[Anonymous]

[SimonRowberry]

Hi All,

As you may have gathered from previous postings, I am a big fan of Swiss. However, today, even they excelled themselves, when I flew SOF – ZRH in Business this evening, on an A319 (I think) – LX1861, 20 February.

Ground handling at an East European airport can be a bit of a lottery for a Western European carrier. Swissport were handling for Swiss (surprise, surprise) at Sofia. The check-in lady in the Business Class line was charm and helpfulness personified, so things got off to a good start.

The new Swiss Lounge at SOF is a great improvement on the old VIP Lounge. Manned by (again) an extremely pleasant lady who checked your boarding card and then poured you a drink from the bar.

On board, the difference really was noticeable. There were three of us in a two-row front cabin, so it was fairly spacious. I was in 2F but moved forward to 1F so I could recline the seat without annoying people in the full Economy Row 3. The cabin interior looked fresh and the seats were clean and in good condition (no dried food stuck to them, thankfully, Potakas!).

The Chef de Cabine, Benedict, was superb and highly professional. He displayed a great sense of humour when we suffered a minor departure delay. He also ensured that the three of us in Business were looked after well by Rodolfo, who was solely responsible for the comfort of three passengers!

Rodolfo made sure we were served copious pre-dinner drinks. We were shown (physically) the two hot meal choices, beef or vegetarian pancakes. I went for the former and it was excellent. Rodolfo ensured that I was supplied with a constant flow of wine (white and red) throughout the flight. At one point he apologised for “disturbing me” by offering me more wine – not at all. Indeed, I can think of several airlines who I wish would “disturb” me like that, and I’m sure you all can too.

Water bottles and refreshing wipes were also kept replenished, and Benedict asked whether any of the three of us needed any information about Zurich Airport, transfers, etc. This was certainly one step above any other short-haul flight I can remember, in terms of service.

On arrival, bags were back quickly and the priority tags also seemed to work.

In conclusion, a seamless flight, with superb and memorable service from Benedict and Rodolfo. If, by any chance, you happen to read this, “thanks!”

Just an afterword about the Zurich Airport Hilton. Having sworn never to stay there again after a lousy visit a couple of years ago, and being a wholly consistent person, I am there again tonight. It has vastly improved.

The rooms are still small, and it is still bloody expensive, but the the rooms have been refurbished and the tiny bathrooms now look very stylish and make the best use of every square centimetre.

The Executive Lounge has been moved to the ground floor and is much better, with a good selection of food and drink served. A much better experience this time (although I still have to get a good night’s sleep and check out…).

A contrast this week has been between two Starwood hotels. The Westin Valencia is a mere Westin, whilst the Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan forms part of the Luxury Collection. The former is superb, one of the best in the chain that I have used. The latter is tired, constrained by its 1950s Stalinist design, with a shabby lobby, lift buttons that don’t work unless you hold your finger on them, and a bar decor that is totally out of keeping with the rest of the hotel. The staff, however, in both, are absolutely superb, and made my stay memorable in both cases.

It seems to me that the Luxury Collection is an inconsistent branding. Valencia deserves to be in that category, as does the wonderful Hotel Bristol in Warsaw, (neither of which are, however), but the Balkan clearly does not. My benchmark for the Luxury Collection is the Kamp in Helsinki, where I stay regularly, and that is way above the Balkan in terms of standards of room, decor, etc, and the standards are also consistent throughout the hotel. Equally, the Westin VLC and Bristol are comparable to the Kamp.

A final example of the Balkan. I booked a Junior Suite. The rooms were massive, but the bathroom was absolutely tiny. I asked to move, and received a different Junior, where the component room sizes seemed more in proportion (i.e. you could swing a cat in the bathroom).

Rant over. Have a great week.

Simon

[Potakas]

Hi Simon,

nice report and glad that you got such a pleasant service, always interesting to read your reports. Sofia is such a beautiful city and I had spent some great hunting days there. I think that if Swiss was flying from EDI would be my first choice as it seems that ZRH is very convenient airport (smoking lounge included!). Is very nice when they disturb you for some wine.. All the times i asked for extra wine in CE I think they consider me as an alcoholic.

Wish you safe and pleasant flight for tomorrow.

Regards

[SimonRowberry]

Potakas – thanks.

I didn’t actually ever have to ask for additional wine. Or G&T. Or a Bloody Mary (made with that wonderful Mr & Mrs T Bloody Mary Mix, which is great even without the vodka).

And yes, ZRH is such an easy airport to transfer in. At the risk of Martyn chastising me again, I admit that when we arrived, I had time to nip up to the Smoking Lounge by the B Gates, have a quick smokette, go through immigration and I arrived at the reclaim just as the bags were starting to come off.

All the best – and thanks again for the present you sent me. I am waiting for a special occasion to justify smoking them.

Simon

PS You are first person who I have heard describe Sofia as “beautiful”, Potakas! “Fun” it certainly is.

[Potakas]

I wanted to be kind with my neighbors 😉

[MartynSinclair]

Good evening Simon,

If you ever need help in giving up the weed, i would be more than happy to help. I have had a 100% success rate.

Martyn

[SimonRowberry]

Martyn – I may well take you up on that in the not too distant future. Thanks.

The Swiss flight from ZRH to BHX this morning was fine, within the constraints of the Helvetic operating aircraft.

However, I am noticing more and more the “EasyJet/Ryanairisation” of the boarding process, and it was particularly acute this morning. It relates to the need for passengers to get on the plane first to stash their (usually excessive) hand baggage in the overhead bins.

