I got up early at 3:30 (why do i always book early flights and think it'll be ok in the morning while it usually isn't?) and arrived at the airport around 4:30. After we parked the car we went straight to the Alitalia check-in desks in Row 6. We had to wait a while for the agents to show up (Italian efficiency
) but once they where there (a large line was formed in the meantime, blocking also the deks of a Jetairfly flight to Malaga) we where helped quickly (advantage of beeing third in the line). The agent checked us in for the Brussels - Rome and Rome - Milan legs but couldn't issue a boarding pass for the Milan-Brussels leg and advised us to trie getting one in Rome since our connection time in Milan was rather short (50 minutes to be exact).After we where checked-in we headed for gate A59, all the way down through the catacombes and the security screening and all the way up the A-pier again. Boarding started right on time and we where one of the first to board and took our seats 14E and F (the row behind the emergency exit). At the entrance of the plane was a newspaper rack where you could pick a free newspaper from a wide range of international titles.
Flight AZ157
Departure Brussels 06:30
Arrival Rome Fiumicino 08:30
operated by A320-214 I-BIKL "libeccio" C/n1489, delivered to Eurofly on 15/06/2001 and went to Alitalia on 20/11/2003
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5615079
We pushed-back on-time and headed to runway 07R for take-off (quite unusual, usually the 25's are used, but the wind was blowing in the opposite direction today.) On the way to the runway we passed the old terminal and an empty spot where the C-pier used to be, now demolished and turned into a parking spot.
We where allowed to take-off immediatly and did a rolling take-off, we where up in not time and saw nothing but clouds all the way to Rome.
We where served a Alisnack box, containing a sandwich with ham and some sort of philadelphia cheese spread, a drie marble cake and a strawberry yoghurt, served together with orange juice and tea/coffee. the meal was the right size and tasteful, better than I expected. At least Alitalia still offers something for free, other flag carriers can learn a lesson from this
After a very uneventful flight we decended for Fiumicino and broke through the clouds above the sea when on finals for 34R. The touchdown was very soft and the captain only used brakes, no reverse thrust. We parked up at the b-pier after a long taxi and made our way through arrivals up to the check-in area to trie to check-in for our Milan-Brussels flight. We tried a machine, but they only work for domestic flights, so we went to a counter. after a short wait (KLM take note
) we where helped by a very handsome and friendly lady who struggled a bit with our reservation but succeeded in giving us boarding passes for both the Rome - Milan (new boarding pass and seating assignment we moved from row 21 to row 02 :d )and Milan - Brussels flights.Now that we had checked-in for all our flights we went to center rome for a while ( the Leonardo express airport train is a real-rip-off €9,50 for a single trip...) and saw some of the famous sights like the colloseum and the forum romanum (only pity it was raining).
Because of the rain we returned to the airport earlier than planned and took something to eat ( a nice warm pizza and a very nice chocolate cake yummy :d) . Here I managed to get some shots of the aiport:
remote parking areas
check-in desks in Terminal A, the Domestic Terminal
departures board, find the correct flight
domestic Gates
Flight AZ2070
Departure Rome Fiumicino 15:00
Arrival Milan Linate: 16:00
Operated by MD-82 I-DACU "Verona", c/n 53055 Delivered to ATI on 10/05/1991 and went to Alitalia on 10/30/1994
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=451369
After we strolled around the airport for a while we went to the originally planned gate A08, but than saw that we had a gate change to A09, across the concourse.
Our plane getting ready
Once again boarding started on time (already 2 flights on time, better than Iberia
) and after all elite's where boarded, we where allowed on board too. We didn't have to go too far since we where seated in 02K and L, the first row on the 3 abreast side. Unfortunatly the overhead bins of these seats where filled with the safety demonstration equipment so we had to put our bags etc under our seat.After boarding was completed, the flight attendants gave a manual safety demo (no video screens on this plane) and where pushed-back on time. After a rather short taxi to runway 25, we lined up and waited. Suddenly the pilots put the engines in full power and than released the brakes, must have been the most powerful take-off I experienced. The climb-out was extremly steep and scenic over the coastline. Unfortunatly our cruising altitude of 8000 meters meant that we where flying right in the clouds, so we saw nothing but white outside...
I must say that the MD80 is extremely quiet up front, it's very surreal to only hear the wind and no engine sound whatsoever. During this short hop the flight attendants came round with some drinks, only most of the collar and tie brigade on-board this aircraft didn't want a drink (When people have to pay for drinks they complain, but when they get them for free, they don't want them, humans ...)
After another uneventful flight we started our decend into Milan Linate. the finals for runway 36 where very scenic after we broke through the clouds, loads of apartments etc. Once again a smooth landing, but heavy braking (Linate has a rather short runway
). We had a short taxi to one of the few jetway stands at A22 (very welcome cause it was raining very hard) and where of the plane in no time (logical when sitting in the first row...)We had only a small amount of time to kill in Linate, but the action through the windows was enough to keep me busy:
Flight AZ152
Departure Milan Linate 16:55
Arrival Brussels 18:25
Operated by A319-112 I-BIMA "Isola d'Elba", c/n 1722 delivered to Alitalia on 19/06/2002
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5680114
The last flight of the day was on the fairly new Linate-Brussels connection and was my first A319 experience.
The plane getting ready for a flight to Brussels
This time we had seats 11 E and F, again the row behind the emergency exit. Again a rather uneventful flight, we where served a drink and a small strawberry flavoured cake, not much but still better than nothing. The real fun began when starting our decent into Brussels, a very bumpy ride at last some nice IFE
.The flying was concluded by a firm touchdown on runway 02, after which we parked at gate A57 and went to get our car to drive home (the carparks at Brussels desperatly need better signage btw ...)
all-in all I was pleasantly suprised by Alitalia, they have shown me a very punctual and efficient airline with a good in-flight product. I hope they can exit the financial difficulties and I hope to see them flying the european skies for some more years to come. I wont hesitate to fly them again and I surely will advise them to other people too.
I hope you liked the report, comments and remarks are welcomed.
