Continue reading this review to see what the City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo International Airport was like.

Getting There

If you will be landing late or departing early, then the City Lodge Hotel’s location is hard to beat.

While slightly further from the terminal than the InterContinental (which is approximately three times pricier), the hotel is still just a few-minute, well-signposted walk away from Johannesburg Airport’s terminals. The fact that the entire walk is indoor adds to the hotel’s convenience.

Just make sure you are booking the City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo International Airport and not the City Lodge Hotel Johannesburg Airport, Barbara Road, which is away from the terminals.

Check-in & Lobby

We got to the hotel just before 2 p.m. and were checked in in no time.

In addition to the reception desk, there was also some seating in the reception area (and throughout the public spaces).

What I found nice was that in the evening, a table with juice and water dispensers was set up near the reception.

Guest Room

We were assigned room 4215, a standard twin room on the hotel’s… Second floor.

The hotel’s layout was quite confusing with rooms starting with “4” being on all of the hotel’s three floors in addition to the rooms starting with each floor’s number. The lack of signage did not help either but ultimately we found our room and from the second time onward we knew where to look.

As for the room itself, it was more than appropriate for the price I paid. It was large, clean, and equipped with all the basics.

Just past the entrance was a large bathroom equipped with a toilet, a sink, a bathtub, and a separate walk-in shower. Amenities including (solid) body soap/shampoo, hand soap, and hand cream were provided.

Going further into the room, there were two single beds placed next to each other, each with a nightstand.

In the far left corner of the room was a sofa chair with a small coffee table while across from the beds and sofa chair were a work desk and a luggage rack. A TV was mounted above the latter.

Above the desk was a panel with not one but three types of power outlets including two local types and one universal power outlet. The panel was also equipped with a USB-A charging port (there were also ports next to the beds).

Some tea and coffee were prepared on the desk as well.

The room overlooked some of the roads and the train track leading to the airport, as well as a thermal power plant.

Breakfast & Dining

The hotel’s sole restaurant/bar was located near the reception. It was open from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m., with breakfast buffet available until 10 a.m. and dinner buffet between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. A la carte items were available during dinner time as well.

Given the lack of other nearby options with the exception of a limited number of places to eat in the terminal, the restaurant was quite crowded at dinner time. My dad and I had both dinner, from the a la carte menu, on the day of our arrival and the breakfast buffet the next day.

For dinner, I had a steak while my dad had grilled fish, both served with fries.

The breakfast offering was fairly extensive with a buffet with a good variety of dishes, an eggs station where one could get freshly made omelets, scrambled eggs, etc., a number of different juices, and tea and coffee served by the staff on request.

There was even a take-away corner in front of the restaurant in the morning where one could make tea or coffee.

The buffet included a few different types of cereals, plain and strawberry yogurts, cut and whole fruits, and a salad bar.

There were also a pancakes maker, toast bread, a selection of pastries and cup cakes, cold cuts, and a cheese board.

Lastly, there was a selection of warm dishes. Notably, there were both pork and beef sausages and there were even two types of bacon – streaky and back.

Other Facilities

While the hotel has a small gym and a small pool, I did not have a chance to check those out during our stay.

Summary

Overall, if you need a relatively affordable and comfortable place to stay as close to Johannesburg Airport as possible due to an early departure or late arrival, I can only recommend staying at the City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo International Airport.

While the InterContinental is slightly closer to the terminal and, presumably, offers better facilities and service, the extra cost is not worth it, in my opinion. That’s especially the case if you do not plan to spend much time at the hotel or if you are not an IHG status holder that could enjoy extra benefits if staying at the InterContinental.

The post Review: City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg) appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading this review to see what the long-haul business class flight was like.

Transfer, Lounge & Boarding at Zurich Airport

After getting off an Austrian Embraer E195 from Vienna, we made our way to Terminal E, which is a satellite building used for flights to countries outside the Schengen Area.

With immigration being quick and still having a few hours to spare before our 10:40 p.m. flight to Johannesburg would board, we headed to the Swiss Senator Lounge, which I could access and guest my dad into as a Star Alliance Gold member.

I spent most of my time in the lounge being outside, on its excellent observation deck. A great plane spotting location and unlimited drinks and food? Yes, please!

We left the lounge just before 10 p.m. and headed to gate E23, which was at the very end of the terminal.

In front of the gate, one of the ground agents checked our documents and stamped our boarding passes. Outside, HB-JMB, a 21 years old A340-300 delivered to Swiss in 2003, was almost ready for the flight.

Boarding started at 10:04 p.m. with first class passengers being invited first, followed by business class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members.

Swiss A340 Business Class Cabin & Seat

At this point, Swiss only has four A340-300s remaining in its fleet.

All of them have been refurbished with the airline’s current long-haul seats also used on its A330-300s and 777-300ERs and can seat 215 passengers in four classes including eight in first, 42 in business, 21 in premium economy, and 144 in economy class.

The aircraft’s business class is split into two cabins – a small cabin with two rows between the single-row first class cabin and the second pair of doors and a larger cabin with eight rows of seats behind the second pair of doors.

Swiss uses staggered seats on the aircraft in an alternating 1-2-1 and 2-2-1 layout.

Because of the layout, not all seats are equal. The single seats on the left side of the aircraft are “throne seats” with a console table on each side and more personal space than the remaining seats. The window seats on the left side of the aircraft do not offer direct aisle access, which is not ideal if you are traveling on your own.

My dad and I chose a pair of seats in the middle of the cabin to both be able to talk to each other and each have access to the aisle. Since the flight was nowhere near full, I moved to an empty “throne seat” to sleep after dinner and to another window seat to enjoy the scenery during landing.

Zooming in on the seat, the seat back in front was home to a decently sized personal entertainment screen with good resolution.

There were also a coat hook and a compartment holding a variety of printed material including a safety card and a duty free catalog next to the screen and a small storage compartment that could hold glasses, a cell phone, or similar items under the screen.

Most seat controls could be found on the console on the side of the seat.

