INTRODUCTION
Early this year I offered a short weekend in Amsterdam to my parents. Unfortunately, for some reason, they had to cancel it and as the hotel booking was non refundable, I decided to go there instead so I won't loose the hotel booking. As everything was decided some days before the departure date, the options were not aplenty. I try to stick with the Star Alliance when it comes to air travel but *A options were lengthy or too expensive so I turned to a rather simple routing with Air France : a simple yet effective flight straight from Marseille towards Amsterdam.
Air France serve MRS-AMS 3 times daily thus offering good connecting through the KLM hub. As for the booking as well as the OLCI, I used the Air France's mobile app that is quite simple and easy to use.
Simple routing courtesy The Great Circle Mapper
I drove from Avignon to MRS on an almost traffic-free highway, the journey took almost an hour. Fast and easy.
Car parked at the P7 parking lot,time to head towards the terminal
Air France and its partners operations are located at the Hall 3-4 now Terminal 1 Hall B
Upstairs it is
Morning operations in MRS. Note the twin AMS-bound flights (one operated by Air France and another by Easyjet)
Towards the Air France common check-in area which was quite crowded and not very well organized
Long queues for the baggage drop-off
After dropping off my luggage, I had to backtrack towards the international part of MRS as border controls for European flights are still enforced
Nice El Al B738 (perhaps it is a B739 actually)
Food court and duty free shops
MRS waiting area is clear and modern
28.09.2017
Flight # : AF1820
Departure airport : Marseille Provence (MRS/LFML)
Arrival airport : Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS/EHAM)
ETD : 0945
ATD : 0955
ETA : 1140
ATA : 1145
Scheduled flight time : 01:55
Actual flight time : 01:50
Aircraft type : Airbus A320-200
Reg # : F-GKXE
Seat : 31A
Today's routing
Boarding started with Sky Priority passengers being called first and then the rest of the crowd
Today's load looks very healthy
Our ride waiting for its flight to AMS
Towards the jet bridge
The usual HSBC adds
I love such views! Especially with a cute Sun Air D328J in the background
Passengers were greeted by typical Air France FAs. They were quite nice and managed to efficiently board a fully loaded flight. During the OLCI, I chosed the last 2-seater on the very back of the plane.
It looks nice well...it just look nice...while perfectly acceptable for a short domestic hop, I started feeling very uncomfortable later in the flight
Good legroom however. It's good that the seat can't recline either
Reading material as well as the newspaper offered before boarding
Our neighbor in the flesh of this Aegean Airlines A320 getting reading for its flight to HER
Pushback
Airbus helicopter plant
Almost ready to take off
Airborne
Above the Etang de Berre
Salt farm next to a fuel depot
Istres at the distance
Overflying the beautiful Alpilles
The town of Tarascon and Beaucaire on both side of the Rhône river
Nice landscapes over the Ardèche
Sadly, it became overcast further north
The service started with Madeleine as food and a coke. Nothing much to tell but it's still free
Crossing traffic
My back started to hurt and I wondered when this flight will landed to end that torture.
Approaching AMS. Well, weather has drastically changed since my week in Tilburg...
Sure we are over the Netherlands
Nice reflections
Canals and canals
Final approach
Above the runway
Full brakes
The Skyteam usual suspects
Are you sure we are in AMS? Not any KLM plane in sight
Last turn
Docked
British Airways has a quite substantial operation in AMS with 3 flights bound to LHR in sight
Last view over our Air France A320
In the jet bridge towards the terminal
Passengers for the flight back to MRS already waiting
Walking to the arrivals
Down to the arrivals
Belt 10 in service today where it took 10 minutes for the bags to be delivered
Baggages delivered it was time to head to the train station as AMS is well connected to the city
Further down to the train platforms
Good to see that many passengers are using this transportation mean
During my stay in Amsterdam, I stayed at the Ramada Apollo hotel which is well-connected to downtown Amsterdam as there is a tramway station very few steps away from the hotel. It is a fair hotel for the price, offering everything you can expect from an hotel of this category.
Now, let's have a look on the beautiful Amsterdam where I had a typical dutch weather!
Nice boat ride
The NEMO
Cute small dutch houses
The Netherlands are definitely Homeland of biking!
