A trip to Denmark's second city - Aarhus. BA: ABZ-LHR-GOT-AAR return
Aug 24, 2016, 11:27 am
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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Posts: 3,060
A trip to Denmark's second city - Aarhus. BA: ABZ-LHR-GOT-AAR return
"OMG you're always on holiday" came the familiar cries from work colleagues and friends when the realised that I was going away for another trip. I just use my holidays selectively - a Friday and a Monday off here and there - 2 days and I get a holiday - brilliant!
I studied abroad for the third year (out of 5) of university. I decided to go to Aarhus in Denmark. Denmark was never a country I had ever thought about going to before (who does - "Oh yeah, I'm going on holiday to Denmark") which was probably the main reason I opted for it. I'm glad I did. I had the time of my life there. The Erasmus programme let me meet so many people from all over the world and I have enjoyed many holidays over the years catching up with people I met in Denmark.
So fast forward to last year and me and two of the London girls (who I have grown so close to) realised that 2016 would mark 10 years since we left Aarhus to come back to the UK to finish our university careers. Well this couldn't go unnoticed so we decided that we should try to organise a reunion in Aarhus to revisit the city that we all love so much.
Booking was a bit of a hassle. I was going to go SK from ABZ-CPH-AAR but for the dates I was looking at, it was around £570 and that was just economy. Crazy. SK obviously do very well on the Copenhagen route from Aberdeen. So then I looked at BA. I remembered that Sun Air do a service from GOT - AAR so I had a look at that. I could leave Aberdeen at 7am and be in Aarhus for 10pm in the evening. Brilliant. So I booked it - CE ABZ-LHR-GOT and used Avios for the GOT-AAR flight (because the flight went up by over £200!!!). Fast forward a few months and I get the dreaded email telling me that BA changed the GOT - AAR flight so that it left before I had even got to GOT. I called up the Gold line (and after some explaining that I wanted to change the ABZ-LHR-GOT leg because it was affected as a result of another change), and eventually got rebooked. So I would take an afternoon flight from Aberdeen to London, stay over at a Heathrow hotel, get the first flight out to GOT the next morning and then connect to AAR and be there by around 6.30pm. The connection time gave me 6 hours in GOT so it's my intention tomorrow to take some time to have a look around Gothenburg before heading back to the airport.
More to follow...........!
I studied abroad for the third year (out of 5) of university. I decided to go to Aarhus in Denmark. Denmark was never a country I had ever thought about going to before (who does - "Oh yeah, I'm going on holiday to Denmark") which was probably the main reason I opted for it. I'm glad I did. I had the time of my life there. The Erasmus programme let me meet so many people from all over the world and I have enjoyed many holidays over the years catching up with people I met in Denmark.
So fast forward to last year and me and two of the London girls (who I have grown so close to) realised that 2016 would mark 10 years since we left Aarhus to come back to the UK to finish our university careers. Well this couldn't go unnoticed so we decided that we should try to organise a reunion in Aarhus to revisit the city that we all love so much.
Booking was a bit of a hassle. I was going to go SK from ABZ-CPH-AAR but for the dates I was looking at, it was around £570 and that was just economy. Crazy. SK obviously do very well on the Copenhagen route from Aberdeen. So then I looked at BA. I remembered that Sun Air do a service from GOT - AAR so I had a look at that. I could leave Aberdeen at 7am and be in Aarhus for 10pm in the evening. Brilliant. So I booked it - CE ABZ-LHR-GOT and used Avios for the GOT-AAR flight (because the flight went up by over £200!!!). Fast forward a few months and I get the dreaded email telling me that BA changed the GOT - AAR flight so that it left before I had even got to GOT. I called up the Gold line (and after some explaining that I wanted to change the ABZ-LHR-GOT leg because it was affected as a result of another change), and eventually got rebooked. So I would take an afternoon flight from Aberdeen to London, stay over at a Heathrow hotel, get the first flight out to GOT the next morning and then connect to AAR and be there by around 6.30pm. The connection time gave me 6 hours in GOT so it's my intention tomorrow to take some time to have a look around Gothenburg before heading back to the airport.
More to follow...........!
Aug 25, 2016, 9:02 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
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So the day eventually came. 2 day week at work went down a treat. Long lie on Wednesday morning, quick trip to the gym and I was the on my way into town to catch the bus out to the airport. They've put some nice new buses on the airport route recently. We passed the monstrosity which is the new hotel / shopping centre / restaurants opposite Marischal College - locals are FEWMIN that the view is going to be ruined by the new building.
