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SWISS Flight Declares Emergency After Departure Zurich-Berlin

by Len Varley July 26, 2024

written by Len Varley

A SWISS A220 operating from Zurich to Berlin has declared an emergency shortly after departure and is returning to Zurich.

SWISS flight LX974 declared an emergency with transponder code 7700 during the initial departure from Zurich.

Flight track of SWISS LX974 from Zurich to Berlin, showing return to Zurich (ZRH)

SWISS flight LX974 had made a scheduled departure out of Zurich Airport (ZRH) this morning.

The flight was still in the departure and climbing through FL200 (20,000 feet) when flight crew squawked transponder code 7700.

Upon declaring the emergency, a direct return to the origin airport was negotiated.

Landed Zurich (ZUR)

Flight LX974 has now landed Zurich Airport, having made a return shortly after its initial departure.

The nature of the problem prompting the early return is not yet known.

Flight Details

Flight data shows that SWISS flight LX974 made an on-time departure out of Zurich Airport at 07:41 local time this morning.

The flight was setting course normally and was still on initial climb when the emergency was declared.

Flight crew terminated the climb at FL200 and an immediate descent and return was initiated.

A SWISS A220 approaching to land. — Malokkii, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The aircraft conducting this morning’s service to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) was an Airbus A220-200, registered HB-JCP.

This is a 6.1 year old narrowbody aircraft belonging to the carrier SWISS Airlines. It has been in operational service with the airline since its initial delivery from the factory in August 2018.

SWISS is the national airline of Switzerland and a prominent member of the Lufthansa Group. It operates from hubs in Zurich and Geneva.

UPDATE #1 – As per The Aviation Herald, it is understood the cause of today’s emergency was due to fumes onboard the aircraft.

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July 26, 2024 0 comment

Earlier this morning, a Scoot Boeing 787 from Singapore to Berlin via Athens made a u-turn back to the Greek airport.

Incident

Scoot Boeing 787 From Singapore To Berlin U-Turns to Athens

by James Field July 19, 2024

written by James Field

Earlier this morning, a Scoot Boeing 787 from Singapore to Berlin via Athens made a u-turn back to the Greek airport.

Information is very limited surrounding this incident, but below is what we know on this so far.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Scoot Flight TR720 – Singapore to Berlin via Athens…

Scoot flight TR720, which made the u-turn this morning, is a routine scheduled flight between Singapore and Berlin via Athens.

The aircraft was conducting the second part of the overall flight from the Greek airport.

Furthermore, it is understood the aircraft involved in the incident is 9V-OFN.

As per data from Planespotters.net, 9V-OFN is a 0.8 year old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that was delivered to the airline in November 2023.

Of the 787-8 variant, Scoot has 11 of them in their fleet, and all of them are in active service.

Average fleet age for the variant at the Singaporean carrier stands at 7.3 years.

As well as the 787-8, Scoot has the following other aircraft in their mainline fleet:

22 Airbus A320 aircraft.
9 Airbus A321 aircraft.
10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
2 Embraer E190-E2s.

Scoot flight TR720 from Singapore departed Athens at 0836 local time this morning and climbed out towards Berlin.

Over Hungary, the aircraft made a u-turn and proceeded to return to the Greek airport.

The aircraft landed safely without further incident at 1120 local time this morning.

Cause is Unknown & Aircraft Still Grounded…

MarcelX42, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At this stage, it is unclear why Scoot flight TR720 from Singapore to Berlin made the u-turn back to Athens.

Furthermore, it is also unclear whether it’s relevant to this morning’s system outage at Microsoft.

Data from RadarBox shows that the aircraft is still on the ground following the u-turn this morning.

There is the possibility that the flight to Berlin may have been cancelled, with the next scheduled flight expected to be Scoot flight TR721 back to Singapore from Athens.

Fifth Freedom Flights…

Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For those that may be wondering, the TR720/721 rotations with Scoot are fifth freedom flights.

This enables a carrier to operate certain flights between two countries that are different from the home base of the airline operating the flight.

