Trip Report: Flying BA Cityflyer from Berlin-Brandenburg to LCY

DALLAS — Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) is famous for its significant delay in opening. In this trip report, we take you on board British Airways (BA), operated by a BA Cityflyer (CJ) Embraer E190-SR from Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) to London-City Airport (LCY).

Berlin Brandenburg Airport marks a significant chapter in the aviation history of the German capital. Originally envisioned as a unified gateway to the capital of Germany, the airport faced a prolonged and challenging construction process. 

Formerly, Berlin had three airports serving the city: Berlin-Schönefeld (SXF), Berlin-Tegel (TXL), and Berlin-Tempelhof (THF). As the main airports of West Germany, the latter two played a vital role in the airlift during the Berlin Blockade and acted as a crucial link connecting the walled-in western part of the city to the rest of the world. SXF, serving the East, played a relevant role in aviation as the primary airport serving East Berlin and East Germany during the city's division.

After East and West Germany reunified, there were calls for a new airport. Berlin, Brandenburg, and the federal government, acting as stakeholders, resolved to build a single international airport for the Berlin-Brandenburg region (BBI). 

The selected site for this endeavor was SXF, where significant expansion was planned. Initially planned to open in 2011, numerous setbacks, including technical and planning issues, delayed the inauguration for nearly a decade. Finally, on October 31, 2020, BER welcomed its first passengers. THF ceased operations in 2008, while TXL closed upon the inauguration of BER.

Check-In and Boarding

Berlin-Brandenburg is served by regional trains that run frequently between Berlin's central station and the airport. Overall, it takes you about 20 minutes to reach the airport.

I started my journey in Terminal 1, BA, which operates from BER. At the check-in counter, I was told that all hand luggage had to be checked in due to the high load of our flight. Thankfully, that service was free of charge, and my bag made its way through the baggage handling system. With my boarding pass in hand, I made my way to security.

Regarding security, BER offers an exceptional service that you can use to skip the long security lines. “BER Runway” allows you to book a specific slot for security, which you can access via a QR code. That proved an efficient and intelligent service, resulting in security taking less than ten minutes.

A duty-free area is found immediately after the security controls, where a commercial area and food court are located. The shops include international design firms and a Lufthansa gift shop. The food court is located on the second floor of the area, which can be accessed via an escalator.

Next to our gate, a Scoot (TR) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, headed to Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH), was preparing for boarding. BER-ATH-SIN is one of TR's only critical routes to Europe and is served thrice weekly. At BER, the Dreamliner is one of the biggest aircraft departing from the airport and thus attracts a lot of attention at the gate.

BA8492 will depart from Berlin-Brandenburg airport at 11:55 local time and arrive at London-City Airport at 12:46 p.m. (GMT). My aircraft was a 12-year-old Embraer E190-SR. CJ operates 21 of them in its fleet. The maximum passenger capacity is 98, with a maximum range of 2072 miles (3334 km). Additionally, the E190-SR features a 2-2 configuration.

I boarded the aircraft at 11:30 a.m. because my boarding was slightly delayed. (CET) from Gate C01. Surprisingly, we boarded via a jet bridge as opposed to a bus. Once on the plane, I took my seat in 23D and immediately checked out what was in front of me from my window seat. I observed the boarding process for the Scoot flight TR721 next to us.

Cabin and Seat

The first ten rows on BA's E190-SR are dedicated to Club Europe business class. Rows 11-25 are reserved for standard Euro Traveller economy passengers. Between economy and business cabins, a curtain divider can be found. Sixty seats are reserved for the economy, while 38 are premium only. Eight emergency exit seats feature improved legroom and are sold at an additional charge on BA's website.

The economy seat and armrest felt relatively standard, with a pitch of 30 inches and a width of 18 inches. The tray table was adequately sized to fit a 13.6-inch laptop comfortably. No Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment was offered.

Takeoff, Flight Experience

At 11:55 a.m. CET, we began our pushback, delayed by 15 minutes. I heard the General Electric CF34-10E turbofan engines starting, and soon, we taxied out of the gate. After a few minutes, we held short of the runway, awaiting take-off clearance from ATC since the airport had quite a few movements. 

The captain released the brakes, applied full power, and we began our takeoff roll. Soon after we lifted off, I could see the landscape and the entire city view of Berlin before quickly emerging into thick clouds.

After ten minutes, we reached our cruising altitude. Shortly after, the meal service began. Since it was a short flight of 1:40h, it consisted of a granola bar and a choice of beverage. The crew was friendly and completed their service in just 25 minutes.

During the flight, I checked the lavatory in the rear service galley, which was clean and properly equipped with soap and paper towels.

Approach and Landing

For most of the flight, the weather was cloudy and grey. As we headed into LCY, the captain announced windy and bumpy weather at London City Airport (LCY), located east of the city. 

Descending our final approach into London, we soon touched down at 12:46 p.m. GMT, where the typical London rain hit us in full force. Not only did the captain welcome us to the “heart of London,” while deboarding the heavy rain did as well. On our way to the passport control, we passed two other British Airways (BA) Embraer 190-SR parked.

Arrival in London City

The great thing about flying into LCY is the convenient navigation and little traffic in the airport. We were one of two flights landing midday, the other BA flight arriving from Dublin. 

If you are an EU citizen, you can pass through the E-Gates. Luckily, my bag was the first to arrive, and with that, I was out of the airport in less than 20 minutes after touching down.

London City Airport, established in 1987 on the former Royal Docks site in East London, was designed to meet the growing demand for business travel. 

Its location, close to the financial district of Canary Wharf, allows for short takeoff and landing, making it ideal for short-haul flights to European destinations. A single runway allows small jets to land and take off. Over the years, the airport has expanded to accommodate increased passenger traffic, solidifying its role in connecting London to major European cities. 

Getting from the airport to the city center is just as convenient as getting to it. Several options include a bus stop, taxiing, or getting the DLR into Poplar station, switching to Canary Wharf, and then taking the Elizabeth line into Central London. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, my flight was smooth from the airport handling at BET to the baggage reclaim at LCY. 

Flying from Berlin's new airport is undoubtedly more convenient if prepared accordingly. Great features like a personal security appointment are an advantage if you are short on time.

LCY is a great airport to fly into if you value convenience and a stress-free experience. Additionally, the airport is one of the only ones in Europe to allow you to leave electronics and liquids inside hand luggage since the CT security scanners can now scan liquids and electronics inside hand baggage. This was an advantage I got to enjoy on my return flight.

The only thing to miss at LLCY is the variety of aircraft you would get at London Heathrow Aiport (LHR) or London-Gatwick Aiport (LGW) if you wish to plane spot.

Featured image: British Airways G-LCYS Embraer E-190-100SR. Photo: Alberto Cicini/Airways