[norbert2008]

Booked my first connecting flight via Norwich since Kiev some 7 years ago. I usually go via LHR or LGW but with train and sometimes overnight needed my NOR – BCN worked for me this time. Booked economy with some extras comfort seat and emergency exit also lounge in AMS.

My first flight was due to take off at 9.30am, easy handbag check in, long lines for check in/bag drop. Security was easy and well run, the terminal is like a bus shelter. WH Smiths not open in main building but told one airside would be. Yes it was but the newspapers were in the main building and they could not go and collect them! There was a Palma flight it said on the board but should have departed at 7.40am there seemed to be no passengers it seems they were on a 737 which did not take off until 09.30! I tracked my flight in and seemed to get stacked outside Norwich! Arrived 10 minuets late and departure was pushed back to 9.40am. At about 10.00 am an accountment of some length about who would board first, second, third, forth, etc. Then some fuss and we saw a woman in wheelchair taken away, then nothing. At about 10.10 we were told the plane had gone tech and they would not make another announcement for 30 mins. I retreated to the bar and had a far to early glass of champagne.

There was no point in joining the throng of connecting passengers, I had 2.30 connection time so less time in the lounge for me, at about 10.30 everyone was called to board all at once. I was very impressed with my 34″ comfort seat 3A I was sitting next to guy who was connecting to Rio with a ever decreasing connection of one hour. Crew as ever were sweet and well organised. Pilot came out (nice touch) and explained the delay, a reboot of computer needed. Push back and took off 1 1/2 hour late but as flight time is not one hour its 33 mins on a good day. So would arrive one hour late. Water and v nice biscuit handed out. Arrived at the cargo centre (all city hoppers go there and bus to terminal sort of in the middle). A list of the non connections were given out so about 40% passengers missed them. My bloke seemed to have been lucky not sure about his luggage.

I have no idea how AMS became so big, everything is a very, very long hike! I found the first Crown lounge the one with terrace which was nice, sofas cushions, etc. I was told that my flight would be in the other section passed passport control so I made my way to the second lounge. Massive long lines at passport control but there is a short connection line and I was let through. Very nice chatty, funny officers, one comment was happy birthday to one chap. Another long walk to Crown Lounge 2. Odd combination of food salads and sort of cold cut breakfast. Good selection of drinks wines and a full service bar. I had checked where my flight to BCN went from on the end of an arm near lounge but again 10 mins walk. Well managed boarding for a full flight (we had all been offered free checked baggage the day before). I had emergency exit and so lucky no one in middle seat free. the only one of the flight. Departed on time and was offered a very nice fresh sandwich and free wine. Note to BA. So I had a sort of business flight, re seat and refreshments. Such nice crew too.

Arrived BCN early and I took the bus into Barcelona, its very easy and saved a taxi fare. Very pleasant stay in Sitges down the coast. As I had not booked the lounge on my return and I was offered and upgrade of E130.00 on both flights which was a saving of about £400 on booking Biz at the start. Then the nightmare began as I was doing it on my phone but had good wifi. Took ages to get seat map up, I booked 1A on both flights. Then it just crashed, when I went back in I had lost 1A and they only had 4A. Long story sort 4 times I tried to pay and kept being offered 1A. After 2 hours on and off I tried to ring as payment said 505 error. No answer so went to lunch. When I checked my emails I had an invoice for upgrade booked in 1A! Such a mess.

Took the train to airport as I thought it was easy, such a mistake apart from the cost savings. Do check at the station that the train is stopping at ALL stations as some miss the airport (why?) once you get to airport stop its not over yet. There is another train with only one stop I would call it a shuttle but it was not and you have no idea when it will turn up. It turned up about 20 mins later from where I have no idea. Do check which terminal you are flying from as you arrive at T2 the old airport, the bus connection to T1 can take 20 minuets.

Long lines at check in but went to one empty check in person who grudgingly gave me my boarding pass. I never received a new one! Airport of two half’s it seems, a lounge in each section. One person on the desk and a line outside the doors of about 15 people. Once inside its pleasant apart from every table had piles of empty plates and glasses. If you look at BA they have loads of staff working constantly on clear up. Good food selection and wines too, but no clean flutes as dirty ones on all the tables?

Flight was departing at the end of arm again but very good boarding process. All the overhead bins near me were filled with carryon cases but kind cabin crew stowed it for me and assured she would collect it for me on arrival (she did). We departed on time and service began with an interesting stylish box delivered to my seat, it looked really nice (the box that is). Inside was such a let down a strange salad of some cheese cubes, orange, sweet potato, carrots, fennel and a large portion of walnuts as a starter! Some warm roll but no cheese, not sure what pudding was but must have been unmemorable. The box was style over substance, some nice cold meats or cheese perhaps, BA would have had a choice of 3 mains at least. Arrived early.

I walked to passport control straightaway this time, after a short passport control I went to the Crown lounge, lots of space very clean, food options were varied (more salads). Nice well serviced bar where I settled to watch the football my next flight not being until 10.30pm. Oddly the lounge announced they would be closing at 10.00 pm so odd for mega sized airport that last flight is done and dusted at 10.30pm. Meet a chap I knew from Norfolk on the bus and sat with him on the return moving after my bag of goodies were handed out in Biz. Flight went very quickly and I was home at 11.00pm.

