#905466 by pjh
16 Jun 2015, 12:37
Now, what can I say about Antwerp?

First of all it’s the first time I’ve ever walked to the airport.
More on that anon.

Second, they have a proper diet.

2015-06-01 20.40.18.jpg
2015-06-01 20.40.18.jpg (78.65 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


2015-06-01 22.33.09.jpg
2015-06-01 22.33.09.jpg (63.68 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


Third, the Antwerp Hilton greets status guests appropriately

2015-05-31 22.23.10.jpg
2015-05-31 22.23.10.jpg (26.83 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


Fourth, the Antwerp Hilton has an Executive Lounge with a bar (wine and beer only, no spirits) that is open upon until 10pm.

Fifth, cyclists take no prisoners and ride bikes that make the Ken / Boris bikes seem like sleek carbon fibre racing machines.

Sixth, the Central Station has as many layers as a wedding cake with tracks at three levels. St Pancras, eat your heart out.

Seventh, they are hosting World Gin Day

2015-06-01 21.39.34.jpg
2015-06-01 21.39.34.jpg (26.61 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


Eighth, and finally, I walked to the airport from the office.
So, is this the first V-Flyer TR that begins featuring arrival at the airport courtesy of Shanks’s pony? At my desk I have the usual glam consulting outlook

2015-06-02 13.09.48.jpg
2015-06-02 13.09.48.jpg (77.58 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


but I could see aircraft landing scraping the trees and plugging the locations into Google maps could see a twenty minute walk. With hand luggage only and a daily step count to enhance, I figured that was feasible, and so it turned out to be. Under the railway line, through the housing estate and past Lidl. On my second trip I spied a subway that Apple maps doesn’t have on it, and cut it to a 15 minute walk.

Clearly proud of their flying ancestry

2015-06-02 17.08.35 HDR.jpg
2015-06-02 17.08.35 HDR.jpg (28.12 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


2015-06-10 06.20.59.jpg
2015-06-10 06.20.59.jpg (69.85 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


they eschew the airport-as-retail-park and go for minimalism.

2015-06-15 17.32.33.jpg
2015-06-15 17.32.33.jpg (57.73 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


One security line, with a board adjacent that shows the entire flight roster for the day.

2015-06-02 17.17.19 HDR.jpg
2015-06-02 17.17.19 HDR.jpg (54.84 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


As the airfield – sorry, air-port – is buzzing with activity you are bussed out to the plane. Which has, as all good aeroplanes should, an improving slogan on the side.

2015-06-02 17.49.46 HDR.jpg
2015-06-02 17.49.46 HDR.jpg (63.33 KiB) Viewed 2265 times


All but one passenger are taken out in a single trip, with the one who is clearly stretching Cityjet’s fifteen minute check in arriving once everyone else is seated and the aircraft is ready to go. They have the good grace to look flustered.

It’s the same Fokker 50 model as on the outbound, so leather seats and reasonable leg room. To cater for those who are willing (or whose employers are willing) to flash the cash the first 3 rows are set so that only one person has the pair of seats.

One downside is that three rows (five, six and seven) have very restricted luggage space above them. I presume this is to cater for the luxury of having a wing overhead. Combined with the fact the recommended dimensions for carry on luggage are somewhat under those generally used for cabin bags there is some fun to be had watching people trying to get a quart into a pint pot. Putting items under the seat in front of you is a bit of a challenge too as the space available is shared by you and your neighbour.

Tonight’s flight is quite quiet (unlike two I have taken since) and so the luggage tetris is soon sorted and we’re on our way. Once the brakes are off there’s neither queuing nor dawdling and we’re up and away and gazing down at the Belgian countryside. Which looks very much like the English countryside only with some huge glassed over agricultural facilities.

Service is prompt and most of us are offered coffee / tea / water / juice / beer / wine and a sweet or savoury snack. Those in “business” get some kind of enhanced offering. As it’s not too busy we get offered a top up, but I decline as one glass of vino is enough given I’ll be in the car in about two and a half hours.

I think we come in to land at London City from the east, but having the other two flights come in from the west over Westminster, Buckingham Palace, St Pauls and soforth perhaps I was just seated on the wrong side!

Landed at 18.05, on time. Next up is my personal challenge: to be back at Kings Cross for the 19.10 train. Getting off the aircraft is easy (no waiting for steps, as they are integral to the aircraft) and swiftly through passport control.

Tactical error of hold luggage meaning a 5 minute wait, then to the DLR. No direct service to Bank shown, so to Canning Town and a couple of minutes wait for the transfer. All was going well until Bank where I missed the Northern Line entrance and wasted a good few minutes. On to a train, and the silent wishing for the hustle alarm at every station and the interminable (or so it seemed) Old Street to Angel stretch. Off at Kings Cross at three minutes past seven, with another silent prayer for a train at Platform 8 rather than Platform 0.

And despite everyone sauntering, dawdling, dillydallying, lollygagging and generally not being focussed enough on getting on with moving through the station I make the train with a minute to spare.
Last edited by pjh on 17 Jun 2015, 11:23, edited 1 time in total.
#905507 by TimCrawley
16 Jun 2015, 22:28
A great read, thanks for posting, you did well to make that train with a minute to spare!

I once got 'caught' with hold luggage flying in to LCY but as I was so slow taking nearly 3 minutes walking from the aircraft to the luggage 'carousel' my bag was already there :-) After watching everyone struggle with hand luggage I was rather smug about having checked my bag which was no larger than the ones everyone else was trying to squeeze on board with.
#905508 by TimCrawley
16 Jun 2015, 22:33
P.S. really enjoyed the read about Antwerp aerodrome .... flown from the Belgian airports at Brussels Zaventem, Paris North (sorry, that's Brussels South / Charleroi) and Oostende so must give Antwerp a try after reading your description!
#905515 by hiljil
17 Jun 2015, 08:44
Thank you for a very different and amusing TR.
Loved the photos ! y)
Virgin Atlantic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests

Itinerary Calendar