PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 17969 times:
Guernsey, Ash Cloud Alarm & Mostly Empty 777-300ERs:
MUC-MAN-GCI-MAN-MUC on SIA, Flybe and Aurigny
Background
In December 2009 Singapore Airlines announced the start-up of new Singapore-Munich-Manchester services from March 2010. What I liked most about the news was the fact that SIA would also have 5th freedom rights between Munich and Manchester. In early February SIA offered attractive round-trip fares between MUC and MAN, so I started planning a weekend trip. Trying SQ's 777-300ER on a European route would be great, but not enough. I wanted to get at least one new carrier or one new type, so I started searching for interesting flights suited for a combination. I ruled out booking a one-way flight on SIA because those weren't much cheaper than a round trip. So I decided to fly out on a Saturday and to come back on the next day. Then I tried to find interesting flights to and from MAN to squeeze in between. I checked countless destinations and finally decided to go to Guernsey - not because it's said to be a nice island, but because I would get two new carriers: Flybe and Aurigny Air Services offered reasonable fares and well-timed flights.
The prospects of flying SIA and getting a short impression of Guernsey also helped me to persuade my girlfriend to come with me. Then I booked all flights on the airlines' websites which was easy and flawless. Finally, I added a reservation at the Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport which had some special offers.
We had already reserved our seats at the time of booking, so there was no need to hurry in the early morning on departure day. The whole SIA check-in area was deserted when we arrived there one hour prior to departure. Two minutes later a friendly LH agent handed out the boarding passes.
The security checkpoints weren't crowded either, but then we got stuck in a queue at passport control on the way to the H gates (non-Schengen zone). There were about ten counters, but only one (!) was staffed by the Bundespolizei (federal police). Several people were waiting in front of us and the queue was quickly getting longer due to the arrival of numerous transit passengers. Well, we weren't late, but the progress was dead slow and after more than 15 minutes in line I was getting a bit nervous. Other passengers with a tight connection probably felt much worse. There seemed to be a problem with a female passenger and I really had to wonder about the absence of a second officer. Finally, the problem had been solved and we could pass a few minutes later. I really hope the poor staffing was just an exception, otherwise it would be a shame for a hyper-modern airport like MUC.
After a five-minute walk we arrived at the gate where about 70 people were waiting, it seemed most of them had already been on the flight from Singapore. Parked outside was 9V-SWB, the second of 19 777-300ERs in the fleet, delivered in November 2006:
Boarding commenced a bit late, but the whole process didn't take long anyway. Smiling Singapore Girls and Boys welcomed us on the long way to the stretched plane's last row. Singapore Airlines chose different seat colors for the revamped Economy Class, with beige and brown ones being installed in the last 77W section. The 19-inch wide seats are exactly the same ones as on the A380 - a bit hard, but still comfortable:
Seat features: 10.6-inch widescreen LCD, seatback-mounted handset, 110V AC power port and USB port, footrest, cupholder and coat hook:
The 32-inch seat pitch is absolutely sufficient for long-haul flights:
While the cabin was in good shape in general, I noticed numerous permanent smudges on the beige seats and beige parts of the carpet. I’m not sure whether it was a smart decision to choose that beige color.
Parked next to us were mostly small jets with cabin widths comparable to our bird’s engine diameter…
Boarding was completed quickly, the load factor in Economy Class was approximately 30 percent.
We were pushed back a few minutes ahead of schedule and I enjoyed listening to the amazing GE90 start-up sound. 15 minutes later we rolled onto runway 26R and I was hoping for a powerful sprint...
...but the crew seemed to be in a contest with the Delta pilots on my last year's LAX-ATL 77L flight: Who can accelerate the plane most unspectacularly? Well, I don't know who's the winner.
Despite the derated takeoff we climbed out relatively quickly into the gray skies:
Only a few minutes later we had more than enough sunlight:
Unfortunately, just like on SQ's A380 some months ago, it was almost impossible to take decent pictures of the mirroring in-seat LCD screens. KrisWorld main menu:
The latest KrisWorld version (audio/video on-demand) offers a choice of 120 movies, more than 170 TV programs, 740 audio CDs, 22 audio programs and more than 80 games - more than enough to keep you entertained for a long time. IFE magazine:
I only watched the airshow on that short flight (picture taken after breakfast):
The flight attendants soon started serving breakfast, so it was time to check the pretty menu card:
What more can you ask for on a 1.5 hour flight?
We ordered the sandwich which tasted very good - just like the fruits and the tea:
The obligatory cabin shot:
Sunny weather near Manchester - can this be true?
