The Flying Critic posted the following video which perfectly captures where the industry is headed (and arguably already is):
Love it!
BBC News reports:
At least 45 people have been killed after a passenger plane swerved off the runway at Madrid’s Barajas airport, Spanish officials say.
Several more were hurt when the Spanair plane bound for Gran Canaria left the runway with 166 passengers and six crew on board, just after 1445 (1245 GMT).
There were reports of a fire in the left engine during take-off. TV footage showed smoke billowing from the craft.
My thoughts are with anyone involved in this accident. It should be interesting to see this unfold, it looks pretty bad.
All Installments:
Introduction
Lufthansa First to Europe, part one
Lufthansa First to Europe including the First Class Terminal, part two
InterContinental Malta
Six days in Malta
Lufthansa Business MLA-FRA
InterContinental Frankfurt and a fun evening
Lufthansa First to the US with some twists and turns
Once we landed we headed towards immigration since we wanted to check out the First Class Terminal (FCT). I actually didn’t realize we’d have access to the FCT until a couple of days before the flight. A while back LH changed the rules for access to say that you need a departing LH F boarding pass, meaning those arriving in F and continuing in C within Europe couldn’t use the FCT.
Fortunately my brother pointed out to me the new wording, so it seems like they changed the rule back to the way it was before, which is a good thing.
To access the FCT from the terminal one can either clear immigration and then walk to the FCT, or another option is to go to F check-in and ask for a car to the FCT. We chose the former, since it was a beautiful day outside (not to mention we had been sitting for eight hours) and it’s literally a five minute walk.
First Class Terminal
Since we were arriving from the terminal we took the side entrance, where we had to ring the buzzer and a personal assistant came to pick us up.
Side entrance to the FCT
First of all, I should say that all of the FCT pictures below were taken on a previous trip. I’ve heard that the FCT has a “no photography” policy as of late, but I figured I had good pictures from my last trip, so no need to take more.
The friendly PA greeted us, checked our boarding passes, and brought us up to the main level. This drops you off at the entrance, which is pre-security, where passengers would typically wait while the PA checks you in. Of course we were already checked in, so there was no need for that.
Waiting area
Entrance, where the PA’s often stand
One of the best things about the FCT has to be the security process. There are about four security officers and there’s never a wait. You put your bags on the belt, walk through the detector, and you’re good. It’s a process that consistently takes 30 seconds and is totally painless.
The PA asked if we had been to the FCT before, to which I responded yes. Instead of her giving the grand tour I figured I could handle it, since it was my brother’s first time.
Newspapers, magazines, and world time near the entrance
Work stations
Seating area
Cigar lounge
Shower room
Shower/wash room
Drink selection in the cigar lounge
Cigar lounge
More comfortable seating
The bar
Day rooms
TV seating area in FCT
Table snacks
One of the coolest things about the FCT is that it’s also a great restaurant. They have individual tables set with bottles of water (sparkling and still), and one can choose buffet or a la carte dining, or even better both!
Table
Menu
Some buffet items
More buffet stuff
Even more buffet stuff
Good stuff!
Even better stuff!
Even better (is that even possible?!?)
The best of all
Like I said, those pictures were from a past trip. Our FCT experience this time around wasn’t nearly as exciting, since we had just had breakfast on the flight and both of us much preferred to use the internet.
The FCT has little T-mobile internet cards available upon request for two hours of internet. The wording on the cards cracked me up, roughly saying “As a gift of Lufthansa, we’d like to give you two hours of free internet!” Jeez, what an incredible gift for international first class passengers, ya think I could get a free glass of water if I ask really nicely too?!? OK, sorry. 
Within just a few seconds of sitting down someone came by to see if we wanted anything to drink, and quickly returned with our selection.
Towards the latter part of our all too short layover I took a quick shower, which I had to wait ten minutes for. The shower rooms are great though, well worth the wait.
About 20 minutes before our scheduled departure time our PA came by, asked us to pack our stuff, and escorted us to the S-Class Mercedes that would be taking us to our plane.
Interior of car
The car from our seats
The aviation geek in me thinks this is the coolest part of the whole experience. It’s not so much the car, but driving under the tails of all kinds of heavies on the tarmac that’s amazing.
