Review of SWISS flight from Zurich to Milan in Economy

INTRODUCTION

Hello FlightReporters,
As I may have written in past reports last July I've been graduated in Architecture. When my parents told me that they wanted to make me a big present I start thinking about what to ask for, but no ideas came to my mind. Finally, in Autumn, I realized what I wanted: travelling.

My last extra-Europe travel happened in August 2019, when I visited Vietnam and Cambodia. After the long Covid period I needed a taste of normality: getting on a plane, having my passport stamped, changing moneys, hearing other languages and tasting unusual dishes.

Around October I took a look to prices for planes and hotels and I finally found a destination: Dubai.
I chose to travel there the first week of March, in order to be free from exams and at the same time experience the Universal Exposition Expo 2020. For a young (future) architect like me an event like Expo is like a Disneyland for a child. Moreover in 2015 I worked as a volunteer at Expo Milano 2015 and I really appreciated the international appeal of this event.

I ask a dear friend of mine to come with me and she immediately agrees. We set these date: 27th Febraury to 5th March.

BOOKING OPTIONS

First of all we had to choose flights
Since we wanted to spend the lowest possible we skipped Emirates, which offered a direct MXP-DXB flight for 650 euros.
With around 500 euros there were many options with a stopover, the best ones where Swiss and Turkish Airlines.

Swiss International Air Lines - 505 €
27th Feb
MXP-ZRH 9:50 - 11:05
ZRH-DXB 12:55 - 21:55

5th Mar
DXB-ZRH 2:05 - 6:10
ZRH-MXP 7:25 - 8:20

Turkish Airlines - 523 €
27th Feb
MXP-IST 11:15 - 16:15
IST-DXB 21:30 - 2:50 (+1d)

5th Mar
DXB-IST 2:40 - 6:35
IST-MXP 8:55 - 9:45

Even if I was really curious to try Turkish Airlines and visit the marvellous Istanbul Airport this solution presented a drawback: arriving at Dubai at 3 am in the morning would have been loosing the first half of the day 28th Febraury, seriously affecting our program.
Moreover the 5-hour stopover in IST would have been a bit boring

For all these reasons we decided to try Swiss International Air Lines via Zurich. For me it would be the first time with this airline and transfering in ZRH.

The 1st November my friend and I booked the tickets. For unknown reasons the price was 5 euros lower on Lufthansa website, so we bought it from there. My friend decided to buy a cheaper fare (420€) since she didnt' need the hold luggage.

In order to be closer to the Expo 2020 site we book the Avani Ibn Battuta Hotel in Jebel Ali, for 560€ (4 nights)
The hotel is very cozy, the service very good and it's just 30 minutes by metro to the Exposition.

ROUTING

transfer in zrh

After landing from DXB we had to clear a security checkpoint
We got off the control area around 6.45, 15 minutes before scheduled boarding time to Milan

To reach our gate, B33, we had to take the SkyMetro people mover to the main terminal

The train took around 3 minutes to complete the ride underneath the apron

To accesso boarding area A/B passport needs to be checked
Even if it was still early many passengers were transfering

Despite the crowd the passport control took less than 10 minutes

The airport seemed to be still "asleep"

Swiss tails at Dock B pier

Dock B pier opened in 2011 and it's the newest part of the terminal
Boarding areas are located on ground (D gates) and first (B gates) floor
The first is used for extra-Schenghen flights while the latter is dedicated to Schenghen flights. Gates are shared and connected through escalators

We arrived at the gate exactly at 7 am, but it was still closed

Our plane for today:
Swiss International Air Lines Airbus A321-200, HB-IOO, delivered in March '16 and equipped with 216 seats in flexible C-Y configuration.

When we booked our flight in November ZRH-MXP leg was planned to be done with an Helvetic Airways Embraer E-175
A few days before departure the confirmation e-mail reported the aircraft to be an Airbus A220-100
Arriving at the gate we discovered it had been changed with an Airbus A321 due to techical issues on the scheduled plane

A few minutes after boarding started using e-Gates

When I scanned my BP on the e-Gate it automatically printed this seat change receipt

Going down the jetway

Swiss A220s parked at Dock B

Swiss A320 and A220 parked at Dock A

the flight

Nose view…

…wing view…

…and door view

After giving the flight report form to the purser I made my way to my seat, 26A, located one row behind doors number 3

The Airside Center view from my seat

As boarding completed safety video was showed

15 minutes after scheduled pushback started

Helvetic Airways E-175s parked in distance

Swiss Boeing 777s parked at Dock E
The one on the left is HB-JNJ, who brought us here from DXB

Two Swiss A220s undergoing de-icing procedure

Iberia A321 departing in front of us from runway 32

Ready to go

Bye bye Zurich

Passing over RWY16/34

Banking over Zurich neighborhood

In a few minutes we reached our cruise altitude, around 19.000ft

20 minutes into flight a chocolate bar and a bottle of water were delivered

Soarin' over the Alps

Landing in MXP

A few minutes after the service the cabin was prepared for landing

Ticino river, which acts as border between Lombardia and Piemonte regions

Romentino town and A4 motorway, which connects Turin with Trieste passing by Milan and Venice

Turbigo Thermal Power Station

Turbigo town, located 8 km south of Malpensa Airport

We'd land on RWY35L, the closest to the main terminal

Virgin Atlantic A350 and Air China Boeing 787

At 8.16, four minutes before scheduled, we softly touched down at Milan-Malpensa International Airport

Gate B area, the only one handling extra-Schenghen flights at MXP

American Airlines Boeing 777
Definitely one of my favourite livery

Vacating runway

Unusual tails

Parking perfectly on time next to a Brussels Airlines A319

Goodbye Swiss Air Lines

easyJet birds and LaudaMotion A320

Beautiful China Eastern Airlines A330 painted in eastday.com special livery

Disembarking I got the flight report paper from the purser
It was goodly filled

Finally at my new home

In a few minutes we arrived at the baggage hall

Baggages took around 10 minutes to arrive
The airport seemed completely empty, no other flight was delivering baggages at that moment

Passport mishap

After getting my luggage I start packing my thing again and I realized that something was missing
I put my hand on the pocket I usually put the passport in and it was empty
Panic!

When I fly I have a bad habit
Usually when I get onboard I put my passport in the seat pocket and after the take off I put it in my bag
Since the flight was really short I forget it inside the seat pocket

I immediately run to Lost&Found area and the lady called the ramp agent of my flight
He confirmed that a passport was found in my seat, fortunately
However the lady told me I had to wait around 45 minutes for the flight departure in order to have the passport back

Waiting patiently

Finally I had it back
It was a real luck I forgot it on my last flight and not in DXB or, worse, on the connection in ZurichGoing back home

Going back home

I got my passport around 9.45 and immediately after I made my way to exit
The arrivals hall of Malpensa looked fresh and bright

I went to Malpensa train station to get MalpensaExpress back to Milano Centrale

In around one hour I arrived at Milan Central Station
From there the metro takes around 15 minutes to get to my home, but I decided to get a car sharing

Thank you for your attention and see you at the next report!