Well, some moments later we started diving into a thick layer of clouds...
...and the weather on the ground turned out to be terrible:
We touched down after a flying time of 1 hour and 42 minutes and taxied to Terminal 2.
Parked close to our plane was Turkuaz Airlines A321 TC-TCF:
Manchester Spotting
We had more than three hours left, so we headed to the top level of the Terminal 1 parking structure for spotting. The weather was getting better and I was able to collect numerous new registrations.
Since we had already checked in at home we could go straight to the gate area about an hour prior to departure. Our departure time had been changed from 11:10 to 11:15 which was a non-issue. However, a few minutes later it said 12:15 on the flight information display. Now this was really disappointing because we would have much less time to explore Guernsey Town alias St. Peter Port.
20 minutes later, shortly after 11:00, I rather incidentally checked the flight display again and I couldn't believe my eyes: Our departure time had been changed again - from 12:15 to 11:25! And it said: "Go to gate"
Only then I heard an announcement about the change. However, after arriving at the gate, we had to wait another 10 minutes until boarding commenced. Meanwhile a gate agent had announced that "operational reasons" had led to the delay.
Anyway, after an additional waiting period in the bus we were brought to 2008 built G-ECOC, one of 55 active DHC-8-400s in the fleet:
Data sheet:
The blue leather seats were fine for the short hop:
Flybe MasterCard? No thanks, I prefer my LH Miles & More MasterCard.
Legroom wasn't bad either:
Parked next to us was Embraer 195 G-FBEM:
After all passengers had taken their seats (load factor 60-70 percent), the captain apologized for the delay and informed us that we still had to wait for the fuel truck to arrive. "It should be here in five minutes", he said. Well, it finally arrived after ten minutes and it took a while to refuel. Exactly 2058 liters had been ordered for the flight to Guernsey.
We left the gate one hour behind schedule and finally lifted off some minutes later:
We were a bit hungry at lunchtime and had a look at the buy-on-board menu:
Numerous sandwiches were available and we decided to try a chicken salad sandwich (with lemon and thyme) and a cheddar cheese croissant with ("sun-ripened") tomato relish from the "James Martin Collection" for 3.95 GBP each:
The chicken sandwich tasted great, it was totally different from the usual LCC-style stuff. The croissant wasn't bad either, but it didn't taste as fresh as the sandwich. Anyway, we wouldn't hesitate to buy these snacks again. The flight attendants were really friendly, but they seemingly messed up the payment process: my credit card receipt showed a January 2004 flight date and the transaction has never appeared on my credit card bill...
Cabin shot:
Some small islands on final approach:
Nice views of St. Peter Port:
We touched down after a flying time of 52 minutes...and had to wait for a while on the taxiway because our stand was still occupied. Is this Frankfurt?
Blue Islands Jetstream 31:
After finally arriving almost one hour late, we bought some Guernsey Pounds and walked outside to catch the next bus to St. Peter Port.
Very modern terminal building:
Aurigny Air Services ATR 72 climbing out:
St. Peter Port
Half an hour later we arrived at St. Peter Port which is a really nice town. The weather was great and we enjoyed walking along the piers:
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Guernsey (GCI) - Manchester (MAN)
Aurigny Air Services GR678
17:15-18:40 (17:16-18:38)
Flying time: 01:11 (hrs)
Economy Class, Seat 19C
After spending about two hours in St. Peter Port we returned to the airport. We had already checked in online so we could go straight to the small gate area. Boarding commenced on time and we walked to 2009 built G-VZON, one of two ATR 72-500s in the fleet:
Other planes on the apron were sister ship G-COBO and Flybe's G-JEDP in special colors:
The flight attendants were friendly, but not as nice as on Flybe. Although the new-style leather seats on Aurigny looked better than on Flybe, they were less comfortable...
...and legroom wasn't as good as on Flybe either:
We also noticed that the Aurigny cabin looked a bit worn and wasn't as clean as on Flybe.
G-VZON left the stand almost on time and started taxiing. This is Blue Islands' sole ATR 42-300 G-DRFC, recently tested by member FlyingFinn76:
Some minutes later we lifted off and passed numerous greenhouses:
The cabin shot shows that the flight was full:
Aurigny Air Services offers newspaper and a considerable range of drinks free of charge:
So what did I order? Ginger ale, of course!
I would have tried a sandwich or anything else, but only muffins and similar small items were available for sale.
