The London City Airport....Cute!

Not normally a word I would use for an airport - Cute! Well here comes a backgrounder...

London has two big and major airports -Heathrow & Gatwick. Then comes along two more, a little distant, and normally used by the low cost airlines- Stanstead and Luton. City airport, is the the closest to the heart of the city,located in the rapidly developing docklands area ( the most devastated part of London in WW II. There is a catch - it has a short, short runway: and so can be used by a limited number of aircraft, and that too of a particular type. More of that later...

We chanced upon using this airport for the trip to Geneva. Getting to LCY is half the fun- a normal Underground ride to Bank, and then a seamless switch to the Docklands Light Railway ( DLR). These pilotless trains are indeed a delight to ride through, and are mostly on the surface. Take the front seat, and you have a wonderful view of the dockland area, with the new architectural masterpieces ( the Millenium Dome, which Tushar has made me admire a million times) - and the water bodies and surface craft all over. The ride takes you right into LCY - a neat, squarish and very compact airport. Check-ins are largely self service, and the whole place is very cozy. A courteous security check procedure, and into an area with cafes duty free ( only if flying to outside the EU - and Switzerland is NOT a part of the EU). A very cozy, and unlike international airportish feel!

Our flight was on Air France Cityjet ( a cross, I guess, between the low cost short hop airlines and good ol' AF). Avro's, with 4 jet engines. 6 abreast in about 15 rows. Short, stubby aircraft. Why? Because of the short LCY runway. And you feel this in the take off thrust: sharp, acceleration, throwing you back - and in a few seconds you are airborne ( and treated to some very views indeed).

And as we discovered on the return, LCY has the Arrival & Departure traffic merging very seamlessly. No two levels, or other paraphernalia.

Yup, LCY - you are a hit. Close to the city, no hassles and still have the modesty of size with you. Mogambo khush hua....