Cue then me booking flights with EZY from EDI and first time airborne since early March when returning from NCE.
EDI was like a ghost town, the gates were deserted and few shops open. Our inbound aircraft, G-EZWZ a gleaming 320 with sharklets, arrived early from BFS. Cue a prompt disembarkation and early boarding at the gate. There were only around 40 pob with four cabin crew. All suitably masked and ready for an early departure. We were so early that we were airborne at 1904 for a 1905 departure. Swift climb out from EDI towards monklands then a left turn to head southwards. 44 minutes later we landed at BHX on runway 33. Lots of expensive metal lying around TUI 787 plus more than a few 737s of LS and TOM. In fact the only airlines flying that evening apart from EZY were FR and W6 which explained all the Romanian accents outside the arrivals area.
We spent five fun filled days with our friends visiting Chipping Camden in the Cotswolds, Leamington Spa, Hidcote Hall Gardens and surrounding villages including an ace meal in Lutterworth. Well Ive been working in MAN so might as well visit Leicester Covid County!
Monday came and went with lunch and a relaxing reposte time then time to head back to BHX for our return flight. This time BHX was a good bit busier with FR having departures to BCN,AGP and PMI, W6 to BUD and WAW, EZY to GLA and BHX with arrivals from LS and TOM. Not a lot though given this is high summer and the middle of the English school holidays. There are around five LS 737s flying from BHX, nothing like the 11 planned for this year and even these five were not flying each day.
Again our aircraft arrived early from EDI as did the GLA service however unlike GLA our gate was not opened until after the gate closed time. Luckily for the gate agent there could only have been around 50 pob so she was lucky to get everyone through for an on time departure.
Our aircraft this time was G-EZRX another gleaming 320 sharklets. Once airborne we were treated to a brief flash of sheet lightening on The starboard side with a mean looking line of towering, anvil headed cumulo nimbus clouds on the port side resulting in a swift right turn to avoid any turbulence. Again flying time was just under 50 minutes with a landing on 06 this time in cloud so no view of the three bridges.
A quick walk from gate 6, everyone’s least favourite gate due to radio silence and those damn steps and doors due to non op jetway! Not that this is used by any of the low costs.
Collect luggage, overnight at the Marriott Maybury before doing some shopping in Waitrose Comley Bank, a treat as our nearest shop is Stirling, then driving back up home to Monifieth.
All in all the EZY service was flawless, the aircraft superb, clean and quiet, I’m becoming more of an Airbus fan with every flight these days, timekeeping excellent but all we all need now is more passengers and more frequency to retain our jobs.
Mine is still in the balance: however my next departure is next Wednesday nach Deutschland.
Not before I cook my birthday meal for Mrs C and I with some of that produce from Waitrose!