After a short ride the chauffeur parked the car under the wing of our A321, and escorted us up the stairs and onto the jet bridge. As we were about to enter I overheard one FA say to another that they were waiting on two passengers, which I guess was us. The chauffeur helped store our bags in the overhead and bid farewell, and the door closed within seconds.
Before I go further with the flight, I just wanted to say that there’s only one word which can describe the whole FCT experience — seamless. The FCT is a world in which there are no worries. You don’t have to worry about missing your flight, the PA is always there to do that for you. If you’re thirsty, want a snack, or even a five course meal, worry not, the FCT is there for you.
Of the lounges I’ve been to, I’d definitely say it’s the best, although the Thai ground experience in BKK is pretty close, but that’s probably because I’m a total sucker for massages. Still, it’s tough to beat and this alone is a reason to choose LH, in my opinion.
LH4128, FRA-MLA, 1015-1235
As soon as we sat down someone recognized our FlyerTalk tags, and as it turns out there was a FlyerTalker seated directly behind me. That definitely made an otherwise boring flight a bit more fun, although I was so tired by the time we took off that I dozed off for most of the flight, so my apologies to that FlyerTalker for being a bit anti-social.
After a quick taxi we were off, and the meal service began shortly.
After takeoff
The menu for this flight read as follows:
Menu
Hors d’oeuvre
Turkey Brochette with Peanut Dip,
Asian Vegetable Salad and Green AsparagusMain Courses
Breast of Poularde with Red Thai Sauce,
Asian Vegetables and scented RiceFillet of Pangasius Fish with Coconut Sauce
accompanies by Singapore Noodles with Cashew Nuts,
Green Bean Kernels and Pink PepperDessert
Mango, Kiwi, Pineapple, Papaya and Cantaloupe
Chocolates
Macadamia nuts prior to lunch
View looking forwards
The purser on this flight was very professional and went at a good pace. She came through Business about four times in the first hour with the drink cart, so suffice it to say that service was attentive.
My lunch
My brother’s lunch
Service on these intra-Europe flights is without a doubt better than in the US, but it’s literally a coach seat with a blocked middle. I would much rather get a sandwich in the terminal and have a bigger seat, but that’s just me….
Like I said above I dozed off for most of the flight and woke up as we were flying down the coast of Italy.
The flight was uneventful, and we touched down right on-time. I didn’t realize that MLA has no gates, so we had to de-plane via stairs. I was already dreading taking a bus, but as soon as the seven business class passengers were aboard the doors closed and we drove away. Very cool!
Malta airport was pretty decent, and as we exited into the arrivals hall two guys dressed very normally (not in uniform) ask for our boarding passes. We thought they were trying to solicit something, but then they showed their badges, that they were cops (or whatever). After showing them our BP’s we continued to the taxi stand, where we got a cab to the InterContinental.
To be continued….
My friend David sent me a link to some travel photos, ranging from hilarious to breathtaking. Check them out and enjoy, they’re especially refreshing on a day like today, filled with bad airline news.
All Installments:
Introduction
Lufthansa First to Europe, part one
Lufthansa First to Europe including the First Class Terminal, part two
InterContinental Malta
Six days in Malta
Lufthansa Business MLA-FRA
InterContinental Frankfurt and a fun evening
Lufthansa First to the US with some twists and turns
My morning was supposed to start just like any other on which I mileage run, at 4:30AM. Sadly my alarm didn’t go off (well, that’s what I’d like to think, as opposed to me just hitting the snooze button, convincing myself it was a good idea to lay there for just another minute), so I woke up closer to 5AM. I rushed and still made it to the airport by 6:15AM, plenty early for my flight.
UA1575, TPA-ORD, 0700-0850
The Ted flight was totally standard, and we got into Chicago on-time. Not a thing in the world to report.
Since I had a same day international first class flight I headed to the United International First Lounge (IFL) for about two hours, the extent of my layover. The agents were friendly and surprisingly enough I didn’t have to fight for my right to access the lounge….
International First Lounge
Drink selection
Noodles and coffee machine
Snacks
Snacks
Here’s a pretty unpopular viewpoint: I actually like the IFL’s! I’m sorry, but I never understood the concept of having five course meals in a lounge when you’re about to get on an airplane that has more food than most restaurants. Don’t get me wrong, I totally love great lounges, but I actually find the IFL’s adequate. The three things I look for in a lounge are internet, peace and quiet, and a small selection of snacks, and the IFL has all three.