Unfortunately, we were facing the sun, so it was difficult to take good pictures during approach. Here's an acceptable one:
We touched down after a flying time of 1 hour and 11 minutes - and were photographed by some German spotters (more details to follow later in the text):
After disembarking I took one more picture of G-VZON - the tail logo looks really nice:
!Ash Cloud Alarm!
We spent 30 more minutes on the top level of the Terminal 1 parking structure, ate for dinner and finally took the shuttle bus to the (average) Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel. During the short ride I noticed some talk about "ash cloud" and "airport closures" on the radio, but couldn't understand any details. I was becoming highly alarmed and immediately turned on the TV after checking in. I couldn't believe what I saw: Despite the originally positive forecasts for the weekend a new volcano ash cloud from Iceland was suddenly heading to the UK - and airports "in the South" would have to be closed on Sunday for up to three days!
The news channels concentrated on London airports and didn't mention Manchester, but it was likely that an ash cloud heading to London may pass and affect Manchester, too. We immediately logged on the Internet via smartphone and checked the Met Office prediction charts. According to these charts, the ash cloud would reach Manchester between 06:00 and 12:00. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 09:20, so there was still some hope. However, we kept wondering whether Singapore Airlines would still fly MUC-MAN in view of a possible closure. Anyway, we simply had to wait. But we didn't enjoy the rest of this evening any more.
Shortly after waking up in the morning I saw a Qatar Airways A330 on approach, so I knew that the airport was still open. The news channels weren't showing new developments, so we checked out and took the shuttle to the airport. According to the flight information display, SQ328 from Munich would arrive on time and the check-in agent also confirmed that everything was still fine. Of course we were glad to hear that, but there were still two hours to go...
We ate breakfast, walked through some shops and finally went to the gate. 9V-SWH, delivered in February 2007, arrived on time as predicted. Unfortunately, it was impossible to take good pictures through the dirty windows:
About 40 minutes later we were really glad to hear the boarding announcement. Only a few dozens of passengers were lining up, even less than at MUC on the day before. After the customary friendly welcome we settled down in row 50. Parked next to us was Delta (ex-NWA) 757-200 N545US:
9V-SWH started moving six minutes ahead of schedule and we were quite confident now that we would indeed depart. Some time later we turned onto runway 23R...
...and lifted off after an unspectacular takeoff roll. The famous visitor park:
Goodbye, Manchester! We were really glad that we could escape from the ash!
Our 77W had quickly climbed to cruising altitude:
Of course, menu cards had been distributed again:
I ordered the croissant...
...while my girlfriend decided to try the Danish pastry:
Again we enjoyed the breakfast, everything was fresh and tasted good.
After taking some cabin pictures...
...I approached a group of young guys who had done the same earlier, using big cameras. Spotters? Airliners.net? Yes! The three guys turned out to be a.net photographers. During our chat they told me that they had taken pictures of my Aurigny Air Services plane arriving from Guernsey on Saturday afternoon (see the picture above). That was really nice!
The time on SIA's marvellous 77W had passed too quickly once again...approach to MUC's runway 08L:
We touched down after a flying time of 1 hour and 43 minutes - almost the same as on the day before. If nothing goes wrong I will soon fly on one of these extra-long Lufthansa birds:
Deserted roads - at least for the moment:
We arrived at the gate five minutes behind schedule - too bad we couldn't stay on board for the onward flight to Singapore. Lufthansa ruling the scene at Terminal 2 as usual:
About an hour after arrival, while driving home, we heard on the radio that several UK airports - including Manchester - had been closed at noon. Wow, we were really happy that it hadn't been closed earlier. However, MAN was opened again later in the evening, so the situation wasn't as bad as predicted.
Conclusion
I can only recommend to try Singapore Airlines' (now daily) flights between Munich and Manchester. Flying on a magnificent Boeing 777-300ER within Europe is definitely something special - and in addition you can enjoy SIA's superb seating comfort, IFE and service.
Even though Flybe is a low-cost carrier and doesn't offer anything for free I would prefer it over Aurigny Air Services. The seating comfort on Flybe was clearly better, the cabin was in better shape and the staff were friendlier. The delay was a bit annoying, but that can happen anywhere and anytime.
Luftfahrer From Germany, joined Mar 2009, 967 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 17781 times:
Hi PlaneHunter, good to see you in action again! I had already wondered when you would come up with your next story. As usual, great work complimented by an insightful review. Seems like you had a nice getaway to Manchester and the Channel Islands in addition to that.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): There were about ten counters, but only one (!) was staffed by the Bundespolizei (federal police).
