Zagreb airport is about 10 kilometres away from the city. What I have learned from my stay here of four days, is that the road traffic can be rather unpredictable, so that the journey between the airport and the city can take anything between 25 minutes an over an hour. Luckily, today I don’t have far to go from the course venue to the terminal, and one of the controllers has kindly offered me a ride.
Check-in
The terminal building is rather nice from the outside. Apparently, the waved roof is designed to remind the onlooker of a cloudy sky. The roof should originally have been made of glass, until somebody realised that the structure would not be able to support the weight of it.
Inside, the landside area and check-in are rather gloomy and dark. There’s also a lot of empty, wasted space – which gives the place a kind of half-finished appearance. Lighting is better once you go through security and passport control and access the airside area.
Check-in for Austrian Airlines is done by its Star Alliance partner Croatia Airlines.
Security is one floor up from check-in, on the mezzanine level. There’s even a separate Fast Track for Business Class passengers. It’s shame though that the young lady managing the queue has obviously decided to ignore the Fast Track queue. Eventually, I decide that it’s just easier and quicker for me to walk back the way I came and join the Economy Class queue… it’s all very classy of course.
The Primeclass Lounge Zagreb
Most airlines at Zagreb use the Primeclass lounge, the entrance to which is opposite gate 22. And it really is a very shabby lounge: ugly and mismatched furniture that is worn and damaged in places, no windows and plenty of fake, plastic plants. The food selection is limited to packaged sandwiches and salads, as well as cheese and meat boreg.
The lounge’s only redeeming feature is the funky pancake maker. I don’t try a pancake, but the machine fascinates me.
Boarding
Boarding starts with a slight delay. Passengers in groups 1 (status holders) and 2 (Business Class) are invited to board first – which I don’t. The gate agents are friendly enough, but it still seems a bit odd that they’re both not wearing a uniform.
The Cabin
There are two rows of Business Class on today’s flight. I’m sat on row 2, so I can stow my luggage under the seat in case the overhead bins are already full by the time I board the aircraft – which they are.
Seat pitch on row two is good and the window is sufficiently well aligned with the seat to offer a view.
The Meal
The flight time is announced as forty minutes. As soon as the fasten seatbelt sign is turned off, the crew jump into action to make sure they manage to feed everyone before we land again in Vienna.
The tray consists of a box of sandwiches and a refreshing towel. In addition, there is a full bar service that includes hot beverages.
The sandwiches are very tasty. There are three finger sandwiches filled with cream cheese, cucumber and pieces of mint.
To drink with that I have an Almdudler.
And just before landing, chocolates are offered.
Arrival
We land slightly ahead of schedule. The ramp in Vienna looks rather empty and quiet. We make our way to our stand, and then I have two hours to make my onward connection to Basel.
I spend five days in Budapest attending a workshop and conference on qualitative research in language testing. I hadn’t been to Budapest in a very long time, so it’s nice to be back. Of course it helps that the weather is stunning. It’s warm, but without the oppressive heat of summer.
Getting to the airport
To get to Ferihegy airport by public transport there are several options. The bus lines 100E and 200E run from the city out to the airport and are obviously the cheapest option. They’re also the slowest option. Google will tell you that the journey takes forty minutes, but depending on a set of variables – from the driver’s level of insanity to the state of the traffic on the roads – it’s more like an hour.
Then there’s the train. But this I really wouldn’t do. There is a railway station opposite the entrance to the old Ferihegy 1 terminal, which is no longer in use. It’s not really that far from there to Ferihegy 2, but I was unable to find any information about how to get from the railway station to the passenger terminal.
And then there’s the hotel shuttle, which the concierge of your hotel can order for you. The journey costs EUR6.- and the journey time really depends on where your hotel is located and on how many other pick ups the driver has to make on the way to the airport.
Check-in
Terminal 2 is divided in sections 2A and 2B. The former is for the Star Alliance and SkyTeam Alliance.
The Lufthansa group checks in on counters 1 to 4. There are two counters open for passengers in First or Business Class.
It’s fairly busy when I arrive. There is a fast track for security and there are self-service machines where you can purchase tickets to access the fast track. Access to the fast track is only for passengers with at least Star Gold status. So just having a Business Class ticket is not enough.
Airside & lounge
The airside area is attractive. It’s a wide open space with a high, vaulted ceiling. On the upper level there is a large food court. This is also where two of the premium lounges are located. However, the lounge that SWISS an the other Star carriers use is on the main level. The entrance to the Platinum lounge is opposite gate A7. But it’s hardly worth the bother. It’s dark and gloomy inside and there are no windows either. It’s also not very big.
