Carfield
Aug 22, 00, 1:35 pm
Hi Everyone,
Here is Carfield once again with his infamous report and infamous one-day trip around Asia. I guess I fly a bit too much this month but when I know that I won't be in the sky too much in the fall, I somehow justify this trip. This particular trip marks my first with Lufthansa and my first trip into MNL. CX First continues to be good and it is nice to know that CX will install the new F class at its A340 fleet and 4 of its A330s (for flights into CNS, BNE, and Surbarya). Now I only wish that Boeing 777-300 will get the new F class, especially flights into DXB and BAH. Anyway, then I connect to LH to MNL, and then BA to HKG. Booking through 1st Air.net, the price for my BKK-MNL-HKG flight is only USD$294 in first… I guess the price is pretty good.
August 21, 2000
CX 713 HKG-BKK Lv0855 Arr1040
Boeing 747-400 B-HOV
For those who knew about the hijack event at HKG two weeks ago, this particular aircraft was the one that was involved. Anyway, I chose to check in the evening before at the Hong Kong Airport Express station. The desk was pretty quiet and a very nice Indian agent checked me in. She was very friendly. When I asked for a F class ticket holder, she gave me one… even offering me a second one. I guess I should have gotten an extra one (Sorry… nightflyer…). The next morning, I was up a bit later than I wanted to, so I did not use the infamous CX F class lounge at HKG. I planned to take a later flight, but if I wanted to fly the new F class, the morning flight was my only choice. But I managed to snap shots of some interesting planes - Air Mauritius' A340, couple CX's Boeing 747-400, and A340s. I noticed that A340s are being used in many Asian routes by CX. Boarding took place at 8:25am at Gate 21. It was a nice gate, which was very closed to the immigration and one of CX's preferred gates. The whole boarding process was very efficient and this flight was not full in F class (with only 4 passengers, including me). My seat assignment was 2A. Today, our F/As were Kris, Queenie, and the galley F/A (which I never got her name). Once again they were very attentive and nice. I was offered a wide range of newspapers, some juice (very sour orange juice - definitely wake you up), and a cold towel. The door was closed at 8:49am, but we did not leave the gate till 8:56pm because of some cargo loading. We finally took off after waiting the landing of 3 planes (CX's 772, CZ's B757, and CI's 738) at 9:19am. Our cruising attitude was 39,000ft and flying time was two hours and fifteen minutes. What a quick flight!
Once again, CX new F class was very comfortable and we were offered a blanket this time. Seat belt sign was off at 9:26am when we reached 13,000ft. I was immediately offered a beverage, which I sadly chose the orange juice again. Then I was given the menu, which was disappointing, because the brunch service in F class was identical to the brunch service at J class. I guess CX can use an additional yogurt/cereal course. I was asked to fill in a survey again. Okay, the meal service began at 9:39am, after the F/As set up our tables. Here was the menu:
Juices
Fresh Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice or Raspberry Health Drink
Carfield decided to take a glass of Champagne Krug Grand Cuvee
Appetizer
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
This appetizer actually looked like a mixed fruit salad, rather than the usual sliced fruit dish. It had orange slices, strawberries, pineapple chunks, cantalope dices, melon dices, grapes, blueberry, and pomelo slices. It was actually an okay salad and the fruit was all freshly sliced and diced. It was ripe, too.
Main Courses
Omelette with Mushroom
Assorted Chinese Dim Sum (Chive and pork dumpling, shrimp dumpling, fish meat siu mai, & vegetables wrapped in dried bean curd skin)
Stir-fried noodles with Scallop and Vegetables
I chose the dim sum, which was okay. The dim sum was decent, but not great.
Accompaniments
Grilled Ham Steak with Pineapple, Nurnberger Sausage, Hashed Browned Potatoes, Broiled Tomato with Parley
Dessert
Chocolate Mascarpone Cream Cake
Served with Raspberry Sauce
Once again, the whole cake appeared in front of you, and it was delicious. Don't ever skip this course. You will regret it. Ha ha ha! J class was also served this dessert.
Bread Basket
Over-baked Assorted Bread and Rolls
Croissant stix, chestnut danish, muffin, and regular rolls were offered. I chose the croissant and danish again.
The meal service was completed with a hot towel service. It was once again placed neatly on a CX F class towel tray. Personal TV was available throughout the flight. I decided to take a nap after watching a very funny episode of "Third Rock From the Sun." As usual, we flew into some turbulent air, when we entered Da Nang. The seat belt sign was turned back on at 10am until we landed at BKK. The inflight service director once again made a couple announcements. Honestly, the air was very choppy and I could not sleep too well, but my other neighbors scored through the rest of the flight. The F/As were kind enough to shut all the shades after brunch and then to open them when they were preparing for landing. I guess this little gesture reflects the highest standard of CX service.
