louislitt

Sch. Departure:11:30
Actual Departure:11:50
Flight time:01:55
Aircraft type: A321
Aircraft Reg:HB-IOK
Sch Arrival:13:25
Actual Arrival:13:40
Flight Number- LX2153
Load: 80%-4 Cabin Crew, 2 Air Crew

Our aircraft for the 1hr 55 minute leg, was HB-IOK, an A321.



This seemed to be a full flight, so boarding was a pretty big shambles.

What it should have been arranged by.




At 11:05, boarding was called. However, the announcement was made for the elderly to board, and then Biz passengers. I don't think this was heard, and everyone jumped at the idea of boarding. As about twenty people approached the gate, and handed over their passes, nobody was let through. The ladies at the gate, irked, did another announcement, and we managed to pass this time.

Rather futuristic looking jet bridge. Following Sister Litt.





We were greeted at the aircraft and my sister and I sat in 2A and C, whilst my parents were across the aisle.

The seats were the same as those in Econ. But the only noticeable difference was the increase in pitch and the middle seat being left open.





View out of my window







We sat there waiting for people to board.





Captain coming back from walk around



Our headphone cases got the middle seat



After seven missing passengers, three of whom were eventually offloaded, we pushed back.

My sister started to read



Water and a facial wipe was given









Weird that the curtain gets closed during the push





Push





Safety Vid











PMI Tower





We spent ages taxiing and then got stuck waiting to get airborne












Getting onto the taxiway

















Thompson Dreamliner. Now thats a ride for the 2 hr leg







Like I said, this took a while



Thomas Cook A321













Finally our turn!









Airborne






Climbing out over the sea











Banking



Wow




Laters Majorca!





Engines are Check!

























The next island. The island of Menorca.



Ah finally



Menorca





Onwards to the Med

louislitt

35 minutes after take off, meals were served. My Veg meal.







My Sprite!



Over the Med





It was actually seriously good!



Really good bread roll



This was really vile though



The lav was at the front of the plane



I asked if there was another desert, but I was given Gummy Babies.



South of France









Crossing into Switzerland







Spreading out a bit



Sister Litt decided that Gummy Bears and water was all she needed





Love taking pictures like these!


We were missed out on the chocolate round, but we got 5 when we asked for some


They taste so so good!







So beautiful





Descending





Circling





Onward Gates. Ours got changed four times between now and the time our gate was finally assigned.



Finals







This is brilliant!







Touchdown!



Leaving runway





Traffic



Crossing a runway







Let the 2 hour transit begin!

louislitt

We were the first ones off the plane.



Thank you IOK!


Let's go!





Iceland Air 757





The corridors split, one towards the exit and the other towards the lift towards the lounges and transit areas.

We went past the entrance to the First lounge and loads of smoking rooms and finally we were on our way to the first lounge.





We walked along that corridor to get up here





Looking down over the balcony from the lounge entrance







Incredible architecture.


Looking over the balcony





The first lounge we went to was the main Swiss Air Business lounge on Concourse A





Movenpick ice cream



Sweet selection


Slightly more healthier





Food selection



Pretty minimal to be honest



Gates





Marble cake






My marble cake





View from the lounge







The lounge had a dome in the middle and had a view of the downstairs.





This has been one heck of an unhealthy day



M and M's





Definitely in Switzerland!

We left the lounge, for the final 40 minutes we had left, pre-boarding so that we can go to the next lounge, located at Concourse D.

Rating out of 5- 3/5

Outside the lounge





We wandered into the 'Swiss' lounge!



If I had been good at art, I would have loved to do architecture!





[img]https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8074/29847946475_2ab90fc2fa_c.jpg[/img





This was quite cool!







Oh look another smoking lounge







After clearing immigration again, we went through to the D concourse

HSBC. IT WAS HSBC THAT HELPED TUMI!... Oh wait






Took 15 minutes lounge to lounge

=

This lounge had five people in it, and whilst it was small, came with quite a nice view.







The drinks weren't cans, but large bottles, like the previous lounge



There was, however, a help yourself to as many beers as you want shelf, which is useful if you drink



This lounge had these rather nice glass bowls full of mixed nuts on offer, which the previous one did not have.



But the rest of the food offering was pretty much the exact same





I decided to have a cappuccino.





The lounge



This lounge didn't have its own toilets, so I had to walk down the corridor to get to the toilets. They reminded me of American toilets, with doors sitting a foot off the ground, and large gaps in between the door and the frame of the door.



Back past the Tumi/ Credit Suisse poster



Some magazines I picked up







Some nuts





My sister decided that she wanted more ice cream.



Time to run!



Lounge rating out of 5: 2.5/5- No difference to the old one. Same problems.

Our plane for the leg home.



After clearing yet another messy boarding process, we were on our way to the aircraft





Where we stood in a glass jetbridge, in 34 degrees heat, for ten minutes.



At 15:20, a damp, parched and pretty tired Louis Litt began the final two hours of his 10-hour journey home.

When I Travel The World

Very nice trip report and good write up. one thing that stood out to me,

I don't think there has been any changes at all the to the UK economy since the vote, I for one voted to stay in.
Did OECD not just forecast the UK economy to grow by 1.8% this year ?

Did you Go Pro keep stopping when you were recording ? or is it another problem ?

louislitt

Hey SouthSideSilver, thank you for reading and commenting.

I was too young to vote at the time. What I should have clarified, was that I meant it from a currency perspective. The value of the sterling has fallen, quite significantly, in comparison to other countries.

