Botanical gardens


Vienna tram


Karlskirche

We opted for the hotel’s Mercedes limo transfer back to the airport for EUR50, which was a nice way to end our short break.


Chauffeur transfer

We arrived at VIE’s T2 a couple of hours before departure, and checked in at the single Club Europe desk. The friendly agent offered an upgrade price of EUR135 per person upon enquiring, but this was politely turned down, as EUR270 is not particularly good value for a 2-hour flight. The agent kindly offered to block the middle seat in ET for us, confirming our seats as 4AC, the first row of ET. I had noted from online check-in that this aircraft would again have the spacesaver seating installed, as all three 4ABC seats were available for selection (4B would’ve been blocked at check-in if convertible seating had been installed).

The queue for passport control to enter the D Gates was rather long with no visible Fast Track lane, but the queue moved rather quickly in practice, and we were in the airport-operated AIR lounge within ten minutes.

The AIR lounge has recently been refurbished and had a nice view of the gate area/runway, with a decent selection of food items for a third-party lounge (and for a lounge that offers paid entry). For much of the time, we had the lounge to ourselves, and I took advantage of the airport’s free wifi to catch up on emails etc.


AIR lounge












View from the lounge – no doubt who rules the roost here!

Our boarding gate had changed to a bussing gate, and once through security we were confronted with a rather long boarding queue. I approached a free gate agent and enquired about priority boarding, and we were permitted to board onto the bus straight away. The same friendly check-in agent scanned our BPs and wished us a pleasant flight.


Looking into the three-row Club Europe cabin


Legroom in Row 4 of BA’s new batch of A320s with spacesaver seats

There is very little to say about the return sector (on the same aircraft as the outbound), other than that one snack/drinks run was offered, and nothing more. I opted for the delicious Fox’s biscuits rather than the nuts – I really must look into ordering some of these biscuits for home!


Euro Traveller snacks and drinks

I spotted a fellow BA A320 zooming in the opposite direction a little way under us, but alas didn’t reach my camera in time. I did, however, manage to capture the dreaded FRA beast on camera, as I had on the outbound sector.


FRA


FRA off G-EUYI’s wing

We landed on time and taxied to the remote stand area adjacent to T1 that BA use for their shorthaul T3 operation. The three passengers in CE got a bus all to themselves (in a trial that I hope BA will extend to all bussing ops at LHR), before we were allowed down the steps onto the first of the waiting ET busses.

One very long walk later, and we were through immigration (in the company of Professor Robert Winston who had just returned from New Zealand on Qantas), with bags delivered promptly in the refurbished reclaim hall.

Unfortunately we had just missed a HEx, as had a member of the Qantas cabin crew who I recognised from a flight to SIN a couple of years ago.

BA’s provided two more solid shorthaul segments. I enjoyed both CE and ET sectors equally, and really don’t have a problem with the spacesaver seating. For those travelling in ET, the seats are surely better than the previous generation.

That’s it for this relatively short report – comments and questions welcomed as always.