Hi all, We're back again for the sporty transit at RIX. Why sporty? Because the routing only allows 30 minutes between CDG-RIX and RIX-TLL and, of course, we arrived late. The routing? Well, here it is.
We've ended the previous report here. It is 1:49 pm.
As soon as we entered the terminal, a BT staff member held up his little sign for transit and urged us to press on. Run Forrest, Run!
Our plane, I think. They're waiting for us…
And here's the gate! My time stamp says 1:51pm. All in all, it took us 2 minutes from the bus to the gate. The size of the terminal is therefore rather compact.
Once the BP was cleared, I catch my breath in the jetbridge.
When you start reading here, you don't even know that we've been running, that we've been stressed. You're just enjoying the view.
Aircraft on approach.
It's 1:52pm, so I'm relax now… I can go with the usual singature pictures. Under the amused gaze of the cabin crew and the pax in front of me.
In theory, I was supposed to be in 9D, but as the plane wasn't full, I slipped into 9A, but not without asking for permission.
Sitting, tied up, I breathe.
Proof that we were the only ones expected? 13:56, jetbridge withdrawal. I think there must have been between 4 and 6 making the run from the CDG-RIX.
taxi and take off
I'd have to say that my stay in a new country (I'd never been to Latvia before) was the shortest ever… 10 min max. Pusback at 1:58pm. The taxi starts just as I'm settling in. It will give me another opportunity to serve you BT's special liveries.
But then, I had a bit of a problem with the drops.
We're at the end of the runway at 2:07pm with take-off in the immediate aftermath. The length of the runway is more readable than its identity.
Go captain ! On the side of the runway, you can see the model aircraft used for firefighter training.
Flight mode
Once through the clouds, I finally see blue.
The flight is short (less than an hour) and includes an overflight of the sea. This will give you the chance to see some ice floes!
It's a beautiful sight, and not very common on my usual flights.
So you know that we're already at mid-flight. Shortly afterwards, at 2.30pm, the start of the descent will be announced. There also have been a flash BoB service.
already approaching
Here too, we finish with a left turn (but I missed the view of the runway) and touch down at 2:43pm. It's just as grey/snowy here as at RIX.
Ground control to major Tom ? …
Gate approaching.
Gate and jetbridge here, a real luxury!
At 14:52, exactly one hour after the gate at RIX, I get off our plane. That hour flew by…
The short walk to the exit starts.
Head for the exit through the concourse, where once again several cars are on display. The airport is kind of a multi-brand showroom.
We pass through the small baggage area before returning to the exit.
It's a little bitterly cold compared with Paris, so before running off to kiss & fly to find my cab less than 100m away, I'll stay warmer and inside. Welcome to TLL.
After this race, technical information.
It's time to begin this brief stay in TLL. See you on the way back.
See more
Verdict
Air Baltic
7.6/10
Cabin9.0
Cabin crew8.5
Entertainment/wifi7.0
Buy-on-board menu6.0
Riga - RIX
9.8/10
Efficiency10.0
Access9.0
Services10.0
Cleanliness10.0
Tallinn - TLL
9.9/10
Efficiency10.0
Access9.5
Services10.0
Cleanliness10.0
Conclusion
Once again, a very good flight with BT. The connection at RIX is short but clearly, given the size of the airport, 30 minutes is enough. And if your flight is 30 minutes late, BT knows how to do things well and will wait for you within reason. All in all, a well-run affair.
No exchanges with cabin crew who have made an express visit for the BoB.
Thanks to the homogeneity of the fleet, there were no unpleasant surprises on the cabin side. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. Personally, I like it and I'm delighted to see it again.
1 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
Thanks for your comment. For the bob, I didn't notice if there was a real sale. This time, I got nothing. But for my next flight (this week), I was entitled to a muffin "offered by air france". I don't know why the difference, as they're exactly the same flight... but I ate the muffin without asking!
Flight-Report is a free website hosting more than 500 000 pictures and 17 000 reviews, without ads, this website can't exist. We understand that ads can be annoying, this is why we only display a maximum of 2 non-invasive ads per page.
To continue using Flight-Report, we invite you to add Flight-Report to your blocker's "white list".
3 Comments
A feat not accomplished at all >95% of airports. BT would likely not ticket 30 minute layovers, unless it was a realistic achievement.
A chance to squeeze every last cent of revenue. With only ~35 minutes flight time, they still offer full selection from the BoB or only pre-orders?
Login to post a comment.