I made a journey to India every January to host a specialized program conducted by the Indian Dental Association for the nation’s elite dental students. One of these trips took me to Mumbai. Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is a bustling metropolis on the western coast of India. Its history is a captivating narrative that unfolded over centuries, blending indigenous roots with the legacies of colonial powers, particularly the British, which colonized India for nearly two centuries from 1757 to 1947. It would take three flights over two days for me to reach the Indian city, with the first being a United flight from Baltimore to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. United was flying an Airbus A320 on the route that day and I took my usual seat 2B on the port side of the aircraft which departed close to 2:15 in the afternoon. The carrier offered a full beverage service and enhanced snack baskets on that 618-mile flight with a selection of gourmet cookies, premium popcorn, artisanal nuts, and other items. We touched down in Terminal 2 on time at about 4:30 PM. Since my connection to Europe was on SWISS International Airlines, I took the Airport Transit System (ATS) to Terminal 5. The ATS is a convenient, fast and reliable people mover system at O'Hare, offering fully-automated service every three to five minutes during peak hours, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
SWISS does not have a dedicated lounge for premium passengers at Chicago O’Hare. Instead, they offer access to the contract Swissport Lounge on the M Concourse in Terminal 5 between Gates M7 and M8. This lounge is in the Priority Pass lounge network and often gets negative reviews, but luckily there was a small section reserved for First Class and HON Circle members, a frequent flyer status that offers exclusive benefits when flying with Lufthansa Group airlines, including SWISS. This small section was nicely decorated with the standard SWISS Lounge decor and included three small dining tables and seating for 12 with plenty of 110 and 220 power outlets available. And, it had a nice selection of premium beverages as well as several hot entrées, a variety of salads, deserts and snacks. There were only two other guests in the lounge during my visit and about 30 minutes prior to departure, the lounge agent came in and announced we were welcome to board.
That took place through the second set of doors, where I was greeted by the Maître de Cabine and directed into the forward cabin. On the A330-300, this involved walking through two rows of SWISS’ staggered Business Class before entering the First Class cabin, where the eight seats were spread across two rows, in a 1-2-1 configuration. SWISS’ First Class cabin feels understated yet elegant. I had booked seat 2A, the single window seat on the port side and there were only three of us in the entire section! The spacious and well-padded seat was very comfortable and facing me was a 23″ screen equipped with a selection of over 200 films and 250 TV programs, including blockbusters, documentaries and popular television series episodes.
Within moments of settling in, both of the First Class flight attendants stopped by to introduce themselves, whereupon I was offered a pre-departure drink of choice, and ordered a glass of champagne. SWISS was serving one of my favorites, Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle, which was presented with an amuse bouche, consisting of smoked duck with dried red currants and some breadsticks. Waiting at my seat was a well-stocked amenity kit and I was also presented with both pajamas and slippers. The pajamas were created in partnership with Zimmerli, and they were of very high quality and quite stylish. Toward the end of the boarding process, the menu and beverage list were distributed. The Maître de Cabine showed great attention to detail and next presented me with a voucher for free Wi-Fi.
Dinner orders were soon taken and cocktails were served. The first course was Balik Salmon, a Swiss product that’s one of the most expensive salmon in the world. The Balik farm uses a smoking method practiced at the Court of the Russian Tsars and the result is an exceptional product, among the best salmon I’ve ever tasted! This was followed by a Warm Apple Soup and a Seasonal Salad with Figs, Walnuts and Mostbröckli Dried Meat, a popular Swiss delicacy of Cured, and Smoked Beef. For my entrée, I selected the Beef Tenderloin with Butter, Polenta and Artichokes accompanied by a glass of the Cos d’Estournel 2ème Cru Classé (which I later discovered retails for over $200 per bottle). I even managed to enjoy some high-quality regional Cheeses from Switzerland along with an Alpine Dream Dessert with Berries, Chocolate and a touch of Meringue, offered with Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine. The meal was topped off with a Sprüngli Collection of Swiss Chocolates and Coffee served with a small container of Mövenpick Vanilla Dream Ice Cream. Not too much time passed before I requested one of our flight attendants to make up my 79-inch flat bed and, in a bit of a food coma, soon drifted off for a few hours of uninterrupted slumber.
We landed at the Zurich Airport after an 8 hour and 40 minute flight and I made my way to the SWISS First Class Lounge one floor above the main concourse in Terminal E. What a place! This highly exclusive and luxurious lounge offered private mini-suites with ample comfort, along with excellent food and beverage options, and a focus on tranquility, providing a premium experience and a relaxing pre-flight environment with top-tier amenities. The lounge featured individual, private suites where I was able to unwind and relax before my connecting flight. A curated selection of gourmet food and drinks were available, including a diverse menu with options for either dining in my suite or at dedicated dining areas. My suite also offered access to a shower, allowing me to freshen up before my next flight. I found the staff to be attentive and appreciated their personalized service which helped to ensure a smooth and rather private experience. Overall, I’d agree with other travelers’ assessment that the SWISS Air First Class Lounge in Zurich is one of the best airport lounges for premium travelers, offering an exceptional level of comfort, privacy, and service.
My onward flight to Mumbai departed mid-morning from the nearby Gate E59 and I found myself aboard another Airbus A330-300 so naturally I pre-booked my favorite seat, 2A. The experience was in line with the very high expectations I had after my outstanding journey with them from Chicago. This cabin crew, the 6-course lunch, the amenities, and seat comfort were all excellent. I should share my thoughts with you on the look and feel of the forward cabin. The sophisticated lighting and the contemporary design gave it a sleek and classy look. A palette of light brown and sober grey accents helped to create a warm and tranquil ambiance. The cabin also feels very ‘Swiss’, because they incorporated an abundance of European oak wood, square design motifs, and charcoal-colored fabrics into the decor. The carrier teamed up with Swiss luxury fashion brand Bally for its First Class amenity kit. The elegant pouch blends natural canvas with fine leather details, highlighted by the red-and-white stripe for which Bally is internationally recognized. The kit comes with cosmetics by Swiss luxury skincare brand La Prairie and a box of natural herbal mints from iconic Swiss brand Ricola. This 8-hour and 28-minute flight was also outstanding, although it seemed longer since I was awake the entire time in preparation for our late-evening arrival into Mumbai, which occurred after 11:00 PM that evening.
I’ll tell you all about my time in the country’s sprawling metropolis in a future post.
Until next time…safe travels.
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