Boarding
Life is so full of disappointments. Originally, when I booked this flight it should have been operated by an E2, which would have been my first flight on the type. When I checked in the day before, the SWISS app didn’t show any aircraft type. So I’m a bit upset when I arrive at the gate to find yet another old E1 standing there.
The cabin
Still, there is a silver lining because seating on Helvetic is really just so incredibly tight – even on row 2 where I’m seated. At least they keep the adjacent seat empty, so by sitting sideways I can at least minimise the risk of getting a third slipped disc from sitting in this torture instrument.
The crew
I find the crews on the Helvetic Airways flights are a lot more friendly than those on SWISS, and this flight is no exception. The purser working the Business Class cabin is a charming young lady who goes about her duties in a very professional manner.
Once boarding is completed, each passenger receives a bottle of water and a refreshing towel. For some reason I’m very thirsty and more or less down the water in one big schluck.
The next time the purser passes through the cabin, she notices and promptly brings me a new bottle on her way back to the rear of the aircraft. By the time she returns a few minutes later, the second bottle is also already empty. She picks it up on her way to the forward galley and immediately returns with the third bottle, commenting that “actually, you’re right. I should also drink more in my line of work”, clearly in an attempt to not make me feel awkward, which I think is rather nice.
Having said that, I’m not sure about the other two cabin crew. They’re both male and also very friendly. One of them is of South Asian origin. I suspect he may be a trainee. The problem is that he’s the one making the announcements, and his pronunciation is so bad that it’s difficult even to make out if he’s speaking German or English. It’s not a big deal, because his manners are excellent and he’s very friendly. An accent is something you can learn to control, whereas manners are more of a question of attitude.
In any case, our departure from Budapest is quite spectacular. We take off and make a wide left-hand turn that brings us back over the city. From my seat on 2F I have an excellent view of the parliament building, the centre of town and castle hill.
The meal
And then the meal service begins, perfectly performed by the purser. It’s not much more than a snack, but it’s the middle of the afternoon anyway and the quality of the food is good.
The main dish is two slices of smoked salmon, and it’s a very good piece of fish. It’s not at all chewy, it’s tender and tastes of salmon and not just fishy, which is what usually happens with inferior cuts. With that there is an avocado cream and a bit of taboulé.
And then of course, there is the cheese. My guess would be Gruyère for the flat slice and a very young Tilsiter for the wedge of cheese.
Bread rolls are served with the meal and the purser comes through the cabin for seconds and thirds.
Crackers and butter are also available.
The dessert is a panna cotta with strawberry. And to end the meal I have cup of Sirocco’s mint tea.
And, unlike the crews on my two previous SWISS flights, this crew actually remembers to pass through the cabin with the fabulous SWISS chocolate.
Arrival
The flight time to Zürich is ninety minutes. Although Zürich is quite busy, we are still able to make an approach straight in, without having to hold, for an on time arrival. We park on a remote stand. For Business Class passengers there is a small minibus to take us to the terminal. It takes the luggage from my flight 45 minutes to start arriving and the luggage belt is crawling with passengers, as the flights from Brussels, Athens, and Malta are also being delivered to this belt. Eventually, I manage to catch a train an hour after I land at 17h15, which is still not bad, even if it’s not up to Zürich’s usual standards. And so the quest for the E2 continues…
Today I’m on my way from Vienna back to Basel. My flight departs at 17h40 and the hotel refuses to grant me a late check-out. So I exit the SO/ Vienna hotel just after 12h00 and make my way to Wien Mitte railway station to dump my suitcase and bag in a locker. It’s only ten minutes on foot from the hotel to the station. You could take public transport instead, but I suspect that would probably take longer.
Once that’s settled, I decide to pay a visit to Schloss Belvedere, which houses an extensive collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt.
On my way back to Wien Mitte I make a brief stop at the Konditorei Oberlaa for a last helping of Kaiserschmarn, a kind of fluffy shredded pancake served with jam and has comfort food written all over it.
Getting to Vienna Schwechat airport
From Wien Mitte there are frequent trains to Vienna airport. The journey will take about 25 minutes and costs EUR4.80 for a single trip for one person. However, if you’re travelling with somebody else, you already qualify as a group, in which case the fare is only EUR5.20 for both.
