Mumbai07 Sep 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from London
About London
London is recognised to be one of the most famous cities in the world, known to be the capital of the United Kingdom. It is also known to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. London is a city that has traversed through time to see history in the making. Much like New York City, London is also recognised as one of the biggest economic, cultural, political, education, finance, healthcare and more. London is also raved to host some of the biggest names in the education business.
Best time to visit London
London is known to be rather dreary with a dull climate that takes up most of the year. However, the spring season in London is lovely and something you'll definitely fancy. March through May are months where the city breathes air under the bright sun sans the clouds. The temperatures are between 10 degree Celsius to 17 degree Celsius, which makes for a perfect vacation. It does manage to grab the attention of potential tourists from within the UK as well as internationally. The late spring and summers in London especially get a lot of tourists. Not to mention how the city also thrives with amazing festivals such as Virgin Money London Marathon, Museums at Night State Opening of Parliament, London Coffee Festival, St Patrick's Day Festival and Parade, to name a few. This time in the city is simply super pleasant and something that many tourists would want to experience. You can further see many gardens and parks blossom while the summer makes its way within the city. Of course, it also comes at a rather harsh cost which will affect your pockets. The hotel prices in London during peak season is just as expensive. Thanks to the humongous crowd that the city witnesses, it is not surprising that the hotels and accommodations also spike up their charges.
Prior booking of hotels in London will help you deal with this conundrum. However, the packed streets and city bustle could be a tad bit annoying. Considering how London is a big city with streets always full of people, it is something you're going to have to adjust with. September to November also sees a considerable number of tourists in the city as the fall weather is just as pristine. The autumn foliage forms quite a scenery that travellers would appreciate. The hotel accommodations are also decently priced. You might even get cheap hotel rooms in London during this time. It is essential that no matter which season you choose to visit London, there is going to be some amount of rain. Basically, you will have to pack in such a way that you are able to show off your winter wardrobe and at the same time protect them from the rainy weather. Rains in London are notorious and have a mind of their own. It often starts showering when you least expect. Hence, an umbrella would be the best companion for you during your London trip.
Places to visit in London
As one of the biggest metropolitan cities in the world, London has far too many tourist attractions within the city. It does house the royals, after all. You can start your trip by checking out the famous British Museum, which is an archaeological treasure trove. You can further go ahead and visit the Tower of London, an important structure in the city. Learn about its historical significance because it is quite interesting. Without a doubt, the Buckingham Palace should be on your list as it is where the royals of the UK live. It is the London home of Queen Elizabeth II and has its gates open for tourists. Westminster Abbey is another beautiful and archaic church which is known for the weddings and coronations of the many royals of the UK. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are posh and relaxed areas in the city where you can visit to relax. While you're here, do not miss the National Gallery, comprising of a labyrinth interior that would certainly intrigue you. The Tower Bridge has found itself in several movies by now and should be on your travel list too.
Things to do in London
The city has far too many places that would attract tourists for shopping. The Camden Market would be a good place to start the excursion. This market caters to over 200 stalls and has everything one looks for in London. The West End Theatre District is an astounding place that is quite the rendition of New York city's recognised Broadway. Several big production houses and artists flock over to put up their shows, and you should witness them all. Piccadilly Circus is another lively part of the city, basically the heart of London, where you can indulge in street shopping or bar hopping. You will be thoroughly entertained by the lights and life of the city. Speaking of which, pub crawls are a big thing that happens in London, something you should totally try as they are fun. Plus, it would be a great way to network with people and return home with some fine memories.
Food and Restaurants in London
London's staple food fish and chips, bangers and mash and mince meat pies. However, over the years, the city has managed to upscale its culinary establishments to encourage a plethora of global cuisine. The city now houses the classic British cuisine and the curry magic from the Indian kitchen. With so many choices to pick from, the city only gets better for a foodie. It is important that you know where you should go when in London. The best way to do that would be to opt for a food tour, which is available in the city. In London, high tea experiences are a big deal, and you should definitely get some of that action. The Langham, London, Claridge or even The Lanesborough, are some establishments that would give you the experience that you seek. Make sure to book prior reservations and dress up for the outing. If you've got enough pounds in your pockets and wish to further explore the upscale dining experience, you can view some of the city's Michelin-starred restaurants in the Clerkenwell neighbourhood. While you're on your food voyage, do not miss St. John, a place recognised for its ability to utilise every part of the meat.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay also has a slew of restaurants and food establishments in the city that you could indulge in. Plus, Jamie Oliver also has his own set of restaurants within the city to upscale your dining experience. Other fancy locations in London include Sketch who have egg pods in place of traditional washroom stalls, The Attendant Cafe, Sushi Samba and Duck & Waffle, to name a few. To indulge in some lovely Indian cuisine, you can visit some of the curry houses located on Brick Lane. UK's pub culture is something you simply cannot miss. It defines the British lifestyle and is also one of the top attractions. You can either go to traditional pubs such as Magners or a little modern like Strongbow.
