The last time I travelled this route (ten or more years ago) Sabena were using the tiny Embraer Brasilias.

The equipment is now the 82-seat Avro Regional Jet 85 which is fine for such a short route.

Bristol Airport can be a very busy place first thing in the morning with security queues snaking down the stairs from the security level and right across the check-in concourse. We arrived at the airport at 0530 for our 0735 departure, but were lucky that the queue was manageable at that time of day.

We had some breakfast in one of the air-side food outlets that gave respite from the crowded departure lounge and were pleased to see the ARJ 85 arrive in good time on the inbound from Brussels.

The flight was only around 40% full so boarding was quick with the aircraft being parked at a stand nears the terminal thus obviating the need to be bussed to a remote location.

Brussels Airlines now operate a twin service level on these economy-class flights: Bflex and Blite. You pay up to twice as much for the former for the advantage of being able to switch bookings and being provided with a complimentary meal and newspaper on board. We had opted for the Blite level!

The flight pushed back on time and was uneventful apart from some minor turbulence on final approach to Brussels Airport. The seats are leather covered and are comfortable. The two-person cabin crew (one male, one female) had little work to do in attending to passengers. Information from the flight deck was minimal probably because the cockpit announcements were made in three languages.

Arrival was fifteen minutes early and we were on the train within half an hour of landing – for which we were impressed and thankful.

The return was on the following Monday evening. The aircraft was again an ARJ 85 this time about two-thirds full. We left fifty-five minutes late and were taken by bus from the departure building across the airport to the parked aircraft.

Again minimal information from the flight deck, but the two-female cabin crew was busier than on the outbound. However, one of these young women looked as miserable as sin and did not attempt to smile; she also snapped at a passenger who had missed her menu round.

We made up a bit of time and arrived at Bristol forty-five minutes behind schedule. The good thing was that this coincided with a lull in inbound traffic and our bags were offloaded in quick time. We were driving out of the car park within twenty minutes of landing.

A decent experience overall and Brussels Airlines fares are lower than previously (in SN Brussels and Sabena days) but not generally as low as the likes of easyJet on similar routes, albeit they do not fly this route.

I have split the Flight On Time Marks to an average. Would have been 10 outbound and 5 inbound.