Remembered to pick up my currency and was in the sanctuary of the BA lounge in no time. I was the first one there. It wasn't actually that busy today - I'd say there were 20 folk max during my time there. Usual spread on for lunch - soup (carrot and rhubarb - v nice), selection of sandwiches and cheeses. Perfectly acceptable for lunchtime. Managed to sink a few glasses of champagne. There's a lovely older lady in the ABZ lounge and when she's clearing plates etc she'll always ask if you want another fizz - she's a God send!
BA1309, ABZ-LHR, G-EUPJ, A320
Boarding through the usual Gate 5 but by the time I got there, they were boarding bronze members (must not have been many Goldies on the flight at all). I was through in a shot and onto the plane in 1F - a seat I always take on my ABZ - LHR flights so that I can get the views of London coming in. A couple joined me in Row 1 and settled in - "Oh, we've never been at the front before......there's more leg room isn't there?" - hehehe. They turned out to be lovely and we chatted in the later part of the flight. I also helped them find their tray tables which were hidden in the arm rest!
It was the usual domestic service at this time of day - free drinks and nibbles. I asked for a second G&T when the CSM came around with his rubbish trolley - "Well once I clear the rubbish I will get you one....". OK perfect. So I got another one. Then the captain came on and said that we had been asked to slow down because we had left early and there wasn't a slot for us to land. We were going to be landing in 40 mins. So the couple next to me decided they would have another drink. Not one to pass the opportunity, I did too. The reply from the CSM when I asked for another was: "Really.......?" and I looked him straight in the eye and said "Yes thanks". He came back giving it "Oh, I had wine and gin last weekend and it went straight to my head". The reply he got from me was "Well us young ones can handle it....." - ha. He was nicey nice after that and especially at the end of the flight where he was falling over himself to wish me a good holiday.
After a couple of loop the loops we landed at T5. No need to ask who is boss here....
Remembered to pick up my currency and was in the sanctuary of the BA lounge in no time. I was the first one there. It wasn't actually that busy today - I'd say there were 20 folk max during my time there. Usual spread on for lunch - soup (carrot and rhubarb - v nice), selection of sandwiches and cheeses. Perfectly acceptable for lunchtime. Managed to sink a few glasses of champagne. There's a lovely older lady in the ABZ lounge and when she's clearing plates etc she'll always ask if you want another fizz - she's a God send!
BA1309, ABZ-LHR, G-EUPJ, A320
Boarding through the usual Gate 5 but by the time I got there, they were boarding bronze members (must not have been many Goldies on the flight at all). I was through in a shot and onto the plane in 1F - a seat I always take on my ABZ - LHR flights so that I can get the views of London coming in. A couple joined me in Row 1 and settled in - "Oh, we've never been at the front before......there's more leg room isn't there?" - hehehe. They turned out to be lovely and we chatted in the later part of the flight. I also helped them find their tray tables which were hidden in the arm rest!
It was the usual domestic service at this time of day - free drinks and nibbles. I asked for a second G&T when the CSM came around with his rubbish trolley - "Well once I clear the rubbish I will get you one....". OK perfect. So I got another one. Then the captain came on and said that we had been asked to slow down because we had left early and there wasn't a slot for us to land. We were going to be landing in 40 mins. So the couple next to me decided they would have another drink. Not one to pass the opportunity, I did too. The reply from the CSM when I asked for another was: "Really.......?" and I looked him straight in the eye and said "Yes thanks". He came back giving it "Oh, I had wine and gin last weekend and it went straight to my head". The reply he got from me was "Well us young ones can handle it....." - ha. He was nicey nice after that and especially at the end of the flight where he was falling over himself to wish me a good holiday.
After a couple of loop the loops we landed at T5. No need to ask who is boss here....
Aug 26, 2016, 10:28 am
#5
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Aug 26, 2016, 3:54 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Programs: BA Bronze, Emirates Silver, Virgin Silver, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,403
They look better than the ones I get at work!!!
How comfy are the new 727 buses? I usually pass one each morning on the way to work but not been on one yet.
How comfy are the new 727 buses? I usually pass one each morning on the way to work but not been on one yet.
Aug 27, 2016, 1:47 am
#7
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I enjoyed my 6 hours there!!
Hmm they weren't bad to be honest - I have seen a lot worse.
Very comfy. Very nice quine who was driving us too - liked a good gossip!
Very comfy. Very nice quine who was driving us too - liked a good gossip!
Aug 29, 2016, 4:21 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Posts: 3,060
I grabbed the Hoppa bus to the Crowne Plaza which I had booked for the night. Check in was quick and I was given the key to my Club room on the 4th floor.