Additional seat controls (lumbar support, cushion firmness, and massage function), as well as an in-flight entertainment controller with a small screen that could be used to watch the map, for example, could be found in a covered compartment right next to the main seat controls.

A hook, which held headphones and a coat hanger upon boarding, a tray table release button, an audio output, a USB port, a universal power outlet, and a bottle holder could be found on the seat’s privacy partition.

Lastly, on the side of the console between the two seats was a storage compartment that could hold shoes or other similarly sized items.

Swiss Long-Haul Business Class Pre-Flight Service and Departure

When we got on board, a rather thin blanket (certainly below average for business class) and an OK pillow were placed on each seat.

Each seat’s bottle holder already had a bottle of water in it as well.

Lastly, Victorinox-branded amenity kits were placed on the console tables. The amenity kit pouches were designed to expand and be reusable as a rather handy packing cube. The content of the amenity kits was rather underwhelming, though. Each kit only included an eye mask, a toothbrush and toothpaste, lip balm, earplugs, and socks.

Just a few minutes after we settled in our seats, we were brought breakfast cards, which were later collected with our breakfast order details on them, and menus. More about the food on board later, though.

The menus were followed by pre-departure drinks. We were offered a choice of champagne or a non-alcoholic elderberry drink. Both my dad and I got the latter and enjoyed it.

Hot towels were offered around the same time as well.

The crew closed the doors just after our 10:40 p.m. scheduled departure time and four minutes behind schedule, at 10:44 p.m., we were pushed back and started making our way to the runway.

At the same time, we were welcomed on board by the chief purser, who mentioned that we would be flying for 10 hours and five minutes before reaching Johannesburg. The captain welcomed us onboard at a later point as well, mentioning that we were expecting an on-time arrival. Between the two welcomes, a safety video was played.

We took off at 10:59 p.m. and started climbing in a typical A340-fashion (i.e., slowly but surely) to our cruising altitude.

Swiss Long-Haul Business Class Dinner

Ten minutes after take-off, the cabin crew was released from their seats and started preparing for dinner service. Another four or five minutes later, the seatbelt signs were switched off.

Being in the middle section, my dad and I were served by different flight attendants. It took 20 minutes or so from the point the seatbelt signs were switched off until the flight attendant working my aisle came to take my drink and starter order. I opted for sparkling water and the latter of the two choices below:

• Steamed fjord trout with white wine sauce and herb infused oil Fennel crust with Rochat pepper
• Roasted cauliflower with mint and saffron labneh

Another 20 minutes or so later, the flight attendant came back with a tablecloth and a glass of sparkling water. The starter itself, which I enjoyed, followed another fifteen minutes later, around 12:15 a.m. It was served together with a small salad, a selection of cheese, and bread from bread basket.

The main followed about half an hour later (I was offered another drink before that so got a glass of Coke Zero).

Options available on board included:

• Beef tenderloin with basil sauce; pesto polenta slice and courgette
• Grilled chicken breast with mustard sauce; Gnocchetti di Zita pasta, peas and leek
• Sauteed sea bream with tomato sauce with olives and capers; pan-fried groncchi and spinach
• Casarecce with pesto cream sauce, broccolini and pistachios

That said, both my dad and I opted to use the meal pre-booking service that Swiss offers and that, in the case of our flight, came with four options on top of the four above:

• Gnocchi puttanesca
• Chicken massaman curry
• Fried seabass
• Sliced veal Zurich style

I opted for the veal, which was very tender and came with flavorful sauce. My dad opted for the fried seabass, i.e., the Japanese meal.

To finish off the meal, we both had the sole dessert option – eclair with raspberries and caramelized pistacchios.

The flight attendant serving my aisle was very excited about it, saying “you have to try the eclair,” and he was most certainly right. I enjoyed it alongside a cup of peppermint tea.

For reference, below is the full drink menu:

Swiss A340 In-Flight Entertainment System

As mentioned earlier, the seat was equipped with a decent screen. A pair of noise-cancelling headphones was available at the seat during boarding as well.

While I did not watch anything on this flight, those that wanted to had the option to choose from over 200 movies and dozens of TV shows.

As usual, there were only a few episodes of a random series for each TV show. That said, at least for some of the shows, there were half a dozen or a dozen episodes rather than the two or three that some airlines provide.

Additionally, there was a selection of audio content including music albums, audiobooks, and podcasts. A good portion of the latter two was, understandably, in German. Eight simple games were available as well.

One thing worth noting is that ads and informational videos were played throughout while taxiing for departure and during take-off and so it was not possible to watch content during that time.

The in-flight entertainment system was also equipped by an in-flight map made by Panasonic. It included everything one would expect including a number of different views, the ability to move around the map freely, zoom in and out, and so on.

I loved that in the children’s menu, the map was accessed through an “Are We There Yet?” button.

Swiss A340 Onboard Wi-Fi

All of the Swiss A340s including the one that we were flying on are equipped with onboard wi-fi.

While I didn’t use it, three plans were available: messaging-only (free), four hours (25 CHF), and full flight (35 CHF). The latter two did not appear to have any bandwidth restrictions (other than the inability to watch content on streaming sites such as Netflix).

At about 30 and 40 dollars for the paid plans, they were on the pricier side. On the other hand, the free plan allowed not only text messaging but also photo sharing through messaging apps, something that many airlines block on their messaging plans.

Sleeping on a Swiss A340 in Business Class

Wanting to be as fresh on our first day in Africa as possible, I moved to a “throne seat” across the aisle from my assigned seat and tried to get some shuteye as soon as I finished dinner just after 1 a.m.

While Swiss does not provide much in terms of bedding (other than the OK pillow and mediocre blanket I mentioned earlier), I was able to partly rectify that by using one blanket instead of a sheet/mattress pad and having an extra pillow. Add to that the fact that I am not picky in terms of surfaces I can sleep on and I slept well for quite a few hours.

That said, I briefly woke up in the middle of the night at around 4 a.m. At that time, we were flying over the middle of Africa, an area I haven’t flown above once in the over 600 flights I took before this one.

