Trip Reports Forum | Coming soon...trip report for LS/EXS and T1 MAN

Just over three weeks time and I'm off on me jollies to Egypt aboard good old Jet2. Full report and my first impressions of the remodelled Terminal One at Manchester to follow (not flown from T1 for quite some time now!)

Likewise with T1

Flew to Ibiza and back last week and was really impressed with T1. Airport seems to of always had a dated image but T1 looked really nice interior wise, nearly at the top of the list of some of the airports I've been through. Shops crammed into every space possible (but thats to be expected these days, shopping at the airport is a big thing now) and not many seats but apart from that it looked like a nice clean modern terminal. Shame T2 is nowhere near as good as T1 is now. Although T2's had a remake it still looks quite dated and doesn't seem to be as much there compared to T1.

Have a good hol!

I'm hoping Jet2 send one of the refitted 757s on the route, their new red leather seating is specially developed for their fleet and looks smart. Gives you extra legroom too as it's a slimline seat so an extra inch or so.

I haven't a clue which of the planes have been refitted as yet, although G-LSAC is supposed to have been done. That's a MAN regular but it is up at LBA at the moment. G-LSAB is the one doing long trips out of MAN at present.

I was very impressed with T1 when I went through last week - major improvement on previous visits, and security is a very quick and smooth process now compared to how it was previously. Few too many shops and not enough seating for my liking though.

here's a laugh for you lot

Yes me, believe it or not. I'm not a very good flyer! If I'm travelling I am a bag of nerves because being a punter in front of that check in desk terrifies me.

If I got there and found I'd forgotten something important I would die there and then. Honestly. I have this awful fear of messing up at check-in or security and once I'm through then I'm normally fine.

I'm fine with the initial bit, it's when I get on the flaming thing that I turn into a complete jibbering wreck! Honestly, I'm useless. My wife doesn't understand how I can be so into my hobby, yet be sh%t scared of the objects of my obsession. It is a bit odd when you think about it.

Went through T1 last month. It's come on loads. Looks great, really good facilities. Something for all. Plenty of amenities. We went through security at approx 0630 and it was chocker, but everything kept moving along quite nicely. Got through in about 15mns. Which I think was really good going for that time of the day. No complaints on T1 at all.

Used to get a bit nervous from check in through to boarding the aircraft when travelling on my own in-case I buggered it up somehow, but since I started working at MAN I'm fine, doesn't bother me at all anymore.

T1 is great now like Johansen said nice and modern with loads of shops and stuff to keep you occupied (and take your money) while you wait for your flight, nice big security area too.

Here we go then

13/09/09
MAN-SSH
Jet2 G-LSAC

So the day dawned. We duly turned up at the low level check-in at 0820 as the flight opened at 0830 and jumped the large queue as I'd booked the Jet2Plus service which gives you some extras and an inflight meal. Inside the low level area at Manchester a Swiss flight was also checking in, and our lone service to Sharm el Sheikh. I had already checked in online and printed boarding cards but we still had bags to drop off and stickers to collect, so after checking in (again) we went up the escalators and into the priority security lane. Through that in literally seconds as it was well-staffed and running smoothly. Inside T1 Departures is the massive new shopping and eating/drinking experience that has just opened, some might think it a little over the top but it's better than it used to be! From there to the slightly worn and drab servisair Bollin lounge and an hour or so watching the planes over a breakfast coffee or two.

We duly presented ourselves at gate 21 at the required time. Aircraft for the day was the regular G-LSAC, which has winglets and is better suited to the longer trips. Boarded as usual via the jetway and L2 door, to get first impressions. Jet2 has recently fitted this aircraft with the new lowcost slimline seats which give a bit more legroom and are a wine colour, however initially we sat in the wrong seats as the numbering on the overhead bins isn't too clear and there isn't a Row 1A-1C! I sat in 2A which is actually the first row, which didn't have a table but has the added benefit of huge legroom. There were about two seats vacant on the flight.



Impressions? G-LSAC isn't new. The carpets look a bit dull and could probably stand replacement, but the interior was fresh and had been recently painted by the look of it! There was a bit of a contrast between new seats and white panels and the yellowing window surrounds which obviously have faded with years of sunlight on them. But these seats.....well first impression of the new LS seat was good. Shorter arms, and a padded leather cover stretched over a lightweight frame that doesn't recline. Firm is a good description, of which more later.