“Europe without Greece is like partying without drugs”. Indeed, it’s very patriotic and I think the Greece ministry of tourism should adopt this as its new slogan…
Check-in
Austrian Airlines checks in at Terminal 3. I’ve already received my boarding pass online, but I still need to drop off my suitcase. Austrian Airlines’ self-check in process for Economy Class passengers is easy to use and has been well planned. As you come off the escalators that lead up to departures, there is a large area with very easy to use scanning machines.
You scan your boarding pass and the machine will ask you to confirm your name. Once that’d done, the baggage label is printed. The queue for the fast bag drop is long, but at least it moves quickly.
At the counter where a check-in agent once used to sit, there is now another scanner. You place the suitcase on the conveyor belt, scan the bar code on the label, and that’s it. Gone!
Airside
The airport is busy this time of day. The other terminals in Schwechat have been shut down due to the pandemic, so Terminal 3 is now handling all the traffic – and it’s rather a tight fit. Eventually, I find a place to sit at the very last gate on the Schengen pier. As it happens, this is where the Ryanair flight to Thessaloniki is about to board. And I really must say, it’s rather entertaining. The gate agent is, with all due respect, a complete and utter bitch and the way she treats the passengers boarding the flight is nothing short of outrageous. You have to be really hard up financially to be willing to put up with this level of verbal abuse. I think given the choice I would prefer not to travel at all than have to endure this kind of treatment.
This is something I have never been able to understand about the business model of many of the low cost carriers. Yes, their prices are amazingly low sometimes. But irrespective of how high or low the price for the ticket is, people are still paying their good money to avail themselves of a service. The amount they paid should not determine the politeness or courtesy of service they receive. And it certainly should not determine how rudely they are treated by the staff. Of course the saying goes that you get what you pay for, and if the likes of Ryanair are not willing to pay for polite and properly trained staff or handling agents, then that’s just too bad. But I disagree.
Boarding
Boarding for the flight starts with a slight delay and takes for ever. This is largely due to the fact that in Austria it is mandatory for passengers to wear FFP2 masks. Every passenger wearing a standard issue surgical mask is stopped by the L1 door and given an FFP2 mask to wear instead, which they must put on in front of the cabin crew before they are allowed beyond the galley and into the cabin.
The crew & service
The crew are quite friendly, which is rather unusual for Austrian Airlines. The purser is clearly trying to respect all the rules in place, and while I personally think she should be commended for that and for putting the passengers’ health first, I think we also need to acknowledge that in Europe the lack of harmonization between countries is a huge pain in the ass and makes it near impossible to travel between countries without breaking at least one rule or other.
The flight itself is short and uneventful.
Arrival
Eventually we land in Basel after a flight time of one hour and ten minutes. The cabin crew announce that deboarding will be by seat numbers. Passengers should remain seated until their row is called. In theory, it may make a lot of sense to deboard the plane in such a way. But in practice, the sad truth is that it is completely useless: Basel airport is on French soil and has a French and a Swiss sector. There is one long corridor that connects the arrival gates to the head of the terminal building and immigration. Even though Austria and France are both part of the Schengen treaty, France has suspended the free movement of persons, which means that they have reintroduced border controls. This does not apply to Switzerland. But the exit to Switzerland is only at the very end of the corridor, meaning there is no way for passengers entering into Switzerland to bypass the queues for immigration for France. Regrettably, we land right after two full easyJet Airbus A 320s, and the queue for immigration is endless. It takes me forty minutes to reach the head of the queue. At least by the time I arrive at the luggage belt, my suitcase is already there.
Conclusion
So, I’ve now done six flights with Austrian Airlines in short succession – mostly in Business Class. On a positive note, I’m very much impressed by the quality of their food. It should not be taken for granted these days to be given a hot meal in Business Class on a short sector of only one hour. Other than that though, I found their service a bit lacking and seriously inconsistent. First, I really think it wouldn’t hurt Austrian Airlines to provide at least a bottle of water to passengers in Business Class as a kind of welcome drink. Second, I find it rather interesting that on all six flights I took, an announcement was made that deboarding would be done by seat rows, from front to back. But in fact this was only enforced by the crew on the last flight. My point is not whether or not the procedure makes sense. I just find it rather unprofessional to make such an announcement and then very obviously not give a rats bum. Austrian Airlines are okay, and their network to southeastern Europe is extensive. Other than that though, they’re hardly worth bothering with.
It’s Sunday evening and I’m on my way back to the airport to give a second course in Tirana. After last week’s experience on WizzAir with Satan’s army of burping and crapping infants, I figured I would go for something a little more civilized this time and travel with Austrian again. It’s not the most exotic flight connection, but hey, my options are rather limited.
