Trip report - Geneva

I had a week to kill during winter recess here in new york so I decided to visit an aunt in neuchatel "sp" switzerland. I planned on non-reving on my carrier OS and LX would be my backup coming back. Going was jfk-vie-gva. Coming back would be gva-jfk if the OS flight was bad. I was planning on leaving 2/17 but the flight on OS was horrible so I decided to leave on the saturday. Business looked okay on the saturday and since my priority was up there I took my chances. Got to the airport and checked the computer say that alot of people were checking in but business was still open, well long story short flight filled up and I was bumped. No problem, checked the computer and the next day the flight was wide open so I went home and next day do the same thing. Went to check in and was given my business class seat before check in was completed. The flight to VIE was nice, flight attendants were wonderful and meals were great.

2/20: Made it to VIE that morning and the flight to Geneva wasn't leaving for another 5hrs plus my luggage was checked all the way to Geneva so I only had a bagback so I decided to go downtown Vienna. I took the cat train from the airport to downtown. It only cost $16 EURO roundtrip so it was a bargain and if I remeber right the trip is only 16 mins long. While downtown I did the usual tourist things like buying souviners, chocolte, taking pitures, visited the old church got some food to eat. I killed about 3 1/2 hours downtown. I went back to the train station and checked in for my flight; Yes, if you have a ticket for the cat and flying austrian you can check in for your flights in the train station. I went to check in and the ladies were real nice and i had economy class ticket but they gave me business class to Geneva. Took the train and got to the airport went straight though, security was so simple and fast.

In Vienna we hardly get getways so we were driven to the plane and it was a turboprob. The flight was empty it was about 15 of us and the plane holds about 50. It was me and another guy in business which on these planes means nothing more than free food.

The plane took off and during that 1 1/2 journy I must have seen my life flashed before my eyes 10 times. I have never flown in a prob before and everytime I hear the engines hesitated my heart skipped a beat. I was just praying for the plane to land because because I couldn't even enjoy looking at the Alps out the windows.
Got in to Geneva and called my aunt told here i was in geneva and I would take the train to her. First thing I notice in Switzerland were the prices.. they seem to be higher than everyone else.

2:21 - I visited Bern all day
2:22 - I went to Basel for the day saw a fashion show, snowboarding and I was at the border to france but I couldn't go over because I didn't bring my passport.
2:23 - Today was just a day to relax so I stayed in neuchatel, ride around on the bus, bought things to bring back which included LOTS of chocolate. That evening I beleive I watched the ladies figure skating live as everyone was watching it that evening.

FYI: I had panned to come back on the 25th or 26th but I found out that the kids go on vacation on the 24th so flights would be bad after that day so I decided to come back on the 24th.

I checked both loads and LX looked the better but OS was open also but it would be a tight connection making the VIE-JFK flight because they always seem to have delays on this inter-euro flights plus OS only had that one flight. I decided to take the LX GVA-JFK flight.

2:24 - Made to the airport got into the check in and got to the counter and was talking to the checkin lady like we knew each other for years. Everything went smoothly and she gave me business class seating on the economy ticket.

Made it through security got some things at duty free and went to the gate. They started boarding the flight and lord and behold.. This idiot swiss B**** took my boarding pass and my regular ticket "the check in lady didn't take my ticket she only gave me a boarding pass" and say there was an error, I should be in economy. I was flying non-rev so I play the part but I was so upset inside. The blank gave me a cattle class seat and that flight though was nice, was the most depressing ever. I understand if the flight was full and they only had economy but to get business class and have it taken away really hurts.

That it...

oh and Switzerland.. it was nice, expensive but nice.