In August I decided to make a flight because I always looked at the Internet fares and they were rock bottom low. On the Easyjet website I found a flight which suited my schedule perfectly, and my financial possibilities even more. So on the 20th of August I decided to book a return flight to London Luton on for the vacation that I had in October. So I booked for the 23th of October and the flight only costed me a total of €66.03 including all the taxes and charges.
*Note, all the times are givin in Dutch time, unless stated other wise.
Easyjet
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS/EHAM) – London Luton (LTN/EGGW)
Flight #: EZY – 2174
October 23th, 2004
Departure time: 12.10 PM
Arrival time: 13.15 PM (12.15 PM Local time)
At first I will present you some basic data about the flight:
General Information:
Date: 23-10-2004
Route: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS/EHAM) – London Luton (LTN/EGGW)
Flight number: EZY-2174
Aircraft:(Planned): B737-33V(B737)
Company: Easyjet
Registration/Name: G-EZYH
Captain: Mr/Ms Contractor
First Officer: Mr/Ms Henderson
Height: Flight Level 240
Distance: 221 miles / 355 km / 192 nm
Delay: - 9mins
Flight time:(Planned): 0hr 58mins(1hr 05mins)
Remarks: Boarding time: 11.40hBoarding actual: 12.00hNo ground equipment in London Luton due to the arrival of 3 flights.
Departure:
Departure Gate/Bay: D-12
Departure: (Planned): 12.26h(12.10h)
Take-off: 12.34h
Runway: 06L/24R
In-Flight:
Cruise Speed (kts): 0.72 mach
Time Airborne: 54 minutes
Seat: 5A
Arrival:
Touchdown: 13.20h
Runway: 08L/26R
Arrival:(Planned): 13.24h(13.15h)
Arrival Gate/Bay: Stand 8
This morning I decided to get up early and take the first train from my hometown to Schiphol. My mom took me to the train station this early. The total journey takes about 1h 50min (and a return ticket costs an outrageous €30.80). I took the train at 06.22AM and arrived at Schiphol around 08.11AM. I decided first to look to which counter I needed to head for check-inn which turned out to be counter 19. Since I was there so early the check-inn for my flight had not started and I headed to the observation deck. When I got there I saw that they now charged €1 for a visit and since it was still dark and raining like hell I got back to the Terminal again. I’m always so excited about flying that I feel really sick, so I drank a bottle of water to calm down a bit. After that I got to the “World of Wings” and bought a Herpa Wings Boeing 747-400 of UAL.
Waiting started to annoy me so I got at about 09.40 to the check-inn counter to ask if I could be checked in already. The nice lady behind the counter made a quick phone call and received the go ahead so I was the first one to receive a boarding card (with the number 001 on it of course).
I made my way to security and saw that there was a long line and prepared myself for a long wait in the queue. But after about 10mins I passed security without any hassle and made my way to the G-pier to work my way slowly up to the D-pier and photographing all the nice aircraft there. Unfortunately it still rained so on the windows there where raindrops which made it hard to get some good shots. But anyway I walked into every pier and made pictures. They turned out “moderate” in my opinion (and compared to my skills). The only hassle I got was when I got send away by some security guards from taking a picture from a NWA DC-10. This was remarkable since I took as many pictures of other aircraft (including other NWA DC-10’s) and no one seemed to care then.
Finally I got to my departure gate (D-12) and settled down. On the gate was still an Easyjet B73G (G-EZKG) bound for Bristol. Some passengers where late and they still waited for them, and they searched for the bags to get them of the aircraft. In the end they closed the gate and the aircraft was pushed back, and in that exact moment the 2 men came up to the gate. After a short argument they accepted the fact that they could get on the flight anymore.
Then the gate agents announced that there would be a slight delay of 20mins because the aircraft needed to taxi all the way from the Polderbaan, and I got very nervous because I only had 2h and 15mins before check-inn would close for my flight back to Schiphol.
But then the aircraft (Easyjet’s B733 G-EZUH) turned into the gate and the first rows where called. The gate agents filtered everyone out who had not been called yet. As we boarded the aircraft I decided to settle down in seat 5A so that I had a nice view out of the window.
My ride to London Luton arrives at the gate (Boeing 737-33V G-EZYH).
We pushed back at 12.26, some 16 minutes behind schedule. We taxied to runway 06L-24R (Kaagbaan) for take-off, and we took the bird into the rainy and cloudy Dutch skies at 12.34PM. As we reached our cruising level at FL240 we had broken to the clouds and flew around in the sunny and blue skies, which formed a huge contrast between the ground at Schiphol and uphere.
The weather is way much better up here.
Soon the crew came out with the Easy-kiosk and quite some people purchased food and drinks from them. Not too long after they finished their service we already started our decent to London Luton airport and dived into the rainy grey clouds again. After some time we broke through them again, but this time from underneath. It took quite some time before we touched down in Luton (runway 08L/26R) and braked hard before leaving the runway.
Braking on the runway.
As we taxied to our stand I was baffled when I noticed a US Airways Boeing 757 standing in front of the Monarch hanger, but as soon as I spotted the British registration (G-OOBJ, for First Choice), I guessed it must have to be destined for a British charter carrier. Our stand today was number 8, but we could not deplane right away because some other Easyjet flights had arrived causing a shortage of handling equipment.
