Getting to the Airport

I must say, I’m really digging the new double-jointed bendy busses that run from the station to Basel airport. They’re very spacious and quiet. I just miss the bus I originally wanted to take. So, I go for a short walk around the station and then take the next bus ten minutes later – which is nearly completely empty.

Check-in & Security

The airport is very busy, which is surprising given that the autumn school holidays don’t start for another two weeks.

There is a fast track for security, and the process is efficient and quick.

Swissport Aspire Lounge

I still think the old Crossair lounge in Basel is one of the nicest ones out there. It’s very large and spacious. More importantly, the outside views are just excellent.

At 09:38, my aircraft touches down on the inbound from Vienna. I watch it taxi to its stand and then slowly pack up my things and make my way to gate 46 for boarding.

Boarding

Boarding for the flight starts with a delay of twelve minutes, at 10:02. I’m surprised to see that the ground staff make sure to enforce boarding by groups.

The purser is at the door welcoming passengers aboard. It’s quite funny how she keeps say ‘Vienna’, as though to make sure passengers are on the right aircraft.

Once boarding is completed, the captain comes on the loudspeaker to welcome us aboard and give us some information about the flight. The flight time is 70 minutes.

The Cabin

The cabin is identical to the one on my previous flight a week ago. The seat pitch on 1F is excellent!

It’s a lovely day, and although it’s only just started cooling down, the light has already changed. It looks like autumn now.

We take-off heading south and then do a wide 270 degree turn which brings us back over the airport.

The Crew

I really cannot state enough just how excellent the crew on this flight is. I take me seat and the purser approaches Mr. 1A to confirm his vegetarian meal is loaded on board. Then she greets me by name, and welcomes me back. She hands me a disinfectant towel. There is also a cushion on every seat.

The Meal

Once we‘re airborne, the cabin crew asks me what I‘d like to drink. She then brings me the tray and places it on the tray table of the adjacent seat. Next, she serves me the main course from the tray.

The main dish is slices of veal on a Russian salad. She brings me the basket for me to choose a bread roll. I point to one and she asks me, „why don‘t you go ahead and have another one?“. Later on during the meal, she comes to check if I‘d like another roll.

Dessert is a Topfenstrudel, which is like an apple strudel but filled with quark.

When she comes to clear away my tray, the purser notices I haven‘t finished my coffee. She asks me if there was something wrong, so I tell her it was way too strong. She looks sincerely upset, apologises and offers to bring me a better one. I reassure her that it‘s really no problem at all and decline her offer for a new coffee. But I‘m impressed by her concern.

Arrival

We land in Vienna on time. It‘s a lot colder here and it‘s just been raining. But we‘re assigned a remote stand, so there is that!

Getting into Vienna with the CAT

It‘s just a short walk from arrivals to the train station. There are two options to get into town. There are the regular ÖBB trains, which take 23 minutes. Or else there is the CAT train, which makes the journey in 16 minutes but costs considerably more. A retutn trip is EUR24. There are kiosks where you can buy tickets in arrivals, by the luggage belts.

Conclusion

This flight experience with Austrian Airlines was so different to my previous one last week, it‘s kind of difficult to imagine it‘s the same airline. The crew on this flight were so friendly and engaging. And the purser was boss!