OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 23091 posts, RR: 60 Posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 4552 times:
Ta athas ar Aer lingus failte ar bord a chur romhat. / Aer Lingus is delighted to welcome you on board.
ROUTE : BFS-BCN
DATE : 02/MAR/2008
FLIGHT : EI 46
A/C : A320-214
REG : EI-DVF
NAMED : St. Jarlath/Iarfhlaith
SEAT : 25A ( MOVED TO 27 D.E.F)
Well a very good friend of mine has moved to manage a hotel in Southern Spain so it was time to take a trip. My options were Ryan Air from Dublin or Aer Lingus from Dublin. Belfast was also an option so I priced all of them and Belfast came out the best value and best times for me. I paid EUR 230 return for the trip.
I checked in online 24 hours before and selected my seat. I decided to sit at the back as I would get better videos and pics and also there are usually a few seats free from my experience.
The morning of the flight I took the Bus from Newry to Belfast Europa bus station then connected to the Airport express bus . It was very easy and quick. I arrived at BFS at around 0830am.
After collecting my boarding card from the SSK I went to the Viewing Gallery.
Easyjet crew
After that it was time to go to the Bank Of Ireland business lounge which is where Aer Lingus Gold card holders have free access to.
The Aer Lingus flight to AMS was cancelled due to the Pilot and Co Pilot being out of hours and passengers were bused to Dublin.
A nice selection of drinks and snacks
View from the lounge
All in all the lounge was very nice and comfortable with nice views.
It was then time to go to the gate to board passing this Jet2 B757.
There were alot of Celtic football fans heading out to the game with Barcelona. After everyone boarded I asked the girl at the gate which seats were free and she said that there were 2 rows at the back and I could sit there.
I boarded and surely enough there were seats free so I took 27 D.E.F.
The crew were really friendly and smiling. Today our chief Cabin attendant was Ann who I had met on the inaugural BFS-AMS flight back in December. She used to work for Jet2 and remembered me .
Safety demo
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
EICVD From Ireland, joined Mar 2008, 1951 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 4504 times:
Excellent TR as usual OA260
BFS looks quite boring from a spotters point of view.
Was in BCN a few years ago (after our trip to the city turned out to be a disaster). Didnt see many interesting a/c unlike what you caught in your pics.
Could you imagine if Celtic won! That would be some flight home
Good to see EI finally doing well in BFS. Hopefully it will only get better.
Thanks for the read
SandroZRH From Switzerland, joined Feb 2007, 3360 posts, RR: 53 Reply 2, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 4491 times:
Hey Philip!
Another great report along with the usual nice selection of pics. Must have felt like being on a football charter, certainly an interesting experience That hot breakfast looks kinda...gross. Other than that i find EI's inflight offers pretty good and accurately priced. Don't you just love the approach into BCN? Right along the coast, passing the city. And, nice to spot an LX tail in BCN
Last but not least:
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): Ta athas ar Aer lingus failte ar bord a chur romhat
SXDFC From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 1795 posts, RR: 21 Reply 3, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 4440 times:
Phil:
Great TR as always bro! Wheres the pictures of the hot Spanish girls you promised me! How did you like the last row?
ALL views, opinions expressed are mine ONLY and are NOT representative of those shared by Southwest Airlines Co.
AY104 From Canada, joined Nov 2005, 487 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 4328 times:
I only ever had one flight on EI, in 2006 from AMS to ORK. I commented to the f F/A's on arrival that it was the best shorthaul flight I had in years. The buy-on-board was excellent. The sandwiches were nice and fresh, too. I wish someone from EI would come over to North America and show the airline caterers here how to make a decent sandwich. Everything here is now wraps and bunwiches. I have to say, though, that AC do a pretty good job. I just get the craving for a nice, fresh sandwich with good bread and a nice fresh filling.
All the crew on the EI flight were exceptional, and for such a short flight (1hr 20min) did more than I could have imagined.
Salou looks like a nice city. I want to go back to Spain, but just not the rush of Barcelona, especially now it's a cruise ship port. And Malaga and Costa del Sol are out of the question. I have to do a search for info on Salou. Many good restaurants there?
Thanks for the great TR.
Cheers,
Carl
The only thing a customer should expect for his/her loyalty is good service
Shamrock350 From Ireland, joined Mar 2005, 5864 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 4026 times:
Excellent report OA260!
It's very good to hear things are picking up at the base, I'm sure it will do well. You chose two of my favourite Aer Lingus meals, the breakfast is very good and I always try to get the chicken and stuffing sandwich unless there is something new on the menu. Great value. The photo of the pizza on the menu doesn't do it justice, it looks a bit uncooked there but it's actually very nice but a bit small. Good to see some Aer Lingus advertising at the airport, I've noticed quite a lot recently. It's great when you have nice atmosphere on a flight and I find Aer Lingus cabin crew are very good at keeping things calm and relaxed. The Belfast crew seem really enthusiastic about their new jobs at EI and I hope as more routes start and the base expands that enthusiasm remains, I'm sure it will.
FLIEGER67 From France, joined Sep 2003, 3759 posts, RR: 58 Reply 12, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3801 times:
Hey, Philip,
thanx for posting this interesting story.
A trip to BFS will be also not bad!.
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): I decided to sit at the back as I would get better videos and pics and also there are usually a few seats free from my experience.
A 100 % agreement, always my way, if its ever possible.
