Tallinn Tier Point Run – AY107 Helsinki Airport to Tallinn Airport

Tallinn Tier Point Run – AY107 Helsinki Airport to Tallinn Airport

In this trip report:

• 400TP to Go…
• 2am at a Birmingham Coach Station and Heathrow Airport
  
• The new The Cathay Pacific Lounge at Heathrow
• AY3126 Heathrow to Helsinki
• Helsinki Airport Finnair Gate 22 Lounge
• AY107 Helsinki to Tallinn
• Exploring the old town of Tallinn
• Hotel Ulmestie
• Back to Tallinn Airport
• AY118 Tallinn to Helsinki
• The Finnair Gate 39 Premium Lounge
• AY381 Helsinki to Heathrow with an Airbus A350
• A Delayed Ride Home
• 200 Tier Points down… Let’s Tallinn that again!

With the bus heading to the plane, it was time to board the little ATR 72-500 to Tallinn. This ATR was still part painted in FlyBe colours (as opposed to Nordic Regional Airlines).

The plane was loaded for this short hop to Tallinn, with plenty of room in the overhead bins – put it like this: there were no fights for overhead bin space.

Although the lighting in the plane looked rather… dated.

Traditionally, Business Class passengers tend to sit at the back of the plane. I was sat a a midpoint – I found out why when I departed the plane.

The seat isn’t exactly there…

The cabin itself is low compared to some regional aircraft I’ve been aboard.

Legroom as well is tight on these ATR’s (with seating by Geven)

The safety card showed I was aboard a 68 seater small thing.

Meanwhile outside, the window views were sub-optimal. Mainly as the window had been covered with so much de-icer, it was murky.

A NextJet SAAB 340 of some sort.

With everyone aboard the plane, the ATR 72 begun a long taxi around Helsinki airport. With a larger aircraft (such as an Airbus or Boeing aircraft), you don’t notice the speed these things bounce around the tarmac at.

This thing felt it was going at high speed with no care in the world.

Zoom, zoom, zoom!

Or in video form:

This way maybe? Can’t see out of the window.

Eventually our ATR lined up for the runway, and waited for the heavier planes to clear before we were allowed to take off.

With a roar, the Turboprops of the ATR 72-500 roared into life, and barrelled down the runway and into the air.

Whilst some flights can be described as smooth as silk… this felt like a rollercoster for the twenty minute ride in the sky.

Cabin during flight.

Headrest detail. We’ll look at this on the way back.

With a 20 minute flight, there’s no time for any service of any sort, or IFE – whilst trying to work out the bounces and anything out of the window.

With the plane descending, the lightness in the sky that was there from Helsinki turned into murk and greyness… and cold.

Our ATR safely landed at Tallinn Airport – ending the short flight.

Grey. Snow. 

It seems Tallinn is a home for a lot of aircraft being stored, or maintenance.

Condor Airbus A320  
Unknown Boeing 737

Carpetair Fokker 100 
Vim Airbus A320.

Eventually, our ATR finally found something that resembled a terminal area. With an abruptness, the engines shut down, and it was time to leave.

Overall: Not much to expect on this 20 minute flight, other than it got me from A to B aboard AY107. Although it was akin to a roller-coaster ride. Unlike a roller-coaster ride – you couldn’t get off this ride after 2 minutes…

Next: Exploring Old Town Tallinn.

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