By the time I step off the Luxair flight from Luxembourg, it’s already 09:05. My connection to Basel departs in thirty minutes. I head upstairs from arrivals to departures. The flight is not showing up as boarding, which gives me just enough time to make an urgent visit to the washroom.

There are two piers in Terminal 2G, which are both accessed through the same exit from the main waiting area. The facility is well designed and perfectly suited for the operation, with very short distances to walk and plenty of seating options. The lounge in 2G is also very nice. Although on this trip I don’t get to visit.

Boarding

Boarding is from gate B31. Originally I’m on 7D, which is an aisle seat. But the friendly gate agent rewards my patience and boarding last by changing that to a window seat on 11F.

The advantage of 11F is that it’s right over the wing, so you can watch the movement of the ailerons, flaps and slats. If you’re interested in that sort of thing…

The Crew

There are two cabin crew on this flight, and they’re great. The maître de is in his late thirties, I’d say, and he does a great job helping passengers stow away their copious amounts of hand luggage. There’s an elderly lady a few rows up who boarded in a wheelchair, and it is kind of sweet how gentle and caring he is with her. The other cabin crew is a slightly older woman.

The Snack

The snack consists of a Madeleine and a cup of hot chocolate, which hits the spot nicely. The flight time is only forty minutes after all.

Arrival in Basel

After about 25 minutes in the air, the pilot in command puts the engines in idle, opens the speedbreaks and we nosedive into the descent.

Eventually, we land in Basel with a delay of just under thirty minutes. As I had already been expecting, my suitcase didn’t make the connection in Paris. I have a bit of trouble attempting to file my lost bag claim, but eventually, with the help of a friendly Air France check-in agent, I manage. I must say, I’m impressed with how Air France handles my claim. Throughout the day I receive several messages on the app and by mail, informing me of the status of the search for my bag. And then, just after six in the evening, they inform me that my suitcase will be arriving in Basel on the 18:50 flight from Paris. At 20:10, a lady from Air France calls me to let me know that my suitcase has arrived and is now stored in a secure location at Basel airport, and that I can pick it up anytime between 08:00 and 20:00 at the airport or have it delivered.