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Just flown commercially for the first time in 7 years to connect with a Svalbard cruise at Longyearbyen. Pushed the boat out with business class seat with Mrs Pegpilot from LHR to Helsinki and was gob-smacked to find that the 10.20 am Finnair flight was a long-haul configured A350-real luxury for a two and a half hour European flight - I'm guessing the early morning flight from Helsinki in to LHR is pretty busy, hence the need for more seats than an A320 (not so lucky on return as it WAS a bog standard A320). Onward flight to and from Svalbard was a Polish charter called Enter Air operating pretty spartan 737-800's. My first experience of EU entry was Helsinki which saw us queue for 45 minutes but to be fair the queue handlers were pretty good at weeding out the short connection pax and speeding them through. Pretty galling, though, to watch the EU citizens speed through the automatic gates. As for Svalbard, just "gosh"!
Yes that Finnair flight has usually been an A350 for about a decade. Someone with better knowledge than me will correct me I’m sure, but AIUI Finnair used it as shorter familiarisation flights with their very first A350s, found they could fill it, and kept it on.
Yes that Finnair flight has usually been an A350 for about a decade. Someone with better knowledge than me will correct me I’m sure, but AIUI Finnair used it as shirter familiarisation flights with their very first A350s, found they could fill it, and kept it on.
Luton to Milan Malpensa on Wizzair, mid-afternoon. Lots of firsts on this flight for me: new airline, new airports and new aircraft type (A321-200). About an hour's delay to departure. Not much legroom, for reasons I'm still not quite sure of there were people sat in the wrong place so I ended up in about row 11 rather than 32. Excellent view of the Alps.
Luton was ok. After faffing about with repacking suitcases to just get under the weight limit for hold luggage (2 suitcases for 8 people), we were through security in about 5 minutes, a huge amount of queueing space was bypassed. For some reason we had arrived 3.5 hours before the flight (possibly linked to bus times from Milton Keynes). Even with the delayed departure, we had over 2.5 hours to kill in the terminal.
I had some free lounge passes to use, so myself and one other joined the waitlist for both lounges. Our justification to the rest of the group for this comparative luxury was that we were both doing the 4+ hour drive from Milan - everyone else could sleep in the car if needed. No1 Lounge was the first to have space available, so in we went. It was very nice - some very interesting food options. I think we spent at least an hour here.
Malpensa Terminal 1 is rather nice architecturally. All of us apart from one were allowed through the e-gates. At this point we decided that the two drivers would go and pick up the hire cars whilst everyone else waited for luggage/manual EES entry etc. Accommodation was finally reached at just after 0200.
After that trip, everyone else came back to the UK via the reverse of the above. Except me - I went to Düsseldorf instead for some Interrailing. easyJet, so T2 at Malpensa. This is nowhere near as nice a building as T1, but I only arrived about an hour before the flight so was rather less concerned about architecture! Again, security was swift.
Boarding was on time onto the A320, but we then sat at the stand for about an hour for reasons which I could never quite work out. Something to do with the control tower I think. A couple of empty seats, I was middle but ended up in the aisle whilst the person who should have been there took the empty window seat instead. No drama on the flight. No EES at Düsseldorf as this was an intra-Schengen flight. Then the fun of buying a train ticket to Dortmund, followed by trying to find a train that was actually running! I got one that was I think 70 minutes late, but was perfectly timed for me. Eventually arrived in Dortmund after 2300.
No more trips booked at the moment - but I'm sure I'll find something to do. Maybe find an excuse to go in the Finnair A350 mentioned above! I'm also considering spending a weekend fitting in as many flights as possible round Europe for as little money as possible...
Yes that Finnair flight has usually been an A350 for about a decade. Someone with better knowledge than me will correct me I’m sure, but AIUI Finnair used it as shirter familiarisation flights with their very first A350s, found they could fill it, and kept it on.
Yesterday (July 15th 2026) I flew on Loganair ERJ145 from Manchester -Newquay then took a Ryanair Flight (737 obviously) from Newquay to Stanstead. Two new routes and two new airports and 3 London Airports left - City, Southend and Luton.
Yes that Finnair flight has usually been an A350 for about a decade. Someone with better knowledge than me will correct me I’m sure, but AIUI Finnair used it as shorter familiarisation flights with their very first A350s, found they could fill it, and kept it on.
Demand, cargo, and fleet utilisation. They use them to Munich and Amsterdam too. Otherwise the planes would be sitting around waiting for the evening departure bank out to Asia, following an AM arrival.
