An Irish Aviation Enthusiasts day out
Exploring Dublin Early in the Morning.
In this adventure
- Cheap flights? Not at £95 one way…
- Birmingham to Holyhead with London Northwestern Railway and Transport for Wales
- Irish Ferries Holyhead to Dublin Ferryport (Club Class)
- Morning Adventures in Dublin
- Irish Aviation Enthusiasts Day hosted by Dublin Airport
- Back to being a passenger in T2/T1
- Aer Lingus Regional EI3276 Dublin to Birmingham
- 25 hours and 36 minutes later
- Embracing the Community
With our bus loaded, our bus drove around the terminal area, past the normal ATR farm, to the second ATR farm near the 100 gates.
Old and new – Lufthansa Airbus aircraft (an A321neo in the foreground)
Iberia Express A320
Ryanair Boeing 737-800
Stobart ATR72-600
Ryanair Boeing 737-800
It would seem that we would be aboard EI-FAX to Birmingham this evening (hereby known as the ATR FAX machine)
The waiting FAX machine.
With the bus parked up, we were released to board
EI3276 Dublin Airport to Birmingham Airport
Seat 14A, Economy Class, Aer Lingus Regional ATR72-600 (Operated by Stobart Air)
200 miles flown, 7.5 Tier Points Earned, 133 Avios earned.
Heading aboard the ATR72-600, my boarding pass was checked, and I was left to find my seat.
Which was more a challenge than I would have liked. I was struggling to find the seat numbers (Although I put this down to tiredness more than anything else)
I found Row 14, where the alse seat had been taken. I slipped in – bag and all. I stuffed the bag at my feet and leant against the bulkhead and window.
And considering the state of the window – it seems the previous passenger did exactly the same thing
None the less, once again this Aer Lingus regional ATR72-600 is exactly like the others I’ve reviewed that are operated by Stobart Air – in that they are equipped with Acro Series 3 seats, with a 29” seat pitch.
But considering how tired I was – I was, I was happy to be in a seat.
The plane filled up, with the two seats in front of me free. Sadly, I didn’t move forward, nor did the person next to me. If I was more awake… different matter.
With all aboard, the doors were closed on the ATR, and the safety check carried out.
With that, the safety announcement played – and our aircraft pushed back for the short hop to Birmingham.
ATR safety card.
Bye Dublin!
Our plane taxied out of the apron and had a short wait until it was authorised to approach the runway.
Ryanair Boeing 737-800s lined up
Iberia Express A320 and Air Nordstrom CRJ-900
Taxing out
The pilot, of course, is an ATR pilot. In other words, a wanna-be boy racer, trying to get from a to b in the best possible time.
With our EI3276 lined up, the two turboprops roared into life and propelled us into the air.
The aircraft made a slow loop out of Dublin airport, turning for the Irish Sea, and above the clouds layer
Cabin during climbout.
With the plane safely airborne, I explored the seat pocket.
All the things.
Mini-Bia.
Mini-Menu
Mini-Deals
About your ATR Aircraft.
With the aircraft mainly flying through cloud, there wasn’t much to see or much to so see, so I did the only thing I could do as the crew began to hawk the food and drink service.
I dozed off.
It wasn’t a restful sleep as one would get on an Airbus or Boeing, but it would do – and that was the point of this – to get me from A to B without too much pain
I work up about 15 minutes from Birmingham – on a 45-minute flight, a nap like this helps.
Through the clouds, the city began to appear as it began the descent to the airport.
Clearing skies
Judging by the city lights, we would not be doing a loop over Leamington tonight – instead – we would be heading straight in.
North Western approach.
EI3276 lined up for landing and made contact with the ground with a reassuring thump.
The beauty with a regional craft is that you don’t have to taxi to the middle of nowhere – and our ATR72 peeled off the runway, and straight toward the International pier where a bus and ambulift were waiting for us.
It’s almost as if this airport can be organised some days.
Evelop A330 subbing for Thomas Cook flights
Coming onto stand
Flybe De Havilland Dash 8 Q400
With the EI3276 parking, the turboprops stopped their spinning. The seatbelt sign was extinguished.
I gathered my bag and what remained of my senses – and headed off the ATR72.
Time to go…
To the sortie. Also note the Cabin Crew Management Screen and location of the small room.
Thank you FAX Machine.
Overall: Whilst it might be an A to B hop, the strength in these route lies in a crew working to deliver a service within a tight timeframe, whilst being friendly. The crew did well, with the airline using the right aircraft for the route – this fight had no hope of filling an Airbus A320.
Combining the right passenger experience with the right
Next: My front door – 25 hours and 36 minutes later.
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