We began our descent at 11:10am, and the F/As were asked to prepare the cabin for landing early. The landing gear lowered at 11:28am. According to the Sky map, we were at 6162 feet. Then we landed nicely at 10:33am (BKK was an hour behind). We then proceeded to Bay 54, which meant that we had to use stairs. Fortunately, it was a short ride to the building. I then went to the transit desk waiting for someone to arrive at LH desks. I knew it would be a long wait, so I sat down and read a novel. I waited for an hour and no one showed up at the gate. Then I walked out to the departure area. Apparently, there was no guard at the transit desk and you could freely walked back and forth between the arrival, transit, and departure area. I decided to take a seat at the Louis's snack shop with the nice window. I took many pictures of CZ's A320s, Sri Lankan's A340s, Kuwait's A340s, Finnair's MD-11, and AF's A340. It was very nice.
Interesting plane questions - I saw a Minera's DC-10 landing at BKK at 1:41pm. Anyone can tell me what "Minera" airline is. I guess it must be a European charter plane. Any idea here???
LH 744 BKK-MNL Lv1450 Arr1855
Boeing 747-400 D-ABTH
Finally, I decided to head straight to LH's J class lounge. Then the attendants told me to go back to the transit desk. I really did not understand why LH could not allow its staffs to check in passengers at J class lounge, especially when BKK allowed transit passengers into the departure level without a boarding pass check. Anyway, I walked back to LH's transit desk, which was far, and surprisingly saw a group of passengers in front of me. Checking this particular group took 20 minutes. Then the two gate agents checked me in and told me where the lounge was. Of course, their instructions were pretty vague. Since I knew where LH's J class loung was, I noticed that LH had a second F class lounge, which was indicated on the lounge location map. I tried to look for it, but apparently, LH had decided to close this lounge. Also, CP and Lauda Air closed their lounges and a duty free shop replaced the previous location for these lounges. I hope BKK authority could update their maps a bit. Then I returned to the LH's J class lounge.
LH's J class lounge had a few occupants and there was no doubt why no one wanted to stay at that lounge. It was very tired looking with a few LH pictures and the carpet was in bad shape. There was a seating area, which was like a restaurant. Then there was a sofa area with the typical LH's grey and yellow chairs. The whole lounge did not look to be put together nicely. The food buffet was a joke, which only had cashews and Lay's Potato chips. The beverage buffet featured soft drinks, juices, and a few kinds of whiskey and vodlka. I was not impressed, but they featured both Coke and Pepsi, which were nice. I took a Pepsi and a pack of cashew nuts. Then I used the toilet facitlity, which was nice, because LH lounges featured its own bathrooms. I was very disappointed because SK and NG also shared this lounge. If LH decided to close the F class lounge and allow other Star Alliance partners to use the lounge, it needs to take better care of its present J class lounge and to upgrade the lounge facilities. Have more food and drinks… Anyway, I chose to watch planes, rather than sitting at a room with no window and limited A/C.
BTW, the plane came in late. I only knew it after I checked the departure flight monitor. The new time was 3pm, which was okay. Of course, the plane did not come in till 2:15pm, due to traffic at BKK. The plane parked at Gate 32, and this aircraft was a Boeing 747-400 Combi. I noticed the cargo door between Door 4 and 5. I guess LH did not load or unload any cargo on this particular flight. Anyway, I went to Gate 32 thirty minutes before departure. The security area at this pier was a mess because a group of Taiwanese passengers were trying to get into the pier. Despite the agents asked them to line up, these people just continued to put their bags onto the carousels and jumped lines. Finally, the agent yelled and refused to let anyone use. The agent noticed that about 10 people jumped in front of me. So she let me in first. Then she told them to line up. Of course, only one of the planes from TPE had arrived. The other flight from KHH did not land until we taxiied down the runway. I really did nto understand what the rush was about. It really reflected badly on the Chinese population. Lining up is a very simple procedure, and why they caused such chaos. It was very ugly… L
Anyway, the LH plane did not start boarding until 2:55pm with no particular order. Even when the gate agent made the announcement, everyone just lined up and boarded. There were only 150 pax on this flight into MNL, and F class had only 5 passengers. There were 3 F/As working in the upper deck today. Door was closed at 3:15pm.
