Part 1: ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA with SK/LH in M/C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6720660&postcount=2)
Part 2: FRA-YYZ with LH in F + LH F-terminal in FRA (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6722506&postcount=11)
Part 3: YYZ-YUL with AC in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6726033&postcount=22)
Part 4: Quebec City-Montreal by train in first class (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6726054&postcount=23)
Part 5: YUL-LGA with AC in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6727663&postcount=26)
Part 6: JFK-LAX with UA p.s in F (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6734789&postcount=39)
Part 7: LAX-SFO-SEA with UA in E+ (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6736696&postcount=42)
Part 8: A visit to the Boeing factory in Everett (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6738357&postcount=43)
Part 9: SEA-DEN-DFW with UA in E+ (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6739631&postcount=46)
Part 10: DFW-LAX with UA in E+ (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6742830&postcount=48)
Part 11: LAX-NRT with NH in F (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6743758&postcount=49)
Part 12: HND-ITM with NH in F (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6746960&postcount=58)
Part 13: A stay in a traditional Japanese guesthouse, a "ryokan" (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6747422&postcount=61)
Part 14: KIX-AKL with NZ in C (Business Premier) (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6749472&postcount=67)
Part 15: AKL-SYD with NZ in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6753167&postcount=77)
Part 16: SYD-WLG with NZ in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6754155&postcount=79)
Part 17: WLG-AKL-RAR with NZ in M/C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6758823&postcount=84)
Part 18: A day in paradise!! Rarotonga, Cook Islands (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6759870&postcount=85)
Part 19: RAR-PPT with NZ in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6763772&postcount=89)
Part 20: Tahiti, with a Polynesian dance show and local "le truck" buses!! (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6765911&postcount=91)
Part 21: PPT-AKL-CHC with NZ in C/M (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6770548&postcount=94)
Part 22: CHC-SYD with NZ in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6771718&postcount=95)
Part 23: SYD-SIN with SQ in F (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6778238&postcount=104)
Part 24: Regent Hotel Singapore (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6781717&postcount=116)
Part 25: SIN-KUL with SQ in F + SQ F-facilities in SIN (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6781809&postcount=117)
Part 26: Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6783263&postcount=118)
Part 27: KUL-SIN-BKK with SQ in F (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6783720&postcount=119)
Part 28: BKK-HKG with TG in F + TG F-facilities in BKK (new airport) (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6785787&postcount=123)
Part 29: A visit to Guangzhou, China (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6791360&postcount=136)
Part 30: Three first class lounges in Hong Kong (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6791938&postcount=137)
Part 31: HKG-ZRH with LX in F (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6797964&postcount=146)
Part 32: ZRH-FRA-BRU with LX/LH in C + F-lounges in ZRH and FRA (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6803575&postcount=149)
Part 33: BRU-LHR with BD in C (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6809086&postcount=158)
Part 34: LHR-CPH-ARN with SK in C/M (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6810306&postcount=159)
Summary (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6818867&postcount=178)
Comparison of Star Alliance First class/Premium products (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6854635&postcount=186)
Prologue
With no holiday at all this summer and a very hectic year spent in France, UK and Sweden with too much work and a good amount of commute between these countries I felt I really needed a proper break.
On top of that I recently became a happy owner of a master’s degree in international business, with pretty good results as well, so I decided to treat myself to a long well needed holiday and do something I had dreamed of for many years, to go around the world!
The planning of the trip started already in February (departure in September).
It started off with an innocent YRWSTAR1, which later became a CRWSTAR2, and then one day I decided to go for the ultimate treat and a FRWSTAR2.
If I am once in my life going to enjoy proper international first class this would be the perfect opportunity. Considering how much international first class tickets usually cost round the world tickets are very very good deals.
However creating a good itinerary turned out to be quite tricky, many airlines do not offer first class anymore and others only offer it on selected routes, so I actually had to work hard before I had a decent itinerary with at least the longhaul flights in F.
My main objective with the ticket was to try as many airlines as possible in F, or at least in premium cabins, and I seriously don’t think the final itinerary could have got much better in regards to air travel experiences.
I was very satisfied when I finally called SAS to make the booking (thanks Bjornstrom for the great booking contact at SAS btw).
I also had a good amount of points in my Eurobonus account that I wanted to spend.
A quick look at the *A awards chart and I found the perfect deal, only 40000 points for a business class award in the Pacific region. Amazing!
After several sleepless nights with the ANA award planner I had the perfect itinerary. The woman at the Eurobonus member service was very sceptical when I called and did not even think my itinerary was possible, but I was persistent and she agreed to check with a supervisor.
15 minutes later she calls me back and tells me “you have really found the loophole in Eurobonus!” Well thank you very much! :p
As if all these tickets weren’t enough, I also booked a domestic ticket in the US (cheapest possible economy class ticket this time) and also (as the title reveals) a few train tickets to get to all the places I wanted to visit. But more about that later on…
When it comes to accommodation the lodging ranged from hostels/budget hotels at 20 USD per night up to some pretty fantastic five star hotels, a very wise decision as neither option would have been fun for two months, and it certainly also made the trip a lot more colourful.
The focus on the report will be on the air travel experiences and in a few cases train travels and hotel experiences.
Obviously I have enough material to write a whole book after this trip, but in order to keep it at some kind of reasonable length I will limit the amount of writing about the destinations.
If there is anything in particular you want to know, feel free to ask!
I will post this in several instalments as there is simply too much to write and too many pics to upload, but anyone who is good at recognising boarding passes may get some hints from the photo above of what to expect.
As always comments are welcome.
Off we go…
jacob_m
Nov 19, 06, 11:27 am
A crazy start of the trip, check-in at Arlanda airport
I arrived in good time at the airport, around 1h 30min before departure and checked in at the Eurobonus/Star Gold counter.
The check-in woman was absolutely amazed to see my ticket with 22 flight coupons and then another 4 pages with the receipt and the itinerary. It wasn’t a ticket, it was a book!
She was even more surprised to see my itinerary for the day, Stockholm-Frankfurt via Copenhagen and Hamburg. She must have thought I was absolutely out of my mind as there are so many direct flights on this route, but it was all about maximising the points.
As today’s flights were all booked in C, and the two SAS flights also gave me a 25% gold bonus, it meant a total of 4100 points for just three hours in the air, pretty good!
I asked her to check me and my luggage only to Frankfurt, and all seemed fine until I looked at the baggage tag, it was marked YYZ. It turned out she had indeed done her job properly, but the computer just did not let her check me and my luggage only to Frankfurt.
Well as she cancelled the check-in things got even worse, the computer got completely crazy and started spitting out baggage tags, more and more and more tags, when she finally made it stop it had printed a good 25 tags with my name and destination on them, there was a huge pile of baggage tags on the floor.
What a circus! At this point basically half the check-in area was looking at what was going on at my check-in desk, half of them laughing, the second half looking very irritated as I had kept the check-in desk occupied a good 10 minutes by now, and I was still not checked-in.
After a few calls to a check-in supervisor she concluded the only thing she could do was to check me in all the way to YYZ, and then manually tag my bag to FRA, and this actually worked.
What a start of the trip! I left the check-in desk with a long queue behind me, well it wasn’t really my fault, except that I was stupid enough to book a weird routing.
Anyway, the luggage was properly tagged, the rest I could sort out later.
I used the fast track security and went to the SAS lounge. My time in the lounge had been significantly reduced due to the problems at check-in, but I had time for some breakfast (the second breakfast for the day) and to check my e-mails.
The SAS lounge in Stockholm is actually quite nice, comfy sofas and a good amount of food and drinks, it’s definitely among the better *A lounges.
The only drawback is that the lounge staff have now been outsourced and do not have access to the booking system, thus no rebookings, seat changes etc in the lounge.
Pics
The entrance to the SAS lounges in Stockholm ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0001.jpg)
Inside the SAS Scandinavian lounge in Stockholm ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0002.jpg)
Stockholm/Arlanda-Copenhagen, flight SK 403 operated by SAS
Departure: 09:25
Arrival: 10:35
Aircraft: MD-81
Class: Economy class (one-class only, however my ticket was booked in C)
Seat: 02F
As usual no priority boarding in Scandinavia, that is really something I miss.
The Stockholm-Copenhagen flight was one class only, however funnily they do sell proper business class tickets on this route which make things confusing.
The business class ticket gives you all the standard benefits on the ground (priority check-in, extra luggage, lounge access) but once onboard you’re in the same cabin as everybody else.
To me being booked in business class made absolutely no difference as I get all these benefits anyway as *G, but it was nice to get double business class miles for the flight.
On all departures before 9.30 am they serve free breakfast on this route, which was also the case on this flight which departed at 9.25 am. A small plastic box was distributed to all passengers with yoghurt, some cold cuts and a small bottle of orange juice. The FAs then passed with warm bread, coffee and tea.
Nothing remarkable but perfectly adequate. My third breakfast that day!
Landing right on time in a sunny Copenhagen.
Pics
The breakfast onboard the flight to Copenhagen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0005.jpg)
SAS Scandinavian lounge, Copenhagen
I had a one-hour transfer in Copenhagen, but as we landed on time and were safely parked within 5 mins I had time for a proper lounge visit.
The SAS lounge was nice as always, the one in Copenhagen is constantly ranked as one of the best *A lounges worldwide, but some parts of it are starting to look a bit worn and the food offerings used to be better.
I like the view from the inner part of the lounge where you have a nice view of the strait of Oresund.
The next flight to Hamburg was operated by a propeller aircraft, propeller planes are always parked at a remote stand in CPH and I knew the bus gates are right outside the lounge, so I left the lounge late and was among the last passengers to board the bus.
Pics
Inside the SAS Scandinavian lounge in Copenhagen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0007.jpg)
A sitting area and the reception desk inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0009.jpg)
Some of the drinks in the self-service area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0008.jpg)
Copenhagen-Hamburg, flight SK 1647 operated by SAS
Departure: 11:35
Arrival: 12:25
Aircraft: Dash 8-400
Class: Business Class
Seat: 04F
All passengers were onboard the plane in good time for the scheduled departure time, but something got wrong with one of the propellers and for a while nobody knew if the aircraft could take-off.
They called people from the maintenance department who checked the aircraft, but after some tests they concluded everything was in order and we could leave Copenhagen.
We took off 35 mins late but fortunately there were no other aircrafts in line for take-off.
On this short 50 mins flight they served a sandwich in business class and then the usual drink service. I asked if they had champagne onboard (not sure if they had loaded it for such a short flight) but they did have the pretty tasty Nicolas Feuillate in stock and the nice Danish flight attendant actually made an effort to make the bottle look nice with a napkin.
Overall a short but very enjoyable flight and nice views of Denmark and northern Germany during the flight.
Naturally a remote stand again in Hamburg so a bus was waiting to take us to the terminal building.
Pics
Copenhagen airport seen from my seat ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0010.jpg)
Light snack between Copenhagen and Hamburg, the champagne is not visible though ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0012.jpg)
In Hamburg I started off by visiting a Lufthansa transfer desk, I did have a boarding pass but the standard SK*G was missing so I suspected the number had not been properly entered.
This was easily sorted out and I was also assured the seat next to mine had been blocked.
Lufthansa Senator lounge, Hamburg
Next I was off to the Lufthansa Senator lounge which was recently refurbished and now looks really nice. For a while non-LH *G were only admitted to the business class side, but this has fortunately changed now.
A very nice feature of the Hamburg Senator lounge is that the lounge has a private outdoor terrace with a few tables and chairs.
On this particular afternoon in September the weather was the best possible, 27 degrees and not a single cloud to be seen. I had some food and wine from the buffet and went outside to enjoy the sunny weather and to see what was going on at the apron.
There were some airlines there I was a little surprised to see at a small airport like Hamburg such as Emirates and Iranair, but otherwise Lufthansa is the dominant carrier.
I could have spent the whole afternoon on that terrace, best possible weather and best possible view and then free drinks on that, how much better can it get?? But I had yet another flight to catch...
Pics
The entrance to the Lufthansa lounges in Hamburg ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0015.jpg)
The buffet area in the Lufthansa Senator lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0017.jpg)
The great view from the Senator lounge terrace ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0019.jpg)
Hamburg-Frankfurt, flight LH 019 operated by Lufthansa
Departure: 14:50
Arrival: 15:55
Aircraft: Airbus A300
Class: Business Class
Seat: 06K
Boarding had already started and once onboard I was offered newspapers and magazines. In response to the “seat blocking is a myth”-thread in the Lufthansa forum I can tell seat 06H next to me stayed empty, even though business class was almost full. ^
The flight was uneventful, a sandwich, two chocolates and drinks were served.
I had some red wine but almost regretted it afterwards as I had already had so much to drink that day. At this point I was also starting to feel really tired, I only got 3-4 hours of sleep the night before departure as I was so excited about leaving and also a bit nervous I had missed something or forgot to arrange something for this massive trip.
In Frankfurt my two priority-tagged suitcases were among the first five on the belt, well done!
Pics
The business class cabin between Hamburg and Frankfurt ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0023.jpg)
Inflight meal to Frankfurt, a sandwich and drinks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0024.jpg)
Radisson SAS Hotel Frankfurt
I took the S-Bahn to Frankfurt Hbf and then a taxi to the Radisson SAS hotel where I had a reservation for the night.
The hotel is brand new and really cool, it opened less than a year ago.
I had booked a cheap Internet rate, non-refundable with booking required some time in advance. At check-in I presented my SAS gold card and asked nicely if I could get a better room with my gold card. It’s an official benefit, but different hotels interpret this benefit differently and some hotels don’t even care.
But in Frankfurt the answer was “of course”. I was given a large business class room on the 14th floor with a fantastic view of central Frankfurt. What was even better was that because of my upgrade I was also given free breakfast the next morning (not included in my rate) which usually costs a good 20 euro. For the latter I actually thought the receptionist made a mistake, but the next morning they confirmed I did not have to pay for my breakfast. Awesome!
The hotel also had a very nice fitness centre on the top floor with a gym, swimming pool and two saunas. Both the swimming pool and the saunas had a great view of central Frankfurt. Cool place!
I fell asleep quite early while BBC World showed there had finally been a change of government in Sweden that evening after 12 years.
A great start of the trip in many ways, but I’ll leave politics out of this report…
Pics
My business class room in the Radisson SAS hotel in Frankfurt ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0029.jpg)
The nice view from my room, too bad it was foggy ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0034.jpg)
The cool entrance to the breakfast restaurant in the hotel!!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0036.jpg)
Next, the Lufthansa First class terminal in Frankfurt…
Moomba
Nov 19, 06, 11:45 am
jacob_m This looks like the beginning of another great TR on FT.
I am looking forward to reading about your adventure with interest.
After doing a OW RTW in F this year I am seriously considering giving Star a try for later next year.
view
Nov 19, 06, 12:54 pm
Great report, waiting for next installment. Hopefully you will post it tonight, always interested in creative routings, so next part is much anticipated.
Steady-EDI
Nov 19, 06, 2:59 pm
I think I can safely say that you've got me hooked aready!
Excellent start, jacob_m ... keep it coming ^
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 19, 06, 3:11 pm
Excellent - another jacob_m trip report for me to print out and read on my upcoming long flights. ^
I can see from the pic there are at least some 8 F flights in there (NZ doesn't have F any more). I'll try and resist the temptation to look further until my flight.
RTW4
Nov 19, 06, 4:35 pm
Wonderful trip report. I know that all of us in the FT community appreciate alll of the work that you are doing
SMART51
Nov 19, 06, 5:34 pm
I keep on trying to write trip reports buti don't think i am 10% as good as u.Keep it up
Deimos
Nov 19, 06, 6:23 pm
Great start of the report, can't wait to read the rest. ^
upgrade lover
Nov 19, 06, 6:28 pm
What an adventure! I can't wait to read the next installment. ^
jacob_m
Nov 19, 06, 6:35 pm
The next morning I woke up quite early, I was naturally very excited about what was to come during the day.
The breakfast buffet in the hotel was quite cool (and free, as pointed out earlier) and it is the first time in my life I have been given a guided tour of a breakfast buffet, but it was actually needed as the buffet was very large and divided into several rooms (!).
As the hotel is quite new they really seemed to make an effort to build a new and loyal customer base, they were very careful at check-out to make sure I had enjoyed my stay and would consider the hotel in the future, I certainly will!
Lufthansa First class terminal, Frankfurt
The reason why I stayed overnight in Frankfurt was of course to make a proper visit to the Lufthansa first class terminal in Frankfurt, to get the full experience right from start.
I took a cab from the hotel to the airport and asked the driver if we knew about the first class terminal. He told me he knew where it was and promised to drop me off at the entrance.
The first class terminal is a separate building around 200 meters in front of terminal 1, you need to make a right turn or you’ll miss it. The terminal is not very clearly signposted and I’m sure most people who pass it don’t even notice it’s there.
Once at the terminal the driver helped me offload my luggage, a middle-aged woman then came out from the terminal and greeted me, she was going to be my personal assistant during this visit.
She asked for my ticket to make sure I was eligible to use the terminal. Since I already had a boarding pass from the previous day (due to the check-in problems in Stockholm) I gave it to her and briefly explained the problems I had in Stockholm and why I already had a boarding pass but luggage to check.
No problem at all! I was invited to enter the terminal while another agent took care of my luggage, it disappeared somewhere, I have no idea what happened to it. My personal assistant took my ticket, boarding pass and passport and told me she would be back a few minutes later with my baggage receipt and boarding pass.
I entered the terminal and the first thing inside was the security control, of course no line and what mostly impressed me was how extremely polite they were, they addressed me by Sir and thanked me afterwards for my cooperation (or something like it, I don’t really remember).
But it was such a big difference from most airport security controls where you are being treated like cattle.
Immediately to the left after the security check is the duty free shop with the standard selection of perfumes, cosmetics and chocolate and of course some luxury goods as well (not all surprising in a first class terminal).
After the shop you enter the main lounge. I had seen photos of it before, but being there myself was of course a bit different, my first thought was that it looked so clean and modern and I immediately took notice of all the staff in the lounge, there were quite a few of them.
The terminal was very empty this morning when I arrived at 10.30 am. I took a seat and was immediately approached by a waitress who asked me if I wanted anything to drink, as it was still quite early I asked for a glass of orange juice, freshly squeezed of course.
After a little while my personal assistant came with my boarding pass and baggage receipt, I took the opportunity to ask her if they had any internet computers in the lounge since I wanted to check my e-mails.
I was told they had none, BUT they had laptops to borrow and she told me she would get me one.
Great service! The laptop was especially designed for Lufthansa and offered internet (wi-fi), games, music, and they even had movies in the lounge you can borrow and watch on the laptop. Wow! So much better than a standard desktop in a business centre.
The waitress passed several time to ask if I wanted anything else to drink, and on each table they also had cocktail glasses with snacks.
After an hour in the terminal I felt it was time to check out the food offerings, I wasn’t really hungry after the extensive breakfast, but I thought it would be a pity to leave the terminal without having tried at least some of the food.
On the way to the restaurant I passed the departure screen, I had read that the flight will appear there as soon as you have been registered as a departing passenger in the lounge.
My flight was there, and it said I would depart from Exit 1. I later found out that they had three different exits in the basement (to get to the limousine) depending on your destination, probably to comply with security regulations. All US passengers go through Exit 3, all passengers going to Schengen destinations through Exit 2, and (I suppose) all others through Exit 1.
Once inside the restaurant I had a seat at one of the tables, everything looked really fancy with white tablecloths, napkins and mineral water (both sparkling and still) on every table.
There was a menu on the table and while I had a look a waiter came and asked me if I wanted anything to drink. I asked for some red wine and some water, just as I said that I noticed I already had water on my table, but no way he would let me pour that myself.
A minute later he came back with a drink trolley with at least 5-6 bottles of red wine on it, just to choose! I think I went for a Bordeaux wine.
I decided to have a steak to eat from the menu, I asked him how long it would take as I was a bit worried I would not have enough time to eat before it was time to leave (little did I know everything was available at the buffet).
The steak was excellent, as was the wine. While I was eating my personal assistant passed and asked if everything was OK, she told me I had another 15 minutes before it was time to leave. Perfect! Enough time for a cup of coffee! I was starting to feel very excited…
Pics
The first class terminal just after I arrived, very empty! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0039.jpg)
Nice cocktail snacks on the tables ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0041.jpg)
The departure screen in the terminal with the appropriate exits in the basement displayed ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0042.jpg)
The very extensive bar in the first class terminal and the restaurant in the background ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0043.jpg)
Inside the restaurant with the self-service buffet in the background ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0045.jpg)
A steak and a glass of red wine in the restaurant ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0046.jpg)
A cup of coffee later and it was time to leave the terminal, as we were going downstairs I suddenly remembered I did not have my passport, she never gave it back to me!
I immediately reminded her but was told not to worry, the customs officer already had my passport. Wow!
Once in the basement there was kind of a passport control with an officer behind it, I gave him my boarding pass and by checking the name on the boarding pass he found my passport, did the usual check, and gave back everything to me and wished me a nice flight.
Next I went to a desk next to the passport control where they checked my name on a list and also took my boarding pass, I may also have signed something. I guess this is the same thing as being done at the gate before you board the plane.
With all the paperwork completed I said goodbye to my personal assistant and hello to the driver, a friendly guy who spoke good English, although I could have managed in German if needed.
Before leaving the terminal he reminded me of the simple rule, not to open the door or the window during the ride as we were in a restricted area (and I guess they are afraid people could drop things on the apron). I took a seat in the front seat of the Porsche Cayenne and off we went.
It was only a short drive to get to the plane, I think it was gate B20, right in the beginning of the B-pier. We parked the car and went upstairs and entered the gate area right next to where the passenger bridge starts.
They were right in the middle of the boarding process with a long line of passengers waiting to get onboard the Boeing 747.
No need for me to queue though, I was escorted past all other passengers who just kept staring at me probably wondering who the *** I was. The driver also carried my hand luggage which made it look even more suspicious.
At the entrance to the business class cabin he handed me over to the purser, some last paperwork to sign and then the purser took my hand luggage and escorted me through the business class cabin to the upper deck and to my seat.
Everything went so smoothly that I hardly noticed what was going on, I was so overwhelmed and fascinated by the whole experience, they did it just right! Such a great start of the flight!
The crew who worked in the first class cabin were really fantastic, all of them very friendly.
Pre-departure drinks were offered (I went for champagne of course) followed by newspapers, magazines, amenity kits and a blue sweater. Top-ups were offered before it was time to close the doors and push back.
After the fantastic experiences at Frankfurt airport it was nice to settle down with glass of champagne and get in a good mood for my first ever flight in F.
Frankfurt-Toronto, flight LH 470 operated by Lufthansa
Departure: 13:15
Arrival: 15:25
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Class: First Class
Seat: 83A (emergency exit)
Pushback right on time, German punctuality, but once in the air it took a long time before the fasten seat belt sign was switched off, I think they waited until the plane had reached 30,000 feet or so. After all the wine, coffee and champagne before departure I started to feel an immediate need to visit the lavatory, sitting right opposite a steward I asked very nicely if it was OK to go and he said yes, despite the sign still being turned on. What a relief!
That would surely not have happened in economy class!
Pics
Before departure: Champagne, newspapers and other amenities ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0047.jpg)
The first class cabin to Toronto ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0048.jpg)
Amenity kit and slippers ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3378.jpg)
Contents of the amenity kit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_4199.jpg)
Soon after the seat belt sign was off the purser came up to the first class cabin and personally handed over the menu to each passenger, he greeted every passenger by name and took the opportunity to welcome us onboard and wish us a pleasant flight with Lufthansa.
As expected, plenty to eat onboard, here is the menu for the flight to Toronto:
Pics
The menu and drink list in first class ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3374.jpg)
Hors d’oeuvre from the appetizer cart
Caviar with the traditional garnishes
Sea trout in yogurt gelée with arugula, tomatoes, and chufa nut oil
Salad of cured brisket of beef, beans, red radishes and aged balsamico
Smoked trout terrine accompanied by cucumber potato salad
Pickled vegetables and cottage cream cheese with fine herbs
Nut oil vinaigrette
Soup
Pumpkin cream soup with seeds
Or
Salad
Frisée, endive, lotto rosso and lamb’s lettuce with toasted pine nuts
Pumpkin seed oil dressing
Bread, rolls, toast and butter
Entrees
Loin of suckling pig served with marinated bell pepper, shallots and blood sausage dumplings
Char, braised cucumber and watercress potato puree
Breast of chicken filled with sage, complemented by Austrian-style fruit sauce, blini and parsley root
Potato stew with sour cream and gremolata
Cheese and dessert
International cheese
Coulommiers, Bresse bleu, Paulus, Romadur and Ash got cheese offered with plums, celery and cherry tomatoes
Apple brioche soufflé with raisins enhanced by Austrian-style fruit zabaglione
Poppy seed dumpling with blueberries and apple sorbet
Speciality dessert wine
Before landing: Cold and hot specialities from the service cart
Young leaves of frisée, radicchio, arugula and romaine lettuce
with
Potato, hazlenut grape dressing or balsamico vinaigrette with olive oil
Cocktail tomatoes, croûtons and marinated antichokes
Air-dried Parma ham and thyme flavored breast of chicken
Shrimp salad à la Nicoise
Marinated beef with horseradish
Grilled swordfish and herbed butter
Before landing: Dessert
Linzer tart
Fresh fruit: Apple, strawberries, grapes and blackberries
Champagne
1997 Comtes de champagne, Champagne Taittinger
“D” de Devaux Brut, Champagne Veuve Devaux
White wines
2004 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling, Erstes Gewächs, Robert Weil, Germany
2004 Puligny-Montrachet, Maison Pierre André, France
2004 Benefizium Porer, Pinot Grigio, Alois Lageder, Italy
Red wines
2001 Château Marquis de Terme, Cru Classé, Margaux, France
2001 Medalia Real Special Reserve, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Santa Rita, Chile
Dessert wine
2003 Cuvée d’Exception, Sauternes, Dourthe, France
Aperitif
Campari, Sherry, Lufthansa Cocktail
Spirits
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey No 7, Johnny Walker Blue Label, Glenfiddich Single Malt 12 year, Smirnoff Red vodka, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Cognac Lhéraud Cuvée 30, Calvados, Fernet Branca, Tequila, Etter Zuger Kirsch
The menu speaks for itself. They really feed you well in premium cabins (and in F in particular) something I slowly got used to during this trip, there is just so much food onboard!!
I also learned that the only way to manage is to eat slowly and drink lots of water and not just alcohol.
After departure more drinks were offered and a nice amuse bouche with cheese and ham, I asked for some orange juice this time to have a break in the alcohol intake.
Then the table was prepared with tablecloth and proper china, a red rose was also placed next to each passenger.
Next they passed through the cabin with the hors d’oeuvre, a whole trolley with food. I am not really a fan of caviar so I decided to choose some other things from the trolley and the FA offered to put a little bit of everything on my plate which I gratefully accepted. I also asked for a glass of the French red wine.
So much food! Even though it all tasted very good I decided to not finish all of it to leave some room for the food to come.
Next was a choice between soup or salad, I went for the salad, and after that the main course where I chose the chicken.
At this point I was starting to feel very full and it was only with some struggle that I managed to eat most of the dessert as well, the dumpling with sorbet.
There was no way I could manage the cheese on top of that, even though it looked so good on the trolley!
Pics
After departure: Amuse bouche and more drinks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0049.jpg)
Hors d’oeuvres, a bit of everything from the trolley ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0051.jpg)
Salad ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0052.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0053.jpg)
Dessert ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0054.jpg)
Coffee and chocolate praline ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0055.jpg)
I was quite happy when the meal service was over, the food was great, but it was nice to stretch my legs a bit and leave my stomach in peace for a while.
I started playing with the seat which was very comfortable, although not the best first class seat on this trip. Since it was a daytime flight I did not attempt to get some proper sleep onboard so I can’t comment on how well you sleep in that seat, but it was very comfortable to recline halfway to watch a movie and doze off for an hour or so.
After recommendations on the internet I had booked 83A, an emergency exit window seat so plenty of legroom. The seat next to mine was also empty during the flight so plenty of space to spread out my things.
The only real drawback with the flight was the inflight entertainment system, no AVOD!
For first and business class passengers there were a few movie channels to watch, and in first class each seat also has a video player in the armrest and there are cassettes to borrow, however mine did not work very well, the picture quality was awful!
I watched some of the movies on the main movie channels though and it was fine, they had some cartoons to watch when I was too tired to watch another full movie.
I’m glad Lufthansa is installing AVOD now though in their planes.
About one and a half hour before landing the second meal was served but this time the service was much more rushed.
