This is the report of the first of the holiday flights. Although we were flying on 5th September, we headed down from Scarborough to Birmingham on Sunday morning, leaving on the 09:23 train from Scarborough. 
The Class 158 in Scarborough before we boarded it.
The train from York to Birmingham was operated by Virgin Trains, having the service number VT3551. Normally we would get tickets to Birmingham International and have the train straight through from York to International, but this time we had to change to a bus in Birmingham New Street. We had reserved seats in the Quiet Zone of the Virgin Voyager to avoid the hassle of constantly hearing mobile phones and their silly irritating ringtones and their equally silly owners yelling into them. 
Our Virgin Voyager waits for us in York.
The ride down was OK until the air conditioning on coach B broke down and all the passenegrs piled into the quiet coach 
We were glad to leave the train and then we had the hassle of catching the bus to the airport. Once at the airport we checked into the on-site Novotel.
We had a room on the top floor, which gave us a limited view of part of the parking area.
The view from our Novotel room shows a Flybe BAe 146.
BHX is a superb airport, and we spent several hours spotting.
BHX.
On the morning of 5th September, it was foggy (as it usually is when we fly from BHX!) We made our way across to the airport to check in for around 8am. We had to queue in the BA check in area of Eurohub, but we were lucky enough to get good seats - 8A and 8C. It was great to see the BRU label going on those cases again!!
After check in we went into the departure lounge to see what we could through the fog. Another SNBA aircraft was parked at the gate, this was operating flight SN2038, due to depart at 08:50. This was the first time I've been in a British airport, seen an SNBA aircraft at the gate, heard the boarding call, and not been on the flight!!
BHX departure lounge is a nightmare for viewing, there is one area which is OK, but that is all.
Eastern waits at the gate.
Continental 757 heads for Newark. That is one airline you are almost guaranteed to see at BHX.
A distant view of another old favourite - the Balkan Holidays Tu154.
Soon we saw our aircraft arrive. Today, flight SN2040, departure time 10:20, was to be operated by ARJ85 OO-DJO.
We waited impatiently for the call to board. At 10:05 our wait was rewarded and we were called to board through door J, gate 2. On boarding we were greeted by the female purser and another stewardess stood at the back. We had a seat with a back engine view. Next to our aircraft, we saw little Tartan Tail being prepared for a flight somewhere. This aircraft really is small compared to the ARJ and 737 as far as height goes, the top of its tail is barely visible when you see it pass a 737 fuselage.
Little Tartan Tail as we saw it from OO-DJO.
The Connect magazine was handed out in good time.
The magazine.
Our back engine view.
At 10:19 we were pushed back. We were told the flight would last one hour, and there would be some light turbulence on the way. We taxied to the right hand runway and took off at 10:32, behind an ARJ of British Airways. The flight was code shared with British Airways, Finnair and SWISS ( )
Just after take off from BHX.
We climbed through the cloud, the initial climb was smooth, but as we climbed higher we began to hit turbulence, and there was even more turbulence at altitude. The seat belt signs lit up again. 
Inside flight SN2040, the woman is the purser. I didn't get the crew's names, but they were a good crew.
Eventually we came to blue sky and scattered cloud. Then the snacks were handed out. It was a fruit crumble with a carton of water, and I had orange juice to drink.
The snack.
When the chocolate was handed round, I took a yellow label one.
The Belgian coast.
Some views of Belgium taken as we descended to Brussels.
Not too far from landing here.
We approached past the familiar water tower, and saw the spotters standing near the end of 25L. At 12:26, the gear was lowered, and at 12:29, we touched down in Beautiful Brussels!!
Touchdown!
We had a smooth landing, and taxied to the terminal. I just love to hear the crew say "Welcome to Brussels", and we had had a brilliant flight with a very efficient and professional crew, much better than the pathetic shower we had to put up with on our flights in March.
We left via the airbridge and went to collect our luggage. We had only to wait a very short time before our two cases and one flight bag appeared on the carousel. And when we got the cases back we noticed that the padlocks had been removed from BOTH of them, presumably in Birmingham as there had been no time for anyone at the Belgian end to tamper with them. We were not happy about this, as it means that someone could slip something into your luggage without your knowledge when you have checked in, or steal something from your case. We had to buy replacement padlocks, and so we sent the bill for the new padlocks to the Managing Director of Birmingham International Airport.
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