I headed to my gate right as boarding began.
UA0642, ORD-EWR, 1039-1350
This flight had a little more excitement than my last one. First of all we had a great flight attendant. She was hilarious, fun, and attentive. She laughed most of the flight, for a great reason: “If I weren’t laughing about the industry I’d have to cry.” We enjoyed discussing all of the latest industry cuts, or more specifically those that UA is making.
This flight even had a delicious, gourmet lunch!
Lunch
Knowing exactly what was for lunch, I literally burst out in laughter when the FA came around taking orders and referred to the above as a “smoked turkey mesquite sandwich.” It looks, taste, and would more correctly be referred to as a stale piece of bread with mystery meat and gooey, yucky, cheese. Neither of us could figure out what was on the side, so I just called it Ted caviar.
Since the captain had Channel 9 on, announced it, and looked like a nice guy, I wrote him what some call a love note, just a long note thanking him for the safe ride, Channel 9, and of course not letting out their obvious anger on the customers. I asked the FA to give it to him after the flight.
The excitement during this segment of the trip came in the form of the arrivals process. I blogged about that basically “live,” so consider checking out this post for more details. Suffice it to say it was a first for me.
Upon arrival I headed to the RCC, since my brother would only be getting to the airport in about two hours. The EWR RCC is one of my favorites, and has some of the best agents out there. As usual it was quiet, so I spent a couple of hours on the web, finishing up various things.
EWR RCC snacks
EWR RCC snacks
At around 4PM I headed to the AirTrain station to meet my brother, and we proceeded to LH check-in.
LH check-in (taken during previous trip)
There was one person in front of us in the first class line, and we were helped within seconds. The agent was polite although not particularly competent. Apparently our seat assignments were messed up and we were in separate rows, so we asked to be seated together. She made it seem like a challenging task and spent a few minutes trying to do it, saying “let me see if I can find two seats together, hmmm…” As it turned out there were only four people booked in F on this flight (including us) and there are 16 seats, so clearly she didn’t know what she was doing.
She asked us if we wanted an escort through security, which we accepted, since we didn’t know how long the line would be. Sadly we had to wait at least five minutes, but eventually the escort came. As it turned out the line was very short so it really wasn’t necessary, but I guess it’s a nice gesture nonetheless. She brought us up to the security checkpoint after whisking us through the side, and bid farewell there.
Security took all of two minutes and we proceeded to the lounge, which is a joint Senator and SAS lounge. Since we were in F we were entitled to use the SEN lounge, which is so small and crowded that it’s worse than the SAS lounge. I was happy to have stayed in the RCC for longer, because frankly it was more peaceful than either of these lounges.
Entrance to the joint lounge (taken during previous trip)
SEN snack selection (taken during previous trip)
SEN lounge (taken during previous trip off-peak)
SAS lounge (taken during previous trip)
SAS lounge (taken during previous trip)
While the snacks are ok, it’s definitely not a great lounge. It’s not bad per se, it’s just so crowded during the European departures that finding a seat can be a challenge. The above pictures were taken last time I was there during off-peak times. The SEN lounge attendant informed all passengers that the LH flight was 30 minutes late due to the late arriving aircraft, so we spent a bit more time in the lounge.
We headed to the gate about 45 minutes prior to departure, where we spotted the monster that’d be taking us to FRA.
Bet you can’t spot the plane!
Boarding was surprisingly calm for a Lufthansa flight, with F/C/Star Gold passengers actually being able to board first, without starting a world war.
LH0403, EWR-FRA, 1740-0705 (next day)
As we entered through door 2L we presented our boarding passes to the FA and were directed towards the staircase. We proceeded upstairs and were promptly greeted by the friendly flight attendants. We took out what we’d need during the flight and then put our carry-ons in the closet.
Within minutes of settling in we were offered pre-departure beverages. I went with water while my brother went with champagne. As usual they were served with macadamia nuts.
Pre-departure beverages and snacks
Shortly thereafter amenity kits, slippers, and PJ’s were passed out.
