.We spent the night at the Radisson Blu in the airport grounds, and had a bit of a view through the window of our room (though some rooms have better views!)
Jet2 lease two A330s, and they are both based at MAN, so I was very pleased to get the chance to photograph one from the hotel room.
I had checked in online but still had luggage to drop off, so we had to go to the desk and check in the bags. Then we had to join the long security queue. Loganair depart from terminal 3 at MAN, which has not been as badly affected by queues as Terminal 2. The queue was quite fast moving so we weren't too stressed and passed through into the departure area in good time.
Our flight was LM022, scheduled to depart at 08:30. It has been operated by a variety of aircraft including the ERJs, the ATR72 and the ATR42, which was to be today's aircraft. I was happy to be flying in a "new" (for me) aircraft type.
Our aircraft was G-LMSA.
G-LMSA at the gate.
G-LMSA has the name "Clan Armstrong".
G-LMSA being prepared for the flight to Aberdeen.
We boarded in good time, and hoped for an on-time departure (this flight rarely departs on time). We were greeted by the single flight attendant and settled into our seats - 10A and 10B.
The ATR safety card.
View from my seat.
This Loganair ERJ145 was operating the flight to Inverness.
We started to push back at 08:36, so not bad for timing! We took off at 08:45.
We climbed through some cloud, and the Captain said that weather conditions in Aberdeen were not good: rain, cloud, poor visibility!
Inflight view.
Inflight view.
Don't know what bridge that is.
My inflight snack was this Scottish caramel wafer and water to drink. Hot drinks were available and there was also a choice of shortbread biscuits if you didn't want the wafer.
Inside the ATR. The seating is 2-2 and each seat has an individual (as opposed to all the same pattern) tartan headrest. I found the aircraft quite comfortable, and vastly superior to the vile train we had endured in 2021!
Above the clouds.
A clear bit.
Over the coast.
Starting the descent to Aberdeen, and approaching the cloud. We flew through thick cloud on the approach, and there was some turbulence. Sitting in row 10 meant that I felt the landing gear door opening and the landing gear lowering, right under my feet!
It was very cloudy and raining when we landed in Aberdeen at 09:48. I was glad to have flown again, even though I am seriously out of practice when it comes to writing trip reports
.