And off we went. Flight crew were chatty and the safety demo done as usual. Push and start was followed by the usual lumpy taxi out on MAN's expanse of concrete slabs up to the A1 hold of 05L, in use that morning, past the AVP where we waited for the Monarch A330 flight accompanying us down to SSH. That duly left and we lined up, waited for wake turbulence separation and on went the power. AC surged down the runway in true 757 form, with the buzzsaw cutting in as the fan blades on the RB211 went supersonic at the tips. Rotation was very quick despite a 99% load factor and heavy fuel load, and off we went.

The captain had explained the routing to us earlier, which wasn't their usual track. Departure SID was LISTO 1S, a right turn over Cheadle then south. The Monarch flight presumably went the usual DESIG way as we didn't have to wait that long after it left. After a brisk climb (power coming back shortly after takeoff to climb settings) the seatbelt lights went off fairly promptly and the cabin crew started their almost frantic pace that would last throughout the flight.

Jet2 now advertise themselves as "friendly low fares" and LSAC is the billboard aircraft for this. It's certainly friendly. The cabin crew were constantly active doing five or six full services, including food, duty and tax free and multiple drinks services. I can't recall ever seeing crews work so hard or be as down-to-earth as the LS lot on both my flights on this trip. The in-flight meal we got as part of the Jet2Plus package was ghastly however, which was served to us on small tables that clip into the seat armrest on the first row.

Those seats...a very smart and efficient, lightweight design. They pass all required safety tests and apparently save a huge amount of weight and thus fuel. But on a long flight like this (especially one with no IFE) they are hopeless for trying to relax or sleep. I had howling backache by the time we got there. A quick couple of hours to the Med in one might be fine but six hours? They started to feel just a bit too hard and inflexible after a while.

So back to LSAC. We headed south east over Paris, the captain pointing out Orly airport below us, then down the west coast of Italy. From there we crossed the Mediterranean from the tip of Italy down to the Egypt-Libya border which was an amazing sight as clear blue water meets the golden desert. From there we crossed the Nile, on to the Gulf of Aqaba and then an almost aerobatic set of turns over the Red Sea (complete with stunning views of the coast and reefs) before approaching Sharm el Sheikh in the south Sinai. The captain had pointed out landmarks on the route, so the lack of IFE on the aircraft was actually not a problem as window gazing was enjoyable thanks to some great scenery en route. Anyway I took a book with me, but only managed a dozen pages!

Arrival was textbook 757 stuff. They don't exactly land with the delicacy of an A321, a 757 doing it in a definite style which is more of a ground-effect float then a very firm planting of the gear.Full reverse was used briefly and the aircraft slowed rapidly on the Cat 1 runway. Taxi to stand was done quickly as SSH has an almost Soviet layout with a wide apron adjacent to the runway, and no jetways. Steps came up and off we got into the hot Egyptian air which can only be described as being hit with a hot towel in the face after leaving the aircraft. However only one bus had arrived so far and we stood in a large group for five minutes or so on the apron admiring the other parked aircraft including a Transaero Tu-214 and Nordwind 757 adjacent to the two or three Monarchs and other charter aircraft from several nations. It's a huge shame aviation photography in Egypt is illegal at or near airports or the big Nikon would have come with me!

So after watching the pilot come down and take a photo of LSAC's front undercarriage leg (he took two actually, must have wanted to include something in his maintenance log like a mushy feel to the strut) the next buses arrived and we went inside to the organised chaos of SSH arrivals. It wasn't too painful TBH, the airport being air conditioned so the wait for immigration wasn't hideous. And off we went after getting the bags. Impressions of the plane? It isn't new but it still performs well. I noticed a few tiny clues during the flight such as a blue curtain the crew use to temporarily screen their working areas off that doesn't fit with jet2 and their red/silver colourscheme. That's presumably an Air Transat leftover as the plane was theirs originally. One toilet also still had a Ryan International label on one panel (the second owner). Unfortunately the toilets do stink a bit on this old girl and could do with a deep clean, although LS provide a deodorising spray in their bathrooms for anyone to use. Some cabin fittings are showing their age but Jet2 has obviously done some work to keep it looking clean and tidy.

