Review of Air Leap flight from Stockholm to Malmö in Economy

Hello and welcome to this second report on board Air Leap for another Swedish domestic flight. Once again this flight took place during my 2021 summer holiday's. Today we will fly with Estonian airline Nyx air who operate some flight on bigger Saab 2000 for the Swedish regional franchise Air Leap.

introduction

This summer I've got an imposed week of holiday on short notice. After this long covid lockdown I don't want to stay home and thanks to the vaccine the Europe slightly reopen is borders for vaccinated people. I look for opportunity to travel in North of Europe where temperature are not too warm. I always want to visit Sweden and I found a really good price with Brussels Airlines + Lufthansa for an open jaw TLS-BRU-GOT CPH-FRA-TLS. It's also a good opportunity for the av-geek that I am to add some rare Swedish birds to my flightlog flying on the last remaining Saab's aircraft on operation in Europe.

These 2 domestics flights operated by Air Leap will cost me 72€ each (booked one week before) a fair price for small regional flights without too much competition. It's also a good opportunity to use Bromma facilities for the first and perhaps last time has the airport is targeted by politics and residential development.

Surprisingly there is no reports on the database regarding Malmö airport, and a single one regarding a departure at the city airport of Stockholm. The saab 2000 is also uncommon on the database with just 6 reports and no one on Air Leap.

To summarize a complete new addition on the database

Unfortunately  this winter it's look that all Air Leap operations has been moved to Arlanda and this line to Malmö has been closed letting BRA alone on this market.

SMOOTH afternoon departure from Bromma

Like for my inbound trip to the Swedish capital I will use the brand new tram 31. It's really easy to use and you just need to do a single transfer at Alvik to take the metro to the city center. The journey is quite short around 25 minutes from Stockholm City center and the ticket is quite cheep 38SEK (3,80€).

You just need to cross the taxi parking to reach the departure building of the airport

The departure hall looks really vintage from the outside. This can easily explained by the fact that this building was the first terminal built in the 30's and the structure hasn't change a lot. Now this main building it's part of architecture heritage. 

Unfortunately the days of this legendary airfield are counted, many rumors suggest that the airfield could be closed in 2023 due to political pressure and real estate interest for this large piece of land located no so far from the Swedish capital. A good reason to enjoy this trip who could be my first and last from this airfield. I just check my big cabin trolley at the check in counter to be hands free. On Airleap bookings, a 23kg luggage is included on the cheapest fare. I was alone at the counter and the lady in charge was very friendly. 

An Air Leap information/sales desk is available but wasn't staffed when I was in front

I've plenty of spare time before boarding, letting me a moment to climb up the hill between the terminal and the tower. Here you will have a really nice view on the runway and it gives me the opportunity for a short spotting session. Starting by this Saab 340 from Air Leap coming from Visby the main town of Gotland island. This aircraft was the one we bring me to Stockholm few days ago here is the report.

The main airline operating from Bromma is Braathens Regional with a large fleet of ATR72-600. This one taking off for a flight to Goteborg.

View of apron, my Saab 2000 is already there.

After a 30 minutes turn around time the Air Leap Saab 340 is back in the air ! Starting a flight to Halmstad.

My boarding time is approaching and no traffic was scheduled on next 30 minutes. So it's time to go airside, security checks where quickly performed by a friendly staff.

And I recommend not to go air-side too early because there is barely no services excepting toilets.

The main airside hall regrouping all the gate, which is basically a line-up of doors designed to board small regional turboprops.

FIDS with today's departures, The flight to Brussels operated by Brussels Airlines is the last international flight from BMA.

Boarding is called at gate E. the lady in charge of boarding operations is the same person who did the check in.

After the ID + Boarding pass control we are allowed to go on this large open air area, you can go to every stands from this point and I don't know how the passengers movements are controlled. You can easily have a mix between multiple flights and there is no checks before boarding on the aircraft. This area is not particularly adapted in cold times if you need to wait outside on freezing Swedish winter.

For us it will be stand 5.

Our aircraft for today's flight will be ES-NSE a 26 years old Saab 2000. Delivered to Deutsche BA he flew on a lot of European regional airlines during is pretty long career such has French Regional, Swedish Golden Air and Braathens Regional, Romanian Carpatair and many mores. He join the small Estonian Nyx Air fleet who wet lease this aircraft to Air Skane who's part of Air Leap franchise.

Nose view with our crew preparing the flight.

And detail on the engine which is huge for an aircraft of this size ! Every Saab 2000 is equipped with 2 Rolls-Royce AE 2100 a variant of the engines that you could find on military aircraft such has C130-J or C27J Spartan. And without surprise this aircraft is well known to be overpowered. If you want to compare the ATR72 which have a similar MTOW is equipped with 2 P&W turbines who produce just the half of the AE 2100 engine thrust. Another fun fact the propeller diameter (3,8m) is much bigger than the aircraft section (2,31m) !

on board Air leap Saab 2000

I'm warmly welcomed on board by the only female cabin crew, It's free seating so I choose one single seat on the left of the cabin. Has you can see the cabin as been retrofitted with new seat produced by <b style="font-style: italic;">Acro and the result looks pretty good. The design is simple but works well with the yellow head rest cover.

The pitch is excellent for a regional airplane and the seat is comfortable definitely a good cabin refreshment for this 26 years old bird.

Detail on headrest cover 

The only vintage part is the overhead panel but it's work perfectly.

Cabin crew kindly ask me and some other passengers to move forward to respect the aircraft balance. Huh … Did I should think of diet soon ? ^^. On the Saab 2000 toilets are located at the front.