My first impression of LH was very German. The cabin was very modern and stylish. The F/As were a bit on the cold side, but efficient. The F/A took away my F-class boarding pass once she showed me my seat, 81K, which was the bulkhead window. She did not explain why, but told me that I would have it back at the end of the flight. BTW, I did not have any coat hanging in the closet. Then I was offered a beverage, which I decided to try the orange juice - bad choice once again. Then the F/A handed me an amenity kit, which was very basic. There was no brand name stuff, but I guess it was good enough for a short flight. The seat was very wide and the side storage bin on the upper deck was removed to allow bigger seats. The seat had a headrest, which was awkwardly located, but the lumbar, the recline, and the legrest was very nice. The seat became a very nice bed. Interestingly, the LH magazines, duty free catalogues, and safety cards were placed inside on the armrest. However, the tray tables were very dirty and cleanliness is not that good - a lot of bread crumbs and scratch marks. Finally we pushed back at 3:16pm, and the inflight service director came introduced himself and gave me a copy of today's menu, which was huge and nice. Apparently, Chef Alfonso Laccarino is the chef of the month.
We took off at 3:35pm, and it was quite bumpy. We headed towards 37,000ft and were told that the typhoon in Taiwan was affecting our course. There would be a few bumps along the way. Our flying time was two hours and forty minutes, and the seat belt sign was not turned off until 4:31pm. But the F/As were preparing the lunch service shortly afte takeoff. A nicely scented towel came by at 3:57pm. Then the F/A set up my table, which followed by beverage and appetizer service.
Here was the menu:
Lunch
Hors d'Oeuvre
Crabmeat Terrine enhanced by Herb Sour Cream
Vitello Tonnato served with Bell Pepper sauce
Both appetizers were preplated, and the F/A simply pushed out the cart and asked you which appetizer you wanted. I took the second choice, which was a very nice dish. The F/A told me that it was a duck dish, but the meat tasted like pork. Hopefully some of the food expert can tell me what this Italian dish really is.
Salad
Seasonal Greens and Celery (slices) presented with Raspberry Vinaigrette or Honey Yogurt dressing
Bread, Rolls and Butter
I had the honey yogurt dressing. The salad was once again preplated, but the F/A poured the dressing onto your dish in front of passengers. The dressings were placed at silver salad dressing boats.
Entrees
Lamb Medalloins accented by Thyme Reduction offered with a Pumpkin and Green bean tourne and Duchess Potatoes
Pan-seared Red Snapper complemented by creamy chive sauce served with sauteed Zucchini and vegetable rice
Oven-roasted Breast of Duck Au Jus accompanied by Carrots, Broccoli, and Bread Dumpling.
Three equally good choices - I took the duck entrée, which was very tasty. It was an excellent dish. The duck was moist and full of flavors. The carrots and broccoli were very fresh and not overcooked. BTW, the F/As took the meal order individually, instead of showing you the components of your meal and having you choose.
Cheese and Dessert
International Cheese - Boursin, Gruyere, Camembert and Blue Cheese
Cherry Cheesecake accented by Berry Coulis
Fina Chocolates
The cheese board and the dessert came together in a trolley. You could have both, but today I only chose the cake, which was nice. I never saw the Fine Chocolates.
The meal service was excellent and considered this flight was a long-haul one. The FRA-BKK segment looked better. If anyone is interested, I am more than happy to type it out for you.
We hit into the bumpy air and seat belt sign was on again at 4:43pm due to some thunderstorms in front of us. We continue into MNL uneventfully. The personal TV system was turned on immediately after take-off, and I saw a full feature movie, "The Whole Nine Yards," featuring one of famous actors, Matthew Perry. He is so cute. Then short subjects were shown. I tried to take a nap but the turbulence was quite bad. I checked on the magazine rack, which also featured some LH postcards, letter papers, and envelopes. There was a nice bar set up in the middle of the cabin, right next to the emergency exit row. The F/A came around quite frequently and I asked for a glass of Coke. I usually did not talk about bathroom, but LH bathrooms worth the mention. It was huge and featured a window. Yes, a window… the water faucet was not the usual kind, but the autosensor kind. They placed your hand under the faucet and the water will come out automatically. BTW, CX also featured this kind of faucet.
We began our descent into MNL at 5:38pm and safely landed at Manila Ninoy Aquino airport at 7:19pm. BKK was an hour behind from MNL. We taxiied into Gate 14, and I was the second one off the plane. I was in a hurry catching my BA flight. Fortunately, a very nice agent helped me out. He told me that I should book the CX flight, which departed at 8:25pm. Anyway, I was shocked at the amount of security check at MNL. First, I went through the normal X-ray checks, and then there was a body check. They actually touched your body and took everything out of your pocket. It took so much time. Then I finally reached the gate, and there was another real bag check. I guess the hostage event at the Philippines made the Filipino government take extra steps at its security facilities.
