Trip report FR335 and FR338 LTN-DUB-LTN

Well as my 7th attempt at trying to get on a 737-200 failed me yet again last month I decided to try one last time and book a £25 return trip from London Luton to Dublin.
I haven’t had a successful series of flights since last December, and the pattern was not set to discontinue. Rail replacement buses were running in the morning, and they were running later than the trains. According to my itenary from thetrainline.com I was going to arrive at LTN about the same time as the flight departed. Knowing that this could easily mean i was going to arrive 2 hours earlier or later than that time I eventually managed to scrounge a lift off my Dad, meaning I arrived at LTN about 2 and a half hours early.
I positioned myself by a window looking over the carpark and saw a few bits and pieces on a ramp, SE-LIS, a Skyways Fokker 50, N737CC a 737 BBJ, OE-HMS a Tyrol Jet DO328JET, LX-FAZ, Roman Abromaviches Citation, SE-DYX a Sweedish Citation, A9C-BAH, a bahrain Royal flight G4, and HZ-AFW, another Middle Eastern G4.
Also around were a few EZY 737s. 2 hours before departure check in opened, and I checked in, and went through security, and walked all the way through to the gate number 1, giving me some quite good airside views of the ramp.
Alongside all the EZY 737s there were a few interesting bizjets, including the usual NetJets and UK based operators. Also there was a FA50, N54J, Lockheed Martins G5, N410LM, and a very interesting Lockheed Jetstar (The first time I had seen one of these) TC-NOA.
At about 1230 EI-COB, a Ryanair 732 arrived which I was very pleased about, but slightly worried that there was still an hour before departure. As LTN was not an FR base I was a bit dubious about the 1 hour turnaround time!
However an hour alter we did board the same aircraft, and our crew welcomed us aboard. I think I actualy detected a smile from one of the crew!!!
Our Captain was Captain Ready, but looked more like Captain Birdseye 😮
We pushed back and then started the engines which were not as loud as I thought, and taxiied past a DHL 757 to runway 28, backtracked, turnedaround, and rocketed down the runway. Those engines are looouuud!
Soon we were airbrone and above the clouds, which were covering most of the UK, and didn’t really see land until we were approaching Dublin. Here we did one right hand orbit, before making our approach to runway 28.
The FO made the landing, very well I might add, and it was interesting to see the big bucket reversers lifting up at the back of the engine.
We briskly taxiied up to the gate and quickly disembarked.
As I followed the signs to arrivals I realised I was actualy still airside in the departures area, with excellent runway views. I decided I might as well stay here as there was nothing saying I couldn’t and sat down and watched the movements.
I logged the tnire FR 732 fleet, the entire Aer Arran ATR fleet, and every single Aer Lingus short haul aircraft, including the 3 new A320s (” ex SWISS and 1 new), also noting 2 A330s, EI-ORD and EI-DUB.
Sadly there was little left over from yesterdays EU meeting, except for a new Latvian CRJ, YL-WBD.
Later on a Regional Air Fokker 100 came down, followed by a Finnair MD80, an Alitalia MD80, 4 Futura 738s, 2 Spanair A321s, 2 LH B733s, a Titain 146 and their 757, SAS MD80, Braathens, 737, Euro Atlantic L1011, 2 Air Wales ATR42’s, and a DHL 757 and A300, along with the FlyJetGreen 757.
2 hours before departure I went landside and checked in for the flight back to LTN. Going through security I was surprised to see they picked up on my scissors that were in a pencil case I had taken with me to supposedly do some work, and I had a little discussion with the security guy about the differences in policy between the UK and Ireland considering I had got it into the country.
I went back to the place I had been sitting earlier for an hour and a half, before going to Gate A19, where I was a little upset but not surprised to see it was EI-COB again.
We boarded, and it was the exact same cabin and flight crew as well! They were clearly very tired having operated AT LEAST DUB-LTN-DUB-LTN-DUB and now DUB-LTN again, and possibly having to do more after that.
Captain Birdseye took us off, just after an Air Luxor A330 landed ahead of us, and we were soon descending towards LTN. The FOs landing was a lot better than the captains, and we were doon back on stand 1, with a few more interesting biz jets on the ramp beside us. Also there were 2 Britannia flying club planes in TUI livery.
All in all I was very impressed with the flights, the crew were relatively cheerful despite the high workload, and despite its age the plane was very clean inside, with boarding music etc being played. Whats more both flights were about 10 minutes early!
An excellent day out for £25 😀