Part Two to follow as a drunken and fun-filled week in the sun concludes with the evening flight back to Blighty.

Yay great trip report Roy!

Agreed. Particularly enjoyed the more technical aspects of the aircraft you mention.

Part Two
20/09/09
SSH-MAN
G-LSAC

This bit is probably shorter as I've covered the seating issue above.

On the last day we were collected and arrived at Sharm El Sheikh at about 2.45pm local time. Terminal 2 is the building that handles many international flights, and looks a little plain compared to the newly built Terminal 1 with its themed design. On arrival your luggage and hand baggage gets x-rayed before check in to ensure nobody gets inside the terminal with anything that goes bang. From there we found a display and went straight to the check in desh which was just opening for the flight, with two agents working and very little queue compared to other flights due to depart that afternoon. Eurofly, Monarch, Thomson and Livingston were checking in near us and all had a large number of passengers.

Through security again and hand baggage checked for a second time. The liquids rule is exactly the same in Egypt as in the UK, you need that plastic bag to carry what you are allowed. That was very efficiently handled and we were through it in minutes. Sharm departure lounge in T2 is very well laid out, with a large duty free offering and several food/drink outlets including a large smoking lounge section that's bigger than some airports I've been through. SSH also provides a large amount of seating for passengers in the departure lounge.

Ramp traffic was well worth watching. Names like Donbassaero, Dniproavia, Nordwind, Transaero and VIM adorned a selection of aircraft but on that day nothing Russian built near our terminal. There was a Tu-154 in a white scheme down near T1 but partially hidden from view. We relaxed for a bit and eventually G-LSAC came thundering past with its reversers open.

Boarding was right on time from gate 3. Buses took us to the aircraft from there, and we climbed the steps to take our assigned seats. Once again I was in 2A so the exact same seat as on the outbound. The aircraft is turned by the incoming crew in just 50 minutes, and they work the flight back as well. Pushback and start followed with the aircraft about 10 minutes down by now, and the Monarch A330 flight to Manchester was again in front of us for the runway.

Takeoff was powerful as ever, with a slightly longer roll due to the air temperature being relatively high. The sun sets early in Egypt (GMT +2) and we thundered into the Sinai sky at dusk. The view from the window to the west was a riot of colours as dust and light combined to give quite a light show, the aircraft heading to the north west across the Sinai and to the Mediterranean.

The flight deck was a lot quieter this time as there wasn't much to point out in the dark! The pilot flying was a young looking First Officer on the return leg, and he took the aircraft smoothly up to the initial cruise at 34,000 feet. Over the Mediterranean we encountered some turbulence and for a while the seat belt lights were illuminated, although the crew didn't let it bother them in the least and kept the service going.

There wasn't much to see, although the captain did tell us our route would be a more conventional track over Cyprus, Turkey, Balkans, Germany, Amsterdam and home. The night was dark due to an almost new moon and dinner was as ghastly as the first leg. Once again the seats started to become an issue after a while due to that hardness and lack of proper lumbar support.

Early into the flight the toilet next to the 1L door had to be locked off as someone blocked it with something or other. The crew did try to get it going but it needed to be taken offline, although this aircraft has three more down near the 3 doors towards the rear. Nothing much of note occured after that apart from a really bad smell in the front which seemed to be related to someone with sweaty feet and no shame about sharing the odour.

The most memorable landmark was the vast sodium lit expanse of Schiphol airport at night as we crossed Amsterdam at night, as well as the many ships brightly lit up in the North Sea. ATC then handed the pilots a direct routing which shaved a large lump off the time, and eventually we started the descent from 36,000 feet somewhere near Sheffield.

Descending on a direct routing for a 23R arrival, somewhere over the Pennine area a clever little bastard decided to treat us with a laser show aimed at the aircraft from what looked like a council estate. Too high to cause problems but clearly visible from my first window seat as they tried to hit the cockpit.

At 10.30pm local we descended down to runway 23R, landing smoothly if firmly in 757 fashion with minimal use of idle reverse and brakes. The aircraft came off at the high speed exit and past the AVP which had a function in the Concorde hangar, taxiing over to the Cargo ramp and parking on a remote stand next to a number of other LS aircraft. Unfortunately Aviance were caught napping as we weren't due until 10.45 and a long wait for steps and buses ensued. eventually some steps that felt like something out of the 1940s were pushed up and we deplaned into the waiting buses which took us to terminal 1 and a huge queue for immigration. Biometric was closed so everyone with a UK passport had to wait in a snaking queue for the two people doing the UK Passports desks. That A330 had arrived just before us too...by the time we got through that our bags were already on the carousel and that was the end of my Egyptian adventure!

