BRU-NCL on SNBA 14/09/06

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

This would probably be my last flight with SNBA. We left our Brugge hotel after breakfast and had a taxi ride to the station. The train we caught to Brussels Zuid was going to Eupen - where we had been exactly one week before and where we were determined to go again.

The Sh*tty to Brussels Airport was average, it will be nice when those damned things have been scrapped.

Our flight was due to leave at 19:30, so we had a very long time to wait in the airport. We checked in on arrival and were given seats 12A and 12C. After looking in some of the shops, we went for a meal to Brussels Cafe before we finally decided to go through to departures.

A couple tried to push into the queue in front of us but we elbowed them out of the way and went to the security check. The security guy thought I was Belgian because I had the Luchtzak tee shirt on, but when he found out I was English he told me what the word "luchtzak" meant. Something had bleeped when I went through the scanner, so I was searched before we could finally go through.

We saw loads of stuff, and there were lots of Turkish planes about, so I bagged them because many were new to me.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/inter_bru.jpg
Inter.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/onur_03.jpg
Onur.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/sun_express_bru.jpg
The delayed Sun Express departs.

I also had chance to bag a real beauty I had not seen before.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/tunisian_04.jpg
A Tunisian A300-600 arrives.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/line_up_bru.jpg
The A300 dwarfed the smaller Airbuses.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/tunisian_05.jpg
The Tunisian aircraft ready for departure.

I walked through the B terminal area to bag whatever was interesting. As I walked past I saw another old friend believed to be operating to BHX on the equivalent flight we flew home on last year (with this same aircraft).

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/oo_ssk_bru.jpg
OO-SSK - three flights on this, to date the only SN Airbus I flew on.

As we waited we saw a few interesting things such as a Lufthansa "football nose" plane, a Lufthansa ARJ and as SAS aircraft which was escorted in by fire engines, parked in the middle of the tarmac and then surrounded by fire engines.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/fire_brigade_sas_02.jpg
The SAS plane and fire engines.

Original post

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

Our flight - SN2191 - was to depart from B27. There were alot waiting in the gate area, and at 19:10 the boarding call was made.

Our aircraft was RJ100 OO-DWD.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/oodwd_bru.jpg

We were greeted by the female purser and settled into our seats.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/engine_view_2191.jpg
My beloved back engine view.

The other flight attendant was a stewardess (surprise, surprise - we never get stewards on our flights any more).

This time there was no Connect handed out.

The aircraft was pushed back at 19:29 and taxied to 25R. We waited ages to take off, as loads of aircraft were leaving at that time. The pilot used the wait to explain the conditions along the way.

There was a possibility of light turbulence because of thunderstorms over the North Sea, and it was misty in Newcastle. The flight would last 1 hour 10 minutes. He finished his speech by saying we could take advantage of the delay in take off to enjoy the SNBA in flight service. How do you do that when everyone is strapped in their seats at the end of the runway?

At 19:49 we took off. The initial climb was smooth, but as we reached higher altitude we encountered some slight turbulence. Above the cloud it was calm.

The snack was a change from fruit tart - pasta salad (which I didn't eat because of the beans), a cheese sandwich, a biscuit and a carton of water.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/snack_2191.jpg
The snack.

I had one milk chocolate when the chocolate basket was passed round.

We saw a nice sunset as we headed towards England.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/sunset_2191.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/sunset_2191_02.jpg

As we descended to Newcastle, the turbulence increased, as we expected, and it was dark as we approached along the coast.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Flambards/sn2191/newcastle_lights_2191.jpg
The lights of Newcastle.

At 19:49 we landed in NCL. It was raining a bit, but not too heavy. We left the aircraft and went to baggage reclaim.

Then the fun started. We waited and waited for our luggage. One of the airport staff told us there would be a small delay with our luggage, but as we waited longer, people began to think that our luggage had gone on the wrong plane, as we could not see any signs of anything leaving the aircraft. Finally, we all breathed a sigh of relief when the luggage started to appear, then the carousel jammed and stopped, which did not please people whose luggage had not come through.

Eventually, our bags arrived, and we caught the Metro to Newcastle Central and walked to our hotel - the Jurys Inn (very nice and new).

We had two great flights, fantastic weather, great food and beer, visited gorgeous places and I am back again at Christmas, though not with SNBA.

Next year we are having a change from Brugge but going somewhere I am just as fond of.

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 1,289

Fantastic report and pics there! :D

Member for

18 years 8 months

Posts: 4,721

Great report Louise:D Is this you last flight with SNBA for 2006 or you last ever flight with them? Please dont tell me Plane food as gone all heathly :o I hate all this heathly food cr*p.

James

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

Thanks for the comments.

James - this was my last SNBA flight for 2006, and possibly my last one for good, as they are merging with Virgin Express to form an airline with a new name which will emerge next year (don't know when but probably before we are due to go to Brussels again).

I think that food was a one-off, as it is nearly always fruit pie when we fly on SN (it had been on every flight until this one for a couple of years).

Member for

18 years 4 months

Posts: 157

Excellent report there and nice pics! :D

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 12,842

Great detailed report with some very good pictures

Member for

18 years 8 months

Posts: 4,721

Thanks Louise wow Virgin express are still around I thought they left

James

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

Thanks again for the comments.

You still see the Virgin Express planes in BRU, I think they'll only be repainted after the new airline has been fully formed.

Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 333

Comet , off thread but can you drop me a PM , as i wanted to ask you about some photographs posted on another thread, re old Finningley pictures.

Many thanks

Paul

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 2,017

Great report there

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 112

Interesting report there and nice pics.