BRU-BCN with IB (11-05-2004)
BRU-BCN with IB (11-05-2004)
Early wake-up call this morning. I had to go to Barcelona for 2 days, and I had booked a return ticket with Iberia on the flights codeshared with SN (225.21 €, half of what I would have paid for the very same flights booked with SN! Again, strange pricing policy!). I was at the airport at 6:50, and there was already a long queue on the three Iberia Y check-in counters. Nevertheless the queue moved fast, and I was assigned seat 7A for flight IB4217/SN5267. Great!
I went to the Diners Club lounge in Terminal A to drink an orange juice and a cup of coffee. At 6:35 I was at gate A51, where boarding had already started. The plane was an Airbus A320 EC-HYC "Ciudad de Ceuta". I was welcomed by an aged purser and the 2 stewardesses and went to my seat.
Although boarding was completed on time, notwithstanding a load factor of 100%, the fog made that we missed our slot. Pushback started at 7:05, five minutes behind schedule, but take-off was only at 7:25. Flight was without problems, although mostly in the clouds. Announcements were made in Spanish and a fairly good English, with tapes in Flemish and French. The safety instructions, also in Spanish and English, were made on the screens placed under the baggage bins. Those same screens showed touristic films about Spain during the whole flights.
Half an hour after take-off, breakfast was served. Here came the first disappointment. I thought IB was a full-service airline, but in fact you have to pay for everything from a cup of coffee to a glass of water. I selected the "full" breakfast at €6.50: a muffin (magdalena in Spanish), a 33 cl bottle of Granini orange juice, a capuccino and a coconut yogurt. It was OK and I made this picture.
Landing was also 25 minutes late (9:20 instead of 8:55). The plane had been put on a holding pattern that took us at least 100 km South of Barcelona. I thus had the opportunity to see a very long strip of the Spanish coastline.
The report of my return flight on an SN A319 (SN3702/IB7796) will be posted after I come back tomorrow.
From Barcelona with love,
I went to the Diners Club lounge in Terminal A to drink an orange juice and a cup of coffee. At 6:35 I was at gate A51, where boarding had already started. The plane was an Airbus A320 EC-HYC "Ciudad de Ceuta". I was welcomed by an aged purser and the 2 stewardesses and went to my seat.
Although boarding was completed on time, notwithstanding a load factor of 100%, the fog made that we missed our slot. Pushback started at 7:05, five minutes behind schedule, but take-off was only at 7:25. Flight was without problems, although mostly in the clouds. Announcements were made in Spanish and a fairly good English, with tapes in Flemish and French. The safety instructions, also in Spanish and English, were made on the screens placed under the baggage bins. Those same screens showed touristic films about Spain during the whole flights.
Half an hour after take-off, breakfast was served. Here came the first disappointment. I thought IB was a full-service airline, but in fact you have to pay for everything from a cup of coffee to a glass of water. I selected the "full" breakfast at €6.50: a muffin (magdalena in Spanish), a 33 cl bottle of Granini orange juice, a capuccino and a coconut yogurt. It was OK and I made this picture.
Landing was also 25 minutes late (9:20 instead of 8:55). The plane had been put on a holding pattern that took us at least 100 km South of Barcelona. I thus had the opportunity to see a very long strip of the Spanish coastline.
The report of my return flight on an SN A319 (SN3702/IB7796) will be posted after I come back tomorrow.
From Barcelona with love,
Last edited by sn26567 on 14 May 2004, 18:40, edited 1 time in total.
André
ex Sabena #26567
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Interesting report.
Is there any such thing left as a "full service carrier"? Now all airlines seem to want to be Ryanair clones, assuming that passengers want no service. Maybe it's time they thought that people prefer to fly with a "flag carrier" because they don't want everything Ryanair style? I know in Ireland there were complaints when Aer Lingus went down the pan - people chose Aer Lingus because they did not want to fly with a Ryanair type thing, and that is exactly what they got with EI!
And I thought all pursers were "aged"!
