Live from CRL:
Checkin: long lines, chaos (luckily, no bags to check)
Security: long lines, chaos
Conclusion: CRL is becoming a crowded mess combined with the exodus and they all packed their brains in their bags! Amazing!!!
[Pre- and Post-Trip report] CRL - PSA - CRL with Ryanair
Re: Pre trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
Oh yeah, reason I post this: with bags, arrive 2 hours in advance!
Re: Pre trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
Live trip report from BRU (Kriva & me): no waiting lines anywhere!
Good luck
Good luck
~Memento Mori~
Re: Pre trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
That's indeed what the airport itself recommends.Stij wrote:Oh yeah, reason I post this: with bags, arrive 2 hours in advance!
And since you are reporting live from CRL, do they have free WiFi, limited or unlimited?
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
Re: Pre trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
No surprise, the growth was so fast that they are always building too late 
But the biggest mess imo is the group landing at 22h30-23h00
But the biggest mess imo is the group landing at 22h30-23h00
My messages reflect my personal opinion which may be different than yours. I beleive a forum is made to create a debate so I encourage people to express themselves, the way they want, with the ideas they want. I expect the same understanding in return.
Trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
Good morning! and we're back in Belgium, so I can write the report and give answer to some questions...
The day round trip was booked 1 week in advance and costed 147,88€. SN isn't in the market with just one day return to FLR (and if they would have been, they would have charged me 4 times as much
).
Flight:
Date : 08 07 2015
Aircraft: Boeing B737-800
From-To: Charleroi - Pisa (CRL - PSA)
Seat: 14C
Scheduled Time of Departure: 6:55 (GMT + 2)
Scheduled Time of Arrival: 8:45 (GMT +2)
Scheduled Duration of the flight: 1:50
As I already wrote above, CRL was... a bit crowded.
One of the reasons there was such chaos was the automatic boarding pass checks: when the area is overcrowded, it;s not very clear on which side of the gate you should scan... hilarious!
After security I went for breakfast in the self service "canteen". I was surprised by the number of pax trying to avoid the shops by going to the gate via the canteen, but there's no escape anymore: you have to (In BRU as well and I hate it there just as much as in CRL).
André, I used my 4G as I thought that even if there would be free Wifi, it would be overloaded.
Behind the kingdom of sirens (the shop) there was no more chaos, just long lines at every gate: load factors must have been close to 100%. Boarding started punctual and when the line was gone... my turn.
The flight was a standard friendly FR flight that arrived early...
In the PSA chaos... 2 FR's were deplaned at the same time in an overcrowded baggage collection area. I felt lucky I was travelling without luggage and could squeeze myself to the exit.
Stij Top Travel Tip: when the shuttle bus to the rental car place isn't there and weather and luggage permitting... walk: beat the crowds.
Flight:
Date : 08 07 2015
Aircraft: Boeing B737-800
From-To: Pisa - Charkeroi (PSA-CRL)
Seat: 8F
Scheduled Time of Departure: 19:00 (GMT + 2)
Scheduled Time of Arrival: 20:50 (GMT + 2)
Scheduled Duration of the flight: 1:50
After a day of quality inspections in the heat, time to head back home.
Again... no rental car shuttle bus? Walk!
As I entered the airport via the arrivals hall, I don;t know if there were lines at check-in.
Security was excellent! When they check you Boarding Pass, they send you to lines with trolleys and lines without trolleys! Great idea!!!
And then there was chaos: PSA can't handle it any more: no seats available, unstructured layout... but what a great wine bar! This is what I lack in CRL: something that offers a bit more: people will pay for this: there's demand!
Our departure was delayed by 5 min... boarding started accordingly, and at 19:05 we were all seated, but the luggage guys were still beusy, first getting all the luggage in and then... getting 4 pieces out again. after this the luggage guys came out of the belly of the beast... more dead than alive: it was 35 degrees... All my respect for them!!!
Strangely enough, this wasn't announced by the crew. People will understand better a 25min delay if they know the cause is one of their fellow passengers.
Anyhow, the rest of the flight was just another friendly FR flight, punctual according to the music, but according to my watch 10min late. Anyhow, this happens, happy customer.
