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Intra-European Luxury: Swiss by everyone else other than Swiss & Luxair

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  • Intra-European Luxury: Swiss by everyone else other than Swiss & Luxair

    Trip Report: Intra-European Luxury: Swiss by everyone else other than Swiss & Luxair

    For some strange reasons, I have always wanted to try out Luxair, as I have read frequently on how great this little European airline based in Luxembourg is. Of course intra-European business class often means just a blocked middle seat on typical narrowbody planes, or a block seat next to you on regional aircraft, as well as a slightly more elaborate meal, and lounge access. Priority boarding is often not reinforced and baggage delivery time really varies, and the priority tag works only 50% of the time. Given how full these intra-European flights are, that additional space may be worth it sometimes. In order to fly Luxair, there are really little options, and J fares on LG are high. In the end, I managed to find an acceptable itinerary roundtrip between CPH and LUX. Despite buying the tickets from Lufthansa’s website, the flights are on Swiss (well technically), Luxair, and Austrian Airlines. For the Swiss flights, both segments ended up being operated by its partners, Helvetic Airways and Austrian Airlines, and for the return, Austrian Airlines codeshares with Luxair on flights to Vienna, so I manage a LUX-VIE flight, and then a connecting flight on OS from VIE to CPH. Things sort of worked out in the end, and I enjoyed most of the flights. I will write about the first three segments, since I manage to take enough pictures, and business class is empty enough for me to take pictures. I am not going to say much, as those flights are fairly routine.

    February 20, 2016; Saturday
    LX 1271 CPH-ZRH Lv1445 Arr1635 Embraer EMB-190-100LR HB-JVR Operated by Helvetic Airways

    Check in was fairly straightforward, but please note that Swiss Air (and the Lufthansa Airlines Group) does not participate on the fast track program in CPH, so even a business-class boarding pass will not allow you to use the fast track line, which was significantly faster. For lounge, Swissair uses SAS lounge, despite using gates from the A concourse, which is located on the opposite end of the SAS lounge. I had access to the Gold lounge, but it was so packed that I barely found a seat. It was not a good experience.

    I love the simple design – strong Swiss brand


    One of the few European airlines that have priority boarding and enforced it


    Cabin shot


    Bulkhead seat


    Seat in regular row – all same legroom


    Legroom shot



    Entertainment – Swiss magazines


    Pre-takeoff bottled water and napkin – one of the few European airlines with some form of pre-takeoff beverage in these intra-European flights


    SAS leads here



    We departed from R/W22R at 2:57pm for an hour and nineteen minutes flight. Due to strong tailwind, we had a really short flight this afternoon. We started at 37,000ft but later dropped to 35,000ft due to turbulence.

    A light meal was offered – I was expecting something more, as the scheduled flying times is 110 minutes. However the departure time and the smaller galley in EMB-190 might explain the choice of meal.

    Content: Cold plate of smoked salmon, fish terrine topped with fish roe, & marinated vegetables, Choice of Kaiser or dark rye rolls; & dessert – WECK’s Mango Mousse topped with whipped cream & chocolate flake


  • #2
    Really nice smoked salmon


    I love these Kaiser rolls





    Approaching Zurich



    We landed on R/W14 at 4:16pm and parked at a bus gate at 4:22pm. There is a business class bus, which is nice. Since it was also raining, I did not get the chance to take a picture of the plane.

    Connection at Zurich was simple and I stopped by the even more crowded Swiss Air lounge. I could not even find a spot to sit. It was a really bad experience. These European airlines need to at least enlarge the lounges twice their current sizes, especially with all these joint ventures and alliances.

    LX 758 Operated by Austrian Airlines ZRH-LUX Lv1725 Arr1825 Dash 8-Q400 OE-LGW “Wilder Kaiser”

    Swiss has been wet leasing a small fleet of Dash 8-Q400s from Austrian Airlines. Austrian Airlines crews operate the flight both in the cockpit and the cabin, but of course the service is still Swiss.