As ever, Jet2 crews and flight attendants are friendly and incredibly hard working. Nothing is too much trouble for them, although try not to book the meal if you travel as it's vile. The sandwiches and toasties they do look much better quality and sold out quickly, so get in there if you want one. An LS Toastie is almost as iconic as a BMI Panini!

Really nice report Roy. Thanks for sharing it.

Experienced the Egyptian thing on 3 occasions, well Red Sea anyway Sharm, Dahab and Taba -and it's never failed to impress. Weather, people, food n drink etc, etc. Would reccommend it to anyone. Glad you had a nice time.

Non-reclining seats for 6hrs...... Ouch!!

Think we're using the Bollin Lounge in Feb, en route to Goa. Whats wrong with it?

It just isn't what you would expect for a business class lounge. The drinks and stuff are there as expected but food is basically a few bread rolls and some cakes and biscuits. Internet access is one of those slot machine things to use a PC workstation and it's a bit faded and drab in parts.

It also wasn't very clean or tidy when we were there, and I can't believe it doesn't even have its own toilets! You have to leave the lounge and go back to the lifts where you come upstairs.

The only fear I had was bumping in to you at the airport


What do Starmoaner and the Eiffel Tower have in common?

Milliions have been up the Eiffel Tower and...


I was trying to be diplomatic. TBH it's a dump. The reception desk looked like Fawlty Towers and the hatchet-faced dragon behind the desk was as welcoming as a Russian pox clinic receptionist.

A no star fleapit hotel would have been embarassed by that as their lounge. The public areas downstairs are far better, even the corridor outside with all that nice new wood panelling looks more welcoming than Servisair's lounge. I won't be booking Jet2plus again as most of their charge goes to pay for that extra.

What do Starmoaner and the Eiffel Tower have in common?

How rude :O

TBH it's a dump

Indeed. I think that's why EK want their own lounge at MAN, to make lounge access worth the money you pay for it.

StarMonarA380

Anyway, six months later and I have got my next trip sorted. Out to Alicante and back on a Jet2 737, and I'll do a trip report naturally.

My two favourite airlines in the UK have to be Thomson and Jet2. I used to love BMI but LS have supplanted them in my affections as that airline seems to be falling apart now, and getting slowly lined up to be subsumed into Lufthansa as they become just part of their network like Augsburg and the rest.

Thomson is a long and complicated love affair of mine that goes back over 35 years now! God do I miss Britannia...

Couldn't agree more! What a shit-hole! If I'd have paid for it I wouldn't have been a happy camper at all. We got passes into there because we booked our holiday via our bank account. It was full of people drinkin bucks-fizz and cheap champagne, looking down their noses at you because you dared to have a bottle of Becks! So being commomeners, we had a couple of quick drinks and buggered off back down stairs to reality -and to pay for our pre-flight hospiltality. And I think that the same dragon was on duty for our visit. What a miserable get that is!!

Well my little report at least prepared you for the place. It really isn't what you would expect, is it?

Even on a sunny Sunday morning I found the place gloomy. Reception looks like a cheap hotel and as for internet access...a bloody slot machine! I have been in more comfortable toilets. The only saving grace for me was that there were some Tommy Cook punters we sat next to who weren't up their own arses so the time we spent in there was pleasant enough chatting to them.

Servisair should be ashamed of that lounge. I am not paying for it this time.

I haven't been in the one in T2, but hope it's not as sad. Maybe that one is better looked after as it's newer, but with the movement of scheduled into T1 then Servisair need to sort it out and fast.

Thankfully Lufthansa and Swiss punters have the option of using BMI's lounge. It is a shame that the Terraces lounge in T3 is now a bit redundant in the long term scheme of things. Hopefully the lounges issue will be high on the list for MAPLC when relocations start.

I haven't been in there either but I've had a peak in and it doesn't look much better at all.

Few fancy chairs and a crappy looking buffet with a few crisp and biccys