There was once again a trolley with lots of nice food and each passenger could choose what he/she wanted from a selection of hot and cold dishes (see the menu above).
The FA once again offered to put a bit of everything on my plate, but I declined a few things.
Linzer tart or fresh fruits were offered as dessert, and after that the table was cleared and they started to prepare the cabin for landing.
Pics
The Lufthansa first class seat ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0060.jpg)
The personal video player in the armrest, and my red rose ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0058.jpg)
The flight map showing we are flying over Greenland ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0061.jpg)
The second meal before landing ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0063.jpg)
Toronto was grey and rainy so not much to see during the approach.
The plane landed on time but we were told we had to take a bus to the terminal building, I thought that was a bit strange considering we were on a Boeing 747.
It turned out we were to arrive at the Infield terminal at Toronto Pearson airport, it is a proper terminal building with jet bridges and so on, but you need to take a bus to get to the main terminal building where customs and baggage reclaim are located. The Infield terminal was quite a trek from the main terminal so the bus ride took a few minutes.
Priority baggage worked exceptionally well though and both my suitcases tagged with the HON Circle/First class tag were already on the belt, so I was quickly on my way to downtown Toronto.
jacob_m
Nov 19, 06, 6:53 pm
Thanks for all the nice comments so far!! :)
But there is a lot more to go, I hardly haven't even started yet...
As you may already have noticed I also have a good amount of material from the flights; menus and quite a lot of photos as well.
This is something that will continue throughout the trip, so people who like photo reports will definitely not be left disappointed!!
I just need to find enough energy to type everything and upload all the pics, but give me some time and I'm sure it'll be fine,
Gnopps
Nov 19, 06, 7:02 pm
Great report jacob_m! Keep the writing and pictures coming. You describe and picture exactly the things that interest me!
ual744777sta
Nov 19, 06, 7:38 pm
Great report so far! Would it be possible to have a bigger picture of all the BP's?
das
Nov 19, 06, 8:38 pm
This report is fantastic - keep it coming! Your FRA-YYZ report brings back great memories of my LH F trip MUC-ORD - although I didn't get to experience the FRA F terminal, the attentive service in the MUC lounge was spectacular, and of course the food on board was simply an amazing feast.
I won't be doing another F RTW for another 18 months or so - it's reports like yours that help me relive the great memories. ;-)
goodo
Nov 19, 06, 8:44 pm
Wow! The FCT sounds and looks amazing. Can't wait for the rest.
goodo
aly
Nov 19, 06, 9:03 pm
following this thread like reading a mystery novel, keep it up...!!
g_leyser
Nov 19, 06, 9:58 pm
Great report so far. Can't wait for the next installment! ^
jef7
Nov 20, 06, 1:24 am
Fantastic start!
I can only imagine how fun it must have been. Just seeing the photo of the collection of all the boarding passes for this trip has made me excited for the rest of your reports to come ^
jongar
Nov 20, 06, 6:23 am
This is a report to keep watching - can you fill us in your full itinery, not the dates, we respect your privacy, but curious where you adventures take you
Seat 2A
Nov 20, 06, 12:05 pm
As you may already have noticed I also have a good amount of material from the flights; menus and quite a lot of photos as well. This is something that will continue throughout the trip, so people who like photo reports will definitely not be left disappointed!!
I just need to find enough energy to type everything and upload all the pics, but give me some time and I'm sure it'll be fine,
Having published a few long reports myself, I can certainly appreciate how much work goes into putting one together. Thanks for an outstanding job so far. This report will definitely be an FT Classic!
jacob_m
Nov 20, 06, 12:09 pm
After three days in Toronto with a visit to the Niagara Falls one of the days it was time to continue my little tour of Canada (well eastern Canada at least).
Quebec had been on my list of destinations already from the beginning, and of course the region was even more interesting to me since it is the heart of French-speaking Canada and I am fluent in French.
Air Canada uses a wide variety of aircrafts on the Toronto-Montreal route ranging from regional jets to large widebody aircrafts, I was happy to learn that one daily rotation is operated by an Airbus A330 with the longhaul configuration (it continues to Paris during the night).
The A330 flight also departed very conveniently at 5 pm from Toronto, so by choosing that flight I got the chance to sample the Air Canada longhaul product as well, or at least the seat. :)
I arrived at Toronto Lester B Pearson airport two hours before departure.
Air Canada uses the brand new terminal 1 for its domestic and international flights, and I have to say the terminal is very nice, very bright and modern with lots of glass and light!
I found the domestic premium check-in to the very right of the departure hall and joined the line for the Executive Class and Star Gold check-in.
The check-in process was swift and I got a brief explanation of how to get to the Air Canada lounge. My luggage was also properly tagged but it was quite interesting that they have “priorité” printed on the red tags in Canada, in French!
Pics
The Air Canada domestic premium check-in at the brand new Terminal 1 in Toronto ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0206.jpg)
The bright transit hall in the new Terminal 1 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0210.jpg)
The departure screens in Terminal 1 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0220.jpg)
Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge, Toronto
No fast track security but fortunately all the checkpoints were open so I was through within a few minutes.
The lifts to the lounge were on the left side right after security and opened up right in front of the reception desk in the lounge.
The lounge seemed to have two sides so I asked the lounge agent if there were any differences between the two sides. I was told the left side of the reception is the main lounge and on the right the business centre, well that explains it!
I went to the left and had a seat in a nice armchair. The lounge was actually very nice, probably as new as the terminal itself with a nice modern interior and large widescreen TVs in some corners of the lounge.
The snacks selection was also quite good with fresh fruits and vegetables and yummy chocolate chip cookies. They also had Canadian beer on tap and red and white wine, although not in the original bottles, it had something to do with the new regulations on liquids.
After watching TV and drinking some Canadian beer I went to the other side of the lounge to check out the business centre, there were a good number of computers in there, and with free internet!!
The business centre was actually one of the best I have ever visited, all kinds of printing services were offered and they even had an agent on hand to help with printing-related matters.
Too bad I did not know this in advance as I had visited an internet café earlier the same day (no, I’m not bringing my laptop on this two months trip, I had enough to carry).
On the whole the lounge was a very positive surprise, if I had known it was that nice I would have taken an earlier bus to the airport.
Pics
The reception desk in the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0211.jpg)
The main lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0216.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0213.jpg)
A sitting area and one of the widescreen TVs ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0214.jpg)
Toronto-Montreal, flight AC 420 operated by Air Canada
Departure: 17:00
Arrival: 18:15
Aircraft: Airbus A330
Class: Executive Class (Business class)
Seat: 02A
I arrived at the gate 30 mins before departure where boarding had already started, I think they offered priority boarding, but most passengers were already onboard at this point anyway.
An FA was standing at the entrance to the aircraft and I got the little joy of being directed to the left rather than to the right.
I found my seat on the second row and my jacket was taken by a passing FA. Newspapers, hot towels and earphones were then handed out. The business class cabin ended up being completely full this late afternoon.
Pushback right on time, and we were told the crew onboard the aircraft were based in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal (all three hubs) and spoke English, French, and Cantonese, a pretty good variety!
During the flight they offered a choice between fruit salad and chicken salad served on a small black plastic tray. I went for the chicken salad as I had not had anything proper to eat since lunch, it was OK, if yet on the smaller side. It would have been nice to get some more though, at least a bread roll and a chocolate bar, after all this was business class.
A drink cart also passed through the cabin and they had two reds and two whites on offer (from proper bottles), one of the reds was a merlot. Coffee and tea then followed.
I played a bit with the seat which was quite comfortable but slightly old-fashioned, the grey colour makes it look a bit depressing.
The seat was operated from a small panel on the armrest with four black buttons. Lots of legroom as well, that part was certainly not a problem, I could not even reach for the seat pocket in front of me when I had my seatbelt fastened, and I am quite tall.
Each seat also had a personal screen and I found a video console in the armrest, so the inflight entertainment system seemed to be quite allright with games on offer as well, but they did not turn it on on this short flight.
The only kind of entertainment during the flight was a news report on the main screen, in English and then in French.
All too soon we started the descent and they handed out hot towels before collecting the last cups and glasses from the cabin.
Fantastic views of Montreal during the approach, the Olympic stadium was very easy to recognise and basically the entire city was visible this evening. I snapped some nice photos before we touched down at Montreal Trudeau airport.
Pics
The business class cabin onboard the Airbus A330 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0224.jpg)
Certainly no lack of legroom onboard in business class! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0226.jpg)
The seat control ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0227.jpg)
Inflight entertainment controls ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0229.jpg)
Inflight meal to Montreal, chicken salad ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0232.jpg)
Fantastic views of downtown Montreal during the approach with the Olympic stadium in the foreground ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0235.jpg)
There was some confusion inside the terminal building as our aircraft parked at the international part of the terminal (it would continue to Paris later the same evening), but they had not prepared the walkways and relevant doors to get us safely from the gate to the domestic part of the terminal and there were definitely no signs to follow. An airport employee noticed what was going on though and showed us the right way.
Well at least the priority luggage worked very well, my two suitcases were among the first on the belt.
As I was now in the French-speaking part of Canada it was also time to switch language, I had some problems understanding the Canadian accent in the beginning, but I got used to it quite quickly.
jacob_m
Nov 20, 06, 12:12 pm
During my visit to Montreal I decided to take two days and visit Quebec City, another good advice I got from Flyertalk.
I initially thought about going there only during a day, which is technically possible by train, but I was told the city is way too nice to spend only a few hours there.
It takes three hours to get to Quebec City by train so I booked the first morning train from Montreal, an overnight stop at the Best Western hotel in Quebec City, and then the last evening train back to Montreal the second day.
I was allowed to leave my suitcases free of charge in Montreal as I would return there again the following evening, very appreciated!
The Canadian railway company VIA offers quite a nice first class product onboard their trains.
In first class there is a full meal service, and in the evening that means a full three courses meal with wine, coffee and liquors. First class passengers also get access to Panorama lounges at the major railway stations in Canada.
This obviously sounded very interesting! :)
I didn’t bother to book first class on the morning train to Quebec City, I don’t care much about breakfast whether it is a take-away sandwich or a full hot meal served on fancy china, and I can’t imagine the train breakfast being that spectacular anyway so I'd rather spend my money on something else.
However on the return I booked a seat in first class which was surprisingly affordable, the train departed at 5.35 pm which meant a dinner service onboard, and I had to have dinner at some point anyway.
Quebec City-Montreal, train 27 operated by Via Rail Canada
Departure: 17:35
Arrival: 20:50
Class: VIA 1 (First class)
I was a bit disappointed with my visit to Quebec City, well don’t take me wrong, the city was great, but it was bloody cold, not more than 5 degrees Celsius (and this was at the end of September). On top of that I caught a cold, which did not really make things more fun.
But again, Quebec City was great, one of the oldest cities in North America, well worth a visit!
I arrived at the railway station an hour before departure. The railway station in Quebec City is one of the coolest I have ever seen, it looks more like a castle than a railway station.
I found the panorama lounge right next to the small ticket desk (it’s a small station, only 4-5 trains a day to Montreal).
Nobody was really checking who entered the lounge, but the people inside seemed to know they were allowed to be there.
There was a coffee machine and a fridge with soft drinks in the lounge and newspapers were also available. I wouldn’t really arrive hours in advance just to spend some time in that lounge, but it was nice to sit down and have something to drink while waiting for the boarding to start.
15 minutes before departure a woman came into the lounge and told us the train was ready for boarding, first class passengers are allowed to board first and there was a door leading directly from the lounge to the single platform.
Pics
The cool railway station in Quebec City ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0335.jpg)
The entrance to the Panorama lounge in Quebec City ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0336.jpg)
Inside the Panorama lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0337.jpg)
At the entrance to my car a train attendant greeted me and checked my ticket before letting me inside. The first class and second class cars are virtually identical, except that the interior is slightly different (a different colour), they both also have a 2-1 configuration.
Not a lot of people boarded the train in Quebec City, but the train ended up being quite full later on. As I was sitting close to an emergency exit the train attendant gave me a short briefing of the emergency procedures onboard and he also put a sticker on my seat to indicate that I had been given this information.
Shortly after departure they passed through the car with the drink trolley, they really had a full bar service onboard with soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits.
I saw there was a bottle of Ballantines, my favourite, and whiskey is good for the throat as well (or isn't it??), well two good reasons to go for the strong stuff straight away! Pretzels were also offered.
Next the menu was handed out, and this is what was on offer this evening:
Appetizer
Tomato, asparagus, feta, black olive tapenade and black cracked pepper
Main course
Roast pork tenderloin seasoned with caraway seeds and calvados sauce.
Served with roasted apples, garlic mashed potatoes, parsnips, carrots and asparagus
Pan seared halibut with a creamy tarragon marinara sauce, saffron rice and green beans
Agnolotti stuffed with roasted artichoke with rosé sauce, garnished with roasted butternut squash and green peas
Dessert
Praline hazelnut cake
Cold plate selection
Roasted chicken breast with Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad.
Accompanied by Camembert and Saint Paulin cheeses with dried fruits and nuts
Served with fresh fruits
Minutes later they were back to take the orders for the main course, I chose the pork.
The meal trays were then handed out with the appetizer on it followed by the drink trolley a second time for more drinks with the meal, I had some red wine this time, breads were also offered.
The appetizer plate was then collected and shortly afterwards the main course arrived, it turned out the pork was an excellent choice, it was actually very tasty!
More wine was offered and finally coffee and tea, I tried the hazelnut cake on the tray and it was good as well. A hands up for the food! ^
The drink cart then passed a third time in case somebody wanted anything more to drink with the coffee, they had no more Ballantines whiskey onboard so I settled with a cognac.
I don't think I have ever had so much to drink onboard a train! :D
Pics
The first class car to Montreal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0339.jpg)
Passing through the Canadian countryside ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0352.jpg)
The menu and cocktail snacks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0344.jpg)
A glass of Ballantines before the meal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0346.jpg)
The main course onboard the train (the pork) and a glass of red wine ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0358.jpg)
The train trip back to Montreal was most enjoyable. Great service onboard and nice food and drinks as well while I got to enjoy the beautiful Canadian countryside. It was autumn/fall in Canada so all the trees were beautifully red and yellow (and the view probably got even nicer after a few drinks).
All too soon we were back in Montreal and I had finished another nice and enjoyable part of this trip.
A-340 GOT
Nov 20, 06, 2:48 pm
Jacob_m, this is excellent, can´t wait for more. Agree with Kiwi to print out your story and read on upcoming long haul flights. We talked about you on our SK do in SEA, and about your stay in F terminal FRA...sounds very nice...!! Looking forward to visiting the terminal some time in the future... ^
Vaclav
Nov 20, 06, 4:07 pm
Montreal has been my hometown since 1981 and Air Canada the airline of my choice.
I am glad that you have had a great time here!
jacob_m
Nov 20, 06, 4:45 pm
So it was time to leave Canada. I really enjoyed Canada and had a great time there, so it was actually a bit sad to leave after a week, but of course next stop on the trip is not bad either: the big apple!
On all flights between Canada and the US the US immigration takes place at the departure airport, so in this case it meant in Montreal. Thus I was very careful to allow plenty of time at the airport as I know how much time US immigration can take, I arrived at the airport two and a half hours before scheduled departure time.
The young and pleasant girl at the elite check-in desk was very amused to see my thick round the world ticket and went through the entire itinerary before starting to check me in, she told me she would have loved to come with me with all the nice destinations I had included!! :p
We spoke French during the entire check-in process and without even thinking about it she gave me all the US immigration and customs forms in French, which was a bit weird!
I didn’t actually notice it until after I had left the check-in desk, but being too lazy to go back I did my best to complete all of it anyway.
Sure I speak French, but that's not really the same thing as knowing the French words for all prohibited items not allowed to be brought into the US. :D
Travelling from Canada to the US differs quite a bit from the standard departure procedures.
All check-in formalities are completed at the check-in desk as usual. I received my boarding pass and my luggage was properly tagged, however there are no conveyor belts behind the check-in desks, you are not allowed to deposit your luggage until you have passed US immigration.
After the necessary forms were completed there was a boarding pass checkpoint where an agent also checked that all passengers had been given and fully completed the US immigration forms.
After the boarding pass check there was one single tax-free shop, the only reason it’s there and not later is that you should have the opportunity to declare items to the US customs, which could technically include an excessive amount of alcohol from that tax-free shop... No further comments!
After the taxfree shop I joined a long line of people waiting to pass US immigration, all of them bringing their hand luggage as well as all the luggage to be checked-in.
The line moved surprisingly fast and once at the counter the process was almost completely painless, other than the stupid fingerprints of course.
The only real question I was asked was the reason for my visit to the US, that’s it! The customs guy was not interested in finding out where I was going, for how long I intended to stay in the US, or if I had a return ticket. Nothing! Well I certainly didn’t mind!
After passport control and customs there was a conveyor belt where I could deposit my checked luggage, then the only remaining thing was the security check. After that very last check I had finally but successfully entered the United States and I was also allowed to board the plane. Well that's always a good start...
There were a few shops and cafes in the transborder transit area, but obviously no proper duty free shops.
Pics
The Air Canada elite check-in at Montreal Trudeau airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0364.jpg)
Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge, Transborder Area, Montreal
I made my way to the Maple Leaf lounge located between gate 74 and 75.
Another great Air Canada lounge, very bright and modern and with a great view of the apron!
I was quite hungry and was happy to find some light food available, some soup, salad and bread rolls. The drink selection was quite good as well with beer, wine and plenty of spirits.
There was a young girl in charge of the bar who helped guests pour drinks, I’m not quite sure why she was there as the alcohol was free of charge and most people could probably manage to pour drinks quite well without any help (unless you have already done some excessive drinking of course..).
There was also a small business centre in the lounge with free internet, excellent!
I really wish more airlines would offer free internet in their lounges!
Pics
Inside the bright Air Canada Maple Leaf transborder lounge in Montreal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0367.jpg)
The self-service buffet area in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0366.jpg)
Plenty of spirits ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0369.jpg)
Great view from the lounge! The aircraft closest to the lounge is the one that will take me to LGA ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0368.jpg)
Montreal-New York/LGA, flight AC 748 operated by Air Canada
Departure: 15:30
Arrival: 16:50
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Class: Executive Class (Business class)
Seat: 02F
Half an hour before departure I left the lounge, the departure gate for the flight to New York La Guardia was conveniently right below the lounge.
Priority boarding was offered for business class passengers and star golds, so I was one of the first passengers to board.
Once onboard an FA offered to take my jacket, newspapers and earphones were also handed out, but no pre-departure drink.
The business class seat onboard the Airbus A319 was quite OK. They have a 2-2 configuration in business class in contrast to a 3-3 configuration in the back of the bus, so the seat was a lot wider, however there was nowhere near as much legroom as on the A330 flight from Toronto.
I had an American man sitting next to me, however two of his colleagues boarded just before doors were closed and they were in economy, so for some reason he decided to move to the back of the plane before we had even taken off from Montreal, so the seat stayed empty during the entire flight. Well good for me!
The inflight service was a choice between chicken salad and fruit salad. Heard that one before? I went for the chicken salad this time as well.
A full drink service was also offered, and I asked for some red wine and had a choice between two reds.
It turned out I was the only person in business class drinking red wine, and since they only have large bottles onboard Air Canada flights it meant they opened a whole bottle just for me.
The nice flight attendant offered frequent refills and nicely reminded me they had to throw the rest away after the flight so I'd better have another glass, always with a smile of course! :)
Well I did a good try, but I could obviously not finish a whole bottle myself, I’m not an animal!
Later into the flight I also asked for a cup of coffee.
The service onboard was OK, but halfway into the flight the FAs got very lazy and nobody actually made a proper check of the cabin before landing.
Since I ordered a cup of coffee quite late into the flight I actually still had my cup on the small cocktail table when we landed in New York which was not particularly good for the safety onboard and certainly not very convenient for me either.
Of course I could have pressed the call button, but I actually expected someone to pass through the cabin minutes before landing as they usually do, but nobody came.
The flight was very quick though with an actual flight time of only 50 minutes so we actually landed 25 minutes before scheduled arrival time. I enjoyed great views of New York and Manhattan during the approach to La Guardia.
As all immigration formalities were completed in Montreal the only remaining thing at La Guardia was to pick up the checked luggage in the arrivals hall. No passport control, no customs, nothing! Great!!
As many passengers only had hand luggage the baggage delivery started very quickly and I was standing at the bus stop outside the terminal building only a few minutes after landing.
Certainly my quickest entry ever into the United States! :)
Pics
The gate area, waiting for the boarding to start ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0374.jpg)
Inflight meal to New York, chicken salad and red wine ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0381.jpg)
Nice views of New York during the final approach to La Guardia (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0383.jpg)
That’s the last flight report for today!
Next: United Airlines p.s service in first class…
PhilH
Nov 20, 06, 4:54 pm
jacob_m, this is a wonderful report ^ . Thanks so much for sharing with us. I too would love to have an idea, up front, of your full itinerary. Thanks! :)
More Champagne Sir?
Nov 20, 06, 4:55 pm
A brilliant brilliant trip report! Looking forward to the next sections!
^^^
jacob_m
Nov 20, 06, 5:36 pm
Thanks all for all the very nice comments so far! :)
I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it certainly also keeps me motivated to continue writing as it really takes a good amount of time to type everything and upload all the pics.
I too would love to have an idea, up front, of your full itinerary. Thanks! :)
That's the second request I think!
I can fully understand your curiosity, but it would be a pity (and a bit boring) to reveal the entire itinerary already now of a trip I had been planning for six months when also only 6 out of 34 flights have been posted so far.
Well the photo on top of the first page gives a few hints of the itinerary.
There are two ANA boarding passes there for example, which could mean Japan is included at some point.
It is not too hard to see there are several Air NZ boarding passes there as well, and I have already told I have booked a *A Pacific award, thus it is not impossible New Zealand and some Pacific islands are included as well.
As a final comment I can tell that the number of visited countries during the trip equals 16, I could actually stretch that to 17, and possibly make it 18 depending on if one place could be regarded as a country.
Let's leave it there!
I can well assure you you will not get disappointed with neither the destinations nor the flights during the remainder of the trip.
The most interesting flights are actually during the second part.
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 20, 06, 5:52 pm
Thanks all for all the very nice comments so far! :)
I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it certainly also keeps me motivated to continue writing as it really takes a good amount of time to type everything and upload all the pics.
That's the second request I think!
I can fully understand your curiosity, but it would be a pity (and a bit boring) to reveal the entire itinerary already now of a trip I had been planning for six months when also only 6 out of 34 flights have been posted so far.
Well the photo on top of the first page gives a few hints of the itinerary.
There are two ANA boarding passes there for example, which could mean Japan is included at some point.
It is not too hard to see there are several Air NZ boarding passes there as well, and I have already told I have booked a *A Pacific award, thus it is not impossible New Zealand and some Pacific islands are included as well.
As a final comment I can tell that the number of visited countries during the trip equals 16, I could actually stretch that to 17, and possibly make it 18 depending on if one place could be regarded as a country.
Let's leave it there!
I can well assure you you will not get disappointed with neither the destinations nor the flights during the remainder of the trip.
The most interesting flights are actually during the second part.
18 countries from 34 flights - not bad ^^
upgrade lover
Nov 20, 06, 11:55 pm
Thanks again! I was so happy to see you had posted some more of your trip. I love the pictures and the style of your writing! Keep up the great work ^ ^
airoli
Nov 21, 06, 3:08 am
Truly enjoying this report - många tack and keep it coming!
Moomba
Nov 21, 06, 3:15 am
Thanks all for all the very nice comments so far! :)
I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it certainly also keeps me motivated to continue writing as it really takes a good amount of time to type everything and upload all the pics.
That's the second request I think!
I can fully understand your curiosity, but it would be a pity (and a bit boring) to reveal the entire itinerary already now of a trip I had been planning for six months when also only 6 out of 34 flights have been posted so far.
Well the photo on top of the first page gives a few hints of the itinerary.
There are two ANA boarding passes there for example, which could mean Japan is included at some point.
It is not too hard to see there are several Air NZ boarding passes there as well, and I have already told I have booked a *A Pacific award, thus it is not impossible New Zealand and some Pacific islands are included as well.
As a final comment I can tell that the number of visited countries during the trip equals 16, I could actually stretch that to 17, and possibly make it 18 depending on if one place could be regarded as a country.
Let's leave it there!
I can well assure you you will not get disappointed with neither the destinations nor the flights during the remainder of the trip.
The most interesting flights are actually during the second part.
One missing bit of information I would like to know. I take it you have finished this trip; given the picture at the top; how long did the whole thing take?
Your reports are also quite detailed to be done well after the fact and without, as you say, a laptop at your disposal during your trip. Did you take copious notes or do have a really good memory?
On my trip I was taking notes on those little hotel pads during the flights and then transcribing them in lounges, or hotel rooms before I forgot the details.
I know there is a heck of a lot of time and effort that goes into one of these reports and I really appreciate your doing so. This is indeed a great read and I can't wait for the next instalment. ^
jacob_m
Nov 21, 06, 6:06 am
One missing bit of information I would like to know.
Granted!
I take it you have finished this trip; given the picture at the top; how long did the whole thing take?
The trip is indeed over, I didn't want to spend any time during the actual trip writing time-consuming reports, I rather take care of that back home, and it's actually quite fun to do the trip all over again, but in writing this time. I really enjoy writing it!
The title of the report should give a hint of how long it took. ;)
Total flight time is something like 110-115 hours.
Your reports are also quite detailed to be done well after the fact and without, as you say, a laptop at your disposal during your trip. Did you take copious notes or do have a really good memory?
Well you don't really forget your first visit to the Lufthansa first class terminal that easily!! :D
But other than that, no my memory unfortunately isn't that good. As you have noticed I like to write detailed reports, or rather I prefer not just to post the flight details and the menu but to add my own comments and reflections and describe my flights rather than any flight on a particular route.
Those are the kind of reports I enjoy reading myself.
I brought a little notebook on the trip and after each flight I wrote down the flight details and some personal comments about the flight.
I actually tried to do this with the whole trip, a few comments every evening before going to bed about what had happened during the day, so I could have a look later on.
Looking at my own pics obviously also brings back memories of what happened during the flights.
PhilH
Nov 21, 06, 6:28 am
One missing bit of information I would like to know. I take it you have finished this trip; given the picture at the top; how long did the whole thing take?
I think the clue is in the thread header! ;) :p
The trip of trips!! FRWSTAR2 around the world! 57 days, 34 flights, and a few trains…
Moomba
Nov 21, 06, 6:40 am
I think the clue is in the thread header! ;) :p
Doh! To tell you the truth I don't even think I saw that.
I saw "The trip of trips!! FRWSTAR2" and didn't need anymore encouragement to open the thread and start reading! ;)
Seat 2A
Nov 21, 06, 11:36 am
I brought a little notebook on the trip and after each flight I wrote down the flight details and some personal comments about the flight.
I'd never be able to write a trip report without jotting down a few notes and observations along the way, especially for a trip report with such detail.
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 21, 06, 4:17 pm
jacob_m - sounds like what I do (jot a few notes when I can - either same day or several days later), except that I try to write some up while waiting in airport lounges along the way. If I waited until I finished the trip to start the writing it would probably never happen (the writing that is, not the trip ;) ).
Seat 2A - I think any reader of your reports would be floored if you said that was all written from memory :D
jacob_m
Nov 21, 06, 8:05 pm
As I stayed quite close to Times Square it was very convenient to take the airport bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to JFK airport.
I expected the ride to JFK to take a good amount of time due to the usual heavy traffic on Manhattan and the highways around New York, but it was actually surprisingly quick to get there this Saturday morning and I arrived at JFK a good three hours before departure (perhaps a Saturday morning isn't the busiest time of the week after all).
United Airlines uses terminal 7 at JFK and I found the premium check-in to the very right of the departure hall. There were quite a few people in line for the C/*G check-in but only two people in line for the single first class check-in desk.
I wasn’t quite sure if I was allowed to check in at the first class counter as a UA p.s first class passenger, but I decided to give it a try to see what would happen.
The line moved very quickly and two minutes later it was my turn, the friendly check-in agent had no objections about my presence there so I guess I was entitled to use it.
My suitcases were also tagged with the United Airlines first class tag and I was told I was welcome to use the United Airlines International first class lounge, score!!
The elite security line was not open this morning but there were very few people at the regular security check anyway, I was inside the transit hall less than five minutes later.
Pics
United Airlines First class check-in at JFK terminal 7 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0489.jpg)
United Airlines First class lounge, New York JFK airport
I found the UA lounges on the second floor of the terminal, right next to the British Airways lounge, it was the same entrance for both the UA RCC and F-lounge.
