#237764 by colmc
06 Sep 2005, 02:37
I was off to Bristol for the weekend, to attend a conference. Having looked at flights to Bristol a couple of months ago, my choice was between Aer Lingus and Ryanair. Despite some previously uninspiring encounters with Aer Lingus, I went ahead a booked my ticket, which set me back the princely sum of 60 return, including taxes and fees. I arrived at DUB at approximately 09.30 and after checking that my luggage would be allowed as carry-on at the Aer Lingus sales and information desk, I checked in using one of their FastPass machines. (Now, my bag wasn't all that big in fact, it was only a hold all but I felt it would be polite to check rather than assume it was OK. I hate people who bring huge items of cabin baggage on board, and take up all the space in the overhead lockers!). FastPass check-in was quick and easy, as always, and in no-time I had secured seat 3C. After a bite to eat, a smoke (outside the airport, as there are no smoking facilities airside due to the smoking laws) and a trip to the book shop I headed to security.

Security at DUB was busy as they are being more thorough of late. However, the long queue was moving relatively quickly, and soon I was kicking off my shoes, and having them scanned with the rest of my belongings. My watch set off the detector (which it never has before while going through DUB), and as such I was sent back without it. I didn't beep this time, so I was able to re-assemble myself and head for the gate. The display indicated that the flight would depart from gate C41. I headed off towards the C-pier to settle down for a read. An SK MD80, a BD A321 and a what I think was an A330 belonging to Skyservice (5G) were some of the birds parked up along the C-pier, heading to CPH, LHR and YYZ respectively. After a soft-drink and some reading at a small coffee bar, I decided to head to C41 and wait for boarding. When I got there, it was showing that the next flight departing that gate was going to be a BA flight to LGW. Great, I grumbled a gate change. I walked back to the beginning to the C-pier and checked the displays, and EI286 was not listed. Evidently, it was not departing from another pier. I trudged back to security and checked the main displays here. My heart sank when I saw we were now scheduled to go from A4. I trekked all the way down to the A-pier with some trepidation, and as soon as I got there I remembered why I hate it so much. The A-pier at DUB is one of the many levels of hell. An FR flight to Rome was waiting to board at A3, which meant the area around gates A3 and A4 were packed with pax. I gave up and found a seat away from the scrum and read some more.

I glanced at the display and saw that A4 was already listed as being the gate for a delayed Futura flight so I was worried that we might be moved again. Eventually, as the time to board came closer, we were informed that the flight would be delayed by approximately 20 minutes. The inbound flight which would become the FR flight to Rome arrived and disgorged it's pax out into the crowded gate area. There is no separation of outbound/inbound pax on DUB's A-Pier, which can create some interesting scenes between those queueing resolutely for their flight (and determined not to move) and those trying to disembark. Especially when the numbers involved are 2 full planeloads of a FR 738! After the outbound FR pax had boarded, our plane arrived at the gate. As I suspected, it was one of EI's new one class A320's. We were invited to board after about 20 minutes, with the front rows going via the front set of steps and the second half of the plane going via the rear (The A-pier has no airbridges!). However, boarding was quick and the flight appeared about 66% full. This meant no passenger in 3B so the traveller in 3A and I had some extra space between us. The seating on the new A320's is leather, and quite comfortable but I still maintain the pitch is a little tighter than on EI's older A321's. Still, for a 40 minute flight to BRS, it was more than adequate.

The cabin crew went through the safety demo before take-off, but they seemed a little muddled and disinterested in the whole affair. While I appreciate it's something they do day-in, day-out, it doesn't inspire confidence in the pax when they mumble the text and the crew doing the demos look utterly bored. We pushed back and taxied into position behind to other EI A320's and a FR 738. We were up in the air quite quickly after a smooth take off. The crew were up as soon as the captain signalled and before long they were preparing to do their refreshment sales. I purchased a 330ml can of Diet Coke and a small tub of Pringles from their Skycafe menu, which set me back 3, which isn't all that bad. The flight took about 40 minutes, and before we knew it, we were preparing to land at BRS. A smooth landing, and a quick taxi to our gate. As we disembarked down the steps, a Thomsonfly 757 was releasing the last of its passengers. Glad that I only had hand-luggage, I sped through the terminal and was outside Bristol airport in less than 5 minutes. All in all, a reasonable flight with EI. The worst parts were the delays, the A-pier at DUB and the slightly disinterested cabin crew. The plane, the flight and the flight time were all up to expectations. For 60, you really could not complain too much!

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