I paid a quick visit to the lavatory, which was kept clean and had a number of other amenities in addition to the standard soap including Soeder herbal lotion, face cream, and face spray. I also used the opportunity to check the galley. There, a basket with a fairly decent selection of packaged snacks was available.

Swiss Long-Haul Business Class Breakfast

I truly woke up around 7 a.m. At that time, we were flying somewhere between Angola and Namibia and had about two more hours left to go.

Shortly after that, I was served breakfast. Given that my dad woke up earlier, he was finished with his breakfast by the time my table cloth was set and breakfast served just after 7:30 a.m.

The breakfast card, which I filled out at the beginning of the flight, offered two choices of mains:

• Swiss breakfast (selection of cold cuts and cheese)
• English breakfast (sun-dried tomato quiche with tomato sauce)

I opted for the former with a number of sides including a croissant, fresh fruits, and bircher muesli. For drink, I checked the boxes next to smoothie and water.

The breakfast was quite light but sufficient given the late dinner time. I enjoyed the bircher muesli in particular.

The flight attendant serving my aisle came to pick up the tray just before 8 a.m. and offered me a hot drink. I got peppermint tea, which was brought just a couple of minutes later.

The meal service finished with a Swiss chocolate.

Arrival at Johannesburg Airport

About 40 minutes before landing, the first officer made an announcement mentioning that the weather in Johannesburg was nice, with a temperature of 11 degrees Celsius. Around the same time, a lady that was sitting behind me asked the crew where she could get the cream that was available in the lavatory, which the crew kindly explained.

At 8:30 a.m., hot towels were provided and a couple of minutes after that, the crew was asked to prepare for landing.

While descending, amazing views of Johannesburg, as well as of Rand Airport where a museum with two Boeing 747s is located, could be had.

We landed at 8:56 a.m. and reached our arrival gate 10 minutes ahead of schedule, at 9:00 a.m.

With business class passengers being eligible to use priority immigration and Japanese passport holders not needing visas to enter South Africa, immigration was a breeze and in no time we were meeting with our guide in the arrival lobby to see a bit of Johannesburg before continuing to Sabi Sands the next day.

Swiss A340 Business Class Summary

Overall, I enjoyed the flight – the food was sufficient and, unlike on my Lufthansa flight a few years ago, tasty, the seat was comfortable for both relaxing in and sleeping in, and the crew was professional but friendly.

Especially so since I was able to move to a “throne seat” after dinner.

The post Review: Swiss A340 Business Class from Zurich to Johannesburg appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading this review to see what the short hop to Zurich in business class on Austrian Embraer E195 was like.

Check-in, Lounge & Boarding at Vienna Airport

After driving to Vienna Airport from my parents’ home in Slovakia and dropping the car off at a parking lot near the airport, we found ourselves inside Terminal 3 around 1:45 p.m. We headed straight to Austrian’s relatively spacious and – at the time of our visit – underutilized Senator and Business check-in area, which consisted of a row of check-in counters closest to the security checkpoint and offered access to a dedicated lane.

With no one else in the area, it was our turn right away. Once the kind staff confirmed that we did not need visas to visit South Africa as Japanese passport holders, he tagged our bags through to the final destination and handed us boarding passes for both flights.

With the boarding passes in our hands, we went to the deserted priority security check lane.

While there was no queue and my dad was through security in no time, it took a while for me to get through due to having to undergo a more thorough check (my camera kit triggered that before several of the flights I took on the trip).

Since we still had over two hours until our flight’s scheduled 4:45 p.m. departure time when we got through security, we visited the nothing-to-write-home-about (although I did enjoy the cevapcici offered!) but fine Austrian Senator Lounge.

We left the lounge just before 4 p.m. and headed to gate F08, which was just a couple of minutes away.

Outside, an E195 registered OE-LWH and wearing the Star Alliance livery was being prepared for the flight to Zurich. The 12 years old aircraft was delivered to Lufthansa Cityline in 2011 before being transferred to Austrian in 2016.

Around 4:15 p.m., an announcement was made saying boarding would be delayed by ten to fifteen minutes due to the late arrival of our aircraft. Ten minutes later, an announcement was made delaying that by another ten minutes. Ultimately, boarding started at 4:41 p.m. but we had to wait another five minutes in the boarding bridge until we were let into the aircraft.

In the meantime, the gate agent approached a random passenger asking him to come with her to gate check his bag. When he politely suggested she also ask someone else, she said “Sir, could you come? Otherwise, I have to call my supervisor and offload you.” Given that he was the first person approached and she has not asked if there were any volunteers, I thought that was an unnecessary escalation.

She asked a couple more people who refused/ignored her before someone volunteered.

Austrian E195 Business Class Cabin & Seat

Austrian’s Embraer E195s are equipped with 120 economy class seats in a 2-2 layout. Like on most other European airlines, the first few rows (the exact number being dependent on demand and set using a movable curtain) are used as business class. In the case of our flight, the first four rows were designated as business class.

Unlike some airlines that do not do so anymore, Austrian continues to block the seats next to business class passengers even on the E-Jet (i.e., each business class passenger gets a pair of seats).

While the standard regional jet economy class seats, advertised as having a 29-inch seat pitch, were not the most comfortable seats you can fly in as a business class passenger, they did the job for the one-hour flight.

Each seatback was equipped with a document compartment at the top and a small seat pocket at the bottom with a single-piece tray table between the two.

The passenger service units were equipped with individual air vents.

Austrian Flight 553 Departure

Boarding was completed just before 5 p.m., and soon after, one of the pilots welcomed us on board, mentioning that we would be ready to go in a few minutes. The purser then welcomed us saying “Good Afternoon and Servus,” and mentioned that our flight time would be one hour and five minutes.

We were pushed back nearly 20 minutes behind schedule, at 5:03 p.m., and a couple of minutes later, the flight attendant in charge of the business class cabin handed us packaged wet tissues.

The push back was followed by a short taxi to runway 29, from which we took off at 5:11 p.m.

Austrian Short-Haul Business Class Light Meal

Seven minutes after take-off, the seatbelt signs were switched off and the light meal service started.

Another few minutes later, both my dad and I were served drinks – sparkling water and Coke Zero, respectively. A full can of the latter was provided.

