As another day comes to the end of this System Administrator’s day, it’s time to head off from the office, and off to the UK’s 7th most used airport (yes Birmingham airport lovers – the few of you as you are, the traffic stats say you’re 7th this year, behind Edinburgh airport) - Birmingham Airport.
My stuff at the office
So it’s a bus from the back end of Birmingham, into the city centre, and off to the hell-hole known as Birmingham New Street station
Birmingham New Street – Birmingham International Train Station
£2 SuperSaver Return
As the clock passed 18:30, Supersaver tickets are the name of the game. And I can live with that since there was a Virgin Trains service departing at… 18:30. That works for me.
Being an off-peak train, it was of course packed solid. Still, for a 10 minute ride, it got me to the airport station – which is what counts.
Hopping onto to the air-rail link, I was deposited at the main terminal departures level.
Popping downstairs, I found the quiet Aer Lingus desks, and checked. I know a lot of people love On-Line Check-In, but for me, I like the sense of occasion of flying, and checking in is just one of those things to do.
Well - here we go again!
My boarding pass was issued, and I made my way up to Security, there I managed to set off the security arch. After a good touch down by the Birmingham security staff , I was let through.
The welcome agent - Hint - it's a projection at the top of it.
Since I was flying “sans status”, I had to hang out in the main departure area. Which at Birmingham airport is not a bad thing as the only good thing about the ServisAir lounge is the free alcohol. So I spent some time vainly getting the local free WiFi to work unsuccessfully and watching the local colour. Boarding time came and it was time to head to Gate 54, where boarding had begun.
Boarding in full swing
I queued up, my boarding pass was beeped and I was allowed to walk downstairs and walk on the tarmac to the plane boarding by the back stairs.
Bird of the day.
Birmingham Airport - Dublin Airport.
EI277 - Operated by Aer Lingus, Airbus A320, Seat 23A, Economy Class
200 miles flown, 0QF Miles Earned
The plane was filling up nicely when I boarded, and I took my place aboard the plane. Still it wasn’t what I’d called packed - more like busy. I chucked by bag in the overhead bin, and sat myself down. A person joined me on the Isle seat, and boarding continued when a disorganised person arrived with the doors closing behind him. And lo and behold - I had a spare seat next to me.
This is quite acceptable to me.
The plane pushed back 10 minutes early, and at 2 minutes our stated departure time the A320 up into the air
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYIY-51XHUc
The plane took off, with Birmingham City Centre passing to the left, then Wednesbury, Wolverhampton and then tracking north and the Irish Sea.
Central Birmingham
Wolverhampton
The state of the A320… has seen what I would say are “better days”. The leather seats are now showing their age – although they are nice and soft to sit in. The cabin itself, again has seen better days, with the strip lighting at the passenger edge just that shade of yellow where you know the plane has been flying around for a fair olde bit.
Now, Birmingham to Dublin is a very short hop. And with a 40 minute stated flight time, the crew sprang into action doing a drinks service.
I parktook of the option of falling asleep. Which was rather annoying, as I wanted to pick up an Aer Lingus A320 retro model plane. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll be on another Aer Lingus flight sooner rather than later.
All I knew is that I woke up 10 minutes before landing as the crew were buttoning down the plane.
Soon enough, Dublin bay appeared to the left hand side and the planed lined up for landing
Dublin Bay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uzF521QC2U
The plane taxied from one end of Dublin to the other (as usual as it seems for Dublin), and docked at what I still call the “B” Pier (what is now the 300 gates). The seat-belt sign has switched off, and everyone made like the wind off the plane.
Closing in on the gate
Overall: As usual, Aer Lingus delivered a good service and a comfortable flight. A tiny bit of looking after their planes wouldn’t go amiss though.
Of course, since the plane docked over the far of the 300 gates, it was a long hike to Immigration in T2. The immigration agent just glanced at my passport and waved me through. It was then the “hunt for the taxi rank. Which was successful in the end.
A short while later, I was dropped off at my base for the night – the Travelodge North Dublin Airport “Swords”