These types of routes are allowed by aviation regulators as long as at least one segment of the flight begins or ends in the airline’s home country.

For Scoot, this will be Singapore, and highlights why they can operate fifth freedom to Berlin via Athens.

As soon as we have more information into the reason for the u-turn, then we will update you accordingly.

For now, this remains a developing story pending additional updates.

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July 19, 2024 0 comment

Emergency

Eurowings Flight Bound for Manchester With EUROS 2024 Fans Onboard Makes Emergency Landing in Berlin

by James Field July 15, 2024

written by James Field

Earlier today, a Eurowings flight bound for Manchester with EUROS 2024 fans onboard made an emergency landing in Berlin.

Information has been released pertinent to the incident at hand, which we will get into in this article.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Eurowings Flight EW8470 – Berlin to Manchester…

Eurowings flight EW8470 was a charter flight between Berlin and Manchester, which had England fans onboard who were coming home from the EUROS 2024 final against Spain.

The aircraft involved in the incident was D-AGWF.

As per data from Planespotters.net, D-AGWF is a 17.1 year old Airbus A319 that was delivered to Germanwings in July 2007.

The aircraft was handed over to the Eurowings register in October 2017.

Furthermore, of the Airbus A319 variant, EW has 28 of them in their fleet.

Of that 28, all but two are in active service, with an average fleet age of 15.6 years on the variant.

As well as the A319, Eurowings has the following aircraft in their fleet:

50 Airbus A320 Family aircraft.
11 Airbus A321 Family aircraft.
6 Boeing 737 Family aircraft.

Eurowings flight EW8470 departed Berlin at 0808 local time, and initially climbed out towards Manchester with EUROS 2024 fans onboard.

Not long after departure, the pilots announced that they would have to return, due to a warning light in the cockpit, as per The Aviation Herald.

Not long after that, an odour onboard was observed by passengers and crew.

From there, an emergency was declared, and the aircraft made a safe landing at 0831 local time.

Cause: Odour On Board The Aircraft – EUROS 2024 Fans Not Impressed…

Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Independent reports that passengers were told not take any pictures or videos because the airline “didn’t want to end up on TikTok”.

The passenger said: “Please do not film anything because we don’t want to be on TikTok.”

“Nobody’s got a text, nobody’s got an email, nobody’s had an update on the app – it’s just chaos,”

“It just seems like nobody knows what’s going on – and nobody knows what that smell was too.”

Eventually, Eurowings released a statement pertinent to the emergency landing on EW8470 Berlin-Manchester with the EUROS 2024 fans onboard:

“Flight EW8470 from Berlin to Manchester made an unscheduled return to Berlin this morning due to an undefined odour in the cabin.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to our guests.

“Despite limited capacity due to the high summer vacation volume and the return traffic after yesterday’s European Championship final, we did our utmost to provide our passengers with the fastest possible care.”

As for D-AGWF, the aircraft remains grounded following the incident onboard.

All eyes will be on when the aircraft will return to commercial service.

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July 15, 2024 0 comment

The Lufthansa Group has revealed this week that it's "Yes to Europe" branded aircraft will be on display at ILA Berlin.

Airline

ILA Berlin: Lufthansa “Yes to Europe” Aircraft on Display

by James Field June 5, 2024

written by James Field

The Lufthansa Group has revealed this week that it’s “Yes to Europe” branded aircraft will be on display at ILA Berlin.

The German conglomerate is looking to spread the message as much as possible with these aircraft.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

ILA Berlin Message: “Yes to Europe” Ahead of the Elections…

In their statement, Lufthansa Group said the following on the showcase of these aircraft:

“To mark the start of the Berlin International Airshow (ILA) in Berlin, Lufthansa will be flying its “European aircraft” to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).”

“The Airbus A320 with the slogan “Yes to Europe” will connect the capital’s airport with the Lufthansa hub in Frankfurt thirteen times on 5 and 6 June 2024.”

“Since mid-April, four Lufthansa Group Airlines Airbus A320 have been flying as ambassadors for the European idea.”