Would I transfer again and use KLM? Well on the plus side was airport 20 mins from home, crew were jolly and well organised on full flights, etc. Food weird, but free sandwich and wine in economy. The website on the phone was a nightmare and even payment booking the flights at home on laptop was not easy, also my expired loyalty card caused problems as it carried the same email address. Please Norwich Airport sort yourself out, no airline other than Ryan Air will want to use the facilities as they are. I presume AF wont want to fly to Paris and take away from KLM? so please LH or Swiss add us to your routes. Or bring back Manchester Logan Air.

4 users thanked author for this post.

MartynSinclair, AndrewinHK, ChrisWallace, DerekVH

[AMcWhirter]

Thanks for the detailed report norbert2008.

Norwich (NWI) has one claim to fame which you did not mention.

It must now be one of, if not the only, UK airport to levy a ‘development fee.’

The latter is supposed to improve the experience of using NWI and to encourage new airlines – see link below.

The fee is £10 per adult passenger and must be paid before departure. I must stress this fee is not included in the ticket price.

Yes Schiphol has now become too large. When this terminal opened in 1967 (and I used it myself soon after as an impressionable teenager) it was considered one of the wonder of the age here in Europe.

Over the years it has expanded bit by bit and its single terminal concept, once so successful, has become too large.

Airport Development Fee

[stevescoots]

several years ago I flew a lot NWI=AMS-CAN or HKG, Apart from the joys of the A47..not..NWI is my closest airport @ just over an hour away, yes its basic and i used to joke that “Betty” the tea lady also worked the WH Smiths and the lounge, very “local” lol. I enjoyed the routing to Asia with only a 2 hour transit at AMS the timing was better than the long schlep from east Lincolnshire to LHR, BHX or MAN. Unfortunately KLM massively hiked the prices by almost 50% on that routing. If the prices came down i would certainly use it again.

[norbert2008]

Thank you I did know about the development fee but what do they spend it on? Oh I now remember the pudding in the box it was divine macaroons (a touch of AF).

Mr McWhiter Do you have any ideas as to why non of the other European airlines will touch NWI?

[AMcWhirter]

@ norbert2008

NWI introduced this fee many years ago and indeed I interviewed the then airport manager about the development fee.

I am sure you must have paid this £10 fee before gaining access to the departure lounge. Point is that it’s a separate fee and is not included in the cost of the ticket.

A note on the Norwick booking page at Klm.com says “all fares include taxes and surcharges, except where taxes are collected locally at the airport.”

This fee is supposed to be spent on airport infrastructure and to entice budget airlines to retain services and/or launch new ones.

Last December my colleagues reported on Ryanair’s new services and I added a lengthy comment at the end which explains the situation as regards budget carriers.

Ryanair to fly from Norwich for the first time

[Nick Pike]

Interestingly, Ryanair passengers are the only ones who don’t pay the airport development fee at Norwich. I held my nose and did a weekend return to Malta from Norwich last weekend on FR. Stationed at the barriers which restrict entry unless the ADF is paid was an airport employee who gave everyone with a Ryanair boarding pass a paid ADF ticket to get through.

I think the reason why more airlines don’t fly from Norwich is the relatively small catchment area. You don’t need to go far south of Thetford before Stansted is nearer…

[Johnnyg]

At one time, maybe early 90’s, weren’t Suckling Airways based at NWI?

[Fergus R]

Suckling Airways? Are you serious? Overtones of “bitty”…..!!!!

[Fergus R]

PS..”Bitty” as defined by Little Britain

[cwoodward]

To be honest I was not (until this thread) even aware that Norwich had an airport.

A sad indictment on an Englishman……..perhaps I have been away in the ‘Orient’ too long…….

[stevescoots]

I think you are correct Nick, south a bit brings you to Stanstead and go west into Lincs and east mids is an option there so catchment would be small for NWI, not to mention Norwich has terrible links to the west and north of the UK

[Montysaurus]

Ah yes, Suckling Airways. My friends and I had this vision of Bob and Doris Suckling running the airline, Bob flying and Doris serving snacks in the cabin, a bit like the Divine Comedy song “National Express “. The reality was it was set up by Roy and Merlyn Suckling in Ipswich in 1984 but moved to Cambridge as the grass strip at Ipswich became churned up under the Dorniers. The airline was ultimately bought by Loganair in 2011. It did fly out of Norwich to Edinburgh.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Johnnyg, cwoodward

[AMcWhirter]

@NickPike

“Ryanair passengers are the only ones who don’t pay the development fee at Norwich”

As I have noted before it’s Ryanair policy not to operate from an airport having a development fee.

That’s why I was surprised when Ryanair decided to fly out of Norwich. But at the time I thought it was a simple matter of one airline changing its mind … after all nothing in aviation is set in stone.

When these much-criticised development fees were introduced many years ago at several UK regional airports it was Ryanair which stopped using them.

Classic example being Newquay.

Ryanair withdrew its services at that time.

But when Tim Jeans (previously a senior executive with Ryanair in the UK) became the new boss at Newquay the latter scrapped its development fee and Ryanair returned soon after.

[Author]

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