I headed down to the lounge and was met by a nice friendly member of staff. She said that the bar would be opening in around ten minutes and invited me to take a seat. A short while after, she came and asked what I would like to drink and she poured me a glass of red wine. There were some vegetable nibbles, some bread sticks and some ham. The lounge was pretty quiet for quite a while which was nice.
Wasn't in bed too late given that I had set my alarm for 5am the next morning......yawn. Slept like a baby though (I love that lavender spray you get in Crowne Plaza rooms) and was up and about the next morning by about half 5. I decided to be lazy and Uber'd it to Terminal 5. Check in took AGES - about half an hour. I had two separate bookings - to Gothenburg was booked with cash and the separate Gothenburg to Aarhus flights were booked with Avios. There seemed to be some issue with the presence of a bag on one of the bookings and the system wouldn't spew out a baggage tag for Aarhus. The girl phoned up numerous people and said that she had never seen anything like that and thanked me for helping point out an error in the system lol. Anyway, after much to-ing and fro-ing, a tag for Aarhus came out of the machine - yay.
No trip to the Flounge this morning as we were leaving from the B gates so I just headed over the lounge there.
BA790, LHR - GOT, G-EUYD, A320
I made my way to the gate when the flight flashed "Boarding" on the screens but by the time I got there, I was around the last one on. Met my an older member of crew - let's call her Barbara. She was that typical northern lass full of smiles and the other member of crew at the front seemed to love working with her. Safety demo done and we were ready to go ("Hello dear, Barbara at door 1.....OK lovely").
Morning traffic....
Service started with the usual scented hot towel.
There were only 5 of us in Club so everything was done by hand from the galley. "Hello dear.....will you be joining us for breakfast this morning?". I went for the cold cuts plate rather than the full English breakfast and it was very tasty. "Would you like to make it a champagne breakfast sir?"........yes! Uncle T will be happy to see the presence of a side plate for the bread
Spent the rest of the flight watching something I had downloaded from iPlayer and enjoying the views from the window. Also managed a refill before we touched down in Gothenburg.
We touched down near enough on time and I was off the plane and through passport control pretty quick. The guy was quite funny - "First one off the plane......result!" - haha.
I had about 6 hours to kill before my flight to Aarhus so took the Flybussen into the city centre and had a walk about for a few hours.
Erm......
After a quick pit stop to grab a pint and a bite to eat, I headed back to the airport. The lounge is pretty small and basic with minimal food options - some packaged noodles and a bit of salad. I only had a few beers and was lucky to find a spare seat!
BA8284, GOT - AAR, OY-SVF, Jetstream 31
We were bussed from the gate to the tiny wee plane waiting to take us across to Aarhus. I didn't think that the flight would be busy because the seat map a few days before had next to nobody on the flight. I was wrong - the flight was full - no spare seats. Boarding was form the back of the plane and I took my seat and managed to squeeze my bag down beside my legs. There was also a box of sandwiches on each seat. Captain did the usual welcome on board announcements in Danish and in English and the sole member of cabin crew pulled the door shut and managed to manoeuvre her way to the front of the plane to do the safety briefing. The cockpit door was just like a plane toilet door and it wasn't locked - the Captain actually opened the door when the seatbelt sign was switched off which was pretty cool. Those at the front must have got some cool views. He shut it again for landing.
The propellers sprang into action and we toddled along to the runway before the power was let loose and we sped down the runway. Once we had levelled out, the member of cabin crew came around asking what we would like to drink. The box of sandwiches was pretty good - ham and egg. After clearing away the boxes, there was a separate ice cream service. All very impressive for what was less than a 40 minute flight!
Denmark came into sight from outside the window and we landed into a sunny evening in Aarhus. It didn't take too long for us all to get off of the plane and we walked into the terminal where my case was already waiting for me on the baggage carousel.
The good thing about Aarhus airport being tiny is that the bus into the city centre waits until everyone is out of the airport before it leaves. However, everyone else from my flight had other arrangements and didn't need the bus so I got a private transfer into the city centre - haha! 35 minutes later and I was in town and wandered down to the hotel.
I headed down to the lounge and was met by a nice friendly member of staff. She said that the bar would be opening in around ten minutes and invited me to take a seat. A short while after, she came and asked what I would like to drink and she poured me a glass of red wine. There were some vegetable nibbles, some bread sticks and some ham. The lounge was pretty quiet for quite a while which was nice.