“In addition to Lufthansa, the aircraft of Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings also carry the prominent slogan “Yes to Europe” on their fuselage.”

“With this initiative, the Lufthansa Group is sending a visible signal for a united, free, and peaceful Europe and promoting participation in the EU elections.”

When Are The Elections Taking Place?

The European Parliament elections are due to take place between June 6-9, which is this week.

Citizens of the EU will be called on to cast their votes on June 9.

From there, the results will be counted up, where either new MEPs or existing members will be voted in to represent their country at the European Parliament.

Furthermore, encouragement to vote has been high, as MEPs shape and decide on new laws that influence all aspects of lives across the bloc.

Overall…

In conclusion, this week is vital to get the message out regarding the upcoming European Elections.

All eyes will be on what impact the Lufthansa Group will have by getting this message out on their aircraft.

Politically, all eyes will of course be on the outcome of the election, and what impact this could have on the aviation industry.

But for now, let’s see what happens over the course of this week at ILA Berlin.

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June 5, 2024 0 comment

Incident

easyJet Flight Birmingham-Berlin Diverts to Hanover

by Len Varley April 22, 2024

written by Len Varley

And easyJet flight operating from Birmingham to Berlin made an unscheduled diversion to Hanover on 17 April 2024.

EasyJet flight U26621, an Airbus A320 was en route to Berlin when flight crew reported smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft was in the cruise approaching Hanover when the incident occurred.

easyJet U26621 Birmingham-Berlin

The operating crew then made a decision to initiate a precautionary diversion into Hanover. A descent in diversion track was initiated in the aircraft then landed at Hanover airport without incident.

Flight data for the service shows that flight U26621 made an on-time departure out of Birmingham airport at 1813 local time on 17 April.

The flight then set because normally and climbed to the flight level FL390 (39,000 feet) on the easterly route to Germany.

Passing into German airspace, the flight encountered the problem whilst passing through FL370 on descent. Following its arrival in the diversion airport of Hanover, it is understood that emergency services were not necessary.

The technical because of the reported smoke in the cockpit has not been disclosed. It is noted that the subject aircraft made a return to Birmingham approximately 18 hours after the incident.

Airbus A320-200 G-EZOU

The aircraft conducting in the U26621 service to Berlin on 17 April was an Airbus A320-200 registered G-EZOU.

This is an 8.7-year old narrowbody aircraft belonging to the budget carrier easyJet. It is been in service with the airline since August 2015.

Riik@mctr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

easyJet is a British multinational low-cost airline group headquartered at London Luton Airport. It is one of the largest low-cost carriers in Europe.

It operates domestic and international scheduled services on over 900 routes in more than 34 countries. Founded in 1995, easyJet has become a major player in European air travel, especially for short-haul flights.

The airline has a large network of destinations across Europe, including popular holiday destinations like Spain, France, and Italy.

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April 22, 2024 0 comment

Airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport Sees Passenger and Cargo Growth

by James Field April 13, 2024

written by James Field

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is showing signs of recovery as passenger traffic and air cargo volumes continue to climb.

According to preliminary figures released in the airport’s traffic report, March 2024 saw a significant increase in activity compared to both the previous year and pre-pandemic levels.

Passenger Traffic on the Rise at Berlin Brandenburg Airport…

Passenger numbers at Berlin Brandenburg Airport reached approximately 1.92 million in March 2024, reflecting a healthy 15.0% increase compared to March 2023 (around 1.67 million passengers).

This positive trend indicates a growing demand for air travel through Berlin.

The busiest day for passenger traffic was March 15th, with the airport handling a staggering 75,921 passengers.

While passenger numbers haven’t yet reached pre-pandemic levels – in March 2019, the combined Tegel and Schönefeld airports handled 2.93 million passengers – the current growth trajectory suggests a promising future for BER.

Aircraft Movements Show Steady Increase

The number of aircraft movements at BER also saw a positive uptick in March 2024.