Got my eye on the BA 777 service from LHR to MAD. Often commands high prices, with seat selection on top. Might do it in the opposite direction and connect onto domestic flight, that was cheaper than doing MAD - LHR.
Flew GLA - JER on Friday on Easyjet, impressed the A320 can get in and out of JER.
I had perhaps more meant that Belfast was very much not likely to be looking its best, and that road closures and heavy police presence does not usually inspire fancy-free tourist wanderings. I know a thing or to about going to active war zones so I didn't expect you to be in danger...
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I took my 400th and 401st flights this last week.
Luxembourg - Copenhagen on a Luxair Dash 8
Luxembourg is a very convenient airport. The tram from the city centre is free, as is all public transport, and pretty quick (about 25 minutes from the central station). Half battery, half catenary operated.
Luxair is a great little airline, and a new one for me, though I have flown from Luxembourg a number of times. They offer a decent size sandwich on board, salame or brie. They also offer a very nice Luxembourg-grown white wine and a Luxembourg grown Cremant. Both absolutely delicious. The flight was to the minute on time, only let down by needing to wait for a gate in Copenhagen. A lovely clear summer's evening for flying.
Copenhagen was then, for a week, the largest airport I have flown to not on Airbus/Boeing planes. While I have flown from many small airports or even airstrips on non-Boeing aircraft, this was the first big airport to which I had only flown to/from on Bombardier aircraft. Helsinki is the next biggest on that list, with only ATR and Embraer aircraft. Copenhagen is also the biggest airport to which I have only flown to/from on short haul routes.
Copenhagen - Amsterdam on a Norwegian 737-800.
Departure security took 10 seconds, though still with the old scanners which is a poor showing from a big airport. The departure area is very busy with shops and restaurants, but little by way of seating. After security, towards the A gates, the nearest toilets are in the basement, but quite substantially down in the basement. An unusual number of stairs for accessing an airport bathroom (even more than at Schiphol).
We were boarded early on the Swedish registered aircraft and pushed back about 15 minutes early. By the time we were at the runway we were bang on time. A quick hour's flight in smooth conditions, though nothing to see out the window through the thick blanket of cloud for most of the flight. Southerly approach at Schiphol meant quick access to the gate. Missed a train to the south by 2 minutes, alas!
It will be a somewhat busy autumn for me now, with 14 flights on 3 continents booked before September (2 might get knocked out of that - remains to be seen) and an option for another 6-8 between September and Christmas.
4th August SN277 Brussels Zaventem (BRU) - Accra Kotoka international (ACC). Flight #402 for me.
Flight month kicked off with an A330-300 taking us down to Accra from Brussels. While in Brussels airlines' colourscheme, this was one 'lent' from Lufthansa. The crew were very adamant in telling passengers this, usually related to the IFE not working or other similar issues.
I arrived in Zaventem by train at 0920, and by 0940 had dropped off a checked-in bag, gone through security and entered the passport lane. Passport control took about an hour, even with a UN passport, followed by a long schlep over to the T gates.
We boarded pretty much on time, but then were held for about 40 minutes for passengers off the late-running Paris flight. They arrived drenched in sweat, so I think it had been quite the marathon sprint for them.
Fairly smooth flight. IFE is not bad content-wise, but the screen is tiny. There's one meal service (OK, nothing special and consistent with my other SN flights), a couple of runs of the bar cart and then an ice cream snack at the end of the flight.
Arrival in Accra was amazing. The airport is clean, modern, light and airy. Temperature checks for ebola and yellow fever checks all done pretty much instantly. Passport control took about 3 minutes. I had done the very expensive e-visa though they seem to expect you to have gone to an embassy as they always flicked through the passport looking for the visa before asking for the e-visa. Every single interaction with any staff member was courteous, polite and professional. Baggage took about 20 minutes. Outside, instead of the usual scrummage, any taxi drivers were very polite, and the airport staff organising things very polite and not insistent at all. There were no organisational vehicles spare that day to pick me up, so I took an Uber. Very simple and straight forward.
All my long or mid-haul flights over the next month are booked on either A330-300 or -200: 2 from SN, 2 from KLM, 4 from TK. The only thing ruining my all-Airbus streak is a brace of Embraer flights on domestic flights here, and a couple of unknown (737 or Beechcraft) in September.
Couple of weeks ago Manchester > Southampton on Loganair. I read Loganair are pulling out of Southampton, so is the route now endangered (again??)? Was it previously Blue Islands, and before that easyjet?
Could easyjet do MAN>SOU>JER rather like a bus route?