Amenities
Contents of the amenity kit
Refills were also offered, along with newspapers, magazines, menus etc. The captain even made a round of the upper deck, awkwardly greeting all of the F passengers (although A+ for effort). He also made an announcement over the PA saying that our flight time would be 6hr20min, and that we would be on time despite the 30 minute delay out of EWR.
Before we knew it the door was closed and we were on our way. After a short taxi and waiting for a few planes ahead of us to take off, we were airborne after a 40 second roll and excited to be on our way.
The seatbelt sign was promptly switched off and I headed to the lavatory to change into PJ’s.
Within just a few minutes service began, starting with a hot towel. Gotta love the rose pedal on the plate!
Hot towel!
Shortly thereafter drink orders were taken, and the pre-dinner snack was served.
Drinks (gotta love the glassware!)
Tuna snack
Just a couple of minutes later the purser, who was friendly and professional, came around to introduce himself and take meal orders.
The dinner menu read as follows:
Dreamer’s Delight
Use the time on board to get some restful sleep; in the form of our Dreamer’s Delight, a select meal served in one course.Cold Gourmet Plate
Gingered Lobster Salad with grilled Asparagus, Fennel and Lemon Vinaigretteor
Hot Specialty
Chicken Bouillebaisse with CroutonsCheese and Dessert
Gruyere, Crottin and Stilton CheeseFresh Fruit
Menu
Choice of Hors d’oeuvres
Caviar with the traditional GarnishesCitrus Chicken Salad
Grilled Scallop with Quinoa Salad and Orange Vinaigrette
Grilled Asparagus Salad, Aceto Balsamico with white Tomato Gelee and red Tomato Jam
Salad
Seasonal Salad with shaved Parmesan Cheese
with your choice of Balsamico or Potato DressingChoice of Main Courses
Beef Tournedo with Cilantro Crust, Wasabi mashed Potatoes and Bok ChoyJuniper roasted Duck Breast with Cranberry Barley Risotto and braised Endive
Lemon glazed red Snapper, Basmati Rice with Picholine Olives
Penne Pasta with sautéed Spinach, wild Mushrooms and white Truffle Cream Sauce
Selection of Cheese and Dessert
Swiss Gruyére, Camembert, Stilton Blue, Crottin de Chevre and Manchego Cheesegarnished with Grapes
Five spiced roasted Pineapple with Coconut Tapioca
Lemon Thyme marinated Berries with Macadamia Nut Ice Cream
Specialty Dessert Wines
Menus (love how LH has a different menu for every meal!)
The tables were set, along with the signature rose. I went with “pretzel bread” (since I won’t be writing this report in German and call it a “laugenbroetchen”).
Table set
Within ten more minutes appetizers were served, and my brother took caviar and the grilled asparagus option, while I went with caviar, grilled asparagus, and citrus chicken salad. My brother ended up eating most of my caviar since I’m not really a fan, but I sure as heck wanted it on my plate for a picture!
Brother’s appetizers
My appetizers
I should stop for a second to apologize. I’ve generally been a pretty big critic of LH, even in F, and even as a German. I must say that I have absolutely no clue what I was thinking at the time. Simply put, LH F has to be one of my favorite F products, probably my single favorite one when traveling with someone else.
The service on this flight was impeccable — meals were served at the perfect pace, the service was friendly, professional, and attentive, and it really felt like we had our own private jet. One of the passengers chose to sleep, so we had two FA’s taking care of three people. Seriously, they couldn’t have been any nicer.
While I’m at it, I have to say, LH must have the best meal presentation in the world. No other airline has a product even remotely as photogenic as LH F, from the rose, to the caviar, to the great glassware, to the car to the plane. While they might not have amazing suites, every other aspect of LH F was absolutely stunningly perfect.
OK, enough raving, back to the report!
Once the appetizer was served, the salad came. It too was delicious
Salad
My brother took the steak as the main course and I chose the pasta, since it just sounded so good. The FA serving us had noticed that I was taking pictures throughout the meal service, so when she delivered my pasta she said (roughly translated), “I prepared it myself and made sure it looks extra nice just so you can get a good picture.”
My brother’s main course
My main course
Usually I choose pasta on airplanes because I figure it’s a choice that can’t really be messed up, but at the same time it’s rarely exceptional. Today was different, it was incredible. Never before have I had such a good pasta dish, be it in the air or on the ground. Incredible!