Wasn't in bed too late given that I had set my alarm for 5am the next morning......yawn. Slept like a baby though (I love that lavender spray you get in Crowne Plaza rooms) and was up and about the next morning by about half 5. I decided to be lazy and Uber'd it to Terminal 5. Check in took AGES - about half an hour. I had two separate bookings - to Gothenburg was booked with cash and the separate Gothenburg to Aarhus flights were booked with Avios. There seemed to be some issue with the presence of a bag on one of the bookings and the system wouldn't spew out a baggage tag for Aarhus. The girl phoned up numerous people and said that she had never seen anything like that and thanked me for helping point out an error in the system lol. Anyway, after much to-ing and fro-ing, a tag for Aarhus came out of the machine - yay.
No trip to the Flounge this morning as we were leaving from the B gates so I just headed over the lounge there.
BA790, LHR - GOT, G-EUYD, A320
I made my way to the gate when the flight flashed "Boarding" on the screens but by the time I got there, I was around the last one on. Met my an older member of crew - let's call her Barbara. She was that typical northern lass full of smiles and the other member of crew at the front seemed to love working with her. Safety demo done and we were ready to go ("Hello dear, Barbara at door 1.....OK lovely").
Morning traffic....
Service started with the usual scented hot towel.
There were only 5 of us in Club so everything was done by hand from the galley. "Hello dear.....will you be joining us for breakfast this morning?". I went for the cold cuts plate rather than the full English breakfast and it was very tasty. "Would you like to make it a champagne breakfast sir?"........yes! Uncle T will be happy to see the presence of a side plate for the bread
Spent the rest of the flight watching something I had downloaded from iPlayer and enjoying the views from the window. Also managed a refill before we touched down in Gothenburg.
We touched down near enough on time and I was off the plane and through passport control pretty quick. The guy was quite funny - "First one off the plane......result!" - haha.
I had about 6 hours to kill before my flight to Aarhus so took the Flybussen into the city centre and had a walk about for a few hours.
Erm......
After a quick pit stop to grab a pint and a bite to eat, I headed back to the airport. The lounge is pretty small and basic with minimal food options - some packaged noodles and a bit of salad. I only had a few beers and was lucky to find a spare seat!
BA8284, GOT - AAR, OY-SVF, Jetstream 31
We were bussed from the gate to the tiny wee plane waiting to take us across to Aarhus. I didn't think that the flight would be busy because the seat map a few days before had next to nobody on the flight. I was wrong - the flight was full - no spare seats. Boarding was form the back of the plane and I took my seat and managed to squeeze my bag down beside my legs. There was also a box of sandwiches on each seat. Captain did the usual welcome on board announcements in Danish and in English and the sole member of cabin crew pulled the door shut and managed to manoeuvre her way to the front of the plane to do the safety briefing. The cockpit door was just like a plane toilet door and it wasn't locked - the Captain actually opened the door when the seatbelt sign was switched off which was pretty cool. Those at the front must have got some cool views. He shut it again for landing.
The propellers sprang into action and we toddled along to the runway before the power was let loose and we sped down the runway. Once we had levelled out, the member of cabin crew came around asking what we would like to drink. The box of sandwiches was pretty good - ham and egg. After clearing away the boxes, there was a separate ice cream service. All very impressive for what was less than a 40 minute flight!
Denmark came into sight from outside the window and we landed into a sunny evening in Aarhus. It didn't take too long for us all to get off of the plane and we walked into the terminal where my case was already waiting for me on the baggage carousel.
The good thing about Aarhus airport being tiny is that the bus into the city centre waits until everyone is out of the airport before it leaves. However, everyone else from my flight had other arrangements and didn't need the bus so I got a private transfer into the city centre - haha! 35 minutes later and I was in town and wandered down to the hotel.
Aug 29, 2016, 5:19 am
#12
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Shanghai
Programs: BAEC (Gold), PC (Plat), HH (Gold), MR (Gold)
Posts: 2,729
I've had two runs on these SunAir birds and could've sworn the cockpit door was just a curtain. Either way it was left open throughout, including taxi, take-off and landing. Using the toilet is also a fun experience!
Aug 29, 2016, 6:32 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,379
A great start as a.ways. I do love your trip reports. I do love the ABZ lounge.. I've only been there 3 times and if it is the same old lady she is marvelous. Though I think she was off for a while having an operation.
Catering on the GOT-AAR put BA to shame really
Catering on the GOT-AAR put BA to shame really
Aug 29, 2016, 9:30 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Posts: 3,060
Thanks! More soon! 
I loved it! Didn't attempt to use the toilet though....
*slap*
Thanks for your nice words KeaneJohn. Agree with what you say about ABZ - always a lovely lot in there. And also agree with Sun Air catering on the AAR flight - I was very impressed.
*slap*
Thanks for your nice words KeaneJohn. Agree with what you say about ABZ - always a lovely lot in there. And also agree with Sun Air catering on the AAR flight - I was very impressed.