LH2455
OSL-MUC
Duration: 2:10 (1:46)
A321 (swapped from A319): D-AIDB
M class (No C available at time of booking despite only 3 seats taken out of 30...), about 40% load.
Seats 11D & 11E
Check in at SAS Eurobonus Gold / First Class counter went smoothly. I actually noticed that SAS is now writing First Class on their newly designed overhead screen, even though they do not offer that class of service.
The agent found both our reservations and proceeded to check that we were seated together, something I had requested by email to TG for our two next segments but not for LH as I could only pre-reserve my seat (SEN card). Our luggages were checked in all the way, and I politely reminded the agent to attach Priority tags, as she was about to send them without.
At time of booking C class was not available, so at check in I politely requested an upgrade, referring to our trip being in F, and to the wide availability of C seats. The agent sadly could not upgrade us and told us to ask at the gate or in the lounge.
We then went through Fast Track security control thanks to my SEN card where the queue was quite long. Still it was shorter than at the normal control which was packed.
We headed for Sushis at YoSushi and then for the Scandinavian lounge. To be honest, I usually eat before entering the Scandinavian lounge in OSL, as the food choices there are very limited, and the quality quite poor. On that particular night they had bread, salmon, pork cold cuts, and soup. Upon entering I once again requested an upgrade, explaining C was not available when we booked but that it was now. The nice agent then sent a request for an upgrade which would be addressed at the gate.
YoSushi!
Sushi bar
After finding a seat and trying to relax, we started waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Several announcements later, our flight was expected with 1:50 delay when we only had 1:15.connection time in MUC. The delay was due to snow weather in MUC and was announced as affecting most of the flights. It was however clear to me we were not going to make our connection even though we might have had a slight chance if TG was also delayed..
Waiting in the lounge, with an F boarding card in hand. Nice feeling!
Agents in the Lounge were unwilling to help with finding an alternative, and one of them was being down right rude and blaming LH for all the world's misery. After a while another agent, nicer, informed us that LH wanted all passengers to be sent to MUC and that everything would be sorted out there. I wasn't thrilled with the idea as there were still several connections possible out of OSL, either via CPH on SK or via FRA on LH. In any case the agents said they were not allowed to rebook us and that LH would do that in MUC if necessary. Thinking of it, that was probably not correct with regards to passenger rights, but as we were on an award booking, we went with the flow...
At the gate we inquired politely about our upgrade request, but the gate manager said he never heard of such a thing. He was stressed due to late incoming aircraft so we did not insist. Boarding happened without priority line for *G as usual in OSL, despite the fact that there are two distinct boarding queues at every gate...
Nice and modern Airbus cabin, note the curtain is closed. SK take notes!
Emergency exit row
View from my seat
We were in the air 2:15 after scheduled departure time... The flight went ok, being placed on emergency exit, the leg room was excellent. Some food was served. I write "some" because it smelled and looked revolting. It was oily white sausage balls, and a small Ciabata bread. Did not want to eat that, and besides I was still full from the Sushis.
During the flight I enquired the purser about our situation. Was our TG flight delayed? Which gate would we arrive at, and what gate was TG departing from? Basics... If there was still a chance to make it, we might as well make a run for it. My main concern at the time was for us to be rebooked in M to SYD. That might be an unpopular fact but as I understand it is the normal process when rebooking passenger on an award ticket... And it did not sound good one bit.
15 minutes before landing, the purser came to us and informed us that she had not received any information whatsoever about our flight to BKK and that she really was sorry. Honestly I was quite disappointed by that answer, which really was not one... She did not even knew which gate we would be arriving at... Looking back, she was probably lying and most certainly knew what was our situation. Anyway we actually moved further to the front of the cabin to try and make a run for it. Right before reaching our parking gate I switched on my mobile phone (I am aware that is not normally allowed, I was bad on this one), and checked our flight status. It had departed.
At this time there was nothing else to do than stand in line at the Service Center. However, the queue there was freakishly huge so we went to try our luck in the Senator lounge. The queue was much shorter there and after about 10 minutes we ended up talking to a very tired but efficient agent who managed to save our day. So far the delay from LH had been accompanied by bad news and unwilling staff. That lounge agent was the complete opposite. She was nice, had a good sense of humor, and went out of her way to help us. She was simply perfect. ^
The queue at the service centre
And boy did we get lucky with our re-booking! For starters, and despite being rebooked with a 24h delay, we were rebooked in the same class, then to our final destination, and finally on an A388 for the longest leg. And as if that was not enough, we were rebooked in a paying class, which allows point earnings. As explained, I understand that LH really did not had any obligation to do all of that. But that lounge agent, amazing as she was, did nothing wrong as she double checked everything with her manager, to make sure the whole process was correct.
Our new boarding cards, an even better feeling! I love the Silver paper case!
Looking back, that agent checked several routings for us, some with QR, and others with EK, but she wanted to make sure we had an A388 experience. Just so that it's said, she made sure we would get that, without us requesting it. I was surprised though she did not try to book with SQ, which never came up in our conversation. I was also surprised she did not rebook us on TG the day after since the LH flight she picked for us was departing at exactly the same time...
Anyway, she really was great! She even tried to book a room at the
Kempinski for us, which sadly was full. So after about 20 minutes we had new tickets to MEL with LH and EK in F, a hotel coupon, a taxi voucher and 2 diner vouchers.
Of course we were sad to "loose" 1 day of holiday, but at this stage we were not ready to complain at all... The perspective of flying M all the way had vanished and the new highlight of the trip for me then switched to the A380 experience which despite me being a relative frequent flyer, I've yet to fly on. Scandinavian carriers are too small for the whale...
A nice beer to decompress after an eventful evening
Conclusion:
Flight delayed, bad service and information from LH compensated by 1 individual who did her job and went out of her way to make up for the bad start of our holidays.
Onboard experience was decent, with a nice hard product, but catering was disgusting.