After a great flight from Zurich to Montreal it was time to give Swiss business another try, this time on a night flight. First part of this trip can be found here:

Swiss A330-300 Zurich-Montreal In Business (by SloAir May 1 2011 in Trip Reports)

I was not sure if I would write a trip report about this flight at all, my first plan was to cover both legs in one report, but some nice surprises from Swiss and interesting events at YUL made this flight deserve a trip report of its own.
We arrived at the airport well ahead of our scheduled departure time, even so early that check-in was not opened yet.



So we walked around the airport a bit until the desks opened. We were the first to check in at the business class counter.



My brother and I have silver status with Miles&More. So after our bags were tagged all the way to LJU, the agent told us that they have a very special offer today, if we are interested. They are offering upgrades to first class for just 1500 dollars per person!

Well the price was too high for us to even consider that so we politely declined. Then she told us that since the flight is heavily overbooked, they will have to upgrade some of us anyway and if we do not mind being separated (two in first and two in business). We asked if it would be possible for the two without status to get upgraded, and she said that she will check. She also told us they will call us at the gate and give us two new boarding passes.



Security was not busy and we were airside in no time.



Swiss business class passengers can use Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge, but it was not opened yet when we arrived so we waited at one of many seating areas.



When we arrived it was sunny and hot outside, but very quickly black clouds started to fill the sky and rain started to fall pretty heavily.



Since I only had breakfast and it was around 14:30 so I went to get something to eat. After that the lounge was opened and it had great views of the active runway and some taxiways.



The storm cleared and the sun was shining again.



Air Canada and Air Transat.



I went to one of the computers (you have to put in your name and flight number to get free access) to check the status of the inbound flight. 2 minutes left it said so I waited by the window with my camera ready and in two minutes LX A333 touched down at YUL.



I will flight on both of these aircraft in the next 24 hours – A333 to ZRH and CRJ2 to LJU.



It was interesting watching various aircraft at YUL.















The lounge with enough seating for everybody.



My business boarding pass.



The wind was blowing quite heavily and a rolling baggage container got our attention.



It also got the attention of airport workers.



After flying and rolling for quite some time it stopped in the middle of the field.



Aircraft were still taxiing by as nothing has happened. Isn't it dangerous that the engines would suck in these containers? I've seen pictures of this happening before.



What to do?



Just as the driver sat in the car the baggage container started to move again.



The driver started to race after it and was able to intercept it on the next taxiway.



Under control.



Here comes backup.



Meanwhile AF B777 from CDG arrived.



While the baggage container was still sitting at the taxiway.





During the debate.



And they have finally managed to get the runaway container under control.



Victory formation!



Probably going to the garbage yard.



Back to the aircraft pictures.





Interesting events weren't over though, a United Express aircraft decided to go around and abort its landing attempt.



Maybe because of the too strong wind?



I left the lounge 15 before everyone else to go check about our upgrade and take some more pictures.



Today's flight will be operated by HB-JHH.



Gate area. A full flight today.





I then went to the gate where there were around 4-5 LX employees and a lot of boarding passes were lying around the table. I asked a young girl standing at the side that I want to check on the status of our upgrade that was discussed at check-in. She asked to see my boarding passes, so I gave two of them to her and she found two new boarding passes for first class to me. I then asked if it would be no problem if two other persons than those on the boarding pass would sit in first class, and she said we can even change during the flight.

Then, an older agent that we saw at check-in earlier asked to see all of my boarding passes. I gave her all four of them and she shuffled them a bit among others and gave me back four new ones. 'You are all seated in row 2.' I slowly looked at each boarding pass as you would do with poker cards, and each one had a bold text on top of them saying 'FIRST'. We have all been upgraded!



My first First boarding pass!



After everyone arrived we just stood in the premium boarding queue and boarding started shortly after. The lady that checked us in smiled and said ‘It worked out great for you’  

Since there are only 8 seats in LX F class, we will be occupying 50% of the cabin 

I've only turned left once after entering an aircraft, when I was seated in the nose of a 747.



First problem in First – how to take a picture of the whole seat?



I was so excited that I was just clicking, clicking, clicking, …



First impresion – amazing.





