How can I fit in here?
I was flying to Budapest the other week and the Alitalia flight to Milan was cancelled. Luckily I got a direct flight from Bologna to Budapest. The check-in personnel mentioned I was the only satisfied customer of the former Alitalia flight. All the others were getting ready to board a bus towards Milano.
After enjoying the bonus hours at the airport I boarded the transfer bus towards the plane. When I got there my mood changed - I was flying a Carpatair plane. What the hell is Carpatair? I had never heard about this company before, nor was I able to identify the manufacturer of the turbo propeller plane I was about to board. I immediately checked for any hanging parts and the plane's painting condition. It seemed well taken care of, so I got a little bit more relaxed.
I'm not afraid of flying but I'm used to fly in major airlines where you know a certain level of maintenance is (should be?) expected. When I get these unknown carriers I get a little suspicious. After all it is the same reaction when you are expecting to meet someone you know and suddenly someone else appears that you've never seen saying 'Hi there! I want to take you on a joyride!'. After you get to know that person you may get more relaxed but until that happens there's something that doesn't let you relax.
By the name I suspected it was a Romanian airline, which was later confirmed when I visited their website. It seems it was founded in 1999 and mainly connects Timisoara to several European cities.
When I got to my seat I learned the plane was a Saab 2000, by the name I deducted that it may be some decades old. Any product that contains that number usually refers to the year 2000. They did (do?) that to project a futuristic image to the product. I would say that branding trick would have stopped at the most by the early 90s. After some investigation I found that the plane was projected in 1988 and entered service in 1994.
The layout of a Saab 2000
Another particularity I found out in this plane was the size of the WC. It's unbelievably small! I had to curve myself to be able to do what I was supposed to do there. Another interesting aspect of the plane's WC was that it had a little window! It was my first time on a commercial plane with a window in the WC. Unfortunately I was flying at night so I couldn't enjoy the experience the plane ideators' had conceived for the passangers.
1 comment:
Miguel, I had to fly from Grand Rapids to Minneapolis, MN. I had to go down a flight of stairs at the airport and go out onto the runway! Are you kidding? Onto the runway? Then I see the plane. Two propellors. Not even four. Two. The skycap takes the baggage and throws it under the plane, like they do on a bus. I get in and there are about 12 seats, small leather ones - small for me, and I'm not big. Suddenly the skycap gets on. He looks about 14 and gives some safety announcements, smiles then sits down in the pilot's seat. The 14-year old is the captain! I know I'm getting older, but people who are in charge of my safety are getting younger! Or they're getting a lot crankier, but that's a different story!
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