About ten minutes later, just after 5:30 p.m., I was served the meal with the words “Enjoy your snack, sir.” It came on a tray, which included a Greek salad that wasn’t overly voluminous but was more than sufficient for the short flight and a cake. I enjoyed both.

Soon after serving the tray, the friendly but professional flight attendant came back with a bread basket.

Five minutes into the meal, Austrian’s signature “Servus” chocolates were distributed.

Then, just before the seatbelt signs were switched back on, hot drinks were served. I decided to have a cup of peppermint tea.

I had that along with the cake, which the flight attendant mistakenly took to the galley before bringing it back when I asked for it. “Sorry, you told me to take the tray away,” she said when bringing the cake back. Fair enough.

Separately, I also had one more cup of sparkling water.

Austrian E195 In-Flight Entertainment System and Onboard Wi-Fi

The Austrian E195 was not equipped with in-flight entertainment of any form. It was not equipped with onboard wi-fi either.

Arrival at Zurich Airport

The seatbelt signs were switched back on at 5:45 p.m., when I was still enjoying my peppermint tea and cake.

Ten minutes later, the first officer announced that we would be arriving about 10 minutes late, and that it was 23 degrees Celsius with a bit of wind and clouds in Zurich.

At 6:09 p.m., the landing gear was lowered, and two minutes later we landed at Zurich Airport.

We reached our parking spot at 6:18 p.m., 18 minutes behind schedule.

Austrian E195 Business Class Summary

Aside from the slight delay, the Austrian flight from Vienna to Zurich in business class was perfectly fine.

While the seats were regular economy class seats, at least Austrian continues to block seats next to business class passengers on its E-Jets. Similarly, while the meal was nothing to write home about, the salad was perfectly fine for the short, one-hour flight.

The post Review: Austrian E195 Business Class from Vienna to Zurich appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading this review to see what the lounge was like.

Location & Opening Hours

The Austrian Senator Lounge serving passengers traveling within the Schengen area is located airside in Vienna Airport’s Terminal 3.

To get there, once you are past security, instead of heading toward gates B, C, D, and F, follow the signs for gates G. Doing so will lead you to an escalator that will take you up a floor. From there, the lounge is down a long hallway and well signposted. The lounge is right next to Sky Lounge, which can be used by Priority Pass members.

Schengen area’s Senator Lounge opens every day at 5:30 a.m. It closes at 10:30 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than the non-Schengen Austrian Senator Lounge.

The lounge shares entrance, reception, and some facilities, such as restrooms, with Austrian’s business and HON Circle lounges.

Entry Requirements

Austrian Airlines’ Senator Lounges, like Lufthansa’s and Swiss’s, are available for use exclusively by Miles & More Senator and other Star Alliance Gold-equivalent status holders.

Star Alliance Gold members can use the lounge when departing Vienna on a Star Alliance airline flight on the same day. They can also bring in one guest traveling on the same flight. In the case of Miles & More Senators, those younger than 18 years, rather generously, do not count as guests.

If you do not have a Star Alliance Gold status but are traveling on a Star Alliance flight in business class or are willing to pay for access, you can use the Austrian Business Lounge.

Layout, Seating & Other Facilities

The Austrian Senator Lounge in the Schengen area was very similar to the Austrian Business Lounge next door. That said, it was considerably smaller.

Right after entrance and around the corner to the right side, there were a couple of counter-height tables with stools.

The right side of the more or less rectangular lounge was also home to a number of red benches lined with small tables, some sofas and lounge chairs, as well as a counter under some of the lounge’s windows. The lounge offered limited views of a part of the ramp and of aircraft landing on Vienna Airport’s runway 16.

Separated from the main lounging area was an area with a large TV showing CNN and a sofa across from it.

Most of the seats in this side of the lounge, as opposed to the left side, which I will talk about next, offered access to power.

There were both European-style power outlets, as well as both USB-A and USB-C charging ports.

The vast majority of the space on the (when looking from the reception) left side of the lounge was taken up by a dining area.

That consisted of a buffet spanning a couple of counters, a staffed hot food station, and seating in the form of dining tables (mainly for two), a communal table, and a counter along the wall.

Additionally, there was a walled-off sleeping room that was kept slightly darker than the rest of the lounge and consisted of three daybeds separated by wooden partitions.

Each of the daybeds had a small coffee table next to it.

In addition to the above, as mentioned earlier, there were also a few facilities shared among the Senator and Business lounges.

Those were located in the reception area and included a few phone booths that guests could use to do meetings and calls without disturbing other passengers (I am glad similar facilities are starting to appear in more and more lounges), showers, and restrooms.

Drinks

All drinks in the lounge were self-serve and could be found on the counters in the buffet area and in a large refrigerator next to it.

Cold soft drinks included, among others, still and sparkling water, Coke, flavored ice tea, and Almdudler (a carbonated Austrian herbal lemonade) in glass bottles. There were also a dispenser with infused water and large bottles of orange and apple juice.

Hot drinks included a variety of coffee-based drinks from an espresso machine and half a dozen or so different types of Julius Meinl tae bags.

The refrigerator with soft drinks was also home to a couple of different brands of bottled beer including Heineken. Separately, there was red, white, and sparkling wine.

Lastly, there were about half a dozen different types of liquor.

Food

With the exception of whole fruits, which could be found on a rack just past the lounge’s entrance and included apples, bananas, and pears, all of the food in the Austrian Senator Lounge could be found in the dining area.

At the staffed hot meals station, two mains and two sides were offered alongside risotto.

The mains included cevapcici and smoked neck of pork. The sides included potatoes and glazed carrots. I had some cevapcici for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The only warm item in the self-service area was pumpkin ginger cream soup.

Separately, there were a couple of different salads, a variety of half a dozen different types of bread and pastries, and cold cuts including ham, salami, and cheese.

Lastly, there were two desserts including strudel, as well as jars with snacks including nuts, pretzels, and candies.

