Feb 8, 2009: We had been slightly worried about our flight getting off the ground at all, given the weather and the 7am departure. But it was fine. A quick check on Aertel before we left showed that the only cancelled departures were to still-snowbound English airports.

On the plane were a large number of understandably (given the loss in Dublin the previous evening) morose-looking Frenchmen with rugby hats and scarves.