Dear readers,

I noticed some months ago that Cityjet, affliated with Air France-KLM announced to operate a weekly service between Amsterdam and Brive-la-Guillarde. Where?! Yes I never heard of this airport, so it got my interest to fly to this place.
The flights were to be operating 8 days only, on Saturday afternoon in July and August only.

Where Brive is said to be "the hassle-free gateway to the picturesque Dordogne Valley", highly popular for second home owners and families going on their holidays. The clientele for such particular flights must be upper class in general, hence Cityjet is put on this route. I quickly looked up some fares and was able to secure a rather mid-ranged priced 2 oneways on the second Saturday this route would be operating (a day return was really very expensive). So 2 itineraries for that day, transit time in BVE would be around 40 minutes groundtime.

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The day before flying I checked in rather early, received boarding number 006, so I was not the only one with this idea. Checking in for the return flight was not possible though (“We’re sorry but cannot find your reservation”), also not after sending my issue in a tweet to the always helpful KLM social media team. Probably because BVE is not such a sophisticated airport. Or just a rare temporary destination in the network of Air France-KLM.

Well, les's fly away now. It was on Saturday July 14th when I took my 10.41am local train to the airport. Once at AMS, I headed upstairs to the Priority check-in area to print out the boarding pass before heading through security. A long queue with holiday makers was there, but luckily my Elite status gives me priority and I can save time here. One of my beloved benefits to be honest! The friendly officer (take notice!) even directs me towards the Privium lane which was even faster then the 'fast track'.

Before heading to the gate I needed one more drink and enjoyed an 'Imperial Earl Grey' tea at the Grand Café. Well, EUR 3.50 for a cup of hot water makes it already 'imperial' even without that name.
I had a nice seat and look outside and for a moment I thought that I was maybe in Antalya, why didn’t I order Apple Tea instead?!, but once I noticed the rain falling down the skies, it just couldn't be.


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Antalya or Amsterdam? The whole Onur Air fleet seems around?!


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Imperial Earl Grey ... What’s in a name!

A walk down towards the gate, using the upper level of the D-concourse (for Schengen/EU destinations), took about 10 minutes. D68 was assigned and that was at the end of the concourse. A few passengers were waiting around the gate area, but furthermore no activity yet. Except for a girl doing a questionnaire on behalf of the airport, and I gave here my approval to ask me some questions. Of course once she asks me here final question "you have something else to point out about the airport in general?", I let her write down my opinion about the security checks at AMS. Everything for the better change...


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On my way to the gate I see some other traffic at AMS


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At least they don’t have a Fokker 100 on the roof in Antalya, but we have!


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Gate signage

Once a KLM female ground staff walks into the desk area, I follow her to enquire about my seating. Obviously this -not so full flight- can provide me with a row of 3 for me, and she is glad to assign seats 15DEF to me. I have a sneaky view on her screen telling me the load would be 59 passengers, on the 95 seats counting BAe Avro RJ-85. I settle myself in one of the seats, overhearing an elderly Dutch couple, probably going to their maison en France. The lady -in her 70s- complaining that she had to wait now for a further 20 minutes, the man, walks away to score a coffee, but returns a little later complaining that coffee is not available at the gate. Did he travel via FRA or MUC before?! This might be typical for the kind of people on this flight.


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Incoming aircraft for my flight

Well, with the aircraft in on time, there was no such reason to make a delay, but for some unknown reason, boarding did not start until 12.17pm, 8 minutes before departure time. Aside from that -even the speakers shouting about the boarding procedure at that moment-, priority boarding is not enforced at any moment, which is quite a let down at one of the main hubs.

AMS-BVE
Flight: AF5130 /14JUL12
STD 12:25 ATD 12:36
STA 14:20 ATA 14:26
A/C: EI-RJB (BAe Avro RJ-85)
S/N: 15F (Economy class/Y)


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Photo © Gerry Stegmeier



At doorside, Nathalie is a French black, very friendly welcoming flight supervisor. In the back I find David, obviously also a French guy, less talkative, but friendly at any time also.
I sit down, oversee the boarding process... Some mothers travelling alone with their 2 or even 3 children, a bit of luggage... Mothers have holiday also and a hard time. Maybe daddy can take the children in his oversized SUV car next year again?