AH332 From Algeria, joined Mar 2007, 276 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3665 times:
Hi,
Just wanted to ask. Does the common Spaniard speak and/or understand english? I'm asking because I'm flying to ALG this summer and flying through MAD, and I have some time to kill so I figured I'd head out to the city! Thanks.
Cheers,
Imad
Bledi Heya Al Djazaeer! // Next Flights: AB MIA-DUS-ORY, AF ORY-MRS-ALG
Airbuseric From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 3735 posts, RR: 52 Reply 15, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 3591 times:
Hi Philip
Like you, I also had only positive experiences on EI so far. Took them around 6 times in the past.
BFS seems to do pretty well now for them, although it's a shame to see a reduction on the AMS flights to 1 daily return only. Too bad for a good daytrip now
Pics are great! And your report was easier to load then your previous one
Cheers,
Eric
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
Very different but nice as its part of Irish cultural heritage.
Quoting SXDFC (Reply 3): Wheres the pictures of the hot Spanish girls you promised me!
Haha just stick to the Greek girls and the Gyros !!!
Quoting DavidkunzVIE (Reply 6): But don't tell me that blue thing that guy is wearing is a Rangers jersey???
Definately not . He would be a brave guy to do that although to be honest the guys were very nice and well behaved. That same guy was on my return flight.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 12): And BCN, always good for some new interesting planes,
Yes it was my first time to see Vueling and KLD.
Quoting AH332 (Reply 14): Does the common Spaniard speak and/or understand english?
Yes mostly but I was surprised that in the tourist areas and shops in Salou there were alot who didn't speak English. I was looking for a birthday card for my Dad and I went into 3 shops to ask and they didn't understand. I guess I will have to learn some Spanish !!
EISHN From Ireland, joined Feb 2007, 1502 posts, RR: 9 Reply 17, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 3360 times:
Great report Man!!!
The BFS crews are really great IMO. Very friendly and natural.
Food looks good, as I have found in the past.
I snapped a few pics of Mannion, and the crew and kids when they were standing by the door of the aircraft with the picture, only mine were taken from the lounge.
Keep 'em up!
EISHN
St. Flannan/ Fhlanain- She took off to find the footlights, And I took off for the sky
LHRBFSTrident From UK - Northern Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 589 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 3263 times:
Great TR - ta an t-eolas ar fad ann - outstanding selection of pics - made me feel like I went along too!
And so many memories of BFS came flooding back - remember standing at that window in the 'rotunda' part of the terminal for what seemed like hours trying to spot a/c at age 14 or 15 and all I got was a Dan Air 748 and a Loganair 330 (Jock's Box!) and the occasional Worldways Canada DC-8, while waiting for the same old BA 1-11 to take me back to BHX (always G-BBME...)
Thanks!
Next up: LAX-LHR NZ002 Y SkyCouch! LHR-LAX NZ001 Y
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 23091 posts, RR: 60 Reply 20, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3164 times:
Quoting EISHN (Reply 17): Food looks good, as I have found in the past.
Yes it is and I dont mind paying for good food.
Quoting LHRBFSTrident (Reply 18): all I got was a Dan Air 748 and a Loganair 330 (Jock's Box!) and the occasional Worldways Canada DC-8, while waiting for the same old BA 1-11 to take me back to BHX (always G-BBME...)
Haha but I guess you would give anything to go back now and fly on a BA 1-11 , I know I would.
Quoting EIRules (Reply 19): didnt think Solou would be your scene though
No it isnt but I had better get used to it . To be honest when you have someone there you dont really care about the place. Barcelona is only an hour away so theres plenty to see and do there and maybe even explore the rest of the Spanish coastline.
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
EICVD From Ireland, joined Mar 2008, 1951 posts, RR: 5 Reply 21, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 3062 times:
Sorry to go off topic but I always seem to have problems with your videos OA. I can never watch any of them . Just wondering am I the only one this happens to?
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 23091 posts, RR: 60 Reply 22, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2909 times:
Hi sorry you cant seem to see the vids. I dont have a problem viewing them at my home laptop and work PC. Maybe its something in your settings?? Maybe click on the video twice and it opens into a new page. Maybe it will work.
OA260
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
Eka340 From Ireland, joined Jan 2008, 46 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 1 day ago) and read 2748 times:
Excellent TR OA260 - always nice to see a report from my local airport
eka340
25 Toulouse: Excellent TR, as always, OA260. Great to see EI in Belfast. BCN is a nice airport, I used to transit there a lot back in the early 90's when living in
26 B747forever: Awsome TR. The pics and videos are really good. Glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip with EI. Always nice when the crew recognize you. Seems that i
Sponsor Message: 
From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 23091 posts, 
From Switzerland, joined Feb 2007, 3360 posts, 
That hot breakfast looks kinda...gross. Other than that i find EI's inflight offers pretty good and accurately priced. Don't you just love the approach into BCN? Right along the coast, passing the city. And, nice to spot an LX tail in BCN 
From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 1795 posts, 
How did you like the last row?
From Canada, joined Nov 2005, 487 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined May 2007, 142 posts, 
From Austria, joined Mar 2007, 427 posts, 
From Colombia, joined Apr 2005, 2326 posts, 
From UK - Northern Ireland, joined Jul 2006, 78 posts, 
.
From France, joined Sep 2003, 3759 posts, 
From Algeria, joined Mar 2007, 276 posts, 
From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 3735 posts, 
. Just wondering am I the only one this happens to?
From Serbia, joined Oct 2007, 1779 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