BA 32 MNL-HKG Lv1955 Arr2200
Boeing 747-400 G-CIVN (The Netherland livery - very nice)
Boarding was nearly completed by the time I reached the entrance of the jet way. I got my boarding pass and went into the plane. There was only one jet way, which was located at Door 2L. Three more guards stood along the jet way. The security was amazing at this airport. A very nice F/A was standing by at the door and I quickly walked towards the F class cabin. The seats were the old Club World and First style, for those who want to know more about BA's new seats. The new seats were featured on the second BA flight to London. See my previous thread. For me, it was a nice flight because two gentlemen were in charge of the first section. One young F/A - very cute J and one middle-aged F/A were serving us. They were working nonstop throughout the flight. I was just seated and the cute F/A came to offer me a beverage and some cashew. I took the OJ, which was sweet and fresh for once. It was nice. BA actually added a piece of real orange onto your OJ. Once again, there was no amenity kit. Anyway, the F class seats was still nice, but a bit on the hard side. With so much competition out there, BA may want to upgrade its F class beds a bit. Anyway, the door was closed at 7:54pm, but we waited five minutes for the bags to be loaded. The F/A continued to offer us more beverages and to bring us the very nice menu. BA service was really top notch. The F/As were very friendly and personal. We began our taxi to the runway at 8:10pm. I got a better look at the airport, which was very busy. A lot of PR's A330s were landing and taking off during the whole time. Then I saw a bunch of European flights - KU's A340, KL's B744, LH's B744, GF's A340, SR's MD-11… Then also SQ's A340 and many PR's Boeing 747-200s and A340s at the PR hangar area. After a CO's Boeing 727 landed, we taziied into the runway and took off at 8:25pm.
Flying time was an hour and thirty-five minutes and crusing attitude was 31,000ft. We were warned about the bumpy air due to the typhoon in Taiwan and other thunderstorm activities in that region. We were told to be careful. The turbulence was actually not that bad on this sector. The two F/As began working by offering us a beverage. I took another glass of OJ and a glass of Krug Grande Cuvee, which the F/As kept on filling it up. Then the cute F/A came by and took our meal order. The dinner was a la carte service and most passengers had three courses. Here is the menu:
Appetisers
Gravlax with Dill Marinated Dressing
I chose this appetizer, but the four slices of marinated salmon was a bit on the salty side. I needed to use the bread to go with the fish.
Grilled Artichoke, Goat Cheese, and Tomatoes with Olive Tapenade
Tossed Seasonal Salad with classic Vinigrette or Herb Mayonnaise Dressing
You can also have the salad to come with your appetizer. Technically, there was an additional salad course, on top of your appetzier course.
Main Courses
Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Crispy Soy Ginger Chicken with braised rice
I chose this entrée, which was very nice. The chicken slices were moist and the rice was the traditional Chinese one. There were bak choys accompanying the entrée.
Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach in Basil Cream Sauce with shaved Parmesan Cheese
Dessert
Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry sauce
Simply devilish and delcious - excellent choice
Prepared Tropical Fruit
I had this course as well - two slices of cantalopes, two slices of unknown fruits (white colors with many black seeds?), slice of melon, papaya, and mango. The fruit was fresh and sweet.
For a flight that short, the dinner was more than sufficient. Even CX does not offer that many choices on its MNL flight. That is why I love BA. BA is simply the best airline serving this particular route. Of course, I asked for menus from the inbound flights, J class menus, and Y class menus. J class had the typical supper service, with no choice of entrée, but with appetizer (not simply salad), breads, and dessert. Then J class has another full dinner service served from HKG to LHR. For Y class, the menu is not the destination guide provided on transatlantic routes. It has a cold meal from HKG to MNL, which is a smoked chicken salad and mango mousse. It is a hot meal on other Asian airlines, but BA offers very cheap fare on this MNL-HKG route. Also, passengers onto LHR will be served a hot dinner service after takeoff from HKG. Anyway, the F/As were very nice and continued to fill our glasses with champagne and orange juice, until they were told to prepare for landing. Entertainment - news and an episode of "Taxi" was shown. My only complaint is "where is the Airshow?"
We landed nicely at 9:54pm and parked at Gate 16, which was closest to the immigration area. It was very nice. The flight was superb and I want to say thanks to the BA ground staffs at MNL and the two F/As… J
Very successful trip and hope you like my trip report! Once again, I better let those luxurious flights behind when I headed back to the US.
