Review of Air Baltic flight Paris → Riga in Economy

Hello everyone,

Welcome to this little routing to Tallinn, my first fligths in 2024.
For the SkyTeam afficionado that I am, I immediately ran into a small problem.
The routing via AMS that I had found last year no longer seemed to work.
For a while I was considering LOT's proposal via Warsaw but, looking behind the scenes, I found this little AF codeshare scheme with the added spice of a 30-minute connection to RIX.
Apparently, 30 minutes of transit is not a problem, according to a kind FRist who reassures me behind the scenes.
Given that I won't have any non-cabin baggage, to hell with caution.
The return trip will be a bit like "déjà vu", but the timetable is more practical.
That's the end of the temptation of a foot in StarAlliance (for the moment).

I'm off on several flights in an A220 BT, bearing in mind that I'm still missing a special BT livery (the one for Estonia, in fact), and I'm hoping that luck will be on my side.

CDG

Given the timetable, the most practical way to get to CDG is by train (RER B).
The journey will be uneventful, and it's great to be able to head back up to the surface with all these future passengers!

FIDS of the day.
I'm well on schedule.

Now I have to go to 2B Terminal.
It's a bit of a walk, but it's a nice change from my usual trips to 2F / 2E or even 2G Terminal.
As the route progressed, the crowds thinned out.

Although I didn't have any baggage to check in, I had to go to the counter to collect my boarding pass.
Online check-in was not possible with the AF application.
I headed for the small queue that was already in place like a normal passenger.
The process was quick.
On the other hand, the seat is either an auto choice or you have to pay…

Since I don't appreciate such little addtional costs almost at the door of the plane, I leave it to chance.
Unfortunately, there was no window but a happy row 26 for RIX with aisle.
That's enough to give me peace of mind for the short connection ?
At least I've already got my borading pass for RIX-TLL.
Still no window, though.

airside

Then it's off to the boarding gate.
There's no rush at the gate.

Head for the security control, which will be easy to pass.

It's kind of upside / down process…

A lot of orange on this FIDS.
We know who rules here.

Shops are always a bit the same.
I just walk through without any emotion or last-minute temptation.

As there's no lounge to be planned, I settle down in a small café to have a complementary breakfast and find out who's coming to pick me up.
Well, you're not going to believe this, but for my 3rd flight ever with BT, I'm adding the missing one to my collection of special liveries!
3/3 unbeatable!
No need to fly BT after that!

Once the emotion of the winning draw was over, I went to the door to wait for my plane.
Although we're not in AF territory, a few ones are there to reassure me…

Looking into the distance with the help of FR24, I followed the approaches and realised that I could immortalise the final.
Example with a big baby.
Not too bad for a phone photo.

And now the star of the day.
You have to believe me, because an A220 actually looks smaller in the picture.
I'm happy like a kid.

Straight back to the windows to get something cleaner, bearing in mind that for my first deliveries, while satisfaction was at its highest, the photos were rather average at AMS.
At CDG, it will be much better.

It's beautiful; simple but beautiful.
I have to admit I'm a bit partial to this one, in fact.

Arriving at the gate on time, it will be soon my turn.

Boarding

Boarding starts at 9.45am.
Can you smell the delay that makes you feel alive with that 30-minute connection melting away like snow in the sun?

I don't lose control and don't miss the signature shots of any FRist.
My fuselage shot is not the happiest.

But this one is grandiose.

Entering this very bright, sober and ultimately spacious BT cabin.

Here I am at my seat row.
So I'm in the aisle and I'll have a copax.

The installation is correct, and the pitch quite good, if not very good.

Let's finish our review of the place before setting off.
The light is nice.

The magazine and the safety card.
The only things missing are wifi and usb.

taxi and take off

Push back, late of course.
My advice is not to stress, there's a good chance we'll be expected at RIX, so I stay calm.
I try to beat the stress by taking a few shots of the outside from my seat.
It doesn't look too bad.

But the window isn't clean/dry.
A sharklet later, I gave up.

Our well-filled aircraft will make good speed to runway 27L.
We'll be at the entrance of the runway at 10.19am with take-off in the immediate aftermath.
No view possible, given my position and the pea soup we're flying through.

flight

The light and the blue sky arrive once the cloud layer has been pierced.
I walk in circles for a while, skimming the magazine…
10.40am announcements for the service.
There will of course be a sale on board, but before that, a small snack is distributed to all AF share code passengers.
There's a check on the tablet by the cabin crew to see who's the lucky one or not.
So I end up with a bottle of water and a mini croissant (which is also on sale). 

This croissant isn't revolutionising the bakery art, but it's rather timely, and to be honest, I wasn't betting on it.
So it's all to the good.

Then it's the turn of the pre-ordered meals, for which you'll have to show your credentials in order to receive your pittance.
Things are really fast, because at 11am, everything is finished for the service… although let's not forget that this aircraft is quite full.
The distributions and other sales are carried out efficiently.

So it's time for a small tour in the back.
First, a left-right of the area.

The single toilet is quite spacious.
The photos are taken wehn entering, so all the water on the ground is not me!
But as on the ground, in the air, not everyone dries their hands…

Back where I belong.
We're going to have to start worrying about the transit.

But there's still a long way to go…
These little screens are a welcome relief from boredom.
The flight continues without a hitch.

I switch to local time (+1) to prepare for the arrival.
The announcements start coming in.
The plane is due to land at 1.31pm… in theory, I'll have 20 minutes to get from one plane to the other.
I switch to mini-snooze mode to pass the time and not think too much about the transit.
At 12.40pm, sales are announced on board… 
13:05: Information about connections is available on the screen.
It's going to be a rush for gate B5.
PS: Surprisingly, there is a connection announced for AMS.

Let's consult the map.
Arriving at Terminal E, gate B5, on the map it doesn't look too bad.

According to the map, we are close to RIX…
Isn't it obvious?

LAnding

Prepare for landing at 1.15pm with rather pronounced but short turbulence.
Soon a left turn for the runway.
Why left?
Take a look.

Finale.

Soft landing at 1:30pm.
Gentle braking (just to stay on the runway…).
Given that an A320 went off the runway at VNO on Saturday, we can't blame the pilot for using up all his runway without sliding.

During the taxi, I can spot one of the trio in special livery.

But while we're having fun with the colours, it's off for a bus disembarkation!
PAX BUS?!?!?
We're going to lose time again.
So, at least, I can have better picture.

The air is fresh.
If you have any doubts about who rules the place, just look in the distance.

Even if you're in a rush (or stress), it's always nice to disembark with a bus.

All in !!!
Because in the distance, I can see the 3rd livery on the tarmac.
Today it's champagne!
On the other hand, it looks like it's slept a bit more than the other 2.

I'm on the bus, waiting for the last people before we set off.
The next flight to TLL is at 7pm apparently, so at worst we'll have time to visit the whole terminal!

Better view from the bus of the 3rd buddy.

The bus, which has been travelling for 400 m, finally stops.
This photo was taken at 13:49…
The serious stuff begins.
Will you run for your flight?

Total suspense!

We finish here with FR24 maps.