    Boarding was really a hassle because of the light rain and the wind. The flight was mostly fully in economy and business class has me plus one other passenger, who slept throughout the flight.

    OE-LGQ




    Star Alliance


    Cabin shot

    Comment


    • #3



      Legroom shot – the most generous seat pitch out of the 4 intra-European flights



      We took off at 5:48pm from R/W32 for the short fifty-seven flights at 24,000ft.


      Only a light snack on this flight





      Tea and coffee and chocolate afterward



      The service was very attentive on this short flight and the F/As could not be friendlier.

      We landed on R/W24 at 6:45pm and got another bus gate.


      Baggage delivery time was short, and by the time we got to the terminal, the bags were already coming out.

      Comment


      • #4
        February 21, 2016, Sunday
        LG 8856 LUX-VIE Lv1150 Arr1340 Dash 8-Q400 LX-LQC


        Luxembourg Findel Airport is a relatively small regional sized airport, but the main terminal is well designed and I like the sleek design. The airport has only four jetways and most flights depart using buses.

        Check in was a pretty straightforward event and the agent tagged my bag to Copenhagen.



        Security line was not busy at all on this Sunday early afternoon, and there is no priority line.

        There was only one lounge here at LUX and all airlines used it. It was a quiet day here at the lounge.






        I love the tarmac view




        Comment


        • #5





          Gate area



          Boarding began at 11:26am and there was no priority boarding. However the load was relatively light in both cabin, and I was the only one in business class. It made me feel better – at least I paid for a semi-private jet experience. I got ten seats to myself.

          LX-LQC





          Comment


          • #6
            Cabin shot




            Legroom shot



            Luxembourg airport terminal


            Waiting to takeoff


            With little wait, we took off from R/W24 at 11:55am. Flying time was an hour and twenty-three minutes with a cruising altitude of 23,000ft and later 25,000ft.




            Entertainment in this flight


            As the only passenger in business class, the F/A served me my meal five minutes after takeoff. A paper mat was placed on the table first.

            Printed menu on the tray


            Comment


            • #7
              I loved the salmon











              Tea and packaged napkin after lunch


              More cabin shot after the meal and duty free service




              Recline seat

              Comment


              • #8




                Candies prior to landing


                Landing in Vienna



                We landed on R/W 34 at 1:18pm and parked at a bus gate again!

                OS 777 to Tokyo






                February 21, 2016; Sunday
                OS 303 VIE-CPH Lv1510 Arr1655 Airbus A320-200 OE-LBK “Steirisches Thermenland”

                Really nice Senator lounge


                Comment


                • #9











                  Our gate this afternoon was F37, which was all the ways towards the end of the terminal. Not a fun walk!
                  Priority boarding was reinforced and I managed to board first. Business class was full house today – all twelve seats were occupied. The purser was very friendly and the service was nothing but stellar.

                  We took off from R/W29 at 3:26pm for an 88 minutes flight to Copenhagen at 34,000ft.

                  This flight featured the only hot meal I got from the whole four segments trip. I guess it was cultural too, but as a Chinese-American, I guess I still prefer a hot meal. The Veal hamburger served on this flight was nice, and DO & CO never disappoints.

                  Veal Hamburger (served warmed) with mustard onion sauce & fennel salad, Strawberry Swiss Roll & assorted bread rolls



                  Comment


                  • #10





                    We landed on R/W22L at 4:54pm and parked at gate A12 at 5pm. These four flights actually went pretty well and all were on time or even early. However baggage delivery time was really long and the first bag did not arrive till 35 minutes after we parked at gate. For a modern efficient airport like CPH, this was not acceptable.

                    Anyway for many of you, these flights are not that interested, but for me, it was a nice little adventure.
                    The final installment will be on Qatar Airways’ A380 first class.

                    Carfield

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