Carfield http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
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Carfield
Menu Scavengers
Inflight food critics
Here is Carfield once again with his infamous report and infamous one-day trip around Asia. I guess I fly a bit too much this month but when I know that I won't be in the sky too much in the fall, I somehow justify this trip. This particular trip marks my first with Lufthansa and my first trip into MNL. CX First continues to be good and it is nice to know that CX will install the new F class at its A340 fleet and 4 of its A330s (for flights into CNS, BNE, and Surbarya). Now I only wish that Boeing 777-300 will get the new F class, especially flights into DXB and BAH. Anyway, then I connect to LH to MNL, and then BA to HKG. Booking through 1st Air.net, the price for my BKK-MNL-HKG flight is only USD$294 in first… I guess the price is pretty good.
August 21, 2000
CX 713 HKG-BKK Lv0855 Arr1040
Boeing 747-400 B-HOV
For those who knew about the hijack event at HKG two weeks ago, this particular aircraft was the one that was involved. Anyway, I chose to check in the evening before at the Hong Kong Airport Express station. The desk was pretty quiet and a very nice Indian agent checked me in. She was very friendly. When I asked for a F class ticket holder, she gave me one… even offering me a second one. I guess I should have gotten an extra one (Sorry… nightflyer…). The next morning, I was up a bit later than I wanted to, so I did not use the infamous CX F class lounge at HKG. I planned to take a later flight, but if I wanted to fly the new F class, the morning flight was my only choice. But I managed to snap shots of some interesting planes - Air Mauritius' A340, couple CX's Boeing 747-400, and A340s. I noticed that A340s are being used in many Asian routes by CX. Boarding took place at 8:25am at Gate 21. It was a nice gate, which was very closed to the immigration and one of CX's preferred gates. The whole boarding process was very efficient and this flight was not full in F class (with only 4 passengers, including me). My seat assignment was 2A. Today, our F/As were Kris, Queenie, and the galley F/A (which I never got her name). Once again they were very attentive and nice. I was offered a wide range of newspapers, some juice (very sour orange juice - definitely wake you up), and a cold towel. The door was closed at 8:49am, but we did not leave the gate till 8:56pm because of some cargo loading. We finally took off after waiting the landing of 3 planes (CX's 772, CZ's B757, and CI's 738) at 9:19am. Our cruising attitude was 39,000ft and flying time was two hours and fifteen minutes. What a quick flight!
Once again, CX new F class was very comfortable and we were offered a blanket this time. Seat belt sign was off at 9:26am when we reached 13,000ft. I was immediately offered a beverage, which I sadly chose the orange juice again. Then I was given the menu, which was disappointing, because the brunch service in F class was identical to the brunch service at J class. I guess CX can use an additional yogurt/cereal course. I was asked to fill in a survey again. Okay, the meal service began at 9:39am, after the F/As set up our tables. Here was the menu:
Juices
Fresh Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice or Raspberry Health Drink
Carfield decided to take a glass of Champagne Krug Grand Cuvee
Appetizer
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
This appetizer actually looked like a mixed fruit salad, rather than the usual sliced fruit dish. It had orange slices, strawberries, pineapple chunks, cantalope dices, melon dices, grapes, blueberry, and pomelo slices. It was actually an okay salad and the fruit was all freshly sliced and diced. It was ripe, too.
Main Courses
Omelette with Mushroom
Assorted Chinese Dim Sum (Chive and pork dumpling, shrimp dumpling, fish meat siu mai, & vegetables wrapped in dried bean curd skin)
Stir-fried noodles with Scallop and Vegetables
I chose the dim sum, which was okay. The dim sum was decent, but not great.
Accompaniments
Grilled Ham Steak with Pineapple, Nurnberger Sausage, Hashed Browned Potatoes, Broiled Tomato with Parley
Dessert
Chocolate Mascarpone Cream Cake
Served with Raspberry Sauce
Once again, the whole cake appeared in front of you, and it was delicious. Don't ever skip this course. You will regret it. Ha ha ha! J class was also served this dessert.
Bread Basket
Over-baked Assorted Bread and Rolls
Croissant stix, chestnut danish, muffin, and regular rolls were offered. I chose the croissant and danish again.
The meal service was completed with a hot towel service. It was once again placed neatly on a CX F class towel tray. Personal TV was available throughout the flight. I decided to take a nap after watching a very funny episode of "Third Rock From the Sun." As usual, we flew into some turbulent air, when we entered Da Nang. The seat belt sign was turned back on at 10am until we landed at BKK. The inflight service director once again made a couple announcements. Honestly, the air was very choppy and I could not sleep too well, but my other neighbors scored through the rest of the flight. The F/As were kind enough to shut all the shades after brunch and then to open them when they were preparing for landing. I guess this little gesture reflects the highest standard of CX service.