Impressive Rijksmuseum
Canals again
The Koninklijk Paleis
Some Stamppot anyone? Delicious
The famous Van Gogh Museum
Funny street art
Once at The Dam, I was treated by this nice landing of a MEDEVAC helicopter! Impressive!
After a too short time in Amsterdam, it was time to get back home. I used the hotel shuttle to the airport. I checked-in online the day before using the useful Air France app
Nice and airy curbside in AMS
Time to drop-off my luggage
Sadly, almost no human interraction nowadays...even to drop off your luggage you have to do it by yourself. Cost-cutting in progress...
Security screening went quite fast and soon I found myself airside. As I felt hungry, I headed upstairs toward the nice food court that is located there. The outbound flight was delayed and I had to wait for a longer time
A preview for my next trip report? Any guess?
Wow! The Dutch Coast Guard are performing a nice low fly-by on this D228...
...Just to be treated few minutes later by this vintage DC3 in the KLM retro livery flying low over the Terminal!
Heading toward the C Gates
The crowd at the Gate
01.10.2017
Flight # : AF1821
Departure airport : Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS/EHAM)
Arrival airport : Marseille Provence (MRS/LFML)
ETD : 1230
ATD : 1315
ETA : 1420
ATA : 1440
Scheduled flight time : 01:50
Actual flight time : 01:25
Aircraft type : Airbus A319-100
Reg # : F-GPME
Seat : 16A
Today's flightpath
Boarding was called shortly after the aircraft being turned around
Nice sight
Average seating arrangement provided by Air France with butt-destroying seats however the legroom is nice and seats cannot recline (which I like a lot for short/medium haul flights)
Slightly narrow tray table
Slightly worn-out reading material
KLM B738 and its LCC brother in the flesh of this Transavia B738
Longhaul widebodies about to depart
Taxiing
Delta livery is smart I think
Seconds before taking off
Airborne
Rocketing the dutch skies
Passing through cloud layers
Dutch landscape
Above the clouds
Cruising altitude
How I love to fly
Service was done shortly after reaching cruising altitude. A rather tasty sandwich but the packaging looks cheap
The flight went quite fast and we soon reached the Alps
It was time to descend towards Marseille and a clearer weather
Nice landscapes
Can you spot the Mont Ventoux (Mount Ventoux)? An iconic sight of Provence
Crossing the Durance valley
Paralleling the TGV high speed line
Nearing Aix en Provence
Air France seems to use a specific approach to MRS with a sharp turn towards the runway just before overflying Marseille. I don't know why, it seems that only AF uses that kind of path while other airlines tends to use a longer approach over the Bay of Marseille (which gives you wonderful views by the way)
Final approach
Almost landed
Heavy braking
Vacating the active
Taxiing to the terminal
Quite deserted apron except for an interesting widebody
El Al has a quite strong operation in MRS as they often send widebodies here
Almost parked
Immigration was very fast by using PARAFE automatic border control. And soon found myself in the baggage claim area. It didn't took long before the luggage being delivered
I found my car back and after a quite short drive I was back home!
CONCLUSION
AF : Does the job but needs to improve the seating comfort.
MRS : As usual, a quite efficient airport while the "AF Corner" is not that well organized especially with the Air France basic fares (read : without luggage).
AMS : Very efficient but can be quite crowded. I dislike the self luggage drop-off system but I think we are going to see more of these things in the future.
Amsterdam : A very interesting and pleasant city. A lot of top-notch museums and a must-do for everyone visiting Europe.
Well, thank you for reading. Feel free to comment or to ask any question you want.
Very best regards
The lysflyer
Links to my previous TR :
Swiss Economy LYS-ZRH-EWR
Aegean Airlines A3633/A3632-LYS-ATH-LYS-Inaugural
Brussels Airlines SN3588 - LYS-BRU - Economy
Adria Airways JP395 - BRU-LJU - Economy
Adria Airways JP376 - LJU-BRU - Economy
Brussels Airlines SN3591 - BRU-LYS - Economy
TAP By Portugalia Economy LYS-LIS
Air France Economy MRS-ORY
Turkish Airlines MRS-IST Economy
Ryanair MRS-TUF Low-cost
Ethiopian Airlines NIM-ADD-CDG Business
Eurowings MRS-DUS Low-cost
Swiss LYS-ZRH-FCO Business
Alitalia FCO-PMO Economy