Lastly, and at the perfect pace, the dessert was served. I think the picture speaks for itself, do I really need to say how good it was?
Dessert!
Last, but most definitely not least, we each got a box of chocolates with a moon face on the box.
Chocolate
Seriously, this flight couldn’t have been any better. It’s simply not possible. The food and service were both abso-smurfing-lutely poifect!
After dinner the FA’s got us comforters and blankets, which are great regardless of whether or not one wants to sleep, and also gave each passenger a bottle of water. My brother chose to sleep while I chose to watch some movies.
As a general rule, I don’t sleep on transatlantic flights, at least from the east coast. Since the flight is so short and they usually leave too early for me, it’s just not practical. If a flight left at midnight maybe I could sleep, but instead I just stay up, enjoy the service, and go to bed early the next night.
I started by watching “What Happens in Vegas….” which was ok. After that I started watching “Outsourced,” which was hilarious, but I never actually finished it (but I did end up watching the whole thing on the return).
About 1.5 hours out of FRA I walked around the cabin a bit and the FA informed me breakfast would start in five minutes, suggesting I wake up my brother slowly. I went to try and wake up my brother, explaining breakfast was about to be served (which he said earlier he wanted to be woken up for), and he said something along the lines of “no, that can’t be, it’s not time for breakfast yet, I just fell alseep.” I guess that’s a testament to how comfortable the bed was!
Sunrise as breakfast began
The breakfast menu read as follows:
Breakfast
If you prefer more time to rest, we will serve the breakfast variety of your choice until we begin our descent from traveling altitude and approach landing.Fitness Breakfast
Coffee or Tea
Freshly squeezed Orange Juice
Fresh Fruit
Granola with YogurtContinental Breakfast
Coffee or Tea
Freshly squeezed Orange Juice
Peach Yogurt
Prosciutto, roasted Turkey Breast, Baby Mozzarella and Salzberg CheeseAmerican Breakfast
Coffee or Tea
Freshly squeezed Orange Juice
Fresh Fruit
Mushroom Omelette with Yukon Potato, grilled Zucchini and Bacon
Much like dinner, the breakfast service was at a great pace, since the other two passengers chose to sleep in. At a 1:1 crew:passenger ratio, it’s hard not to feel good.
Service began with orange juice and a refreshing towel.
Orange juice and towel
Given how short the flight was and that we had dinner just a few hours ago, we went with the “fitness breakfast.” It was delicious, exactly right for the pre-arrival meal on a flight this short.
Breakfast
As our descent began we restowed our carry-ons (which were totally bulging at this point, thanks to all the amenities we got aboard), and I changed out of my PJ’s.
The FA’s asked us to complete a survey, which we were happy to do, mainly because they include a FREE LH pen! Love ‘em!
Anyway, the flight was perfect, there’s nothing I can fault. We touched down on-time, got to the gate, and as usual the FA’s made sure that the F passengers were off before anyone from C could even look at the door (which I have to say is somewhat comical).
We headed towards immigration so that we could get to the First Class Terminal, which would be my brother’s first time.
To be continued….
A company memo was posted on FlyerTalk today (which is not a joke, sadly), highlighting some of the latest UA changes. I can now confidently say that UA’s race to the bottom has begun, and they’re winning so far!
Instead of me re-posting it here (and possibly having UA’s legal team involved), check out the link above.
Just a few thoughts:
- We must be living in the Weimar Republic. Fresh snack items were still $5 a couple of months ago, and will be $9 in October. WOW!
- I actually don’t have a huge problem with UA providing free BOB and booze in Business domestically. The part that will suck is that they’re going to FAA minimums. That means that a 767 will have FIVE flight attendants. That’s right, FIVE! Don’t count on a refill for your drink in business, that’s for sure.
- No more pre-arrival snack on PS breakfast flights. Seriously, I think PS has had the quickest deterioration of any product I’ve ever seen. A few months ago they were pretty full service, and now they cut one FA in F, have tray service in F, got rid of the appetizer in C, got rid of menus, got rid of dessert choices, and all around ghetto-fied the meal service. Clearly it’s time to take the “Premium” out of PS.
- I’m very saddened to read about them charging for meals from IAD to Europe. I’d probably prefer the BOB food anyway over the garbage they serve now, but it’s very sad to see UA, a carrier that has been a leader for so long, be the first to do this.
