Hey, I'm back too. Had a really enjoyable trip. Berlin is a very interesting city, certainly no Cinderella and definitely one of the ugly sisters. However the vibe and culture over there makes it a unique place. Public transport is the best ive seen anywhere, including London. Trams. Buses, night buses, cross city trains and the underground literally every few minutes in all directions. However litter and graffiti is everywhere, Birmingham has finally met its match. It's quite a grubby city.
Firstly my arrival last night at around 10pm, 10/10. I couldn't of asked for anything better. The timing was perfect, only a handful of planes parked up and as we were walking down the steps on the very last remote stand at the end of the international pier, flights started to arrive. I was out of the airport in less than 20 minutes with 1 suitcase and had 10 minutes to wait for my bus. Perfect 👌 Note: Escalator was still out of use so I will deduct 0.5 so total score on arrival 9.5/10. It's these small things that make a difference. 😂
I can't believe me and Ray travelled on the same day as I experienced none of that mentioned above, however I did arrive at the airport at 4am. My journey to the security area was plain sailing from the check in desks, no problem with the lifts and no problem with the security area, however our security belt broke down so they had to put all of our stuff on the next belt, but that was only 5 mins delay and appreciate these things happen. Not the end of the world. I even had time to walk around the duty free shop, and grab a bacon roll and coffee from the Soho coffee shop in the quiet area of the pier (see photos from Monday)
This is where my moan comes from and I think its an Easyjet issue, no issues with the flight itself, all on time and flight crew fantastic. No loud music playing, you know that one, looool and everything nice and simple, just how I like it. 😃 However I had already checked in online, but you have to wait in the same check in queue with everyone else until 2 hours before departure when the normal check in desks open ???? What's the point of bag drop then, everyone might aswell just check in the old way and wait in a queue. Considering I arrived at the airport at 4am for a 7am flight, I literally had to wait in a queue of people until 5am when the staff arrived to open normal check in and the bag drop kiosks. The bag drop should be open as soon as the airport starts getting busy which is nowadays after 4am, you shouldn't have to wait until the check in desk is open as you do it yourself? This is something Easyjet need to look into as there is no point doing everything on the app when you can't bag drop at 4am or 4.30 am when check in only opens 2 hours before a flight.
As a comparison, when I arrived at BER airport yesterday on my return, and this is what it should be like at BHX in 2024, there is no need to even join an Easyjet queue, there is a central bag drop area for all airlines (you select which airline) and done straight away. I arrived at the airport 3 hours before my flight. If that was at BHX, I'd have to wait another 1 hour before I could bag drop.
So to our Easyjet friend on the forum, please get HQ to look into this, everyone shouldn't have to wait until you open check in 2 hours before a flight to bag drop.
Otherwise had a great time.
😃
Also and not Easyjet or BHX related, more to do with airports on the continent. I noticed this when I travelled from Amsterdam in May and yesterday at Berlin airport. How come you go through a passport control at the departing airport, as well as again when you arrive back at BHX ? I've never had to do that at a Spanish airport like Las Palmas. Yes obviously when you arrive but never gone through passport control when leaving Gran Canaria. Is this a Brexit thing ? I just find it weird as a departing passenger?
Check out some rather blurry photo's of BER on the BER thread.
;-)