We began our descent at 11:10am, and the F/As were asked to prepare the cabin for landing early. The landing gear lowered at 11:28am. According to the Sky map, we were at 6162 feet. Then we landed nicely at 10:33am (BKK was an hour behind). We then proceeded to Bay 54, which meant that we had to use stairs. Fortunately, it was a short ride to the building. I then went to the transit desk waiting for someone to arrive at LH desks. I knew it would be a long wait, so I sat down and read a novel. I waited for an hour and no one showed up at the gate. Then I walked out to the departure area. Apparently, there was no guard at the transit desk and you could freely walked back and forth between the arrival, transit, and departure area. I decided to take a seat at the Louis's snack shop with the nice window. I took many pictures of CZ's A320s, Sri Lankan's A340s, Kuwait's A340s, Finnair's MD-11, and AF's A340. It was very nice.
Interesting plane questions - I saw a Minera's DC-10 landing at BKK at 1:41pm. Anyone can tell me what "Minera" airline is. I guess it must be a European charter plane. Any idea here???
LH 744 BKK-MNL Lv1450 Arr1855
Boeing 747-400 D-ABTH
Finally, I decided to head straight to LH's J class lounge. Then the attendants told me to go back to the transit desk. I really did not understand why LH could not allow its staffs to check in passengers at J class lounge, especially when BKK allowed transit passengers into the departure level without a boarding pass check. Anyway, I walked back to LH's transit desk, which was far, and surprisingly saw a group of passengers in front of me. Checking this particular group took 20 minutes. Then the two gate agents checked me in and told me where the lounge was. Of course, their instructions were pretty vague. Since I knew where LH's J class loung was, I noticed that LH had a second F class lounge, which was indicated on the lounge location map. I tried to look for it, but apparently, LH had decided to close this lounge. Also, CP and Lauda Air closed their lounges and a duty free shop replaced the previous location for these lounges. I hope BKK authority could update their maps a bit. Then I returned to the LH's J class lounge.
LH's J class lounge had a few occupants and there was no doubt why no one wanted to stay at that lounge. It was very tired looking with a few LH pictures and the carpet was in bad shape. There was a seating area, which was like a restaurant. Then there was a sofa area with the typical LH's grey and yellow chairs. The whole lounge did not look to be put together nicely. The food buffet was a joke, which only had cashews and Lay's Potato chips. The beverage buffet featured soft drinks, juices, and a few kinds of whiskey and vodlka. I was not impressed, but they featured both Coke and Pepsi, which were nice. I took a Pepsi and a pack of cashew nuts. Then I used the toilet facitlity, which was nice, because LH lounges featured its own bathrooms. I was very disappointed because SK and NG also shared this lounge. If LH decided to close the F class lounge and allow other Star Alliance partners to use the lounge, it needs to take better care of its present J class lounge and to upgrade the lounge facilities. Have more food and drinks… Anyway, I chose to watch planes, rather than sitting at a room with no window and limited A/C.
BTW, the plane came in late. I only knew it after I checked the departure flight monitor. The new time was 3pm, which was okay. Of course, the plane did not come in till 2:15pm, due to traffic at BKK. The plane parked at Gate 32, and this aircraft was a Boeing 747-400 Combi. I noticed the cargo door between Door 4 and 5. I guess LH did not load or unload any cargo on this particular flight. Anyway, I went to Gate 32 thirty minutes before departure. The security area at this pier was a mess because a group of Taiwanese passengers were trying to get into the pier. Despite the agents asked them to line up, these people just continued to put their bags onto the carousels and jumped lines. Finally, the agent yelled and refused to let anyone use. The agent noticed that about 10 people jumped in front of me. So she let me in first. Then she told them to line up. Of course, only one of the planes from TPE had arrived. The other flight from KHH did not land until we taxiied down the runway. I really did nto understand what the rush was about. It really reflected badly on the Chinese population. Lining up is a very simple procedure, and why they caused such chaos. It was very ugly… L
Anyway, the LH plane did not start boarding until 2:55pm with no particular order. Even when the gate agent made the announcement, everyone just lined up and boarded. There were only 150 pax on this flight into MNL, and F class had only 5 passengers. There were 3 F/As working in the upper deck today. Door was closed at 3:15pm.