The impressive engine is just next to me.

Didn't take too long after the boarding completed announcement to start the engines. I quite surprise by the noise inside the cabin it's not so noisy or shaky has I thought. The Saab 2000 is equipped with an active noise reduction system limiting the sound perception to 78db.

The stand is in nose out configuration so we didn't need to be pushed back.

We are taxiing for a departure on runway 30, on the way you can have a look on general aviation and business jets that represent a large part of the movements here in Bromma like this Bombardier Global 6000 from TAG Aviation. And this private Cirrus SF-50.

We are now on the runway ready for departure our half C130-J is set to take off thrust and we are quickly rocketing to the sky. I have experience more than 40 different aircraft's takes offs and this Saab is one of the most powerful I ever had !

We are climbing over Stockholm suburb, looks nice from the air with these lakes and forests.

Just after this initial climb we are performing a sharp left turn giving us a complete view of Bromma airfield were we just took of few seconds ago.

General view of the city built on multiple islands, it's funny to take some ferry has a public transport.

We didn't took off on the good side to perfectly see the historical part of the city but you can guess the contour of Kvarteret Luna where is located Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace.

We are crossing a small but shaky cloud area with very strong turbulence during less than 5 minutes.

Another advantage of Saab 2000 his is high cruising altitude allowing us to fly other this bad whether area

We are following the Swedish Baltic coast sprinkle with small islands.

A drink is served for free with 3 choices water, Thea or coffee.

Inside the seat pocket you will find the on board magazine and the safety card with the only evidence of the real operator the Estonian Airline Nyx Air.

The entire magazine is in Swedish but you can see the Air Leap network and Air Skane timetable.

We are leaving the dark blue coast of the Baltic sea to the green forests land of the Skåne region.

The route as recorded by FR24, cruise at FL 260.

After a smooth cruise we are starting our descent to Malmö. 

Hano bay next to the city of Kristianstad.

Southern part of the country is composed of wide flat cultivated plains.

Pilots are lining up the aircraft on the final approach axis has we flew over this quarry.

We are on final and if you look the trees bent by the wind It will not be an easy landing for the pilots.

Windy landing at MalMö

Landing was hard, a necessity in case of crosswind like this but no bounce and we were perfectly lined up on the center line. So safe landing !

We are vacating the runway by the nearest taxiway.

Just in front the fire fighters training area, where this old MAP Executive Flight MD83 finished his life.

On our way to the terminal we are passing close to this big yellow hangar in front of witch some of Swedish sky frequent flyers are parked like the Amapola F50's or Braathens Regional ATR72-600.

Terminal is on sight, avgeek will notice this old Antonov 24 parked on a remote stand.

If you still have doubts despite the color, it's written we are in Malmö Airport !

We are gently reaching our gate, pilots parked the airplane nose out to avoid the use of a pushback.

Engines were shutted down putting a final point to my first and probably last flight on board of the last commercial aircraft produced by Saab.

I'm leaving the aircraft after a quick visit on the cockpit & chat with pilots and believe me it's look really modern up front.

Definitely I love the shape of this bird. See you Sierra Echo !

I'm the last passenger to climb up the stairs next to the jetbridge in order to get into the terminal.

Like Goteborg airport there is no arrival path, passengers are send into a big air-side area. The least we can say is that the airport is very quiet and seems a bit deserted.
In fact with the opening of the Øresund bridge, almost all of the majors have deserted the airport. Indeed, it's more practical to reach Copenhagen airport from the center of Malmö than Malmö airport itself!
However, at the start of 2010 the airport found a new breath by welcoming many flights from hard low-cost companies such as Ryanair and Wizz. 

With large windows the airport is spotter friendly

Let me the opportunity to capture this Boeing 737-800 from the Danish charter company Jettime arriving from Chania in Crete.

I'm not strolling around to reach the exit of the terminal, the crowd of tourists disembarking from the 737 is just behind me.

Full day FIDS and It has barely 12 flights departing. Mainly from Wizz flights and flights from the Swedish capital operated by SAS, BRA or Air Leap.

The luggage claim area where I find many passengers coming from my flight. No screen to announce the place or the moment of the distribution of the luggage we are in front of the belts 1 and 2 after you have no return swinging doors which gives groundside.

Arrgh… the pack of tourists arrive in the small baggage claim area, many of them without masks. The luggage of the Jettime flight were quickly distributed and again stay's only the passengers from my flight in front of the carousel which no longer contained any luggage …
It's been 25 minutes since we arrived 2 airport personnel ended up passing nearby, I ask them to find out if they knew where our luggage could be and if there was another baggage claim area.

After a few seconds of reflection they tell me that domestic flights are not delivered here.

And indeed there is a third luggage belt in the middle of the groundside area. I will lead the small troop of my flight to the domestic luggage claim. Very well indicated when you're already groundside… but who had the idea not to indicate this belt since the arrival path !!!!!!

General ground side view of MMX main terminal

The fluidity score could have been excellent if there hadn't been this signaling fault… because the path to the exit was very short.

I'm jumping on the bus who was close to leaving the station next one was in 45 minutes.

Once again I will use the Flygbussarna buses it has a very good service and adapted to the flight schedules but this excellent service at a stroke 129 crowns (13 €) for an half hour of bus ride.

This is the end of this routing looking to fly on board of Saab aircraft's in the country that built them. A very pleasant flight in addition to the av-geek aspect. As you have been patient, I am offering you a little Stockholm tour, a superb city!