We arrived at EMA on 23rd December and spent the night at the Thistle Hotel, close to the airport. It was a nice hotel, and one which we would use again.
Our flight was on the 24th, scheduled departure time 13:50, flight number BD235. We had originally booked on an early morning flight, leaving at 06:45, but this was cancelled and we were rebooked onto the afternoon flight.
An outside view of EMA. It was a big complex, though the terminal itself was relatively small.
EMA’s tall control tower, one of the tallest I’ve seen for a long time.
We had to wait until 12:00 to check in, so we spent a bring couple of hours sitting in the check in area. One thing EMA lacks is more shopping and eating places on the landside – there is Café Ritazza and an aviation experience gift shop, which was nice to look in but very small. Grim music was playing.
We were first to check in, and the check in computer froze, and then the printer would not work, so it was a bit of a nuisance, but eventually things were moving again, and we were given seats 11D and 11F. Boarding would be through gate 3.
We went through passport and security checks, and then decided to have some dinner – cod in beer batter with lumberjack chips – in the Food Village.
EMA is quite impressive airside, and a huge improvement on the landside area! It was quite easy to view the planes, and I managed to get some photos.
I had been curious about this aircraft as soon as I saw its purple tail, and after dinner I managed to bag a photo of it. It belongs to UK International.
There are lots of low cost flights from EMA – operated by Ryanair, easyJet and bmibaby. This was my first EZY Airbus.
In the distance we could see our aircraft parked.
This is bmi Regional ERJ135 G-RJXL.
We waited near the gate area, and at 13:34 we were called to board the bus which would take us to the aircraft.
Close up of aircraft nose, taken through bus window.
On boarding, we were greeted by the single flight attendant – Shelley. We settled into our seats and we had a wing view.
The view from my seat. The ERJ135 is three abreast, with a very narrow aisle. I wait until we leave the aircraft to put my coat on because there is no room onboard.
The bmi inflight magazine. I always keep a magazine as a souvenir.
The pilots introduced themselves as Steve and Fraser, and we were pushed back at 13:53. We taxied quickly to the runway (27?) and took off at 14:00. It was hazy at take off and during the initial climb.
A couple of views taken just after we had taken off.
The climb was smooth, but we encountered turbulence higher up. Very soon, the snack was served – a choice of sandwiches: cheese, egg mayonnaise or turkey and stuffing. I did not have a sandwich, as I was not hungry, but I had some orange juice and some sour cream and chive pretzels, which are quite nice.
By: Comet - 30th December 2007 at 17:59
Once we were over the sea, the cloud thickened.
An inflight view.
But as we approached land, the cloud thinned out.
Over the continent.
As we approached BRU, the Captain wished everyone a Merry Christmas. At 15:55 we landed on 25L and taxied to the terminal. It was nice and bright in BRU.
Thankfully, our luggage had travelled with us (unlike when we flew on BA last Christmas) and we went to have some tea. Our favourite café, Brussels Café, was closed, and so we ended up at Pizza Hut for a disgusting pizza (not nice when you had hoped for nachos with a dip). We bought a couple of cans of Jupiler to have when we got to Brugge, and then headed into what very quickly turned into a nightmare.
At the entrance to the airport railway station was a sign warning of disruptions owing to a strike, but as the trains from the airport were running OK, we were not too worried at this point. We planned to change trains at Noord station, as we always do.
On the way into Brussels, the ticket collector warned us that problems were worst on the trains serving Brugge, and many people had been left stranded. At this point we were getting worried, if we could not get to Brugge then we would have to try and find accommodation elsewhere, which could be impossible on Christmas Eve.
When we reached Noord, there were people milling everywhere. Most trains looked to be running, but the train we would have caught – one to Oostende – was affected. We were not happy! Then, by a stroke of luck, I noticed a Knokke/Blankenberge train scheduled for 18:23, showing a platform number, unlike the cancelled Oostende one, so we hoped and prayed that this train would arrive.
It did arrive, but for some reason, most of the doors would not open, so we had a tense dash down the platform to find a working door just in time. Thankfully the train got us to Brugge and we had a very nice stay in Hotel Patritius, a fantastic meal in Lange Muur, some nice chips, hot chocolate and jenever coffee, Delirium Christmas beer, Sloeber and Palm Dobbel, a trip to Oostende and a trip to Zeebrugge with a meal in Old Barrel. It was a fantastic Christmas and we will do it again next year.
My views on bmi: very positive. The flight attendant was very pleasant, efficient and professional. The aircraft was nice, the flight in good time. The only negative being that the pilot gave no idea how long the flight would last, the conditions along the way or the weather we could expect on landing. I would certainly fly with them again.
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December 30, 2007 at 5:58 pm