Today’s trip report is another one of those flights that I’ve seen on a planespotting trip to LAX, specifically my first-ever night spotting one.
Fly Level SL, styled as LEVEL, is a low-cost, long-haul airline with a focus on the transatlantic market. One of the airline’s first destinations on the other side of the Pond was Los Angeles International Airport, which thr carrier flies to today with its fleet of seven A330-200s, operated by Iberia. Currently, Level flies between Barcelona and Los Angeles once per day, arriving in the afternoon and departing in the evening.
Server: Solo
Airline: Level
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Origin: Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (LAX)
Destination: Josep Taradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, El Prat de Llobregat, Spain (BCN)
Flight Number: LL2624
Route: KLAX-LEBL
Seat: 32A (Economy)
Time En Route: 11 Hours 1 Minute
Standing in line to board at dusk at the TBIT. As one of the later European arrivals, the daily Level flight is also one of the last to depart, taking off around 8:30 P.M. Our aircraft is a 6.7-year-old A330-200 registered EC-NNH, and bears the distinction of being the last passenger A330-200 ever built.
Taxiing to Runway 24R as we get situated in our seat. Our seat is pretty comfortable for a low-cost carrier, being based on the same one Iberia uses in its newer A330 economy cabins. The cabin, even after 7 years of service, feels fresh, an appreciated change from what one usually thinks of when one hears the words “budget carrier”.
Rumbling airborne from 24R by the Los Angeles World Airports administration buildings. It’s a fairly clear night as far as LAX goes, so our view south is largely unobstructed by the Marine Layer. We’re officially Barcelona-bound!
After circling around Palos Verdes and San Pedro, we’re back over land as we climb over Long Beach. In the distance, we can just barely see the blinking lights of flights departing behind us from LAX. Looks like we have a pretty quiet, calm flight ahead of us, which is nice.
After a couple hours or so of flying, it’s time to hit the sack over Nebraska. While it’s no lie-flat business class seat or even a long-haul premium economy one, ours should be comfortable enough, being somewhere between Comfort+ and Domestic First on a Delta 737.
Over the middle of the North Atlantic at 35,000 feet. Brunch was a sandwich and a soft drink, which was decent. Not bad, but definitely getting what we paid for.
Gradual final descent into Catalonia. It’s a beautiful day here in Northeastern Spain.
Afternoon arrival on BCN’s Runway 06R. After a hair over 11 hours, we’re finally here.
Pulling into the Terminal 1 ramp. We’re not the only Level A330 here today.
Deplaned with Barcelona Tower in the background. While Level isn’t the most luxurious airline flying between the U.S. and Spain, it’s definitely something to look into for the budget-conscious traveler. The service was above average for economy, the seats were far more comfortable than we’d imagined, and the food was exactly what we were looking for at the price we got it at. Definitely considering a revisit, especially for future European trip report series.
