BRU-MIA with City Bird
BRU-MIA with City Bird
In June 1998 I made my first long haul flight.
And it was an ETOPS one!
On June 13th I left BRU with City Bird's B767-300ER reg OO-CTQ named Falcon.
Boarding was at 10 AM at gate B36.
Only 72 pax, so the FA's had a lot of time to care about their pax and even take some rest themselves.
I was sitting in seat 45A.
My first trip to the States and all by myself.
It was still a long way to go
After two inflight movies and some rest we were almost there
Flying over Miami Beach
On finals over the less beatiful side of Miami.
I returned on my Birthday with the same plane as I came with.
Here the "Falcon" arrives at gate A-4 at MIA.
Shortly after take-off I asked the FA if I could visit the flightdeck, since I am an aviation freak and it was my Birthday.
Climbing out over Miami Beach I could never have thought on that moment I would return in 1999 ( with CTB's MD-11 ) and in 2000.
The FA told me that I could witness the landing in the jumpseat, for my Birthday.
So I tried to get some nightrest and hoped it would be day soon... 8)
I was sitting at an emergency exit ( seat 25A ) so I managed to sleep a bit.
In the morning when the FA walked me to the flightdeck I wanted to take my photo camera but she told me that photographing in the cockpit wasn't allowed
At the gate the captain told me that it wasn't a problem if I took any pics.
A once in a lifetime experience and I don't have one pic from the landing.
Anyway we landed on RWY25L at BRU and taxied all the way to terminal B at the side of the Wingtips restaurant to join other City Birds at the gate, amongst them my favourite, the MD-11 "Albatros".
Too bad all those nice "birds" are gone forever.
I flew three years in a row with CTB to the Sunshine State.
And it was an ETOPS one!
On June 13th I left BRU with City Bird's B767-300ER reg OO-CTQ named Falcon.
Boarding was at 10 AM at gate B36.
Only 72 pax, so the FA's had a lot of time to care about their pax and even take some rest themselves.
I was sitting in seat 45A.
My first trip to the States and all by myself.
It was still a long way to go
After two inflight movies and some rest we were almost there
Flying over Miami Beach
On finals over the less beatiful side of Miami.
I returned on my Birthday with the same plane as I came with.
Here the "Falcon" arrives at gate A-4 at MIA.
Shortly after take-off I asked the FA if I could visit the flightdeck, since I am an aviation freak and it was my Birthday.
Climbing out over Miami Beach I could never have thought on that moment I would return in 1999 ( with CTB's MD-11 ) and in 2000.
The FA told me that I could witness the landing in the jumpseat, for my Birthday.
So I tried to get some nightrest and hoped it would be day soon... 8)
I was sitting at an emergency exit ( seat 25A ) so I managed to sleep a bit.
In the morning when the FA walked me to the flightdeck I wanted to take my photo camera but she told me that photographing in the cockpit wasn't allowed
At the gate the captain told me that it wasn't a problem if I took any pics.
A once in a lifetime experience and I don't have one pic from the landing.
Anyway we landed on RWY25L at BRU and taxied all the way to terminal B at the side of the Wingtips restaurant to join other City Birds at the gate, amongst them my favourite, the MD-11 "Albatros".
Too bad all those nice "birds" are gone forever.
I flew three years in a row with CTB to the Sunshine State.
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
VFlies,vflies wrote:Nice report!
Boy, BRU really needs non stop service to MIA again! If only AA (and partner Snba) could understand that...
VFlies
Why don't you tell SNBA that you would like such a flight !!! just send your request here. It's the help us to help you section. Personally I think we should use that tool more often. If SN would get a lot of demand for specific flights e.g. MIA they might start to investigate the market !!!
Greetz
Chris
8)
I just think it does not help. I already made several requests for SN flights to FRA and STR. LH needs competition because of their outrageous prices on these routes! But SNBA only answered they had no intention to open such routes. (Nice to see however that they reply. LH does not.)Avro wrote:Why don't you tell SNBA that you would like such a flight !!! just send your request here. It's the help us to help you section. Personally I think we should use that tool more often. If SN would get a lot of demand for specific flights e.g. MIA they might start to investigate the market !!!
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
LOL
It would be SO easy...
Let's request... hum... FRA, HAJ, STR...
and... MIA and CPT...
and... TYO and SYD...
and low prices with easy upgrades and lots of bonus miles...
Hé, that would work for me,
but I'm not sure that's how airlines are run...
As for MIA, I'm sure they would answer they already sell it via ORD (AA codeshare).
What I want is NON STOP service!
But I wouldn't hold my breath...
VFlies
It would be SO easy...
Let's request... hum... FRA, HAJ, STR...
and... MIA and CPT...
and... TYO and SYD...
and low prices with easy upgrades and lots of bonus miles...
Hé, that would work for me,
but I'm not sure that's how airlines are run...
As for MIA, I'm sure they would answer they already sell it via ORD (AA codeshare).
What I want is NON STOP service!
But I wouldn't hold my breath...
VFlies
... and JNB, RIO, HNL, etc...vflies wrote:Let's request... hum... FRA, HAJ, STR...
and... MIA and CPT...
and... TYO and SYD...
Let's remain serious, VFlies. The natural hinterland of SN is Europe, and some, parts of Africa. The neighbouring countries are certainly among the most travelled destinations. LH has a scandalous and very profitable monopoly on FRA, and to a lesser extent, STR and HAJ.
Yet, SN (Brussels) does not want to open routes to these destinations (SN Sabena had no such scruples). I suspect a secret agreement: "you leave me alone here, and I won't bother you there".
And what if DG Competition of the European Commission opened an enquiry?
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
While I always stand in favor of competition,
I would assume that SNba's powers that be have looked into it and considered those destinations,
but maybe those flights were mostly feeders for Sabena and have no network to feed anymore with tiny SNba...
André, as a frequent traveller on those flights, do you think most passengers are stopping in FRA like you or are they continuing on LH (or a star partner) beyond FRA?
If there's really enough point to point traffic, I would imagine we should soon see a Ryanair flight coming from Hahn to Brussels South?
Some carriers wouldn't let any opportunity pass them by...
What sadly enough can't be said about SNba...
VFlies
I would assume that SNba's powers that be have looked into it and considered those destinations,
but maybe those flights were mostly feeders for Sabena and have no network to feed anymore with tiny SNba...
André, as a frequent traveller on those flights, do you think most passengers are stopping in FRA like you or are they continuing on LH (or a star partner) beyond FRA?
If there's really enough point to point traffic, I would imagine we should soon see a Ryanair flight coming from Hahn to Brussels South?
Some carriers wouldn't let any opportunity pass them by...
What sadly enough can't be said about SNba...
VFlies