I presented my first class boarding pass at the reception and was indeed invited inside the first class lounge rather than the usual Red Carpet Club.
The first class lounge was OK but looked a bit old-fashioned, it will certainly not win any design awards. However the drinks and snacks selection was quite a bit better with breakfast available when I arrived: bagles, preserves, yoghurt, fruits and pastries. That was later replaced with some proper sandwiches.
The drinks selection was quite good as well, plenty of soft drinks, wine and spirits (free of charge in contrast to the RCC), but it was even nicer to find a bottle of Moet et Chandon completely unattended on the counter!! :p
I certainly didn’t have to think twice about what to drink, nobody else (of the very few people) in the lounge seemed to bother about the Moet so I basically had the whole bottle to myself.
I indulged in a good three glasses in the lounge while thinking there are moments when life is pretty great after all!! A walkman with nice music certainly also enhanced the experience! :)
There was one woman only in charge of the first class lounge, and she tried to make an effort to memorise who in the lounge was travelling on which flight, so rather than making the standard boarding announcements she came into the lounge and personally told each passenger when it was time for boarding. ^
I also had a few minor problems and she was very happy to assist.
Pics
The entrance to the UA Red Carpet Club and First class lounge at JFK ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0490.jpg)
Inside the UA First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0494.jpg)
The snacks selection in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0491.jpg)
They have free drinks in the lounge as well ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0492.jpg)
Look, a bottle of Moet et Chandon!!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0493.jpg)
New York/JFK-Los Angeles, flight UA 027 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 14:00
Arrival: 17:24
Aircraft: Boeing 757 (p.s configuration)
Class: First Class
Seat: 02A
I left the lounge before boarding had been announced and wandered around the terminal a bit before going to the gate. Boarding started shortly afterwards with priority boarding for first class passengers.
Once onboard I settled in my seat 02A, my jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink. They have a tendency to call sparkling wine champagne onboard, which was also the case this afternoon. The sparkling wine was allright though but obviously nowhere near as good as the lovely Moet in the lounge, it was also served in a plastic glass which felt a bit cheap.
Onboard the p.s planes they have proper premium seats in first class, they actually use the same seats as Singapore Airlines in business/Raffles class (SQ calls it a Spacebed).
The seat is very comfortable and also lie-flat, so you should be able to get some proper sleep onboard, which is definitely not irrelevant on longer flights like New York-Los Angeles with a flight time of six hours.
Pics
The UA B757 at the gate in New York ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0496.jpg)
The first class cabin to LAX, same seat as SQ ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0497.jpg)
Sparkling wine before departure ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0499.jpg)
After take-off the menus were handed out followed by eyeshades, socks and earplugs.
In first class they also offer personal DVD-players to all passengers with a selection of 10 movies, in economy class the only entertainment option is a movie on the main screen (which you can actually watch in first class as well if none of the 10 movies suit your taste).
More drinks were offered accompanied by warm nuts, then it was time to make the decision of what to eat onboard, here is the menu for the flight to Los Angeles this afternoon:
Pics
The first class menu to Los Angeles ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3369.jpg)
To begin
Spiced scallops and shrimp on a bed of tropical fruit relish
Salad
Fresh seasonal greens
Parmesan pepper or Asian sesame ginger dressing
Main course
Mustard and herb-crusted lamb rack with caramelized fennel confit
Braised Tuscan white beans with thyme and sautéed zucchini and carrot bâtonnets
Seared mirin glazed sea bass with sake broth
Noodles with diced red peppers and Chinese broccoli
Rotisserie-style chicken with natural roasting jus
Stewed French green lentils and oven-roasted root vegetables
Fresh strawberries with brown sugar sour cream dip
Prior to arrival
A selection of extraordinary truffles from Gayety’s chocolates
Sparkling wine
Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noir NV California
White wines
Bouchard Beaune du Château Premier Cru 2003 Burgundy
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel
Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Marlborough
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay 2002 Columbia Valley
Red wines
Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Riserva 2001 Sangiovese
Clos St. Anne 2003 Pomerol
Sticks Shiraz 2003 Yarra Valley
Beringer Bancroft Ranch Merlot 2000 Howell Mountain
(All of these wines were not available onboard though)
Port
Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto
Featured cocktails
Bellini
Kir Royale
I was very positively surprised to see such a large selection of wines, 4 whites and 4 reds is certainly not bad for a domestic flight.
I had a nice read of the characterstics of each of the four red wines before deciding which one to drink. However I was utterly disappointed to learn that only one of the reds had been loaded onboard! One out of four!! Seriously?? I don't understand why they even bothered printing a drink list when none of the wines were available anyway. :td:
I had hoped to try the Italian Chianti wine, which is usually quite good, but that was obviously not going to happen on this flight as I had the full choice of one red wine to accompany my meal.
It was soon time for the meal service to start and the tray tables were prepared with white tableclothes and cutlery (but just plastic knives).
A trolley with the appetizer (quite good) first passed through the cabin followed by the salad with a choice of two dressings, I think there was some bread as well.
As main course I chose the lamb, which wasn’t really an excellent choice. I would have prefered a much lighter version of it served on a much larger plate.
The lamb was served with vegetables, and the plate was so small that when I tried to cut the lamb the vegetables kept falling off the plate onto the table leaving large nasty stains on the white tablecloth. I was not amused!
As dessert I chose the ice cream which was good if yet a bit too heavy for my taste with both whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Pics
After departure: Drinks, warm nuts, and a personal DVD-player ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0500.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0501.jpg)
Salad ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0502.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0503.jpg)
Dessert and coffee ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0504.jpg)
The personal DVD-player and a selection of 10 movies ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0509.jpg)
The service onboard was fine during the meal service and in the beginning of the flight, but afterwards the FAs were rarely to be seen in the first class cabin. I think during the remainder of the flight (4 hours) I was only asked once if I wanted anything more to drink, and this was a daytime flight. At one point I went into the galley myself to ask for some more water.
The menu also indicated they would be serving chocolates prior to arrival, I was never offered any!! They actually offered them, but I was in the lavatory at that time, and it’s not like they bothered passing a second time with the chocolates or bothered keeping track of who was not in their seat out of all the entire seven passengers in F when they passed.
On the whole I have to say I was not very impressed. Taking into account the length of the flight and the price they charge for a ticket in F I had expected a bit more.
Maybe I’m picky, but I was really surprised to find only one red wine onboard!! Come on, even Air Canada offered two reds on the 50 mins flight between Montreal and New York.
The service could certainly also have been more attentive, after all this was supposed to be an upgraded first class on a three class aircraft.
The seat was very nice though, as was the personal DVD-player, but they insisted on collecting it already 45 minutes before landing, another thing that annoyed me quite a bit and I never really understood why so early.
As already mentioned I very much enjoyed the ground services at JFK though, nice lounge and very friendly staff at both check-in and in the lounge, to give UA some credit after quite a bit of criticism.
Anyway, we landed very early in Los Angeles, as a matter of fact we landed an impressive 40 minutes before scheduled arrival time. Well done!! ^
The priority baggage delivery also worked well, so when my plane was orginally supposed to have landed I was already off the airport!!
Moomba
Nov 22, 06, 3:25 am
The drinks selection was quite good as well, plenty of soft drinks, wine and spirits (free of charge in contrast to the RCC), but it was even nicer to find a bottle of Moet et Chandon completely unattended on the counter!! :p
I certainly didn’t have to thing twice about what to drink, nobody else (of the very few people) in the lounge seemed to bother about the Moet so I basically had the whole bottle to myself.
Oh how similar we are :D
On the whole I have to say I was not very impressed. Taking into account the length of the flight and the price they charge for a ticket in F I had expected a bit more.
I don't think KiwiFlyer would have any arguments with you there. Likewise for me. The worst flight on my whole RTW was the F in a 3 class transcon on AA. Very similar experience, daytime flight, no offer of drinks after the lunch service was over. No second food offering at all which is pretty poor on a 6 hour flight.
More please. Keep those fingers flying. ;)
wideman
Nov 22, 06, 7:33 am
I really enjoy reading your reports, jacob_m -- they are interesting, informative, and fun to read. Thanks!
jacob_m
Nov 22, 06, 7:38 am
It’s time to put my RTW ticket on the shelf for a little while.
A friend of mine I got to know in London a few years ago heard I was coming to her side of the Pond and I was instantly given an invitation to come and visit her in Texas.
On top of that I had another three spare days in the US. Without elaborating too much I had to be inflexible with both a date in the beginning of the trip and a few dates later on, so I ended up getting a few spare days in the US I had not initially planned for.
One of the cities on my list of desired destinations was Seattle, and in particular to make a visit to the Boeing factory, so that’s where I decided to spend my three remaining days.
I really didn’t want to waste any segments of my RTW ticket on US domestic legs (other than the p.s flight, which ended up being quite a disappointment anyway) so it would all have to be booked as a separate ticket.
I thought for a while about booking at least one or two of the upcoming legs in F, but I figured it would probably not be worth it with only a drink service on most flights in F anyway, and as *G I would automatically get access to Economy Plus (E+).
I ended up booking the cheapest possible economy class ticket to save some money (I get enough points from this trip anyway). It was all booked on the Austrian Airlines webpage through the excellent Air Manager, the reason was I wanted all the segments on one ticket to reduce the risk of getting the dreadful SSSS on my boarding pass (I have had a previous bad experience, and they are more likely to give it to people with one-way tickets).
Check-in at Los Angeles Intl Airport
At LAX United Airlines uses terminal 7 and there is a premium check-in area to the very right of the departure hall.
A young woman was standing at the entrance to the premium area acting as a bouncer. She looked at me and asked “Premier?”. I suppose that “Premier” refers to the various elite levels UA offers of which I have none, but to avoid any further stupid discussions I answered yes and was allowed inside.
I had Economy Plus seats assigned for both today’s flights, in both cases the second row of Economy/Economy plus. However at this point UA had withdrawn the E+ benefit for non-UA*G and I was not sure whether the check-in agent would let me keep my assigned seats in E+, but not a comment! :)
My luggage was tagged to SEA, but the agent forgot to attach a priority tag which I pointed out. “Oh, I didn’t notice you were gold" was her answer after having had my gold card in front of her for at least three minutes and even double-checked my number was properly entered in the reservation.
Never mind, my luggage was properly tagged and I had two gold E+ boarding passes in my hand, I was happy!
There was a fast track security right next to the check-in area which certainly saved me a good amount of time, but my bag was selected for secondary screening as they could not really identify everything inside.
Pics
Approaching the massive Los Angeles Intl Airport by bus ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0580.jpg)
United Airlines Red Carpet Club, Los Angeles
I made my way to the UA Red Carpet Club right in the middle of the T7 pier.
The lounge was quite crowded this morning and they were very busy at the reception, so flashing my E+ boarding pass and SAS gold card for two seconds was all that was needed to get in.
The lounge was pretty nice, very modern and with a few widescreen TVs inside. This morning there had been yet another school massacre which obviously drew some attention to the TVs in the lounge.
Not quite as much to drink though. The very extensive drinks selection included coffee, water, and hot water. That’s it! Not even orange juice was available free of charge, there was quite a bit to be had at the bar though, if you're happy to pay for it.
Not much to eat either, basically just cocktail snacks (unhealthy), Twix chocolate bars (unhealthy), and packaged pastries (also unhealthy).
I managed to find some yoghurt though that I guess was a leftover from early morning, at least better than just snacks.
Pics
The entrance to the United Airlines Red Carpet Club in LAX ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0582.jpg)
Inside the LAX Red Carpet Club ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0583.jpg)
The bar inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0585.jpg)
The apron at terminal 7, plenty of UA metal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0587.jpg)
Los Angeles-San Francisco, flight UA 1152 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 12:29
Arrival: 13:46
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07F
The flight departed from terminal 6 which can be accessed airside through a long corridor, so quite a walk to get there.
Priority boarding was offered for seating area 1 which includes *G passengers irrespective of cabin.
Very light load onboard the plane, I don’t think there were more than 50 passengers onboard the large A320. F was completely full, so I was quite happy being in E+ with a whole row to myself.
Uneventful flight with soft drinks offered free of charge in economy, as we were so few passengers onboard they served the drinks individually to each passenger rather than from a trolley. Friendly crew onboard!
Short but pleasant flight with excellent views of the Californian coastline after departure from LAX. Landing 10 mins early in San Francisco.
Pics
The economy class cabin onboard ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0588.jpg)
You get a bit more legroom in Economy Plus ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0589.jpg)
The nice view seconds after take-off from LAX ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0590.jpg)
Fantastic view of the beautiful Californian coastline ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0591.jpg)
United Airlines Domestic Red Carpet Club, San Francisco
I had not had any lunch yet and was starting to feel hungry, but I found a takeaway place right next to the arrival gate with nice salads. I had planned to eat my takeaway lunch inside the RCC, but at the entrance there was a large sign saying “outside food not permitted in the club”.
I’m not sure to what extent they care about this rule, but with a large caesar salad in my bag that would not be all too easy to eat secretly inside the lounge I decided not to try and had lunch in one of the gate areas instead before going into the lounge.
The San Francisco RCC was quite pleasant, comfy chairs and a great view of the apron, it had a much more old-fashioned design than the RCC in LAX.
Both the drinks and snacks selection was also a lot better than in LAX, plenty of fruit juices and plenty of fresh fruit as well, but of course still nothing to write home about.
As always you had to pay for any alcohol at the bar.
Pics
The entrance to the San Francisco domestic Red Carpet Club ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0598.jpg)
The reception desk ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0600.jpg)
Inside the pretty nice lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0601.jpg)
The bar in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0602.jpg)
The buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0604.jpg)
Nice view from the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0605.jpg)
San Francisco-Seattle, flight UA 556 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 15:49
Arrival: 17:50
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07A
Priority boarding again for seating area 1 which included me as Star Alliance Gold.
The flight ended up being completely full so I was very happy to be in economy plus with at least a little bit more space.
Interestingly I ended up next to a Norwegian guy…on a domestic flight on the US westcoast! Well SAS is one of the few international airlines in SEA operating a daily flight to Copenhagen, and I saw on his boarding pass he was continuing to Oslo, so perhaps not that strange after all.
He was very nervous though and seemed very uncomfortable being on an airplane. He constantly kept moving trying to find a better seat position, he opened and closed his bag a few times and he checked his onward boarding passes what felt like a zillion times, this obviously got a little bit annoying after a while...
Otherwise it was another uneventful flight, great views of downtown San Francisco after take-off and free soft drinks, tea and coffee later during the flight.
In Seattle UA uses the north satellite and all passengers are taken to the main terminal by an automatic train.
Baggage delivery started fairly quickly with the majority of the first bags on the belt tagged as priority.
Pics
Inside the domestic terminal 3 in SFO ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0599.jpg)
Great view of downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge minutes after take-off from SFO ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0609.jpg)
jacob_m
Nov 22, 06, 12:32 pm
One of my main reasons for going to Seattle was to make a visit the Boeing factory.
The Boeing factory is located in a place called Everett about one hour north of Seattle. It's located at the Paine Field airfield and not at the Boeing Field between SEA airport and downtown Seattle as somebody thought for quite some time. ;) (well it certainly sounded a lot more logical)
I had pre-booked a ticket over the internet to make sure I had a secured place on one of the guided tours of the factory. It would have been a pity to go all the way to Seattle and Everett and find all the tours fully booked.
It was quite a sight to arrive at the Boeing visitors centre (called Future of flights) in what felt like the middle of nowhere. All of a sudden you see four B777 from Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Emirates parked on the other side of the runway, right in the woods of Washington state in northwestern USA.
I even think I saw an Air New Zealand B777 parked a bit further away.
Inside the visitors center there was a large and interesting exhibition about the history and the future of Boeing. There was quite a lot of information about the new B787 Dreamliner for example (not all surprising) including a cool mock-up cabin you could enter.
They also had a full-sized engine to look at and a Boeing 727 cockpit you could enter, amongst other things.
At noon it was time for my tour. They made a big deal about how we were not allowed to bring anything on the tour, and that restriction extended to virtually anything loose.
This also meant no cameras on the tour, which was a real shame!!
There were mainly two reasons for this. First of all they were afraid people could drop things inside the factory that could damage expensive and fragile aircraft components, and secondly it was a matter of security (terrorism maybe, or that people could take detailed photos that could end up with the wrong people).
Apparently a few years ago someone accidently dropped a camera from the balcony, and it hit an aircraft component worth one million dollar!! Not really something you want to be liable to pay…
The factory was really cool though, the largest building in the world in terms of volume, it’s included in the Guinness book of records.
We got to visit the B777 manufacturing hall which was enormous, what a sight! They brought us up on a balcony which gave a very good overview of the huge hall.
Two Thai Airways B777s were constructed on that particular day, one of them almost ready to be delivered to the customer.
They had four different halls in the factory, one for each aircraft type (B737, B747, B777 and very soon the B787).
After the tour we were taken back to the visitors centre on the other side of the runway.
There was a Boeing shop there and a Future of flights shop with plenty of nice aviation stuff.
I have a good amount of Boeing merchandise at home now including a Dreamliner t-shirt and Boeing mouse pad.
Anyway, I thought some pics and a brief report from Everett could be of interest to the Flyertalk community, so look and enjoy!!
Pics
Approaching the Future of flights visitors centre in Everett ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0615.jpg)
The Boeing Factory! It’s the building to the left with the blue doors ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0638.jpg)
Several aircrafts outside the factory including TG and SQ B777s ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0639.jpg)
Inside the visitors center with the Boeing shop to the left ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0637.jpg)
The large exhibition hall about the history and future of Boeing ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0620.jpg)
A cool mock-up cabin of the new B787 Dreamliner ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0624.jpg)
The new B787 will be a lot less noisy than previous aircrafts, in Singapore for example! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0635.jpg)
wideman
Nov 22, 06, 4:12 pm
re the 787 mock-up:
That is supposed to be the economy cabin, right??
OT: In New York, a mock-up is the amount that a retailer adds on to the wholesale price.
jacob_m
Nov 22, 06, 4:45 pm
The worst flight on my whole RTW was the F in a 3 class transcon on AA. Very similar experience, daytime flight, no offer of drinks after the lunch service was over. No second food offering at all which is pretty poor on a 6 hour flight.
The UA JFK-LAX flight was easily the worst flight on this trip as well, I don't actually have any complaints about any of the others flights during the trip, they were all very nice (keeping aside the domestic economy class flights of course, but that's a bit different).
It's not that the flight was absolutely horrible, sure I got a proper meal and free booze, my criticism is more related to the length of the flight and the price of the ticket and what a big deal they make about their fantastic p.s service.
Of course you raise your expectations, and then finding no champagne onboard, only one red wine, a plate to small to eat on, an invisible crew, and nothing else to eat or drink during the remaining four hours of the flight, well obviously not the best!
Fortunately I have some pretty amazing flights on this trip that well make up for the bad transcon experience.
re the 787 mock-up:
That is supposed to be the economy cabin, right??
I really hope so, the seats are certainly a bit too small to be C or F, but otherwise the cabin looks very nice IMO. Very modern!
jacob_m
Nov 22, 06, 4:47 pm
Time to leave Seattle and head to Dallas and Texas.
I’m not going to spend too much time on these UA flights, seriously how much is there to say about UA domestic Red Carpet Clubs and the inflight service in economy?
But the flights were part of the trip, and since I try to cover this trip properly I’ll briefly mention these flights as well, but then it’s back to the real stuff!
My flight from Seattle was leaving quite early (well 8.48 am, early enough), and since I absolutely hate catching early morning flights I decided to stay the last night in Seattle at the Radisson hotel at the airport. Quite a nice hotel, renovated last year with a nice looking lobby, pool, gym, and a comfortable bed that they call “sleep number bed”.
There was a free hotel shuttle from the hotel to the airport, but I found it was just as quick (if not quicker) to walk from the hotel to the terminal, basically just across the street and 3-4 minutes walk before entering the arrivals level of the terminal building. This is also what I did in the morning.
The UA check-in area was at the complete opposite end of the terminal, so a bit of a walk.
The sign at the elite check-in mentioned all the various UA status levels plus first class, but there was no mention of star golds, I assumed it was still OK for me to check-in there though, so I joined the line.
The line moved surprisingly slowly, several passengers had problems that needed to be sorted out and one young couple could not be checked in as the agent could not find their reservation.
It took at least 10 mins before it was my turn to check-in. I was travelling on an e-ticket booked on one of my credit cards, so that’s the card I presented, but just like in Los Angeles they just asked for my destination and departure time and found my reservation by entering my last name and flight number.
Again no problem to keep my E+ seat assignments and my baggage was tagged all the way to Dallas.
Pics
The modern departure hall at Seattle airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0673.jpg)
UA premium check-in, no mention of Star Alliance Gold though ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0675.jpg)
United Airlines Red Carpet Club, Seattle
The line for security was very long and seemed very slow, but fortunately there was a fast track which star golds were entitled to use, saved me a good amount of time.
I took the underground train from the central terminal building to the north satellite which United uses.
I knew there was a Red Carpet Club in the satellite, but finding it was tricky. I walked around the entire satellite with no success before I decided to ask a UA gate agent.
It turned out the RCC was in the basement, in a corner, almost right opposite the exit from the train. I only had to walk a few steps from the train to get to the lounge reception. Oh well…
As the lounge was in the basement it was quite dark and completely windowless.
They had some light breakfast available though with bagles, pastries, coffee, orange juice and fresh fruit. Nice, as I did not have any breakfast in the hotel.
Pics
The entrance to the UA Red Carpet Club in the basement of the north satellite ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0679.jpg)
Inside the Seattle Red Carpet Club ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0681.jpg)
Seattle-Denver, flight UA 504 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 08:48
Arrival: 12:26
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 08A
Priority boarding was offered as always in the US. It’s nice to be among the first passengers onboard, find space for the hand luggage, and have a seat before the masses come onboard.
The flight ended up being completely full, and a few passengers seemed happy to have been upgraded to economy plus.
They managed to get everybody onboard quite quickly though and we actually pushed back before departure time and took off shortly afterwards to the north providing good views of downtown Seattle.
Standard drink service onboard with soft drinks, coffee and tea, but they were very slow on collecting the trash, I had my empty glass 50 mins on my tray table before anybody came to collect it.
I missed being able to buy something to eat onboard as well, SEA-DEN is long enough for people to get hungry if you didn't eat anything at the airport or before leaving home.
It’s nice they offer channel 9 onboard though, I could easily follow our descent into Denver.
Pics
The view seconds after take-off from Seattle ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0683.jpg)
Denver airport is quite nice, lots of glass and very bright, and plenty of shops and restaurants as well.
I was actually supposed to have taken a later flight from Seattle, but due to a timetable change my connection in Denver was significantly reduced to something like 45 minutes, a bit short (especially with checked luggage).
Since I actually wanted to have a look around the airport before continuing to DFW I contacted the airline and was allowed to change to an earlier flight from Seattle.
Pics
Inside the nice dedicated UA concourse in Denver ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0689.jpg)
The departure monitors in the terminal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0691.jpg)
United Airlines Red Carpet Club, Denver
After lunch in one of the restaurants (as I said, nothing to buy/eat onboard the planes) I made a visit to the Red Carpet Club.
There are actually two RCCs in Denver, one in the western part of the terminal and one in the eastern part, I visited both and they are virtually identical.
The reception desk is on the ground floor, and then you take an escalator up to the lounge.
Not much to eat and drink there either, but at least they had some fresh vegetables which was appreciated. And of course being the coffee addict I am it’s always nice to get a cup for free.
Pics
The bar inside the Denver Red Carpet Club (the two RCCs in Denver are identical) ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0684.jpg)
The self-service area inside the Denver RCC ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0693.jpg)
The view from the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0686.jpg)
Denver-Dallas, flight UA 450 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 15:25
Arrival: 18:13
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07F
The flight to Dallas was not completely full, at least not in economy plus (seemed a lot worse at the very back) so the middle seat remained empty.
The crew onboard was surprisingly nice, very pleasant and chatty (one girl in particular). I could see many other passengers also appreciated a crew actually working in the cabin and talking to the passengers rather than with each other in the galley.
We also had a crazy pilot onboard, Mr Geography and History Professor. Rather than keeping us up-to-date about the flight progress he kept us up-to-date about the places, cities, lakes and rivers we passed on the way and any history related to these places.
It was wicked!! And he kept talking and talking… Even the flight attendants didn’t know if they should be amused or annoyed, the chatty flight attendant said it was the very first time she flew with that man in the cockpit.
Anyway, it ended up being quite a memorable flight for that very reason. :)
We landed 10 minutes early at Dallas Fort Worth airport, and inside terminal B the baggage reclaim was right opposite the gate.
I was a bit surprised to find my bags already on the belt, sure they had the red priority tag attached, but this was almost ridiculous, I just got off the plane and had walked 50 meters to get to the baggage reclaim, and they were already there.
An hour later I got the explanation, the TSA had opened both my suitcases and gone through all my stuff, there was a note inside saying my bags had been opened. :td:
I didn’t really know what to think, but I can't say I like that people open my luggage without letting me know, even if they work for some airport authorities.
What was the reason for opening my bags?? And why both of them??
Fortunately I had at least left my bags unlocked, otherwise I guess they would have broken the locks.
Everything seemed to be there though, nothing missing, I had no valuables inside anyway.
That's the final report for today!
Here is a map of my travels so far! (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA-YYZ-YUL-YQB-YUL-NYC-LAX-SFO-SEA-DEN-DFW&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=&MAP-STYLE=)
greg99
Nov 22, 06, 7:15 pm
What an amazing TR - can't wait for more.
Greg
jacob_m
Nov 23, 06, 12:32 pm
I had a fun weekend in Dallas with warm and sunny weather.
One of the days we visited the Southfork Ranch which was the Ewing residence in the TV-series Dallas. As a coincidence there was a country and cowboy festival going on at the ranch during that weekend, so I got to enjoy a fun afternoon with traditional Texan culture, Wild Western!
Anyway, Sunday evening it was time to leave and my friend drove me to the airport in good time for the last evening flight to Los Angeles.
The UA check-in area was quite small, and there was no one in line for the single premium check-in counter.
Once again I got to keep my economy plus seat for the flight, not a comment! :)
With a quick check-in process we still had plenty of time before departure so we decided to find a cafe or a bar to have something to drink. Absolutely impossible!! The best we could find was a vending machine with instant coffee!! What a find…
We went back to the UA check-in and asked the man who had just checked me, but he confirmed there is actually not a single place in the public area of terminal B to have a drink.
We then asked if my friend could join me airside, but the answer was of course no, unless I was a child, disabled, or didn’t speak English.
Well a child I’m not, and I’m certainly not disabled either, but I could always pretend not to speak a word of English! Well we didn’t try…
With not much else to do we decided to say goodbye and I went airside.
United Airlines Red Carpet Club, Dallas
The airport was very quiet this evening and the staff at the security check looked extremely bored.
I went to the UA Red Carpet Club located almost right opposite the security checkpoint.
The staff at the reception looked extremely bored as well, they were surfing the net and solving a crossword to make the time pass quicker. Well it turned out the lounge was completely empty and I ended up being the only guest inside.
The lounge was quite small, but kind of cosy, certainly one of the nicer RCCs I have visited.
It had a nice view of the apron, of the two gates mostly visited by UA metal.
The snacks and drinks selection was also quite allright with vegetables, lots of fresh fruit, and cheese and crackers. Northing extraordinary, but certainly better than some other domestic RCCs I have visited. There was also a fridge with plenty of soft drinks.
One of the lounge dragons came into the lounge and asked if I wanted anything from the bar, and I actually decided to go for a whiskey, even though I had to pay for it.
While sitting in the lounge a UA plane arrived and parked at the gate next to the lounge, and it ended up being the one that would take me to Los Angeles later that evening.
Pics
Inside the Red Carpet Club in Dallas with a nice apron view ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0755.jpg)
The self-service buffet in the Dallas RCC ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0754.jpg)
Dallas-Los Angeles, flight UA 359 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 20:26
Arrival: 21:39
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07F
The flight time to Los Angeles was quite long, three hours. I suddenly remembered they have nothing onboard to eat so I rushed to one of the cafes to buy a takeaway sandwich as I was starting to feel hungry.
Priority boarding as usual, quite a lot of people at the gate, which also meant quite a lot of people on the flight.
However I was up for a little surprise! I’m not sure if it was a coincidence or if the check-in staff had been nice to me (I try to think the latter), but I actually ended up getting my own row, as the only person on the plane. For a three-hour flight that was very appreciated!! ^
Considering the empty lounge and the few people who boarded when seating area 1 was called there were obviously not a lot of status passengers onboard, and perhaps they decided to look after one of the few existing ones after all.
