To Bucharest by SkyTeam - AGAIN
 

Here we go for round two of my personal Bucharest Bounce

This afternoon I'm back on KLM to Bucharest via Amsterdam although this time it will be all back of the bus as the business fare was ridiculous once more at £1600 vs £400 economy. I checked for upgrades when I checked in but they were a lot more expensive than last week at £149 and £229 for NCL-AMS and AMS-OTP respectively so it was a pass on those.

STRIKE THAT!

As I was writing this I thought I'd go check again for upgrades and they are now bargain basement, £102 total for the two legs, SOLD!

There is little planned again, just a visit to the dentist for 09:30 Tuesday which I am absolutely dreading. Not planned anything else because I don't even know if I'll be allowed or able to eat anything afterwards.

The return is very different to last week, I'm flying Air France OTP-CDG and then CDG-BHX as I needed to be in Birmingham for a meeting Friday.... Note the 'needed to be', that meeting was cancelled minutes ago... it is going to be one of THOSE weeks, I can tell.

Again I'm in economy on the way back but you can be sure I'll be checking the upgrade prices once check in opens.

Time to get back to work and clear the decks before I head off to the airport in a couple of hours time.

If our own BAEC moderator hadn't posted his absolutely nuts trip for the next 4 weeks, I'd have called you certifiable gain. But you now appear absolutely normal again! :D

Do those check-in upgrades earn higher XPs? Or are you stuck with the Y haul?

I honestly don’t know about the XP, I’ll check last weeks if they’re showing on account

Update: Shows as 0 XP against the upgrade

And we’re off! When I arrived at the airport work was in full swing on the lane rearrangement

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b5295571b.jpeg

Because of the last minute upgrade the KLM app steadfastly refuses to issue new boarding passes so over to the KLM desk that was really quiet. This should be quick, thinks I

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...25da7ab01.jpeg

And quick it might have been, were it not for the group checking in ahead of me whose every bag was either overweight or oversize because they had bags within bags within bags. A complete faff and a good five minutes to sort their lives out. In the end they wheeled away the largest bag with other empty large bags inside it, I suspect these’ll get dumped somewhere!

Boarding passes printed, the desk agent told me that I probably would not get food onboard as it would already have been catered. When I jokingly asked if she had seen a KLM short haul business box she said she hadn’t so I showed her what I would be missing out on. Her face was an absolute picture and her only comment was “well, at least there are macarons” :D

Straight through security and into an incredibly quiet departures

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...096c57ba5.jpeg

I decided to skip the fizz and head straight down to the Aspire lounge which is surprisingly busy considering the quietness of the departures area.

Standard fare on the buffet, I’ll probably have a plate of the pasta a little later.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...db57a40d9.jpeg

Time for a Madri or three before I need to head out to the gate in forty minutes or so.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fe45f68dc.jpeg

This seems relatively normal by your standards. I'm a bit miffed though. Why SkyTeam?

This is a last minute, needs must, dentist demands, trip :). Absolutely chosen on price. At time of booking BA was closer to £1000 economy return, LH was £700 and KL/AF was £400.

I no longer need to prioritise BA as I’ll not get status under the new rules, so I’ll maximise the benefits and minimise the spend for the next year, and my filler and last minute flights will be decided on price for 2025.

Ok this makes more sense. In fact, it sounds even rational - but then again, no one ever accused BA people of being pragmatic. And agreed, £1000 quid is excessive...

I know, completely out of character ;)

Looks like we are boarding by stairs from gate 20 today

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7a2c13414.jpeg

Passengers are just now disembarking so 10-15 minutes until we start boarding I’d guess

Bon voyage 😎

Boarding commenced on time and by the time I was on board, 2nd into the business cabin, I took the last of the bin space. Mr 2C came on board a few minutes later and was very vocally displeased to the point the crew removed their bags to fit his in!

Only two rows in the business cabin with a total of six passengers on this otherwise full flight.

Acres of leg room in 1D as you might expect.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c294b0e88.jpeg

1C on this cabin layout is even worse than on the BA 320s, most of it is looking into the entrance space and Mr 1C is not quiet it his disapproval every time he gets clipped. I may nickname him Mr huff for this flight :D

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a726a9dd0.jpeg

Pleasant crew once again and looking forward to the short hop to Amsterdam.

17:15 and they’re still waiting for some passengers so there’s nothing to do now but buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Next Stop: Amsterdam in about an hour and a half’s time.

Dispatcher has just come on board, two missing, no bags. A quick chat to the captain and he has left the plane, looks like our two wayward souls are out of luck.

And indeed they are! Doors are closed , stairs have been pulled away, and we are pushing back exactly on time.

Much better departure than last week, I may even get time to check out the lounge in Amsterdam and see what delights it has to offer today, surely it cannot be worse than last week!