Not a presentable condition for an airport like MUC. In Stuttgart, it's the other way round – the counters are fully-staffed when needed, but there just aren't enough facilities, so during peak times, lengthy queues may form.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): the load factor in Economy Class was approximately 30 percent.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Only a few dozens of passengers were lining up, even less than at MUC on the day before.
This sounds less than impressive. I hope SQ manages to keep the flight around nonetheless. I hope to try it some time next year... maybe in spring '11.
I'm not so sure. Thanks to all the TRs here on a.net, I've seen former/alternate SQ menu cards that I liked much better. However, the attention to detail ("Munich to Manchester") is remarkable.
I actually arrived in the UK two days earlier than you (May 13th), and was presented with excellent weather conditions as well – much better than those in Germany at that time.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 2, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 17667 times:
Hi Marius, thanks a lot for your comments!
Quoting Luftfahrer (Reply 1): I had already wondered when you would come up with your next story.
Well, I still have to write a few reports about trips in June and July...the question is when. And the next trip will start in less than a week.
Quoting Luftfahrer (Reply 1): In Stuttgart, it's the other way round – the counters are fully-staffed when needed, but there just aren't enough facilities, so during peak times, lengthy queues may form.
Interesting to know, I haven't flown to/from STR very often.
Quoting Luftfahrer (Reply 1): This sounds less than impressive. I hope SQ manages to keep the flight around nonetheless. I hope to try it some time next year... maybe in spring '11.
SQ has increased frequencies recently and operates daily now, it seems the services are quite popular. I'm quite confident you will be able to fly on the route next year.
akhmad From Netherlands, joined Sep 2005, 2334 posts, RR: 53 Reply 3, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 17654 times:
Hi PH,
Finally you have managed to post the long awaited SQ intra-European fifth freedom flight of yours. It was well worth waiting. Luckily you did not get into trouble by the ash cloud that time.
Guernsey looked totally different at that time of the year compared to what fellow A.netter FlyingFinn76 had captured later on.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Boarding commenced a bit late, but the whole process didn't take long anyway. Smiling Singapore Girls and Boys welcomed us on the long way to the stretched plane's last row.
Did you notice how many passengers were boarding from MUC? Regarding the short boarding process, I assume the transit passengers remained seated on board.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 4, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 17611 times:
Quoting akhmad (Reply 3): Finally you have managed to post the long awaited SQ intra-European fifth freedom flight of yours. It was well worth waiting.
Hi Suryo, thanks for your reply, good to hear you liked it.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 3): Did you notice how many passengers were boarding from MUC? Regarding the short boarding process, I assume the transit passengers remained seated on board.
I'd say about 80 people - but that included all transit passengers. Those definitely have to leave the aircraft at MUC.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 3): I am surprised that the seats are comfortable despite the 30-inch pitch.
AlwaysOnAPlane From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2010, 299 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 17529 times:
PlaneHunter. Very enjoyable read (as always with your reports).
Interesting to see your comparison between FlyBe and Aurigny. I was impressed Aurigny offer a free drinks service.
I have yet to try the SQ service between MAN -MUC. Looks good though and the breakfast service looks very tasty and filling. I hear the loads are always low MUC - MAN - MUC but fill up ok to/from SIN.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Trying SQ's 777-300ER on a European route would be great, but not enough. I wanted to get at least one new carrier or one new type
Oh i know how you feel...Always want more flights.
Palmjet From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 1051 posts, RR: 16 Reply 7, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 17502 times:
PH I enjoyed your report and pics very much. A nice weekend of flying and great weather in Guernsey for you too. I was fortunate to fly on 9V-SWT from LHR - SIN in J last year, and it was one of the nicest flights I have been on. Also nice that you got to fly with Aurigny - I've always wanted to do a MAN - GCI or LGW - GCI flight with them. Look forward to your next trip report. P/jet
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6088 posts, RR: 56 Reply 9, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 17315 times:
Hi PlaneHunter!
Finally the long awaited trip report on SQ and the trip to the Channel Islands! Fantastic report again with excellent pictures! SQ looks very nice with great service as always. Too bad with the delay on Flybe but sandwich looks good although you have to pay a litttle.
I'm very curious about the ginger ale; it says Schweppes but also Canada Dry; did it taste like Schweppes or Canada Dry ? I much prefer Schweppes.....
Aurigny looks cramped.....
Very nice pictures from Guernsey!
Take Care
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 10, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 17235 times:
Quoting The777Man (Reply 9): Finally the long awaited trip report on SQ and the trip to the Channel Islands! Fantastic report again with excellent pictures!
