BlackCat

Apologies for the meta-question, but we're flying LHR-ZRH-JNB with Swiss next week and wondered if people had any specific tips/thoughts/ideas in terms of the experience, use of lounges and so on.

Some specifics:

1. Can we use the First Class section of the *Alliance lounge at LHR?
2. For ZRH I guess we need to get from the non-Schengen side to the Schegen side to get to the FCL and then get the limo or train to E?
3. Eat in the lounge or wait until the flight? (And I guess we may get fed on the LHR-ZRH sector where we are in J?)
4. At JNB on the return the LX website indicates that First Class pax use the VS lounge... any ideas when it opens as we'll have a long layover after flying up from PLZ
5. Our final connection time at ZRH is only 50 mins: is this enough time to make the LHR flight (undecided at the moment whether to have hand baggage only, incidentally).

Any specific tips for on-board?

Thanks,

BC

mamb0

No meta question at all, congratulations, enjoy the flight, I believe you are in for a treat yes Yes, the flight to JNB will depart from E. The lounge team will tell you when to show up and meet your PA infront of the elevators who will bring you to a special security and immigration check, just infront of the sedans and vans to drive you to gate area E Well everyone is different. I normally prefer to have a decent meal before departure (not at the airport) and eat very very light on the plane (it helps me with coping with jet lag, which is no issue with your flight.)

You will get a meal on your feeder flight. My honest opinion, just skip it. Also the food in the lounge is not that spectacular, so just have some nibbles, if at all. Save your appetite for the ride, because I really do recommend swiss F meals. Never had a miss so far.
Very very decent, high quality, quite down to earth and local, not trying to be sophisticated and complicated (other than LH).

If you are traveling as a couple, make use of the ottoman and the enormous table and have a dinner for two facing each other, it is a lot of fun. Try the white wine and also the dessert wine and do not pass on the cheeses. These weeks they have a special item not on the printed menu: Saucisson with Savoy and potatoes. Had it last week. Perfect. Yes. LX F only has one bath room, so do not wait for the last second before landing to refresh. Ask for a big bottle of water when they prep the cabin for the night cycle, the small one only fills a hollow tooth. Get the middle seats in the f-cabin, much more fun when traveling as a couple. Perhaps bring your own headset, I find the supplied once not so comfortable. And although you get a proper cushion, I always bring another one to pillow up. The one from LX is too flat for me. [quote]

baggageinhall

I wholly endorse all that is written above. Take a look at my TR's (click on the link below and you will find links to my previous Swiss F flights with pics of each course) to see the high standard of Swiss F meals.

Enjoy!

BlackCat

Thanks mamb0, answers much appreciated. And thanks baggageinhall: your TRs have lots of helpful detail. I'm looking forward to comparing LX with other F classes.

BC

BlackCat

Quick further question: will web checkin allow us to check in for all three sectors the day before? The last sector is on SAA...

Thanks,

BC

BlackCat

And the answer is that web checkin let us do the LX sectors but not the SA one. As we're attempting to do the trip with hand baggage only, we'll try and get the final sector boarding pass at LHR this afternoon before flying to ZRH.

(Might do a trip report (LHR-ZRH-JNB-CPT/PLZ-JNB-ZRH-LHR) on our return.)

BC