin people (which was confirmed by some producing AB staff passes and chunky AB branded lanyards). There was a bit of fuss as a photographer (I think from Belfast Telegraph) went onto ramp and took a picture of the Captain and Stewardess against Aircraft and “welcome to Belfast City Airport” branded steps.

After about 10 minutes (of an already 15mins delayed flight) we were asked to board via Door C (the magic door at BHD used for everything bar bmi!) ( I don’t know why they put in D and A as ive never seem them used!

We were let on in waves due to their only being 1 door on the Fokker, Personally I would have thought row numbers would have been quicker as no need for waves of people then!

Passing past the front door we were offered sweets to suck for like BA used to do! We settled down behind a local travel journalist in 21 A and C (yes Robert without a window).

The cabin crew shut the doors and at 0945 we were pushing off stand and being given our safety briefing. They did this at the front in German and English then again in the middle in Germany only. The Fokker over wing exits didn’t seem that big to me so I wasn’t relishing being at the last row and having to potentially get to front to get out of the aircraft but I didn’t think odds of having to do that were quite high!

We taxied to Alpha 3 and after backtracking where shortly after we were climbing through the clouds towards the Isle of Man. The engines were no that noisy in the last row which surprised both Robert and myself!

After our right turn at WAL onto STAR the crew had finally reached back and we were offered a ham or cheese sandwich and a drink of Tea, Coffee, OJ, TJ, AJ or water. I chose the OJ whilst Robert had what he called a brilliant cup of coffee.

We both choose the ham sandwich which was a 20cm baguette with ham lettuce mayo type sauce and some sort of mini sweet corn thing in it. It was very nice and a good size as bmistar led me to believe I was getting a tiny little thing! Drink refill were available on asking.

After an uneventful but pleasant flight we made lots of left turns and established on approach for runway 23 at Stansted where we took a considerable length to come to a complete stop. We then taxied onto Stand 12R which is in the same section as the Cargo Ramp as according to the crew they were off to Berlin next.

Once the steps were in place and door opened the cabin disembarked very quickly (much quicker than previous Dash 8 or Boeing flights) and we all squeezed (there was no spare room!) in with Robert nearly being cut in half by bus doors! We drove up to Stand 41 which I now believe to be the specified Belfast gate for Special Branch / Security reasons. I took easyJet photo on ramp after disembarking bus.

We walked into the terminal where too passengers infront of us were taken to the side by 6 police officers and the rest of us were let past with no checks being made to our ID (which is usual reason for Special Branch being present!). Robert and myself proceeding through to arrivals where we immediately headed for the Air Berlin desk for help!

Upon finding the Air Berlin Ticket Sales counter we found they had party food and balloons laid out for the launch of the Belfast and Alicante services today. We approached the clerk at the counter and asked about a seat change. He referred us to check which we proceeded to.

We asked a very nice girl at check in if she could change our seats but when confront by a flybe branded boarding pass (issued at Belfast City) they were confused if it was actually valid. The supervisor then took over and checked on the PC to find that she could change us easily to 18 A and C. She was very nice and asked us if our outbound flight had been enjoyable and apologised for the delay on the outbound aircraft! Everyone at their ticket sales desk and check in was very happy, approachable and happy to help with any questions or problems etc. 10 out of 10 for Customer Service!

Anyway once we changed our boarding cards I spent the next while trying to stop gambling his saving away on the machines and then drinking heavily watered down Stella in Weatherspoons.

At about 1530 our Gate (83) popped up on the screen and off we trotted down to it via the walkways. We very nearly boarded the train to gates 1-29 due to poor (ish) signage in the area. Whilst walking down D-AGPE rolls onto stand 83 and we safely bet that it is our aircraft!

We got down to the departure gate about 5 minutes later where they had just opened doors and let us through into the holding pen whilst they checked everyone was there. Once everyone was there we were invited to board the aircraft via the airbridge at just before 1610.

On boarding we were again offered sweets, I took 2 as had thought on outbound they would be around before decent but they weren’t.

We took seats 18A and C but once the door was closed we realised there was lots of room so most of the passengers spread out across the row. Robert and I swapped for 18F and 17F respectively.

We did have to sit on the aircraft for a while and the Air Cond. Was not turned on until 1625 which mean everyone was getting very warm and fanning themselves with the AB magazine.

On departure no flaps were used and we climbed to 2,500ft were the engines were throttled back and we did a slow turn skirting around Bishops Stortford (or what ever the big town to West is!)

We then climbed to our cruise of 29,000 ft where the service was started. It was same before but additional drinks of the Pepsi range of drinks were also available.
The flight got a little bumpy over the Irish Sea but that’s to be expected when you enter awful weather, wouldn’t be home without low pressure and rain!

The weather got steadily worse the closer to Northern Ireland we got where it was raining like no tomorrow and associated low cloud and pressure. Our landing was bumpy from the approx 15kt cross wind but the captain did a good job at getting us on the ground. We taxied in to Stand 6 which is slightly smaller than 5 as 5 was occupied by a Dash 8 JEDK.

Overall fantastic experience and cant fault them other than a late inbound but was to be expected with all the press attention. I think they have got a great product and at £19 return including tax it’s the cheapest London fare from Northern Ireland. Indeed I could have booked £19 single up until check in closed on their website!

The food was great and staff were absolutely friendly as possible. I think they will do well on the Belfast route and cant wait until July when it’s a B737!

Mark L and I are already going on the AB to STN next Tuesday!!

Sorry for long report but it just blurted out lol!