It’s time for another Snapshot, this time focusing on the passenger experience aboard Ryanair on their Boeing 737-800 between Dublin Airport and Birmingham Airport on Flight 666.
And I wish I was joking about the flight number. Look it up. It’s real.
In case you’ve forgotten how we do travel write-ups on Economy Class and Beyond, I have two major travel writing styles:
- Trip Reports – These are complete deep-dive reports taking you into the experience, the small things… as well as the big things!
- Snapshots – These are bite-sized reviews that show you the basic product in some nice gentle headlines (and normally, only images shot on the phone)
Today, we’re on the Snapshot. The full in-depth review is coming once I get more than 10 minutes to put my fingers on the keyboard and eject my thoughts in the form of typed words.
Pre-Departure
As I had already checked in for the flight to Birmingham, I was able to bypass the check-in zone and head straight to security.
Security
Security promised proud 8 minutes to get through. There was active queue management in the queues and security monitoring people – especially those on telephone calls.
The bag was allowed through, without further scans.
This drops you near the lounges (which for €35, including “two drinks” for two hours, is a bit of a ripoff). To the right is The Loop (T1), the 200 gates and 100 gates. To the left is the accessway to the 300 gates and Terminal 2.
In the terminal
Dublin Airport is excellent at offering lots of retail, but minimal seating it seems, with lots of shopping options, but not many places to sit.
My flight would be going from the 100 Gates – which are used by a mixture of airlines who don’t want to pay for a jetbridge – including Ryanair.
Boarding
Boarding was at Gate 119 on the lower part of the 100 Gates. The queue for the gate extended beyond the entrance to the area.
The aircraft
It’s another Ryanair Boeing 737-800. This one is 10 years old or so.
Interior and Seat
This aircraft features the updated Safran (Zodiac) Seat that Ryanair used before. This is a more modern seat than the outbound segment, with a little more legroom, even if the seat was slimline.
This aircraft had been fitted with parts of the Boeing Sky Interior and thus had Blue LED Lighting.
And again, yes, the interior was yellow on the overhead bins, this time, resplendent with advertising.
In-Flight Entertainment
The window. If passengers wanted content beforehand, they would need to access the Ryanair app or grab a magazine.
Catering
An onboard catering service was carried out, with two carts working the aircraft. With a flight time of 40 minutes, it was a challenge for people to be served in time, as well as the time to consume the beverage.
Landing
The aircraft landed on the single runway at Birmingham Airport, coming north of the city. From there, it taxied back to Gate 56/57, arriving at the airport 24 minutes early.
Arrivals Handling
Upon landing, two buses were waiting to greet us for a 100-metre drive to the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland Arrivals lane.
When entering the lane, West Midlands Police were stopping random people for questioning – I was let past without query.
From there, it was a case of passing through baggage claim and to the train and bus back home.
Other Pictures
The full review of Ryanair flight 666 is coming soon!
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