How to reach London (Transportation)
Flight connectivity to London from India is exemplary. There are regular direct flights as well as connecting flights reserved for London. Since the city witnesses a lot of tourists from India, provisions to service a regular flight to London has been made by various airlines. The best thing about flights to London from India is how they have the option of a direct flight, which reduces the duration of travel. British Airways is one such airline that has nonstop direct flights to London from cities in India, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chennai. Other airlines that fly to London from India are Turkish Airlines, IndiGo, Lufthansa, Emirates, Oman Air, Etihad Airways, Air France, Swiss, KLM Royal Dutch, to name a few. These airlines follow the international routes of the Middle East and Europe to reach London. Hence, their layovers and connecting flights are from cities such as Munich, Amsterdam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Zurich, Muscat, Paris and more. The duration of a layover is not too much, which makes travelling easier, even if there are direct flights to London.
A nonstop flight to London from Mumbai takes approximately nine hours and ten minutes, barring the weather conditions and other delays. Flight tickets to London are quite cheap and affordable. Many airlines begin their flight tickets to London from INR 30,000. There is no major compromise in the flight duration as the maximum it can go up to is 13-14 hours. It is essential that you pick the right airlines to fly to London as the possibility of longer layovers is high. If you manage to get some online flight deals on tickets to London, your budget will further get a nice bonus. In fact, you can use this opportunity to book your hotels in London as well. It is a known fact that London accommodations are exorbitant, as is travelling within the city. To avoid splurging extra on hotel rooms in London, you can make hotel reservations ahead of time along with your flight tickets to London. That way, you will end up saving a major chunk of your money, which can be used to travel more within the city and to purchase loads of souvenirs.
About Swiss International Airlines
Swiss International Air Lines, also popularly known as Swiss or Swiss Air Lines, is the national flag carrier of Switzerland. The airline operates scheduled services across Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. While Zurich Airport serves as the airline's single hub, Geneva Airport is the focus city for Swiss. The airline came into existence in 2002, after Swissair, Switzerland's former flag carrier, filed for bankruptcy. Swiss was built around Swissair's regional subsidiary Crossair. Hence, Swiss International Air Lines continues to retain Crossair's IATA code instead of Swissair's code. The airline is part of the Star Alliance and is also a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. Originally, Swiss wished to be part of the Oneworld airline alliance. However, it was blocked by British Airways to which it played a competition with respect to long-haul routes. However, Swiss decided to go with Star Alliance instead as they didn't wish to integrate with the current frequent flyer program of British Airways' Executive Club. Further on this, Swiss also assumed the relationship to be one-sided with British Airways sapping out all the benefits with nothing left for Swiss.
With the revival of Swiss, the airlines managed to recover half the losses by recording a net profit of USD220 million. Further, the net profit more than doubled with the net profit turning USD570 million in 2007. In 2005, with the birth of the airlines, German-based Lufthansa Group announced that they would be taking over Swiss starting from 11 per cent of stake. Eventually, the operations of Swiss were integrated with Lufthansa's by the second half of 2005. A complete takeover took place in 2007. Following the takeover, Crossair's regional fleet Embraer ERJs and Saabs to Avro RJs that were owned by Swiss Global Air Lines. In 2010, Swiss and Lufthansa were announced in the European Commission investigation due to reports of price-fixing. However, they were not fined as they acted as a whistle-blower. Following the incident, in 2011, Swiss brought forth their new company logo, which resembled the original logo of the Swissair. Initially, Swiss International Air Lines' head office was the same as the head office of Crossair. But it has been moved to Zurich Airport for all operations.
Swiss' headquarters is located at EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg near Basel in Switzerland. Part of the office is at Zurich Airport in Kloten, Switzerland. Some of the subsidiaries of Swiss International Air Lines Group are Edelweiss Air, Swiss AviationSoftware, Swiss Aviation Training, Swiss WorldCargo and SWISStours.
Fleet size of Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines is currently handling a fleet size of 89. The aircraft are majorly Airbus variants with one 12 Boeing 777-300ERs. The highest number of aircraft include 20 Airbus A220-300 and 19 Airbus A320-200. Swiss International Air Lines' regional carrier, Helvetic Airways, majorly operates ten Embraer 190 aircraft on behalf of its parent company. Meanwhile, Adria Airways also operated under Swiss and had two Saab 2000s connecting the Zurich - Lugano route. However, the airline was suspended following them filing for bankruptcy in 2019. For the longest time, Swiss Global Air Lines also operated Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A220-100/300 as part of its fleet. The subsidiary was ceased in 2018 with a view to administer costs and to simplify the fleet structures of Swiss International Air Lines. The airline has brought together the aircraft in its fleet. The aircraft fleet of Swiss International Air Lines has been christened after the local towns and cities since 2007. The names feature on the fuselage of all the aircraft as the cabin interiors have the coat of arms of the town or city.
