An Aviator's Dream
Flying on airplanes to see airplanes — totally normal!
This trip was dreamed up over a tiktok showing some cool aviation things to do in Amsterdam — it did not, however, advise flying in from North America to do it.
Day one: YYJ-YVR-YYC-AMS
Starting the day off just a few hours after getting off of work is always painful, but it's what you need to do travelling standby. Thankfully, our flights had enough open seats and without any trouble I got off of Vancouver Island, and through Vancouver to Calgary. Calgary is home to what I've read many describe as Canada's best airline lounge, and it sure doesn't disappoint. We had four hours to kill in the Calgary Airport, but I wish I could've spent more in the WestJet lounge. They've got these excellent mai-tai cocktails, an impressive selection of non-alcoholic cocktails, and these wonderful seats that are quasi-bed like to get a little rest before a long flight.
They are exceptionally strict on their entry rules. I thought I'd see how lenient they are and went in about four hours prior to departure — it's a three hour maximum stay, but it takes an hour for walking to the gate and the whole boarding process. They said no, which was fine. In front of me in line though was two different people involved in two different huge fights with the agents, because they were being denied for various reasons (can't re-enter after you exit, and WestJet Plus is not eligible). I didn't expect the lounge to be the place in the airport I'd find total meltdowns, but there we are.
Alright, enough time in the lounge. This is a day about flying, and fly we shall. The long flight is operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from Calgary to Amsterdam, on a nearly 20-year-old Boeing 777-200 aircraft. Seated in economy, the KLM service was pleasant and provided vegetarian options, which I appreciate.
Day Two: AMS, Luchtvaart Museum, and Aviation Megastore
Upon landing in the Netherlands, and still without any meaningful amount of sleep, it's time to drive about an hour to the Luchtvaart Museum at Lelystad Airport. They have a wide selection of KLM aircraft throughout the ages, starting from cloth covered wooden frame biplanes all the way through to a Boeing 747 which you can walk through. KLM has the distinction of being the world's largest continuously operating airline, starting operations in 1919 and flying ever since.
The museum also has a recreation of the original Amsterdam airport terminal, a separate hanger with a very neat immersive audio/visual exhibit, and of course many, many different airplanes. They even proclaim to have the oldest surviving KLM aircraft, which crashed and was pulled out of the jungle and put in the museum. I don't really know if I classify it as an airplane anymore, but to each their own. More details here
Once we'd seen everything at the museum, it was back in the car to go to the Aviation Megastore, what they claim to be Europe's largest aviation store.
They've got models of just about every aircraft imaginable, in most liveries too. They've even got a couple real airplanes in there too! Travelling carry-on only, I couldn't bring too much home but if you have space in your bag, this is a very dangerous stop to your credit card. More details here
After the airplane store, it was time to see some more planes (of course) — this time, planes that actually can move!
Amsterdam Airport Authority seems to have a few plane spotters on their executive team, or just be very interested in being considerate neighbours and providing good amenities. Whichever it is, they've got an excellent plane spotting area near runway 18R-36L, "Polderbaan." You can rock almost right up to the runway and there's no crazy high fences or other security measures that are a hallmark of most international airports.
They've even got portable toilets and a food truck in the carpark! More details here
Schiphol Airport has got more to offer to aviation enthusiasts, too! At the terminal building, they've put a whole KLM Cityhopper Fokker 100 jet on the roof, where you can go inside the jet before taking in the panoramic spotting area of the gates. Down in the shopping concourse pre-security, there's also an airplane store with a jet engine to sit in — the Dutch sure love their airplanes!
After dropping the car off and taking a look at the plane on the roof (again, I always need to go up there), it's time to catch the shuttle over to the hotel and fortunately, there's a perfect hotel here for this adventure.
That's right, someone has parked a 747 outside of a hotel and called it a day. It's actually quite a nice hotel too, with a variety of options in terms of rooms — from more traditional to long-stay — and a convenient shuttle to the airport. I found rooms to be fairly affordable, just plan in advance to make sure there will be availability. More details here
Day Three: AMS-ARN; Jumbostay Hostel
It's up bright and early to get back to the airport and back onto KLM again, this time on a 737-800 bound for the Stockholm Arlanda airport. The point of the Stockholm stop was entirely based on our accommodation, and then the rest of the day planned from there.
