After a wonderful week in Bordeaux it was time to visit my family in the North of Italy. I originally intended to use some Star Alliance points for this leg, but there were very few options available. From memory there was only TAP Portugal serving Bordeaux and that flight was in the evening necessitating an overnight stay. The rewards ticket was going to cost me so much in taxes and charges anyway and EasyJet had a direct flight at very reasonable prices - even when you add all the little extras as you go through the booking process. It mad a whole lot of sense.
I'd seen the TV shows about EasyJet and similar LCC so I knew to be careful about arriving early, checking my luggage (especially after all that shoe shopping my wife did in France) and not expecting too much. And I guess I got pretty much what I expected.
EasyJet departs from the Bordeaux Billi terminal which is purpose built for LCC.
The public area of the terminal is sparse with 3 check in areas for different flights. There's nothing to do in the public space except sit on one of the chairs or check in. Each check-in desk had EasyJet "Speedy Boarding" and normal. Both queues opened a few minutes before the advertised opening time and moved quickly.
The check in agent tagged our bags and gave them back to use to wheel to another agent standing at the start of a conveyor belt. She checked for any loose items on the outside of the bag and I presume for any damage.
Keep walking around a roped off area to the security entrance which was quite strict. On the other side was a duty free store, a cafe, ample seating, an internet kiosk, toilets even bean bags to relax. There was no Wi Fi.
This is when the cattle like experience of EasyJet really began. There was no allocated seating, but I believe this has now changed and that's got to be a good thing.
First they show the flight on the monitors without a gate number. As soon as the gate number appeared there was a rush for the gate. This was 12:10pm. At this stage there was a strict check of carry on bags for size and quantity and a few people ended up having the repack bags.
You then stand in a very small gate area in what is really just a large shed. There were very few seats. Those queued in the speedy boarding had it a little easier as there was a window ledge they could rest upon.
The door to the ramp opened at 12:30. First for speedy boarders then all the others (including us). There wasn't the expected fight to get a seat. We were right near the front of the queue, and in the end the flight was about 2/3rd full. All were on board by 12:35.
We all waited without aircon or announcements or other welcome until 12:59.
During this time I read the duty free catalog and food menu, which was reasonably priced for an airline. There was a snack pack for 7.50 Euro and sandwiches for 5 Euro.
Finally a very rushed announcement from the flight deck in English then a French pre-recorded safety explanation (no demo). A welcome from the purser in Italian and English. Then a pre-recorded safety demonstration in very slow and deliberate English.
The crew seemed to be Italian based. There was no recline on the seats and limited leg room.
Finally take-off at 13:11. So we pretty well had been standing or sitting for EasyJet's convenience rather than ours for an hour. But I'm not complaining - the price and the convenience of a direct flight made it worthwhile.
Take-off to the South then a left turn providing the left side of the aircraft with great views of Bordeaux township. The snack services was offered. The sandwich was a little dry, but not bad. Then a garbage run.
Interestingly they also offered tickets for the Malpensa shuttle (the bus from the airport to Milano) for 11 Euro. There's two points to make. 1) they cost 7.50 Euro on the bus and 2) the bus can be a painstakingly slow journey particularly in the morning peak. I've spent 3 hours on that bus a while back. The train is easier and much more reliable.
Good views of the Swiss alps despite clouds.
Landed at 2:13pm, Terminal 2 at 2:16 and luggage at 2:40 which was all about 25 minutes early.
Terminal 2 is a cut price terminal. Although the Malpensa Shuttle (bus) leaves from here, all the other services are at Terminal 1. There is a free shuttle bus between the two which is advertised as running every 20 minutes. Of course we just missed one by seconds, but fortunately the next one came in just 5 or 10 mins.
Thanks to our early flight arrival we managed to get an earlier train from the airport to Milano, then onwards to Lake Como.