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Flight: ZB1376
Callsign: MON1376
From: Manchester (EGCC/MAN)
To: Venice Marco Polo (LIPZ/VCE)
Aircraft: Airbus A321-200 G-OZBH
Date: 30th June 2012
Duration: 2h21m
Departure time (scheduled): 09:10
Departure time (actual): 09:27
Arrival time (scheduled): 12:40
Arrival time (actual): 12:48
So after driving down to MAN the night before we stayed overnight at the Radisson Blu with a 7AM start. The hotel was excellent and was all very clean and fresh, not to mention the view from the window of bmi A320 G-MIDS and TCX 767-300 G-TCCB:
Already knew where to go as we wandered into T2 the night before via the bridges connecting the hotel with the terminals. Through security pretty quick so grabbed a bacon roll for which we waited far too long. The flight was called whilst we were waiting but we couldn't go until we had the food. Made it in the end though. So after forcing down a bacon roll it was time to board. We walked along the rather long terminal past hundreds of passengers awaiting their flights. Once down on the ground floor we were bussed to our aircraft, an 8 year old A321, G-OZBH (MSN 2105). We boarded via the stairs through the front door only and I found my seat in the middle of the aircraft. Can't remember the seat number, around 18A I think. Managed to squeeze myself into the available legroom which, as you've guessed, wasn't much at all. The flight was pretty full, and seems that it has been doing well as the route only started earlier in the year in direct competition with Jet2 from MAN. Flights are also offered from BHX and LGW with the A320. Some condensation was visible in the cabin which was causing a bit of concern as it was mistaken for smoke. Anyway it subsided and off we went. Boarding was completed relatively quickly and off we went. Taxied off to 23L past a few aircraft. I can remember an Etihad and EK A330 and there were a few Jet2 737s around. An Aurigny ATR-72 held for us to pass where we then taxied onto 23L.
Takeoff was nice and smooth, and we even managed to get snapped by a spotter, so thanks to Paul J. Harvey:
--- PHOTO COPYRIGHT PAUL J HARVEY ---
After takeoff we took a left turn and headed East of Birmingham and then directly over London. We reached our cruise of FL330 just beofre London and maintained a cruise speed of around 480kts. We crossed Dunkirk before heading over Charleroi, Saarbrucken, Stuttgart and south over the Alps.
We then began our descent and passed the North tip of Lake Garda (my final destination) before making a left turn towards Venice. A left turn was conducted for the final approach to 04R where we passed the water taxis below which run from the airport into Venice. We landed seconds later on 04R, passing a Norwegain B738 before exiting to the right and taxiing to the stand, past 737-300WL LN-KKX of Norwegian:
Apron was rather busy as we parked on stand next to a company A320, G-MPCD which had arrived earlier from LGW. The baggage handlers were passing time by sliding down the belts which entertained many of the pax. Parking brake set, the seat belts signs were switched off when suddenly, to our surprise, they were illuminated again as the captain came on the PA announcing that they hadn't been pulled into the correct position. So we waited a further few minutes to be hooked up to the tug again and we were pulled forwards followed by the signs being switched off again and us finally being allowed to disembark. As per usual I had a chat with the captain at the end. We then waited a good 10 minutes for a bus to come and collect us which we then boarded and we were bussed to the terminal. Noted some Volotea B717s, a TAP A319 and, to my surprise TWO Air Transat A330-300s.
Video:
------- PART TWO COMING SOON -------