Tally Ho!

Wish you luck

The usual short taxi here at Newcastle and quickly off the ground. I’ll say it again, these 737s really do wallow around on the ground like a rowboat In the ocean!

Coffee and JW this evening, and, fear not, they had a wanderbox for me :D

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e121618e1.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...504492f53.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d97cba0a7.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c8b000f03.jpeg


I am starting a little collection of these salt and pepper letters. A completely non-functional bit of packing and I like it :D

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1ca6d1eaf.jpeg

The purser thought he was a comedian and was wisecracking with the other passengers through the flight, however I got deadpan Dan… clearly my mojo is broken tonight :D

A couple more coffees and whisky’s saw the flight out nicely until the Pilots announcement that we would be landing in 15 minutes at 19:30 local and 19:45 at the gate, D44. The last I saw before we took off, the Bucharest flight is also from the D gates, so, tempting fate, I should get a bit of lounge time :D

On the ground at 19:34 local and now enjoying the lights and sights
of Schiphol airport as we taxi around to the D gates.

Ten minutes in the Crown lounge again was enough to tell me I’d rather be in NCL aspire. The buffet was the same dire offering as before, and I couldn’t even get any photos due to the clearly ravenous hordes troughing it up, The lounge is undeniably busy but it took 3 attempts to find a dispenser with napkins, half the dishes were empty and the lounge is filthy

A baileys and the very last piece of chocolate cake and then I’m off to the gate

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d66b31bbd.jpeg

Bollocks. I must have been there but 15 minutes ahead of you... Serves me right for not keeping up :D

I left it right quick for the calm oasis of Privium, you could go upstairs for Aspire I guess.

That’s poor timing :)

We shall keep the mystery up until London in the summer :)

Down to the gate for 20:30 and literally one minute before boarding commenced. The bins over row 1 are used for emergency equipment so I foresee more business class grumbling at the lack of space…. Maybe, or I may just be the only one in the front of the bus as nobody else has appeared yet.

Another cheerful crew, surprising so given they just did an overnight in Manchester:D

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1768912f2.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5bf882132.jpeg

Boarding is in full flow now, lots of announcements about putting bags under seats etc, a surprise give that this is fitted with XL bins.

Twenty minutes to scheduled departure so every chance that we will be going out on time.. did I just jinx it?

Next Stop: Otopeni in, maybe, three hours time

Absolutely hilarious listening to boarding this evening. Anyone who has more than one bag gets told ‘one bag in the overhead bin, everything else under the seat’ . I don’t think I’ve heard exactly the same response twice but generally it’s yes, or OK or similar.

One guy just came on board with three bags, received the same instructions, and responded “I try” he received a very yoda “don’t try, do” which left me chuckling.

20:52 and the throngs have reduced to a laggardly dribble of passengers but no sign of the dispatcher yet. Captain is off the flight deck and watching the parade.

20:55 and the doors are closed and the captain is making his announcement from the aisle, not seen this for a long time.

A smooth flight expected, a 2:25 flight time, but probably 15 minutes to wait for push back before a short taxi to the runway, so adding all that up, hopefully an on time arrival.

And the purser has offered a drink whilst we wait, coffee and a biscuit works for me

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1bf5b1f55.jpeg

The captain was absolutely on the nose with his timings, the instruction to arm the doors came at 21:10 and we were pushing back immediately thereafter. The safety demonstration started straight away and threw me as it always does when there is no life jacket bit. And then the promised short taxi and off the ground at 21:20

Drinks and a bag of the delicious cheese puffs were offered as soon as the seatbelt light was off and I decided to roll with the wine for the first part of the flight. I find the Pinot Grigio perfectly potable.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...da75456d8.jpeg


A little later the wanderbox arrived and it was the falafel again so I basically extracted the Macarons for later and the rest went back. More wine accompanied the box, just to keep me hydrated, you understand :D

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3036de58e.jpeg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...36c7b2489.jpeg


I think I have captured this before but I’m not 100% sure. This is why the KLM boxed meal is known as a wanderbox

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e181b1f22.jpeg


Having enjoyed my wine it was time to switch to a coffee and a whisky or two to take me through to landing. All chilled out and settled for the remainder of my trip, imagine my surprise when the captain appeared in the cabin and has spent the last twenty minutes having a chat, that’s another first, I like how this guy rolls!

With about a half an hour to go I wandered into the galley to get a coffee and a baileys or two to see me through to landing and I ended up having a fabulous chat with the younger crew member who was fairly new to KLM. She was telling me that it had always been an ambition to be KLM crew as her parents had been. An ex beautician who’d changed careers because she just wanted to fly and a lovely young lady who is clearly loving her job.

