I checked in for both outbound and return flights at the automatic machine.
I left Brussels on time Sunday evening at 18.45 on flight LH4587, aboard an Airbus A319-114 registered D-AILS ("Heide").
Take-off from 25R. I had seat 23A in the last row. Half of the plane was outfitted in business class, but the load factor for C class was only 30%, whereas the economy class in the back was packed at 85%. I managed to have a free seat next to me.
The "meal" was a meager Leo bar. Luckily, there was still a choice of drinks. I got a Warsteiner beer, 33 cl in a glass bottle.
The weather was clear throughout the flight. What I saw is somewhat frightening: a lot of electrical wind mills, none of which was turning because of the weak wind. Is that what the greens want?
Arrival was 5 minutes early at 19.40. Atypic flight.
Return the next day was scheduled on LH5874 at 16.15, another A319 for which the automatic check-in machine assigned me exactly the same seat 23A. However, I was early at the airport and switched to LH5910 (codeshared with NZ) at 15.30, without costs. I was lucky it was not the scheduled Avro RJ85 with its terrible 6-abreast seating, but a Canadair CRJ 200 D-ACHK "Schkeuditz".
Load factor was close to 90%. On-time departure after a bus to the faraway parked aircraft. While 'taxiing' in the bus, I saw Tante Ju in action: a historic flight on the Ju-52 D-AQUI had just landed and was going back to the gate.
I had seat 9A, over the wing. But the meal service was disappointing: a box with a roll opf bread filled with cheese and a cardboard box of orange juice. No choice of drinks!
Service is really deteriorating.
Nevertheless, I was in Brussels 5 minutes ahead of schedule after a flight through clear weather.
Sadly, we won't see him when we go to MAN in September because it will be mid afternoon before we get there, but I am hoping to see one of the type in Brussels and Birmingham is also good for spotting CRJs.