Pushback a little late, but shortly afterwards we were airborne and I got to enjoy a nice view of Dallas during the climb.
Standard drink service during the flight, and we were actually offered refills due to the long flight time. On the main screen they showed a movie with Meryl Streep, but I was too tired to watch.
Somewhere over Arizona we encountered bad weather, the seat belt sign was turned on and I could see several flashes through the window. For a moment I was actually a bit worried the plane could be hit, but the captain got permission from ATC to climb to a higher flight level where we would be safer.
All went well though and we landed in Los Angeles a few minutes ahead of timetable.
Pics
Economy Plus seating onboard ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0756.jpg)
DFW Terminal B seen from my seat ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0757.jpg)
The UA safety demonstration video ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0760.jpg)
Dallas by night ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0764.jpg)
Again we parked at terminal 6, but since this isn’t the standard UA terminal the baggage delivery took place in terminal 7, which requires the long walk again through that long corridor.
There was a brief announcement about it just before the doors were opened, but I’m pretty sure several people did not hear that or did not understand what was said and ended up in the wrong baggage hall in the wrong terminal. I was actually unsure myself where to go.
Baggage delivery took forever due to many subsequent arriving aircrafts and the bags arrived in no particular order, both in terms of priority and flight number.
I had a reservation at one of the airport hotels, but at least the shuttle bus arrived almost immediately.
Next it’s time for some proper international first class again, 11 hours to Tokyo!!
jacob_m
Nov 23, 06, 6:06 pm
Time for another first class flight, this time Los Angeles-Tokyo with All Nippon Airways (ANA).
This was probably the best flight on the entire trip!! (that's why you'll get a thorough description of it... ;))
I stayed overnight at one of the airport hotels at LAX between my evening flight from Dallas and my onward flight the next day at noon to Tokyo.
The hotel offered a free shuttle bus to all the terminals, so I asked the driver to drop me off at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), the terminal ANA uses.
Check-in
The dreadful TBIT was very crowded this morning, there were people and queues absolutely everywhere.
At TBIT they require all passengers to have their luggage screened before check-in rather than in a baggage sorting area somewhere.
This obviously caused queues all over the terminal, especially as there were many flights leaving in the afternoon.
The ANA check-in area was to the very left of the terminal, fairly crowded.
I didn’t really know how the baggage screening worked, so I just joined the first class line to see what would happen, or at least to find someone to ask.
Before I had even reached the counter a man approached me and told me I had to have my bags screened before I was allowed to check-in.
He asked me if I was travelling in first class and I said yes. He then told me he would take care of the baggage screening for me and I could just proceed to the check-in desk, the luggage would be taken care of afterwards.
That was very appreciated, the poor economy class passengers had to stay in line for the baggage screening.
There were two Japanese women working at the first class counter, both extremely friendly and polite.
The check-in process was done very thoroughly, I don’t think I have ever seen anybody doing it so properly and carefully.
They double-checked each digit of my frequent flyer number with the number in the reservation, they checked that I was happy with my seat assignment, they checked I only wanted my luggage tagged to Tokyo, they explained how to get to the lounge, and so on..
They further asked me if I had any luggage to check, and I said yes but told them the security guy had taken it for screening.
They called for the guy and we went to the screening area where they had a special collection point for premium luggage. I found my two suitcases but was not allowed to touch them (I guess they had to re-screen them if I did).
Back at the check-in desk the check-in agent offered to change the number on the combination lock so my bags would be locked during the flight (they had already been screened anyway), which I gratefully accepted. My luggage was then tagged with both the standard Star Alliance priority tag and the ANA first class tag.
Overall I was very impressed by the whole check-in experience. The check-in agents were very polite and the check-in process flawless, they really wanted to be sure I was completely satisfied with every part of the check-in process and my upcoming flight.
A very good start!
At TBIT all tax-free shops are located before security (well almost), however considering the large number of departures in the early afternoon and after having seen the masses in the departure hall I expected very long lines at security, so I went there straight away (I also wanted to be sure to have some time in the lounge).
However the security check was almost empty, I was through after five minutes, I had certainly not expected that.
Pics
The departure board inside the Tom Bradley terminal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0785.jpg)
Singapore Airlines First class lounge, Los Angeles
As security was so quick I suddenly had plenty of time before departure. As there were not a lot of shops after security there was not much to do but visiting some lounges.
This was the last day before the old lounges were closed (can anybody figure out the date?), so I knew there would still be a few lounges to choose between.
I had read the ANA lounge was nothing to write home about (well none of the lounges at LAX were great) but I found there was a Singapore Airlines First class lounge to visit, so that’s where I headed.
The lounge corridors looked absolutely awful, I hope they are being greatly refurbished now (or preferably demolished).
I managed to find the SQ lounge on the top floor right in the middle of the corridor, after ringing the bell I went inside and was greeted by a woman at the reception.
I presented my ANA F-boarding pass and asked if it was OK I used the SQ lounge for a while.
The lounge agent didn’t really know what to answer and just looked at the boarding pass for a while, all of a sudden she found SK*G printed so she asked for my card.
I didn’t really know why she needed it, but I gave it to her and after looking at it for a while she apologised for not being able to offer me a business class lounge to use.
Knowing the rules I pointed out none of it mattered as I had a same-day first class boarding pass with a Star Alliance carrier.
The woman still looked confused and was obviously not aware of the rules, so she called a supervisor to ask for advice, after a lengthy discussion they decided to “make an exception” and let me in.
Well I had a printout of the rules in my bag just in case.
The SQ lounge was quite small, but also completely empty. Since I had not had any breakfast I was happy to find a decent food offering with nice sandwiches, yoghurt, fruits and pastries.
The lounge wasn’t as fancy as some other SQ lounges, but it could have been a lot worse, I have no complaints about it. The staff were also nice, the little argument in the beginning to get me in was quickly forgotten.
Pics
Inside the Singapore Airlines First class lounge at LAX ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0787.jpg)
The buffet area in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0788.jpg)
All Nippon Airways Signet lounge, Los Angeles
After a nice breakfast I left the lounge and decided to find the ANA lounge (to which I had an invitation) among all the lounges in the long corridor.
After just a few meters I saw a sign with ANA printed on it, so I went inside. I gave my invitation to the woman at the reception and was allowed inside, but just as I had found a seat another agent approaches me and tells me I am in the wrong lounge.
It turned out I was in the China Airlines Dynasty lounge, which doubles as ANA business lounge. She told me as a first class passenger I was supposed to use the proper ANA lounge, but I could stay there if I wanted.
Well, obviously being in the wrong lounge I decided to leave.
The proper ANA lounge was one floor below.
As I was leaving the China Airlines lounge I could see a couple leaving another lounge escorted by a young girl from Air Tahiti Nui (the very distinctive uniform was easy to recognise) and we all walked towards the lifts.
Inside the lift the man turns around and asks me in French if I’m going to Paris as well. He obviously thought I left the same lounge seconds after him. In French I reply to him “no I’m going to Tokyo”. He just stares at me, obviously very confused as I get out of the lift on the next floor.
I finally found the proper ANA Signet lounge, which was very small and almost completely full. I really should have stayed in the China Airlines lounge which seemed much nicer and a lot less crowded as well.
Two Japanese women were in charge of the lounge, and the vast majority of the guests were Japanese as well, I think there were three non-Japanese people in total in the lounge, and that’s including myself.
There was a small self-service area with a good amount of alcoholic beverages (including some Japanese stuff), but very little to eat. Apparently it wasn’t such a bad idea to work my way inside the SQ lounge, otherwise I would probably be starving by now.
The lounge staff advised us to leave the lounge around 30 minutes before scheduled departure. As I didn't want to hang around the gate area I stayed quite long and left the lounge as one of the last passengers (one of the last visitors ever, as the lounge closed after this departure).
Pics
Inside the ANA Signet lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0789.jpg)
Los Angeles-Tokyo/Narita, flight NH 005 operated by All Nippon Airways
Departure: 12:55
Arrival: 16:20
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: First Class
Seat: 02K
At the gate there was a separate line for first class, business class and star gold.
There seemed to be quite a few premium passengers onboard, but we were processed very quickly.
Once onboard I was greeted at the door in the middle of the business class cabin and directed to the first class cabin where another flight attendant immediately approached me, welcomed me onboard and offered to take my jacket.
Unfortunately no pre-departure drinks were offered onboard, which I know has to do with US regulations rather than with ANA.
Not the end of the world, but it’s always nice to get comfortable onboard with a glass of bubbles before take-off, now it meant the first class service would not start until we were airborne.
Minutes later the same flight attendant came through the cabin with a trolley offering newspapers and magazines. They have no amenity kits onboard ANA flights, but they offer some things from a basket you can take, mostly skin products to prevent dehydration.
I missed getting some kind of bag to put everything inside though.
On the Los Angeles-Tokyo route ANA offers their new first class seat onboard (they call it simply "New First class"), which is very nice. It’s what people here would call a suite, and all passengers have direct access to the aisle.
The suite is a bit similar to the Singapore Airlines SkySuite, but the ANA suite actually gave a lot more privacy.
There are eight first class seats in the Boeing 777 configuration and six of them were occupied on this fight.
The “suite” was packed with things when I arrived. A grey sleeper suit, a black cardigan, slippers, two pillows, a blanket, and probably something else I have forgotten.
Fortunately the seat has a lot of storage!!
We pushed back almost 20 minutes late, which had something to do with ATC restrictions, too bad they did not offer any pre-departure drinks with such a long wait.
Once the engines were started we were quickly airborne though and we got a pretty nice view of the Californian coastline as we set course towards the north and Alaska.
Once the seat belt sign was off the curtain between business class and first class was closed and the service onboard finally started.
Hot towels were handed out and drink orders were taken, I asked for a glass of champagne and minutes later I had a nice glass of Krug in my hand.
With the drink also came a small tray with some snacks, certainly the coolest pre-meal snacks I have ever seen onboard a plane. Who needs warm nuts?!
Pics
The ANA B777 at LAX ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0794.jpg)
Sleeper suit, slippers, blankets and pillows are available at the seat ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0796.jpg)
Newspapers, magazines and other amenities are offered in the first class cabin ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0798.jpg)
Amenity kit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0797.jpg)
Champagne (Krug!) and some cool snacks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0810.jpg)
The very extensive menu!
The menu was then handed out in a classy paper binder together with the drink list.
I had a look inside, and wow!! They had so much food onboard!!
This menu was easily the most impressive and the most extensive of all first class menus on this trip, without competition!!
And anything on the menu could be ordered at any time during the flight, and that’s not just something they said, they did it, without a comment!
There were passengers in first class who ate four times during the flight. One man had (I think) both caviar, a Japanese meal, a few Western dishes, fresh fruit, snacks, and god knows what else during the flight. He was served all of that without the slightest little complaint from the flight attendants!
Pics
The menu and the drink list ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0806.jpg)
It was a pain typing the entire menu, but I really wanted to give you the chance to have a look as the menu is quite spectacular!
Read through it properly, and keep in mind that all this food was actually available onboard in the galley.
This menu really puts any a la carte restaurant to shame!
Enjoy!!
Kaiseki Menu
Savor the refinement of classical Japanese cuisine. Our master chef selects nature’s finest freshest ingredients to create a menu that evokes the essence of the season.
A choice of hand-crafted sake perfectly complements this special dining experience.
Zensai
Simmered prawn, salt-grilled saury fish and fishcake
Grilled awa-fu (millet gluten cake), sweet vinegared turnips and cured kaki (persimmon)
Nimonowan
Golden tai (red snapper), matsutake mushroom and seasonal garnish in hot seafood stock
Oshinogi
Our selection of sushi
Kobachi
Sesame pudding and uni (sea urchin roe) with rich seafood broth
Takiawase
Hiryozu (tofu and vegetable patty) braised in daikon radish sauce
Shusai
Gindara (sablefish) teriyaki accompanied with autumn vegetables
Steamed rice, miso soup and assorted pickles
Dessert
Ice cream and sorbet medley
Cappuccino mousse with almond tuile
Warm yellow peach compote filled in puff pastry with raspberry sauce
Selection of fresh seasonal fruit
Green tea, roasted tea
Wagashi
Toraya “Shin midori” yokan (white azuki bean and green tea jelly)
A la carte
Light, easy, uncomplicated dining. Choose the dishes that catch your imagination and each will be plated on board, producing a freshness and taste not unlike a fine restaurant dining experience.
Naturally, we also offer a tempting range of fine wine and sake for your consideration
Oscietra caviar with traditional garnish
Foie gras pâté with crisp puff pastry and petit melon macédoine
Baked monkfish medallions with mayonnaise
***
Fresh garden salad with Japanese dressing
Sweet and sour shrimps exotic
***
Pan-fried beef tenderloin with creamy mushrooms and Madeira sauce
Polenta-crusted sea bream with herb balsamic sauce
Roasted quail filled with mushrooms and green peppercorn sauce
Cabbage-wrapped autumn mushrooms with kidney bean ragoût marinara
Selection of breads with a choice of dairy butter or extra-virgin olive oil
***
Ice cream and sorbet medley
Cappuccino mousse with almond tuile
Warm yellow peach compote filled in puff pastry with raspberry sauce
Selection of fresh seasonal fruit
Delights
For those who prefer lighter dining, we invite you to choose from our extensive selection of snack dishes.
For additional options, may our crew recommend one of the chef’s short tasting menus.
Sake accompaniment
Saury fish simmered in plum-perfumed soy sauce
Savory salt-frosted shiitake mushroom
Kelp-cured squid sashimi
Yakitori (skewer-grilled free-range chicken and vegetables)
Simmered Shogoin daikon radish with yuzu citron-perfumed miso sauce
Oden (hot pot with fishcakes and vegetables)
Assorted Japanese pickles
With wine
Brie
Roquefort
Gouda
Light dishes
Kamonanban-udon (hot white wheat noodles with duck and leek)
Cantonese-style noodles in shark’s fin soup
Anago (conger eel) with vegetable tempura with special soy sauce, served over rice
Roasted tea poured over rice, garnished with sansho-peppered unagi (freshwater eel)
Cantonese-style congee (rice porridge)
Chef’s special free-range chicken and mushroom curry
Super cheeseburger
Classic calzone
Creamy corn potage
Sweet treats
Cherry clafoutis
Grand-Marnier cake
Post-nap comfort
Fresh garden salad
Cornflakes with milk
Selection of fresh seasonal fruit
Petite Japanese course
Sun-dried taro stalks braised in light soy sauce
Salt-grilled delicious salmon
Steamed rice or okayu (creamy rice porridge)
Natto (fermented soybeans) and dried seaweed
Miso soup and assorted pickles
Petite International course
Pasta Amatriciana
Bread roll
Fresh seasonal fruit
Champagne
Champagne Krug Grand Cuvée
White wines
Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes 2000, Domaine Laroche, Bourgogne
Vine Cliff Winery Chardonnay 2004, Napa Valley, California
Schlossberg Grand Cru Riesling 2002, The Cave of Kientzheim Kaysersberg, Alsace
Babich Winemakers Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Marlborough, New Zealand
Red wines
Renato Ratti Conca Marcenasco 2001, Piemonte, Italy
Château Petit Village 2002, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Franciscan Oakville Estate Magnificat Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2002, Napa Valley, California
Montana Terraces Estate Pinot Noir 2003, Marlborough, New Zealand
Prestige sake
Hikami Masamune, Daiginjo Tamahagane (Shimane)
Madonoume, Junmai daiginjo Hananoyoi (Saga)
Chomeisen, Daiginjo Soten (Chiba)
Satasouji-Shouten, Kakutama Plum Wine (Kagoshima)
Kawagoe, Geuine Imo-jochu (Distilled spirit) (Miyazaki)
Tempai, Hakata Dontaku, Shochu made from barley, aged three years (Fukuoka)
Aperitifs and cocktails
Dry sherry (Sandeman light dry), Dry vermouth (Cinzano dry), Campari, Kir, Kir Royal, Mimosa, Martini, Bloody Mary
ANA Original Cocktails
ANA’s original cocktail celebrating the 20th International Flight Anniversary “20th Harmony”, Grand Blue, Royal Rouge
Whiskies
Ballantine’s Limited, Nikka Single Malt “Yoichi” 20 years old, Suntory Shiwky “Hibiki” 21 years old, Jack Daniel’s Black Tennessee Whiskey
Spirits
Bombay Sapphire Gin, Absolut Vodka,
Brandy & Liquors
Hennessy Paradis Extra, Pineau des Charentes, Bailey’s Original Irish Cream, Cointreau
Port wine
Taylor’s 20 years old Tawny port
Beer
Asahi Super Dry, Kirin Ichiban Shibori, Sapporo Black Label, Suntory The Premium Malt’s
Soft drinks
Orange juice, Apple juice, Grapefruit juice, Tomato juice, Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola, Sprite, Ginger ale, Iced Japanese green tea, Sparkling mineral water, Still mineral water
Tea selection
Honey Japanese pear, Assam Silonibari, Darjeeling the first flush, Breakfast Earl Grey, Jasmin Chun Hao, Rooibos Natural, Gentle Breeze (ANA’s original flavoured tea), Sunny Spot (ANA’s original flavoured tea)
Available on selected routes: Espresso – 100% Arabica, Cappuccino, Caffe Latte, Caffè Macchiato, Decaffeinated Coffee, Hot chocolate – Jubilee Deluxe
Japanese tea
Green tea, Roasted green tea, Japanese konbu-plum tea
Meal service
OK, so I’m still drinking Krug, in case you have been reading the menu for some time.
Frequent refills were offered of the champagne, always with a smile. The flight attendant almost seemed happy every time I accepted another glass of champagne, I could probably have had ten glasses onboard if it wasn’t that I really didn’t want to get completely wasted on a long 11-hour flight.
Soon the flight attendant was back and asked me if I had chosen what to eat.
I double-checked with her there would indeed be two meals onboard (stupid question) as I wanted to try both a western meal and a Japanese meal onboard. She said I could eat whenever I wanted, so obviously no problem having a Japanese meal later during the flight.
I had a hard time deciding what to eat, I wanted to start with a western meal, but there was still so much to choose between.
I finally decided on foie gras as appetizer, followed by a fresh garden salad, beef tenderloin, and peach compote.
The flight attendant confirmed my order, and rushed back to the galley to start preparing my food.
Minutes later she was back with tablecloth and cutlery for my table. They use blue tablecloths onboard ANA which make the table setting look very elegant, although unfortuately only plastic knives onboard though as the flight originated in the US.
The FA also folded the napkin and placed it in my lap, wow, they really treated me like a royalty!!
After three glasses of Krug I felt I had had enough though, even though the flight attendant happily tried to offer me another top-up. I decided to have some red wine with the meal instead.
The meal service then started, and it was all very yummy, except that I apparently didn’t read the menu properly (I guess I should blame the champagne) and didn’t realise the beef tenderloin was served with mushrooms (not a big fan).
After the main course I asked if it would be possible to have some cheese before the dessert, it wasn’t part of the a la carte menu, but I saw it mentioned on the delights menu.
No problem at all, the crew onboard seemed almost happy when I asked for something.
There was certainly no inconvenince in getting me something that was not on the menu, rather the opposite, they seemed absolutely delighted they got another chance to make me a happy customer.
This was one of the main differences between ANA and Singapore Airlines (which will be covered later on).
On SQ they try to anticipate every single thing you do, on ANA you have to ask for most things, but once you ask they almost bring you the moon.
The cheese plate arrived minutes later, followed by the dessert.
I also asked for some coffee and was asked “which type of coffee can we get you Mr jacob_m?”. Well regular black is fine, I answered. “Yes, but which coffee bean would you prefer?”, she continued.
Oh, that’s advanced! It took a little while before I understood what this was all about, but after a look at the back of drink list I realised I was actually in heaven.
I am an extreme coffee lover, very very addicted, and onboard this ANA flight I have a choice between five different coffee beans.
The drink list gave a nice little description of characteristics of each coffee bean, a little bit about the body, acidity and aroma. Wow!
I instantly realised there would be quite a few cups of coffee consumed on this flight to work my way through that fantastic list of coffee beans!
A glass of Ballantine’s Limited with the coffee was also the perfect end of a nice meal.
Pics
Table setting ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0814.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0815.jpg)
Salad ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0817.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0818.jpg)
International cheese selection ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0820.jpg)
Dessert and coffee ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0823.jpg)
A glass of Ballantine’s Limited ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0824.jpg)
The inflight entertainment system, and time for a rest!
After a long meal service it was nice to stretch my legs a bit, gosh so much food onboard!!
I decided to change into my sleeper suit to get more comfortable and to get some rest onboard. The grey sleeper suit was very comfortable (at least the lower part of it) and fitted me perfectly.
One of the flight attendants noticed I was about to get changed and was waiting with a hanger when I came out from the lavatory to take care of my regular clothes.
I then decided to have a look at Skymaster, the ANA inflight entertainment system.
ANA has AVOD onboard which is a big plus. Through Skymaster there are several movies, documentaries and tv-series available. They also offer games, a cool flight map, arrivals information, and some music to listen to (although the music was more suited for Japanese passengers).
I decided to watch the movie “Cars” (the Disney one) on my 15” screen which I had not seen yet, quite good!!
After the movie I started feeling quite tired after all the food and a lot of travelling and change of time zones, so I reclined the seat a bit to have a rest (but not really a proper sleep).
Minutes later I could feel a soft duvet being put on top of me, lovely!!
I had earlier declined to have my seat turned into a bed as I didn’t really want to sleep onboard, but this was absolutely perfect!! A bottle of water was also placed next to me.
Other passengers chose to sleep properly though, the ANA seat can be made completely flat and they have mattresses, pillows and duvets onboard to make the seat into a real bed.
I doze off for about two hours, at this point the window shades had been lowered as most passengers tried to get some sleep, or at least some rest.
Pics
Flying over Bering Sea, soon passing the International date line ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0830.jpg)
The first class cabin darkened ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0832.jpg)
The ANA Skymaster inflight entertainment system ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0835.jpg)
The video console ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0803.jpg)
Watching “Cars” on my personal TV ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0834.jpg)
The ANA first class suite ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0851.jpg)
The seat control ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0842.jpg)
More food onboard
As I woke up I watched another movie and then decided it was time to have something more to eat.
Seeing how other passengers were mixing and matching dishes from the menu I asked if I could do the same, there was still so much on the menu I wanted to try, obviously not a problem!
I ordered the Petite Japanese course (as I said earlier I wanted to try a Japanese meal onboard), followed by a fruit plate and the ice cream dessert.
The flight attendant suggested I should start with the fruit plate as the ice cream was very sweet, a good suggestion!
The Japanese meal arrived around 20 minutes later on a large tray, it looked very nice, but I was really not sure what it was, even less how to eat it.
The flight attendant was happy to give me a short introduction though, but it was hard for her to explain in English. She made a good try, and at least I got to know how the different dishes should be eaten.
After the Japanese meal the fruit plate arrived which was nicely decorated with a flower and looked beautiful, it was followed by the ice cream which was very delicious.
Pics
Japanese meal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0837.jpg)
Beautiful fruit plate!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0838.jpg)
Ice cream and sorbet medley and coffee ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0840.jpg)
Descent and arrival at Narita airport
After another movie (or half of it anyway as I fell asleep) we started our descent into Tokyo Narita airport, this also meant it was time to change back to my regular clothes.
The crew did an excellent job there by returning the clothes to each passenger with a 5 mins interval, so each person could go straight into the lavatory and change without any congestion.
Another thing that impressed me a lot!!
Shortly before landing the flight attendant who had mostly been serving me during the flight came to wish me good-bye and thank me for flying ANA.
I took the opportunity to thank her for a wonderful flight with fantastic service onboard, and I don’t think I have ever seen anybody getting so happy, she thoroughly appreciated what I said.
She told me she would be most happy to serve me again on another flight some other time, well so would I!
Before landing I was also given another bottle of water, to have something to drink on the train to Tokyo!
We landed a little behind schedule at Narita airport and taxied to the brand new south wing of terminal 1.
So nice to be back on the ground after 11 hours in the air, but I realised I had one heck of a jet lag to take care of. Eight hours time difference between Tokyo and Los Angeles, and another two hours between Los Angeles and Dallas, that’s ten hours!!
Anyway, after the seat belt sign had been switched off they closed the curtains between business class and first class and all first class passengers disembarked through the front door (1L).
We were once again thanked for flying ANA as the crew bowed when we got off.
Being one of the first passengers off the plane also meant I was one of the first passengers to reach immigration.
Minutes later the passengers from a full Seoul flight arrived at immigration followed by the rest of our passengers. Quite a few people were waiting when I was processed.
I entered the baggage hall, also part of the new Star Alliance south wing, which was very nice and very modern, you could easily see it was very new.
My priority tagged suitcases were already on the belt, less than 15 minutes after the plane had parked!! Well done!!
Pics
Almost there! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0853.jpg)
The baggage hall at the brand new Narita terminal 1 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0861.jpg)
All Nippon Airways arrivals lounge, Tokyo Narita
Before taking the Narita Express to Tokyo I made a visit to the ANA domestic lounge which doubles as arrivals lounge for longhaul first and business class passengers.
In the lounge I had a shower in one of the high-tech shower rooms, those showers were really advanced with three different shower heads that could be used simultaneously. Very nice with a shower after 11 hours in the air!
They also had free internet in the lounge, and some light snacks, so I took the opportunity to have another cup of coffee and check my e-mail.
The Japanese keyboards are very confusing if you're not used to them, all of a sudden everything changes from western letters to Japanese letters if you manage to press the wrong button.
Pics
Inside the ANA arrivals lounge at Narita airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0864.jpg)
Before finally leaving the airport I went upstairs to have a look at the new dedicated Star Alliance departure hall. It is very nice, but almost all flights that day had already departed.
What is remarkable about the south wing at Narita is that the check-in area is divided by class of travel and status level rather than by airline.
So there is a check-in island for all Star Alliance first class passengers irrespective of carrier, and another check-in island for Star Alliance Gold passengers irrespective of carrier.
After snapping a few photos I went back downstairs and caught the Narita Express to Tokyo.
Time to explore Japan…
Pics
The new Star Alliance departure hall at Narita Terminal 1, ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0866.jpg)
The Star Alliance first class and Star Alliance gold check-in counters ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_0867.jpg)
Final comment about the flight
Overall I have to say this ANA flight was absolutely fantastic, possibly the best flight on the entire trip (but obviously there are competitors).
The menu is the most extensive I have ever seen onboard a plane (including all flights on this trip) and the seat was very comfortable as well with lots of space.
But what mostly impressed me was the service.
I’m not going to say that every single aspect of it was 100%, but everything they did was genuine, and that’s what I liked!!
They took so much pride in what they did, and they seemed genuinely happy to get yet another chance to please you, and that’s something I did not really experience on any of the other flights in the same way.
So a big big hands up to ANA after this fantastic experience!! ^
upgrade lover
Nov 23, 06, 11:46 pm
Yet again another fantastic installment of your epic journey! ANA is really fantastic. I had the pleasure of traveling with them one time in FIRST and it was a great flight.
One comment, I live in the LAX area and travel alot internationally, and I always am offered pre departure drinks champagne etc. I do not believe that there is any US law that prevents this. Also, when did you travel? For some time now there are no restrictions to metal cutlery to or from the USA.
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 24, 06, 12:05 am
Great report. Looking forward to the next instalments.
It seems I was in LAX around the same time as you (but on a OW RTW in business (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=603485) for me). shameless plug for my trip report
After printing out your fine report to read on my flight tonight, I read it all (to this point) on the way to the airport (grrr heavy traffic).
mosburger
Nov 24, 06, 12:39 am
The ANA flight report is the highlight of an immensely enjoyable reading package. :) What a great way to arrive in Japan in style!
fumitani
Nov 24, 06, 12:58 am
I'm enjoy reading this report. Hopefully I'll be able to write this well if I do a trip report
sporadic
Nov 24, 06, 5:00 am
^ Now I also wanna fly NH F. ^ ^ But no $$ only :D
andrewp
Nov 24, 06, 11:02 am
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this trip report and sharing your experiences with all of us. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
I've yet to experience a better airline than NH and am happy to see that your experience exactly mirrored mine.
They took so much pride in what they did, and they seemed genuinely happy to get yet another chance to please you, and that’s something I did not really experience on any of the other flight in the same way.
This is the best way to sum it up and something that I've noticed about Japanese culture. People take such immense pride in what they do no matter what it is.
jef7
Nov 24, 06, 12:38 pm
A delightful trip so far jacob_m ^ .
I can definitely attest to the Japanese hospitality as I have recently experienced on JAL. Given your similar detailed account of excellent service on this NH flight, the common culture is apparent, and that is to genuinely serve and make customers happy and comfortable.