I sit down a very comfortable leather seat. Okay, I admit the 3-3 layout could be better when it's 2-3, though legroom is ample and with no seatmates, I have nothing to complain. In the seatpocket I find Velocity, the Cityjet (VLM originally) inflight magazine. Don't confuse with a certain frequent flyer programm Down Under, which is also known as Velocity. The 'Air France magazine' is also hear plus the neccesary safety card. Meanwhile some mellow tunes fill the cabin, which makes me feel quite good here.


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Comfortable seating


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Just sufficient legroom


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Inside the seat pocket...

The welcome is in English and French, a bit in Dutch. Nathalie mistakes Brive with Pau, but quickly finds out and makes sure we fly to Brive haha. We get our push roughly 10 minutes late, no reason given. A safety demo is done manually here, while we taxi to runway 18L 'Aalsmeerbaan' for departure, using the E4 intersection departure, following a Turkish A340 and KLM blue Boeing 737. We quickly get ourselves in the air, typical for these little 4 haulers.


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Turkish A340-300 spraying up the water and on her way to IST


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Lining up runway 18L


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Rolling down the runway


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...and airborne!


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This is not a DC9/MD80 but just an Avroliner climbing fast!


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Impressive climb rate

We have a few bumps during climb but reach calmer levels soon, I put on my Monster beats and some music when I start writing this report.


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Impression at cruising altitude

During the flight I get no update on route or flight status, but service still excists. It has been a while since I last flew this airline but the large tasty 'Caprese' cheese sandwich, white Chardonnay, water, later followed by coffee or tea, and Leonidas chocolate (milk, dark or orange taste) is definitely something to write home about.


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Catering provided on this 1h45min flight duration

Well, furthermore the flight is above clouds, except a glimpse of Paris, but difficult to photograph since we flew right over.


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Paris, with the Eiffel Tower as indicated


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Impressive climb rate

Descend to BVE was a bit bumpy, and when overflying the French countryside, it became clear that summer was also not here yet. I noticed that there is a new airport here, visible at first in a distance. Back home I noticed that the new airport in June 2010, but with very, very limited services flying here, everything looked brandnew, outside and inside.


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From a distance, this looks like a brandnew airport

The crew circles down over the hills and rough terrain, before the RJ-85 gently touches the black asphalt also known as runway 29 here in Brive. I notice a group of ‘families’ watching our arrival at the fence. Probably there to pick up their family members for a final ride ‘home’.


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Approaching BVE Airport


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Turning 180º on the runway after landing

On the apron is a fair amount of groundstaff, giving guidance to the flightcrew and of course, assisting us, the passengers. Deboarding is by stairs on the front door only, and a 300m walk on the apron towards the airport building.


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Arriving at the parking position


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Passengers walk from the aircraft to arrival building by foot after landing


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ATC control tower at BVE


With no luggage I proceed, don’t take pictures since there are 5 police officers around watching the baggage carrousel.
After I pass the glass doors into France, an immediate turn left is enough to bring yourself in front of the check-in desks. 2 of them are staffed, and I am served immediately. There is no signage for priority members, but it never gets busy at this place anyway. I request a full row of 3 for me which is granted without hesitation. The plane is not so full the friendly lady tells me. No surprise here for me  

Then I decide to walk outside for a few more pictures, to smell the clear French air in this quite rural area. The temperature is nice, in the low 20’s (ºC), and quite some activity on the parking and pickup lane. A few taxidrivers without business, and a lot of Dutch licence plates around.


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Brive Airport


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Parking and terminal building seen from the public side


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Terminal building, taxi stand and a glimpse on the apron in a distance


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Check-In desks


Well, at some point I notice that passengers are boarding the aircraft already and I’m still outside, I better proceed myself back to the security checkpoint, where I am friendly served by a female officer. Bags comes through without trouble, but here my jacket (not the green one) is subject to another x-ray screening because of ??... Well, after this further investigation everythings is fine and I find myself in the gate area, with one ground staff and 4 police officers and 1 suspicious looking French guy travelling to Amsterdam (to smoke some weed?). The police officers are asking him questions in a corner of the waiting lounge, and I can just proceed outside. Outside is no guidance at all, it’s free walk to the aircraft and nobody there to stop you from taking pictures. So, I take my time until the groundstaff comes as well telling me that I’m the last one... her loading paper and weight and balance sheet shows 42 pax. Apparently the suspicious guy is offloaded.


