Southampton, UK Aviation Photography 5th February 2018

Early evening in Southampton, UK & possibly the busiest rush hour for domestic & some international flights during the mid Winter Season. Before we enter the Summer Seasonal for Southampton Airport, lets take a look what movements I've seen.  

Passenger travel is growing quickly with Southampton's biggest hub Flybe. Unfortunately Flybe has made few cuts on international flights due to fail competitions & lack of Flybe customers for all year period. As Summer service is right round the corner, Flybe will be starting not only their normal international flights to France, Spain, Portugal etc Flybe will be started two new Charter service to Menorca, Spain and Skiathos, Greece. With the success of EasyJet Switzerland for the new Winter service to Geneva, Switzerland this could be hard for Flybe to compete with high number of passengers. 

KLM Cityhopper PH-EXP Embrear ERJ-175 new to KLM in 2017.

KLM Cityhopper is a huge success to Southampton not just the competition of Flybe, it gives KLM a great opportunity to connect from Southampton, UK to anywhere long haul from Amsterdam, The Netherlands other than flying direct from London for example I hope KLM will include Bournemouth, UK one day. Anyway, after the departure of KLM's Fokker F70 last year, Embraer ERJ-175 is the new job for KLM Cityhopper. I got EXTREMELY LUCKY two years ago my flight was originally Fokker 70 all of a sudden I was on-board ERJ-190 in SkyTeam livery PH-EZX I have a Full Flight Video you can watch the link it's a shame I didn't get a chance on Fokker.

Aurigny Air Service G-OAUR Dornier Do-228NG delivered in 2015.

Aurigny Air Service is one of those airliners from the Channel Islands operate Southampton from Alderney, Channel Island in Guernsey with the aircraft Dornier Do-228NG the next generation version of the classic version as the Trislander replacement.

Ae Lingus Regional EI-FSK ATR 72-600 new to Aer Lingus Regional in 2016.

Aer Lingus Regional as I mentioned in the past operates from Cork, Ireland with their ATR 72 & some ATR 42 leased by Stobart Air some in full Aer Lingus livery & some full white. Although Flybe is the main airliner to operate to Dublin, Ireland Aer Lingusw gives a great opportunity to fly to the South Coast of England to Southampton, Newquay and the Channel Islands "including north England, Scotland, Wales" and Isle of Man from both Cork & Dublin.

I've seen this aircraft many times before I board every flight, however this one is completely different than what I use to see. What you see is Eastern Airways "Yes" the only change is the Flybe logo is added on the front fuselage that indicate that every time you see that logo, it's a Flybe operator operating by Eastern Airways. Unfortunately I took this shot at the wrong time so I can't give he registration information when I was drinking a pint. Some of the Eastern Airways are painted in full Flybe livery & some will remain in Eastern Airways livery. Eastern Airways did not ceased operations what happen is that Flybe plan to combine with Eastern Airways after it dropped with Loganair, Flybe made a similar deal with Eastern Airways for some destination while BA CitFlyer is in the same deal with the Isle of Man/London City, UK deal. Half of the airline in the UK are operating by Flybe & some operating for Eastern Airways depending on your nearest airport. 

Finally what I saw I don't have a photo but I will mention about. After British carrier British Midland International "or BMI" ceased operations in October 2012 by integrated to British Airways, BMI's two subsidiaries bmibaby was  ceased operations in September 2012 merged with BMI. And BMI Regional remain unaffected & focus on operating within Europe with their collection of Embraer with bases from the UK, Germany and possibly a few. What I saw in Southampton is a white Embraer ERJ-145 in white livery that landed from Munich, Germany. This will benefit Southampton when codesharing with Lufthansa for connecting for long haul network only in Munich. 

My flight report British Airways flight BA429 Amsterdam, The Netherlands - London Heathrow, UK 8th February 2018

Airline: British Airways
Flight: BA429
Type: Boeing 767-300ER
Registation: G-BNWX
Flight of origin: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Departure Hall 2
Destination London Heathrow, UK Terminal 5
Type of travel: Non-Schengen travelling within the European Union
Flight time: 44 minutes

Welcome to another Flight Report! Today we take a look a my recent flight with British Airways flight BA429 from Amsterdam, The Netherlands to London Heathrow, UK this will include my first experience on a Boeing 767 aircraft on seat 20A which is the reasons for very loud flaps. As British Airways is starting to retire all of their Boeing 767's I like to explain what I think of the flight for those who are thinking to travel with them before each of the seven Boeing 767-300ER will be withdrawn.