My first impression of LH was very German. The cabin was very modern and stylish. The F/As were a bit on the cold side, but efficient. The F/A took away my F-class boarding pass once she showed me my seat, 81K, which was the bulkhead window. She did not explain why, but told me that I would have it back at the end of the flight. BTW, I did not have any coat hanging in the closet. Then I was offered a beverage, which I decided to try the orange juice - bad choice once again. Then the F/A handed me an amenity kit, which was very basic. There was no brand name stuff, but I guess it was good enough for a short flight. The seat was very wide and the side storage bin on the upper deck was removed to allow bigger seats. The seat had a headrest, which was awkwardly located, but the lumbar, the recline, and the legrest was very nice. The seat became a very nice bed. Interestingly, the LH magazines, duty free catalogues, and safety cards were placed inside on the armrest. However, the tray tables were very dirty and cleanliness is not that good - a lot of bread crumbs and scratch marks. Finally we pushed back at 3:16pm, and the inflight service director came introduced himself and gave me a copy of today's menu, which was huge and nice. Apparently, Chef Alfonso Laccarino is the chef of the month.
We took off at 3:35pm, and it was quite bumpy. We headed towards 37,000ft and were told that the typhoon in Taiwan was affecting our course. There would be a few bumps along the way. Our flying time was two hours and forty minutes, and the seat belt sign was not turned off until 4:31pm. But the F/As were preparing the lunch service shortly afte takeoff. A nicely scented towel came by at 3:57pm. Then the F/A set up my table, which followed by beverage and appetizer service.
Here was the menu:
Lunch
Hors d'Oeuvre
Crabmeat Terrine enhanced by Herb Sour Cream
Vitello Tonnato served with Bell Pepper sauce
Both appetizers were preplated, and the F/A simply pushed out the cart and asked you which appetizer you wanted. I took the second choice, which was a very nice dish. The F/A told me that it was a duck dish, but the meat tasted like pork. Hopefully some of the food expert can tell me what this Italian dish really is.
Salad
Seasonal Greens and Celery (slices) presented with Raspberry Vinaigrette or Honey Yogurt dressing
Bread, Rolls and Butter
I had the honey yogurt dressing. The salad was once again preplated, but the F/A poured the dressing onto your dish in front of passengers. The dressings were placed at silver salad dressing boats.
Entrees
Lamb Medalloins accented by Thyme Reduction offered with a Pumpkin and Green bean tourne and Duchess Potatoes
Pan-seared Red Snapper complemented by creamy chive sauce served with sauteed Zucchini and vegetable rice
Oven-roasted Breast of Duck Au Jus accompanied by Carrots, Broccoli, and Bread Dumpling.
Three equally good choices - I took the duck entrée, which was very tasty. It was an excellent dish. The duck was moist and full of flavors. The carrots and broccoli were very fresh and not overcooked. BTW, the F/As took the meal order individually, instead of showing you the components of your meal and having you choose.
Cheese and Dessert
International Cheese - Boursin, Gruyere, Camembert and Blue Cheese
Cherry Cheesecake accented by Berry Coulis
Fina Chocolates
The cheese board and the dessert came together in a trolley. You could have both, but today I only chose the cake, which was nice. I never saw the Fine Chocolates.
The meal service was excellent and considered this flight was a long-haul one. The FRA-BKK segment looked better. If anyone is interested, I am more than happy to type it out for you.
We hit into the bumpy air and seat belt sign was on again at 4:43pm due to some thunderstorms in front of us. We continue into MNL uneventfully. The personal TV system was turned on immediately after take-off, and I saw a full feature movie, "The Whole Nine Yards," featuring one of famous actors, Matthew Perry. He is so cute. Then short subjects were shown. I tried to take a nap but the turbulence was quite bad. I checked on the magazine rack, which also featured some LH postcards, letter papers, and envelopes. There was a nice bar set up in the middle of the cabin, right next to the emergency exit row. The F/A came around quite frequently and I asked for a glass of Coke. I usually did not talk about bathroom, but LH bathrooms worth the mention. It was huge and featured a window. Yes, a window… the water faucet was not the usual kind, but the autosensor kind. They placed your hand under the faucet and the water will come out automatically. BTW, CX also featured this kind of faucet.
We began our descent into MNL at 5:38pm and safely landed at Manila Ninoy Aquino airport at 7:19pm. BKK was an hour behind from MNL. We taxiied into Gate 14, and I was the second one off the plane. I was in a hurry catching my BA flight. Fortunately, a very nice agent helped me out. He told me that I should book the CX flight, which departed at 8:25pm. Anyway, I was shocked at the amount of security check at MNL. First, I went through the normal X-ray checks, and then there was a body check. They actually touched your body and took everything out of your pocket. It took so much time. Then I finally reached the gate, and there was another real bag check. I guess the hostage event at the Philippines made the Filipino government take extra steps at its security facilities.
