#893746 by welsheagle
27 Jan 2015, 17:29
A good day's work out of the way, it was off to the airport for the flight home.
(As an aside, for those travelling to Edinburgh and not hiring a car, there is a new tram service running from the airport to the city centre. Two things - there are signs in the terminal directing you to the trams but when you come through the exit, there is nothing to show you where to go. You actually need to go left and then you will see other signs pointing you towards the tram stop. The second thing is it aint cheap. I only had to go 4 stops and that cost £5. Absolute rip-off. You must buy your ticket before you board, evidently, and the machines take cash or cards but, if paying with cash, make sure you have the right amount because they do not give change.)
Right, back on topic.
OLCI was done on Saturday already so it was straight through to Security where they are trying something new (or so I was told).
The queue when I arrived was through the door but moved fairly steadily. There were only 2 lines (of 6) in operation which seemed a bit daft to me when it was so busy.
They line a number of people up each with a single plastic tub into which you put all your belongings while a lady (not necessarily a lady but it was when I was there :) ) marches up and down on the other side shouting instructions.
In the meantime, the next ones in the queue are given a number and told to stand on the painted circle with that number.
As the person in front finishes loading their plastic tub, they pick it up, lean forward and put it on the parallel channel in front of them. Oh yes, don't forget to take your shoes off as well(when will we get consistency? At Cardiff, I was told there was no need to). They then take a step back (not 2 otherwise the poor sod on the numbered dot will get trodden on), turn smartly to the right and go through the bleeping machine. If you are not selected for a bit of rough and tumble, then you go and join the huddled masses waiting for their plastic tub to eventually appear. Every now and again, one zips off down a branch line to be examined in minute detail by yet another official.
When your tub eventually arrives, whatever you do, don't start getting dressed immediately as you will have a Sergeant Major screaming in your ear to pick up your measly belongings and to make your way to a spare reassembly cubicle.
It all took me back to my National Service days with half a dozen different people all making themselves heard while giving contradicting instructions. Great fun if you enjoy watching utter chaos at work.
If they had just opened up a couple more points, it would have all been so much smoother.
Anyway, off to the local eatery for an expensive, foul burger and a pint and to make use of the 2 hours free wi-fi (best I have found in UK airports so far (Cardiff and Bristol only give 30 minutes and, if I remember correctly, you get an hour at Heathrow)
The flight started off showing arrival to be 5 minutes early but this eventually slipped out to 25 minutes late after a 10 minute delayed departure from Cardiff.
Once at the gate, they did a quick turnaround and then boarded rows 1-10 and then 11 and 12.
The flight looked much fuller than the morning but it seems as if it was actually 1 pax less at 28.
Pushed back 10 minutes late only so a good effort at making up time on the turn-around.
Cheerful chappie looking after the pax - strictly enforced the turning off of mobile phones, laptops etc though - and after a much smoother departure than my arrival that morning, the little ATR42 (sam aircraft as the morning flight) zipped its way smoothly down to Cardiff. The only bumps were well into the descent and then only small little rumbles before it smoothed out again and on for a smooth landing and at the gate 2 minutes aherad of schedule. Must have been quite a tailwind.
One thing I don't understand about CWL; we were parked at the gate furtherest from the entrance to the terminal so had to walk all the way around the apron to get to the door and into the building. Understandable if there were other aircraft there but, come on, this is Cardiff airport and there was nothing else parkied on our apron. Thank goodness the weather had improved since I left earlier in the day when it was tipping down.
All in all, a couple of good flights with good crew, really decent coffee on board (proved it wasn't a mistake on the morning flight) and a bit of entertainment thrown in for free at EDI watching the shennanigans at security.

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