US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - What to expect on LH?

I know it has only been a few days since LH started honouring our US Elite status, but I'm wondering if anybody has taken advantage of this and therefore what to expect.

I'm flying AMS-FRA-DEL and BOM-FRA-AMS in a few weks, and wanted to get an idea if my US GP status is worth anything. I expect the mileage bonus and the ability to check-in at the Business/First desk... anything aside from that? Even though US isn't part of *A yet, any chance of lounge access? Advance seat assignment or preference? OpUp (yeah, I'm dreaming)?

Thanks in advance.

You should be able to get seat assignments, regardless of the class of travel, on the FRA-DEL and BOM-FRA segments in advance of travel. Just call up Lufthansa, give them your reference number and they'll sort you out.

To get an idea of good/bad seats, try going over to the Lufthansa forum and entering the search term "seat" and "747".

Note that exit rows are only usually assigned at the airport on the day of travel (though you lose nothing by asking). You can reserve bulkhead seats in economy, but they will sometimes move you to accomodate parents with young children (this can happen even after you check in).

For AMS-FRA-AMS, you can ask for an aisle or a window seat, but can't allocate an exact seat in advance (they don't even let their own elites do this).

As GP, as I understand it, you should be able to use the First Class check in, just like Star Gold members on other carriers.

When US joins Star Alliance next year, I would imagine that CP will get lounge access at AMS and FRA. This probably doesn't apply yet but no harm in trying.

Achtung Baby!

Actually there is no F class position in AMS, just a line for Coach and one for all Biz class pax.

Staff is outsourced and the most incompetent LH systemwide, checked in there four times within the last two months and somehow they managed to have a wrong FF in the system, which was corrected by the LH station manager at the gate.

Talking about the gate and lounge, LH uses the Menzies lounge in the middle between the D pier and C pier, the LH part is shared with British Midland, but the BD part is bigger.Solid drink selection, but only peanuts and salami snacks available.Staff is rude und unpleasant.Your gate will be B 11, a solid 10 minute walk after security along the new annex they are currently building.

Plane to FRA will be most likely an A 320, make sure to ask for an exit row, which should be available at check in, cause they are only assigned at check in.Avoid the last row "27" on the A 320, because of less legroom and the backrest.

Beside that you will be fine, LH is amazingly good organised, you will fly circles around FRA every time you are halfway on time, but you are getting used to it..
If it gets really tight, LH staff will drive you to your gate.Alcohol is free on all flights and you will be served a tasty sandwich on AMS-FRA.

Sorry - I'm used to checking in at LHR, where there is a First Class check-in. You can definitely check-in at the Business desks.

I agree about connecting at FRA - even on very tight connections LH are very good at getting you to your connecting gate - for your onward gate (if not already printed on your boarding pass), just check the monitor mounted on the ceiling as you reach the top of the airbridge or step off the bus from the plane.

I thought people might like to hear about how my actual experience on LH was on this trip (at least on the outbound since I'm still in India).

At the business class check-in in AMS (although I was flying Y) I was informed that "We only accept United cards -- not USAirways". Even though I pushed it, the agent insisted no US miles were possible. She finally agreed to call the station manager who told her that US will be joining Star Alliance soon but at this point they do not give any credit or honour status. I insisted that they enter my number into the system and "USP" showed up on the boarding pass (and the miles posted 48 hours later). Perhaps in retaliation, the agent put is in dreaded row 27 (the last one on the plane). I noticed after checkin that the US Logo was displayed (along with other *A carriers) on the monitor directly above the agent. LH should do a better job of informing their staff of their partnerships!!

The AMS-FRA takeoff was delayed due to a radar problem in FRA, and then further delayed due to weather so we landed almost an hour late. The plane parked at a remote stand and we took a bus to the terminal. From there it was about a 20 minute walk to the gate for DEL, including an outbound passport check (where my friend traveling on an Argentine passport was given a very hard time). The long-haul flights were held for the many delayed inbound passengers. Boarding was already in process when I arrived so I don't know if I would have been able to pre-board.

Our seats were in row 56, the last on the plane, which was nice since it is 2-4-2 back there. The flight was generally uneventful. LH does not have Personal TV, and so I missed most of the airshow (which is usually my favourite channel) and instead had to sit through the Italian Job for the 3rd time. The downside of the back row became apparent when we got off the plane and found ourselves at the end of a very long passport and customs line. By the time we got out of the DEL airport, it was close to 3am.

In summary, other than miles the US status has not been worth much on LH. But I'm not complaining -- the 25K miles I'll earn on this trip (including bonuses) are more than enough to make up for it.

We'll see if anything is different on my BOM-FRA-AMS return this week.

Not that this should make any difference I have heard that LH AMS line agents are contracted workers not LH staff.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Altaflyer:
Not that this should make any difference I have heard that LH AMS line agents are contracted workers not LH staff.</font>

Yes, but if the station manager confirms what the agent thinks (that US is not yet a partner) this indicates the need for additional communication from HQ.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by noah:
Yes, but if the station manager confirms what the agent thinks (that US is not yet a partner) this indicates the need for additional communication from HQ. </font>

I could see it coming, staff at AMS is a desaster, station manager helped me out one time, but was neither very helpful nor friendly.

AMS is not designed for an alliance like *, so I guess it will be tough for them to improve the current situation, sad but true...