I do have to say that I am somewhat unimpressed by NH's presentation of their in-flight food service. Of course I am comparing my limited impression based on your photos to SQ's presentation in F, and that plastic knife certainly does not help. Confusingly, after browsing through some of my own photos from past trips, a real knife was served on SQ 11 (LAX-NRT). Still, this criticism is simply about aesthetics, as it is the service that really makes the trip enjoyable and memorable.
Thank you for your efforts so far and looking forward for more.
jacob_m
Nov 24, 06, 2:50 pm
Thanks all for the very nice comments!! I'm glad you're enjoying the report, despite my love for details... :p
There is a lot more to come, not even half the trip has passed yet, there are a few more very nice longhaul flights to post for example, among other things.
It is not a coincidence I felt the trip was worth calling the trip of trips.
One comment, I live in the LAX area and travel alot internationally, and I always am offered pre departure drinks champagne etc. I do not believe that there is any US law that prevents this. Also, when did you travel? For some time now there are no restrictions to metal cutlery to or from the USA.
Regarding the pre-departure drink, that's actually something I read here on FT, there was a discussion about it.
There is no law preventing it, but it was something about the airlines having to pay a fee, or duty, to be able to serve alcoholic drinks on the ground.
So the airline you were flying had to pay a certain amount of money to open that bottle of champagne before take-off, and obviously not all airlines want to do that.
Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (this is just something I remember reading) and I just assumed that was also the reason for the lack of pre-departure drinks on ANA.
The flight was in the beginning of October btw.
I do have to say that I am somewhat unimpressed by NH's presentation of their in-flight food service. Of course I am comparing my limited impression based on your photos to SQ's presentation in F, and that plastic knife certainly does not help.
Singapore Airlines will be covered later in this report, so all readers will get a chance to compare themselves.
But I did not really have any problems with the presentation of the meals onboard ANA. Surely SQ does an excellent job in that area, but that's not the same thing as saying ANA did a bad job.
I actually thought the ANA table setting looked very nice with the blue tablecloth.
Regarding the use of plastic knives I unfortunately ended up getting that on SQ as well (with a little note apologising for it).
jacob_m
Nov 24, 06, 3:06 pm
After three days in Tokyo and Yokohama it’s time to continue the tour of Japan.
Next stop is the Kansai region on southern Honshu, and to get there I booked a domestic flight with ANA from Haneda airport (the domestic airport of Tokyo) to Itami airport (the domestic airport of Osaka).
A great chance to fly a second time with ANA and experience a domestic flight within Japan.
ANA uses almost exclusively widebody aircrafts on the Tokyo-Osaka route, which feels a bit strange considering the short flight time, most of the time they use Boeing 777s.
There must be one heck of a demand for airline tickets on this route as they have at least one flight every hour, and each time it’s a Boeing 777.
There are three classes onboard the domestic flights: economy, premium economy and first class (as they brand their premium cabin). With a first class RTW ticket I was obviously seated in F.
Haneda airport is located in the outskirts of Tokyo city centre, just by the water, quite a difference to Narita airport which is a massive 80 km away.
You can actually take the underground to Haneda which makes ground transportation very easy.
There are two terminals at Haneda airport, one used exclusively by JAL (terminal 1) and one used exclusively by ANA (terminal 2). There is also a very small number of international flights out of the airport, in most cases with South Korea as destination.
Haneda terminal 2 was actually very nice, very bright and modern with plenty of shops in the public area.
I checked in in the premium check-in area. Very friendly and polite staff (as always in Japan), but the young woman who checked me in did not feel very comfortable speaking English.
She made herself understood though and I was told I was invited to visit the ANA Signet lounge as a gold card holder.
Even at the security check they were polite, they even apologised for having to re-screen my bag as they could not identify everything inside, and they thanked me afterwards for waiting that extra minute it took.
More Japanese security people to the world!!!
Pics
The underground station at Haneda airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1021.jpg)
The departure hall at Haneda airport terminal 2, exclusively used by ANA ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1029.jpg)
ANA premium check-in area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1030.jpg)
All Nippon Airways Signet lounge, Tokyo Haneda
After security I made a visit to the ANA Signet lounge which is the ANA gold lounge. Again very friendly staff at the reception who really made me feel welcome.
After the reception desk you take an escalator to get to the main lounge on the first floor.
The ANA lounge was very nice, very modern and spotlessly clean, but there was not much to eat and drink.
Virtually nothing to eat actually, and only soft drinks, coffee/tea and Japanese whiskey to drink. Quite a disappointment for a dedicated gold lounge. I tried the Japanese whiskey though, Suntory, not too bad!
I had a look around the lounge, and soon realised I was the only non-Japanese person in the entire lounge, not that it bothered me (or anybody else for that matter), but it was quite a strange feeling.
Overall the lounge was OK, nice place to wait before leaving for the flight, but I wouldn’t arrive early at the airport just to spend some extra time in the lounge.
Pics
The entrance to the ANA Signet lounge at Haneda airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1033.jpg)
The reception desk in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1035.jpg)
Inside the main lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1041.jpg)
The small self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1037.jpg)
The view from the lounge with central Tokyo in the background ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1039.jpg)
A quick and clever boarding
I left the lounge 30 minutes before departure and went to the gate, but boarding did not start until 11.50, only 10 minutes before scheduled departure time.
Still they managed to make the flight leave on time at noon (sharp!), it meant they managed to board a full B777, complete the last paperwork, and close the doors in just 10 minutes. Most impressive!!
Boarding was done by sections or row numbers with priority boarding offered for first class passengers and star golds.
Instead of making announcements each time they used kind of a flipchart (I don't really know what to call it) with the row numbers or photos of the elite levels printed on the pages, so each time they wanted to continue the boarding process they just turned to the next page.
Quite smart actually, a completely standardised boarding process for a smooth boarding, and any language barriers could also be avoided!
You can see it on the photo below of the gate area, it’s the thing right in the middle on the photo.
Pics
The departure screen, not a lot of destinations I’m used to see ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1045.jpg)
The modern transit hall at Haneda airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1046.jpg)
The Boeing 777 that will take me to Osaka ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1047.jpg)
The gate area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1049.jpg)
Tokyo/Haneda-Osaka/Itami, flight NH 023 operated by All Nippon Airways
Departure: 12:00
Arrival: 13:00
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: First Class
Seat: 02K
In domestic first class ANA has a seat they call "Super Seat". The seat is quite nice and a bit wider than the standard economy seats (2-2-2 configuration in F onboard the B777), but of course it’s nowhere near as nice as the longhaul seat.
Once onboard I was offered English newspapers and magazines and also the ANA inflight magazine in English.
The first class cabin ended up being completely full to Osaka.
Push-back right on time as already mentioned, and we took off to the north and made a sharp right turn directly after take-off to avoid unnecessary noise and pollution over Tokyo.
Onboard an o-bento box was served in first class. O-bento boxes are like lunch boxes, often made of wood, and can contain almost anything.
They are very popular in Japan and can be bought almost everywhere, for example onboard the high-speed trains or at the railway stations where the contents often reflect the food culture in that region of Japan.
I was very excited to see what the box would look like inside, after all this was a premium cabin onboard ANA.
The food looked delicious, very beautiful, but I can’t really tell what all of it was. There was some fresh fruit for sure (some kiwi for example), also some chicken and rice, and something very sweet, but the rest, well have a look yourself on the photo!
They also served Japanese green tea with the meal, and later alcoholic beverages were offered (beer and wine) and I had some red wine.
While I was eating, just by a coincidence I had a look through the window, and what did I see, a spectacular view of Mount Fuji!
Well actually it was only the top of Mount Fuji as it was very cloudy, but the clouds just made it look even nicer and I naturally took a photo of it.
We landed right on time at Itami airport not too far from central Osaka.
Most passengers seemed to travel with only hand luggage so the baggage delivery started quickly with only priority-tagged bags in the first batch, these things really work in Asia!
At the exit of the baggage reclaim there were two ANA agents who asked for my baggage receipt, they checked the number on my baggage receipts and the number on my baggage tags to make sure they were the same before letting me continue.
That is the very first time that has ever happened to me, but I was very surprised it happened in Japan, not the kind of place where you’d expect people to steal other people’s luggage.
Pics
The first class cabin and the “Super seat” ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1051.jpg)
The o-bento box served onboard in first class ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1056.jpg)
A look inside the o-bento box, I don't really know what all of that is, but it looks delicious! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1057.jpg)
Cool photo of Mount Fuji seen from the plane ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1055.jpg)
Seconds before landing at Osaka Itami airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1058.jpg)
The arrivals hall at Itami airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1060.jpg)
upgrade lover
Nov 24, 06, 4:47 pm
^ I say keep them coming!!! ^
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 24, 06, 5:36 pm
^ I say keep them coming!!! ^
Yes please. I have some more flights tomorrow ;)
jacob_m
Nov 24, 06, 5:41 pm
Time for another hotel report, well not really…
In Kyoto I decided to skip the western hotels and stay in a traditional Japanese guesthouse instead, called a “ryokan”.
Ryokans are usually family-owned places, so you almost get to stay with a Japanese family.
Just like with western hotels the standard of ryokans varies considerably. There are very basic ones with nice but basic facilities, and there are luxurious ones with a spotless decoration, all meals included, nice surroundings, and sometimes even an outdoor bath called an onsen.
Since I probably wouldn’t be able to appreciate a luxurious ryokan I booked a cheap one which still was very nice with an excellent location close to Kyoto railway station.
The manager of a ryokan is called an okamisan, she is the one who usually takes care of check-in and check-out.
As I arrived at Ryokan Heianbo I opened the door a little bit and called “gomen kudasai” (I was so happy I had managed to learn that from my guide book :D ), the okamisan should then invite you to enter, which she also did.
The okamisan of my ryokan was very friendly (again, as most Japanese) but spoke very little English. I knew a few basic words and phrases in Japanese, and somehow with her little English and my little Japanese we managed to sort everything out quite well.
Before entering the ryokan I obviously had to take off my shoes, and usually you put on house slippers, but my feet (size XL) were too large for the ones they had so I was allowed to enter wearing only socks.
She showed me to my room on the upper floor. Normally you are supposed to take off your slippers before entering the room not to damage the woven tatami mat, but that was obviously not a problem for me.
The room was quite nice, but lots of things were very strange, like the very low table and the legless chair, it took a little while before I got used to that so-called “chair”.
Also, there was no bed in the room, instead you sleep on a Japanese mattress, but I have to admit I slept surprisingly well.
Other than that the room had all amenities you may need like a TV, fridge and air conditioning, not bad at all!!
Traditional ryokans don’t have any showers, instead you take a public bath in the evening, however this was a ryokan “suitable for foreigners” so there was actually a tiny tiny little shower in my room, and I have to stress tiny.
The public bath was still there though, single sex, so one for men and one for women.
You undress in a locker room and put your clothes in a basket, then you enter a shower room where you are expected to clean yourself properly (the Japanese do it for 15 mins, at least, there should be no dirt in the water), and finally when you are completely clean you enter the hot water, which is really hot (it can be as much as 45 degrees Celsius).
Sharing a bath with others was a bit strange, especially since you are fully naked in the water (no swimwear allowed), but for the Japanese that was of course completely normal and after a while I felt fairly comfortable with it as well.
The only thing you are allowed to bring in the water is a small towel which you can rinse in cold water and put on your head, it should prevent dizziness.
The Japanese were very surprised I managed to stay so long in the hot water, but well, as a Scandinavian I do have a some experience of saunas, kind of the same concept!
Using the public bath actually turned out to be very nice after a long day, to stress down in the hot water, so I ended up going there every evening.
The nice thing with the bath was also that you got the chance to chat with the others in the bath, excellent way of getting local information.
In the morning I also tried a traditional Japanese breakfast, which was very extensive and also changed day by day.
The breakfast could easily have been served as lunch or dinner instead, that’s how much food it was.
They eat rice for breakfast for example, and salmon and miso soup, among other things.
You can have a look yourself on the photo below.
Staying in a ryokan was great, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and it was very nice to get to know the family running the ryokan a bit and to learn about the Japanese culture.
Highly recommended!!
Pics
Welcome to Ryokan Heianbo in central Kyoto! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1097.jpg)
My room in the ryokan ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1062.jpg)
The “sitting area” in my room ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1064.jpg)
My bed, a mattress on the floor ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1066.jpg)
The public bath in the ryokan, very hot! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1100.jpg)
The “lobby” in the ryokan ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1323.jpg)
A traditional Japanese breakfast ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1211.jpg)
brahms77
Nov 25, 06, 12:26 am
Great Trip Report so far! I also really enjoyed Ryokan experience while visiting Fukuoka with my family earlier this year... and Ryokan will always be my choice of accomodation while visiting Japan. :) You should try Ryokans in Onsen areas (hotspring).
mosburger
Nov 25, 06, 12:44 am
A splendid way to enjoy Japan! Flying ANA domestic superseat, the Ryokan experience... ^
And still halfway to go, good for us avid readers.
view
Nov 25, 06, 6:15 am
Ah, I'm still glued to your report jacob_m, and I'm getting lots of ideas for a RTW ^
socalterp
Nov 25, 06, 8:22 am
Great report. Flying intra-Asia this year on JL and CX, was also struck by how fast a 777 or A330-300 could be boarded. Helps w/ less carry-ons, helpful FAs and pax who just get on board and sit down...
jacob_m
Nov 25, 06, 11:47 am
I also really enjoyed Ryokan experience while visiting Fukuoka with my family earlier this year... and Ryokan will always be my choice of accomodation while visiting Japan. :) You should try Ryokans in Onsen areas (hotspring).
Yes, ryokans are indeed very nice! A very good (and often cheap) way of getting to know the Japanese culture.
Next time I will definitely try one of those nice ryokans in the countryside with beautiful outdoor baths (onsen).
But since I was a complete newbie this time I felt it was best to start with a cheap ryokan rather than going for a fancy one where I would perhaps not know how to behave and with meals included in the rate I may not even like.
But now when I know what it's about I will definitely consider a better one on my next visit.
jacob_m
Nov 25, 06, 11:48 am
After a few days in the Kansai region with visits to Hiroshima, Osaka and Nara it was time to leave Japan.
I took the Haruka train from Kyoto railway station which goes all the way to Kansai airport. It usually takes a little over an hour, but due to various problems along the way we arrived over 15 minutes late, and with not all too much marginal at the airport I started feeling a bit worried.
Kansai airport is built on an artificial island in the Kansai bay, so there is a long bridge leading to the airport, quite a sight!
In Japan Air New Zealand is handled by Japan Airlines (JAL) rather than by ANA.
A bit strange since both Air NZ and ANA are part of Star Alliance, but Air NZ and JAL have some kind of agreement on the Japan-NZ routes and all these flights are also code-shared.
So at Kansai airport Japan Airlines handles the check-in for Air NZ.
Pics
Approaching Kansai airport by train ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1392.jpg)
Check-in
I found a dedicated Air NZ check-in area right in the middle of the terminal, but just like at LAX the luggage had to be screened before I was allowed to check-in, fortunately there was not a person in line.
I went straight to the business class check-in desk which was empty, a nice woman was working behind the counter.
Everything was fine until she asked me how I would like to pay the departure tax, by cash or by credit card. What? I was very surprised to hear that and told her I was pretty sure it had already been paid.
She seemed quite sure though, but my thick RTW ticket with its long ticket receipt (two pages) could well have confused her her.
Finally she suggested we should go to the ticket desk just around the corner to let somebody else look at the ticket and maybe have a look in the reservation system as well. I thought that sounded like a much better idea than standing arguing at the check-in counter.
After a supervisor had looked at my ticket they concluded I was indeed right, the airport tax had already been paid, so we went back to the counter and finished the check-in process.
They handled this little mistake professionally and nobody was ever rude to me (neither was I), it was mostly annoying that it took so much time of my already very limited time at the airport. Anyway, quickly forgotten!
My luggage was tagged with both the Star Alliance priority tag and the Air NZ business class tag (a black tag where it says business class on one side and where you can write your name and address on the other side).
I also received an invitation to the Japan Airlines first class lounge, nice to get a chance to visit a JAL lounge after three ANA lounges and to be able to compare.
There was a long line at security (no fast track unfortunately), only three checkpoints were open and while I was waiting one of them closed, so security took absolutely forever and for some reason they wanted to re-screen half of the bags this evening.
As I was getting close to the x-ray I could see a crew arriving, and as you probably know crews have priority at security, it actually turned out to be the Air NZ crew to Auckland, my crew!
However getting through security took just as much time for them as for us, and they ended up standing in a long line just beside the regular line.
Without thinking about it I had my Air NZ boarding pass in my hand, fully visible, and one of the flight attendants noticed this and started talking to me.
The very nice girl turned out to be the inflight director of the flight, so she introduced herself to me and wished me a very warm welcome onboard, already at security!
We talked a little bit about Japan and the upcoming flight before it was her turn to go through the metal detector and rush to the plane.
What a great initiative, and what a fabulous start of the flight!! A very big hands up for that!! ^ ^
The tax-free shops seemed expensive, so I took the skytrain straight away to the south part of the terminal where both the lounge and the departure gate were located.
Pics
JAL check-in at Osaka Kansai airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1397.jpg)
Taking the skytrain to the south wing ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1401.jpg)
Japan Airlines First class lounge, Osaka Kansai
I was a bit surprised I was entitled to use the first class lounge when travelling in business class, and I actually asked at the reception when I arrived if I was really in the right lounge, but apparently I was.
I’m not familiar with the lounge hierarchy of JAL, do they have business class lounges as well?
The lounge was very nice though, the interior certainly felt more first class than business class. Wide comfortable leather armchairs, nice lighting and a good view of the apron from the lounge (although it was dark outside at this point).
Not much to eat though, just cocktail snacks, but this seems to be standard in all Japanese airport lounges.
The drinks selection was quite allright though, lots of soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits, and coffee of course. They had the nice Chivas Regal on offer for example.
I had something to drink and browsed through some newspapers, but after just 15 minutes in the lounge boarding was announced for the flight to Auckland and it was time to leave.
The late arrival of the train, the problems at check-in, and the slow security had greatly reduced my time in the lounge. Well, not the end of the world!
Pics
The entrance to the JAL First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1409.jpg)
Inside the JAL First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1403.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1404.jpg)
Comfortable armchairs in the lounge and nice views of the apron ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1406.jpg)
Osaka/Kansai-Auckland, flight NZ 98 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 18:30
Arrival: 09:15
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: Business Premier
Seat: 03K
The departure gate was right outside the lounge. Boarding had started, but I did not really know what announcements they had made, so I walked to one of the gate agents and asked if I was allowed to board as a business class passenger.
The young woman just stared at me like I had just asked the stupidest question ever, and answered “of course, of course” like it was the most obvious thing in the world and quickly processed my boarding pass and wished me a nice flight.
Two passenger bridges were in use, so I turned left and entered the business class cabin through door 1L.
And who do I meet at the entrance? The nice inflight director of course! She instantly recognised me from security and welcomed me onboard (a second time!) before showing me to my seat.
The aircraft had the new Business Premier seats onboard and the cabin looked fantastic with the nice blue neon lighting in the ceiling. Wow!! I was very impressed! ^
A male FA came to greet me and instantly tried to learn my name as he was the one who would mainly be serving me during the flight.
I told him I really liked the cabin and he just answered “it’s wicked, isn’t it?!”.
The crew onboard this flight was absolutely fantastic, very friendly and chatty (and a bit crazy!) and they all seemed to love what they were doing and also working with each other.
Overall I think this was the best crew on the entire trip, one of the best crews I have ever had!
Pre-departure drinks were offered, water, orange juice or bubbles. No need to think twice about that! I was later offered top-ups as well.
Newspapers and amenity kits were also handed out. The Air NZ amenity kit was a transparent bag with the company logo on it, it had all the things you may need onboard (toothpaste, toothbrush, eyeshades, earplugs etc), but certainly nothing fancy.
The flight to Auckland was not full, at least definitely not in Business Premier where half the cabin was empty, basically I had no neighbours on this flight.
But few passengers onboard usually means more attentive service, and that was also the case on this flight.
The majority of the passengers onboard were Japanese (there were also two Japanese-speaking FAs) and the rest were New Zealanders, and then me. They were actually a bit surprised having me onboard (a European) flying between Japan and New Zealand, apparently quite unusual.
We pushed back right on time and took off 15 mins later with nice views of Osaka during the climb.
Pics
Welcome onboard the new Business Premier to Auckland! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1410.jpg)
The Business Premier seat ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1412.jpg)
Cabin ambience, I just love the cool lighting!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1416.jpg)
A glass of champagne before departure ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1411.jpg)
Amenity kit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_4196.jpg)
Meal service
After the seat belt sign had been switched off more drinks were offered and some veggie crisps.
I was quite happy with my two glasses of champagne before departure, so I just had some orange juice this time, they happily tried to offer me more bubbles though.
The menus were then handed out (there were actually two, one for the dinner and one for breakfast) written in both English and Japanese.
This is what was on offer this evening and the following morning:
Pics
The menus in Business Premier to Auckland ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3376.jpg)
Starter
Appetiser selection of smoked duck and smoked cod with marinated mushroom salad
Main course
Grilled aged beef tenderloin with red wine glaze, saute potatoes, pumpkin, asparagus and shimeji mushrooms
Japanese dish of glazed rockfish with ginger, black sesame rice and Japanese vegetables
Pan seared chicken thigh with a rich rosemary jus, creamy gratin potatoes, butted spinach and carrots.
Dessert
Gourmet ice cream dessert of orange sorbet and vanilla bean ice cream with a chocolate wafer
Fruit
A selection of fresh seasonal fruit
Cheese
A fine selection of cheese
Freshly brewed of decaffeinated Gravity coffee, tea, Japanese green tea or hot chocolate
Breakfast: Beverages
Start your day with a fruit smoothie, your choice of juice, freshly brewed or decaffeinated Gravity coffee, tea, Japanese green tea or hot chocolate
Breakfast: Continental selection
Fruit selection with assorted cereals and yoghurts
Croissants, breakfast rolls, white and wholemeal toast with fruit conserve
Breakfast: Hot options
Three egg cheese omelette with rock sausage and Mediterranean vegetable ratatouille
Creamy scrambled eggs with potatoes, grilled mushrooms, streaky bacon and cherry tomatoes
Japanese breakfast of grilled salmon, egg roll and fish cake with hijiki seaweed and steamed yukari rice
Beverages
Champagne
Veuve Clicquot N.V. Champagne, France
Wine
Two reds and two whites were on offer if I remember correctly.
The reds were a Merlot and a Pinot Noir
Spirits
Glenfiddich malt whisky, Chivas Regal blended whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black label, Gordons gin, 42 Below vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan rum, Ron Bacardi superior
Port and Liqueurs
Portuguese port, Grand marnier, Baileys Irish cream
Beer
A selection of beer featuring Steinlager, Export Gold, Heineken and low alcohol lager
Soft drinks
Mineral water, Orange juice, Apple juice, Tomato juice, Cola, Lemonade, Tonic water, Ginger ale, and a choice of diabetic drinks are available
Cocktails
Refer to the cocktail section at the back of your Air New Zealand Wine Guide for the 42 Below cocktails currently being showcased onboard
After the post-departure drink the tables were prepared for the meal service with white tablecloths. The table in Business Premier is actually hidden in the “wall” of the seat, so you don’t even notice where it is.
More drinks were offered and I went for a glass of red wine this time, but only one glass as I wanted to get some sleep onboard and really didn’t want to get any problems with my stomach because of too much alcohol. They also served Japanese green tea.
Then the appetiser was handed out, on a tray, and later the appetizer plate was replaced with the main course (I had the beef tenderloin). Standard business class service, I’m just spoiled with too much first class I guess.
The food onboard was quite good, some people complain about the portions being a bit small onboard Air NZ, but I was certainly not hungry when the meal service was over.
Ice cream was offered as dessert followed by cheese (which I declined as I was actually very full). No coffee for me either as it was soon time to try to get some sleep.
Pics
The Business Premier cabin again ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1426.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1427.jpg)
Main course, and The Simpsons ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1429.jpg)
Inflight entertainment system, and time for some sleep!
After the meal service I checked out the inflight entertainment system, they have AVOD onboard all planes with the new Business Premier.
They had some movies, documentaries and TV-series available, a nice flight map, and a lot of information about the Air NZ products, quite a bit about the new Business Premier for example.
I watched an episode of The Simpsons, and before landing I watched some travel documentaries about New Zealand, but they were really too commercial.
Soon I felt it was time to get some sleep, so I asked the male flight attendant to prepare my bed.
The seat onboard is the same as the Virgin Atlantic seat in Upper Class, and what is remarkable about the seat is that the bed is actually at the back of the seat, so instead of reclining the seat to make it into a bed they fold the seat, if you understand what I mean.
This means they can use one material for the seat, and another material for the bed.
The bed was actually quite comfortable, although possibly a bit too hard, I did get a few hours of sleep onboard though. They also placed a mattress, a pillow and a duvet on my bed so I could get some proper sleep onboard.
While my seat was prepared I went into the lavatory and changed into the grey sleeper suit I got onboard ANA, certainly a lot better than sleeping in my regular clothes.
Pics
The inflight entertainment system ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1430.jpg)
An attempt to take a photo of the seat made into a bed ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1441.jpg)
The seat really has space for everything! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1447.jpg)
Breakfast
I woke up a few times during the flight due to turbulence, but otherwise I got at least a few hours of sleep onboard, the seat was pretty comfortable.
It's a bit strange sleeping with the seat belt fastened though...
Around two hours before landing the cabin lights were turned on and the crew started preparing for the breakfast service.
I went into the lavatory to change back to my regular clothes while the crew took care of my bedding and turned the bed back to a seat.
Smoothies were offered and I had a very nice peach smoothie to drink, I really like the smoothies they offer onboard on Air NZ.
The table was again prepared for the breakfast service, and first on offer were fresh fruit, yoghurt and bread rolls.
Afterwards they served a hot dish. I asked for the omelette but was told it was “all over the place”. Not quite sure what they did, but something apparently got wrong with the oven.
Well scrambled eggs was still OK I guess.
As I said earlier I had a fantastic but rather crazy crew onboard.
After the breakfast service I decided to take a few last photos of the cabin in daylight.
The male flight attendant noticed I was taking photos and asked me if I wanted him to take a photo of me in my seat, I told him he didn’t have to.
“But what about one with a flight attendant sitting on your lap?”, he continued. Huh? What? I really didn’t know what to answer!
“Eh, um, well”, was all I could say. But then I thought why not, it’s certainly not the kind of offer you get every day (and certainly not a thing you ask about), and everything else was so crazy about this flight anyway, so why not indeed. Eventually I said “well OK, if any of the flight attendants agree to do it”.
The guy just smiled and disappeared, and seconds later he was back with one of the nice-looking flight attendants who sat down on my lap, and the result…well one hell of a crazy photo!!! :D
But sorry guys, I understand your curiosity, but no I’m not going to publicly embarrass myself on the internet, I’ll keep that photo to myself (although it’s definitely part of my permanent collection now ;)).
Shortly before landing the lovely inflight director was back and thanked me for flying Air New Zealand and wished me a nice stay in New Zealand.
She also asked me what I was going to do in New Zealand and if it was my first visit, and finally she gave me a few last minute tips on what to do.
Pics
Peach smoothie ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1450.jpg)
Breakfast ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1451.jpg)
More breakfast ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1453.jpg)
Nearly there ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1452.jpg)
The Business Premier cabin in daylight ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1454.jpg)
A description of the Business Premier seat ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1459.jpg)
Arrival in Auckland
All too soon we started our final descent and landed right on time in Auckland from the east.
The aircraft was quickly parked at the gate and I was one of the first passengers to get off the plane and the very first one to reach immigration which was completely empty.
The immigration officer seemed very suspicious of me, especially with all the countries I had visited during the past 30 days (one of the questions on the landing card).
He looked through my ticket thoroughly and asked me quite a few questions about my travels before stamping my passport.
Later when passing customs I was stopped by another officer who asked another bunch of questions about my trip and all my luggage.
They were really suspicious! Everybody was friendly though, but they probably had to realise I was just a normal RTW traveller with a somewhat crazy itinerary.
At least the baggage delivery started quickly and the priority tag worked like a dream. ^
At all airports in New Zealand they also have an agriculture check after customs to make sure people don’t bring prohibited items (plants, food etc) into New Zealand, in particular things that could harm the nature, so all luggage has to be x-rayed before you are allowed to enter the arrivals hall.
Not a lot of people there though and the whole process was over in 20 seconds.
