What to do when a customer cancels at the very last moment and you find yourself in Stockholm anyway? Of course, you go and look for a nice last minute airline deal for a domestic flight to some obscure destination, preferably with an airline you've never flown with and on metal you didn't even know existed...
At least, that's what you'd do when you're me.

So, for just over 700 SEK (about 75 Euro) I managed to find a good deal on a day trip from Bromma, the local 'domestic' airport in Stockholm, to Ronneby, a small city in the south of the country best known for its almost-award-winning park.

Here's a trip report in two parts. One part about the flying experience, one part about the touristic experience.

1. The flight
2. The tourist

Probably most people here know Saab as a -now bankrupt- car manufacturer that made cars that already looked 20 years outdated by the time they were put in production, yet proudly showing the logo with the retarded looking griffin on the engine cover. Their mother company, however, is still around and has more to offer. One of their divisions is (or was...) dedicated to making aircraft for the civil aviation market. Since the start in 1946, 5 models have been released, the Saab 2000 being the last one so far.

The Saab 2000 was produced between 1994 and 1999 and was intended as the successor of the largely successful Saab 340. Where having '2000' as a product name would be great in the 1970's and 1980's, Saab at least continued being consistent in being 20 years behind here. They must have known that 2000 would come and that the years beyond would look at 2000 as some time in history...
Having to compete in a largely competitive market (where also the Bombarider Dash, Alenia ATR and Fokker 50 are active), this bird didn't sell so well. In fact, the whole project can be considered a failure, with just 63 birds built and nowadays just 33 in active civil aviation service, most for the own domestic Swedish market and the Swiss market. A pity really, because she looks nice and she has some great features...



This bird was initially designed to compete to approach the speed of jet engine planes, while keeping the same characteristics as a turboprop. Stated as reasons for the failure of the aircraft are the unexpected success of the small regional jets, such as the CRJ and ERJ, which offer more comfort and speed and came at the same price.
I personally think that it's also the lack of flexibility of this aircraft that made this aircraft just a marginal player. It comes as a 'one size should fit all' aircraft, where other players, most notably Aerospatiale and Bombardier managed to deliver at least one larger or smaller variant of the base model. An airline like Wider�e, for example, operating more aircraft than there are operational Saab 2000's in the world today, actually operates the whole catalog of the Dash 8-series nowadays.

Now, let's make a comparison with those other three planes in comparison to this rare bird and find out where its strengths and weaknesses are. Mind: this is purely from my personal experience as a passenger.

Unlike the Dash, ATR and Fokker, which operate 2-2 seating, the Saab comes with a 1-2 seating configuration. This is brilliant when traveling alone and not willing to sit shoulder to shoulder with one of those nasty, sweaty fellow passengers. Needless to say, during my flights with this aircraft, these seats were taken first.



Another significant difference is that the wings are not mounted to the roof, but to the bottom. Especially compared to some of my Fokker experiences, this saves bumping some heads when in the cabin... There's a reason they're bankrupt eh?

One of the disadvantages of having such a thin but long fuselage is the lack of overhead luggage storage. Just one side has some storage capacity. In this case, the airline of my choice operated with 50 seats, giving a lot of legroom available for storage under the seat, though, but it's not optimal.

Talking about seat comfort, being 6 foot tall (or well over 1,8 meters) I had a LOT of leg space in the 50 seat configuration. Love it! A big plus! Even compared to the other three in a standard config, the Saab actually wins here.

When designing the plane, the company wanted to reduce noise levels for passengers by putting the Rolls-Royce engines (which, to my amazement, more or less seem to be on top of the wing instead of under it) quite a bit further out on the wings. The result is actually great. It's a very silent aircraft, but a bit more of a bumpy ride during startup and taxiing than the others.
Mid flight, however, she's as smooth as a magic carpet ride made of silk. This also has to do with having six bladed propellers mounted, which run at lower velocity than for example the 4 blades found at some Dash or ATR aircraft. I prefer this six blade solution: the engine noise isn't so omnipresent.



And now, for the most important part: coffee. Yes, the Saab I flew with has a galley with a coffee machine. A plus for this machine, where especially the Dash 8-100 and -200 score minus points (for what I've seen, at least).

One last minus point of this bird in relation to some others is the lack of built in staircase. This means it's mandatory to wait for one to be rolled in, where especially the Dash can just open its door to let everyone in and out.

So, how is it overall? Actually a very decent plane, I would definitely fly with it again. I think it'd have succeeded like its predecessor had Saab been able to come with a lower price and with a few variants to properly compete with the ATR-72 and Dash 8-400. However, the fuselage is already a long and thin sausage, I'm not sure if it's even feasible to make it 4 meters (4,5 yard) longer to fit in 15 extra seats...