Hi Lars, many thanks for your comments!
Quoting The777Man (Reply 9): SQ looks very nice with great service as always.
Yes, always a pleasure to fly SQ.
Quoting The777Man (Reply 9): I'm very curious about the ginger ale; it says Schweppes but also Canada Dry; did it taste like Schweppes or Canada Dry ? I much prefer Schweppes.....
I'd say it didn't taste like the real Schweppes...
Contact Air From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 1154 posts, RR: 14 Reply 11, posted (2 years 8 months 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 17183 times:
Hi PH,
Great report and excellent pictures about this really interesting SQ-route. Good to hear that service is very good on this short sector as well. It seems that the food they offer isn't much more than what you would get on LH on that route, but the presentation on SQ with the tray and the metal cutlery looks much nicer.
I share your positive impression of FlyBE from my own flights with them. Cabin crews are often outstandingly friendly. I haven't tried Aurigny yet.
St. Peter Port looks very nice as well.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): After a five-minute walk we arrived at the gate where about 70 people were waiting, it seemed most of them had already been on the flight from Singapore.
Not too impressive; I would have expected more demand for MAN.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Seat features: 10.6-inch widescreen LCD, seatback-mounted handset, 110V AC power port and USB port, footrest, cupholder and coat hook:
Looks very well equipped.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): While the cabin was in good shape in general, I noticed numerous permanent smudges on the beige seats and beige parts of the carpet. I’m not sure whether it was a smart decision to choose that beige color.
I got the same impression on Alitalia's B777 which also have light seat colours. It is impossible to keep them clean.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): ...I approached a group of young guys who had done the same earlier, using big cameras. Spotters? Airliners.net? Yes! The three guys turned out to be a.net photographers. During our chat they told me that they had taken pictures of my Aurigny Air Services plane arriving from Guernsey on Saturday afternoon (see the picture above). That was really nice!
Named after Vazon Bay, one of my favourite beaches on the west coast of the island - I've got many happy memories of sunny summer days spent on that beach!
The largest of those islands is Herm, which has one of the most stunning beaches I've ever seen in the British Isles, namely Shell Beach, where the sand is made from crushed shells. On a warm summer day you would think that you were on some Caribbean island! It's easily accessible by fast ferries from Town, and is well worth a visit if you have the time.
Again, named after another lovely beach on Guernsey's west coast, Cobo Bay.
Thanks for the report - reading about Guernsey always gives me a lift, it's one of my favourite places on the planet. Also interesting to read that someone flew SQ as part of the journey there! I appreciate that time is often tight when you're on a flying visit, but there's so much more to the island than just St. Peter Port, and I would encourage people to take the time to explore farther afield, especially during the summer months.
Cheers for the interesting read!
Andy.
Ladies & gentlemen this is Captain Tobias Wilcock welcoming you aboard Coconut Airways flight 372 to Bridgetown Barb
FlyingFinn76 From Finland, joined Jun 2009, 1705 posts, RR: 41 Reply 15, posted (2 years 8 months 19 hours ago) and read 16403 times:
Hi PH!
I've been waiting for your report on the SQ MUC-MAN route, little did I know you had nested a trip to Guernsey in the middle! Really worth the wait - a very good report with some great pictures. I especially like the shots of St. Peter Port, to rub in what I missed on my visit there a couple of weeks ago . Looks like the weather there was much better than over in MAN.
That SQ route is high on my TOFLY list, never been on any other triple seven than the -200 series so that would be cool, although I've flown SQ before. Too bad I don't have any time to do it this year anymore, hopefully the route will stick around - your experience of low loads on the tag on segment certainly do not sound very encouraging. I assume the loads between SIN and MUC are much better - with all that LH feeder traffic to MUC etc. it shouldn't be too difficult filling the seats.
Nice that you managed to avoid the ash cloud madness, although for the sake of the trip report I'd loved to read some drama about your return journey with ferries or the Eurostar .
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): ...but the crew seemed to be in a contest with the Delta pilots on my last year's LAX-ATL 77L flight: Who can accelerate the plane most unspectacularly? Well, I don't know who's the winner.
...or who can take off with the least amount of wear and tear for the engines and minimal fuel consumption?
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The flight attendants soon started serving breakfast, so it was time to check the pretty menu card:
Cool to have a menu and even two different choices for such a short flight! Very good service IMHO.
Well, that's the UK for you. Like a BA captain announced a while back on a flight to MAN: "It is raining on the other end of the airport and dry on the other one.".