BA 32 MNL-HKG Lv1955 Arr2200
Boeing 747-400 G-CIVN (The Netherland livery - very nice)
Boarding was nearly completed by the time I reached the entrance of the jet way. I got my boarding pass and went into the plane. There was only one jet way, which was located at Door 2L. Three more guards stood along the jet way. The security was amazing at this airport. A very nice F/A was standing by at the door and I quickly walked towards the F class cabin. The seats were the old Club World and First style, for those who want to know more about BA's new seats. The new seats were featured on the second BA flight to London. See my previous thread. For me, it was a nice flight because two gentlemen were in charge of the first section. One young F/A - very cute J and one middle-aged F/A were serving us. They were working nonstop throughout the flight. I was just seated and the cute F/A came to offer me a beverage and some cashew. I took the OJ, which was sweet and fresh for once. It was nice. BA actually added a piece of real orange onto your OJ. Once again, there was no amenity kit. Anyway, the F class seats was still nice, but a bit on the hard side. With so much competition out there, BA may want to upgrade its F class beds a bit. Anyway, the door was closed at 7:54pm, but we waited five minutes for the bags to be loaded. The F/A continued to offer us more beverages and to bring us the very nice menu. BA service was really top notch. The F/As were very friendly and personal. We began our taxi to the runway at 8:10pm. I got a better look at the airport, which was very busy. A lot of PR's A330s were landing and taking off during the whole time. Then I saw a bunch of European flights - KU's A340, KL's B744, LH's B744, GF's A340, SR's MD-11… Then also SQ's A340 and many PR's Boeing 747-200s and A340s at the PR hangar area. After a CO's Boeing 727 landed, we taziied into the runway and took off at 8:25pm.
Flying time was an hour and thirty-five minutes and crusing attitude was 31,000ft. We were warned about the bumpy air due to the typhoon in Taiwan and other thunderstorm activities in that region. We were told to be careful. The turbulence was actually not that bad on this sector. The two F/As began working by offering us a beverage. I took another glass of OJ and a glass of Krug Grande Cuvee, which the F/As kept on filling it up. Then the cute F/A came by and took our meal order. The dinner was a la carte service and most passengers had three courses. Here is the menu:
Appetisers
Gravlax with Dill Marinated Dressing
I chose this appetizer, but the four slices of marinated salmon was a bit on the salty side. I needed to use the bread to go with the fish.
Grilled Artichoke, Goat Cheese, and Tomatoes with Olive Tapenade
Tossed Seasonal Salad with classic Vinigrette or Herb Mayonnaise Dressing
You can also have the salad to come with your appetizer. Technically, there was an additional salad course, on top of your appetzier course.
Main Courses
Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Crispy Soy Ginger Chicken with braised rice
I chose this entrée, which was very nice. The chicken slices were moist and the rice was the traditional Chinese one. There were bak choys accompanying the entrée.
Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach in Basil Cream Sauce with shaved Parmesan Cheese
Dessert
Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry sauce
Simply devilish and delcious - excellent choice
Prepared Tropical Fruit
I had this course as well - two slices of cantalopes, two slices of unknown fruits (white colors with many black seeds?), slice of melon, papaya, and mango. The fruit was fresh and sweet.
For a flight that short, the dinner was more than sufficient. Even CX does not offer that many choices on its MNL flight. That is why I love BA. BA is simply the best airline serving this particular route. Of course, I asked for menus from the inbound flights, J class menus, and Y class menus. J class had the typical supper service, with no choice of entrée, but with appetizer (not simply salad), breads, and dessert. Then J class has another full dinner service served from HKG to LHR. For Y class, the menu is not the destination guide provided on transatlantic routes. It has a cold meal from HKG to MNL, which is a smoked chicken salad and mango mousse. It is a hot meal on other Asian airlines, but BA offers very cheap fare on this MNL-HKG route. Also, passengers onto LHR will be served a hot dinner service after takeoff from HKG. Anyway, the F/As were very nice and continued to fill our glasses with champagne and orange juice, until they were told to prepare for landing. Entertainment - news and an episode of "Taxi" was shown. My only complaint is "where is the Airshow?"
We landed nicely at 9:54pm and parked at Gate 16, which was closest to the immigration area. It was very nice. The flight was superb and I want to say thanks to the BA ground staffs at MNL and the two F/As… J
Very successful trip and hope you like my trip report! Once again, I better let those luxurious flights behind when I headed back to the US.
Carfield http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
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Carfield
Menu Scavengers
Inflight food critics