A bit later than expected, but here's the trip report on Bromma - Ronneby!

The trip was booked at Malm� Aviation, which got fantastic reviews at several resources. I thought I was in for a treat (yes, it advertised free meals, newspapers and drinks on those short domestic hops). However, the flight was operated by Blekingeflyg, which also operates as Gotlandsflyg, Kalmarflyg, Kullaflyg, Sundsvallflyg, Flysmaland and has its general denominator under the name Sverigeflyg. Sverigeflyg is in turn operated by Braathens, which we all know as the former Norwegian airline. Which it in fact also is, at least a new incarnation of it. If you still can follow this: I congratulate you.

Anyway, the bottom line is: if it's not operated by Malm� Aviation, you can kiss the perks goodbye.

Bromma

Having made my way to the airport (which is pretty easy in Stockholm), I arrived 40 minutes before departure. According to my memory, that is more than sufficient to get checked in, go through security and find a seat in the lounge. It went as expected, and 2 minutes after entering the terminal building, I found myself waiting for my flight. Bromma airport is simply brilliant.

Due to being such a small airport and only able to handle STOL traffic, boarding doesn't usually start before 10 minutes prior to departure. In fact, a lot of aircraft have a 20 minute turnaround time here... This makes that boarding is a pretty relaxed and orderly happening. Again, Bromma is brilliant.

I usually create my own priority boarding, being used to having the right to it and never getting it from SAS unless explicitly taken. I apply this practice now at other airlines, too. In this case, I even had a valid excuse, as I really wanted to take some pictures of the whole place and plane. The one reason why I took 2 minutes to get checked in and to get through security is that I have a large camera with me, which explicitly needs to be taken out of the hand luggage. Otherwise it would have been one minute...


Bromma airside

Boarding on Bromma is a bit of a weird happening. Just in the middle of the waiting hall there is a line of self-scan boarding ports. However, one can easily walk a full circle around them without getting stopped by anyone or anything and yet it's expected that we walk through these gates and wait for them to open their doors after scanning our boarding passes... Yes, Bromma is also Swedish.

This last statement may require a bit more explanation. As soon as I moved to Norway, my new friends explained to me that Swedes are dumb. In the same fashion, Swedes call Norwegians lazy. It's a bit of a fight between neighbors, like Americans and Canadians, or like Brits used to call French people for arrogant frogs. Or Dutch, who call their Belgian neighbors dumb, while being called greedy in return. Also that sometimes seems to hold a core of truth...

In this case I was standing in line behind a real Swede, who had been waiting in front of the closed door for at least 10 minutes (while everyone else was just waling around it in every direction. When he finally got the call that he could board by the staff and the light around the boarding pass scanner turned green, he just stood there. The gate agent told the man 'use your boarding pass'. So he waved his boarding pass in front of the doors, like a magic wand, waiting for magic to happen. I am certain that, after the third of fourth wave, he started mumbling a desperate 'Alohomora!'. I pointed out to him that he had to use the scanner, after which he held his boarding pass on the green light in front of it. A bit more guidance led to the boarding pass being held above the scanner. A next attempt was even with the bar code in the right direction. Really, there is no reason to prove this Norwegian cliche! Really, the man seemed to put the 'Dumb' in Dumbledore'.

In the mean time a few other guests already went through via the gate agent, who also seemed in possession of a tiny scanner. The irony is that you actually have to stand in front of the exit of the boarding gate to get there...

Nevertheless, Walking distances at Bromma are very small (and brilliant), so 2 minutes later we (all 14 passengers) were on board. No wonder the ticket was so heavily discounted with such passenger loads.


Walking to the planes in Bromma.

What I found a bit troubling is that it is in theory possible to just switch places with anyone else departing on a flight that boards simultaneously: everyone gets at the same area again after 'boarding' and only a headcount is done inside the aircraft. Again, Bromma is also exceptionally Swedish...

On air
Most travelers traveled alone, making the row with individual seats completely occupied (despite there just being 14 passengers on a 50 seat aircraft. Would Swedes really sit next to someone at random when they can also just sit by themselves?). I chose to sit in the double seat on the last row, as I like the comfort of an empty seat next to me.

After just a few minutes in flight, the FA already came from the galley with a trolley full of food and coffee. As I was still under the impression I'd get a lot of perks on board (from that airline that uses the same retarded griffin in their logo as the airplane manufacturer), I was happy to accept a cup of coffee. Not did I expect a bill of 20SEK (2 euro, 2,20 Dollar) to come with it... Lesson learned with this heap of airlines. it was a decent cup though, and as I was the only one buying, I even got a free refill...