My own indicator, and this sounds ridiculous, is whether it is cheaper to buy an Apple MacBook in the USA or in the UK and Pre-Brexit, it worked out quite significantly cheaper to buy it in the US. However post-Brexit, there is a lot less of a difference, and therefore, it made more sense to purchase here. But that's just my opinion and thought process.

Hope all is well

LL

When I Travel The World

Ok, I agree with you there then. Yes the value of the pound dropped sharply and it does make going away more expensive, It will recover.

I understand where you are coming from on the electronics side of things.
I think the only electrical items in my house that have a UK plug are the TV & Coffee Machine.

Anything that is portable has a US power plug with an adapter on it, mainly because I'm always in the US for work and lived there, but electronics were always cheaper out there.

There are still some good bargains, but it would make no sense to go there just for that once the cost of the ticket is added in.

I look forward to your next report.

Yoshi212

Enjoyed the trip report. And I've also enjoyed the dip in UK & EU stocks along with the depressed GBP value for my own financial gain & for my upcoming trip which includes travel to London. I rebooked our hotel twice saving enough to pay for a very nice dinner for Sunday roast.

louislitt

Thank you Yoshi! Well i'm glad that someone is getting some gain out of it Hope you have a good trip! Wow! Didn't it cost to rebook?

Yoshi212

Nope, had fully refundable bookings

louislitt

Sch. Departure:15:30
Actual Departure:15:58
Flight time:01:30
Aircraft type: A320
Aircraft Reg:HB-IJQ
Sch Arrival:16:20
Actual Arrival:16:25
Flight Number- LX324
Load: 90%-4 Cabin Crew, 2 Air Crew








This aircraft was called Locarno, after the town's film festival. More info about that here

Noticed this on the door, quite intersting



My bulkhead seat.





View outside



RJ next door



Oh hello







Waiting for boarding to complete








Who is going to pushback first? Us or RJ?



We won!





Pushback



Quite empty for a Saturday afternoon.



Engines are powering up



Edelweiss







Swiss Longhaul concourse- E









Ooh the Private Terminal at ZRH



Turning onto the Runway





Time to go


Airborne



At the corner of the picture, you can see Swiss's A340-300 slowing down after landing from Shanghai

[

I wish I had my DSLR out because this would have been one heck of a picture. HB-JLB returning from LAX



Ah Switzerland, it was a pleasure! Hopefully back soon





Our routing for the day



Banking out to the East









The incredible Swiss railway system from the skies













Still climbing



Galley Curtains drawn as we climb through 16 thousand







Seat-belt sign still on



Legroom shot



Crossing into France

louislitt

This flight was rather uneventful.

I was given the same meal again with a different desert this time.



Not a big cheese fan so I left that



I also left the pastry and ate the couscous and the bread.



Not entirely sure what this is meant to be. Looks a bit like a used teabag.

Before we crossed the Channel, I had a green tea.





Kinda ruined the healthiness with this chocolate.






Cartoons on display



Soon after I had consumed by hot beverage, we began descending down towards LHR.

Marston in Kent






We held in the Biggin hold before we descend down



Soon we were descending down to a cloudy Heathrow, landing on 09L







The M25







T5







Touchdown!









Heathrow Tower, certainly more impressionable that the one at PMI



T1







T2



It does not feel good to be home







United



Dark clouds











Ooh BA A380



AC 777



And thats it. The end of the journey with Swiss



The same stand we left from a week ago



Ugh go away HSBC I want UBS back



Thank you IJQ!



First one off the plane



An empty immigration hall



A 10 minute wait at baggage




And we were home







The statue outside T2



And we were racing home



Stay tuned: The LSAT is next.

offerendum

So many great pictures👍

louislitt

The LSAT -The Long, the Short, and the Tall


Swiss Air- Absolutely loved flying with Swiss. Their Y was pretty good for the flight length, and the food offerings were pretty acceptable. Loved the chocolates. Nice touch! The seat to go for if you don’t mind the extra cost is the exit row seat, by the window! Yes, it means extra responsibility if things go wrong, but if it doesn’t, you are in for a pretty great flight. Their Euro J, however, was pretty great but had some issues. In an ideal world, it would have been great if that middle seat should be blocked off like BA have done, with a table. Food offerings were great for the duration of the flight, and the crew was polite.

Lounges at Zurich- Wasn't impressed by the two Swiss Air lounges at Zurich. Pretty basic from a food offering perspective, but it would be an okay place to spend an hour, at best 2 between flights-nothing more.

Plaza Premium Lounge at LHR T2- I actually thought this Lounge was pretty great. Best out of the 4 that I visited on this trip. Food offerings were vast and there were a whole plethora of drinks available. A bit small, so wouldn't be the nicest of places to spend time during rush hour.

Majorca- A really nice place for a getaway break for a few days. Lots of different things for you to do, regardless of your age group. A good place to visit if you live in Europe and want some time away from where you live/work. People were polite, other than the odd stare (was the turban and beards-you should be fine)!

PMI Airport- Interesting airport. Basic, functional, a bit dated, but does what it says on the tin. For a majority low-cost carrier airport- it works, and fairly well at that.

That's the end of this trip report! Thank you for coming along with me on this short break, I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing you all on my next report LL.

louislitt

Thank you once again Offerendum! Appreciate it Hope you enjoyed the final leg!

My bad Southsidesilver! I missed this comment! It kept overheating after about 15 minutes of recording. GoPro said that it was the memory card, and apparently, it can't take a 128gb memory card. I put in a 64GB memory card and that didn't have an impact.