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Numerous sandwiches were available and we decided to try a chicken salad sandwich (with lemon and thyme) and a cheddar cheese croissant with ("sun-ripened") tomato relish from the "James Martin Collection" for 3.95 GBP each
Never tried the BE food offerings, but these look very good and substantial for that price tag. Maybe I should try one in the future, although most of my flights with them seem to be so short that anything beyond a drink is a bit of a waste.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): : my credit card receipt showed a January 2004 flight date and the transaction has never appeared on my credit card bill...
Maybe they don't want to give you our M&M miles? Or maybe you paid the bill already back in 2004 - this era of time travel makes things very confusing!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter):
G-VZON left the stand almost on time and started taxiing. This is Blue Islands' sole ATR 42-300 G-DRFC, recently tested by member FlyingFinn76:
Cheers mate! That old plane was definitely in quite shabby condition. Wonder if the bankers and wealthy individuals who must feature heavily on their money routes to GVA and ZRH mind the condition.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Aurigny Air Services offers newspaper and a considerable range of drinks free of charge:
I was also quite surprised by this when I flew Aurigny to Gatwick a couple of years ago, although that was on the old -200 series ATR. I guess there's so much competition around the Channel Islands with Aurigny, Blue Islands and flyBE all competing on various routes they need some way to differentiate from the competition - just think of Blue Islands with their complimentary airport lounges etc.
airbuseric From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 4015 posts, RR: 52 Reply 16, posted (2 years 8 months 12 hours ago) and read 15903 times:
Hi, PH.
That's a good report again. I see you're also a bit behind schedule with flights from last May
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Trying SQ's 777-300ER on a European route would be great, but not enough. I wanted to get at least one new carrier or one new type, so I started searching for interesting flights suited for a combination.
I think so, the more the better!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): We had more than three hours left, so we headed to the top level of the Terminal 1 parking structure for spotting.
And your girlfriend was ok with that idea?
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Flybe MasterCard? No thanks, I prefer my LH Miles & More MasterCard.
Me too, but it's Visa in the Netherlands.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The chicken sandwich tasted great, it was totally different from the usual LCC-style stuff.
Yes, recently got some FlyBE mealcombo with a sandwich, and that was really good.
Nice to read also about Aurigny, they do fine for short hops, but the seatpitch is not too welcoming for my long legs
Regards
Eric
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 17, posted (2 years 8 months 9 hours ago) and read 15545 times:
Quoting Contact Air (Reply 11): Great report and excellent pictures about this really interesting SQ-route.
Hi Christoph, many thanks for your comments!
Quoting Contact Air (Reply 11): It seems that the food they offer isn't much more than what you would get on LH on that route, but the presentation on SQ with the tray and the metal cutlery looks much nicer.
I don't know what LH currently serves on these flights. But I guess you don't get more than a sandwich.
Yes, well-equipped cabin - but I miss exterior cameras on SQ.
Quoting Contact Air (Reply 11): I got the same impression on Alitalia's B777 which also have light seat colours.
That's true, I remember that from my JFK-FCO flight two years ago.
Quoting BAViscount (Reply 12): Named after Vazon Bay, one of my favourite beaches on the west coast of the island - I've got many happy memories of sunny summer days spent on that beach!
Quoting BAViscount (Reply 12): Again, named after another lovely beach on Guernsey's west coast, Cobo Bay.
Thanks for your reply, Andy! I have always wondered why Aurigny chose these registrations.
Quoting BAViscount (Reply 12): The largest of those islands is Herm, which has one of the most stunning beaches I've ever seen in the British Isles, namely Shell Beach, where the sand is made from crushed shells. On a warm summer day you would think that you were on some Caribbean island! It's easily accessible by fast ferries from Town, and is well worth a visit if you have the time.
Quoting BAViscount (Reply 12): I appreciate that time is often tight when you're on a flying visit, but there's so much more to the island than just St. Peter Port, and I would encourage people to take the time to explore farther afield, especially during the summer months.
That sounds very good. It seems I need to go on holiday on Guernsey in the near future.
Quoting chiawei (Reply 13): I have been gotten 9V-SWA x3, 9V-SWB-2, 9V-SWF x6, 9V-SWE, 9V-SWH, 9V-SWJ, and 9V-SWR.
That's quite impressive! Are all 77Ws used for these transpacific flights?
Quoting 767747 (Reply 14): Hello, PlaneHunter! Great to read another report from you!