The flight itself was pretty smooth. As it's above Sweden, there's not much to see. The view is best described via the lyrics of a Canadian band, The Arrogant Worms. it goes like this:

"We've got rocks and trees
And trees and rocks, and rocks and trees
And trees and rocks, and rocks and trees
And trees and rocks, and rocks and trees
And trees and rocks, and water"

It's originally about Canada, but turned out to be applicable to Sweden as well. here's a picture to prove it.


Rocks and trees and water.

Ronneby
I didn't know much about Ronneby and neither did I have much time to do some research about the place. The only thing I found was that it has an almost-award-winning park. Voted number 2 in Sweden and 4 in Scandinavia or Western Europe. Doesn't matter, with such a sight I bet they have a huge tourist information office.

One other thing I learned about the place is that it has an airport shuttle. It may be a real bus, it may be a tiny shuttle. So, for verification I went to the only desk I could find at the airport and got confirmed: yes, there is a shuttle to take you to town and yes, it's just outside near arrivals. If you hurry you'll just make it. And so I hurried to the exit, where I found a nice,huge and pink car waiting with just one empty seat. I asked the driver if he was the bus to town. He nodded: 'yes, bus'. Great. To my surprise a ticket was 90 SEK, or roughly 10,5 USD or 10 Euro. Which I find a tad expensive for a 4 kilometer ride... but hey, paid is paid, so I set myself on the front seat next to the driver...

And we drive, to Ronneby north, then take the way to Ronneby east, then we drive, and keep driving and I have no idea of where I'm going... I asked the driver and found out that he is probably the only person in Sweden who doesn't speak English and has difficulties understanding my Norwegian as well. The rest of the car pretends being deaf. This will be an adventure...

Ronneby?
Half an hour later if found myself in glorious Ronneby Karlskrona! With all respect, it was completely unintentional, but if all my screw-ups end like this I think I'll incidentally retire tomorrow and live a glorious and prosperous life afterwards. Karlskrona is a UNESCO world heritage site with a lot to offer to everyone interested in medieval, Scandinavian and naval history. I always fancied a trip to this place.

It doesn't disappoint. Where Norway (seem my Discover Norway report) has loads of airport going to places that have just 'nice nature' or 'something that may be worth seeing about 50 kilometers from here', Sweden actually has a load of cities with things to see and do for visitors. Karlskrona is highly recommended.

So, just for a few impressions of the atmosphere in town:


One of the cozy little streets in the center.


The cathedral at the main square


The bell tower


The maritime museum

I don't have any photographic talent, so I won't bother you with more of these pictures.

Flying back
After a relaxed day I made my way back to the shuttle bus stop at the main square, where the non-English speaking driver with the very Swedish name picked me and 4 other passengers up and drove us back to the airport, where we were just in time to avoid the large queue at the check in desk... Or actually... there wasn't any and wouldn't be any, despite the flight to Bromma having twice as many pax as the outbound flight. This is what makes flights on small aircraft so fantastic.

Boarding was on time, and this time I found a passenger seated in the single chair at the other end of the isle. He was the last passenger to enter the plane, he was poorly dressed (shoes with holes in them, worn and washed jeans, a cheap, thin, shiny jacket with more wrinkles in it than can be found in the face of Keith Richards, and he had a cheap polyester bag with him that seemed like it hadn't decided yet if it wanted to become a thin laptop bag or a thick shopper when it grows up). And the man had a problem. He couldn't find his cell phone. So, he went through his jacket, his pockets, his bag... and started over again. Then, when the door was closed, he notified the FA. She called the captain, the captain called the gate agent, the gate agent called all available staff and no one could find the cell phone in the now deserted airport. I call that fantastic service, despite the outcome.
Engines were being started, then asking the FA once more if airport staff could please check the airport for his phone, as he was certain he left it there. He even got the offer to leave the aircraft and take a later flight, but refused. So, when taxiing to the runway, he got out of his chair, looked under the chair, around the two bottles with oxygen which are stored there and, just before take off, got in his seat to start looking in his pockets and his bag for the fourth time.
After the 25th to 30th iteration of this, he bought a sandwich an a coke from the FA. After the 120th to 130th iteration of this, she took most away again, as rubbish. After the, probably, 150th iteration, we finally landed.
I am seriously wondering... do Swedes expect lost cell phones to just suddenly appear in an empty bag or pocket if they keep checking it often enough? I was almost expecting him to burst out in an 'Accio!' a few times, but he didn't. He shouldn't have used 'Evanesco!' in the first place... Swedes turn out to be muggles born in the wrong body.