Austrian Senator Lounge (Schengen) Vienna Summary

Overall, the Austrian Senator Lounge in the Schengen area of Vienna Airport is a perfectly fine place to visit before a flight to grab a bite to eat or a drink out of the, for a lounge mostly serving passengers flying on short one- or two-hour hops around Europe, selection.

That said, in terms of seating options or ambience, the lounge is nothing to write home about. As such, while the lounge is definitely worth stopping by if you have the time, it is not worth arriving at early to relax in or get some work done in.

The post Review: Austrian Senator Lounge (Schengen) at Vienna Airport appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading this review to see what the flight was like.

Check-in, Lounge & Boarding at London Heathrow Airport

With the weather being cloudy, I decided to end my plane spotting session earlier than planned and headed to Heathrow’s Terminal 2 which is used by Eurowings, all Star Alliance members, and a number of other airlines.

I could not check in online so I was not sure if I’d be able to check in early and go airside. Luckily, with Eurowings having multiple flights out of the airport, the counters were open and a friendly agent at the priority desk (which I approached as there was no queue and it was the first one I saw) issued my boarding passes all the way to Vienna.

I then headed to security. Seeing quite a long line at the regular check, I headed to the Star Alliance Gold Track and tried my luck asking if I could use it as a Star Alliance Gold member flying on Eurowings. I am not sure if it’s an official perk or not but luckily, I was let through and so getting airside took me just five minutes.

Airside, I first had some tacos at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen, a restaurant that is part of the Priority Pass network, and then headed to the Plaza Premium Lounge to wait for my departure.

I left the lounge about ten minutes ahead of the scheduled 2:05 p.m. boarding time and headed to gate A24.

Not long after I got to the gate, an announcement explaining the boarding order was made and exactly as scheduled, boarding begun with Star Alliance Gold members and BIZclass passengers were invited first.

Avion Express Malta A320 Cabin & Seat

As mentioned earlier, my flight was operated by Avion Express Malta. The A320 registered 9H-AMU was equipped with 180 economy class seats in a 3-3 layout.

Interestingly, even as a low-cost, BIZclass passengers are guaranteed an empty seat next to them like business class passengers on more or less any other full-fare European airline.

While the seats themselves were alright, the legroom was terrible. It’s also worth noting that the seats did not, for better or worse, recline.

The only positive thing about the cabin was the fact that there were individual air vents.

As you will see later, those came in extremely handy.

Eurowings Flight 2461 Departure

Boarding was completed around 2:30 p.m. and by that time, the aircraft was completely full.

Without the APU and thus air conditioning running for some reason, it was also unhealthily hot. While there were individual air vents, using the safety card as a fan was the real life saver for me, as well as some other passengers throughout the cabin.

Shortly after, the cabin crew closed the aircraft doors and did a manual safety demonstration.

At 2:47 p.m., the air conditioning finally started working.

A minute later (13 minutes behind schedule), we were pushed back, and started taxiing toward runway 27R.

We took off at 3:07 p.m. and as soon as we were in the air, amazing views of dozens and dozens of aircraft parked at Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5 could be had.

Later, we did a left turn, which offered an overview of the entire airport.

Eurowings Buy-on-Board Service

The seatbelt signs were switched off about five minutes after take-off and from there, it took another 20 minutes or so until the buy-on-board service started. There was no free drink or meal service.

The buy-on-board menu offered a variety of individual items as well as sets.

Avion Express Malta A320 In-Flight Entertainment System & Wi-Fi

The Avion Express Malta was not equipped with an in-flight entertainment system or onboard wi-fi.

Arrival at Stuttgart Airport

About 40 minutes into the flight, one of the pilots made an announcement that we started our descent and were expecting to land in approximately half an hour. He also mentioned that it was 16 degrees and partly cloudy in Stuttgart.

Seatbelt signs were switched on at 4:55 p.m.

We landed on Stuttgart’s runway 25 about ten minutes behind schedule, at 5:21 p.m.

Five minutes later, we parked at a remote spot in front of the terminal.

From there, it took just over 10 minutes until a bus dropped us off at the terminal building, bringing the flight to an end.

Eurowings (Avion Express Malta) A320 Economy Class Summary

While I am not sure what flying on actual Eurowings aircraft rather than on one wet-leased from Avion Express Malta is like, I can say with certainty that it does not get much more “low-cost” than what my experience on this flight was.

Not unexpectedly, the legroom was close to non-existent and there was no free onboard service.

All in all, there is nothing wrong with taking Eurowings if it is the cheapest or best timed option for the route you need to travel on. However, in other cases, I would avoid flying the airline, especially if the flight would be operated by Avion Express Malta.

The post Review: Eurowings (Avion Express Malta) A320 from London to Stuttgart appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading to see what the lounge was like and whether it’s worth a visit on your next trip.

Location & Opening Hours

There are three Plaza Premium Lounges at London Heathrow Airport, one each at terminals 2, 4, and 5.

Like the other two, the one at Terminal 2 is located airside, i.e., after security (there is no departure immigration check in the United Kingdom). The lounge is on the terminal’s fourth floor, near the terminal’s transfer area. It can be found easily by following signs pointing to “Lounge A3.”

It is open daily from 5 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. That covers essentially all departures from Terminal 2, which is used by all Star Alliance members and a number of other airlines.

Entry Requirements

While Plaza Premium lounges were removed from the Priority Pass network at one point, now they are back in. As such, if you have a membership, that is by far the easiest way to get in and it is also how I accessed the lounge free of charge.

Additionally, business class passengers traveling on select airlines including Icelandair are invited into the lounge.

If neither of the above applies to you, you can also pay to use the lounge (either at the reception if there is space or you can pre-book online). The fees are as follows:

• Shower-only (30 minutes): 25 GBP
• Lounge access (2 hours): 47.52 GBP
• Lounge access (6 hours): 75 GBP
• Private resting area (single, 3 hours): 66 GBP
• Private resting area (single, 6 hours): 109.92 GBP
• Private resting area (double, 6 hours): 165 GBP

It’s worth noting that officially, Priority Pass members are limited to a stay of up to two hours. I am not sure to what extent that is or is not enforced, though.

Children under the age of two can use the lounge for free.

