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Trip Report: MAN-VCE-MAN | Monarch

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#1 Iain_

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Posted 30 August 2012 - 11:49 AM

Took me a long time to get round to this but still. So first time with Monarch, first time from MAN and my first time on an A321 were my accomplishments for this trip. Not only that, but I finally have a decent camera - my Sony Xperia S and it's 12MP camera. So no more 90s-style photos or disposable cameras :D Despite it being recorded in HD, quality was lost during conversion :(

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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:

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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:

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--- 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.

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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:

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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 -------



#2 Iain_

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Posted 30 August 2012 - 01:15 PM

Part 2 as promised :)

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Flight: ZB1377
Callsign: MON1377
From: Venice Marco Polo (LIPZ/VCE)
To: Manchester (EGCC/MAN)
Aircraft: Airbus A321-200 G-OZBG
Date: 14th July 2012
Duration: 2h18m

Departure time (scheduled): 13:40
Departure time (actual): 14:17
Arrival time (scheduled):  15:00
Arrival time (actual): 15:35

So holidays over and it's time to wave goodbye to sunny Italy and head home to even sunnier Scotland. Arrived nice and early at the airport, returned the car and off we went into departures. It's safe to say the airport was mobbed. The check in queues were a bit of a mess and people kept trying to get trolleys through, people skipping others in the queue and it was all a bit hectic. We queued for a rather long time and when we finally did get through, we only went from one dreadful queue to another. The queue for security was even worse. We queued for a good 45 minutes but it seemed like longer. I spent some of the time watching an SAS 737 being prepared for departure to Oslo but I lost sight of it and it was a rather boring wait. Not to mention I hadn't eaten or drank for hours and it was rather warm too.

We FINALLY got through the queues and it was already 15 minutes passed the boarding time! So it was another classic case of 'Grab N Go' so we ate and headed for the gate ( :P) Luckily for us the flight was delayed. We went down the escalator to the gates where I remember boarding my flight to Leeds 2 years ago. We had another wait of around 10 minutes before being called and back onto the bus we went. I noticed we passed the same aircraft as before (TAP A319, Air Transat A330s, Volotea B717s). We were taken to a similar stand as our arrival to Venice, only this time to board G-OZBG (MSN 1941), a year older than our outbound aircraft. Once seated on the right hand side this time (seat was around 21F), I watched the Alitalia A319 next to us, I-BIKE, board AND DEPART to Rome in the time we sat on the aircraft. Finally we pushed back and taxied out to 04R, where we took off a short time later.

The departure offered some nice views of Venice as we headed Northbound over the Alps climbing towards our cruise altitude of FL360, where I enjoyed a snack:

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We headed past Stuttgart, then Brussels, Brugge before crossing the channel to Southend after which we made a right turn and began our descent over before overflying the East Midlands area.

We then turned left to join the approach for 23R. As I was already aware, it was the Manchester Airport Enthusiast's day, so the pub just next to 23R was crowded. Sadly no pictures have cropped up though. We landed gently onto 23R past a Turkish B738 before exiting and taxing to Terminal 2 where we parked next to Thomson A321, G-OOPH:

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Video:



Overall, I enjoyed my trip with Monarch. Despite landing a little late both ways it didn't cause any inconvenience and my only criticism was the legroom, and although I was only on the aircraft for just over 2 hours, those heading to the Canaries or Turkey and Cyprus would have some problems I'm sure.

Hope you enjoyed it too :)

Edited by Iain_, 30 August 2012 - 01:16 PM.


#3 Iain_

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 07:50 AM

Wow I obviously gained more popularity with the crappy pics

#4 Danny-B

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 09:44 AM

Monarch are not a bad airline to fly, my first flight was with them in 2004 on an A300 to Rhodes, Greece. Some nice pictures, not all too keen on the Monarch.co.uk livery on the aircraft.

View PostIain_, on 02 September 2012 - 07:50 AM, said:

Wow I obviously gained more popularity with the crappy pics

Eh?

#5 Iain_

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 10:14 AM

View PostDanny-B, on 02 September 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

Eh?

http://www.flightsim...anford-glasgow/

Edited by Iain_, 02 September 2012 - 10:14 AM.


#6 Mr-Sim

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 11:18 AM

View PostIain_, on 02 September 2012 - 07:50 AM, said:

Wow I obviously gained more popularity with the crappy pics
Don't expect any at all with comments like that.

#7 AmericanAirFan

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 12:22 PM

Nice shots. Don't expect comments to fly off the wall. This forum isn't what it used to be... No more bustling with lots of activity and enthusiasm and trip reports... It's a little more quiet around here. I'll have to post some of my own stuff to keep this forum kickin'.

#8 Iain_

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 12:40 PM

View PostMr-Sim, on 02 September 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

Don't expect any at all with comments like that.

I just meant it was like the 90s-style pics were all that made it interesting.

Edited by Iain_, 02 September 2012 - 12:40 PM.






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