Not long after we had the Pilots announcement at 23:20 that we were twenty minutes from landing, would be landing exactly on time, and that the current temperature in Bucharest was -10 Celsius!! Brrrrrrr!

Landing was on time and the captain managed to hit every single light in the runway! THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, the entire way along the runway. Once we pulled up at the gate the pursers announcement of “ladies and gentlemen, as you may have noticed, we have now arrived at Bucharest” had me in stitches :D

Great crew, I need to find out if KLM have some sort of recognition scheme similar to BAs golden tickets.

Walking the entire length of the airport I emerged at the leading edge of departures and immediately had a coughing fit due to how cold and dry it is! -10 is not fun!

I’ve just arrived at the hotel at 01:10 and it is straight to bed and, maybe, 6 hours sleep before I need to head out to my appointment

See you in the morning

Hoping the dentist goes ok today

Thanks!

Good morning from Bucharest where it is still pretty chilly

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...049c76e1e.jpeg

I was on autopilot last night and forgot to post the room pictures

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7c575f824.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...410ca49af.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3309d7e08.jpeg

I’ve about an hour or so before I need to head to the surgery so it’s time to get ready to face the day, I’ve not even unpacked yet, just nose-dived into bed as soon as I reached the room

Well, this is fun, absolute gridlock on the way into Bucharest this morning

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...23a6b822f.jpeg

I’m feeling a White Rabbit moment approaching

Best of luck for the dentist!

That KLM catering looks consistently atrocious :eek:

Made it! Exactly on time!

Shouldn’t have bothered, the dentist that I saw last week (not my usual consultant) forgot to book this weeks appointment :(

I’ve just had a quick 5 minutes in the chair and the periodontist is going to fit me in at 11am for an hour to try a less intrusive procedure. Frankly I’m more than happy because I never thought about sedation for this visit so if I do have to come back for a more intrusive procedure I can line that up.

For now, it’s Starbucks time, as I’ve not had time for a coffee yet!

Thanks!

Yes, you definitely do not fly SH KLM business for the food, that’s for sure!

I'd be livid.

I’ve just checked in for the return legs and the upgrade prices are £99 and £69 respectively. At the moment the exit row seat next to me is empty on both flights so I’m not going to take the upgrade, but I’ll check again later.

I don’t expect it is like this all the time when booking last minute, but for these flights the economy + upgrade for all four legs would be nearly £1,000 less than buying business class flights in the first place.

A view from the waiting area, all very light and bright and modern.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3882371a8.jpeg

The upgrade prices you are seeing are all in the normal range. I hardly ever look at short notice business class short haul prices so can’t say how out of place that is. When booking further in advance there are certainly decent C class prices to be had.

You know there is no bad weather only bad/wrong clothes. 😁😁 -10° is in some areas of the world almost summer. 😁😁

Indeed! This time I was prepared for the chill, last weeks last minute dash, not so much :D

All done. It’s a strange life being a dentist “I would have preferred more bleeding”!!!

Check up in three months time coinciding with my surgical check up so no need for yet another extra trip. Looking at the map on the way into the city, Casa Ceausescu is only a few minutes from the two surgeries that I need to attend, so I shall book a visit there to fill the time between the two visits.

As I was waiting for things to get started I was looking out into the garden and saw this little installation. Even dentists are getting into the ❤️ craze!

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8d22284d1.jpeg

Back to the hotel now and time for beer with an ibuprofen chaser :)

A quick check on the upgrades, each leg is now £207! He who hesitates is lost.

It’ll be interesting to check again this evening

A quick update to close out today. When I returned to my room it was straight to bed for an afternoon snooze to catch up a bit of sleep. Then, feeling peckish, I thought I’d take a look at what the lobby shop in the HGI had to offer. The prices are beyond extortionate with, for instance, a single mars bar costing over £4! Not feeling the need to be mugged in plain sight I remembered that there was a supermarket in the airport.

Carrefour have a quite decently sized outlet in the bus area which is below the arrivals hall. It is reached by stairs near the end of the arrivals hall furthest from departures. Prices are sensible ( single mars bar under £1) and they carry a decent range of goodies and essentials. It’s ten minutes walk from the HGI

Armed with a sandwich and some coffee sachets it was back to the hotel room where I’m currently writing this update. No further plans for this evening beyond sleep and beer and more sleep so I will see you all in the morning for the trip back to Birmingham on AF

It's ridiculous isn't it. I don't mind paying over the odds for a room service burger because someone has actually cooked, prepared and brought it up while I sit on my lazy behind. But snacks and drinks are getting to silly prices. I'm looking at a 95g pack of crisps on display in my room which is 60 HK$. Nobody has curated that, the cleaning staff are refilling the 'pantry'.

So we have just loaded up at the local M&S and 7-11.

did you remind them you set off from Newcastle for the appointment 😆