With 14,636 aircraft recorded, this represents a 10.8% increase compared to March 2023 (13,212 movements).

This growth indicates a busier airport with a higher frequency of takeoffs and landings.

However, similar to passenger traffic, aircraft movements haven’t fully recovered from pre-pandemic levels.

In March 2019, Tegel and Schönefeld airports combined to handle a significantly higher volume of 24,253 aircraft movements.

Air Cargo Volumes Continue to Impress

Photo Credit: Berlin Brandenburg Airport.

Air cargo continues to be a bright spot for BER, with March 2024 witnessing a remarkable 24.2% increase in cargo volume compared to the same month in 2023.

This translates to approximately 3,529 tonnes of air freight handled at the airport.

While pre-pandemic cargo volumes were even higher (2,787 tonnes handled at Tegel and Schönefeld in March 2019), the year-over-year growth in 2024 indicates a strong and potentially expanding air cargo market served by BER.

Overall, the March 2024 traffic report paints a picture of a Berlin Brandenburg Airport on the rise.

Passenger traffic, aircraft movements, and air cargo volumes are all trending upwards, suggesting a positive outlook for the airport’s future.

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April 13, 2024 0 comment

Airline

Ryanair Expands Berlin Offering With More Flights

by Jamie Clarke April 7, 2024

written by Jamie Clarke

Berlin Airport has announced this week that Ryanair will be expanding its offering of destinations from the German capital.

This article will cover the details surrounding Ryanair’s latest flight expansions out of Berlin in Germany.

Ryanair’s Berlin Expansion

In a bid to increase passenger numbers and its competition out of Berlin, Ryanair will be adding six new destinations this summer. Not only will the carrier be adding six new destinations, they will also be increasing frequencies across other existing routes.

This six new destinations will be on-top of Ryanair’s offering out of Berlin, increasing their destination count from 47 to 53.

Furthermore, the six new destinations out of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) are as follows –

Firstly, Birmingham Airport (BHX) in the Midlands, United Kingdom. This route runs two times weekly, specifically on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Secondly, Castellon Costa Azahar Airport (CDT) on the east coast of Spain, just north of Valencia. This route runs two times weekly, specifically on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Thirdly, Dubrovnik Rudjer Boskovic Airport (DBV) on the south coast of Croatia. This route is operated twice per week on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Fourthly, Kaunas Airport (KUN) in Lithuania. This route is operated three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Fifth, Reggio Calabria Airport (REG) on the south coast of Italy. This route is operated twice per week on Thursdays and Sundays.
Sixth, Trieste Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport (TRS) on the north-east coast of Italy. This route will be operated twice per week on Tuesdays and Sundays.

After the six new destinations above, Ryanair will be increasing frequencies on the following routes –

Chania International Airport (CHQ) on the Greek island of Crete.
Manchester Airport (MAN) in the United Kingdom.
Tallinn Lennart Meri Airport (TLL) in Estonia.

The Fleet…

In total, these routes will be serviced by a combination of Ryanair’s Boeing 737-800NGs (Next Generation) equipped with 189 seats. As well as, their Boeing 737 MAX 8 200s have 197 seats.

Additionally, across its entire group, the ULCC (ultra low-cost carrier) operates the following fleet –

One Boeing 737-700.
410 Boeing 737-800s.
147 Boeing 737 MAX 8 200s.
27 Airbus A320s.

Senior Comments

Lastly, commenting on the expansion from Ryanair at Berlin, Chief Executive Officer Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH, Aletta von Massenbach, says, “Ryanair is an important partner for us. As the largest airline at BER, Ryanair is continuously expanding its range of flights. We are looking forward to more new and attractive destinations for our passengers. Ryanair will be flying to 53 destinations from BER this summer.”

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April 7, 2024 0 comment

Airline

flynas Announces New Jeddah-Berlin Flights at ITB

by James Field March 6, 2024

written by James Field

flynas has this week at ITB announced plans to operate new flights between Jeddah and Berlin.

