When I booked my flights with British Midland, I expected a good flight. I generally prefer to fly with Easyjet, but on this occasion I choose BMI as it was the only way to get from Belfast into central London. All seemed well until I went to Belfast to check in.

They have this new self-check in machine which in theory is a good idea, but in practice fails to work. Firstly I had been confused by the machines demand for an e-ticket which it turns out isn't sent to those who have cheaper tickets, the very people who use the machine most. The machine also allows you to choose your allocated seat on the airplane. Despite having arrived before the check in desks were even open, already half had been allocated to my fellow economy class passengers. The extra-leg room seats, the machine indicated, had been taken. However when the plane came I could see that they had not. Not impressed.

After using the machine, I then had to leave my bags to the bag drop, at which there was a queue and I was asked the same questions as I would have at check in... so what was the point in the self-check in if they're going to go through it all again?

The plane itself smelt and the cabin crew were unhelpful, uncaring and had a general attitude of wishing they were somewhere else. One member laughed continuously through the emergency procedure and another (the one at the back) was deliberately trying to get her to do so. Another cabin member spent most of the pre-flight preparation talking to a mate who was on board.

The 'meal' was disgusting. If it were free I wouldn't mind. But I paid £3.90 for it. My expectations therefore were for it to be of some quality.

The flight was shorter than billed, but it is my experience that low cost airlines usually are. When we arrived in Heathrow the captain talked the biggest load of gibberish over the speaker about it being BMI's 50th anniversary and how theyd won best airline again and they ought to be congratulated...

The baggage reclaim was slow, but I thought it was just Heathrow. However upon my return to Belfast I found that it was just shoddy BMI. I was left home feeling annoyed, tired and with a resolution never to fly BMI again.