Introduction
At around five in the afternoon I leave the office and make my way to the airport for an early dinner at the Babel restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Hotel at Zürich Airport.
The restaurant specializes in Middle Eastern cuisine and does some really wicked Lebanese mezze!
Babel is located in The Circle, which is opposite the terminal building.
Check-In
At 19:30 I walk across the square that links the hotel to the terminal building. My flight is scheduled to leave at 21:10.
Airside
I‘ve checked in on the app, which still refuses to show my boarding pass on the lock screen… The airport seems rather quiet.
Security is a breeze, with only few passengers in the queue. In contrast, the SWISS lounge is quite busy.
Boarding
Boarding for the flight starts at 20:45 according to the information on my boarding pass. When I arrive at gate B36 at around 20:40, boarding has already started.
It takes quite some time for the flight to finish boarding. Apparently, there are a few delayed connecting passengers we need to wait for. I hear the cabin crew confirm to the red cap that there 68 passengers on board.
The Cabin & Seat
I‘m seated on 1A, which is rather private. First, because the seat next to me stays empty anyway. And second, because there is no row 1 on the opposite side of the aisle.
The cabin looks neat and tidy.
Although I think the red carpet might have been a mistake, because it‘s looking rather grubby and stained in places.
The Service & Crew
There are three female cabin crew. The maître de is a German woman in her mid-fifties, if I had to guess. She‘s not overly friendly. However, her two younger colleagues are really great and interact in a friendly, open manner with passengers.
While we wait for the connecting passengers to arrive, the crew distribute packaged towels and still water.
We push off stand at 21:30, running twenty minutes late. But the flight time this evening is only two hours, so we should still arrive in Oslo on time.
By the time we take off from runway 32, we‘re running thirty minutes late.
The Meal
As soon as the cabin crew are released, the smell of food starts wafting through the cabin. Apparently, they‘re preparing the hot meals for the Business Class cabin.
I‘m rather surprised, because when I last flew back from Oslo to Zürich in Business Class, the meal consisted of a cardboard box with cold cuts that is available for purchase in Economy Class.
This is much better and the presentation of the meal is very nice.
The main course is chicken (I think) in a creamy sauce, served with rice and green beans.
I guess it’s supposed to be a Thai green curry.
There is also a small salad with boiled egg.
A plate with some cheese and a bread roll.
I try explaining to the flight attendant that I‘d just like to have the piece of wähe, but she still plonks down the whole tray in front of me.
The dessert is an apricot wähe. A wähe is a type of Swiss pie. But instead of a pastry on top, it is covered only in egg wash.
The tray is quickly removed again once I’m done with the wähe and soon after, the lights are dimmed. The crew does not offer any tea or coffee.
What with the advanced hour and the nice, warm cabin, I quickly nod off to sleep. As a result, I couldn‘t say if the crew actually distribute the small chocolates.
Arrival
We land in Oslo at 23:30, more or less on time.
The airport is much busier than I would have expected.
Inside the terminal, all the shops have already shut down for the night.
Conclusion
This was a rather unremarkable flight (in a good way) by Helvetic Airways. Since the end of Covid I have experienced quite a few irregularities, so it‘s nice to have a flight going according to schedule for a change.
The meal service was unexpected and a serious improvement over the sad meal that was served on my last trip from Oslo back to Zürich. The E2 is a very quiet aircraft, but I still prefer the A220, simply because it feels more spacious.
Boots?Lovely BUT white socks?!!!!!——- a style faux pas William!.
Actually, if you look closely, you will see they’re actually pink with white clouds.
Great!
Actually,Should have said LOVELY!!!
Hi William—— Just thought of an interesting way back to Zurich/Basle if you have the time. Its very scenic too. Train oslo-Myrdal, then change onto the Flam railway down to Flam, Then Ferry to Bergen. Lots of airlines would provide a connection back to switzerland——- BA,LH,SK. No First Class!!!
“I‘m rather surprised, because when I last flew back from Oslo to Zürich in Business Class, the meal consisted of a cardboard box with cold cuts that is available for purchase in Economy Class.”
Sounds like Business Class catering was not loaded for that flight? I notice when that happens on other airlines they bring out the purchase Economy meals…
Still, a hot meal on a 2 hour flight is rather impressive, which says quite a bit about the quality of Business Class meals these days. Does Swiss offer the same on a flight with the same flying time?
With SWISS I think it’s not only the duration of the flight that is considered but also the time of day. But I’m not sure.
Malta has a similar block time from Zürich as Oslo. And on the Malta run they also serve a hot meal for lunch or breakfast.