From Brussels to new Ryanair destination Hamburg and back

[sn26567]

Not much to tell about these two flights on Ryanair, which were quite normal on Thursday, 10 November 2016. I thus will only relate the special events, together with the best pictures.

Flight: Ryanair FR2801
Date : 10 Nov 2016
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 EI-ESN
From-To: Brussels - Hamburg (BRU-HAM)
Seat: 30A
Scheduled/Effective Time of Departure: 08:35/08:34 (GMT+1)
Scheduled/Effective Time of Arrival: 09:50/09:48 (GMT+1)
Scheduled/Effective Duration of the flight: 1 hr 25 min/1 hr 24 min

First time to enter the airport without the tents: four police and two military at the only open entrance to the airport. Breakfast at Belle & Belge, the best value for money at Brussels Airport, just before the Connector gates. Many people at the body search and had baggage control, but moving swiftly.

Boarding at gate A32, through the back of the plane

Boarding at gate A32

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Our plane, a Boeing 737-800 registered EI-ESN

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Boarding through the back

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A good load factor of ~90%

A good load factor of ~90%

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Take-off from the usual 25R, and nice flight at FL 350 above the clouds all the way

Nice flight at FL 350 above the cloudsall the way

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Hamburg, just before landing on runway 05, was covered with a light snow. But on-time arrival celebrated by the Ryanair trumpets of glory

Hamburg covered by snow

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Almost down

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Hamburg Airport has been renamed after former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt

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Disembarking

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A special vehicle of the Red Cross for disembarking handicapped persons

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Our neighbour on the tarmac, a Eurowings A320 (future colours of Brussels Airlines?)

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Flight: Ryanair FR2808
Date : 10 Nov 2016
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 EI-ESN
From-To: Hamburg - Brussels (HAM-BRU)
Seat: 30A
Scheduled/Effective Time of Departure: 18:50/19:07 (GMT+1)
Scheduled/Effective Time of Arrival: 20:10/20:17 (GMT+1)
Scheduled/Effective Duration of the flight: 1 hr 20 min/1 hr 10 min

Arrival at the airport with the excellent S1 regional train from the City

Back to Hamburg Airport...

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... with the S1 train

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Our flight tonight will be FR2908 to Brussels

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The new Helmut Schmidt name of the airport (since today, November 10!) is advertised everywhere

Hamburg Airport has been renamed to former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, and it shows

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With a bus to the aircraft, the very same one as for the outbound flight in the morning

Bussing to the aircraft from gate C14

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Boarding in the dark into the very same plane, Boeing 737-800 reg. EI-ESN

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Safety demonstration

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The weather had been cold with melting snow all day, thus, compulsory de-icing, first time this year. And an additional delay after the somewhat late departure.

The de-icing season has started!

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Take-off from runway 33 towards a low cruising altitude at FL280. Nice hot meal (for 6€) on board after a cold day.

A hot supper (sweet sour chicken with rice) to compensate for the cold day! With lemonade...

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Landing in Brussels on runway 25L. Did I hear the trumpets of glory and an announcement saying the flight was early? Mistake: the flight was a few minutes late (confirmed by FR24)! Thus, don't always rely on what you hear...

Docking at a very unusual gate for Ryanair: A/T 74. Disembarking through a jet bridge, to the disappointment of the people who paid a more expensive seat booking fee to sit in the last three rows in order to disembark faster: here they paid more to disembark last !!!

Arrival in Brussels at unusual gate for Ryanair: A/T 74 at the very end of Pier A. And disembarking through a jet bridge!

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At the next gate, a bmi regional ERJ145 operating for Brussels Airlines

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Going to the exit, in front of gate A/T 70, an announcement by Brussels Airlines offering 250 euros to volunteers accepting to fly to Marseilles on the morning flight of the following day instead of the overbooked flight of the evening.

[TheFlyingSultan]

Bonjour André & thanks for the report!

As I mentioned earlier I was on the inaugural on Nov 1st, nothing special happened either mind you. And I flew back on SN - one of those € 29 one way fares

I find it remarkable how high the load is for this destination, my flight was fully booked and yours was + 90% you mention. Hamburg isn't exactly a city tripping destination à la Berlin let's say. And I didn't notice many suits either but maybe that was because of it being Nov 1st?

The meal seemed ok, certainly price wise.

Quite unique indeed to park at the last gate of terminal A, I did that a few times some years ago when there were not yet those LCC stands at the beginning. easyJet for ex also had to use these last gates it seems.
A few weeks ago, I came from SXF on FR and we parked at gate 40, which is the 1st gate at terminal A. Disembarkation was through the jetbridge.

Tnx,
TFS

[sn26567]

As I mentioned earlier I was on the inaugural on Nov 1st, nothing special happened either mind you.

Not even a cake? When FR inaugurated DUB flights from BRU there was a cake, and a speech at the gate (I was there). Of course, with flights at €9.99, there isn't much money left for cakes

I find it remarkable how high the load is for this destination, my flight was fully booked and yours was + 90% you mention. Hamburg isn't exactly a city tripping destination à la Berlin let's say. And I didn't notice many suits either but maybe that was because of it being Nov 1st?

I find Hamburg worth city trip. And people might be so used to Berlin that they want to try something else!

The meal seemed ok, certainly price wise.

They do indeed have a choice of three hot meals (and they are really very hot when they come out of the microwave), all at €6.00. Unfortunately, the only beer available to accompany the meal is that catpiss I politely called lemonade.

A few weeks ago, I came from SXF on FR and we parked at gate 40, which is the 1st gate at terminal A. Disembarkation was through the jetbridge.

I saw an easyJet at the same stand when I left in the morning. It seems that there aren't enough LCC stands!

Tnx,
TFS

You're welcome