Check-in
I’ve checked in online, but I still need to make a stop at the counter to drop my suitcase. I’m carrying a ton of paper, and I’ve already got a back ache just from carting my stuff to the airport. The Star Alliance carriers have their own dedicated counters. There is one Business Class and one Economy Class counter open. Both of them are deserted when I arrive.
Airside
Security is such a delight at Basel airport these days. The fact that you can just walk up without any queues and without having to witness the stupidest specimens of humanity as they make their way through the beeping security gates is something I will one day be telling my grandbabies about. This is the stuff legends are made of.
I find myself a seat next to where the Easyjet flight to Hamburg is boarding and entertain myself watching human nature unfold. It’s quite entertaining, really. And then I come across this guy. I know it’s rude to surreptitiously take pictures of random strangers, but… get a load of this: Easyjet-proof trousers. Take a closer look. The man has an iPad stashed in the upper pocket of his cargo pants, and a 5dl bottle of water in the lower one. Not in the photo are a baby elephant and a Fiat Cinquecento in his right pockets. And no, he’s probably not that glad to see me, but probably just figured he’d also try taking his grand piano aboard as well by shoving it down his front…
Well that was fun. With the grand piano safely on its way to Hamburg, I make my way to gate 46, from where the flight to Vienna will be boarding.
Boarding
As you can see in the photo above, the passengers on the arriving flight disembark via stairs. They are taken to a waiting bus that brings them to arrivals. Strangely, once that is done, the stairs are removed and the airbridge is attached for us to board. I’m not quite sure what this is all about, but I assume this still has to do with the French government’s decision to suspend the Schengen treaty not quite so temporarily.
Oh yeah, and the lights in the airbridge aren‘t working, which gives me the opportunity to take the photo below. I kind of dig the haunted ‘I could see a light at the end of the tunnel and a feeling of calm came over me’ effect.
The cabin
The seats on Austrian’s Embraers are very comfortable. I am sitting on row 4 and the seat pitch is excellent. Even with my rucksack stowed under the seat, I still have plenty of space for my legs and to wiggle my tootsies.
The crew
My only interaction with the crew on this flight consists of the disinfecting towel I am handed as I board the plane. That’s it. Everything else on Austrian is buy on board, except for the farewell chocolate at the end of the flight.
I’m starting to think that the crews on Austrian Airlines tend to be rather unpredictable. Which is really just a euphemism to avoid having to admit that this lot are not exactly a credit to Austria’s reputation for outstanding hospitality.
Once we’re airborne, the inflight service, such as it were, begins. Which means the curtain separating the Business Class cabin is drawn by the crew. Is it me, or does the picture below remind others too of some old biddy’s bloomers hung out to dry? I mean, why bother if this is the best they can do?
Arrival
The flight time to Vienna is one hour and ten minutes, and we land on time just after 21h. I now have one hour to make my connection to Tirana, which should give me enough time to discover a few more things about the airport that I don’t like. I know, I’m really turning into a right grumpy bastard in my old age…
Airline: Air Europa Aircraft: Embraer 195 From: Zürich To: Madrid Barajas Departure: 18:51 Arrival: 20:36 Flight time: 1 hour 45 minutes Seat: 14D, aisle seat on the emergency exit
Check-in
At 16:54 I catch the train back to Zürich airport and make my way to Check-In 2, row 3, which is where Swissport has its counters for the smaller airlines like Air Baltic, Air Malta and Air Europa.
There‘s nobody else checking-in right now, so I‘m seen to straight away. And then from there I head for security, which is just as quiet.
The Lounge
Air Europa uses the Dnata lounge in Zürich, located towards the end of the airside centre, near the B pier. The lounge is completely packed and there‘s hardly any room to sit.
Eventually, I find a place to settle and get myself some food. The selection in the lounge is good, with a choice of salads, soup and a pasta dish to choose from.
Boarding
Considering they‘re a handling agent, boarding an aircraft is something Swissport doesn‘t do very well at all. An announcement is made that boarding will be by zones, starting with zone 1. only, no further announcement is made, resulting in the inevitable scrum by passengers. In fact, boarding is utter chaos and the original two queues expand quickly into a riot-scale pushing and shoving extravaganza.
The Cabin
Eventually though, I make it onto the plane and settle into my seat on the emergency exit.
Again, the seat pitch on the exit row is great. I also think Air Euopa have better padding on their seats in the Embraer than KLM, Air France or Helvetic.
The Crew
There are three crew in the cabin. As I don‘t make any purchases from the inflight menu, my interaction with them is limited. But the safety briefing they give is professional.