The Saudi Arabian carrier has taken the event this week to unveil the special news, as international growth continues.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

Information About The New Jeddah-Berlin Flights…

Beginning on September 4, flynas will begin new flights between Jeddah and Berlin on a thrice-weekly basis.

The airline has said such a decision is based on the Saudi National Aviation Strategy goals.

Such goals targets 330 million passengers and the attraction of 150 million tourists by 2030.

Bander Almohanna, the CEO and Managing Director of flynas had this to say:

“Incorporating Berlin into our international network underscores flynas’ growing presence in Europe and solidifies our position as leaders in the global low-cost aviation sector.”

“We are committed to offering more economical options for passengers seeking direct routes between the Kingdom and European destinations, in alignment with our partnership with ACP and the national ambition to establish the Kingdom as a premier global travel and tourism hub.”

Majid Khan, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program for Saudi Arabia added to this saying:

“We are excited about the launch of this new route between Berlin and Jeddah, as we work towards catering to the growing tourism demand from Europe.”

“This added route with Germany through flynas reflects our commitment to enhanced connectivity and a robust air connectivity ecosystem.”

“We look forward to working with our domestic and international partners in opening new routes and offering European travelers more options to discover the wonders of Saudi Arabia.”

Growth on the International Stage…

flynas has been making waves on the international stage over the last six months, with some notable achievements.

Away from the new Jeddah-Berlin flights, the airline has launched services to Asmara in Eritrea.

On top of this, in Europe, the airline has also inaugurated flights between Jeddah and Brussels as well.

Other international expansions of note have been into the likes of Mumbai as well as others.

All of this has been made possible thanks to the strong 2023 the airline has had not just in the Middle East, but beyond.

Overall…

Anna Zvereva, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As mentioned in previous analyses, flynas is an airline to keep an eye on throughout 2024.

As well as the Jeddah-Berlin flights announced, the Saudi Arabian carrier has been growing at a very fast pace.

All eyes will of course be on whether more expansion will be announced over the course of this year.

This is of course expected, especially with the bold and ambitious plans the Kingdom has for air travel and tourism going into the future.

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March 6, 2024 0 comment

Emirates display stand at ITB Berlin travel trade show.

Airline

Emirates returns to ITB Berlin 2024

by Len Varley February 27, 2024

written by Len Varley

Emirates (EK), the world’s largest international airline, is making a grand return to ITB Berlin from March 5th to 7th.

The airline plans to showcase its latest innovations and reaffirm its commitment to Europe’s leading travel trade show.

ITB Berlin 2024

This year promises to be a showcase of innovation, collaboration, and a renewed commitment to the travel industry’s leading trade show in Europe.

Emirates is gearing up for a series of exciting announcements, aiming to strengthen its existing partnerships and forge new alliances with local and regional travel players.

This collaborative spirit focuses on enhancing connectivity for travelers in two key areas:

Air carriers: Joining forces with other airlines to create a seamless network of connections between major European hubs.
Travel and tourism entities: Working together to promote travel to and from Europe through joint marketing initiatives and other trade collaborations.

Emirates Offerings

Visitors to the Emirates stand will be in for a treat. The airline will unveil a captivating array of its latest offerings, including:

The highly-anticipated Emirates Premium Economy seat: This award-winning product, making its German debut, offers exceptional comfort and convenience on popular routes like New York, Los Angeles, and London Heathrow.

Passengers can experience this innovative seat and see why it’s already won multiple accolades.

The iconic Boeing 777-300ER First Class suite: Witness the epitome of luxury and privacy with this fully enclosed private suite, making its first appearance at ITB Berlin. This experience promises to redefine the concept of first-class travel.
A comprehensive showcase of onboard products: Dive into the world of Emirates’ complete in-flight experience.

Explore the comfortable Business Class seat, the latest iteration of the A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, and the spacious Economy Class seating.

Sustainability remains a core focus for Emirates. The airline will showcase its commitment to environmental responsibility through:

Onboard items: Discover how Emirates utilizes responsibly sourced materials in their in-flight products.
Unique “Air-crafted by Emirates” collection: Witness firsthand this innovative line of luggage, bags, and accessories made from upcycled materials retrieved from retired A380 aircraft.

