Bangkok Bound: View from the Loo

14

Join me as I travel in style to Bangkok and back. 

2013-02-01 08.46.59

Greetings from Lufthansa’s first class lounge in Frankfurt!

I stumbled off the plane at about 8:30 this morning Frankfurt time.  Unlike my iPhone which quickly figured out what time zone we were in, my body argued that it was just 2:30 in the morning, and presented me with a pounding headache as proof.  Luckily, Lufthansa’s first class lounge was just a short walk from the plane.

For info about getting access to this lounge, see the Lounge Access section at the bottom of this post.

When I checked in at the lounge, the desk agent apologized that I wouldn’t be chauffeured to my next flight since I wasn’t flying onward on Lufthansa.  Um, really, that’s OK, especially since my departure gate is just a few hundred feet away…

I found my way to the lounge bath room.  And, I really mean “bath” room, not toilet room.  I took a Jacuzzi bath and then a rainfall shower. The combo made me feel much better.  My body was now willing to consider the possibility that it really was after 8:30 in the morning.  And, yes, I took the rubber ducky.

2013-02-01 02.45.08

Next stop was the dining area and the critical cup of coffee…

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Food in the lounge was quite good.  Just FYI, most food is served from the buffet despite the fact that the menu makes it appear to be sit-down service.  I’m OK with that.

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The lounge itself is nice too:

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This has been my office all day:

2013-02-01 09.57.25

I still have a few more hours to spend here, and another meal to eat before boarding for my final leg to Bangkok.  More later.

Lounge Access

Lufthansa has quite a tiered system of lounges at the Frankfurt airport.  Here are the rules for access as I understand them:

  • First Class Terminal: Yes, they have an entire terminal for the hoity-toity.  Unless you have super-elite HON status, you get into this terminal only if you are departing Frankfurt on Lufthansa in first class.  This wasn’t the case for me, so I wasn’t invited to that party.
  • First Class Lounge: These lounges are supposedly very similar to the First Class Terminal.  You can get into one of these with a first class Lufthansa boarding pass regardless of whether you are arriving or departing.  Since I arrived via Lufthansa first class, I was allowed in.
  • Senator Lounge: I took a look at one of these and, in my opinion, it was a big step down from the first class lounge.  You can get into these if you have a first class ticket on any Star Alliance flight, or if you have Star Alliance Gold status and a ticket on any Star Alliance flight (first class or not).
  • Business Lounge: This is yet again a step down in the hierarchy, but the one I looked at seemed quite similar to the Senator Lounge I visited briefly.  All you need here is a Star Alliance business class ticket.

Here’s a tip.  If you qualify for the First Class Lounge, be careful not to accidentally enter the Senator Lounge.  Take a look at this sign:

2013-02-01 16.48.59

I know its blurry, but do you see how there’s a little “First Class” box on the left?  This makes it appear to be the First Class lounge, but it’s not.  You should really look for a sign that specifically mentions the “First Class Lounge” like this:

2013-02-01 16.49.26

I visited all three types of lounges, and believe me, the First Class lounge is worth looking for.  FYI, here’s a photo of the Senator Lounge.  It’s nice, but nothing like the First Class lounge:

2013-02-01 16.40.11

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