The flight itself is very bumpy for most of the journey. To the extent that even the crew had to be seated. Which is good, because the rocking puts me right off to sleep!
Arrival
We land slightly head of schedule. In Madrid Air Europa operates out of Terminal 3, which has its own metro station. Public transport in Madrid is quite cheap. Although you need to purchase a supplement for journeys to and from the airport.
It’s just coming up to 16h by the time I enter the terminal building. The airport is very busy, and there are people everywhere. I make my way to the LOT Business Class lounge, which is one floor up from the public airside area.
I think the place is probably cramped at the best of times, but right now it’s also completely full. It doesn’t look at all inviting. I don’t even bother to look for a place to sit, because I have a much better idea anyway…
So instead I head one floor down again to the foodcourt, which is where I spot just what I’m looking for: a Polish restaurant that also serves Pierogi. It’s basically just a fast food joint. But the Pierogi are just so good, covered in fried onion and served with a healthy dollop of sour cream!
Boarding
With that out of the way, I make my way to gate 32. There’s a slight delay for boarding. And the flight is completely full, the gate agent says.
The Cabin
There are seven rows of seats ahead of the cabin divider. This aircraft is clearly older than the one I had on my way to Warsaw on Sunday. But it’s still a nice looking cabin and the seat pitch is great.
Again there are no welcome drinks, but the crew hand out chocolate biscuits, followed by Polish and English language newspapers.
The Crew
The crew on this flight are a lot more pleasant and approachable. The purser is a portly, middle-aged gentlemen and he’s very friendly.
The flight time is announced as one 1 hour and 45 minutes, although in actual fact it later turns out to have been only 91 minutes.
The Meal
The service in Business Class is slightly different to Premium Economy, in that there is a drinks service ahead of the meal. I just have a glass of sparkling water, which is served with dried slices of veg in a cajun spice mix. Not a good combination…
Next, the tray with the food is served. It looks pretty much like the Premium Economy tray, except of course that the plates are not plastic.
The right dish is quinoa with aubergines, spinach and feta cheese. I think.
The left dish is roast beef with feta and broccoli and bell pepper. It’s good that I had the Pierogi.
With the meal the crew offer bread from a basket. It’s just a minor thing, but I’m quite sure it wouldn’t hurt to warm up the bread in the oven to upgrade it from recently defrosted to at least room temperature.
The flight passes smoothly. The crew have kept the cabin lights dimmed, which makes for a nice, cosy atmosphere on board.
Arrival
Eventually, we land at 19h56. By 19h15 I’m already on the train on my way home.
Conclusion
And that brings to an end my first experience with LOT. All in all, the four flights I took were not unpleasant. And I think the hardware – things like seat comfort or the meal service – were fine. Bu the crews were a bit of a mixed bag. And as a result, the service delivery lacked consistency. I wouldn’t go out of my way to fly LOT. But at least I wouldn’t actively avoid them either.
The international phonetic alphabet was introduced specifically to be able to have a written representation of what a word sounds like, irrespective of the rules of orthography that abide in the language.
Which is, of course, a good thing because I’m on my way to Poland this evening to give a course, and the Poles seem to have quite an unhealthy obsession with impossible to pronounce consonant clusters.
I mention this here, because today I’m on my way to Rzeszow. And in case you’re wondering, it should be pronounced something like /ʒɛʃuf/ in the IPA, which sounds similar to ‘jeshoof’...
Getting to the Airport
I was intending to take the 17h07 train from Basel to Zürich. But that service is operated by a German ICE train that originates in Germany. And of course it’s been cancelled…
So instead I’m on the 16:43 service, which stops in Liestal, Sissach, Aarau and Lenzburg on the way. The journey is ten minutes longer than on the nonstop train.
In Zürich I change trains to the 18h05 for the airport. As my luck would have it, second class rolling stock is currently in short supply, apparently, which is why the train consists of plush, comfortable first class carriages operating as second class carriages.
Check-in
LOT is located in check-in 2 at Zürich airport and uses row 5, which is conveniently located on the mezzanine level, just as you come off the foot bridge connecting the shopping mall to the terminal. AAS is LOT’s handling agent.
By the time I change some Polish money and make my way through security, it’s 18h30. My flight should start boarding at 19h25. The lines for security are very light. And there are just three people ahead of me.
And the two lines open for Business Class passengers are deserted. So I ask one of the employees milling about if I could also use one of those two lines, considering they’re empty. To which she gives me her best disapproving look, or maybe she’s just constipated, and tells me that if I’m in that much of a hurry, I may use one of the empty lines.
