There is reason to my madness you know. Yesterday I flew from Luxembourg to Vienna because today, literally at the crack of dawn, I shall be flying to Stockholm on Ethiopian’s Boeing B 787-8. The flight originates in Addis Abeba obviously, and arrives in Vienna just before six in the morning and then continues to Stockholm at 06h50.
Check-in
Location: Terminal 3, rows 331.
Facilities: There are dedicated check-in counters for the Ethiopian Airlines flight. There is even a plush green carpet in front of the Business Class counter. Web check-in is also possible. I have already checked in online for the flight.
From the NH Hotel it is just a short walk across the road to the airport. The flight will be boarding from gate D25, which is in the non-Schengen area of the old terminal. Once you are airside, you need to pass through the large duty-free shopping area. At the end turn left and head for the D gates until eventually you reach immigration. If you like shopping at airports, be sure to get everything you need before immigration, because there are not that many shops on the other side.
The security check takes place right in front of the gate. There is no queue for security and once I am inside the lounge, I inquire with the gate attendant about the load on this morning’s flight. She informs me that the flight is only about half full and there are merely five passengers joining the flight in Vienna for the tag on to Stockholm.
Boarding
With only five passengers joining the flight in Vienna, there is hardly anything to say about the boarding process. It is certainly quick! As I board the aircraft, an Ethiopian young lady is standing by the door to welcome us aboard. She is wearing a typical flight attendant’s uniform, but instead of a uniform jacket she has on a white, see-through wrap around with a bright floral pattern along the hem. The crew are all smiles and seem genuinely friendly, especially compared to the bats from hell that were working yesterday’s Austrian Airlines service.
The Cabin
Configuration: 3 + 3 + 3
Seat: Originally, I am seated on 18C, which is an aisle seat. However, given that the flight is not full, I move back to 33A for take-off to get a better view of the aircraft’s legendary wing flex. The seat is nice and comfortable and has very generous pitch. I think even a long flight in this seat would be manageable.
Pitch: 32 inches.
Width: 18 inches.
Facilities: USB port.
Inflight entertainment: 15.4 inch touch screen with 85 channels. The system is very interactive and offers a lot of options. I did not watch any films, but their selection of movies is quite good and up to date. I only use the moving map on this flight.
The cabin on this bird looks rather nice. It is just a pity that nobody bothered to clear up the place a bit before boarding the passengers for the flight to Stockholm. Probably because all passengers arriving from Addis Abeba remain on the plane during the layover in Vienna and the crew does not change either. So everything looks just a bit untidy. There are pillows, blankets and used earphones lying about everywhere.
The B 787 is a very quiet bird. It takes me a moment to realise the engines are already running. In fact, the noise inside the cabin is so small you even can hear the motors operating the flap actuators.
The Meal
Type of meal: Breakfast.
- Bun with butter and strawberry jam.
- Cinnamon and apple muffin.
- Fruit salad.
- Apple juice.
- Tea or coffee.
The meal is a bit of a trip down memory lane. God, I cannot even remember the last time I was given a meal on a tray in Economy Class on a short-haul European flight! The fruit salad is made with tinned fruit and is very sweet. The bun and the muffin though are quite okay and the coffee is surprisingly good.
After the meal tray is removed, I spend the rest of my time watching that spectacular wing flew.
Arrival
There is something very poetic about the scenery outside. Perhaps it also has something to do with the fact that the B 787 is so quiet and the wing can really flex. Somehow I keep thinking that it feels a bit like what I imagine flying is like for a bird, if you know what I mean…? Eventually we land in Arlanda. We taxi for quite a long time before eventually we reach our parking position at Terminal 5.
Getting into Town
Transport: Train.
Departs from: Arlanda North. There is direct access to the station from Terminal 5.
Arrives: Stockholm central station.
Journey time: 20 minutes.
Frequency: Every 15 minutes.
Costs: SEK600 per person for a return if you are travelling as a couple.
With public transport you can access the city either using the Arlanda Express train or the airport busses. The airport busses are cheaper, admittedly. However, keep in mind that Arlanda is quite far out of town, so that the journey by bus will inevitably take you much longer than the journey by train, the latter travelling at 184km/h.