Despite all the extra questions at both immigration and customs I was standing at the bus stop just 25 minutes after getting off the plane.
Not too bad after having arrived on a longhaul flight with checked baggage, that priority tag certainly helped!
Pics
Minutes before landing, New Zealand looks nice! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1460.jpg)
Safely landed at Auckland airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1461.jpg)
The Air New Zealand business class priority tag ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1462.jpg)
Verdict
Needless to say this was one of the best flights on the trip (I really can't pick one best flight), even though the flight was in business class.
Fantastic crew (what else is there to say?) and a great seat and cabin as well.
Thanks a lot Air New Zealand! ^
yow777
Nov 25, 06, 12:50 pm
What a great trip report!! Thanks for taking the time to write this report. ^
berkeleybum
Nov 25, 06, 2:54 pm
i really think you should post the pic with the FA...
SMART51
Nov 25, 06, 4:48 pm
i really think you should post the pic with the FA...
I second that. :)
1P
Nov 25, 06, 4:52 pm
This is really superb! Keep it coming!
goodo
Nov 25, 06, 5:38 pm
I second that. :)
I third that
upgrade lover
Nov 25, 06, 8:32 pm
I third that
I guess that I will be the fourth! ;)
sporadic
Nov 26, 06, 12:59 am
I guess that I will be the fourth! ;)
And I'm 5th. :D We should sign a petition or something.:D :D
If only some SQ Singapore Girl would do that too, when I go SIN-MEL at the end of the year ;)
TrayflowInUK
Nov 26, 06, 3:13 am
An amazing trip... simply amazing. Consider yourself lucky... :)
jacob_m
Nov 26, 06, 12:38 pm
And I'm 5th. :D We should sign a petition or something.:D :D
If only some SQ Singapore Girl would do that too, when I go SIN-MEL at the end of the year ;)
Haha! lol :D
But sorry, I'm not going to make that photo publicly available on the internet, you'll have to use your imagination.
It was 4 am Japan time when the photo was taken and I was by no means fully awake yet. You get the rest...
The FA was kind of pretty though, blond, blue eyes, in her thirties maybe. But I would have prefered the inflight director instead, she was gorgeous!! :p (you can actually see her on one of the cabin photos in the background)
Oh yes, if they would only offer this "service" on Singapore Airlines as well, that would be awesome!! :D
OK, enough...
An amazing trip... simply amazing. Consider yourself lucky... :)
Thanks! I fully agree with you, it was an absolutely amazing trip!! But there is also a significant amount of planning behind it.
And there are still a few real highlights left, three more airlines in first class for example and a few more exotic destinations as well.
jacob_m
Nov 26, 06, 12:42 pm
After three days in Auckland with a visit to Waiheke Island one of the days it was time to continue.
Next stop: The land down under and Sydney!
Air New Zealand premium check-in room and lounge, Auckland
Upon entering the international terminal at Auckland airport I immediately noticed the signs for the premium check-in area.
Air New Zealand actually has a separate check-in room for premium passengers, yes it’s actually a room and not a part of the main departure hall.
Right after check-in there is a dedicated passport control, followed by an escalator straight to the security check. Great service!!
New Zealand is also one of the remaining countries where you have to pay the airport tax at the airport (never included in the ticket), but as a premium passenger you can pay the tax in the premium check-in room (other passengers have to go to one of the banks at the airport to pay it).
Check-in was swift in the premium room and I paid the departure tax there as well, however nobody told me I had to complete a departure card, so I was stopped at passport control and had to go back to do that before I was allowed to proceed to security.
I made my way to the Air New Zealand lounge on the first floor above the transit hall, a bit tricky to find actually, but I was told at check-in to turn right immediately after Tie Rack, and that certainly helped.
The lounge was very nice, but very crowded this Friday afternoon.
Lots to eat and drink as well, this afternoon they had roast beef, pasta salad, scones and berry muffins for example. Plenty to drink as well including a very good selection of soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits.
I know the Kiwis here at FT tend to count the number of wines and beers available when passing Air NZ lounges, I actually did the same but forgot to write it down afterwards. The numbers were impressive though!
They also had several internet computers in the lounge with free internet, always appreciated!
Pics
The International departure hall at Auckland airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1537.jpg)
The entrance to the Air New Zealand premium check-in room ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1539.jpg)
The entrance to the Air New Zealand lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1541.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1544.jpg)
View from the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1546.jpg)
Auckland-Sydney, flight NZ 105 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 16:30
Arrival: 17:00
Aircraft: Boeing 747 (aircraft change from Boeing 767)
Class: Business Premier (cabin change from the old business class :))
Seat: 02A
I left the lounge 45 minutes before departure and headed to the gate.
At the gate I was a little surprised to see a Boeing 747 parked outside the window, my booking confirmation said the flight would be operated by a Boeing 767 and that’s what Expertflyer indicated the evening before as well.
For a moment I thought they might take us to the aircraft by bus (i.e. to a remote stand), but as I was curious I went to one of the gate agents to ask.
The guy confirmed the aircraft at the gate was indeed ours, there had been a last minute aircraft change.
I told him I was in business class and asked if that meant Business Premier onboard, and he answered “yes, it’s lie-flat for you this afternoon!”. :)
Awesome!! Another flight in Business Premier, and on a Boeing 747 this time!
When I thought about it I realised I would actually cover the entire fleet of Air NZ on this trip (propeller planes excluded though). Gives a hint of what to come…
Boarding started 20 minutes before departure with priority boarding for business class passengers and Star Alliance gold.
Once onboard I turned left and found my seat at the very front of the cabin. I got to keep the same seat number (several people got new boarding passes at the gate), but on the Boeing 747 seat 02A meant at the nose of the plane, I had never actually tried that before.
After having found my seat I was greeted by a male flight attendant and was offered newspapers and a pre-departure drink.
Business Premier was not full onboard, not very surprising considering they had expected a Boeing 767 to fly us to Sydney, a significantly smaller plane. But few people onboard usually means better service!
Several people onboard were very surprised ending up in Business Premier and were absolutely delighted about the aircraft change. There was a Swiss couple onboard I talked to and they said it was the most comfortable flight on their entire trip (they seemed to have flown business class from Europe to NZ, not sure which airline though). They even asked a flight attendant to take photos of them in the seat.
Due to the aircraft change (the original aircraft had mechanical problems) and the extra work needed at the gate to issue several new boarding passes, we pushed back 20 minutes late but were told we would still make it to Sydney on time due to favourable weather conditions.
Pics
Our Boeing 747 at the gate in Auckland, very nice aircraft change!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1547.jpg)
The International terminal seen from the plane as we taxi to the runway ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1549.jpg)
The Business Premier cabin onboard the Boeing 747 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1555.jpg)
No lack of leg room in Business Premier ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1550.jpg)
Meal service
Onboard the plane they served a three courses meal with appetizer, main course, cheese and dessert. A full bar service was also available with two reds, two whites, spirits and soft drinks.
I have to say I am very impressed by the Air New Zealand inflight service on shorthaul flights.
New Zealand-Australia is roughly three hours, and on these flights they offer a three courses meal with a choice of three main courses, and all dishes are served separately.
Comparing that to some flights I have taken in Europe in business class with a similar or slightly shorter flight time you usually get the whole meal served on a small tray, and you’ll be happy to even get a choice of main course.
So this was a very positive surprise!!
Here is the menu to Sydney:
Starter
Horopito spiced New Zealand cervena with micro cress and dukkah scented olive oil
Main course
Riesling roasted chicken thigh with bell pepper polenta and mushroom ragout
Star anise seasoned New Zealand lamb with oriental slaw and broccoli
Nicoise salad of seared tuna, green beans, potato, red pepper and herbed lemon olives and basil vinaigrette
Dessert
Gourmet ice cream dessert of minted chocolate and pohutukawa honey ice cream
Cheese and fruit
Fine regional cheese and preserved fruit
Beverages
Freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate
Wine
Two reds and two whites on offer
Spirits
Glenfiddich Malt whisky, Chivas Regal blended whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black label, Gordons gin, 42 Below vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan rum, Ron Bacardi superior
Port and Liqueurs
Portuguese port, Grand Marnier, Baileys Irish cream
Beer
A selection of beer featuring Steinlager, Export Gold, Heineken and low alcohol lager
Soft drinks
Mineral water, Orange juice, Apple juice, Tomato juice, Cola, Lemonade, Tonic water, Ginger ale, and a choice of diabetic drinks are available
The meal service was very nice with friendly and attentive service, I had the chicken to eat which was quite OK.
After the meal I ordered a cup of coffee and a glass of Chivas Regal.
Pics
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1551.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1552.jpg)
Dessert ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1553.jpg)
Coffee and Chivas Regal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1554.jpg)
When the meal service was over I watched the movie Poseidon through the AVOD inflight entertainment system and I also listened to some music (they had ABBA Gold available for example), but all too soon we started our descent to Sydney.
We landed in Sydney right on time at 5 pm, despite the delay in Auckland.
I enjoyed a great view of the beaches around Sydney during the approach, but the weather was not really appropriate to go to the beach.
It was 17 degrees in the air, and grey and rainy, not the weather you’d expect in Australia in the middle of October.
It was actually raining during most of our descent, and it was quite interesting that I could hear the rain hitting the nose of the plane (as I said I was sitting at the very front).
At the terminal business class passengers were allowed to get off first and I was one of the first to reach immigration which was completely empty.
Baggage delivery started fairly quickly with the priority-tagged luggage first on the belt, these things seem to work well in the Pacific region as well!
Just like in New Zealand I had my luggage x-rayed before I was allowed to enter the arrivals hall, this in order to prevent prohibited items (food, plants etc) brought into Australia.
Pics
We are approaching Sydney as you can see on the flight map ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1559.jpg)
Nice view of the beaches around Sydney during the approach ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1562.jpg)
jacob_m
Nov 26, 06, 4:32 pm
Just a short summary of what I have done so far.
Map of my travels so far (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA-YYZ-YUL-YQB-YUL-NYC-LAX-SFO-SEA-DEN-DFW-LAX-TYO-OSA-AKL-SYD&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=&MAP-STYLE=)
Number of flights: 16 (out of 34, so halfway through)
For the second time during this trip it’s time to put the round the world ticket on the shelf.
One of the things I really wanted to do during this trip was to visit at least one South Pacific island. I played around a bit with the *A round the world mileage calculator, but I could not manage to get a decent routing unless giving up other things I really didn’t want to give up.
There was of course the option to upgrade to a FRWSTAR3 (39K miles), but that would have cost significantly more and I already had 22 segments (out of 24). So obviously a bad option and a real waste of money.
But one day I got the idea to check how much an award ticket in the region would cost, I had quite a few points in my Eurobonus account to spend, and it turned out a *A award ticket in the Pacific region would only cost 40,000 points, in business class! A very good deal!
The Pacific region includes the entire South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.
I had initially planned to go from Auckland to one of the islands, certainly the most logical routing, but when I read through the rules a second time I noticed Australia was also part of the *A Pacific region, and I could just not resist the temptation. :p
The rule thus meant it would cost the same amount of points to go from Australia to the South Pacific as from New Zealand to the South Pacific, but going from Australia would give me the chance to cross the Tasman another two times with the very nice Air New Zealand. Another six hours with nice food and drinks, for the same amount of points!
I spent a lot of time with the ANA award planner, we know on the SAS board for sure that the award inventory is exactly the same for SAS as for ANA, so if a seat would be available on the ANA webpage I should be able to book it.
Flying directly Sydney-Auckland ended up being tricky, very few award seats were available, but of course I am always open for creative routings, and that’s the direction I took.
Several sleepless nights later I had the perfect itinerary, with all flights in business class where possible.
A little nervous I called the Eurobonus member service to make the booking, the reservation agent thought the itinerary sounded crazy and said it would probably not be possible to book it.
I told her the itinerary followed the rules in every single aspect, and she finally agreed to check with a supervisor. 15 minutes later she called me back, absolutely amazed, and told me I had really found the loophole in Eurobonus. She was obviously very impressed!
The booking was made, and the paper ticket arrived in the mail a few days later.
So next I’m off to the wonderful South Pacific, but with a rather unusual routing to get there, well you’ll see!! :)
Problems getting to the airport
I had planned to take the airport train from Sydney central station to the airport. It’s very cheap and the train takes only 12 minutes. On top of that I stayed very close to the railway station anyway, so a very convenient option!
I bought a ticket at the ticket counter on the ground floor and made my way to the platform with all my luggage.
There were quite a few people there, so I went to one of the monitors to see when the next train would arrive. On the monitor it said, “next train due in 27 minutes”. 27 minutes!!! The train is supposed to leave at least every 10 minutes.
I did have some marginal at the airport, but waiting 27 minutes would be cutting it close, and I didn’t even know if the train would actually arrive at that time, maybe there could be further delays.
As I was checking the monitor I noticed I was standing next to a girl (well a young woman, to be more correct). She looked like she was going to freak out any moment.
I thought she might be a local, so I asked her if the screen was actually correct as I was concerned about making my flight.
She told me she also had a flight to catch, but a domestic flight, which would leave in just an hour, so she definitely did not have time to wait 27 minutes.
Being just as stressed and nervous as me we decided to share a cab, so we rushed back through the ticket gates to the main street to try to hail a taxi, and finally one stopped.
We just told the driver to go as fast as he possibly could to the airport and he told us he would do his best but it would all depend on the traffic.
Once inside the taxi we decided to introduce ourselves, I had absolutely no idea with whom I was sharing a taxi, with whom I was rushing to the airport. It was actually quite hilarious! :)
She turned out to be Australian, living in Brisbane and working as an English teacher for foreigners coming to Australia to learn English, mostly Asians and Brazilians, but also some Europeans actually.
She has also lived in three or four different countries (among those China) and she shared the same interest for travels and languages as me.
We had a really fun chat on the way to the airport before she had to rush to her plane (I think she made it).
It was actually quite enjoyable, just another fun story from this trip!!
Check-in
The taxi driver dropped me off at the International terminal after having passed the domestic terminal first. I had a good amount of time now before departure, but waiting for that train would have cut it way too close.
Very few people in the premium check-in line and I was checked in almost immediately.
While checking in I noticed the agent had forgotten to attach a priority tag to my baggage tag, I think it’s the fourth time this happens during this trip, so I pointed this out to her (especially since the priority tag seems to work in this region).
Very irritated she replied “I have not finished doing my job” and seconds later she attached the priority tag as a separate tag. Oops, sorry!! I didn’t know they had them as proper baggage tags in Sydney.
I obviously apologised to her, but it was quickly forgotten.
All passengers have to complete a departure card before leaving Australia, but it was quick to do and fortunately there was no line at all at passport control.
I made my way to the Air NZ lounge which was a bit tricky to find. The signs were confusing and I ended up in the basement before finding out the lounge was actually located on the first floor. At least I used the right stairs. Oh well...
Air New Zealand lounge, Sydney
Friendly staff at the reception who warmly welcomed me to the lounge.
The Air NZ lounge in Sydney is really nice, one of the nicest I have ever visited. ^
It’s very bright, modern and spacious, has a great view of the apron, free internet, and there is plenty to eat and drink.
The self-service buffet was most impressive, there was really plenty plenty to eat and drink. Nice cold cuts to eat and lots of beer, wine and spirits to drink. A very nice place to kill some time!
The lounge was fairly crowded this afternoon with passengers waiting for the evening departures to New Zealand, but I found an empty seat by the window and enjoyed a great view of the apron and the two main runways.
An Austrian Airlines B777 was parked next to the lounge, quite a strange sight in Sydney, a long long way from Austria.
Pics
Inside the nice Air NZ lounge in Sydney ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1786.jpg)
The self-service buffet area, plenty plenty to eat and drink ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1782.jpg)
Great view from the lounge, a TG B747 taxiing for take-off ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1787.jpg)
An Austrian Airlines B777, in Australia! Quite a strange sight! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1784.jpg)
Sydney-Wellington, flight NZ 744 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 17:15
Arrival: 23:25
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Class: Business Class
Seat: 01F
They were supposed to make boarding announcements in the lounge, but 30 mins before departure no announcements had still been made and the monitors showed my flight was boarding, so I left.
At the gate the boarding had already started, and I was quickly seated in my seat 01F on the plane.
My jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink (bubbles of course) and newspapers, business class ended up being completely full.
We pushed back on time but had to make the long long taxi all the way to the end of runway 34R before taking off.
This was my first experience with an Air NZ Airbus A320.
Business class has two rows with a 2-2 configuration, in contrast to economy which has a 3-3 configuration, so quite a bit more legroom.
They have no proper inflight entertainment system onboard the A320s except for a movie on the main screen, but in business class they offer personal DVD-players and there is an impressive selection of 20 movies available.
Very nice! A personal player and 20 movies well make up for the lack of AVOD onboard, you can’t watch more than one movie at a time anyway and with a personal DVD-player you can also fast-forward and rewind as much as you want.
I watched Agatha Christie’s Poirot on this flight, the one “after the funeral”. Well I never manage to figure out who the murderer is anyway...
After take-off they offered more drinks and veggie crisps followed by today’s menu:
Starter
42 Below honey cured karengo salmon with tropical mango and chilli salsa
Main course
Braised New Zealand lamb shank with sauteed leaf spinach and mushroom risotto
Chicken confit with vegetable ratatouille and sweet pea butter
Thai marinated beef salad with red bell pepper cucumber and chilli and lime dressing
Dessert
Gourmet ice cream dessert of feijoa and tiramisu ice cream
Cheese and fruit
Fine regional cheese and preserved fruit
Beverages
Freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate
Wine
Two reds and two whites on offer
Spirits
Glenfiddich Malt whisky, Chivas Regal blended whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black label, Gordons gin, 42 Below vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan rum, Ron Bacardi superior
Port and Liqueurs
Portuguese port, Grand Marnier, Baileys Irish cream
Beer
A selection of beer featuring Steinlager, Export Gold, Heineken and low alcohol lager
Soft drinks
Mineral water, Orange juice, Apple juice, Tomato juice, Cola, Lemonade, Tonic water, Ginger ale, and a choice of diabetic drinks are available
I had the Thai beef salad as main course, very good, even though it was obviously cold.
I had plenty of wine to drink as well, and both the food and the wine were very good onboard the flight, as was the service, very nice and attentive flight attendants!!
Ice cream was served as dessert as usual onboard Air NZ but it’s normally very tasty anyway so I really don’t mind.
I think the food may have tasted even better onboard this flight when I knew it was actually completely free!
Pics
A glass of red wine, and Agatha Christie’s Poirot on my personal DVD-player ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1789.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1790.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1791.jpg)
Dessert and cheese ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1792.jpg)
Arrival in Wellington, not completely problem-free...
Landing roughly on time in a rainy Wellington, and as a business class passenger I was one of the first passengers off the plane and the first to reach immigration.
I was actually a bit nervous about entering New Zealand a second time. Considering how many questions I was asked on my first entry in Auckland with a fairly normal round the world ticket, then how many questions are they not going to ask me this time trying to enter New Zealand a second time in just a week with an ever crazier routing?
I was very surprised how smooth the passport control was, she asked me two or three questions, checked my return ticket, and then let me pass. Piece of cake!
They were doing some construction work in the baggage hall so only one luggage carousel was in use, they also had a customs officer there with a dog who searched all passengers for food (the dog did).
The priority tag worked once again very well with my bags among the first on the belt.
But when I handed over my customs declaration form just before customs I was stopped. They called for a customs officer who told me they wanted to ask me some questions, so I followed him to what I guess was red line at customs (I didn’t read the signs).
He asked me if I had anything to declare and I said I had nothing, he then asked me to write it down on a customs form: “I have nothing to declare” and my signature.
Next he asked me to open my suitcases and he unpacked every single thing I had inside and went through all of it while asking me questions about what I did, the trip, my itinerary, why I was travelling in business class and so on.
I obviously had nothing to declare, nothing at all he could comment on really.
The guy was very friendly though, very talkative, and I did my best to tell him about this whole frequent flyer thing and how I just wanted to make good use of my points.
He seemed to understand that surprisingly well, and he even told me he had a good amount of points himself after having lived abroad for several years. Nice!
I spent a good 20 mins at customs before I was finally allowed to leave, but honestly I’m just happy I encountered such a friendly officer who made the experience bearable, it could have been a lot worse.
Before leaving he told me he would make a note in the computer system that I had been checked and that there was nothing to comment about.
As I had to enter New Zealand yet another time on this trip I told him I very much appreciated it as it would perhaps avoid me having to go through all of it again.
At that point I was feeling very tired, it was well after midnight and spending time at customs with all those questions had made me even more tired (you really don't want to give the wrong answers when sitting there).
I was very happy to get inside a cab and head for central Wellington and a good night's sleep.
mad_atta
Nov 26, 06, 7:31 pm
Great report so far, and sounds like a fantastic trip. ANA in F sounds spectacular, reminding me yet again why I have to find a way to try that out. Japan and the ryokan sounded fun too - my best ever experience in Japan was staying at a ryokan in Tokyo, so cool.
Glad to hear AirNZ have been treating you well too - a good crew on AirNZ is about the best service in the sky, I think - professional but genuine and friendly too.
Now I'm just curious to figure out what Pacific island destination you're off to... for what it's worth, my money is on the Cook Islands...
SmilingBoy
Nov 27, 06, 3:07 am
Great report - you must have been in SYD around the same time as me - I was there from 15 October (arriving with an Austrian 777 btw) to 22 October. The weather was bad indeed! And I had to wait for the train for 25 minutes as well... (it was Sunday morning though)
SmilingBoy.
mag
Nov 27, 06, 7:04 am
what a phantastic trip report, what a great treat!
but you don't get away so quickly re. the lap-pic... ;)
what about some photoshop art on your face??? (i guess your face will not be in the focus of ours, erm!)
Moomba
Nov 27, 06, 2:03 pm
It was actually raining during most of our descent, and it was quite interesting that I could hear the rain hitting the nose of the plane (as I said I was sitting at the very front).
Not only do we share a penchant for Champagne we also have the same observational skills. ;)
From my RTW TR.
As we came into LAX it was pouring with rain and I was quite amused at being able to hear the rain hitting the front of the aircraft.
You are really making me drool for a *A trip in F. I think a couple of sectors in J on NZ might need to enter my mix of flights as well.
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences with SQ in F.
jacob_m
Nov 27, 06, 3:30 pm
The next day the weather was absolutely awful in Wellington. I had planned to do a little bit of sightseeing in this very charming capital, but it was raining so heavily and the winds were so strong that it was actually hard to walk outdoors, and definitely not enjoyable.
In the afternoon I checked my e-mail and of course also Flyertalk, and in the Air NZ forum there was actually a post about the strong winds in Wellington, apparently there had been lots of flight cancellations in the morning.
I had not really thought of the winds as an issue, sure the weather was not the best possible for sightseeing, but I had not expected it to affect the air traffic as much as it did.
Pics
The view from my hotel room in Wellington, very windy and rainy weather ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1795.jpg)
Back at the hotel I spoke to some guys who were supposed to take the ferry to the South Island in the morning, but all ferries had been cancelled due to the weather so they were back at the hotel trying to get a room for the next night as well.
With all this information in mind I thought it would be best to go to the airport early to increase my chances to get on an earlier plane in case there were any delays or cancellations, if not I could always spend some extra time in the lounge.
I collected my luggage and took a taxi to the airport. I asked the driver if he had heard anything about cancellations, any calls from the airport of people who had been stranded, but he was not aware of any problems and said the aircrafts should be able to take off even in this bad weather.
The airport in Wellington is very close to the city centre, so I arrived there within only a few minutes.
Problems and more problems at Wellington airport
A quick look inside the terminal and at the flight monitors and my first reaction was that it did not look very bad, my flight was neither cancelled nor expected to be delayed, at least according to the screen.
I went to one of the check-in desks to check-in, but I was told check-in was only open for one or two flights at a time due to the weather. My flight was not for another 1h 45 min at 6 pm.
I went to have something to eat and then took a seat in front of the flight monitors as most other people did, still no remarks about my flight.
About 20 minutes later they made a public announcement that check-in was suspended for all Air NZ departures that day except the next two departures to Auckland at 5 pm and 5.30 pm.
I went back to one of the check-in desks to enquire about my 6 pm flight, but the agent said she did not know anything. I then asked her if it would be possible to be put on standby for an earlier flight to Auckland, after all there were two flights departing. I very nicely tried to explain to her that I had a connection in Auckland and there were not a lot of alternative flights.
The agent was not helpful at all, she just said no and asked me to leave the airport and call the reservation line for rebooking to another day, I got a piece of paper with phone number on it. Well not too easy for me with no place to stay in Wellington and certainly no alternative flight to rebook to.
At this point I was starting to feel quite upset, I could well understand there was nothing they could do about the weather, but my flight had not even been cancelled yet, and still they tried to send me away from the airport. And so much for having a gold card and a business class ticket as well, but I just hate making this “don’t you know who I am”-speech.
I spoke to a nice woman who was also watching the monitors, she had also been asked to leave the airport by the staff, and just like me she was very upset and said there was no way she was leaving until they had at least cancelled her flight.
After 10-15 minutes I went back to check-in and spoke to a new agent at the baggage drop counter, a young girl who seemed quite friendly.
I asked her if she had any news about my 6 pm flight and if it was still absolutely impossible to be put on standby for an earlier flight to Auckland, two flights were confirmed to leave at this point.
“Of course you can go earlier” was her answer when she heard I had an international connection, and a minute later I was rebooked onto the 5.30 departure that was confirmed to leave. What a relief!
So apparently it was possible to be put on standby after all, and even get a confirmed seat, that’s not really what I was told earlier.
As she was working at the baggage drop counter she could not check me in so I had to go to another counter, and guess who was working there? Yes, the agent who had just sent me away.
She did not seem too happy to have me back, even less with a confirmed ticket on one of the two confirmed flights to Auckland.
Well as I had a confirmed ticket she had to check me in, and I was checked in all the way to Rarotonga (that’s where I’m off next), but no priority tags were put on my luggage and my onward boarding pass to Rarotonga said economy class (even though I was in C). I told her about that but everything I said just seemed to annoy her. Eventually she loosely attached two priority tags that probably fell off a minute later.
I got 08B on the plane, first time in years I was seated in a middle seat, but honestly I was just happy to be on the plane and leave Wellington, it’s only a short flight anyway.
I left the check-in area quite happy with my new boarding pass and happy never having to see that check-in agent again.
Pics
The nice departure hall at Wellington airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1830.jpg)
Lots and lots of cancelled flights as you can see on the monitors ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1834.jpg)
View of the apron ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1832.jpg)
Air New Zealand domestic Koru Club, Wellington
I went to the domestic lounge on the first floor of the domestic pier, the reception was unattended and after half a minute wait with no sign of any staff I just walked in as everybody else did.
The lounge was packed, and the lounge staff were very busy at the service centre taking care of rebookings for passengers.
I had a seat and went to get something to eat and drink. The lounge was at least very nice with plenty and plenty to eat and drink, both the buffet and the drinks selection were most impressive.
They had free internet in the lounge as well which is always nice.
The monitors now displayed my flight was delayed, but at least there was a gate assigned to it, so it still looked like it would depart.
Pics
Inside the Air NZ domestic Koru Club in Wellington ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1835.jpg)
The buffet area, lots to eat! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1836.jpg)
A very good selection of beer and wine! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1838.jpg)
Wellington-Auckland, flight NZ 464 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 17:30 (rebooked from NZ 460 18:00-19:00)
Arrival: 18:30
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Class: Economy Class (one-class only)
Seat: 08B
At 5.30 pm the monitor finally showed “go to gate” and I made my way to the gate which was in the international pier of the terminal.
They actually used an international gate for this domestic departure, so according to the signs we were supposed to proceed to passport control and so on, which obviously did not make sense.
Many people got very confused by this and for a while there was some minor chaos before an airport employee showed us the right way.
The gate area was packed and many people were still worried the flight would get cancelled, but as the gate agent said very promising: “at least we have the plane here, that’s always a good start”. :D
Boarding eventually started around 6 pm, 30 mins late, and we finally took off 40 mins later at 6.40 pm, more than one hour delayed. The take-off was surprisingly smooth, not bumpier than it usually is.
Before boarding I checked the monitors, and my original flight was actually operating, but severely delayed, so I may have missed my connection anyway with that flight.
On the plane the captain actually told us a bit about the weather and how it affected the air traffic. The main problem in Wellington was not that the aircrafts could not take-off and land, the problem was the lack of safe parking positions.
At the terminal the winds were so strong that the passenger bridges kept moving and hit the aircrafts, which could obviously be very dangerous.
Hence the major reason for all cancellations was the lack of parking positions.
