The author of this trip report, Vigan Bujupi, flew with Edelweiss Air from Pristina to Zurich on an A340-300 aircraft. The ticket was purchased on the day of the flight, just a few hours before departure, and cost 175 euros for an open-jaw ticket, which included a return flight from Zurich to Tirana on Swiss. Despite the short notice, the author was able to upgrade to business class for an additional 139 euros.
However, the flight was delayed by five hours due to issues with Edelweiss’ wide-body fleet, which had been affected by an incident involving one of its A350-900s in Bogota. As a result, the airline had to adjust its flight schedule and aircraft allocations. The author received an email notification of the delay just a few hours before the original departure time.
Upon checking in, the author was impressed with the business class cabin, which was located in the middle of the aircraft between two economy class cabins. The cabin was well-maintained and featured a unique 1-2-1 and 2-2-1 configuration. The seat was wide and comfortable, with ample legroom and the ability to fully recline. Each seat came with a bottle of water and wet wipes, and passengers were offered a welcome drink and a simple meal after take-off.
The flight itself was good, and the author enjoyed the experience of flying on a wide-body aircraft for a short intra-European flight. The load factor was 92%, and the crew offered a range of drinks and snacks, including coffee, tea, and chocolates. In economy class, passengers were offered gingerbread and drinks. The author noted that the meal in business class was decent but not great, and the in-flight entertainment options were not fully explored.
Overall, the author was satisfied with the flight and appreciated the opportunity to fly on a wide-body aircraft. However, the delay and lack of advance notification were minor drawbacks. The author later found out that passengers who had booked earlier had received notification of the delay the day before the flight, highlighting the importance of timely communication from airlines to their passengers.