Couple of weeks ago Manchester > Southampton on Loganair. I read Loganair are pulling out of Southampton, so is the route now endangered (again??)? Was it previously Blue Islands, and before that easyjet?
Could easyjet do MAN>SOU>JER rather like a bus route?
I don't think easyJet did the route, but Flybe absolutely did. As I understand it, the Manchester - Exeter route uses a Southampton frame and crew, so that will also disappear.
I am not sure the litany of failed attempts would inspire easyJet would to have a go. easyJet I think serve Jersey from the NW so no need to stop in Southampton. Someone on another forum compiles estimates of load factors on the basis of CAA data, including for Southampton and the results are not great - April this year saw <50% load factor and Exeter wasn't much better.
As far as domestic connectivity goes, this is not a huge loss and may represent better connectivity in other respects. E.g. Exeter now has an Amsterdam flight which will surely steal some of the traffic that might have connected over Manchester. Some of the traffic to Southampton may have been cruise traffic, and maybe the cruise lines have changed their connectivity options.
I don't think easyJet did the route, but Flybe absolutely did. As I understand it, the Manchester - Exeter route uses a Southampton frame and crew, so that will also disappear.
I am not sure the litany of failed attempts would inspire easyJet would to have a go. easyJet I think serve Jersey from the NW so no need to stop in Southampton. Someone on another forum compiles estimates of load factors on the basis of CAA data, including for Southampton and the results are not great - April this year saw <50% load factor and Exeter wasn't much better.
As far as domestic connectivity goes, this is not a huge loss and may represent better connectivity in other respects. E.g. Exeter now has an Amsterdam flight which will surely steal some of the traffic that might have connected over Manchester. Some of the traffic to Southampton may have been cruise traffic, and maybe the cruise lines have changed their connectivity options.
Yes, you are correct, FlyBe were before Blue Isles. Such a pity the route might disappear, I paid over £200 return and that - in days when pax expect much cheaper air travel - might put plenty off. And as you allude to, Exeter would probably go as well. theerfore the only route to the south and south-west is by rail, and unless you use the dog-leg via London, it's Cross Country, and my views on that service aren't as positive as they should be.
Easyjet fly MAN>Newquay and might be interested in Exeter?
Couple of weeks ago Manchester > Southampton on Loganair. I read Loganair are pulling out of Southampton, so is the route now endangered (again??)? Was it previously Blue Islands, and before that easyjet?
Could easyjet do MAN>SOU>JER rather like a bus route?
I would imagine the majority of passengers on the Exeter route were Exeter-originating and probably connecting over Manchester onwards and the new Amsterdam flight from KLM probably steals most of that; many more official and unofficial connections available there than at Manchester.
Newquay I would imagine is perhaps a bit more balanced.
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I only noticed when I saw SeanM's TwiX on this, that Dundee loses its only customer as it stands, with Loganair pulling flights from Dundee in the same tranche as the Southampton base. Similar to Carlisle's short-lived attempt at commercial flights, maybe we have too many small airports relatively near much bigger airports, and with relatively good transport links between them.
Presumably if you booked the following day you would get a full refund (not as if they went out of business) but that wouldn't help with hotel costs, onward and return travel!
*Double checks* 4 mins from the train to security? Must be T1/3 (Ryanair) and that's legging it!! Terminal two - probably quicker to walk to Liverpool airport than T2!! Although the travelators are back working which helps!
But well done, Manchester gets a lot of flak (and rightly) but to have three choices for security (fast track £££'s, time-slot £'s or free and queue) is great. Schiphol has time-slot too. Bit risky if you are on the train but you get 15 mins "grace" either side, so if I think I'm arriving by train at 3pm, I book my T/S for 3.30 so I wander up in plenty of time.
Still impressive - those pesky travelators/moving walkways between the railway station and terminals always seem to be out of order when I use them and try to travel fast.
Flight today with Africa World Airlines from Accra to Tamale (northern Ghana).
Embraer ERJ 145 for a 45 minute flight to the north. Domestic flights depart from the old terminal at Accra, which is far from looking its best, but is being busily refurbished. This used to be the main international terminal, and the hallmarks are all still there. The security trays are still Brussels airlines stickered and there are skyteam stickers all over the windows in the departure lounge. Boarding was swift and using an airside bus which has clearly been in a number of collisions and scrapes. Somehow it doesn't inspire confidence.
We board the plane for a full flight up country. The seats are quite old but comfortable. The flight is smooth after a rapid take off. A service of water bottles, juice cartons and an entire large pack of dry salty crackers. Thanks but?
