Flying From Southampton to Dublin

[Olga Russell]

When I booked my flight from Southampton Airport I wasn't quite sure
what to expect. I'd made by booking online with Flybe and had got a
price that seemed to be a bargain.
I'd heard of the airline but had never flown with them, nor had I ever
visited Southampton Airport. Living within 20 miles of Southampton, I
was aware that the airport existed but it wasn't somewhere that I had
actually been too.
In truth, few us probably would think of visiting an airport just for
a day out! So this was to be my first experience of travelling from
the airport and also the first time I had made use of a Flybe service.
I decided to travel to Southampton by train, since the airport is
billed as having its own dedicated railway station. It's located on
the mainline from London Waterloo - I wonder how many residents of
London would make use of this service.
My journey is quite short and I soon find myself at Southampton
Airport Parkway. There are some baggage trolleys at the back of the
platform and it turns out to be no more than a 2 minute walk to the
terminal building.
Once inside, it's clear that the terminal building is much smaller
than that found at the major London airports. This turns out to be a
distinct advantage - there are minimal queues at the check-in desks
and when I come to go through the security checks.
It's obvious that the fact that the airport is smaller does make it
easier to find your way around and makes everything seem quicker.
Are there as many facilities here as at other airports? There
certainly aren't as many shopping options as there are available at
Stansted, for example, but they have the basics covered.
The flight itself took around an hour and the plane was perfectly
comfortable. No free food was provided on board, although this was no
great loss, judging from previous experiences of airline catering!
All in all, the Flybe service from Southampton to Dublin appears to
offer good value for money.