Part 1: AirlinesAngel soars with BMI to Berlin
Last week I was invited to join a group of travel bloggers on a trip, so I had no hesitation in driving up to Heathrow (in the early hours of the morning) to fly out to Berlin with bmi. Currently bmi fly five times daily between Heathrow and Tegel (located approx 20-25mins outside of the centre of Berlin), with one way fares starting from GBP79.oo per person (inc tax and are subject to availability*).
Checkin
Normally I would use online checkin (which opens 24hrs before departure), however as I was travelling with a group, I decided to wait until we met at Heathrow. We were travelling in Business Class so were able to use the Premium Check in (Zone A) at Heathrow’s Terminal 1, this allows you to feel relaxed and escape from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal check in area (also allows for minimum 30 minute checkin). After check in it was a short queue into the departures area, there was no time for shopping as I was going to enjoy the views and ambience in The Great British Lounge. bmi have two lounges in Terminal 1 The London Lounge (for Domestic Departures) and The Great British Lounge (International Departures) situated beside Gate 5.
Lounge
This lounge is made up of 5 key areas, as well as the standard showers and workstations zones:
- The Lobby
- Front Room (Living Room)
- The Study
- The Cafe
- The Local
The view from the relaxing chairs is any aviation enthusiasts dream – the Northern Runway. There is a wide selection of food (Bacon rolls to fresh fruit) and beverages (Green tea to Jameson’s whiskey), so certainly something for everyone. The attention to detail within the lounge is excellent, you get the impression you are actually in someone’s front room, or at your local pub rather than an airport, so this lounge is what I consider a perfect place to start any trip/holiday.
bmi Living Room ©flybmi
Boarding
It wasn’t long until the flight to Berlin was ready for boarding and thankfully it was at Gate 5, beside the lounge. As boarding commenced I joined the queue for Business Class. The first passenger approached the boarding agent, who unprovoked got quite defensive : “I’ve not only got to board the passengers but also make the boarding announcements!!”…isn’t that her job? However when it came to hand over the passport and boarding pass she was very friendly and welcoming. The crew were extremely friendly on board, they interacted well with each passenger and made the boarding more personal, rather than just the standard “Welcome on Board”. Having flown bmi for a number of years, I’ve always found their crew to be able to combine professionalism along with personalising the experience for the passenger.
bmi A319 at Gate 5 ready for boarding ©AirlinesAngel
It turns out the crew had operated the inbound flight and they had overnighted in Berlin, so they were able to tell us about the weather and a bit about the city; this was my first trip to Berlin (in which I’m allowed to get off the aircraft). The In-flight Supervisor looked after the handful of us that sat in Business Class, there was a selection of hot breakfasts available, however I was not that hungry so I opted for some fruit and yoghurt with orange juice and green tea. The flight time to Berlin was 1hr10min, so soon we glided our way toward Berlin’s Tegel airport. With not many people in Business I was able to have a window seat, which allowed me to have a magnificent view of the surrounding area of Berlin, what surprised me was how many lakes and green areas surround the city.
Tegel Airport
Germans are know for their efficiency and those at Terminal A in Tegel airport are no different. The layout is such that each air-bridge has four Passport Control counters and every two stands share a baggage reclaim belt. This means, unlike other airports, that within 5 to 10 mins (if you have baggage to collect) of your aircraft arriving you’ll be in a taxi on your way to the city. Hopefully the new Berlin Brandenburg International will be just as efficient whenever it opens in June 2012.
For more information on flights to Berlin visit bmi website.
Next time on AirlinesAngel – Berlin, Hotel de Rome and the flight home.
To be continued…………
Until then,
* Source bmi website 01 Oct 2011
Please note: This is a sponsored post, however the views and opinions are my own and have not been influenced by the airline.
About the author AirlinesAngel has over 10 years experience within the aviation industry. Currently working on her thesis for MA Airline and Airport Management Related Posts
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Yvette is an aviation enthusiast who is currently working on her MA thesis. Previous roles in the industry allow Yvette to provide a holistic view of the aviation industry.
Thanks for this. A shame though that the “review” was only relating to flying in Business Class – that made it completely redundant to me and most people as I want to know what its like flying in Economy with BMI. But good all the while.