My seat/suite 2K



What would you like to drink? Orange juice please.



The light makes you feel as you were at home on your favorite couch.



First menu.



I really regretted that I had lunch at the airport when reading the menu.



Headphones and touch screen seat controls.



Boarding completed, count is correct. It felt like a private jet, I did not see anybody board the aircraft after us.



KLM has just introduced a new page for Slovenia. You can now book flights with Ljubljana as departure airport and you can connect to all KLM flights. This might be a good opportunity to try them  I would love to fly on the MD11 before they go out of service.



The first Airliner World magazine that I bought had an article about First Air. A lot of years later this was the first time I saw one of their aircraft in person. I would love to fly them as well 

We had to wait for this Air Transat to depart.



Here it goes.



Then this little guy landed (sorry about the blurry picture) and it was our turn.



Bye bye YUL.





Great view of the airport terminal.



We took a turn to the right.



And we were treated of some more great views of YUL.





The views out of the window were again amazing so I'll just let the pictures do the talking for a while.

























Privacy screen between the two middle seats.



No smoking & seat belt signs are turned in both directions, if someone is sitting at the ottoman.







View of the cabin from my seat. It was great we were in the second row because they cannot see you from the first row and I knew all the passengers in second row so I was able to take as many pictures as I liked without being looked at as an idiot or terrorist.



Touch screen seat controls.



You have a do not disturb function.







You press this button…



…and the biggest table I have ever seen on an aircraft appears.



Content of the amenity kit.







The IFE is the same as in business class.



Still the best IFE.



Unfortunately, clouds started to block my view. They do take some interesting forms these clouds.







Privacy screen at my seat.



Nothing to see outside anymore…



The Airshow was working on this flight.



Table set.



Huge screen.



Airshow on LX is great, it even shows information about the places you fly over.



Clouds, clouds,…



Both privacy screens deployed. It really feels private.



I was still quite full from lunch at the airport, so I only opted for the main course – Fillet of beef with Cafe de Paris butter, Parisienne potatoes, baby carrots and sugar-snap peas.



It will soon get dark outside.





My seat in relaxed mode.



We decided to use the option of dining together and ate desert at seats 2A&D. It was really great having desert the same way we would have at a restaurant, just at 38,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean.



You can control the height of the ottoman when seating at another seat.



Night was almost here.



I like this light, it gives a special feeling.



Going into the dark.



Vanilla cheesecake and fresh fruit compote.



World map at the wall.



Max, our flight attendant, told me after dinner that whenever I would like he can make my bed, I just have to tell him. So when he came to pick up our deserts I asked him if he could make my bed now, while I went to check the toilets. I usually do not take my camera into the toilets, but as I was taking pictures of us having dinner together on the other side of the aircraft was a great excuse to go to the bathroom and take some pictures.





No paper towels in first.



Now a bit embarrassing moment for me – after I was done and wanted to return to my seat, the curtains were closed. I wanted to pass them on the left, but was unable, so I tried the right side, but they were firmly attached. So I just took some pictures as I was alone in the galley.





Then Max came through the curtains (through the middle!). I never thought of that . All the excitement of first class I guess. So I just put my 'oh I was just about to pass' face on and returned to my seat 

This flying bed looks so great.



The flight was going by just too fast.



When the duty free guy passed buy I asked for the plane model. He told me A330-300. After getting clear that I am well aware of the plane model, but want to buy a plane model, I quickly received my souvenir for this flight. It was an A343 though, but it does not matter.



View at my seat/suit in the lie-flat position with the bed set.



I took one last picture before going to sleep for about two hours. The map has the location of Titanic crash in 1912 marked.



I slept great for those two hours and would have no problems sleeping more, but we were already over Europe when I woke up for the first time.



So I spend the last hour and a half of the flight just watching the moving map.







Mood lights were turned one hour before arrival. But they were changed to normal lights so quickly I did not even have time to take a picture.



This flight was too short.



Look to the left – two sleeping and one reading.





It was not completely dark outside anymore.



There are no overhead bins in the middle.



Hot towel service.



Right engine in the morning light.



Almost there.