Switzerland > Orlando

[Takeoff53]

Need to go to Orlando for a little business and some training at Simcom but - how comes? - exactly at the same time the Sun'nFun will take place.:ok:

Travel time is important to me and the least amount of stops which means one and, if possible, US-immigration at the end of the trip. There are no direct flights to MCO from Switzerland anyway. I will avoid JFK at all and not going way around via ORD or ATL, even when it would be a lot cheaper.

Searching the web I found

1) BA: BSL >LHR, transfer to LGW > MCO
+ I might try for the first time ECO PLUS and save the (my) company some money, I hope I will survive superior cattle class?
- expensive business class
- Change of airport which extends travel time and even with a business class ticket the transfer is not included (did I got that correctly?????)
- no miles for my Star Alliance account

2) LH: BSL >FRA > MCO
+ shortest travel time
+ miles
- very expensive business class
- to be honest, I’m not a fan of LH

3) US: ZRH >PHL > MCO
+ excellent price for business class
+ miles
+ only a little more travel time compared to LH
+ transfer time PHL only 2:15 (given by the airline!)
- US airways has not the best reputation and PHL airport regarding delays

Considering all details, would you take option 3), do you have a valuable input regarding the carrier and /or the transfer airport or do you have another version to travel? Thanks fo any suggestion.

[Hotel Tango]

Personally I'd go for option 2. Probably the reason US Airways is cheap is because they are, in my opinion, lousy. Rather fly LH than US any day.

Looking at option 1 I think you would be worse off than taking a 2 stop option.

[NWSRG]

Have you considered Dublin? Aer Lingus fly direct to MCO, and you can clear US immigration in Dublin, which is a big advantage.

Not sure if there is a direct flight from Basel to Dublin, but there is from Zurich...

[Takeoff53]

@HT
You are right, I will skip option 1). Just checked the transfer LHR/LGW and it looks like that I would have to book a business class ticket for CHF 4350 and then pay for the bus to Gatwick. Well, thats shabby.

Just checked another very wild routing, which gives a long travel time and two stops and is not what I like, but shows that you may reach any point on earth via any direction: Air Berlin ZRH TXL MIA (AA) MCO but only CHF 2285 return..

@NW
Interesting, will check that one as well, perhaps a little longer travel time, may be?

[Takeoff53]

@NW
This routing is not possible, using the web. When selecting ZRH as departure point, MCO is not available. The other way around, with MCO as departure, you will not be able to book to ZRH. Funny!

[MathFox]

Transfer in PHL is not bad, all of the terminals are connected by walkways and immigration has a decent capacity. Two hours should give you a very good probability of making your connection.
I am not fan of US, but the times I flew with them they brought me where I had to be. Business may be less luxury than other airlines, but you pay less too. :bored: it evens out. :)

If you have someone else paying, I would go for LH... If cost is an issue for you, consider US.

[stilton]

US is pretty bad, I would avoid them if possible :eek:

[ExXB]

From GVA/ZRH there is also AC via Montreal/Toronto. You pre-clear US border control at these airports.

[737aviator]

I'd say thats because the Zurich flight to Dublin departs in the evening and there is obviously no same-day connection possible then. There'd be nothing stopping you from booking 2 separate tickets and flying to Dublin in the evening, staying in one of the airport hotels and departing direct to MCO having cleared immigration and customs the following day.

[lgw29]

how about zrh to tampa with edelweiss air, then its only hour and half drive to orlando

[TSR2]

Have you checked ZRH-MAN-MCO

[wowzz]

I would agree about the routing to TPA - not that many international arrivals, and if you get off the aircraft smartish and be one of the first through Border Control, you may be in Orlando quicker than flying in directly.

[lakerman]

Flew MAN-PHL with US, On time departure from MAN, arrived PHL, got through US immigration and Customs, down to car hire, got car and on to the I95 heading south before I was due to arrive at PHL. It only took 20 minutes from arrival to being on the I95.

[wowzz]

Sorry - but how does speed through PHL help the op who wants to be in Orlando?

[Takeoff53]

Thanks once more for all the inputs. It's a different world to be a (somehow retired) pilot and now traveling in the back of the airplanes. At least I like the fun of the whole planning for the trip.

1. The option with Edelweiss is checked and on the list. Very good service - flew with them to CPT - but only one flight per week.
2. Via MAN is no option, I found no direct flight MAN MCO(?) and everything else is not matching my criteria for a short travel time.
>> Edited!: LX ZRH MAN and then VS MAN MCO, will check, thanks.
3. US is still on the list. However, a friend of mine is CA with them and told me to avoid PHL during the mainstream arrivals from Europe or to calculate at least 3 hours for the transfer (US is accepting 2 hours for planning purpose). And from ZRH B767 are used, looking very worn out and Envoy is equipped with the old seats.
4. Found another version: With Easy BSL LGW (to avoid the hassle LHR > LGW) and then on with BA or VS, both offering some kind of economy plus.
5. The funniest routing I found is with Air Berlin: ZRH > TXL > MIA > MCO. The travel time is a long 16 hours but some kind of business class is offered for a bit more then CHF 2'200...!

[Hotel Tango]

Re point 4: Not recommended. Risky factor is that you will be on 2 entirely seperate tickets. If your EZY flight is seriously delayed or cancelled you will be screwed and have to fork out for new ticket with BA/VS.

Re point 5: BER Comfort Class (or whatever they call it this week) is reputed to be pretty good for the price. Be aware that it will only be available on the TXL-MIA sector though.

[Takeoff53]

@HotelTango
Good advice regarding the routing via LGW.

The Air Berlin site shows a very decent Comfort Class, respectively the new Business Class looks great with a flat bed. The sectors ZRH-TXL and MIA-MCO is short and ok in normal cattle class. Anyway, the cheap seats are gone , now it's CHF 2'700 but still ok .

Due to business restrictions I cannot make any bookings before 12.03. but at least I'm a bit flexibel regarding the travel date. Will be interesting to see what I will get finally. Will I end up last minute with a bargain business class ticket or do I have to pay full fare economy and flying with my knees behind the ears, just to get to Orlando?

[jubilee]

Takeoff,

Think you will find Virgin Atlantic fly daily from Man -Mco.
Some days twice. ( In answer to point 2).
J

[Takeoff53]

@jubilee
Correct. You may fly MAN to MCO with VS but I cannot book ZRH MAN MCO with VS, Zurich is not a destination for VS. That leaves me with the same problem like version 4 (with Easy BSL LGW): I have to book a flight with Swiss ZRH MAN and if something goes wrong, I will have less options compared with a routing through London.

[lakerman]

wowzz

His point re he had 2-15 for transfer. My experience was 20 minutes was enough let alone 2hrs 15 minutes.

[wowzz]

lakerman - my apologies - I should have trawled back through the earlier posts to see the relevance of your comment.