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ameya · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:36 pm Post subject: 2/14 : 6E 406 to PNQ

Honestly there is not much to write for the return trip but none the less, I thought I would document the trip anyways.

My meeting was over by 1230hrs and flight at 1700hrs which meant I had some time to either spend in BLR City or at the airport. I had a colleague with me who was to drop off near Hebbal and hence we started togeather towards the airport, with a plan to meet up with my friends at the airport.
The airport taxi came really quick after making the booking and we set up. Thanks to the flyovers which are ready, it took me 1:05 to reach the airport from Shantinagar as compared to 1:40 last time almost at the same time of the day.

Once at the airport I had lunch with my friends there in the BIAL canteen and I had asked on whatsapp about any questions which I may ask them. Here are the answers

1. Any way to reduce the bus ride from aircraft to terminal on arriving
 No. Airlines should start using aerobridges for the same
2. When is the new terminal starting
 Soon. Exact date is not finalized because we have already inaugurated it and don’t want to have another inauguration. Partial use has started a week ago with evening and morning peak times being handled with departure gates on the ground floor which are new
3. Plan for T2
 Nothing as yet. Master projection plan is in the making and T2 construction will not start atleast till 2015
4. Baggage drop off counters for web checkin
 Nothing to do with BIAL. Let the airlines do it.

After not much of valuable information from the people there, I headed to the terminal. The security outside as always took a long time and ticked every detail on the ticket to let me in. Seeing the line at 6E counters, I headed upstairs for the security since I already had a printout of the boarding pass with me.

The security had no line but the CISF was chit chatting and what would have been a breeze turned out to be a slow affair.
On the other side I had some emails to send and also check the terminal construction and eat – pasta at 3PM when the counter opens. I am a big fan of pasta and my family is irritated with me eating pasta whenever and wherever.

I glanced at the FIDS – There was a charter flight to Jindal Vidyanagar at 1645, few delayed 6E flights, 1 SG flight cancelled and other running late, 9W flight to IXE was cancelled and to COK/DEL/BOM/GOI delayed and the only G8 flight at that time being on time and only LB flight to VGA being delayed

I took a round of the airport terminal seeing the taste of india outlet and another one in the middle section, shoppers stop, crossword and grab and fly. As I planned of having a filter coffee at grab and fly I noticed few cockroaches near the machine and dropped the plan completely.
Some work done, it was pasta time and I took the coupon for veg pasta and came to the counter, a lady came and asked the chef for pasta as well. This is the conversation

Lady : Ek pasta banana
Chef : Cheese sause or arabiata ?
Lady : Kya bole ?
Chef : White sause or tomato sause
Lady : Ye kya hota hai ? Dono milega kya ek sath ?
Chef : Dono ? OK Mix sause
Lady : Haan. Wohi

I have seen a similar conversation at CSIA T1C before.

I had my pasta and checked the METARS which were as below

VOBL 220930Z 09010KT 040V150 9999 FEW015 29/14 Q1017 NOSIG
VAPO 220930Z 12008KT 6000 SCT040 29/13 Q1016 NOSIG

My flight had left with a delay from COK but would still make it before time at BLR. The rotation being 407/406 DEL PNQ BLR COK and v.v . While 6E launched this flight, SG had already launched a direct PNQ COK flight and 6E used to operate the BLR COK flight as an extension of CCU-BLR. The CCU-BLR flight now operates to GOI instead of COK

The aircraft arrived at 1618hrs, 12 mins before sked and I started hovering around the gate – 8A to get in to the aircraft first and see how many pax have come in from COK.

Boarding was announced at 1630hrs and like last time we were made to stand in the bus for around 5 mins before we proceeded towards the aircraft. I boarded the flight at 1645hrs and while my boarding card was being scanned I saw the system showing load of 70 pax boarding at BLR. It would not have been possible to have just 70 pax on board this evening flight and I was expecting a good load on COK-PNQ sector.

As I entered the aircraft, the flight was full, literally. Later as I enquired, I came to know that the load of 172 pax on BLR-PNQ sector with 102 pax on COK-PNQ and nil on BLR-DEL sector via PNQ

In typical 6E style, a flurry of announcements began,
All on board followed by one from the flight deck “All on board, ground personnel’s deplane. Cabin crew prepare the cabin for departure. Arm all slides and close doors”

The next announcement was the usual sweet one. . .
Closing doors at 1655hrs, IndiGo standard time  and that set the pace for the flight. Crew to demonstrations – short taxi and by the time all this happened, we had already pushed back and taxing out to runway and not going till the end. Everytime the aircraft does not use the entire runway the words of my airforce instructor ring in my ear 
We did not even come on the runway to start the roll, as it was started on the taxiway itself and made a short but powerful take off in the Bangalore skies towards the east and banked left and set course to Pune.
The service started immediately and was quick. I had a lot of food and decided not to have anything ! Rare !

The pilot came on PA again at 1850hrs informing that descend had started, which I had noticed at 1845 and that we would soon be at 25000 ft after having cruised at 36000 ft and there could be turbulence around 10000 ft . Temperature would be 28 degrees in PNQ The crew also did a re cap of awards won by indigo in the last year which was a nice thing.

We made a good landing in PNQ at 1810hrs and occupied the last available bay which led to a long walk to the terminal. Without checked in baggage I just walked past the mess in the terminal which had an SG arrival, another 6E arrival, AI, 9W, G8 !
Photos in a while

My next trip is to BLR again on this Monday – 27th

sukritmunjal · Member Joined: 23 Jan 2013 Posts: 178 Location: FMO

ameya · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: 2/14 : 6E 406 to PNQ

ameya · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:52 pm Post subject:

The view I woke up to

20140122_093630 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

Ulsoor lake

20140122_093634 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

BIAL

20140122_141629 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

New part of the terminal. Now the glass wall has been removed

20140122_142200 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

The current one. Not much line from this angle

20140122_142205 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

Some cloud formations

20140122_173449 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

20140122_175357 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

20140122_173500 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

Thanks for reading !

20140122_172246 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Thanks, Sir - for yet another lovely trip report.
These would be the first day pictures on this forum, of the new terminal at Devanahalli.
What do you mean, Sir - `honestly there is nothing to write'?

jbalonso777 · Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:01 pm Post subject:

As Sumantra sir rightly pointed out, there is quite a lot of things which you have mentioned, and really, worth for a trip report!

Thank you for yet another wonderful TR!
Yes, I remember that quote you used, about the 3 most useless things Razz

Looking forward to another TR, Monday I presume?

Regards
Jish