Is there any such thing left as a "full service carrier"? Now all airlines seem to want to be Ryanair clones, assuming that passengers want no service. Maybe it's time they thought that people prefer to fly with a "flag carrier" because they don't want everything Ryanair style? I know in Ireland there were complaints when Aer Lingus went down the pan - people chose Aer Lingus because they did not want to fly with a Ryanair type thing, and that is exactly what they got with EI!
And I thought all pursers were "aged"!
Sabena and Sobelair - gone but never forgotten.
Louise
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Thanks for the nice report, André!
Did you find the A320 comfortable?
IB has indeed switched to a buy-on-board service several months ago.
Is this a bad thing? Personally, I appreciate a good service onboard, and I have no problem to pay for it.
@Louise: I would not say that Iberia/Aer Lingus/Swiss (all the airlines with a buy-on-board concept) are clones of Ryanair. IB (and all the others) still offer a good customer service, comfortable planes, they fly to real airports etc etc
Frederic
Did you find the A320 comfortable?
IB has indeed switched to a buy-on-board service several months ago.
Is this a bad thing? Personally, I appreciate a good service onboard, and I have no problem to pay for it.
@Louise: I would not say that Iberia/Aer Lingus/Swiss (all the airlines with a buy-on-board concept) are clones of Ryanair. IB (and all the others) still offer a good customer service, comfortable planes, they fly to real airports etc etc
Frederic
Brussels Airlines - Flying Your Way
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I already knew that IB was going to reduce it's onboard services in may. I actually enjoyed them when they where still a full carrier when I flew them back in 2002. If I had to go to Spain now I would choose to fly via FRA with LH and Spanair. I heard that service was already better in the days that IB was still a full service carrier and It most likely still is because they still serve free meals so I wouldn't mind paying more and flying longer for a better service!
André,
Thanks for the nice report.
I'm quite surprised to see that SN's fare was twice as much as IB 8O
Anyway, it wouldn't surprise me if the SN pax would also have to pay for their food, like they have on the LX flights. PErsonally I hope this will change, since it isn't very nice. You pay an SN ticket and should get the food for free, especially if the ticket is twice as expensive
Enjoy your stay in Barcelona
Greetz
Chris
8)
Thanks for the nice report.
I'm quite surprised to see that SN's fare was twice as much as IB 8O
Anyway, it wouldn't surprise me if the SN pax would also have to pay for their food, like they have on the LX flights. PErsonally I hope this will change, since it isn't very nice. You pay an SN ticket and should get the food for free, especially if the ticket is twice as expensive
Enjoy your stay in Barcelona
Greetz
Chris
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My comments about EI and FR are not just me being anti-FR, they are what I read in the Irish press last year when we were in Dublin and EI were just starting to go down the pan. There was a two page article about people complaining about the downgrading of service on EI. They said if they wanted to be charged for meals and things they would have gone with FR. They thought they were going with a full service carrier and they weren't happy.
Sabena and Sobelair - gone but never forgotten.
Louise
Louise
Of course. And passengers with IB tickets will not pay for their food on SN flights. I will confirm this tomorrow.luchtzak wrote:I didn't know that Iberia charges for food on their flights Does passengers with an SN Brussels Airlines ticket need to pay too on codeshared Iberia-flights?
From Barcelona,
André
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good report!
Just a little question about the service, were the F/A's nice? or did they give you an arrogant impression?
I ask this, because my sister is a regular flyer with Iberia, and she told me that she finds the F/A's very unfriendly and arrogant, specially the older ones.
Let me hear youre comments/experiences on this
Kind Regards
Joost
Just a little question about the service, were the F/A's nice? or did they give you an arrogant impression?
I ask this, because my sister is a regular flyer with Iberia, and she told me that she finds the F/A's very unfriendly and arrogant, specially the older ones.
Let me hear youre comments/experiences on this
Kind Regards
Joost
I flew already 2 times with Iberia past summer BRU - BCN - VLC andTristar500 wrote:good report!
Just a little question about the service, were the F/A's nice? or did they give you an arrogant impression?
I ask this, because my sister is a regular flyer with Iberia, and she told me that she finds the F/A's very unfriendly and arrogant, specially the older ones.