This is just about the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a long time. I don’t know in what parallel universe there is anybody who greatly enjoys queueing for security at airports…
Boarding
My flight is departing from A86. The departure time comes and goes, but the gate staff are too busy bitching about what a sad airline LOT is to even bother making an announcement.
Eventually, boarding starts about 15 minutes behind schedule.
The Cabin
My first impression of the cabin is very good. I think this aircraft is either new or recently had a new cabin fitted. Seats are in a soft, beige coloured leather and the seat pitch on 3A is excellent.
What I don’t understand though, is that my seat on 3A is in front of the cabin divider, even though I’m travelling on a Premium Economy Class ticket. And the seat next to me is empty, although I don’t know if this is intentional or just that the flight is not entirely full.
By way of a welcome, passengers up front are handed a chocolate biscuit, but no drink.
The flight time is one hour and 35 minutes.
The Meal
Once the meal service begins, the small differences between Premium Economy and Business Class start to become clear. But they seem fairly minor to me. Rows 1 and 2 have proper linen table cloths, whereas row 3 does not. Furthermore, my meal is served on reusable plastic, and not on proper porcelain.
The meal consists of two dishes. One is a pasta salad, and the other is cold beef with cucumber and a cream cheese.
Bread is offered with the meal. And there is also a small chocolate on the tray.
To drink I have sparkling water, and after the meal some tea. The meal concludes with a chocolate wafer.
All in all, I think the food is rather good and the meal tasty. But the service seems unnecessarily rushed. By the time the crew come through with the second bread service, I haven’t even started on the first piece. They don’t smile much either!
The Crew
Having said that, once my tray is removed, one of the cabin crew brings me a pillow and blanket, without me even asking for them. The interesting thing about the crew is that they do everything right, because they’ve obviously been trained to do it. But they do it with absolutely no warmth or presonality.
Transfer in Warsaw
Eventually we land at 21h36, 14 minutes ahead of schedule. The terminal is surprisingly busy at this time of night and traffic seems to have picked up quite a bit since my last visit. My flight to Rzeszów will start boarding at 22h10.
This was my first flight with LOT and to be honest, I’d been expecting much, much worse. But so far so good…
Porto is a nice, modern city with a lot of tradition. It’s
also very touristy. In Porto I stayed at the Intercontinental, but to be honest,
I don’t think I’d stay there again.
Getting to the Airport
From the Intercontinental you can either walk ten minutes uphill
to Trinidade, or you can take the metro line D for one stop and then change onto
the E line from Trinidade to the airport. Which is what I do to save me some
walking.
The metro in Porto is nice. It’s quiet, clean, easy to use
and modern. The metro to the airport only runs every thirty minutes, although I’m
not sure if perhaps that’s because it’s the weekend. The journey time to the
airport is thirty minutes. And it’s a very nice journey too!
Check-in
TAP has a shuttle service between Porto and Lisbon. On
weekdays, the first departure from Porto to Lisbon is at four in the morning,
with subsequent flights running hourly during peak hours and every two hours for
the rest of the day.
There are dedicated check-in counters for the Lisbon
shuttle.
The Lounge
Luckily there is a fast track for security, which is much
less busy than the queue for the general security checkpoint.
TAP does not operate its own lounge here in Porto. However,
there is a lounge operated by Nav Portugal. I am entitled to use this lounge
because although my flight to Lisbon is in Economy Class, it was booked on the
same ticket at the Business Class fare from Zürich to Porto.
The lounge is nice and has a good selection of finger food
and snacks. There’s even a freshly made fruit salad, which is just excellent!
The entrance to the lounge is right opposite gate 32, which
is the dedicated gate for the Lisbon shuttle.
Boarding
Boarding for the flight starts at 17h30, although by the
looks of it, it’s not going to be a full flight. The boarding process is the
same as yesterday in Zürich, with a separate queue for premium passengers.
The Cabin
Much to my surprise, this aircraft has a different – and
much nicer – cabin configuration than the dreadful old plane I arrived with from
Zürich yesterday. This aircraft has different, more comfortable seats. The most
prominent difference though, is that this aircraft appears to be equipped with
an inflight entertainment system, because there is a screen in the back of each
seat and a control panel in the arm rests.
I am seated on the emergency exit, which is row 14. The
legroom, obviously, is very good on this row.
The Crew
There are three ladies working in the cabin this evening and
again, they seem very nice and interact with the passengers in a relaxed and
unpretentious way.
The flight time is announced as forty minutes.