As the first passengers left the aircraft I made my way up to the front and asked the purser if I could have a look, which was replied with a friendly yes. The pilots (Captain Contractor and F/O Henderson) where very kind to allow me to take a photo and I had a brief chat with them before heading to the bus and into the terminal.
The Boeing 737-33V cockpit with captain Contractor.
I noticed that the building was a bit shoddy and old but it seemed like they where building new terminals around there. After a short search for drugs (A 17-year old Dutch bloke traveling for no apparent reason from Amsterdam to London is suspicious, ehhh
), I continued to the check-inn and waited at the end of the queue.Because in our line there where some idiots who did want to take too much wait we needed to wait until they where finished and I turned out to be number 81 for boarding now. I made my way through security (and got searched again) and got to a book store to buy a copy of “Airliners World”. Then I settled down and waited until our gate would be announced. When that happened I made my way towards it and stood in line three. I noticed that there was an Easyjet B73G in front of the building so I took a nice picture of it.
Easyjet
London Luton (LTN/EGGW) - Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS/EHAM)
Flight #: EZY – 2175
October 23th, 2004
Departure time: 15.30 PM
Arrival time: 16.35 PM
Again, first I will give some general details about the flight:
General Information:
Date: 23-10-2004
Route: London Luton (LTN/EGGW) - Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS/EHAM)
Flight number: EZY-2175
Aircraft:(Planned): B737-73V(B737)
Company: Easyjet
Registration/Name: G-EZJK
Captain: Mr/Ms Steven French
First Officer: Mr/Ms Bourne
Height: Flight Level 230
Distance: 221 miles / 355 km / 192 nm
Delay: - 5mins
Flight time:(Planned): 1hr 00mins(1hr 10mins)
Remarks: Boarding time: 15.00Boarding actual: 15.25
Departure
Departure Gate/Bay: Stand 7
Departure: (Planned): 15.35h(15.30h)
Take-off: 15.45h
Runway: 08L/26R
In-Flight:
Cruise Speed (kts): 300 knots
Time Airborne: 47mins
Seat: 11F
Arrival:
Touchdown: 16.22h
Runway: 18/36 “Polderbaan”
Arrival:(Planned): 16.35h(16.40h)
Arrival Gate/Bay: D4
When boarding was announced we needed to wait until the other two lines where up and away until we could go. Since the aircraft that stood in front of us was our ride back to Amsterdam, we could walk across the tarmac to the aircraft.
My ride back to Amsterdam standing at London Luton (Boeing 737-73V G-EZJK)
I thought that since I was in the last group of passengers that all nice window seats in front of the plane already would have been taken. I decided to board via the rear air stairs then and still managed to find a nice window seat (11F) because most of the people boarded from the front and where still standing in a queue. A businessman settled next to me, but the middle seat remained empty. I guess that he had some kind of fear for flying, because he acted very nervous (especially on landing and take-off). I noticed the nice interior of this Boeing 737NG, and I really like the curves and all in this Dreamliner style.
Anyway, we pushed back around 15.35PM and made our way to the runway for take-off at 15.45PM. We did hold short of the runway to see a Monarch Boeing 752 land right in front of us and in the midst of a rain shower.
The Monarch B752 arriving in front of us.
Turning onto the runway.
After take-off we did cruise around FL230 only to find that it was again very nice weather up there, when the weather just sucked on the ground.
Cruising above the clouds.
Also this time the crew came around with the Easy-kiosk some people bought things. The businessman next to me bought a can of beer, but the thing what you open it with broke off. So he rammed it into the can, which spattered open all over his tray and on the floor. When he got a tissue he cleaned it up a bit, but it wasn’t that messy after all.
Again we began our decent into the clouds very rapid after the service was finished, and when we broke trough the clouds we landed on runway (18/36) which was the Polderbaan. The crew then announced that we would need to taxi for about 10mins to the gate. That was fine with me.
When we arrived at gate D4 I did ask the crew again if I could have a look into the cockpit, and the friendly response again granted me access to the flight deck. Since the aircraft needed to be turned around very fast, I just took a few pics and had a brief chat with the crew, which where very nice also. When I left I asked the Stewardess if I could have a safety card for my collection and she gave me a new one. As I got to the pier I took a few shots of the aircraft but then decided that I was wasted and I should head for the train.
Cockpit 1
Cockpit 2
The Boeing 737-73V standing at gate D4 at AMS/EHAM.
I stopped by the “Wings of World” shop again, and got me a B772 of American Airlines this time. Tired but happy I then got onto the train journey which would last 1.50h until I would got home.
A KLM Boeing 737-306 (PH-BDD "Anthony van Diemen") I photographed on the way back.
Looking back I would have said that this was a real fun day for me, and it didn’t cost me not that much money (I spended about €130 on that day). Only the bad thing was that exactly that day the weather was bad. I got what I wanted, a ride on both the B733 and the B73G, the latter being a new type for me. I found that Easyjet service isn't as good as Emirates first class, but it was at the same standard of KLM's one (I flew AMS-LHR-AMS in December 2003). Only now one needed to pay something for food and drinks, a decision that can vary for every person. But the low fares made it possible for me to make this fun trip. I'd sure try Easyjet again.
I hope you enjoyed reading this (too long?) report, but the fact that you came all the way until down here should confirm this.
More pictures of that day can be found here.
Thanks!! Only sad of the weather. But never mind. You had a pleasant flight. It's indeed nice there excist low-cost caariers, they offer us the opportunity to make some flights like these for a low price 
