The Airline: IB
The Segment: MAD-LIS
The Aircraft: EC-KUB Airbus A319-111
The Date: Sunday June 23, 2024

Something something something kick the fires and light the tyres for flight 6 of what-the-frack-have-I-done.

I started to feel exhausted as we were landing at MAD but typing my trip report was the thing that kept me awake. This was good as it meant I would be able to catch some Z's on the next flight. Doing a return sector on Iberia to get the 4th qualifying flight to get to BA Silver and eventually Gold with this tier point run.

The little Iberia A319 Babybus is the workhorse of the airline, darting around the Intra-European network and sometimes flitting across the Mediterranean to their overseas territories on the African continent.

Uneventful flight, just a standard short haul Schengen zone hop and I stared at the back of my eyelids after take off and woke once to equalise the pressure in my ears and then again just before a very rough and swirly landing. It even got applause from some, which was cringeworthy indeed.

Back of the bus for me, although that ended up being a win because they opened Door 2L and let us down the stairs to where 3 buses were waiting.

Is this the face of regret? No. I am enthused.





Short walk to the Hotel Mélia Aeroporto, which I am appreciative of as it is an early morning departure tomorrow for yet another flight.

Nice hotel room, but ... there are no room numbers on the doors!!!!

Randomly deducted that room 805 was closer to the lifts as it was in the section of 801-805 and had a 50/50 chance of getting the correct side of the corridor.



Honestly, what shred of sanity I had remaining was about to vacate my body, along with my will to live.



Whether by dumb luck, or ex military grit, I somehow heard thw satisfying click that provided the affirmative feedback that I got the right door.




Lovely room views too!!! (Not actually surprised, and I can watch buses go past if I am not doing my best impression of a bulldozer while catching flies in my mouth)


Maybe a bit melodramatic, but I have a bed for the night and a few hours sleep before the 0640 departure on the morrow to FNC for the final flight of this half of the run.