The Meal
Much to my surprise, all passengers are served a snack and a
drink on this flight, despite the short flight time. The snack box contains a
packet with four crackers and another packet with a soft but tasty cheese. No
cutlery is provided. Although it turns out it’s not really required, because
the cheese is quite soft.
Arrival
About twenty minutes into the flight, the pilots ease back the throttles and we start our descent. I’m assuming here that the Porto shuttle probably gets preferential treatment for the landing, traffic permitting. So eventually, we touch down in Lisbon after a flight time a few minutes short of the announced forty minutes.
Location: Check-in 2, row 3. Facilities: Web check-in is possible. Via the app you can only check-in if you have a log-in. At Zürich airport check-in is only possible at the counter and not at the self-service machines. Counters: Swissport does the check-in for Air Europa in Zürich. There are four common use counters for Economy Class passengers, one baggage drop counter and a Business Class counter.
The Lounge
I do not have time for a visit to the lounge today. By the time I have retrieved my rucksack from the locker, collected my boarding pass and gone through security, I only have about fifteen minutes left before boarding starts.
My previous ride on the right and me next ride on the left.
Boarding
The first call is for Business Class passengers and Air Europa and SkyTeam status card holders.
Apparently the flight is completely sold out this evening. The last few passengers to board the aircraft are out of luck. There is no more space left in the overhead bins and they are asked – if not to say ordered – to relinquish their bags and have them put in the hold instead.
The Cabin
Configuration: 2 + 2. Seating capacity on the Embraer 195 is 120 (12 + 108). Seat: The aircraft is operated by a company called Aeronova on behalf of Air Europa under the Air Europa Express brand. Business Class seating is the same as in Economy Class, so the seat next to you is not kept empty. There are three rows in Business Class with a total of twelve seats. The forward cabin is fully booked as well this evening, although only four are revenue passengers, the other eight are all commercial upgrades. Pitch: 30 inches. Width: 18 inches. Facilities: There are no power outlets. Audio and Video: No.
The Crew
There are three female cabin crew on the flight. Funnily enough, the purser is the young lady I had on the inaugural flight a few weeks back.
The Meal
Welcome drink on the ground: Choice of orange juice or still water. Towel before the meal: Pre-packed, scented cold towel. Pre-meal drink: Coke Zero with a packet of almonds. Choice: None. Delivery: Individual tray service. Type of meal: Dinner. Meal:
Watercress, rocket and spinach salad with grilled citrus marinated vegetables and parmesan shavings.
Crudités with artichoke cream and olives.
Potato and fennel salad with Dijon mustard, beef pastrami, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, rocket and sesame.
Yoghurt mousse with a crunchy crumble, strawberries and strawberry sauce.
Arrival
The flight passes quickly, and before long we are already on the approach into Madrid. We land in a north-westerly direction and then taxi for a good ten minutes to our parking stand at Terminal 2.
Date: 20 June 2016 From: Madrid To: Zürich Departure: 08:00 Arrival: 10:10 Seat: 1D, aisle on the starboard side
Introduction
I am rather looking forward to this flight, mainly because I am curious to see what will happen. Today’s flight is special because it is the inaugural flight of Air Europa from Madrid to Zürich. I am kind of hoping for a water cannon salute, but I am not entirely sure how realistic that is…
Getting to the Airport
Transport: Complimentary shuttle service. Journey time: 6 to 8 minutes. Departs from: Right outside the hotel lobby. Arrives: Departures level. The shuttle stops at Terminals 1, 2 and 4.
The first shuttle from the Hilton leaves at 05h30 and requires an advance reservation because it tends to be busy. For all later services though, no reservation is required.
Check-in
Location: Terminal 2. Facilities: Self-service check-in or counter check-in. Counters: All of Air Europa’s domestic and Schengen flights operate out of Terminal 2. Accordingly, the airline has quite a presence at the facility. There are thirty Economy Class counters, all of which are open this morning. And then there are two separate counters for Business Class passengers.
To the left of the Business Class counter is the Fast Track security lane. There is only one passenger ahead of me and I am quickly processed.
The Lounge
Location: E concourse, near gate E76. Type of Lounge: Contractor lounge operated by AENA. Facilities: Toilets and showers are available in the lounge. There is also a quiet area towards the back of the lounge. Computer workstations are also available and all seats are equipped with electric power sockets. Catering: They have Nespresso machines! Other than that, the selection is good, with a wide range of typical breakfast items like fresh fruit, yoghurt, breads, etc. Internet: Wifi is available throughout the lounge. The code is displayed on the information screens in the lounge.