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After departure - the departure lounge/boarding area


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I can walk to the aircraft at my own convenience, nobody cares about me here


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This Airlinair ATR-42 might operate flights to Ajaccio or Chamonix, me thinks


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I take back the same RJ-85 as I flew in. EI-RJB is almost ready to go!


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A bit of close-up before boarding

BVE-AMS
Flight: AF5131 /14JUL12
STD 15:05 ATD 15:10
STA 17:00 ATA 16:48
A/C: EI-RJB (BAe Avro RJ-85)
S/N: 17F (Economy class/Y)


Nathalie says another welcome to me and ‘you know your way now’, and David in the back was more surprised to see me back and asks ‘huh??! But... uhhh... you just flew in? Why you are coming back now?’
I had row 12 assigned, but row 17 (last row) was also free on both sides and David is ok with it when I settle in.

Soon I see the guy that was stopped by the police also joining, and Nathalie comes to the back galley and I overhear her saying a total of 43 passengers. So in the end this guy can also have his happy time in Amsterdam.
The doors closed a few minutes late, but all goes in routine and no hurry, we’re in France now so I can get used to this feeling. No problem when we startup 5 minutes late, the quick safety demo given and we taxi onto the runway for a little backtracking before making the 180º turn for runway 29. After a while the 4 little jet engines speed up this 14 years old airframe and in no time we find our way into the windy skies. Turbulence during climb is moderate and not so comfortable.



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Airborne again, a runway 29 departure


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Climbing higher, and good view on the surrounding areas

The seatbelt sign is immediately exthinguished once we get in clear skies, and the crew prepares for the service delivery. I’m served as last person, David asks me what to drink. I get myself a double G&T, and a chicken fillet with mango chutney sandwich. David offers me 1 more sandwich which I decline politely. A while later the tea and coffee is also served with the chocolate again.


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Writing a tripreport when service is given: a sandwich and some G&T’s


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How about some more coffee? Notice the Cityjet branded sugar (the other sector was Air France branded)

Further there is actually nothing to comment on this flight. Just good comfort, and a smooth ride.


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A comfortable and calm flight it was

15 minutes prior landing the cabin gets prepared for arrival, and the cockpit crew comes on the speaker saying that he was afraid that we have said goodbye to the nice weather in France, since Amsterdam is wet and windy, with 17ºC. He says thanks for flying Cityjet and he hopes to see us flying his airline in the future again.


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Approach to AMS, runway 27. The city of Amsterdam is visible in the background


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Short finals for runway 27

Landing is on runway 27, which gives me some good views on Amsterdam on final approach. Another very gently touchdown is performed and we taxi to exactly the same gate D12/D68 as I left from a few hours ago.



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It’s clear to me, I am back in Amsterdam.
It’s only such a poor effort that nobody from KLM groundservices is standing by to receive the aircraft at the parking position, so we hold on the taxiway for a few minutes until we can do the actual dock in.
We still make it 12 minutes early, thanks to some tailwind enroute. The captain himself and Nathalie are at doorside to say goodbye. Good job!

And this early arrival made it possible for me to grab the 17.04 trainservice to the village where I live. I was back home again at 17.30 so this was a quick but nice afternoon flying for me.

I think we can conclude that Cityjet offers fantastic service for these niche route(s) in the Air France-KLM network. I flew this airline before quite a few times and they never failed to give me a positive feeling onboard. To be honest, I rate Cityjet better then KLM cityhopper. I think that I’ll choose them more often when I have the chance, maybe to London again on future flights (although I’ve to stay loyal to BA also).

Thanks for reading my short report. I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to leave a small comment. I would appreciate it!

Regards
Eric