The Emirates stand, is designed to accommodate up to 200 visitors at a time. Boasting four dedicated meeting spaces, it will facilitate productive interaction between industry members.

Emirates and Europe: A Continued Partnership

Since 1987, Emirates has played a vital role in fostering tourism, economic development, and job creation across Europe.

Their commitment continues to grow, as evidenced by their extensive network of 39 destinations in 22 European countries. This offers seamless connections to over 400 additional points through strategic partnerships with 51 travel partners.

ITB Berlin presents a golden opportunity for Emirates to further strengthen its European network and collaborate with regional tourism bodies.

Over the past year alone, Emirates has facilitated travel for over 17.2 million passengers. The carrier has airlifted passengers between Dubai and various European destinations.

Witness the unveiling of their impressive new 480-square-metre, two-story stand located in Hall 2.2, stand number 101.

ITB Berlin 2024 is a chance to experience the future of travel with Emirates and become part of their journey towards a connected and sustainable world.

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February 27, 2024 0 comment

Analysis

Trip Report: Bengaluru to Berlin with Air France

by AviationSource January 13, 2024

written by AviationSource

After having reviewed almost every domestic airline in the country, it was time for me to check out the international carriers for my upcoming trip from Bengaluru to Berlin. With a travel plan to Berlin, Germany, I decided to try out some reputed European carriers.

While I browsed through the air fare and extra baggage allowance, Air France came out as a good choice for me, with one-stop option to BER and cheap extra baggage price (Flying Blue members get additional discounts).

Though Vistara was providing extra baggage (under student’s fare), I did not choose it, as I would have to fly via Delhi only until Frankfurt. From there, I would have to take a train to Berlin.

Want to know how my experience was with Air France? Sit back enjoy this detailed review on-board Air France A330-200 & Airbus A220: Bengaluru to Berlin via Paris.

Air France: Bengaluru to Berlin via Paris

Flight Details

Flight Number – AF 191 (BLR-CDP), AF 1234 (CDP-BER)
Departure Airport – Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru)
Arrival Airport –Berlin Airport via Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport
Registration – F-GZCG, 21.2 Years old and F-HZUU, 0.8 years old during the time of flight.
Aircraft Type –Airbus A330-200 & Airbus A220-300.

Pre-Check-in Experience

I was able to pre-select my seats without paying anything extra – the Airbus A330 comes in 2- 4 -2 configuration whereas the A220 comes in 2-3 configuration.

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The application was very user friendly and easy to navigate. Though I couldn’t get my boarding card after completing check-in (I think that had something to do with the type of Visa I held), I was now all set to start my new journey!

Arrival at Bengaluru Airport

All international departures fly out of the new T2 terminal which has won many awards for its marvelous infrastructure.

Check-in at Bengaluru Airport

I headed towards my check-in, where I found out that my check-in baggage was 2.4 kg overweight. I thought I could pay for their additional weight and take it, but for some reason Air France has a policy which states even if you are 1kg overweight you have to end up paying for the entire 23 kg.

This costs around 150 USD, which for me personally felt a little bit unfair! But at end of the day, it is what it is, I decided to just remove some stuff from the bag!

Security Check at Bengaluru Airport

Security check at Bengaluru airport has always been well organized and with the help of DigiYatra the process was efficient, so in roughly about 5 minutes I had cleared security and Immigration check and was headed towards the gate.

The 080 Lounge Bengaluru Airport

The 080 lounge at Bengaluru airport’s T1 was one the best lounges in the country, I was excited to check out the 080 lounge at international departures in T2.

Currently in India the lounges are usually overcrowded, at time people end up waiting up to an hour just to enter the lounge!

This is mainly due to how many debit/credit cards in India are offering lounge access to most of their card holders. Not only premium cards, but many banks currently offer lounge in their entry level card as well!

I was expecting something same outside the lounge at T2 as well, but surprisingly many cards did not offer lounge service when it comes to the international side of the airport!