In 2010, on behalf of Swiss, Lufthansa announced that they would be ordering 48 new aircraft for both the airlines. Later in 2013, the airline ordered six Boeing 777-300ERs. Additionally, in 2015, Swiss confirmed that Lufthansa is ordering three more Boeing 777-300ERs on their behalf. The airline also announced that they would be upgrading their first-class cabins and install eight private suites along with a 32-inch TV, business class seats to be converted into full flatbeds and about 270 economy class seats with a 3-4-3 configuration. Swiss also plans to replace much of their Airbus A340 aircraft with Boeing aircraft.
Meanwhile, five of the A340s will be refurbished and carried by airline. Swiss International Air Lines recently completed refurbishing all the A320s of their fleet with newer interiors and top-class facilities. Before the fleet converted to Airbus and Boeing, Swiss also accommodated Avro RJs, McDonnell Douglas aircraft and Saab 2000. However, these lines have been passed on to the regional subsidiaries of the airline.
Swiss International Air Lines Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowance in Swiss International Air Lines is segregated as per the domestic routes and international routes where the carrier connects. For the European routes, the airline allows a total weight of 23 kg that can be carried in checked baggage. This is strictly reserved for classic and flex cabin of the economy class. You can only carry one bag with you that can be checked. Meanwhile, the business class allows 32 kg, which rounds up to a total of 64 kg for two bags that can be checked. One of the big benefits of business class is that you can carry more luggage with you. While the weight capacity is diverse for different ticket types, the dimension of the baggage cannot exceed 158 cm, including handles, wheels and pockets. However, the maximum for a business class passenger's baggage would be 292 cm and cannot exceed the same. For additional baggage, you will be charged a certain fee that you might have to pay at the airport. Again, the baggage allowance on Swiss International Air Lines does tweak a little if you are a frequent flyer member or a Star Gold member.
International route flights have some additions with respect to the baggage limits. Since the international aircraft are equipped with the economy, business and first-class, the allowance for passengers to carry bags also vary accordingly. Swiss Economy allows a maximum of one luggage which should weigh no more than 23 kg and cannot exceed 158 cm dimension. Passengers flying from Swiss Business are allowed to carry two maximum baggage which should weigh no more than 32 kg each. The bags should also not exceed the dimension of 292 cm, inclusive of height, width and length. As for Swiss First, the airline allows three bags to weigh 32 kg each. The airline allows a total of 96 kg for first-class passengers. The hand baggage allowed are one for the Swiss Economy, two for Swiss Business and Swiss First respectively. The dimensions of all the bags should not exceed 55 x 40 x 23 cm. Along with the carry-on baggage, the passenger is also allowed to take a personal piece to the cabin, which could be a handbag, a laptop bag or a briefcase.
Swiss International Air Lines In-flight services
Swiss First - Swiss First class' in-flight services are exemplary as they offer personal space with armchairs that can be converted into full flatbeds. Along with the comfortable seating, the airline also has a gourmet meal that can be availed on long-haul flights. The dishes are mostly inspired by Swiss cuisine and is always accompanied by fine wine of your choice. The seats are also equipped with entertainment systems and magazines. Along with the exquisite services and hospitality, the airline further offers a pillow and blankets by La Prairie and amenity kit by fashion brand Bally.
Swiss Business - Although Swiss Business lacks the comfort of privacy that the first-class allows, the in-flight services are exemplary. The business seats are spacious and have a dedicated workspace for the passengers. One can easily convert the seats into a 2-metre long flatbed and also has massage facilities. The dining is exquisite as the airline is recognised for its award-winning in-flight meals. Not to mention how the business and first-class also have entertainment facilities such as adjustable screens and a magazine. Swiss also offers a travel kit to the passengers, which contain high-end products for the passenger's comfort.
Swiss Economy - The economy class of Swiss International Air Lines has comfortable seating with adjustable headrest and availability of extra legroom. The airline also has personalised entertainment systems attached on each seat for the passengers. They have TV shows, blockbuster movies and many award-winning documentaries. You will need to book for meals in advance and get the best of Swiss' in-flight services.
Popular routes and top cities for Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines is known for its excellent connectivity with a majority of international hubs. The airline's strong domestic route and international route connectivity are what makes it stand out. Top cities for the airline include Beijing, Shanghai, Montreal, Brussels, Paris, Nice, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Delhi, Mumbai, Dublin, Rome, Venice, Florence, Tokyo, Nairobi, Luxembourg City, Amsterdam, Oslo, Warsaw, Singapore, Barcelona, Stockholm, Bangkok, London, Los Angel/es, Newark, New York City and San Francisco, to name a few.
Why travel by Swiss International Air Lines?
What makes Swiss International Air Lines one of the most sought-after airlines in the world is its world-class in-flight services as well as extensive network. The airline caters to the comfort of the passengers by offering web check-ins, intimations of the flight status, flight schedules of Swiss and convenient booking of a Swiss flight. It is practically perfect and also enables comfort and affordability.