It honestly never came to mind that this could be a disturbing factor during a flight. I mean, if you can't find it after the fourth time, give up. Ask the FA to ring your number in order to hear or feel if it's somewhere near you, but don't go frantic for a whole flight. On a positive note, I was happy that this wasn't an intercontinental flight to Hong Kong or so.

The flight also had a few very positive things to offer. Not coffee or tea, as that would be against a fee (and it wasn't so good that it'd be worth it), as I learned on the way down, but spectacular views over Stockholm's city center. Bromma is located just inside the city limits. Bromma is just a Swedishly brilliant airport. And here's a picture to prove it.


Stockholm's City Center on approach to Bromma

Anyway, I had a fantastic day, be it a tad unexpected, I love Bromma and I am still puzzled by the Swedes and by Braathens interesting airlines. I seriously hope more clients will cancel their appointments on the very last minute.

Thanks a lot for the trip report - it's funny about the retarded griffin. I have a saab (a 11 model) - and previously a 06 model. I have driven a Megane, Volvo, Kia, and a handful of SUVs and honestly I love my car - it flies on the German motorway (the biggest drawback was the slow speed up due to being a diesel car). Yes they were pretty retarded until their last couple of years before bankruptcy, but the last models they made weren't bad at all.

I think the retarded griffin has something to do with the Skane (scania) province (Scania has the same retarded griffin too) and I remember there were some relationship between SAAB and Scania.

The retarded griffin

Swedes are not the worst people in terms of helpfulness. Norwegian were bad, similar to the Danes IMO. Once we got on the wrong bus at Hadeland (went on a bus tour using the Oslo Boat from DK), our bus left without us. We asked the bus drivers (all the buses painted with Nettbuss on and they all looked the same!), and they didn't seem to care more. Then we went back to the glass factory (we did buy things from there) and after a while they finally helped. The Danish guide called a taxi for us back to the ferry terminal and it was 1400 NOK (of course we didn't pay)!

Airport bus in Sweden is like a money machine (to some extent the Norwegian ones too but not nearly that much). From KRN to city centre - a 10 minutes ride - 100 SEK per adult and 50 per kids. Mr. was so furious and he said it's the most expensive bus ride he has ever tried. I told him that it will cost us a lot more to pick up the car a day earlier (we were thinking about doing the mine tour and it was cancelled on our way to Kiruna - I even called them the day before).

I really enjoy reading the trip report, especially from someone who is not a Scandinavian. Thank a lot!

I know about the griffin, it's the symbol of Skane and also in the flag. It's just a tad hilarious how they managed to draw him in such a way that he at least looks stoned, if not permanently 10 seconds behind the rest of the world. Nevertheless, for comical effect, it fitted nicely in the story.

On the other hand, if you look at how the national lion of Finland is drawn... I remember a comic about him... http://satwcomic.com/proud-finland

Airport buses worldwide are money machines. On Visby, for example, a ticket with the airport bus is 50 SEK, while the regular bus is 15 SEK and a 100 meter walk. It's not about those 35 SEK, it's about the dedicated airport shuttle being more than 3 times as expensive.

Anyway, in this case the airport shuttle turned out to be fantastic value for money. A 30+ kilometer drive in a comfy car for just 90 SEK is perfect. Was it the 4 km drive to Ronneby, I'd be less happy.

I agree on the lack of hospitality from Norwegians. It's the same experience as what happened in BOO. Now that I've lived here for a few years, I can actually fill a book with other examples. Won't do, as it's quite negative and Norwegians are on average a tad too narcissistic to actually learn from feedback and a tad too sensitive to take any form of what might be criticism well...

I really enjoyed reading your trip report, very funny. I got a very nice sense of Bromma from your pics and would have liked to have seen more despite your claim of lack of photographic talent.

Thank you very much for the compliments. Nearly blushing here.

Just keep an eye on this forum, I might post more trip reports in the future.

Please do. I really enjoy your reports, and it really makes me want to do the discover Norway thing - I think we'll have to wait until the kids move out.

At least in Visby you have a choice, but at KRN and MMX you don't.

CPH is nice because all trains go there, not like ARN - in order to go to DT Stockholm the only options are taxi, ARN express (I think the OSL one is just as bad according to Mr.) and the Airport bus.

Cool; i love planes. Is there any list on flyer talk / wiki where we can fly strange birds? Would be cool to have a list somewhere. i would plan in some flights just for the fun of flying those planes!!!

You're in luck, as there's now also a topic on the Il-114, which is an even rarer bird.

I'd actually love a topic or wiki like that. I don't know if it exists, but I would definitely subscribe to it.

Maybe you can post the question in the information kiosk. If it doesn't exist, you can just open a new thread somewhere relevant, I assume.