Many thanks, Matthew! Good to hear you liked it.
Quoting 767747 (Reply 14): Love printed menus for Economy Class .. something that really differentiates some airlines and others. Very classy!
I can only agree, always a pleasure to find menu cards in Y Class.
Quoting 767747 (Reply 14): I've passed through MAN and enjoying traveling through the airport, it really offers a lot for spotters!
No doubts about that!
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 15): I've been waiting for your report on the SQ MUC-MAN route, little did I know you had nested a trip to Guernsey in the middle! Really worth the wait - a very good report with some great pictures.
Hi FlyingFinn, thanks a lot for your reply!
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 15): That SQ route is high on my TOFLY list, never been on any other triple seven than the -200 series so that would be cool, although I've flown SQ before. Too bad I don't have any time to do it this year anymore, hopefully the route will stick around - your experience of low loads on the tag on segment certainly do not sound very encouraging. I assume the loads between SIN and MUC are much better - with all that LH feeder traffic to MUC etc. it shouldn't be too difficult filling the seats.
The loads between MUC and SIN are said to be quite good. And I don't know whether my two flights were representative for the MUC-MAN-MUC operations. Freight may also play a role. I'm quite confident SQ will keep the routing for a longer time.
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 15): Nice that you managed to avoid the ash cloud madness, although for the sake of the trip report I'd loved to read some drama about your return journey with ferries or the Eurostar
Oh, come on, that would have been awful. And ferries or Eurostar instead of 77W? Pure horror...
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 15): ...or who can take off with the least amount of wear and tear for the engines and minimal fuel consumption?
Yes, I know...but what about an exception for a.netters?
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 15): Like a BA captain announced a while back on a flight to MAN: "It is raining on the other end of the airport and dry on the other one.".
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 15): That old plane was definitely in quite shabby condition. Wonder if the bankers and wealthy individuals who must feature heavily on their money routes to GVA and ZRH mind the condition.
Hm, I guess those guys aren't amused about that plane.
Quoting airbuseric (Reply 16): That's a good report again. I see you're also a bit behind schedule with flights from last May
Hi Eric, thanks for replying. Yes, I'm a bit behind and the situation won't get better anytime soon...well, better late than never.
Quoting airbuseric (Reply 16): And your girlfriend was ok with that idea?
Yes, for a while.
Quoting airbuseric (Reply 16): Me too, but it's Visa in the Netherlands.
chiawei From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 884 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (2 years 8 months 8 hours ago) and read 15462 times:
Yeap. All are transpacific.
I tend to get 9V-SWA and 9V-SWF a lot.
In fact i flew on 9V-SWF on 9/11 from SFO to SIN via HKG. Its kind of weird to be on the same aircraft 6 times. Although i did upgrade to first.
I got to say the service is much better in F than in J. Food is slightly better. But I don't like the F seat. In J, there is a hard plastic cushion, which if the seat are in bed mode, it easy for you to lay next against it.
oa260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24928 posts, RR: 60 Reply 20, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 14575 times:
Very nice report and great way to sample the SQ product without going longhaul. Some nice photos and the catering looked ample. Your Girlfriends choice of the choc pastry is my fav also.
Thanks for the report.
Philip
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
airpearl From Malaysia, joined May 2001, 934 posts, RR: 37 Reply 21, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 14278 times:
Hey PH
Seems to be a 5th freedom year at A.net Fascinating report on what must be one of the most sought after intra-Europe rides, at least by plane nuts. But being able to squeeze in that AND 2 new carriers all in the space of a weekend - with a threat of ash cloud - is amazing!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): I really hope the poor staffing was just an exception, otherwise it would be a shame for a hyper-modern airport like MUC
Kind of reminds me of your experience at PEK, another ultra-modern airport also. Whether or not things "work" is critically dependent on the weakest link - or slowest bureaucracy, I guess.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): After a five-minute walk we arrived at the gate where about 70 people were waiting, it seemed most of them had already been on the flight from Singapore
So there were other joiners at MUC apart from yourselves? In any case, it's not a very good load.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): Anyway, we simply had to wait. But we didn't enjoy the rest of this evening any more.
That's not the stress that you want on a weekend away.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): During our chat they told me that they had taken pictures of my Aurigny Air Services plane arriving from Guernsey on Saturday afternoon (see the picture above). That was really nice!
Indeed, that's really cool.
Thanks again for this report PH. Look forward to your next ventures.
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8267 posts, RR: 56 Reply 22, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 13518 times:
PH, another fine report, thanks for sharing!
