Flight information:
KL0804
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Date: 11 March 2005
Dep: Manila Ninoy Aquino International (MNL)
Gate: 12
Boarding Time: 2130
Dep Time: 2230
Load: 95%
Seat: 03C
Class: Business
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200
Arr: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Weather during landing: Snowy
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AF3445
Regional
Date: 12 March 2005
Dep: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Boarding Time: 0815
Dep Time: 0855
Load: 85%
Seat: 07A
Class: Monoclass
Aircraft: Embraer 135
Weather during take off: Freezing and some snow
Arr: Bordeaux Merignac (BOD)
Weather during landing: Chilly
B777-200ER of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (by Marcus Adank of photos.aero)
Embraer 135 of Air France Regional (by Yu Ming of airliners.net)
Our team went to France for a training for almost a month......
Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport
The company provided us a service to and from the airport. I went to the airport reasonably early because I didn't really want to be late. I'm never late when it comes to checking-in but this time there's more reasons not to be late:
I have been sort of immersing myself with this flight and I've saved all types of pictures of the B777-200ER in my PC. I even had it as my wallpaper. I love this aircraft. Especially the front view, I love the look of this aircraft! It drives me nuts! And the engines! And we're not yet talking about the longer version which is the B777-300ER and is more sexy actually.
Anyway, when I got to the airport I gave some tip to the driver and went in to the crappy departure hall of NAIA 1. I saw my colleagues at the KLM check-in counter. There was a bit of commotion though. One of them asked if I wanted to be downgraded to economy class but get compensated with a flight voucher or choose to stay in business class. Apparently, the delegates from the French Ministry of Trade or something were on that flight too and sure they were occupying the business class seats so the check-in agents were asking some business class passengers willing to be downgraded. Anyway, to make it short, I did not accept the offer. I stayed in business class. I have not had the chance to fly business before and what if the plane would crash? LOL! At least, I would have had the chance to fly business, hehehehehe.
Alright, here's the thing with flying business. I don't really mind flying business or first class. But if I am the one paying for it? Never. I am quite content as a budget traveler; as economy class passenger. Why do I pay double the price just to experience more legroom and better food and better in-flight entertainment? Flying alone and being inside the aircraft per se are some forms of entertainment for me already: looking at the blue skies, the clouds, the aerial views of cities and countryside...the roar of the engines.......take off...landing......turbulence.....what more can I ask for during the flight?
Anyway, it's a question of choice (and sometimes not even a choice because many companies send their employees abroad and have them fly biz class). I am not complaining, hehehehehe.
After check-in we went to the business class lounge. I don't know the name but I think it was Sampaguita Lounge. We ate something and had some drinks. I don't have point of comparison because it was the first I got into a business class lounge at any airport.
After an hour, we went down to the gate for boarding. The first time I saw the B777-200ER, I did not find it that big, at least in that angle. It was not as huge as I saw in pictures. Actually, the size of an aircraft is tricky depending on the angle. But in reality, the B777 is really huge.
I got an aisle seat. The legroom was abviously ample and in-flight entertainment was apparently cool. The food? I don't remember. No big deal. Then I slept and asked the steward to wake me up for breakfast. I also noticed that in business class, all flight attendants were all male, on that flight at least.
There was some mild turbulence for some minutes above Russia but that was it; only to add some spice to the flight. It was a lovely flight and it landed in Amsterdam smoothly, the smoothest landing I've ever experienced so far.
I was one of the first to get out of the plane. Passed through passport control and went straight to my favourite spot in Schiphol airport. I had some taste of planespotting for a while. I did not waste my time at the lounge.
Time to board the plane bound for Bordeaux, in France. A bus took us to the other side of the terminal and it was snowing! And after a couple of minutes there it was, the Embraer 135 waiting for us in all its glory! Afff, going out of the bus was a pain because it was too cold and snowing and there was no airbridge.
The Embraer 135 is configured 3-abreast with 1-2 seat configuration. It's kinda claustrophobic though but it's OK. It was an Embraer jet and I am a fan of Embraer.
I think we used the Polderbaan for take off because the plane taxied for some minutes before the take off roll. Polderbaan is 3,800m long and 75m wide runway. This is located 2,100 north of Zwanenburgbaan, the 01L-19R runway. The northern tip of the runway is approximately 7km from the airport's control tower. The take off was powerful but due to my fear of heights, I was kinda nervous being able to see almost both sides of the plane as it climbed up (it pretty sums up how "thin" the aircraft is).
Landing in Bordeaux was smooth and our luggage and other stuffs were waiting for us when we got to the terminal. Overall, it was a nice journey from Manila to Bordeaux via Amsterdam.
Some photos of Bordeaux and the neighboring towns (taken from websites).
I would love to live in Bordeaux. The people were nice and it's a cool place, not too big but not too small.
Place de la Bourse (by anonymous photographer)
Some street at the centre of the city (by anonymous photographer)
St. Emilion (by anonymous photographer)
St. Emilion (by anonymous photographer)
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