Layout, Seating & Other Facilities

Entering the lounge past the reception, there was a staffed bar (with paid drinks but more about that later).

In addition to the bar counter, there were a square sofa in the middle and a couple of coffee tables around the edges of the room.

Passing through the bar area, there was one of the lounge’s lounging areas.

In addition to rows of sofa chairs (some enclosed with large privacy partitions), there was also a pair of counters.

There was plenty of power outlets throughout this area, as well as another lounging area on the other side of the lounge.

Next to the area above was the lounge’s dining area equipped with tables for two. At the time of my visit in the early afternoon, more or less all of the seats were taken (and the lounge was very crowded overall).

The buffet was spread across an island counter and a counter along the wall.

In the very back of the lounge was one more lounging area with sofa chairs. Some of the furniture in this area, as well as in other parts of the lounge, was quite worn.

There were also some relatively private workspaces.

In addition to the above, there were also some roped off seating areas. While it was not clear who it was for, presumably it was reserved for passengers accessing the lounge when flying in business class on an airline that uses the lounge as its designated lounge.

One last thing worth mentioning here is that while there were portable air conditioners in multiple places across the lounge, it was still extremely hot in there for most of my stay, only getting cooler later in the day when a part of the crowd left.

Drinks

Free cold drinks in the lounge included canned soda (Coke, Diet Pepsi, Fanta, and Sprite), dispensers with peach juice, infused water, and water.

Then, there was a pair of espresso machines and a selection of Twinings tea bags. There was also decaf coffee.

Selected alcoholic drinks could be had at the bar for free too. Those included a selection of two red, two white, and one rose wines; gin, vodka, whisky, rum, and Aperol; and draft beer.

Lastly, a wider selection of wines, liquor, and beers, as well as cocktails and premium soft drinks (Red Bull and kombucha) could be had at extra cost.

Food

The Plaza Premium Lounge in Heathrow’s Terminal 2 offered a good selection of dishes.

Starting with cold items, there were a salad bar, bread rolls, and whole fruits.

Hot dishes included pasta, chicken tikka masala, dal tadka, rice, and potatoes. There was also a “summer garden” soup.

While all of the dishes looked appetizing, I did not have a chance to try them as I was still full from eating tacos at the Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen.

Lastly, snacks and desserts included dried apricots, roasted almonds, caramel biscuits, breadsticks, crackers, and chocolate fudge brownies.

While, as mentioned above, I was full, I could not resist having the last of those.

Plaza Premium London Heathrow Terminal 2 Summary

Overall, the Plaza Premium Lounge in Heathrow’s Terminal 2 was an average contract lounge.

The biggest downsides were the insufficient air conditioning and the crowdedness. On the other hand, the buffet selection was respectable and the food quality looked good. …and the brownie was excellent too!

All in all, while the lounge is not worth paying for outright, if you can visit it free of charge, it can be worth a visit for a quick bite or drink. Depending on what you prefer to eat, however, you might want to head to the Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen instead, though.

The post Review: Plaza Premium Lounge (Terminal 2) at London Heathrow Airport appeared first on KN Aviation.

The first of those was Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen, a restaurant where Priority Pass members get a dining credit.

Location & Opening Hours

Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen is located after security check (there is no departure immigration check in the UK) in London Heathrow’s Terminal 2, which is primarily used by Star Alliance airlines and their affiliates like Eurowings. Once you pass the security check, you will need to take an escalator or an elevator one floor down. The restaurant is then on the right side of the central part of the terminal when looking toward the apron.

If you have enough time, you might also be able to use the airport’s airside transfer busses to use the restaurant when departing from other terminals. That said, I have not tried it and am not certain whether or not you will be able to take the bus without a boarding pass from Terminal 2.

Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen is open every day from 6AM until the departure of the last flight of the day. That covers all but the earliest (like 6AM flights to Vienna and Zurich) departures out of Terminal 2.

Using Priority Pass at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen

Eligible Priority Pass and LoungeKey members dining at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen get an 18 GBP discount off their bill. For bills under 18 GBP that means dining (or drinking) for free while for bills over that amount, you will have to pay the difference. Those who got their Priority Pass membership through select credit cards are not eligible for the discount.

Guests of Priority Pass members get an 18 GBP credit too.

As such, for example, if you go with one guests, the two of you will be able to get a 36 GBP discount off your bill. Before doing so, make sure that you have free guesting privileges or that guesting costs you less than the discount.

Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen Menu

Depending on the time you visit Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen, you will either be able to choose from their breakfast menu or lunch/dinner menu.

In the case of the former, they offer a wide variety of options ranging from lighter items like granola through egg-based dishes all the way to a full English Breakfast. Essentially all breakfast options are within the 18 GBP credit and some even leave enough spare room for complimentary coffee, tea, or juice.

The main dining menu offers a variety of starters like tacos and chicken tenders, as well as mains ranging from fish and chips through burgers all the way to steaks. Most of the items are either within or just over the 18 GBP credit with, unsurprisingly, steaks being the main exception.

A variety of beers, wines, and other drinks is available as well.

Given that the menu changed slightly just a few days after my visit, rather than trying to list everything here, head to the restaurant’s website to see their latest menus.

My Experience at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen

A good portion of both regular table and bar seats at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen was occupied when I got there around 12:30PM. That said, I was still seated and ready to order in no time.

While the restaurant’s regular customers can order online by scanning a QR code available at each table, those using Priority Pass need to place their order with one of the staff members. Given that they were quite busy serving dishes and drinks to those that ordered online, getting the attention of one of the waiters or waitresses took a bit.

Nonetheless, once I managed to do so, I ordered tacos (14 GBP for three) and Fever-Tree elderflower tonic water, which added up to just under 18 GBP. I went with the chicken tacos, which were filling. Since then, the menu appears to have changed with tacos coming in pairs for 9.95 GBP and there only being a choice of beef brisket, pulled pork, and mushroom.

Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen Summary

There are two Priority Pass options in London Heathrow’s Terminal 2 – this restaurant and a Plaza Premium Lounge. In my case, I stopped by the restaurant for lunch before heading to the lounge.