Since my last visit to Madrid last year, the lounge has been updated and looks a lot more attractive, fresh and new. Of course, as far as I am concerned, the lounge’s best feature remains the fantastic view of the apron.
Boarding
Unlike the other SkyTeam Alliance partners like Air France or KLM, which require you to push and shove your way to the front if you want priority boarding, Air Europa has a dedicated queue for passengers with priority and makes sure to board that queue first.
Initially, every looks pretty normal. But then suddenly a whole armada of journalist appear on board with Air Europa press folder, followed by three camera men, a photographer and a hairy, scruffy dude who must be the sound engineer. Apparently, the company’s CEO Juan José Hidalgo is also on board. The whole thing is rather interesting to watch and obviously Air Europa intends on making a big show of this inauguration. Even so, I am quite impressed how they manage to keep the general chaos surrounding the CEO’s appearance away from the passengers.
The Cabin
Configuration: 2 + 2. Seating capacity on the Embraer 195 is 120 (12 + 108). Seat: The aircraft is operated a company called Aeronova on behalf of Air Europa under the Air Europa Express brand. Business Class seating is the same as in Economy Class, so the seat next to you is not kept empty. On this morning’s flight this is not really a problem though, seeing as only seven of the twelve seats in Business Class are occupied. Pitch: 30 inches. Width: 18 inches. Facilities: There are no power outlets. Audio and Video: No.
Seatmap courtesy of seatguru.com
The Crew
There are three cabin crew on the flight today. I really do not envy the three young ladies though. There are camera men and journalists all over the place, trying to get a word in with the CEO and there is hardly any room to move around up front.
Eventually though, the doors close and the cabin finally settles down. The crew offer newspapers and a selection of still water or orange juice as a welcome drink. Note that only Spanish language papers are on offer.
After take-off Mr Hidalgo gives a few more interviews and prepares what must obviously be the speech he will be giving upon arrival in Zürich, which makes me hopeful for that water cannon salute.
The Meal
Welcome drink on the ground: Orange juice. Towel before the meal: Packed and scented cold towel. Pre-meal drink: No. Choice: No. Delivery: Individual tray service. Type of meal: Breakfast, hot meal. Meal:
Fruit (Kiwi, pineapple, grape).
Crème brûlée with apple compote.
Scrambled eggs with grilled vegetables (aubergine, zucchini, pepper and mushroom).
A croissant and a bun, served warm.
Tea or coffee.
I really like the presentation of the meal. The eggs and grilled vegetables are served in a small ovenproof pan with the lid still on. The bread items are served in a small brown paper bag, which looks good and makes a change from the usual breadbasket that is usually handed round for all passengers to stick their grubby mitts in. It all tastes very nice too.
The young lady working the Business Class cabin does an excellent job to serve all passengers quickly. Throughout the service she makes sure that drinks are replenished. Once the meal is over the trays are removed without delay to give passengers more time to relax and spread out. By this time we are only one hour out of Zürich.
Arrival
I am not quite sure what the exact route of our flight is. At some point the Alps come into view on the right side of the aircraft. It takes me a while to realise that we are approaching Switzerland from the West, coming in over the Jura mountains and entering into Swiss airspace above Basel, my hometown. The city easy to spot every since Hofmann-La Roche erected that incredibly ugly building they now call HQ.
From Basel we continue on an Easterly track until eventually we make a right turn to line up for a straight in approach to runway 14. Zürich airport is fairly busy and there is a whole queue of aircraft waiting to take-off from runway 16 as we land.
We taxi off the runway and that is when I spot them up ahead – the fire engines! Woohoo! I’m so excited! This is just so cool! I have only had to wait 42 years for this but finally, at long last it has happened and I am treated to my very first ever water cannon salute.
Eventually we come to a stop on one of the stands at the B dock. The doors open and there is a whole welcoming committee expecting us in the airbridge. As we disembark, passengers are given a small box of typically Swiss biscuits – it is a kind of waffle filled with chocolate cream.
I head downstairs to retrieve my luggage and then from there to the railway station to take me to the office in Winterthur.
Conclusion
I think chasing water cannon salutes is my new hobby! Seriously, I know it may sound shallow, but I think it was a really cool experience that gives you back that sense of arrival that air transport used to have many moons ago but that has since gone missing in a haze of cost cuts and deteriorating yields. The wiry R., with whom I started out on this trip to Amsterdam, has often said that he simply cannot understand where in the fascination lies for me to like spending hours on planes. But I think it is just that, flying is not just a means of transport like any other. It is something special to me, and I’d like to keep it that way.
knightofmalta 