All non-Schengen European flights at ZRH tend to be bussed from Gates B22-29, pending the completion of the reconstructed pier. This requires an early assembly of pax at the gate to await the bus. This morning, a very well-dressed guy was first in line at the bus gate. He stood their with his two pieces of hand baggage placed strategically so no-one else would “beat” him onto the bus. He also stood next to the baggage, blocking the other half of the doorway.

His stance was typical of that of a nightclub bouncer – back to the doorway, arms folded in an aggressive manner, and absolutely no eye contact with any other passengers. I asked him the time just to wind him up, and was able to establish from this that he was a Brit.

When the bus arrived, the guy (let’s call him “Mr Bouncer”) made himself as “large” as possible to block other pax, then dashed onto the bus. He was clearly a regular ZRH user, as he knew that the door for disembarkation of the bus would be directly opposite the one used to get on the bus. He then took up the same stance on the bus (and it’s not easy to make yourself wide enough to block an double-width bus door).

Mr Bouncer was first off the bus, obviously, and I was third or fourth. When on the plane, I assumed he was a Business Class pax as he placed both his bags in the first locker (which he had to open, and had “Business Class Only” written on it). But no, having placed his bags above MY seat, he sauntered off into economy.

Sorry folks, but whatever we write about “obnoxious kids” and people who talk loudly on mobile phones, it is passengers like this who are truly obnoxious:

1. They have double the permitted amount of hand baggage (the economy allowance is one piece on Swiss; two in Business). I anticipate responses from you about the duty of airlines to enforce the allowance, and agree with you on this. Swiss are better than most at this, along with Lufty and Brussels Airlines, in my experience.

2. They then use boorish behaviour to ensure they get onto the plane first – I’ve even seen them overtake families with young kids who have been invited to pre-board, once they are on the airbridge and out of sight of the ground staff

3. Then they STEAL (and there’s no other word for it) the baggage stowage space of other passengers, not giving a toss if this means that others have to sit with their bags at their feet, and suffer an uncomfortable journey. And inevitably, the people who suffer from no available locker space are those who have complied with the allowance

4. To use clearly-marked “Business Class Only” lockers makes matters even worse, especially those intended for passengers in Row 1, who HAVE to stow their baggage and don’t have an option to keep it at their feet.

Another poster described these people as the “I-Generation” (“I will do this at whatever price to others….”etc). I totally agree and it’s becoming more common, sadly, especially on flights originating or departing the UK.

Passengers like this are ignorant boors; the worst of the lot. I genuinely fear that one day I will thump one of them, with all the consequences that would bring (especially if it’s a wholly no-smoking airport, Martyn 😉 !)

Rant Number 2 over. For now at least.

Safe and i-Generation boor-free travelling to everyone,

Simon

[KeaneJohn]

I took this route in September last year but my flight from SOF to ZRH was an AVRO Jet. There were 7 people in Business class in 2 rows. I had 2D with 2F empty. The food offering was great and service exemplary. Indeed the outbound flight from Zurich was on an A321 with 3 pax in Business Class and again amazing service with the best G&T served perfectly. I must say the SOF lounge offering I thought was poor. The Swiss website offered an airside lounge and a landside one however both were airside and one was small but the choice of drinks and snacks was OK.

[SimonRowberry]

Hi John,

My outbound to SOF was also an Avro and was fine.

I think the Swiss Lounge may be more recent than your last visit. Also, to my knowledge, there has never been a landside lounge at SOF, so I am unsure where Swiss got that idea from.

I’m glad your overall Swiss experience was also good.

Regards,

Simon

[watersz]

love the noise those avros engines make when they come out of warp speed to desend

[KeaneJohn]

The SWISS website did actually advised there were 2 lounges and I sent a message to SWISS via their Facebook page who again confirmed airside and landside lounges

I am flying LCY-ZRH-PRG and back in a couple of weeks. Business class fares at least 25% cheaper than BA Club Europe and living in Woolwich I will be home quicker than your bags would have been on the carousel at LHR.

I am really enjoying Swiss at the moment too.. I do have slight reservations about the Helvetic Air operated flight from PRG to ZRH but time will tell

[SimonRowberry]

John,

Helvetic operate the BHX-ZRH sectors. They are ok, but the comfort level is somewhat less, being an F100. My only advice is to get a D or F seat.

It is 2-3 seating and although the middle seat is kept free on the one side (E), both the right hand seats may be occupied (A and C).

The breakfast is limited in scope ( a bit of fruit and yoghurt) but the staff are pretty good.

Enjoy!

Simon

[KeaneJohn]

Simon

Thank you for that. I have a D seat assigned. I was supposed to be flying a Contact Air F100 from Zurich to Prague and back. Now its a SWISS Avrojet there and a Helvetic F100 back.

A week after I am also flying DXB-MCT in Business Class and back again. I know its only an hours hop but will be interesting to see.

[SimonRowberry]

Hi John,

Having flown Contact Air (under LX codeshare) between ZRH and WAW, I can at least suggest that Helvetic’s F100s are probably better, as is the overall level of service.

Simon

[Travelrecord]

John

Have you taken the flight LCY-ZHR-PRG yet? If so I would be interested to learn how ZHR-PRG goes because I am also taking that with Contact Air in April.

I live in Shooters Hill so equally know the blessings of LCY especially now the DLR has come through to Woolwich

Clive

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