When I went to menorca last your during my summer holidays, we flew Thomas Cook. It was a nice surprise because we booked at jetair. I was really excited because it was going to be my first ever Airbus flight.
When we departed we had to get up very early because the flight left BRU at 6:00, the alarm-clock rang at 3:00. After I got dressed the airport service rang the door and then we where on our way to the airport. When we arrived at the terminal the first thing we did was checking in, the dedicated check-in row was row 2. Apparently normaly used by LH and SAS considering all the advertisement of them around the check-in desks. After that we went to pick up our free beach-bags and newspaper at the Jetair stand.
Then we went to the A-pier, it was a long walk because you have to go down all the way, cross the Tarmac in a tunnel, go through security checks and go all the way up again. When arrived in the heart of the pier I could see that it was a lot more spacious and lighter tha the C-pier I used the depart from before. But at this time of the day there wasn’t any shop opened, so we decided to go to the gate. On our way to the gate we saw some VEX & SLR B737’s, a couple of SNBA avro’s, an Iberia and dutchbird B752 and, a B735 and CRJ of LH and of course some A320’s of TCAB. There was also boarding a TCAB A320 to Ibiza via Menorca that plane departed one hour for ours, and in the afternoon there was another flight to Menorca.
When it was time for boarding, we boarded the aircraft as first passengers. But because we walked very fast through the glass jetway we had to wait a bit before entering the AC. The main FA looked exactly as my hairdresser! When we entered the clean and bright interior with it’s comfy seats I even liked the A320 more than before, at that point the A320 became my favourite AC. I was seated on row 23 in the A seat, yes the window seat! Plane must have been filled for a 95 %, because there was a seat left next to my father. When pushback began we could see the apron via the camera in the nose, a special thing on OO-TCH “experience” at that time their newest bus. After a taxi of only 5 minutes we took off over the north-rand to more sunnier places. When the climb rate was very low the captain said that the crew could start making breakfast. It was really needed to start that early because it was a flight of only two hours. The breakfast consisted of a ciabatta with jam, a yoghurt and a little vanilla cake, I got a Coke to drink and when they came round for a refill of coffee or tea I took some the with lemon. I couldn’t see much because it was very clouded and after a very smooth flight we began descending, but first we all got some candy from the very friendly crew.
During descend, we couldn’t see much because it was still clouded, but after a while we broke through the clouds, passed the island and made a U-turn to land on the runway (quiet spectacular with the nose camera). Touchdown was very smooth as well the stop. When we taxied to our stand I could see an IB DC9/MD8x, an Iberworld A320, the TCAB A320 that departed an hour before us and we parked right besides a boarding Air Berlin B738.
When we came of the stairs when got into an old bus of Ineuropa handling and drove to the arrivals hall, note that the flightnumber was TCW instead of FQ!
We got a very friendly welcome from the jetair hostess Ann, and had a wonderful 2 weeks holiday.
When we had to return to Brussels we had to get up at 6:00 and the bus was supposed to pick us up at the hotel by 7:00. But the bus was an hour late and picked us up at 8:00.
Luckely we where only a 5 minutes drive away from the airport (we could see the aircraft landing and making the U-turn over the sea in our hotel). When we arrived at the airport the Jetair hostess was almost panicking, but check-in went very fast and we where at the security check in no time. There the agents wanted to make a manual control of my dads backpack.
All turned out well and we went to the departures hall, there wasn’t much to see, some shops and that’s all, you couldn’t see the AC’s. The relief of boarding came soon (we where the only flight in the departures lounge) and when we drove to the AC we saw a Thomas Cook B752 landing still in full Condor colors, not even the newest it was the one with the grey belly and small titels. Boarding went very smoothly and we departed 20 minutes ahead of schedule!
We where lucky to get OO-TCH again, and had a fluent take-off, I could see our hotel under us. This time it was a clear day, I could see the French coast, the Montventou and CDG whit it’s four runways. We had the same meal as last time. But this time my sister had to try out the airsickness bags of Lufthansa (not the only thing of LH on board the coffee and thea cans and glasses where LH) , so she got sick. But the crew was very helpful and caring and they offered her a glass of water without her asking. After only 2 hours of flying we started descending for a 25L arrival in BRU and we had some light turbulences. After a smooth touchdown we taxied via the old C-pier and taxied to a gate at the B-pier. At first they had some problems with the jetway but they solved that soon. We disembarked the aircraft via the jetway and had to descend via the stairs leading to the platform where a bus was standing to bring us to the shengen arrivals.
It was a very nice experience and I wouldn’t mind flying TCAB again, it was certainly one of my best flights and I can recommend them to anyone!
BRU-MAH on TCAB
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Jense
