And finally...The Race to the ‘Top of Europe’

At the start of this month the British Swiss Chamber of Commerce (BSCC) took part in a race from the UK to Jungfraujoch in Interlaken to test the fastest route from London to the ‘Top of Europe’. The Jungfraujoch is a col or saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau summits in the Bernese Alps on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, inside the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area. It is located at a height of 3,471 meters (11,388 ft) and is the location of the highest railway station in Europe and was the finishing point for this adventure.

Six competitors from the BSCC’s 125-strong membership departed from London on the morning of October 1 using six different routings: SkyWork Airlines from London City to Bern; bmi British Midland International / Swiss International Air Lines from London Heathrow to Basle; easyJet from London Gatwick to Geneva; easyJet from London Luton to Geneva; Swiss International Air Lines from London Heathrow to Zurich and Swiss International Air Lines from London City to Zurich.

Due to the different departure times from the UK the winner would not be the first to reach the Jungfraubahn but the person with the shortest elapsed journey time from start to finish.

The event was arranged by SkyWork Airlines to highlight the increased frequency of its flights between London City and Bern and it was no surprise, thanks to its local knowledge, that the regional airline’s route was the winner with a journey time 40 minutes faster than its nearest competitor. Philip Worley, Strategy Manager from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), reached the top of Jungfrau, in 303 minutes.

His closest rival, Rebecca Emmett, flying with bmi between London Heathrow and Basel, actually arrived at the same time, but her flight had departed 40 minutes earlier. The other competitiors clocked times of between 423 and 495 minutes, although one person was forced to abandon their attempt after their luggage failed to arrive in Switzerland.

SkyWork Airlines is now planning to repeat the race on an annual basis and is considering similar adventures from other points on its European network.