You got lucky with the ash cloud,as you know it caused huge disruption.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): While the cabin was in good shape in general, I noticed numerous permanent smudges on the beige seats and beige parts of the carpet. I’m not sure whether it was a smart decision to choose that beige color
- Whilst these lighter fabrics make the cabin look brighter and more inviting, I do question how long they last before needing a good clean or refurbishment, it must be more often than darker blues etc.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Thread starter): The flight attendants were really friendly, but they seemingly messed up the payment process: my credit card receipt showed a January 2004 flight date and the transaction has never appeared on my credit card bill...
- That was a result!
I've not been to Guernsey yet, you selection suggests it is worth a visit.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 23, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 13514 times:
Quoting chiawei (Reply 18): I got to say the service is much better in F than in J. Food is slightly better. But I don't like the F seat. In J, there is a hard plastic cushion, which if the seat are in bed mode, it easy for you to lay next against it.
Interesting to know.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 19): what an adventure, escape the ash cloud only for some hours.
Hi Markus, "adventure" is indeed an appropriate term.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 19): Good to see you´re SIA impression on the AND OLD: Munich - Riem (MUC / EDDM) (closed), Germany">MUC-MAN route, still a a chance for me to fly that plane, too.
Yes, I can only recommend to try SQ on that route.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 19): G-VZON is also in my log on the very same route last year!
Nice coincidence!
Quoting oa260 (Reply 20): Very nice report and great way to sample the SQ product without going longhaul. Some nice photos and the catering looked ample.
Hi Philip, thanks for your feedback. Good to hear you liked it.
Quoting airpearl (Reply 21): Fascinating report on what must be one of the most sought after intra-Europe rides, at least by plane nuts.
Many thanks for your feedback, Airpearl!
Quoting airpearl (Reply 21): But being able to squeeze in that AND 2 new carriers all in the space of a weekend - with a threat of ash cloud - is amazing!
Well, I had planned to relax a bit during that weekend, but it turned out differently...
Quoting airpearl (Reply 21): Whether or not things "work" is critically dependent on the weakest link - or slowest bureaucracy, I guess.
Quoting airpearl (Reply 21): So there were other joiners at AND OLD: Munich - Riem (MUC / EDDM) (closed), Germany">MUC apart from yourselves?
I don't know exactly, but I guess there were only a few.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 24, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 13502 times:
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 22): PH, another fine report, thanks for sharing!
Hi Mark, thanks for your comments! You posted your reply while I was still writing.
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 22): - Whilst these lighter fabrics make the cabin look brighter and more inviting, I do question how long they last before needing a good clean or refurbishment, it must be more often than darker blues etc.
No doubts about that. Let's see how long SQ will use these beige seats.
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 22): I've not been to Guernsey yet, you selection suggests it is worth a visit.
Yes, it's a very nice place. Next time I may stay longer.
PH
[Edited 2010-10-01 03:05:58]
Nothing's worse than flying the same reg twice!
25 NZ107: Hi PH, Can't believe I missed this one. Must be due to not finding any time! This backlog of just replying to TRs is building day by day! Another grea
26 AI151: Hi PH, great TR. As you know I'm still upset my trip had to be cancelled because of the ash cloud however hopefully at some point next year I hope to
27 MSS658: Nice report! It is always a pleasure to read a trip report from you. Glad to see you have got the 777 on the MUC-MAN segment covered. I'm surprised by
28 abrelosojos: Fantastic report! I am really impressed with SQ's service on the short MUC-MAN flight. Good for them. I am not surprised about the poor loads. They ha
29 PlaneHunter: Hi Nicholas, thanks so much for your feedback! Probably due to better loads between SIN and MAN? Who knows. But it should be somehow possible to find
30 kaitak: Great report; I live in Jersey, just 20 miles from GCI and I've been to Guernsey on many occasions; St. Peter Port is a nice little town, good shoppin
31 fca767: That! Is Too! Funny!!! Just looking now at the Push Back! I WAS ON THAT FLIGHT THAT DAY GOING THE OPPOSITE ROUTE HAHA! Love it, Glad I see your trip l
32 PlaneHunter: Many thanks, kaitak! Nice. I also want to visit Jersey one day. I'm a fan of the Dornier 328 - how did you like it compared to the Jetstream? Yes ind
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From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, 
Then I booked all flights on the airlines' websites which was easy and flawless. Finally, I added a reservation at the Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport which had some special offers.
We were really glad that we could escape from the ash! 
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. Looks like the weather there was much better than over in MAN.
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