We flew over yesterday for the no. 1's birthday weekend, a night at the Semper Opera, a trip to the Meissen factory and general sightseeing in what I can say already is a beautiful place. I think it entirely possible that EasyJet or Ryanair also come here, but I wouldn't possibly countenance that, so we came on BA from Gatwick, which is reasonably convenient for home. I should have booked the prepaid parking offered by BA, as it is, Reg (as our car is called) is currently sat in the NCP long term outside the North Terminal for more than I should be paying.
Check in was very quick, I had checked-in online but couldn't print the boarding pass so we went straight to a Club counter with no queue, very unlike the alledgedly fast bag drop queues for those that had. Charming check in lady who was however not looking forward to next week and half term! Then to fast track security - which even for Gatwick North I had never seen so long a line ... fortunately a young bod directed us to a new, yes a NEW!!!, security line opened up by BAA. Actually there are two and they are tucked right behind the Emirates check in counters - and there was no queue at all [:0], I mean we just waltzed straight up to the scanner, bag and jacket in and through in 2 minutes [^]. If BAA can find this space at LGW surely they could look at LHR to.
No waiting in the terminal, went straight Terraces lounge which really is a glorified cafe here, but quietish and nice coffee and pastries. Then a good walk over the footbridge to gate 110. Could see a Gulf 330, Continental 777, several BA 777s, Virgin Nigeria 767, Virgin 747 and Excel 747-200 and 767 taxiing for take-off and pretty busy. We boarded onto one of BA's tired 737-500's (surely the Gatwick BA short haul fleet must be due for replacement soon - and why are they all called 'Chatham Dockyard'?). Settled into 1A and 1C, which as many of you know are by far the best Club Europe seats having more legroom at the bulk head and more width, and left pretty much on time to join the queue for take-off. It moved efficiently and we were airborn 30 mins after schedule but with the promise of making that up in flight.
Lunch came around quickly, I had a chicken salad with potatoes which was yummy and had a really nice lime dressing, plus hot rolls, cheese and biscuits and chocs. The salad was perfect, just what I would cook at home - why VS tries so hard when sometimes simple stuff works is beyond me. Washed down with two or maybe three of those little bottles of Pommery, the flight passed in a jiffy. Crew were spot on.
So we landed ahead of schedule, straight to a gate at DRE, a nice new airport, very tidy and efficient (and amazingly they still let people smoke in the baggage hall here !) and into the back of a waiting Audi and off to the hotel.
Apart from the terrible terraces lounge, a first rate short haul BA flight.
There's a plane at JFK, to fly you back from far away
all those dark and frantic transatlantic miles
all those dark and frantic transatlantic miles