As it turns out, Stockholm is a great place and well worth a visit. Unfortunately, the city lacks many aviation things which doesn't help the theme of this trip, but in other transit related things, boasts one of the world's most unique underground metro systems and a very old, very well-preserved ship.
Most of the stations are worthy of a visit, but the one in all the guidebooks is Solna Centrum and that's the top middle photo and the bottom left. The checkboards and ruins can be found at Kungsträdgården, while the puffins are at Tensta. One metro ticket will allow you passage to see all of these, if you so desire! There's plenty more, too. The stations were originally painted to make the exposed and unfinished rock walls more appealing, and now form what has been coined "the longest art gallery in the world."
Again, slightly deviating from the airplane theme, the Vasa is a Swedish warship that sank on her maiden voyage from the port of Stockholm, and remained there nearly perfectly preserved for hundreds of years until she was found, refloated, and put in a museum. The scale is not possible to convey in pictures — this thing is BIG! It's well worth a stop, if you're in the area. More details here
As mentioned, this was all filler for us. The real reason we came to Sweden was the Jumbostay Hostel. The last hotel had a 747 outside and the Swedes weren't about to be upstaged by the Dutch. They've got a hostel IN a 747 right at the airport — so close, you can watch planes taxi by while sitting on the wing.
It's definitely a hostel, not a hotel. We didn't actually see any employees for the duration of our stay, the key was in a lockbox and everything else was self-service. However, it was perfectly acceptable. The beds were comfortable enough, they had clean showers in the tail empennage and near the L1 door at the front of the aircraft. In the nose there was a full breakfast area, where a complimentary breakfast is available from 3am until 10am, I think? At any rate, it's available for a lot longer than you see at most hotels. They just have it set out and you put your dirty dishes in the bin — though I imagine at busier times, someone might come down to clean things up.
I can honestly say I've never had a better sleep onboard an aircraft — this beats any business class product out there! If you're better prepared than I was, you can even book the flight deck as your room! Find more here
Day Four: ARN-DUB
There was nothing airplane happening in Dublin, but on the flight out was operated by SmartLynx wet leased for SAS, which makes for an interesting onboard experience. They clearly weren't SAS, but they were giving it their best effort to try to be. Walking to the aircraft, we were treated to one of real SAS' A321s in the new livery which I just cannot get over. The metallic reflective lettering is so crisp. On arrival into the Dublin Airport, we also caught a look at one of our Canadian friends!
Day Five: DUB-EWR-YYZ-YYJ
Time to get home, and put the pedal to the medal. Looking for seats, Dublin to Newark Liberty looked the most promising, and even better news was that there looked to be some open seats in United Polaris Business Class. It's a product I'd never tried, but seen lots of and was suitably excited when the UA app let me know the good news: onloaded and upgraded to 11D!
I have nothing but good things to say about United, I consistently seem to luck out with them. The crew on this Boeing 777-200 were no different, friendly and constantly present if I needed a refill of anything. Anything being more tea, after I took them up on the offer of prosecco while boarding not really realising it was 9am and being even more surprised how fast it hit me.
Once we arrived in the garden state, we had to transfer terminals since the EWR-YVR direct on United filled right up and we now had to connect via Toronto's Lester B. Pearson. Over at the Air Canada gates it was a quick hour and some flight to Toronto, narrowly avoiding a ground delay program that was in the midst of being rolled out to manage traffic as a result of extensive thunderstorm activity developing in the region.
Once back in Canada, the direct to Victoria thankfully had lots of seats, meaning getting home was no problem at all.
And on that note, it's time for, hold on, what's this?
BONUS ROUND!
Day 6, two weeks later: YOW, Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Okay, not quite the same trip but after all this, you'd think I'd be good to take a break from the airplanes for a while. Not so. I was in Ottawa for unrelated reasons, but a stop at the country's best aviation museum had to be added to the itinerary.
Due to poor map reading and understanding of the transit system, we took a weird route to get there but it's actually just a 20min walk from where the route 12, 15, or 20 will drop you.
They don't have anything you can go in, which is unfortunate since going in planes is one of the best bits. They do, however, have a very extensive collection which I spent about three hours making my way through. If you want to do even more, they have another building you can take a guided tour through for an additional $8. On top of all the planes pictured, they also have some things like the largest surviving part of an Avro Arrow, a Canadarm that went to space, and some reasonably priced biplane rides!
Okay, that's officially all for this craziness — until next time! Of course, you may find more details on this museum here.