While the food in the lounge looked good as well, if you have the time to do so, you might still want to stop by Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen if your Priority Pass membership allows you to do so. You will not only be able to choose from a good range of restaurant-quality food and drinks but also enjoy the meal in an arguably nicer environment than the lounge, which was quite crowded for a good part of my visit.

The post Review: Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen (Priority Pass Restaurant) at London Heathrow Airport appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading this review to see what the economy class flight was like. While Air China has switched the aircraft type on the route to the A350-900 since then, this review should still give you a good idea of what the service on your flight will be like if you are flying to London or what your aircraft will be like if you are flying somewhere else on the A330-300.

Transfer, Lounge & Boarding at Beijing Capital Airport

After arriving in Beijing from Jeju on an Air China 737-800, I followed the transfer signs, which ended up leading me, as well as a few other passengers to a dead end. As such, we made a U-turn and headed back, finally finding the actual transfer area.

From there on, things were smooth – I had my boarding pass stamped twice (a couple of meters apart…), went through a security check (where I had to take out all my camera gear), and then found myself in Terminal 3E’s departure area.

As I still had a couple of hours until my flight to London, scheduled to depart at 2:30AM, would depart, I took some aircraft photos before heading to the Air China Business Class Lounge for a quick shower and a bite to eat.

I left the lounge around 1:45AM and headed to gate E14.

Outside, an Airbus A330-300 registered B-8385 was being prepared for the flight. Having been delivered to Air China brand new in August 2017, the aircraft was just seven years old.

Boarding started at 1:52AM and, being a Star Alliance Gold member, I was able to be among the first onboard despite flying in economy class.

At the end of the jetway, China Daily and a newspaper in Chinese were available for passengers to take.

Air China A330-300 Economy Class Cabin & Seat

Air China operates A330-300s in two different configurations – an older configuration with 311 seats and a newer configuration with 301 seats. The aircraft operating my flight to London was in the latter configuration.

It was equipped with 30 full-flat business class seats in a 2-2-2 layout and 271 economy class seats in a 2-4-2 layout. The first two economy class rows were marketed as “premium economy” but were simply economy class seats with more legroom than the remaining rows.

There were no individual air vents on the overhead panels.

The seats offered decent legroom and lacked an in-flight entertainment box which would take away valuable leg space.

Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the seats were equipped with leg rests, something that is a rarity nowadays.

The seatback in front housed a relatively small and low-resolution in-flight entertainment screen, a literature compartment, a small seat pocket, a coat hook, and a tray table which could be folded in half and or used as a cup holder.

While the seats lacked USB charging ports, there were shared (i.e. one per window-side seat pair and three per middle section group of four seats) universal power outlets under the seats.

Air China Flight 851 Departure

Upon boarding, a decent-size pillow and a blanket were waiting on each seat and headphones were placed in each seat pocket.

At 2:18AM, we were welcomed onboard by the captain who also mentioned that our flight time would be 10 hours and 20 minutes.

By continuing to fly over Russian airspace, Chinese airlines are able to offer considerably shorter flight times than their Western counterparts. While there is no non-Chinese airline currently connecting Beijing and London, in the case of Shanghai, for example, China Eastern’s flights take approximately 11.5 to 12 hours while British Airways’ and Virgin Atlantic’s flights take over 13 to 13.5 hours.

Having fallen asleep shortly after boarding, I am not sure when exactly we were pushed back. However, we started taxiing toward runway 36R at 2:39AM and took off 10 minutes later.

Air China Long-Haul Economy Class Late Night Light Meal

About 45 minutes after take-off, a late night light meal service, which ended up dragging on until after 4AM, started.

First, drinks were served. I was pleased to receive a full can of Coke Zero rather than a half empty cup as is often the case on some airlines nowadays. About 20 minutes after I was served the drink, I was served a small tray with a tune and cheese sandwich, a packaged muffin, and a cup of water.

While the meal was nothing to write home about, it was just the right size given the late night (or early morning?) departure.

About 10 minutes after the meal was served, the crew passed through the cabin again, offering both hot and cold drinks.

Another 20 minutes or so later, just under two hours after take-off, the trays and trash were collected.

Air China A330-300 In-Flight Entertainment System

In-flight entertainment on the Air China A330-300 was available both through the in-seat screen, as well as through streaming via the aircraft’s wi-fi network. There were some differences in the content selection available on the two.

As mentioned earlier, a (decent for economy class) pair of headphones was available in the seat pocket upon boarding.

The in-seat entertainment system was available in English, Chinese, and French, and mainly controllable through the touchscreen.

It offered a selection of dozens of movies (both non-Chinese, presumably modified to one extent or another, and Chinese). There were also a few TV shows, each with a couple of episodes, as well as a variety of documentaries about nature. Music selection primarily consisted of classical music, Chinese pop, and folk.

There was one game – Do Di Zhu, a Chinese card game.

Prior to each movie, a commercial that could be fast-forwarded through was played.

In addition to entertainment, the personal screen also offered access to an in-flight map and flight information screen.

The map was fully controllable (i.e. one could zoom in and out, go to different places on the map, change the views, etc.).

Air China A330-300 Onboard Wi-Fi

While, as mentioned above, there was a wi-fi network onboard the aircraft which allowed passengers to stream entertainment, the Air China A330-300 was not equipped with internet connectivity.

Cruising Onboard an Air China A330-300

Given that the flight departed Beijing after 2AM and landed in London around 6AM, I spent most of my time onboard sleeping (luckily, I sleep well on planes, even in economy class).

That said, at some point, I paid a visit to one of the aircraft’s lavatories, which was kept fairly clean. In addition to soap, there was also body lotion.

It is also worth noting that throughout the night, the cabin crew regularly passed through the cabin offering water.

Air China Long-Haul Economy Class Breakfast

The cabin lights were switched back on around 3:15AM London time, just as we entered the Finnish airspace. At that point, we had about three hours to go until landing.

Fifteen minutes later, the breakfast service started with a drink run.

Shortly after, an announcement was made that breakfast would be offered and that there were two choices: Chinese beef porridge and omelet with potatoes. I received my breakfast around 4AM, about 45 minutes after the cabin lights were switched on.

