Round The World and other travels

Flight Log 2 : LX317

London Heathrow (LHR) - Zurich (ZRH)

The six-row Business Class cabin was already busy when I boarded and I had to go back to Row 3 to find space for my hand baggage in one of the overhead lockers. Everyone was on board by shortly after 0845 and, as the Captain announced an expected flight time of 1hr 15mins, I thought that we were looking good for a prompt getaway. The safety demonstration took place at the gate and meanwhile we waited ... and waited. There was finally an announcement from the flight deck at 0908 to the effect that we had been allocated a departure slot of 0925 and would therefore be pushing back within the next couple of minutes. I couldn't help noting the contrast with a few weeks previously, at the start of my Madrid / Beijing trip, when the same flight sat blocking Runway 27L for several minutes, causing inconvenience to no-one at strike-hit Heathrow. From that point on, thankfully, the departure went to plan.

After take-off, we turned left and flew south for a while, before re-positioning to a more south-easterly path high above London Gatwick. Cabin service started from the rear as we approached the south coast of England, the hot breakfast looking very similar to that offered a few weeks previously, except that the potato content on this occasion was more recognisable as a Swiss-style Rösti. As before, special mention must be given to the scrambled egg for its lovely, rich, buttery consistency - absolutely scrummy! I drank apple juice and coffee, deciding to steer clear of the Champers as I had a rental car waiting for me in Milan. Swiss chocolates were offered once the trays were cleared away.

There was a further announcement from the flight deck at 1110 to the effect that we were directly over Luxembourg and that our remaining flight path would be via Basel. Arrival in Zurich was expected at 1140, a prediction that in the event proved somewhat optimistic. It had been a pleasant enough flight, but all that I could think about as I left the aircraft were the rapidly diminshing chances of making my connection to Milan.

Home | Major Trips | Short Trips | About this site | Index