I hate to say it, but I think this might just be the beginning of the end, at least at the current rate. I can’t say it often enough, UA NEEDS a new management team. With Tilton at the helm UA’ll be gone soon, and that would be a very sad day.
Well, I just got back from another amazing trip, so that means it’s time for another (not so) amazing trip report! The planning of this trip was a bit different than my usual process. Usually I’ll plan my travel around the destination I want to see and book whatever I can to get there, but in this case it was different.
It was about traveling and more importantly traveling in style. I rarely get to spend time with my brother (who lives in New York), so this trip was basically the one week a year we get to spend together. We decided to go somewhere in Europe, since that’s the only real way to get two first class award seats using United miles on the same flight. My primary goal was to convert him to the converted, those lucky group of people that are so obsessed with mileage that they base their lives/jobs/dreams around it, mainly because they get to experience the benefits, namely international premium travel for next to nothing. Once they experience it there’s no turning back.
Long story short, with a bit of work we found two award seats in Lufthansa First from EWR-FRA-EWR, and were trying to figure out what to add to the trip intra-Europe.
The task of picking a destination began. Since we’re both Royal Ambassadors with InterContinental, we did our best to get to a destination with an InterContinental hotel, considering how great the benefits can be. Because my brother preferred a more relaxed, slow-paced vacation, the choices were narrowed down, and we ultimately decided on Malta.
The process leading up to choosing Malta is an interesting one though. For a little bit over a year now I’ve wanted to visit Malta, for a reason that would make most people cringe. A while back I was on a quest to find the theme song for InterContinental (or at least what I consider to be the theme song), and I was unsuccessful for the longest time. Then someone linked me to the InterContinental Malta homepage, which has the exact tune I was searching day and night for! Because I was so excited about this my goal ever since has been to visit the hotel.
Seriously, check out the InterContinental Malta site, sit back, relax, and enjoy the tune, and feel free to mute the crazy talking people. THAT’S why we chose Malta, I tell ya! Add to that the fact that it had a great rate considering the crappy conversion rate, and we were sold.
Scary, eh?
Anyway, I’ve split up the report into several small parts to make it easier to read and faster to load considering the dozens of pictures, including:
- Lufthansa First to Europe, part one
- Lufthansa First to Europe including the First Class Terminal, part two
- InterContinental Malta
- Six days in Malta
- Lufthansa Business MLA-FRA
- InterContinental Frankfurt and a fun evening
- Lufthansa First to the US with some twists and turns
Enjoy! If there’s anything I can do to make your reading experience more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to let me know (and yes, Channel 9 will be on).
Just a quick update from ORD to say that I got a bump off of my ORD-TPA flight, and am now booked on the same route in a few hours. The two flights left for the day are both zeroed out, so this could get interesting. I’m not holding my breath though, since the next flight is around the same time as the arriving Europe connections, which usually means misconnects….
My morning was a total mess. The hotel shuttle was totally packed to EWR, and the only place they drop you off at the airport is at P4, which means one has to take the AirTrain to get to the terminals. As luck would have it they were doing construction on the tracks, so they only had one AirTrain doing the whole loop. That meant that instead of there being a train every two minutes there was only one every 20 minutes, not to mention the line was longer than an A340-600. I hardly made my flight, but in the end everything was fine.
Anyway, I’m now at ORD waiting for my flight to TPA. It is totally zeroed out, but I’m not holding my breath.
That’s the boring stuff though. I’m laughing my rear off internally here, sitting in the RCC. Across from me are two gentlemen traveling together on business, one Asian and one European. They’re both headed to HKG, and they’re communicating with each other in English despite neither of them having any sort of grasp on the language. For the past 45 minutes (I’m not exaggerating, I have been watching the clock), they have been arguing about how they should get from the airport to the hotel. They both have their laptops open and are trying to prove each other wrong. The European guy is suggesting they take the Airport Express (which is the smart thing to do, in my opinion), while the Asian guy suggests taking the bus.
They got downright angry at each other at one point (“Stop it, you’re not listening to me!”), and they just in general refuse to give in. Not that I’m a native to Hong Kong or anything, but I’m just about ready to go over there and explain to them the easiest way.
I wish I could film this, it’s downright hilarious.
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