I went with the latter option, which was just fine. In addition to the omelet and potatoes, a sausage was also part of the main. Additionally, there was a packaged croissant and some cut watermelon.

Interestingly, my neighbor opted for the former, however, after seeing the meal, regretted her decision and ended up switching her meal with the passenger sitting to her right.

About 15 minutes after the meal was served, the cabin crew went through the cabin offering drinks.

The trays were cleared about 35 minutes after the meal was served.

Arrival at London Gatwick Airport

Around 5:25AM, just as we were flying along the German coast, the cabin crew made an announcement saying we would be landing in about an hour and that onboard service would be ending in 10 minutes.

At 5:50AM, the pilots asked the cabin crew to take seats for landing, and at 6:13AM, we landed on London Gatwick’s runway 26L.

We reached our parking spot at the airport’s North Terminal at 6:27AM, eight minutes ahead of our 6:35AM scheduled time of arrival.

Going through immigration was a breeze given that Japanese passport holders can use the automated gates and in no time, I found myself waiting for a bus to London Heathrow where the next flight of my trip was departing from.

Air China A330-300 Economy Class Summary

If you are looking for an airline offering great, above average service, then Air China is not the airline for you. However, if you are looking to get from East Asia to Europe or vice versa comfortably enough, quickly, and cheaply then it is a great option.

Especially so given that on most of the airline’s flights to Europe (now including the Gatwick flight) you get to fly on Air China’s newer aircraft including its A350s and 787s for an enhanced onboard experience compared to my flight.

The post Review: Air China A330-300 Economy Class from Beijing to London Gatwick appeared first on KN Aviation.

Continue reading this review to see what the lounge was like and whether it’s worth a visit on your next layover in Beijing.

Location & Opening Hours

Air China operates multiple lounges in Terminal 3, its home at Beijing Capital Airport. The one I visited was in Terminal 3E, which the airline uses for its international flights.

The lounge can be found in the central part of the terminal, on its right side when looking from the security check. Being located one floor above the main departures level, the lounge can be accessible using a set of well-marked escalators.

Air China’s website lists the lounge’s opening hours as “3:30-2:00+,” presumably meaning the lounge is open until the last departure of the day. I visited the lounge in the middle of the night, prior to my 2:30AM flight to London Gatwick. The last flight that day was a 3:15AM departure to Budapest, which was followed by 7:25AM departure to Hong Kong.

Entry Requirements

The Air China Business Class Lounge in Beijing Capital Airport’s Terminal 3 follows the standard Star Alliance lounge access rules.

It can be used by passengers departing on Air China and other Star Alliance airlines in business or first class. It can also be used by Star Alliance Gold members along with one guest departing on the same Star Alliance flight. In my case, I was traveling on Air China in economy class and could access the lounge using my Star Alliance Gold status.

Additionally, selected other airlines including Air Macau, Finnair, and China Airlines also invite their eligible passengers into the Air China lounge.

Lastly, both this lounge and the Air China First Class Lounge are part of the Priority Pass network.

Layout, Seating & Other Facilities

Upon entering the lounge, I was welcomed at the reception by a friendly agent.

In addition to scanning my boarding pass to let me in, he also showed me my departure gate on a map, mentioned how long it would take to get there, and noted down the time I needed to leave the lounge on my boarding pass.

Across from the reception desk were also some baggage storage lockers.

The lounge itself consisted of a variety of seating mostly spread across fairly narrow passages around the reception/staff area located in the middle of the lounge. Part of the lounge offered views of the terminal below, as well as of aircraft.

Seating mostly consisted of groups of sofa chairs arranged around coffee tables and of dining tables.

There were also a few bar chairs around a staffed bar counter located in the back of the lounge.

In addition to the bar, there were also a couple of drinks and snacks stations, as well as a full-fledged buffet.

During my stay, I also had a chance to use on of the lounge’s shower rooms. The shower lounges were on a floor below the lounge’s main floor and could be accessed by an elevator inside the lounge.

In addition to a walk-in shower, the room was also equipped with a toilet, a sink, an ottoman, and even a diaper changing table.

Towels, as well as amenities including a dental kit, a shaving kit, and a comb in addition to the standard shampoo and body soap were provided. There were also a perfume and a moisturizer.

Unfortunately, many of the seats in the lounge lacked access to power outlets and at the time of my visit, the lounge was fairly crowded. It would also have been nice if the lounge had a section for those wanting to get some work done in peace.

Drinks

With there being multiple drinks and snacks stations, a staffed bar, and a proper buffet area, there was no shortage of drinks in the Air China Business Class Lounge in Beijing’s Terminal 3E.

In the self-service areas, there were cans of soda and beer, small boxes of milk, and bottled water. There were also orange and apple juice dispensers.

Wine and other alcoholic drinks, coffee, hot chocolate, hot milk, and rose milk tea were available from the bar.

Lastly, both coffee and a selection of teas was available from the self-service areas.

Food

A variety of packaged snacks, as well as whole fruits, cut fruits, yogurts, and sandwiches could be found at the lounge’s drinks and snacks stations.

Additionally, in the buffet area, there were a selection of dim sum, porridge, and wonton soup.

Presumably (at least judging based on my daytime visit to the lounge a few years ago), the selection of hot food is greater during the day compared to when I visited the lounge after midnight.

There were also oats, a selection of bread, and a selection of instant cup noodles in the buffet area.

Air China Business Class Lounge Beijing Capital Terminal 3E Summary

Overall, the Air China Business Class Lounge was an OK place to visit for a quick bite to eat and to have something to drink. Both the selection of food (especially given the time) and drinks were decent.

That said, with the lounge being crowded to the point where basically no sofa chairs were available and only a couple of dining tables being available, it wasn’t the most comfortable place to wait for one’s flight. While the case might be different during the day, in the middle of the night, I would say the fairly deserted gate areas were much more pleasant to wait in than the crowded lounge.

The post Review: Air China Business Class Lounge (Terminal 3E) at Beijing Capital Airport appeared first on KN Aviation.