Cheers,
Stij
The day round trip was booked 1 week in advance and costed 147,88€. SN isn't in the market with just one day return to FLR (and if they would have been, they would have charged me 4 times as much
).Flight:
Date : 08 07 2015
Aircraft: Boeing B737-800
From-To: Charleroi - Pisa (CRL - PSA)
Seat: 14C
Scheduled Time of Departure: 6:55 (GMT + 2)
Scheduled Time of Arrival: 8:45 (GMT +2)
Scheduled Duration of the flight: 1:50
As I already wrote above, CRL was... a bit crowded.
One of the reasons there was such chaos was the automatic boarding pass checks: when the area is overcrowded, it;s not very clear on which side of the gate you should scan... hilarious!
After security I went for breakfast in the self service "canteen". I was surprised by the number of pax trying to avoid the shops by going to the gate via the canteen, but there's no escape anymore: you have to (In BRU as well and I hate it there just as much as in CRL).
André, I used my 4G as I thought that even if there would be free Wifi, it would be overloaded.
Behind the kingdom of sirens (the shop) there was no more chaos, just long lines at every gate: load factors must have been close to 100%. Boarding started punctual and when the line was gone... my turn.
The flight was a standard friendly FR flight that arrived early...
In the PSA chaos... 2 FR's were deplaned at the same time in an overcrowded baggage collection area. I felt lucky I was travelling without luggage and could squeeze myself to the exit.
Stij Top Travel Tip: when the shuttle bus to the rental car place isn't there and weather and luggage permitting... walk: beat the crowds.
Flight:
Date : 08 07 2015
Aircraft: Boeing B737-800
From-To: Pisa - Charkeroi (PSA-CRL)
Seat: 8F
Scheduled Time of Departure: 19:00 (GMT + 2)
Scheduled Time of Arrival: 20:50 (GMT + 2)
Scheduled Duration of the flight: 1:50
After a day of quality inspections in the heat, time to head back home.
Again... no rental car shuttle bus? Walk!
As I entered the airport via the arrivals hall, I don;t know if there were lines at check-in.
Security was excellent! When they check you Boarding Pass, they send you to lines with trolleys and lines without trolleys! Great idea!!!
And then there was chaos: PSA can't handle it any more: no seats available, unstructured layout... but what a great wine bar! This is what I lack in CRL: something that offers a bit more: people will pay for this: there's demand!
Our departure was delayed by 5 min... boarding started accordingly, and at 19:05 we were all seated, but the luggage guys were still beusy, first getting all the luggage in and then... getting 4 pieces out again. after this the luggage guys came out of the belly of the beast... more dead than alive: it was 35 degrees... All my respect for them!!!
Strangely enough, this wasn't announced by the crew. People will understand better a 25min delay if they know the cause is one of their fellow passengers.
Anyhow, the rest of the flight was just another friendly FR flight, punctual according to the music, but according to my watch 10min late. Anyhow, this happens, happy customer.
Cheers,
Stij
-
airazurxtror
- Posts: 3769
- Joined: 17 Nov 2005, 00:00
Re: Pre trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
Thanks for this pleasant and interesting report - altogether a nice trip, it seems !
IF IT AIN'T BOEING, I'M NOT GOING.
Re: [Pre- and Post-Trip report] CRL - PSA - CRL with Ryanair
Thanks Airazurxtror!
A nice trip... I don't know...
You fly for the fun of it... I fly because I have to...
I enjoy take-off and landing, all the rest is writing reports, reminders and answering mails...
FR is miles away from being pampered in a lie-flat business class seat: that's a nice trip!
But nice as in "nothing went wrong"? Yes, it was a nice trip.
A nice trip... I don't know...
You fly for the fun of it... I fly because I have to...
I enjoy take-off and landing, all the rest is writing reports, reminders and answering mails...
FR is miles away from being pampered in a lie-flat business class seat: that's a nice trip!
But nice as in "nothing went wrong"? Yes, it was a nice trip.
Re: Pre trip report CRL - PSA - CRL
Top of homepage of CRL nowadays:sn26567 wrote:That's indeed what the airport itself recommends.Stij wrote:Oh yeah, reason I post this: with bags, arrive 2 hours in advance!
Because of the high number of passengers we are expecting, Brussels South Charleroi Airport would like to remind you that we recommend arriving at the airport between 2 and 3 hours before your departure time. We would also like to let you know that the check-in desks open at 4am for the first flights. Enjoy your flight!
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
Re: [Pre- and Post-Trip report] CRL - PSA - CRL with Ryanair
Good thing they warn their passengers!!!
Cheers,
Stij
Cheers,
Stij