Thanks to this I was able to use my IndusInd Privilege debit card to access the lounge. Once again, the 080 lounge met my expectations, though the food options were limited.

There were plenty of seating spots, just like other premium lounges outside India, this lounge offered complimentary shower facilities to all its users. It was clean and well stocked up with basic amenities, after a quick shower there I headed to have some food and rest.

Boarding Experience

My flight was delayed by almost 40 minutes or so, I was running with mixed emotion of leaving my friends and family behind and moving towards something new!

This time I wasn’t annoyed by the delay in flight as somewhere a part of me wanted to stay back! Eventually the boarding started, and soon enough I was on-board the Airbus A330-200!

The Seat

Air France A330-200 comes in three class configuration which consist of Business class, Premium Economy, and Economy.

The economy class comes in 2-4-2 configuration, and I was seated on 38A, the seat looked fresh and there was a pillow and bedsheet waiting, alongside a not so good quality earphone!

The leg room was quite good for a 10-hour flight – my height is 5’11” and I did not face any discomfort during the duration of the flight.

The adjustable headrest was working fine, and the infotainment system had a good response with no lag! The seat next to me was vacant, which was good news for me as it meant I would have more space to myself during the entire duration of the flight.

The IFE of Air France had good selection of Hollywood and Bollywood movies along with some famous series. What disappointed me was the in-flight Wi-Fi of Air France.

The Wi-Fi was supposed to be free for sending messages on WhatsApp and other messaging applications, but for the first 2-3 hours I wasn’t even able to connect to it, and after that when I was able to connect, it did not work at all or kept getting disconnected, somessages took ages to be sent.

I was surprised by this as some of my colleagues who traveled with Vistara to Frankfurt had a stable Wi-Fi connection free on-board their Dreamliner. The situation was same on their A220 aircraft as well on the second leg!

In-flight Service

Soon after take-off crew started snacks and drinks service, I had already pre-booked Hindu veg meal choice for this flight, we were served some fruits with snacks and Lassi (an Indian drink) the crew did come around with alcoholic beverages as well.

After this service, the lights were turned down for the passengers to settle in and sleep. The earphones were of poor quality, as even on the highest volume one could still not get the audio output properly.

There was a snack service kept at the galley for passengers who wanted to grab a quick bite, and they had some veg and non-veg sandwich options along with some chocolates and choices of beverages.

An hour or so before landing the crew served the only meal of the flight – I was super hungry by now and was looking forward for their meal.

As I had pre-selected the vegetarian option I was served before the other passengers, but I was left disappointed by both the taste and quantity.

I have flown various domestic sectors with country with Air India and Vistara, who serve a better meal on domestic flights than this one.

Arrival in Paris

We arrived at Paris Airport after a delay of almost an hour or so, which meant I had already missed my connecting flight to Berlin.

After landing I had received an email from Air France stating that I have been rebooked on an alternative Berlin flight which leaves almost four and a half hours from now, and to compensate for this delay the airline offered me an 11 Euro voucher. By this time, I was exhausted, disappointed and hungry.

With no choice left, I went towards the Air France counters soon after arrival, where after waiting for almost 40 minutes the agent simply scanned the passport and handed me a voucher – no apology given.

I was definitely expecting more from Air France in terms of customer service!

Conclusion

In my honest opinion, if some would ask me if I would fly Air France again my answer would be a big “No”, especially on routes which are served by other Indian carriers. I would choose them over Air France any day.

The food served for a 10-hour long flight was definitely not sufficient at all, and the way airline handled my delay and rebooking was poor.

There were other flights leaving earlier than the one I was rebooked on, but I was never given an option to choose them.

Air France definitely has a lot of scope to improve when it comes to customer experience and support, and with the Indian airlines upping their game, Air France has to catch up to it.

I have another trip scheduled to fly back to India from Frankfurt and this time it is with Vistara, looking forward to that experience as well, so I can compare their service with Air France.

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January 13, 2024 0 comment

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