MAN-ACE with Thomas Cook

At Manchester
Once again I was off on my holidays. This time to Lanzarote, Matagorda with a couple of friends for a week. I had only just arrived from a holiday in Paignton the previous day and I hadnt really had chance to get settled. I arrived at Manchester 3 hours early so that I wouldn’t have to spend ages checking in, and I know that security checks in Manchester arent exactly quick. Also I wanted a window seat (as I always do).
After a quick check-in we headed for security, my silver chain set off the metal detector, so I was searched and asked where I was off to. I bought a newspaper for the flight and then headed for the big window to see what aircraft were in. I saw G-FCLH bound for Toronto and not a lot else. I noticed a distinct lack of seating in the departure lounge, however MAN are spending £30M to make it into a big shopping centre, so I suppose that explains why. Time dragged on, and I wasnt feeling good anyway (homesickness and probably nerves) and I just wanted to get on the aircraft. I had a feeling that we would go from Gate 26 so we headed to Pier C, where I saw G-FCLF sat at Gate 27. I was suspicious that Thomas Cook had downgraded us from a 757-300 to a 757-200. I was hoping they hadn’t.
After ages of waiting around, seeing the PK 777 and VS 744 depart I saw our aircraft arriving, and I watched it as it went around and sat on Gate 26, I was right after all. We went under the tunnel to Gate 26 where I crowd had formed and boarding began soon after.

Flight
Flight Number: TCX306K
Aircraft: Boeing 757-300
Registration: G-JMAB
SDT: 14:40 (departed around 14:55)
Seat: 38A

I sat in my seat, which was incidentally right in front of the toilet, and looked out of the window at the Nouvelair A320 and MyTravel A320 sat next to us on gates 24 and 22 respectively. Boarding seemed to take ages and ages, I had forgotten that it was a 753, not a 752. After a quick announcement from the captain we pushed back and started up, and proceeded to taxi to runway 24R. We passed G-NIKO on gate 29 (I think) bound for ACE too around an hour later. I noticed there seemed to be lots of Monarch aircraft at Manchester! We taxied up to the airport pub and were held behind an XL 752, as soon as it had commenced it’s take-off roll we entered onto 24R (with in inbound aircraft seeming to get a bit closer than usual). We rolled for a second and then take-off thrust was applied.
The rotation was quick and smooth into the sunny sky, and I could see all cheshire and Joderell Bank (which I had gone past on the train the day before). We made a quick right then a left and headed South-west. The captain made an announcement about our route, we would pass down over Torquay (I had come from that area the previous day), out over France and the bay of Biscay, down through Spain and Portugal over Faro and then out to Lanzarote.

I bought a set of headphones for the flight and my friend bought me a can of Lemonade, and then I decided to check out the radio stations, finding some Klaxons and Blondie to listen and laugh at, but it was that or a pair of screaming children in front to listen to. After a while the clouds had cleared and I could see the mountains and villages. The meal was then brought around, which was Chicken in Sundried Tomato with potatoes and vegetables, niiice! That made me feel better. By this time we were passing directly over Faro airport and I could see the Algarve coast, which looked very nice. Then it was over water for the last hour. After a while the aircraft began to descend, we had arrived at ACE! We descended smoothly, although at one point we dropped very sharply which took everyone by surprise. Lanzarote soon came into view and I could see Costa Teguise and the waterpark there. I could also make out the tower in Arrecife town centre. We then headed out over near to Fuerteventura and made a tight left bank back towards Lanzarote. With the sea getting ever closer I could tell we didnt have long. I could see Puerto Del Carmen, then I spotted my Hotel on the sea front, we passed over the famous ACE beach and landed smoothly on runway 03 at Arrecife. A HV 737-700 was taxying out and an FCA 752 and JKK Airbus were also on stand. The engines were closed down and at last we had arrived in a rather windy Lanzarote for a week of fun in the sun.