I don’t remember much of the flight as I mostly wanted to get to Auckland as quickly as possible, but they probably served coffee, tea and water as they usually do on Air NZ domestic flights.
Many people onboard had domestic connections in Auckland and were worried about missing those, after all we departed over an hour late.
The crew promised to give more information later during the flight about connections, but the only information ever given was just after landing “please check the departure monitors in the terminal”. Very useful!
They really did not impress this time...
Pics
Onboard the packed B737 to Auckland ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1840.jpg)
Auckland airport and a quick visit to the Air NZ lounge
We landed around 7.40 pm, and at this point I knew I would at least make my connection.
I exited the domestic terminal and walked to the international terminal instead of waiting for the transfer bus. I needed the fresh air anyway, and as I had been to Auckland before I knew where to go.
I went to the premium check-in room where I asked the agent to print me a new boarding card as the old one did not even indicate the right class of travel.
Since I had also spent less than 24 hours in New Zealand I did not have to pay the departure tax and after showing my boarding pass from Sydney I was given an exception sticker to put on the boarding pass.
Both passport control and security were very quick and I made my way to the lounge.
I actually managed to get off the plane, walk to the international terminal, pick up the exception sticker and make it through passport control and security to the lounge in only 15 minutes.
The woman at the lounge reception desk was very friendly and understanding but had not at all been told about the problems in Wellington, a bit surprising since there could well be many missed connections that evening.
The lounge was very empty this evening and I went straight away for something stronger to stress down after the very chaotic afternoon, now that I knew I would make the connection. I was very relieved!
Pics
Inside the international Air NZ lounge in Auckland ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1841.jpg)
Auckland-Rarotonga, flight NZ 848 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 21:00
Arrival: 02:00
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Class: Business Class
Seat: 01F
I left the lounge half an hour before scheduled departure, but once at the gate it took a long time before boarding started.
The bad weather apparently also affected this flight in some way, so they had to load more fuel which took a lot of time and they even talked about offloading luggage (and possibly even passengers) as the aircraft might get too heavy to take-off because of the extra fuel.
Well they offered priority boarding as usual, so I was the first passenger onboard and don’t really know what happened later at the gate, but we departed almost 45 minutes late from Auckland.
Fortunately the flight time to Rarotonga was estimated to be just a little over three hours, so we would arrive there almost on time despite the delay.
The flight to Rarotonga was very nice, very friendly staff onboard (as always), but the service was a bit slow and the meal service took almost two hours, a bit too long for a three courses meal in business class.
This is the menu for the evening flight to Rarotonga:
Starter
Poached prawns, frissee, ginger and pickled vegetable salad with kawakawa and roasted garlic dressing
Main course
Horopito salted loin of lamb with golden kumara gratin, green beans and New Zealand macadamia nut, horopito and lemon butter
Seafood hotpot of snapper, monkfish and prawn with new potatoes, broccolini and coconut cream broth
Caramelised chicken breast with spiced pear, blue cheese risotto and steamed broccolini
Dessert
Rhubarb frangipane tart with passion fruit cream
Gourmet ice cream dessert of chocolate hazelnut crunch and hokey pokey ice cream
Cheese
A selection of fine New Zealand cheese
Beverages
Freshly brewed or decaffeinated Gravity coffee, tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate
Wine
Two reds and two whites on offer
Spirits
Glenfiddich Malt whisky, Chivas Regal blended whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black label, Gordons gin, 42 Below vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan rum, Ron Bacardi superior
Port and Liqueurs
Portuguese port, Grand Marnier, Baileys Irish cream
Beer
A selection of beer featuring Steinlager, Export Gold, Heineken and low alcohol lager
Soft drinks
Mineral water, Orange juice, Apple juice, Tomato juice, Cola, Lemonade, Tonic water, Ginger ale, and a choice of diabetic drinks are available
Both the starter and the main course (I had the chicken) were very good, as was the ice cream (unfortunately no rhubarb tart left when it was my turn to order).
As I said the service onboard was very nice, but just a bit slow. I actually think the female flight attendant wanted to do everything very properly in business class, it was just done a bit too properly which is why it took so much time.
I also borrowed a DVD-player and watched two movies during the flight: Shadows of the sun and Lost in translation. The latter I had already seen, but it was interesting to see if I would recognise anything from Tokyo.
The flight to Rarotonga was very enjoyable, as most people onboard were holidaymakers (or Cook Islanders returning home) the atmosphere was very relaxed.
Pics
The Airbus A320 at the gate in Auckland ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1843.jpg)
The business class cabin onboard the Airbus A320 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1844.jpg)
Red wine and the personal DVD-player ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1847.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1846.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1848.jpg)
Ice cream and cheese ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1849.jpg)
Arrival in the wonderful Cook Islands!!
We actually managed to make it to Rarotonga very quickly and landed just 10 minutes late at 2.10 am (one hour time difference).
It was quite an experience to land in Rarotonga because it was completely dark outside. Usually you see at least some lights outside during the approach; some roads or cities or ferries or whatever, but here there was not a thing to be seen, it was pitch-dark! For a while it felt like we were almost going to make a water landing.
Rarotonga (the main island in the Cook Islands) is quite small so the first light I saw was just seconds before landing, there was a runway in front of us after all...
The landing was hard and bumpy and not at all smooth, there is actually a standard joke on the island that most flights depart and arrive during the night so the passengers won’t see how short the runway really is. :D
The aircraft taxied to the small terminal building, but it took a little while before the doors were opened so I ended up waiting in the galley.
There was a beautiful wedding cake there which had been stored in one of the closets during the flight, apparently someone onboard was going to the Cooks to get married.
The doors finally opened and I could feel the fresh tropical air entering the cabin.
Above the entrance to the terminal was a large sign saying “Welcome to the Cook Islands”, and inside the terminal building there was a man playing and singing Pacific songs in a corner, at 2 am! You certainly felt very welcome! :)
Apparently he is there for every single international arrival and departure, no matter at what time. Well there aren’t all that many departures out of Rarotonga, but it’s still a great initiative and it certainly creates a very nice and relaxing atmosphere at the airport. ^
I read somewhere he had been doing that for ten years or so, for every single international arrival or departure.
Everybody in the Cooks seemed really friendly, and the immigration officer was no exception.
Baggage delivery started quickly, and my first suitcase was among the first, but I still had to wait for my second suitcase, and I waited, and waited, and eventually the belt stopped, and still no suitcase.
This was actually the first time in my life I have had missing luggage, which after all isn’t too bad considering all flights I have taken.
I went to the man next to the baggage belt to file a report, he already had a message about another delayed bag they had found in Auckland, but nothing about mine.
He took my name, address, flight details, details about the bag etc (the usual stuff) and wrote everything down on a form. Since all my toiletries were in the missing suitcase I was also given an overnight kit and a t-shirt. The toilet bag was actually quite nice, black, with the Star Alliance logo on it, a nice souvenir!
Fortunately I later realised I had packed my bags exceptionally well and almost evenly divided my clothes between the two suitcases, so I could actually have managed a few days with only one bag.
Pics
Welcome to the Cook Islands! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1850.jpg)
The man playing and singing in the arrivals hall, at 2 am! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1851.jpg)
The arrivals hall at Rarotonga airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1853.jpg)
And finally: The truth about the missing bag...
The negative thing about the missing bag unfolded just before I went to bed. I didn’t even notice it at the airport, but my suitcase actually had two baggage tags, one on the normal handle and one on the handle on the side.
Both tags were identical with RAR printed, but the tag on the side had the baggage number I had given at the airport when filing the report, the tag I thought was on the missing suitcase. :mad:
I don’t get it! I am completely sure she put a tag on both suitcases in Wellington, I even saw her doing it! No doubts!
Then howcome one suitcase ended up getting two tags, and the other one none? I just don't get it! :confused:
I do have a bad feeling about it though. Either the check-in agent in Wellington must have done something after I left as she was so negative to me anyway (I left before she had sent the bags away on the belt), or somebody among the baggage handlers did something (an easy way to leave luggage behind? both flights were probably very heavy).
OK, I know I’m very negative and pessimistic now (which I really don't want to be), but I just can’t think of a good and logical explanation. Any suggestions?
I can tell already now though that I did get my bag back, and it didn't take very long either (another fun and crazy story I will post next).
The bag was left behind in New Zealand, without a baggage tag, so obviously they didn’t know where to send it, makes perfectly good sense.
Fortunately it had a nametag with my name on it (a plastic frequent flyer one, so they were useful after all!), so it was very easy for the staff to match the bag with the filed report.
jacob_m
Nov 27, 06, 6:49 pm
After a long instalment with just a lot of problems I thought I should post something nice for a change. :)
My day in wonderful Rarotonga in the Cook Islands!! And there are pics at the end as well...
It is quite interesting that everything that went wrong on this trip went wrong in just 24 hours.
Starting with the thorough customs check in Wellington upon arrival, the bad weather and all the flight cancellations the following day, and finally a missing bag.
Anyway, I decided the first thing in the morning that I would not let these bad experiences ruin my stay in Rarotonga. After all I made the flight, I had one suitcase with all the clothes I needed, and missing bags rarely disappear, they are usually found and delivered within 24 hours (as you probably know).
I only got to spend one day in Rarotonga though (unfortunately), this was not a personal choice but my ticket simply did not let me stay longer than 24 hours.
The final destination of my ticket was actually Tahiti/French Polynesia, and award tickets booked through SAS do not allow stopovers (a stop longer than 24 hours).
But I was just happy I managed to include Rarotonga in my itinerary, and that I managed to find two flights with available award seats that gave me roughly 22 hours on the island between arrival and departure (which is at least a full day), and I was very determined to make the most of my day there.
Rarotonga is the main island of the Cook Islands, which is administratively part of New Zealand.
The island is quite small, there is a road around the island which is 36 km long, and in the middle of the island is a high mountain. You can cross the island by foot (hiking) but not by car.
There is one major town on the island on the north side called Avarua where there are plenty of shops, restaurants, banks etc. There is even a cinema and a branch of the South Pacific university. 3 km west of Avarua is also the airport.
I stayed at a budget hotel/hostel in Rarotonga called Tiare Village.
It cost virtually nothing to stay there, something like 25 NZD per night (I got my own room though), but it was a much more fun experience than staying in one of the resorts on the south side.
It was also very conveniently located close to the airport and Avarua, so at least I wouldn’t have to waste time on airport transfers and such (not completely irrelevant with my short visit and a flight arriving at 2 am).
Tiare Village had both a main house with kitchen, TV-room and a large veranda and small chalets where you could stay.
There was also a small swimming pool which was nice as the place wasn't really close to any beaches.
Pics
The entrance to Tiare Village ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1855.jpg)
I was picked up at the airport by the owner, Adrienne, who drove me the short distance from the airport to the hostel. It was completely dark on the small road from the airport, there are not a lot of lights on the island with the exception of the main road, but even there the lights are sparse from time to time.
It felt a bit like going through a rainforest with so few cars around and many exotic animals making sounds in the middle of the night.
I instantly realised I was not on the most modern and exploited of islands, but I loved it! :)
The next morning I woke up around 9 am, I got a few hours of sleep despite the late arrival.
There were tropical birds singing outside the window and apparently there are lots of roosters on the island as well, in case I didn’t realise it was morning.
They didn’t serve any breakfast at Tiare Village except for some bananas in the trees you could eat.
I was told there was a convenience store nearby though where I went to buy something to eat, but if you’re thinking a modern supermarket or even a 7 Eleven, forget it! This was a small house with over-the-counter service, very old-fashioned, but the woman working there was very friendly and helpful.
As I walked back to the hostel I passed through some fields (I have no idea what they were growing there) and I was so amazed that every person I met greeted me. People who seemed to be farmers smiled and said good morning to me as I passed.
I have never experienced anything like it! But it was wonderful! Such a friendly people the Cook Islanders!! :)
Pics
Vegetation, and the mountain in the middle of the island ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1863.jpg)
Back at the hostel I spoke to another guy as I had breakfast, he told me he had gone around the island the previous day by bike, and very much enjoyed it.
I did not really know yet what to do during my day in Rarotonga, but I thought the island seemed a bit too large to go around (36 km). He said it was fine though and the roads are completely flat, so with a few stops on the way it was not particularly hard.
They had bikes to rent at the hostel, so I decided to follow his recommendation and go around the island, the weather was so nice anyway. I just had to buy some sun lotion first as the one I had bought at home was in my missing bag, the sun was quite strong.
The island tour was actually very enjoyable, and with stops for coffee, ice cream, lunch, and more coffee it was not particularly hard and tiring to go all those 36 km around the island, it took me around three and a half hours with the stops included.
The island is very beautiful, this was really what I had imagined paradise to be like. Crystal-clear water, white beaches, palm trees, what more can you ask for?
What I mostly liked about Rarotonga though was that it has not been very exploited and it’s not packed with tourists, it felt very traditional and genuine. The people were also really friendly, all of them! And on top of that everything is very cheap.
On the southeast side of the island I found probably Rarotonga’s nicest beach called Muri Beach, absolutely stunning!
That’s where most of the resorts and larger hotels are located, which is quite understandable as the beach is just fantastic.
Pics
Avarua town centre ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1875.jpg)
The small port in Avarua ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1879.jpg)
The Parliament of the Cook Islands ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1884.jpg)
A beach on the west side of Rarotonga ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1887.jpg)
The road around the island ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1890.jpg)
The best beach on the island, Muri Beach! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1898.jpg)
A long long way from home!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1902.jpg)
A traditional church! They are very religious in the Cooks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1905.jpg)
I was back in Avarua around 5 pm, the island tour had passed without any problems whatsoever, but my thighs were really hurting.
Unfortunately everything closes very early in Avarua, and when I say early I mean 4 pm, so around 5-6 pm the place was almost deserted.
Fortunately there were some restaurants open so I could come back later and have dinner.
I had dinner in an Indian restaurant that looked nice, and when ordering I asked if they had any local beer available. The waitress said the only fairly local beer they had was Wailima, from Samoa!! Awesome!! Certainly the most exotic beer I have ever tried! :p
Around 9.45 pm I was taken back to the airport by the friendly Adrienne. I shared the car with a Tahitian family who had been to Rarotonga on holiday and was now returning back home to Tahiti on the same flight as me.
My day in the Cook Islands was getting to an end, but I had experienced a fantastic day on the island and I had really tried to make the most out of it, I would certainly not hesitate to come back some other time.
Pics
The main road around the island at night ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1910.jpg)
Gotta Requalify
Nov 27, 06, 8:44 pm
Don't worry about getting hassled at NZ customs, they don't just do it to foreigners. I am a New Zealander, and had more questions than any other airport in the world. I was going through Christchurch Airport MEL - CHC - LAX (when Air NZ had the 747 going direct)
So at the very start of my trip, ie, I had only just come from Melbourne, I was queried about why I was staying in NZ for such a short time, (in Transit and you can't stay airside for a long time in Christchurch.)
I had to show my itinerary, my ticket, my business card. I was asked why I had only paid for the ticket a few days before travelling (company policy in case our business plans change) and why I had paid cash for the ticket. (I didn't that's why it has AMEX on the bottom line.)
All this for a NZer travelling to NZ.
Then I got the third degree again from the customs guy in from of x-ray.
I guess they want people to stay longer in NZ.
(I forgot to say - great report, please keep it up. Thanks)
jacob_m
Nov 28, 06, 5:27 am
As this thread is getting longer and longer (85 replies and over 5600 views after just a week, yikes!) I have now added a table of contents on the first page.
Should make the report a little easier navigate, especially for people looking for info about a particular flight (or menus, pics etc).
USA_flyer
Nov 28, 06, 5:47 am
A trully exceptional trip report in the making here. Thank you for putting your travels into words and pictures for us to see.
jacob_m
Nov 28, 06, 12:26 pm
Check-in, and how I managed to retrieve my missing bag…
I arrived at Rarotonga airport around 10 pm, 1h 15 min before departure. This may sound a bit late, but it’s definitely sufficient for such a small airport.
Even in Rarotonga they have a premium check-in line for business class passengers and star golds, but it actually moved slower than the regular line.
Once at check-in I told the check-in agent about my missing bag.
I had been told the evening before that if they found my suitcase they would send it on the next plane to Rarotonga, but the next plane to Rarotonga from Auckland was due to arrive in just a few minutes, and it would continue an hour later to Tahiti with me onboard.
The check-in woman said she would check if they had any more information about my bag and disappeared inside the office next to the check-in area.
It took quite some time before she was back, but she told me they didn’t really know if the bag was onboard the plane from Auckland, but there was a man standing in the baggage hall looking for the bag on the belt (by now the plane had landed), it was actually the same man who had helped me the night before.
We discussed how we should sort this out, it was now only an hour left before departure. After calling the man in the arrivals hall a second time she said she would print an extra baggage tag for me in case the bag was onboard, and then after passport control and security I should make my way to the immigration area where the man would wait for me.
This sounded like a good idea and I thanked her very much for her help.
Pics
The check-in area at Rarotonga airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1883.jpg)
(the photo was taken during the day when I passed the airport on my island tour)
I proceeded to passport control opposite check-in where I found out I once again didn’t have to pay the departure tax since I had spent less than 24 hours in Rarotonga.
I continued to the security check with my extra baggage tag and business class tag in my hand (people just kept staring at me) and afterwards I made my way to the immigration hall.
There, next to the baggage belt, was the man, and next to him was my blue suitcase!! He instantly recognised me and waved at me.
I was so relieved seeing that bag again. My worst nightmare was that even if they would find the suitcase they would send it too late and it would arrive after I had left, and that could well have continued for some time with my rather tight and extensive itinerary.
I thanked him so much for all his help (this would never have worked without the fabulous staff at Rarotonga airport!!!), but he just seemed happy everything worked out well. ^
I gave him the baggage tag from check-in, and after having the bag re-tagged he brought it back onboard the plane again.
It is such a crazy story, but fortunately with a nice end!! :)
Air New Zealand lounge, Rarotonga
I made my way to the Air NZ lounge, yes there is actually a small lounge in Rarotonga as well.
It is completely unattended and you don’t even need a pin code or such to get in, so anybody can enter the lounge and the airline just has to assume only eligible passengers actually enter.
The lounge was one of the smallest I have ever visited, but it was quite nice.
There was a small self-service area with a good selection of drinks and nice fresh fruit and cheese to eat. Not bad at all for such a small airport!
I had some drinks and some fruit and had a seat to watch TV, I was still very relieved my bag had been found and was now loaded onboard the plane.
On TV there was a news report and they told that Air NZ would discontinue the service from Rarotonga to Tahiti and onwards to Los Angeles, the very flight I was waiting for.
What a shame!! I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the great staff at the airport who would now get a lot fewer flights to handle per week.
As far as I know Air NZ is the only international airline at the airport operating flights to Auckland, Fiji (once a week), and Tahiti and onwards to Los Angeles. Two of those destinations will hence be cut.
Just a few minutes later the boarding announcement was made for our flight to Papeete and Los Angeles and I went to the boarding area which also doubles as immigration hall for arriving passengers.
Inside the man was playing guitar and singing for us again, just like when I arrived.
At the gate an agent was checking boarding passes and passports before passengers were allowed to board, and when he saw my boarding pass he recognised my name and asked if everything was OK with my suitcase.
The entire airport seemed to have been involved in finding that missing suitcase in one way or another! :D
I still can’t praise the airport staff enough though for all their help, I thoroughly appreciated their efforts!
Pics
Inside the small Air NZ lounge in Rarotonga ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1917.jpg)
The small self-service buffet in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1916.jpg)
The “transit hall” in Rarotonga, almost entirely outdoors! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1915.jpg)
The Air NZ Boeing 767 in Rarotonga ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1919.jpg)
The combined boarding area and immigration hall, and the man is playing and singing this evening as well! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1921.jpg)
It's time for boarding ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1923.jpg)
Rarotonga-Papeete, flight NZ 028 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 23:15
Arrival: 01:00
Aircraft: Boeing 767
Class: Business Class
Seat: 03A
The flight was operated by a Boeing 767, to complement the A320, B737, B747 and B777 I had already flown on Air NZ, that’s basically their entire fleet (propeller planes excluded).
The business class cabin onboard the B767 is quite OK, the seats are large and comfortable, but it’s not as fancy as the new Business Premier.
Pre-departure drinks were offered and I happily accepted another glass of champagne.
The cabin load was quite good, at least in business class where 80% of the seats were occupied, but fortunately the seat next to mine remained empty. The route didn’t seem very unprofitable from what I saw.
We also had a local VIP onboard (he checked in just before me so I saw what was written on his bags). He was "The Queen’s representative in the Cook Islands”, I’m not quite sure what his duties are though, feel free to enlighten me if anybody knows.
Anyway, the doors were closed and we pushed back right on time (well we didn’t actually push back).
We taxied to the other side of the runway before taking off. I took a photo as we were lining up just before departure, and you can see on the photo how dark the island actually is at night.
It was a bit sad leaving Rarotonga, I had such a nice time there and the friendly people really made an impression on me. But it’s of course always possible to come back.
During the flight they served a small snack in business class, some finger sandwiches, a fruitcake, and coffee and tea. If you asked nicely you could also get something from the bar (and guess how I know that ;)).
They showed an episode of some TV-series on the main screen (can’t remember which one) which you could also watch on the personal screen at the seat.
They have no AVOD onboard the B767s, but they have several movie channels in business class, however the system was not turned on due to the short flight time.
Pics
The business class cabin onboard the Boeing 767 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1927.jpg)
The nice Rarotonga airport seen from my seat, time to leave! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1933.jpg)
Lining up for take-off, as you can see the island is very dark at night ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1934.jpg)
Light snacks to Papeete ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1937.jpg)
An episode of a TV-series (can’t remember which one) on the main screen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1940.jpg)
Soon about to land in Tahiti ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1941.jpg)
Arrival in Tahiti, French Polynesia
The flight time to Papeete was quite short, around 1h 25 min, so we arrived a bit early in Tahiti around 0.45 am.
During the descent they handed out landing cards for Tahiti to passengers who were not continuing to Los Angeles.
I asked the flight attendant if I had to complete one as well since I have an EU-passport, after all French Polynesia is part of France which is part of the EU.
The flight attendant (from New Zealand, probably not very used to have EU-citizens onboad flying around the South Pacific) said all passengers had to complete it, but right on the top of the form it was written in capital letters that the form was only to be completed by non-EU citizens.
Inside the immigration hall at Papeete Faa’a airport (pronounced Fa-ah) there were once again three musicians playing, wishing us welcome to Tahiti and French Polynesia. ^
If they could only have this at more airports around the world!!
I was also given a small white flower that you should put on top of your ear, a lot of people wear them in Tahiti, both men and women.
Since I was now technically entering France there was actually an EU-line at immigration, it was a bit strange to see the blue and yellow EU flag on the signs, right on the other side of the world!
In contrast to most other passengers I did not have to complete a landing card for Tahiti and I did not have to show a return ticket, they didn’t even stamp my passport. It was just like being back in Europe.
Inside the baggage hall (a lot more modern than Rarotonga) the baggage delivery started quickly with the priority-tagged bags coming out first including both (!) my suitcases, again it felt so nice everything had worked out well.
I said “rien à déclarer” to the customs people who just smiled and went outside to try to find a taxi to get to the hotel.
Time for a well-needed rest in Tahiti!
(I actually slept 10 hours the following night and didn't wake up until just before noon)
Pics
Just arrived at Papeete Faa’a airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1942.jpg)
The entrance to the terminal building and the immigration hall ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1945.jpg)
Three musicians playing at Papeete airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1946.jpg)
The small flower given to all arriving passengers in Tahiti ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2015.jpg)
Seat 2A
Nov 28, 06, 2:02 pm
Your descriptions of Rarotonga brought back fond memories of my week long visit there in 1984. It's a pity you were only able to spend one day, but as one who's quite familiar with both domestic and international stopover rules (and loopholes) I appreciated how you managed a short "stopover" nonetheless.
I also rode around the island, but I rented a moped (Cheap, about $10.00 USD per day). A Rarotongan Drivers License was required, but its issuance was a mere formality, handled at the rental office. It made a great souvenir!
Perhaps most interesting was my flight from Rarotonga to Papeete. Back then, the only direct service was an Air New Zealand flight operated once a week in each direction between Nadi, Rarotonga and Papeete. The aircraft used was a one class 737-200. Thankfully I had a confirmed reservation. Many did not. The night we flew to Papeete, there were close to thirty people standing by, and only two or three seats were available. Those who didn't clear the stand-by list had to wait another week. Some had been trying to get to Tahiti for three weeks! The only option if you couldn't make the NZ (TE back then) flight was Polynesian Airlines via Apia, and it cost close to $500.00 one way.
Rarotonga is pretty close to paradise, but even paradise can seem like a prison if you're ready to move on. Travel around the South Pacific was a bit different back then.
I'd go back to Rarotonga in a heartbeat though. The wierdest Mexican restaurant I've ever eaten at was located right next door to the Kii Kii Motel where we were staying. The only thing Mexican about this place was the colorful serapes hanging hanging on the walls. Also, there was real tequila. If you drank enough of it, you could overlook the fact that there were no beans, no jalapeno peppers, no mole, no cumin and really strange "tortillas". We ate there alot!
P.S. I sure wish I could do a First Class RTW itinerary but alas, my mileage program doesn't offer them via award and I probably could not afford one anyway. Regardless, I've sure enjoyed reading about yours. A thoroughly enjoyable trip report so far! ^ ^
jacob_m
Nov 28, 06, 6:29 pm
After a short report from Rarotonga, here is also a short report from Tahiti and French Polynesia, my second destination in the South Pacific.
Tahiti (the main islands in French Polynesia) turned out to be very different from Rarotonga and Cook Islands (one may easily think that the whole South Pacific is the same).
Tahiti was much more developed and populated with large roads, plenty of traffic, shopping centres, and even a proper rush hour.
Being in or around Papeete (the main city in French Polynesia) was like being in any small to medium sized city.
Another major difference is that French Polynesia is extremely expensive, one of the most expensive places I have ever visited, while Cook Islands was very affordable.
French Polynesia is also part of France (an overseas territory, or “Dom-Tom” as it’s called in French) and one of the reasons for the high prices is that so many things are imported and shipped from France.
I visited a large Carrefour supermarket for example (one of the large chains in France) and all electronic appliances there had CDG written as origin on the packages, of course things get expensive if you ship them all the way from France.
French is the official language in French Polynesia as well as Polynesian, as I have lived in France for some time I had no problems getting by.
I also found it interesting that many Tahitians seemed to share the French mentality, despite being on the other side of the world. Strikes are quite common in Tahiti for example, and I noticed I got much better service everywhere speaking French than the other tourists who spoke only English (just like in France!).
Sofitel Tahiti Resort
I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel in Tahiti. Even though the hotel was only maybe 2-3 km from the airport I was charged well over 15 USD for the ride (yes it’s an expensive island, they use Polynesian Francs as currency btw).
The taxi driver told me there was a strike at the hotel (oh yes, this is France, why am I not surprised) and he thought the hotel might even be closed and asked me if I wanted to go elsewhere.
Fortunately it wasn’t, but there were some employees blocking the small road to the hotel entrance, so you had to walk around 100 meters to get to the hotel.
I didn’t bother reading their banners, but I'm pretty sure it was something about work conditions or higher salaries, that's what it usually is.
The bellboy noticed my taxi had stopped at the main road and came to greet me with a cart, which was very appreciated.
The Sofitel Tahiti Resort (formerly Sofitel Maeva) was quite nice and had been renovated just a few months ago, something you could well notice.
It is not as fancy as some other upmarket hotels in Tahiti and the other islands in French Polynesia (Moorea, Bora Bora etc), but I thought it was absolutely perfect for my needs and also fairly affordable to be French Polynesia.
The hotel had a nice pool area and also a private beach, perfect for some relaxation. The lobby was also quite nice and behind the reception desk they had TV-screens showing short clips about Tahiti, never seen that before, nice to watch if you had to wait at the reception to be served.
And did I mention they had happy hour in the bar in the early evening? ;)
I also ended up getting a nice room with a very nice sea view from my balcony, even though I had only paid for a room with garden view, perhaps speaking French helped me once again?!
They actually had a fun time at the bar figuring out where I came from. I spoke too good French to have only learnt it in school, but the accent was still not completely French (Tahiti is packed with French tourists) so French I was not, one girl at the bar guessed I was Canadian! :D
Pics from the hotel
The entrance to Sofitel Tahiti Resort ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2136.jpg)
The nice lobby with TV-screens behind the reception ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2005.jpg)
The view from my balcony ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1958.jpg)
The mountain on Tahiti seen from my balcony ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1957.jpg)
The garden, pool area, and private beach of the hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1979.jpg)
That’s Moorea on the other side ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2157.jpg)
Sunset over Tahiti ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1995.jpg)
A Polynesian dance show in Tahiti
One of the things I really wanted to do in Tahiti was to visit a traditional Polynesian dance show.