We start by seeing the aircraft. When you look at it if I was a non-aviation guy I would have say "An aircraft that big for a very short flight? thought it's for long haul..." When the aircraft parked closer, the engines sounded so old school from the year it was built. The 767-300ER is mean't to be quiet than the 200 depending where you'll sit. One thing I was really looking forward is the noise of the flaps & one of the best seats for rows 20A/G - 24A/G in my opinion.

As I first entered the Boeing 767 for the first time, I was blowing my mind the look of the cabin because in Economy Class it still has it's original ish character from when it was built in 1993/1994 with new things like the seats, flat screen entertainment  & so on on Club World. (I don't know what it looks like on 767) the overhead compartment, the seat belt & no smoking signs and the panels still has it's original Boeing look back in the 90's compare my BA 737 Classic flights.

Before the aircraft pushed back, for the first time I see a brand new safety video that's done & partnership with Comic Relief featuring British celebrities explaining the safety & emergency procedures. My favorite part in that video is my favorite actor Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean and Johnny English was in the final part donating a £1 count for charity till he dropped his money trying to find it as Mr Bean character. In general it's a nice safety video but I prefer the previous safety briefing which was animated & has the character feeling the airline more British and explains more of the safety video.

During the flight the cabin crew started their crew service of snacks from M&S for short haul flights only I don't expect for a 44 minute flight to start like this because when I traveled to Catania, Italy Air Malta give us free drinks for the flight so why didn't British Airways think of this without paying money for water? for a Boeing 767 I thought to myself the crew service will be touch & go from each Economy Class, collecting rubbish and handout UK landing cards. The seats on these Boeing 767's are VERY nice and SUPER comfortable! maybe the biggest seat I ever sited on an airline I had extra leg room.

So I landed in London Heathrow, UK at Terminal 5 with an amazing landing & how quiet is the reverse thrust was for an old Boeing 767! After 60 knots entering the taxiway the aircraft made very loud brakes like the Boeing 737 Classic and hearing those wonderful flaps going up. So for me I prefer to travel on a Boeing 767-300ER compare the Airbus A330 noise I would expect Boeing 777 the same.

My overall rating from Aircraft Aviation in Europe: 

• Cabin: 9/10
• Hygienic: 10/10
• Food: N/A
• Cabin Crew: 10/10
• Service: 9.7/10 

Overall: 9.8/10

Thank you British Airways for this amazing short flight I will travel again soon.

If that's not enough, I have a Full Flight video uploaded to my YouTube Channel part of the Full Flight Series. Let's aim more views! so don't forget to subscribe to my Channel, like & comment on my video. Click me to watch the whole video of the flight.

My flight report Flybe flight BE1017 Southampton, UK - Amsterdam, The Netherlands 5th February 2018

Airline: Flybe
Flight: BE1017
Type: Bombardier Dash 8 Q400
Registration: G-JEDM
Flight of origin: Southampton, UK
Destination Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Type of travel: Non-Schengen travelling within the European Union
Flight time: 55 minutes

Welcome to the first Flight Report of 2018

As I mention before my past Flybe flights was disappointing to & from Paris Charles de Gaulle, France this flight is a little bit similar so for this report I will explain the crew & the cabin. 

First I boarded the new livery Flybe aircraft from the rear. This is wear I get embarrassed on these Dash 8's. Because I'm quite tall I always have a habit of bumping my head in the cabin when entering when I have difficulty holding my hand luggage climbing the ladder. After I entered the aircraft, I was at the back seat. Takeoff was very smooth than I expected till at 25,000 feet above Cambridge we struck turbulence for 5 minutes. One criticism I had is the overhead lockers was full leaving my hand luggage underneath the seat in front of me as I left my knee up to get comfy, it did not work out. The seats unfortunately is uncomfortable it's too small for someone like me who is taller so I pass on that. 

The crew service was very good serving light snacks & hot/cold drinks until THIS happened... I wanted a snack with Euro notes "I'm sorry sir we don't have any change in Euros only Sterling" I was like "Are you kidding me..." with a €20 note I didn't had any money from my debit card (I prefer take cash instead using card) so I was giving the change in British Pound from the exchange rate. If they are aware during or after the crew briefing, the purser should also say in passenger announcement that they are very low on Euros so it be great for the passengers to pay in Sterling or cards. 

When I was on final approach into Amsterdam, The Netherlands it was so smooth thinking to myself "We're gonna have a smooth landing" I turned out wrong it was quite hard 

My overall score from Aircraft Aviation in Europe: 

• Cabin: 8/10
• Hygienic: 10/10
• Food: N/A
• Cabin Crew: 9.7/10
• Service: 9.1/10 

Overall: 9.1/10