The airport terminal at Tamale is brand new, still with that new airport smell, and in immaculate condition. It calls itself an international airport, with passport desks, but the only flights are to Accra a few times per day.
KLM are very quietly building up a pretty decent amount of flights to Amsterdam from the UK, often with some very reasonable connection times in AMS. For instance, take Humberside-Exeter. They can offer you a 4 hour journey via Amsterdam, which actually beats the train by 90 minutes or so. The train requires a change in Sheffield with just 8 minutes, and first class is roughly the same price as the plane would be.
It's astonishing how BA have essentially let KLM create a decent domestic network in the UK.
Another Embraer 145 today from Tamale to Accra with Africa World Airlines.
The airport at Tamale is small but brand new. Pretty functional and air conditioned when the electricity is on (about 60% of the time I was there). Smooth flight on the 2008 built aircraft with only a few lumps and bumps around the storm that was building nearby as we took off.
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Saturday 15th
SN295 - Accra - Cotonou - Brussels.
Another trouble free flight with Brussels airlines in Premium Economy. The check-in counter advised the flight was very full, and passengers being bumped onto the later KLM flight, which led to quite the screaming match on the part of some. I did volunteer but only if I got business class on KLM. No dice.
While the check in process at Accra is quite chaotic, largely due to the sheer number of luggage trolleys involved, the rest of the process was smooth and very quick (no wait at immigration and about 10 minutes at security. The flight from Brussels arrived on time, and boarding was completed pretty smoothly, including a crew change. The premium seats are not bad, but not the best in the sky. As expected, no service on the 0 minute leg to Cotonou. The plane had a quick clean and luggage identification check in Cotonou after passengers for Cotonou disembarked. Accra is definitely the bigger station for them on this triangle route. There was very little change over in the premium economy cabin, and no visible change over in the J cabin in Cotonou. About 60 passengers I would say joined in Cotonou which otherwise has a very sparse service - the first departure in the morning after the 00.20 to Paris is not until 11.35 am.
We left bang on time from COO, and had a good routing back as we arrived in Brussels 30 minutes early. A flight with pretty long stretches of low-level turbulence. Our early arrival meant we were one of the first flights in the morning wave at immigration, just catching the tail end of the Abidjan flight which beat us by about 20 minutes. Luggage was promptly delivered and I made the 05.59 train with 10 minutes to spare, having touched down at 0500.
Brussels airlines have paused their long-haul expansion citing low profitability. While a shame, it does make sense. When booking the flights, the proposal our TA came back with had KLM at a €1,000 premium over SN. While some of that will account for the stop in Cotonou on the return, not all of it. They are not able to charge the premium other airlines can and the T gate experience at Brussels isn't great compared to Paris or Amsterdam, and the new terminal at Addis will surely also steal some market away.
Well flew today on an Embraer 190 from London City Airport (LCY) to Glasgow (GLA). Seat 1A in Business Class courtesy of American Airlines One World miles. Good food provided - smoked salmon etc. 2 new airports for me.
Amsterdam - Edmonton with KLM. Lovely flight on the A333, continuing my crossing continents on A333s theme. Very smooth flight and comfortable seats. Good food and reasonable IFE. Edmonton is a great entry port with only the KLM as an international arrival at the time and so no queue, similarly no queue for the rental car.
Glasgow to Bristol on Easyjet at 0635am. Security at Glasgow was a mess and had no option to buy fast track security or I may of missed my flight.
The flight was rather uneventful, good view of Prestwick and South Wales. We taxied to a stad furthest form the terminal was bussed to the terminal. In true fashion, now one was informed to open the domestic arrivals door. Luckily I just made the NX coach at 0815.
Just booked my third long-haul trip of the year.
Heading to Japan next month which is something to look forward to.
Going with Air China via Beijing one way and Shanghai the other.
The Chinese airlines are just so much dramatically cheaper than any other option.
Just one weekend left to go and we should be over the summer peak of travel.
Though I always arrive extra early for early morning flights from UK airports. Always the busiest time at security and the bigger regional airports tend to be the worst.
You'll have the same on return at Bristol though it isn't as bad as it used to be there.
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0 minute leg to Cotonou. The plane had a quick clean and luggage identification check in Cotonou after passengers for Cotonou disembarked. Accra is definitely the bigger station for them on this triangle route. There was very little change over in the premium economy cabin, and no visible change over in the J cabin in Cotonou. About 60 passengers I would say joined in Cotonou which otherwise has a very sparse service - the first departure in the morning after the 00.20 to Paris is not until 11.35 am.