BRU-BHX on SNBA 3rd November 2004

[Comet]

These return flights are never as much fun to write about Especially when you don't have another trip to Belgium to look forward to. As I said in the previous report, the boarding passes had been issued to us in BHX in the morning, so we did not have to rush back to the airport to check in. We caught the sh*tty thing in Brussels Centraal to the Airport. At the Airport, I was surprised to see a heavy duty loco with a load of red double decker carriages. I have seen rubber things leaving the Airport, but I have never seen these beauties in there!


The heavy duty with double decker carriages.

It was dark wnen we arrived at the Airport. We had a look in the Atomium souvenir shop and I bought a beautiful Atomium paperweight (it was also nice to see the Atomium from the train, and nice that it was not covered with scaffolding!)

Once in the departure area, we had a good view of the aircraft. It may have been dark, but my camera has no problems taking photos in the darkest conditions


SWISS, bmi and VLM seen at the apron. It was dark when this photo was taken.


Croatia joins the line up.

We waited at gate B29, the scheduled departure time of SN2047 is 18:40. The aircraft was being prepared at the gate, and we were to be flown by BAe 146 OO-DJG.


OO-DJG at the gate B29.

I hate waiting to fly home from Brussels, and at 18:18 the dreaded call to board was made. VC10 noted that when it is time for departure from BRU, we are always well back in the boarding queue, unlike always being at the front when we are flying to BRU

There were two stewardesses on the aircraft. We had been given seats 4A and 4C. They were at the front of economy, and must be some of the worst, as we had that irritating divider curtain in front of us, a front engine view through the window and I much prefer being further back on the Avro types.


View from seat 4A.


The bright light of a LOT 737 as it taxies for departure.

At 18:37 we were pushed back and taxied out for departure whilst the stewardesses did the safety demonstration.

At 18:50 we took off and were told the flight would last one hour. We flew over brightly lit Brussels and towards the English Channel.

The Brussels Bistro was handed out. When I saw the malted bread I thought "oh no, not smoked ham, cheese and pickle" again, but no - this was a nice chicken salad with a small Mars sweet, a carton of Dutch mineral water and I also had orange juice as well. I had drunk my Wednesday beer on the Grand Place - had a wonderful Primus - real quality beer :drink:

Whenever I fly on SN2047, something is always missed out - first time it was the chocolate, last week there was no magazine handed out and so I had nothing to read on the dark flight back to BHX


The very pleasant Brussels Bistro offering.

Shortly before landing, the chocolates were handed out, and I took one green label one. The pilot told us the weather in Birmingham was good but to expect some wind on landing. At 18:48 we made a smooth touch down in BHX. My flights to Brussels were over for the year, and I have no more booked

The flight had been good, but the first SNBA one (SN2038 31st march 2004) is still the best I have had with the airline.

Can't wait until next year though!!!

[Sabena_690]

Thanks for the report!

About bad seats: I always have a list with good seats with me whenever I fly the ARJ. There are just too many seats without a window, and I don't want to be twice in such a row with a window missing (like on my first ARJ flight).

Service was apparently OK (what more can you ask for on a short flight).

You're lucky for having been on the 142! I give myself another 2 years to end up on one of SN. If it doesn't work out, I'll try to book an Air France Cityjet flight to somewhere.

Frederic

[firrech]

Hello,

How full was your flight?

[sab319]

Nice report, reminds me that I should fly SNBA too once...

[Comet]

Thanks for comments.

Frederic - when we first looked at the passes for this flight, we wondered if we would be near an exit, as we had been on the outward flight. I think the rows 4-7/8 must be the worst on the Avro types as a whole. On my first sabena flight we were in row 7, and all we could see was engine. The best seats I think are rows 12/13 and back from that, we have normally been in those rows. That was my first flight in an SN 146 , my other 146 experience was with Aer Lungus, and other RJ flights have been in the RJ85 and RJ100.

Firrech - the flight was almost full, there may have been one spare seat, two at the most, but no more than two. Most of my SN flights have been full, with the exception of SN2038s - both in March and November. But that is probably because there is a flight to Brussels before SN2038 and one not too long after that.

[B744skipper]

Again, a very nice report, thanks for sharing

But I do have a little question, what was the fare that you payed for the flight? Seems that SNBA is a pretty good airline, and I am working out options for the next summervacation.

[Comet]

Fabian - the cost of our flight was around £96, booked nearly six months in advance on lastminute.com. You can get the same fares on flysn.com as well.

[sn26567]

Thanks for nice illustrated report, Louise.

booked nearly six months in advance on lastminute.com.

How ironic!

You're lucky for having been on the 142! I give myself another 2 years to end up on one of SN.

Don't despair! As the 142s are property of SN, I guess thay are not ready to get rid of them soon.

I had one on my last return flight from WAW and I'll get another one to WAW on 25 Nov.

[Comet]

Thanks for your comments Andre. I thought about the irony after I had written about buying the tickets six months in advance from lastminute.com but I decided to leave the message as it was just for the fun of it

We are now considering a visit to Brussels in March or April, but this time two nights in Brussels instead of two nights in the UK airport city (Birmingham or Manchester) so that will be absolutely brilliant!!! We will see what Expedia have to offer.

On my first ever Sabena flight we were in the first row of economy (row 7 that time) and the divider curtain fell off its holder, so I had it draped across the front of me the whole flight.

It will be a pity when the RJs are no longer in the fleet, I find them pleasant little aircraft to fly in. If they are not being replaced, will SNBA drastically reduce the number of European flights? Because that would be a pity.

[Avro]

Thanks for the nice report Louise.

@Frederic:

Don't worry you're not the only one who still needs to fly the 142

Chris

[Comet]

Thanks for comments Chris.

At one time, flying EI from any regional airport in the UK would have guaranteed you a flight in a BAe 146-200, that is how I got my first flight in one, but they were retired from the fleet last year.

So flying from BRU-MAN for example you may have got a 146, but then flying on MAN-DUB would definitely have been a 146. Now it is the 737 MAN-DUB.