After catching the train from Brugge to Brussels Airport via Brussels Zuid, we checked in at desk 7. We were given seats 5E and 5F, in what we expected to be an A319. We had a fair bit of handluggage, including a bottle of champagne presented to us by the owners of the hotel in Brugge, so we had to take good care of that!
We had a snack in Brussels Cafe - VC10 had spaghetti bolognese and I had croque monsieur. Exactly the same things as we had eaten 10 days before on our arrival.
After passport control, we went to see the aircraft, and I managed to get some reasonable video and some photos. The weather, however, was a big let down - very overcast and eventually rainy.
A Delta 767 takes off.
DHL 757.
Gemini Air Cargo MD11.
Iberia takes off.
Pushback completed for a Royal Air Maroc 737.
Royal Air Maroc takes off.
A Tyrolean CRJ takes off, and the cargo door of the MD11 is open and being loaded.
Also seen was a 757 of Ethiopian cargo.
After passing through the security bag check, we went into the departure lounge and did some more spotting.
Jetair.
And again.
Another Royal Air Maroc.
Cyprus Airways arrives.
Cyprus Airways and British Airways.
A nice international line up - Croatian, Moroccan, Cypriot and British aircraft.
Our flight was to depart from gate B17.
Flight SN2043 - scheduled departure time 15:35.
As the weather worsened, we saw our aircraft approach. It was our old friend OO-SSK - the only SNBA A319 I have been on, we had two flights on this one last year as well.
OO-SSK approaches the gate.
OO-SSK.
At 15:09, the hated boarding call was made, and we were well back in the queue. As we boarded, we were greeted by two stewardesses, whilst one stood at the back of the aircraft.
Through the window, and the rain, I could see a new (for me) VLM aircraft - OO-VLZ.
View through the rain.
OO-VLZ - City of Rotterdam.
As we boarded, music was played, and the Airshow information screen was on. At that time, the outside air temperature was 18 degrees C, and the distance to Birmingham was 287 miles.
Once all the passengers had boarded, the youngest of the stewardesses raced along the cabin with the inflight magazine, Connect. At the speed she dashed past, which would rival Concorde, no one had a chance to actually get a magazine even though people wanted them! Not a very good first impression of this particular stewardess!
At 15:35 we were pushed back, and taxied to runway 25R. We had an excellent view of the impounded Antonov.
At 15:50, we finally took off after a CSA aircraft landed. We were told there would be turbulence, and looking at the state of the weather, we expected it anyway!
Just after take off. The aircraft on the ground is a 747.
Climbing through the cloud.
As we climed through 14,100 feet, we hit the turbulence, and the seat belt signs came on again. We experienced more heavy turbluence at 20,000 feet.
Cloud along the way.
We left the Belgian coast at Oostende and flew over the Channel. The snack was handed out - cherry tart and water. I had orange juice to drink.
The snack.
We cruised at 24,000 feet, by which time the turbluence had cleared. By this time we were near the south east coast of England.
Land and cloud.
Land.
Land.
Land.
I noted the infdo from the Airshow display: at 24,000 feet the OAT was -25 degrees C, ground speed was 387 miles per hour.
When the chocolates were handed out, I noticed the wrappers were different, and I chose a pink wrapper.
We approached Birmingham directly over Luton.
A turbulent descent throught his hideous, thick cloud!
We approached BHX but had to wait to land because the airport was busy.
Hideous weather on approach, and a rainbow.
We landed at 15:44, a minute early, in BHX. Shortly after we saw a Eurowings CRJ take off. The hideous Alitalia Embraer 170 had also just arrived.
Touchdown in BHX.
The hideous Embraer 170. The tails on the left belong to a Jetstream of Eastern and a BAe 146 of British Airways.
Eastern and BA at Eurohub - our A319 was the largest aircraft in that section of the airport normally occupied by smaller aircraft. Note the hideous black clouds!
A good flight, bit turbulent, crew pleasant but could have been better regarding magazine had out.
And I have it all again in November!