Let me hear youre comments/experiences on this
Kind Regards
Joost
VLC - BCN - BRU on all the flights the cabin crew were unfriendly and old .
They didn't welcome the passengers on board , they only speak spanish they even't don't try to speak english , they didn't say goodbye after the flight ,..
Greetings
Airbuske
Soory Louise, but I don't understand you anymore. I have no problem at all with your opinion or whatsoever, but please stick with your opinion instead of switching every few days. One day you are the number one SNBA fan telling that SNBA is better than VLM, and the other day you are the number one VLM fan telling that VLM is better than SNBAComet wrote: That doesn't only happen on Iberia, it also happens on SNBA! The crews on VLM always greet passengers though!!
I can't follow you anymore
Greetz
Chris
8)
'Tu Menu' is the (free)IB-menucard that passengers find on board.
update, may 1.
SNACKS
Salted chips (50gr) : 2,50euro
Assorted dried nuts and fruits (45gr) : 1,50euro
Pretzels : 2,00euro
SOFT & DAIRY DRINKS
Still water (33cl) : 1,00euro
Sparkling water (50cl) : 2,00euro
Tonic water (33cl) : 2,50euro
(Diet) Coke (33cl) : 2,50euro
Orange juice (33cl) : 2,50euro
Milk fruit beverage (33cl) : 2,50euro
WINE, BEERS and SPIRITS
White wine Rioja (17,5cl) : 3,50euro
Red wine Rioja (17,5cl) : 3,50euro
Spanish Cava (20cl) : 4,00euro
Beer (33cl) : 3,00euro
Scotch Whisky (5cl) :4,00euro
Rum (5cl) : 4,00euro
Gin (5cl) : 4,00euro
HOT BEVERAGES
Coffee 'Expresso' : 1,50euro
Coffee 'Capuccino' : 1,50euro
Tea : 1,50euro
BREAKFAST
see André's prices
LUNCH & DINNER MENU : 9,00euro
Iberia's Club Sandwich or salad
+fresh fruit or snack
+drink (soft drinks or beer)
SPANISH MENU : 9,00euro
Selection of Spanish tapas or Cured ham chiappata
+snack (sweet or salted)
+drink (soft drinks, beer or wine)
SALADS (available after 11.00AM)
Mixed salad (lettuce, black olives, cheese, tomatoes, corn) : 6,00euro
Natural fresh fruit salad : 3,50euro
I presume they do not accept 'chèque repas'
Who dares to open the first GB Express at Zaventem ?
update, may 1.
SNACKS
Salted chips (50gr) : 2,50euro
Assorted dried nuts and fruits (45gr) : 1,50euro
Pretzels : 2,00euro
SOFT & DAIRY DRINKS
Still water (33cl) : 1,00euro
Sparkling water (50cl) : 2,00euro
Tonic water (33cl) : 2,50euro
(Diet) Coke (33cl) : 2,50euro
Orange juice (33cl) : 2,50euro
Milk fruit beverage (33cl) : 2,50euro
WINE, BEERS and SPIRITS
White wine Rioja (17,5cl) : 3,50euro
Red wine Rioja (17,5cl) : 3,50euro
Spanish Cava (20cl) : 4,00euro
Beer (33cl) : 3,00euro
Scotch Whisky (5cl) :4,00euro
Rum (5cl) : 4,00euro
Gin (5cl) : 4,00euro
HOT BEVERAGES
Coffee 'Expresso' : 1,50euro
Coffee 'Capuccino' : 1,50euro
Tea : 1,50euro
BREAKFAST
see André's prices
LUNCH & DINNER MENU : 9,00euro
Iberia's Club Sandwich or salad
+fresh fruit or snack
+drink (soft drinks or beer)
SPANISH MENU : 9,00euro
Selection of Spanish tapas or Cured ham chiappata
+snack (sweet or salted)
+drink (soft drinks, beer or wine)
SALADS (available after 11.00AM)
Mixed salad (lettuce, black olives, cheese, tomatoes, corn) : 6,00euro
Natural fresh fruit salad : 3,50euro
I presume they do not accept 'chèque repas'
Who dares to open the first GB Express at Zaventem ?