Before I forget, I do have to comment on the food for the flight to Warsaw. My previous several LO flights (all in business class) I found the food to be reasonable for short duration flight and making up for the lack of good food in the lounges. However on this flight the food was inedible. The roll was stale, the turkey appetizer looked off and the turkey main was a couple of lumps of unidentifiable meat/gristle smothered in a tasteless sauce.
WARSAW to BERLIN TEGEL (WAW-TXL) on LO ATR 42-500
Up the stairs to transit desk to check in for the next few flights, which somehow Saint Petersburg were unable to check me in for. As a bonus they gave me the boarding pass for a flight the following day as well. One less thing to remember to do later on. Last time I used transit at Warsaw they screened bags before being allowed to enter the terminal, despite each gate area having screening stations. This time no need for screening at transit.
The agent at transit gave me the onward gate and advised the lounge was next to that gate. Once through, however, I checked the monitors and decided most upcoming flights use nearby gates and I'd be better off heading to the other lounge, which I do so. Sure enough that lounge is empty so no problems for me to hog the computer for the 45 minutes or so until my next flight is called. While there, the transit agent bursts in having tracked me down to check whether or not there was a mistake. For he had noticed one of my boarding passes was first class and yet the ticket coupons were all in business class. I assured him there was no mistake (as if someone would complain they had been incorrectly put in first class!) and he left.
The flight is called so off to the gate down the other end of the terminal (a 2 minute walk away) and through security. Again liquids rules apply, belt off but shoes stay on. At the gate lounge I can see the load is extremely light.
When I booked this flight it was scheduled to be on an Embraer 175 aircraft, so I was naturally puzzled by the relatively high row number of my assigned seat. Surely there can't be that many business passengers on this secondary route? Maybe it is a balance issue?
At the gate I get given a tag for my rollaboard to be checked at the aircraft, which I remove once around the corner in the jetway. I know my rollaboard fits almost all overhead bins, and as the load seems to be extremely light (10 passengers total) there should be plenty of room onboard.
We take a bus tour of the, by now quite familiar, airport aprons. Ahh, the equipment has been changed to an ATR. And not just any ATR but the smaller ATR 42-500. This is like the reverse of a flight I took a few months ago that got upgauged from a Beech 1900D to an ATR 72-500, a proportionately massive change in capacity.
As we board the passenger in front of me argues with the FA about not wanting to put his rollaboard in the hold. While they argue I waltz up the stairs with my two carryons and promptly stow them before she has a chance to notice
Of course they easily fit in the overhead bins. It was fortunate that I did so, for my next connection is much shorter and the bags that were checked at the aircraft were not delivered on the tarmac but instead delivered at baggage claim - I nicely avoided that delay.
Here the skies are still cloudy and so only (very nice) views of Warsaw on departure and Berlin on arrival.
For the second flight in a row, the meal was a disgrace. I am not sure if they missed loading hot food (and other meal components) in business or it is planned this way, but again nothing edible and very little actual food. Indeed the snack box in economy looked to have more and better food
With the substitution of prop aircraft for much faster jet scheduled, we arrive rather later than I'd planned and so the onward connection is very short.
Being a prop aircraft we naturally have a bus gate at Tegel airport. I have a small delay at immigration while the agent leisurely browses my passport out of boredom, after already having stamped it and before handing back to me.