Many of the hotels offer these shows so I asked at the hotel reception if they could recommend a place to go.
They didn’t have any shows in my hotel any of the days I was staying, but the receptionist found out there was a show at the Intercontinental hotel just a short walk from my hotel, that very evening, excellent!
There was no entry fee, but one was expected to either have dinner there or at least a drink in the bar. There was also a surcharge for the best seats in the bar, the ones with the best view (which I actually paid).
The IC hotel was packed with people enjoying the show, and nowadays even the locals come to these shows, there is an increasing interest among young people to learn these traditional dances.
The dancers in the show were really good, very talented, and there was also a good band playing. I very much enjoy seeing it!!
And did I mention those Polynesian women are really handsome?! :)
Pics from the Polynesian dance show
The show has started ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2057.jpg)
Nice looking Tahitian girls! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2064.jpg)
They are actually looking at me!! :) ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2086.jpg)
A guy from the audience, lucky guy! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2093.jpg)
Girls playing with fire! Well done! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2102.jpg)
The band playing to the right ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2107.jpg)
A visit to Papeete
One of the afternoons I made a visit to Papeete, the main city in Tahiti and French Polynesia.
The sun was a bit too strong to sunbath for a long time anyway and the temperature was as much as 32-33 degrees during the day.
To get to Papeete I got to experience the traditional Tahitian buses called “Le Truck”, basically it’s a lorry/truck converted into a bus with wooden benches and open windows, sometimes they are also painted in nice colours.
You pay the driver through the window before getting on, and when you want to get off you indicate that to him through the rear-view mirror (unless there is a normal button to press).
Using "les trucks" is also really cheap, a one-way ticket is 130 Francs (less than 1 USD), but most importantly it's one heck of an experience!
Papeete itself was quite nice, some people have described it as a dump, but I really don’t agree.
There were plenty of shops and restaurants there, a large port, some nice buildings to look at, basically it’s a proper city.
I also found the indoor market interesting to visit, and the prices there were also fairly reasonable (but you still don’t make any bargains in Tahiti).
After a few hours in Papeete with a bit of shopping I took “le Truck” back to the hotel in Faa'a.
Papeete bus station was quite a sight, just a long line of buses with a small sign on front of each bus indicating the destination.
There are no timetables for les trucks, basically they leave either when they are full, or when the drivers feel like it.
The good thing though is that they leave fairly frequently, and the one that passes the airport and my hotel operates around the clock (but of course during the night you never really know when the bus will arrive).
It was rush hour when I went back, so the bus was completely full and the traffic was annoyingly slow.
Pics from Papeete
”Le Truck” (the local bus) to Papeete ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2168.jpg)
Papeete city centre ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2170.jpg)
The indoor market in Papeete ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2180.jpg)
Papeete bus station, quite a sight! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2188.jpg)
Inside “Le Truck” on the way back to the hotel in Faa’a. A very fun experience!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2191.jpg)
Airframe
Nov 29, 06, 5:22 am
I have been reading this from the start and must just add my thoughts at this point.
What a fabulous fabulous trip report this is ! ^ ^
It ranks as one of the best I have ever read on FT, a certain :-: :-: :-: :-: :-: report. The pictures, detail and style of writing make me eagerly await the next installment. It feels as if I have been making the trip myself at times.
Mmmmm the slight dilema I have now though is trying to convince Mrs Airframe to do a RTW trip in C or F before we start a family ! This could be a problem however as its hard enough getting her to take connecting flights :eek:
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 29, 06, 11:28 pm
Woohoo some more reading material for the next flight. Thanks jacob_m ^
jacob_m
Nov 30, 06, 7:33 am
The flight from Tahiti was leaving at 2.40 am, I really don’t understand why the planes have to leave at such inhuman hours.
I had paid extra to keep my hotel room until 10 pm and obviously checked out at the very last minute. I spent some time in the lobby and in the business centre before leaving for the airport around midnight.
The taxi was once again bloody expensive, even more expensive than from the airport. It is amazing how much they charge you for a five-minute ride, and then there is a surcharge for luggage as well.
If I didn’t have the heavy luggage I could have walked to the airport, certainly doable, and I had no lack of time anyway.
Check-in
The Air NZ check-in area was already open when I arrived at the airport just after midnight, but it was packed with people. Apparently an Air Tahiti Nui flight to Sydney had been cancelled the night before due to a mechanical problem, so all passengers had been rebooked to my Air NZ flight to Auckland and then onwards from Auckland to Sydney (with a five hour layover in Auckland!!).
This did not come as a surprise to me, there was a note in the hotel lobby about it and Air Tahiti Nui offered a free pick-up for stranded passengers.
I went to one of the members of staff and asked where the priority check-in desks were since I could only see desks marked economy class.
I was told there were no business class check-in desks, they used those check-in desks for the rebooked Air Tahiti Nui passengers while all regular Air NZ passengers (irrespective of class) had to use the economy class check-in desks.
Just after me another man arrived and he asked exactly the same thing and didn’t really understand why someone who had bought an expensive business class ticket should be penalised just because another airline had cancelled a flight.
Good point! But in all fairness the regular line moved quickly anyway, it was the line with all rebooked passengers that was extremely long and slow.
Check-in was swift by a young Tahitian woman. My luggage was tagged all the way to Christchurch although I was told I had to collect it and take it through customs in Auckland.
I also received an invitation to the airport lounge in the transit hall.
After check-in you have to take your luggage yourself to a security point in the middle of the terminal where the luggage is x-rayed before being sent to the baggage sorting area.
Considering the layout of the check-in area it is obvious that the baggage-screening requirement is something very new.
I made my way through passport control (again completely hassle-free with an EU-passport) and security to the transit hall.
The transit hall in Papeete is surely something different. It looks a bit 60’s (or possibly 70’s), quite dark and dated, but at the same time it’s very exotic. They also have a little garden between the transit hall and immigration hall, quite nice!
I tried to find something in one of the tax-free shops to buy to get rid of my last Polynesian money, but I didn’t really find anything except for some extra batteries, I decided to go to the lounge instead.
Pics
Tahiti Faaa airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2209.jpg)
The Air NZ check-in to Auckland ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2208.jpg)
The transit hall at the airport, quite exotic! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2212.jpg)
The small garden in the transit hall ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2211.jpg)
Premium lounge (used by all airlines), Papeete airport
There is only one lounge in Papeete used by all airlines at the airport, that basically means Air Tahiti Nui, Air NZ, and possibly one or two other airlines (the sign outside mentioned JAL).
The lounge is located on the first floor and has a nice view of the apron, it ended up being quite full after a while as there were four departures between 1.30 am and 3 am, Air Tahiti Nui to LAX and Tokyo, Air NZ to LAX, and finally my Air NZ plane to Auckland.
There were some miniature sandwiches and miniature desserts to eat, very nice snacks, but there was nothing substantial to eat except for some fruits. Since I was starting to feel quite hungry and had to stay up for another two hours I went to the snack bar opposite the lounge to buy a Croque Monsieur to bring into the lounge (I managed to find a way to spend my last Polynesian money after all…).
Overall the lounge was fairly nice with friendly staff and a good amount of drinks.
The lounge chairs were also quite comfortable, and I did my best to get some rest as this was going to be a long night.
Pics
The entrance to the airport lounge at Tahiti airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2214.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2216.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2223.jpg)
Drinks and cool miniature desserts ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2222.jpg)
View from the lounge, that Air Tahiti Nui plane is going to LAX ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2215.jpg)
My plane to Auckland has just landed ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2221.jpg)
Papeete-Auckland, flight NZ 041 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 02:40
Arrival: 07:45
Aircraft: Boeing 767
Class: Business Class
Seat: 03K
I left the lounge before the boarding announcement had been made as I wanted to get onboard the plane as early as possible.
I waited in the gate area and was one of the first passengers to board. There are no passenger bridges in Papeete, you just walk through a covered “tunnel” to the apron and then straight onboard the plane.
I was greeted by a smiling staff and was offered champagne before departure. There was a pillow and a blanket on the seat, but no amenity kits were offered which I think is quite bad considering this was a 6-hour nighttime flight.
After I had finished my champagne I went into the lavatory and changed into my ANA sleeper suit pants, certainly better than sleeping in my regular clothes.
The flight ended up being completely full with all the rebooked Air Tahiti Nui passengers, there was only one empty seat in business class.
We pushed back 10 minutes late and took-off shortly afterwards from runway 22.
The seatbelt sign was turned off within just five minutes after take-off and the crew immediately started preparing for the inflight service.
They actually served breakfast right after departure, which I found very strange. It was 3 am, and at that point most passengers just wanted to get some sleep after already having spent half the night in the transit hall at the airport. :rolleyes:
Well I thought it wouldn’t hurt getting something to eat before going to bed (rather than waking up hungry in the middle of the night) so I asked the staff to prepare my table for the breakfast service. Less than 50% of the passengers chose to have breakfast in business class.
A bowl with fresh fruit and yoghurt were offered followed by a hot dish.
They didn’t hand out any menus so I can’t remember exactly what they had onboard, but there were two options and I had potatoes and pancakes which was quite good, I guess the other option was traditional English breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon etc.
Bread rolls, toast, croissants and muffins were also offered as well as fruit juices, coffee and tea. But no coffee for me as I wanted to get some sleep.
Fortunately the breakfast service was quick, probably didn’t take more than 20-30 minutes, and afterwards I could finally go to bed.
The aircraft used was a Boeing 767 with the old business class in a 2-2-2 configuration, so no lie-flat onboard and certainly no mattresses and duvets either.
I still found the seat quite comfortable though, it could be reclined 60 degrees or so I guess, so I managed to sleep (or at least doze off) for at least 3-4 hours onboard. The only problem was that I woke up in the middle of the night feeling very thirsty after lots of drinks in the lounge (to sleep better onboard!) and champagne, no problems getting a few bottles of water though.
We started our descent around 7.30 am New Zealand time. It was a bit strange not being offered any breakfast (when it was in fact breakfast time) but they did offer fruit juices, smoothies, coffee and tea prior to landing.
I went into the lavatory to change back into my regular clothes, and unfortunately there were no smoothies left when I returned to my seat, but a cup of coffee is always appreciated.
I chatted a bit with one of the nice flight attendants in the galley and asked them if they had spent any time in Tahiti, but apparently they had arrived on the same aircraft an hour earlier. I thought that sounded quite a lot, six hours to Tahiti and six hours back to Auckland, and then preparing the cabin before each flight, that’s at least 14-15 hours.
We landed in Auckland just before 8 am, about 10 minutes late.
As I was in business class and managed to collect my stuff quite quickly I was one of the first persons to leave the plane and the very first person to get to immigration.
I was obviously a bit nervous there would be lots of questions again after all the trouble on my previous two entries, but passport control was completely hassle-free.
The immigration officer had a look through my passport (lots of stamps) and before even being asked about it I told him I was on a round the world trip, but he told me he was in fact looking for a used page with some empty space not to waste empty pages as new passports are expensive. Oh! Well that’s thoughtful! :)
Again the priority tag worked like a dream, and believe it or not I was not asked a single question at customs either other than the usual stuff (if I was bringing any food etc).
I was in the arrivals hall less than 20 minutes after getting off the plane, and I was amazed (and very relieved) both immigration and customs were so smooth.
Perhaps that note the customs guy in Wellington promised to make in my profile helped me this time?! ^
Pics
The boarding to Auckland is just about to begin (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2213.jpg)
View from the plane as we push back in Tahiti (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2228.jpg)
Breakfast to Auckland (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2230.jpg)
More breakfast to Auckland (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2231.jpg)
A nice surprise at Auckland airport
My connecting flight to Christchurch was not leaving until 5 pm (and it was now around 8.20 am).
The only reason why I booked such a late flight was that I could not stay longer than 24 hours in Christchurch (this award trip does not allow stopovers) so I booked myself on the first flight from Auckland to Christchurch (with available award seats) that would arrive as close to 24 hours as possible before the flight from Christchurch to Sydney the next day, which turned out to be the 5 pm departure.
In Papeete they had already tagged my luggage to Christchurch and I already had a boarding pass, so my plan was to deposit my luggage again at the airport and then spend another day in Auckland.
I went to the domestic transfer counter in the international terminal (I have read reports on FT that it had been closed, well it’s still certainly there). I approached the empty check-in counter and the check-in agent asked me where I was flying and on which airline. I told her Air NZ to Christchurch.
She then asked me at what time my flight was leaving, if it’s less than an hour left before departure they want you to take your luggage yourself to the domestic terminal.
She was quite surprised to hear my flight was not until 5 pm, and this is where the surprise comes, she offered me to take an earlier flight to Christchurch if I was interested. :)
I told her I was very interested (by now you know the reason for the late flight), but to be rebooked I had to go to the domestic terminal, so I went outside and just as I got there the free transfer bus arrived.
In the domestic terminal they confirmed it was OK to go earlier (even though this was an award ticket, certainly not flexible). The agent asked me if I wanted to go straight away, but I actually had one thing I wanted to do in Auckland so I suggested the 2 pm departure instead (there is a departure every hour) and that was OK, a minute later I was rebooked.
My baggage was re-tagged but I noticed afterwards I got a really lousy seat, well time to test the helpfulness of the lounge staff.
Before going to downtown Auckland I made a visit to the domestic Koru Club where I knew they had showers. At the reception I asked about my seat assignment and it turned out my gold card was not in the reservation, after entering it I was given a new boarding pass with seat 05F, perfect!
That shower did wonders after half the night spent at the airport and the second half onboard a plane, and afterwards I had some more breakfast from the very extensive buffet before going to central Auckland.
I spent the morning in Auckland and did some last minute shopping I had planned to do before going back to the airport around noon.
The traffic back to the airport was slow!! Annoyingly slow!! It took over an hour to get back to the airport even though the airport is not that far from the city centre. Interestingly it took only half that time to get to Auckland in the morning, about 30 mins.
I was back at the airport only 50 minutes before departure, a lot later than expected, but fortunately no line at all at security so still some time left for lunch in the lounge.
Air New Zealand domestic Koru Club, Auckland
The lounge agent from the morning was still there and recognised me. I had told her about my plans for the day so she was not surprised to see me again and welcomed me back without looking too much at my boarding pass and gold card.
The domestic Air NZ lounge in Auckland is really nice and quite modern.
As in most Air NZ lounges I have visited there was a very extensive self-service buffet and plenty to drink. I really had a proper lunch in the lounge with cold cuts, pasta salad and a bread roll and then apricot tart and a cup of coffee afterwards.
I almost envy you Kiwis who frequently get to visit these nice Air NZ lounges. ;)
All too soon boarding was announced to Christchurch and it was time to leave, although I could happily have spent some more time in the lounge. Oh well…
Pics
The entrance to the domestic Koru Club in Auckland (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2249.jpg)
Inside the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2234.jpg)
The main sitting area (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2235.jpg)
The nice self-service buffet (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2247.jpg)
Plenty to drink in the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2246.jpg)
Auckland-Christchurch, flight NZ 535 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 14:00 (Rebooked from NZ 969 17:00-18:20)
Arrival: 15:20
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Class: Economy Class (one class only)
Seat: 05F
They had already started boarding when I got to the gate right next to the lounge.
Funnily on domestic flights they don’t insert the boarding pass in a machine as they do at most airports, instead they just scan the barcode on the boarding pass, quite unusual!
The flight ended up being completely full except for one seat which was broken. We pushed back 10 minutes late as they had to offload some luggage of a no-show.
I don’t remember much of the flight as I was very tired and slept most of it.
I think they offered coffee, tea and water which is the standard service concept on domestic flights. I think I remember having some coffee onboard, but I’m not sure if it helped (seems like it didn't).
The weather around Christchurch was quite nice, so I got to enjoy a very nice scenery of the South Island during the approach, the island is very green!
We landed 5 mins late in Christchurch and were quickly parked at the gate.
Once again my priority-tagged suitcases were the first on the belt, the priority tag has really worked at every single airport in New Zealand so far, irrespective of aircraft and origin. I’m impressed! ^
Pics
The Boeing 737 to Christchurch ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2248.jpg)
Boarding has begun for NZ 535 to Christchurch ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2251.jpg)
Nice views of the South Island during the flight ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2253.jpg)
Seconds before landing in Christchurch, I can understand why it’s called “the garden city”! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2257.jpg)
The domestic terminal at Christchurch airport, plenty of Air NZ B737 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2258.jpg)
jacob_m
Nov 30, 06, 11:21 am
I arrived at the airport around one and a half hour before departure.
The line for the Air New Zealand international premium check-in was horrendously long and hardly even moved, apparently a guy tried to check in a surfer board which required a lot of extra work.
Just like another few people I decided to join the regular line instead which seemed to move faster, however it actually took just as much time and funnily I ended up checking in at the business class counter anyway since that desk was empty when it was my turn. Oh well…
While I was waiting the baggage belt also broke down, right in the busy afternoon with several Air NZ flights departing. At first they left the bags behind the check-in desks while some airport employees tried to make the system work again, however 10-15 minutes later the system was still not working properly and the situation became unmanageable with so many departing passengers, so they had to bring large trolleys to move all the bags away from the check-in area.
I felt so sorry for them!
When it was my turn to check-in the belt was finally working again.
The check-in agent was friendly but seemed tired after all the problems, she couldn’t remember the prefix for SAS when she entered my frequent flyer number and she apologised for it.
I told her that was not very strange since Scandinavia is pretty much on the other side of the world, but she said they actually get quite a lot of SAS elite members in Christchurch (I was a bit surprised to hear that) so she should know it.
I also paid the departure tax of 25 NZD at the check-in desk before going airside.
Both passport and security were quick and efficient and I was in the transit hall just five minutes after leaving check-in and went to the international Air NZ lounge. The lounge was actually a bit hard to find even though I had checked on a map where it was located.
Pics
Christchurch airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2261.jpg)
Still a long way from home! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2319.jpg)
Air New Zealand international check-in ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2322.jpg)
This is what it looks like when a baggage belt breaks down! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2318.jpg)
The bright international transit hall in Christchurch ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2324.jpg)
Air New Zealand international lounge, Christchurch
The entrance to the lounge was very blue (as you can see on the photo), the door to the lounge was locked so I had to ring on a bell, and it took a while before the lounge attendant came to open.
The lounge was quite small and very crowded this afternoon with flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane leaving virtually at the same time, it was actually hard to find an empty seat.
The lounge looked a bit old and worn and should well need a facelift, but since they have recently refurbished the domestic lounge in Christchurch, maybe the international lounge is next?!
There was a small buffet available with some cold cuts, bread rolls and hot quiches to eat. Also the standard Air NZ drinks selection, i.e. a pretty good selection!
There was also one single internet computer, but the connection was very slow.
As the boarding announcement for the Brisbane flight was made the lounge got a bit emptier and I could move to a seat next to the window facing the apron.
Pics
The entrance to the international Air NZ lounge in Christchurch ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2327.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2332.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2329.jpg)
View from the lounge, that’s actually my plane to Sydney! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2331.jpg)
Christchurch-Sydney, flight NZ 783 operated by Air New Zealand
Departure: 15:45
Arrival: 17:15
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Class: Business Class
Seat: 02A
Boarding had already started when I arrived at the gate, adjacent to the lounge, so I could walk straight onboard.
At the gate I saw a large group of people in sports clothes, I think I saw the Union Jack on the clothes as well, but I didn’t think much more about it and very soon it was my turn to board anyway.
Once onboard I was offered newspapers and a pre-departure drink (bubbles!), and just afterwards the sports team came onboard.
At the same time the captain made an announcement and welcomed us all onboard, and he also offered a special welcome to the British national rugby team!! Oh!!
Funnily I had actually watched a bit of the game on TV the night before (the Brits unfortunately lost), but I never realised it was played in Christchurch.
As the team boarded I also had the newspaper in front of me, and there were several pages about the game and I even recognised some of the guys from the photos in the paper.
They didn’t look too happy though after the loss…
We departed right on time, but since the weather was not the best this afternoon the nice view of the South Island quickly turned into clouds.
The menus were then handed out, and this is my last Air New Zealand business class menu on this trip:
Starter
Steamed tiger prawns with Waldorf salad and kaffir lime dressing
Main course
Braised New Zealand venison with sauteed black pepper spatzle and cinnamon spiced red cabbage
Smoked chicken risotto ravioli with hoisin glaze and stir fried vegetables
Oriental plate of Thai beef, rice paper spring roll, cucumber sushi and pickled ginger
Dessert
Gourmet ice cream dessert of manuka honey and chestnut ribbon, and mocha fudge ice cream
Cheese and fruit
Fine regional cheese and preserved fruit
Beverages
Freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate
Wine
Two reds and two whites on offer
The reds were a Merlot and Pinot Noir
Spirits
Glenfiddich Malt whisky, Chivas Regal blended whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black label, Gordons gin, 42 Below vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan rum, Ron Bacardi superior
Port and Liqueurs
Portuguese port, Grand Marnier, Baileys Irish cream
Beer
A selection of beer featuring Steinlager, Export Gold, Heineken and low alcohol lager
Soft drinks
Mineral water, Orange juice, Apple juice, Tomato juice, Cola, Lemonade, Tonic water, Ginger ale, and a choice of diabetic drinks are available
The food was very good on this flight and I had the chicken risotto ravioli to eat.
The man next to me noticed I seemed quite familiar with both the service concept onboard and the wines on offer (well after 7 Air NZ flights in C, not all too surprising) so he actually said “the same” pointing at me when it was his turn to order. :D
I congratulated him on an excellent choice and he just laughed and told me he was happy to get some recommendations, at least for the wine. I think he actually enjoyed the spicy Pinot Noir!
I asked for a whiskey with the coffee, but they didn’t have the Chivas Regal onboard (my favourite) even though it was listed on the drink list, but Glenfiddich is OK as well I guess.
I spent the rest of the flight watching American Dreamz on my personal-DVD player.
Hilarious movie, but some parts are a bit stupid.
The weather in Sydney was superb, and since we landed from the north we made our descent over the city centre and I got an absolutely spectacular view of the city from my seat.
The camera was of course ready and I got some amazing photos of downtown Sydney, the harbour bridge and the opera house.
In Sydney there was no problem entering Australia for the second time in less than two weeks, not a question, I don’t even think I had to show a return ticket.
The baggage delivery was a disappointment though, all the priority-tagged bags seemed to be in the last batch rather than the first.
Pics
The South Island minutes after take-off from Christchurch ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2334.jpg)
Red wine and American Dreamz on my personal DVD-player ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2340.jpg)
The drink cart in business class ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2342.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2341.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2343.jpg)
Dessert ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2344.jpg)
Fantastic view of Sydney during the approach!! Both the opera house and the harbour bridge are easy to recognise! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2353.jpg)
I had a room booked at one of the airport hotels in Sydney as I was leaving Australia already the following day, it just did not make sense to book accommodation in the city centre.
The hotel (Holiday Inn) was quite close to the Mascot station though, so I decided to make a quick visit to Sydney in the evening.
This weekend they were doing construction works on the railway line between the airport (+Mascot) and the city centre, so there was a replacement bus in operation, and it turned out to be completely free. Nice!
Summary of my award ticket
This completes my Star Alliance Pacific award ticket! So what do you think?
Not too bad flying Sydney-Wellington-Auckland-Rarotonga-Papeete-Auckland-Christchurch-Sydney in business class (except the two domestic flights) for only 40,000 points!!
Total distance was 8598 miles (basically two transatlantic flights) and total travel time around 20 hours (of which 18 hours were in C)!
I think that was one of the best deals I have ever made, flying all that on a paid ticket would have cost a significant amount of money, and Air New Zealand is such a nice airline with great service and great food and drinks, and not to forget nice lounges! ^
I'm very satisfied!! I could not have used my points any better... :)
Here is a map of my award ticket routing! (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=SYD-WLG-AKL-RAR-PPT-AKL-CHC-SYD&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=&MAP-STYLE=)
And here is a map of all my travels so far on this trip! (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA-YYZ-YUL-YQB-YUL-NYC-LAX-SFO-SEA-DEN-DFW-LAX-TYO-OSA-AKL-SYD-WLG-AKL-RAR-PPT-AKL-CHC-SYD%0D%0A&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=red&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=navy&MAP-STYLE=)
Next it’s time for my first flight with Singapore Airlines in First class, which I know some of you have been waiting for… ;)
jacob_m
Nov 30, 06, 1:29 pm
I have been reading this from the start and must just add my thoughts at this point.
What a fabulous fabulous trip report this is ! ^ ^
It ranks as one of the best I have ever read on FT, a certain :-: :-: :-: :-: :-: report. The pictures, detail and style of writing make me eagerly await the next installment. It feels as if I have been making the trip myself at times.
WOW!! That was certainly not a bad comment!! :)
Thank you very much!! I'm glad you enjoyed it and hopefully will enjoy the rest of it as well (about 70% completed now, but still quite a lot more to come, including some real goodies).
Glad to hear AirNZ have been treating you well too - a good crew on AirNZ is about the best service in the sky, I think - professional but genuine and friendly too.
I agree!! I think all the Air NZ crews I had were very good.
What I like about them is that they are professional, they do a good job, and they treat you well and respectfully (as a premium passenger in particular).
But at the same time they are friendly and laid-back, they are happy to have a chat with you if you want, and it doesn't feel awkward in any way.
Great report - you must have been in SYD around the same time as me - I was there from 15 October (arriving with an Austrian 777 btw) to 22 October. The weather was bad indeed!
I was there during the same period. The weather was not nice at all, cold, grey and rainy!! Not what you would expect Australia to be like.
But Sydney itself is nice, as are the people!
Not only do we share a penchant for Champagne we also have the same observational skills. ;)
Haha! :D
Yeah the example you gave was quite amusing (that you could hear the rain hitting the nose of the B747). But I was actually very surprised you could!
Maybe we can find more similarities... :)
Don't worry about getting hassled at NZ customs, they don't just do it to foreigners. I am a New Zealander, and had more questions than any other airport in the world.
That's good to hear (or not to hear perhaps, well you get my point...).
Of all the countries and destinations included during the trip NZ was certainly not a country where I had expected any problems at immigration and customs.
I booked the award ticket which required three entries in NZ without any worries whatsoever. That's why I was so surprised!
But I have to add they were never ever rude to me, and I was never treated with anything but respect. It was just annoying, tiring, and time-consuming.
SMART51
Nov 30, 06, 3:08 pm
FT was down for a day.So i really missed reading your report.We should join all together to keep you travelling for the rest of your life:)
The picture of Sydney is really beautiful well done^
Steady-EDI
Nov 30, 06, 4:07 pm
Well, I said I was hooked in Post 5 and I still am! This has been a hugely enjoyable record of a fantastic trip so far - and it's not over yet :)
I echo the comments about your SYD approach : an excellent picture of what must have been an amazing experience.
Your award side-trip was an inspired idea and it has got me thinking. I would love to do a *A RTW sometime, but it may not be realistic unless I resign myself to losing my OW status. On the other hand, another OW RTW with a *A side trip such as yours ...
upgrade lover
Nov 30, 06, 7:23 pm
This is fast becoming my favorite trip report ever! What an adventure. I echo the sentiment that I was missing the next installment when the board was down. I have to add that I love your pictures and comments about the food service.
The 40,000 FF miles for all that C travel is really amazing! Can't wait to see where SK brings you.
Keep up the great reports. ^
Gotta Requalify
Nov 30, 06, 7:37 pm
I also paid the departure tax of 25 NZD at the check-in desk before going airside.
Well Done! You were just robbed by the Government and all the other people that get revenue for that. But I am sure the extra taxes you paid were appreciated by the people of NZ.
Being in NZ for less than 24 hours, you didn't need to pay it.
Also - how come your luggage wasn't checked in at Auckland, through to Sydney? You should have been able to get a boarding pass and everything for your flight when you checked it.
As I said before - great report, keep it up.
henry999
Nov 30, 06, 11:26 pm
Well Done! You were just robbed by the Government and all the other people that get revenue for that. But I am sure the extra taxes you paid were appreciated by the people of NZ.
Being in NZ for less than 24 hours, you didn't need to pay it.You're not paying attention!
If (a) he arrived in Christchurch from Auckland at 15:20; and (b) he "arrived at the airport around one and a half hour before departure" for his flight from Christchurch to Sydney; and (c) the CHC-SYD flight departed at 15:45...
Then...it looks like CHC-SYD was the next day.
If he arrived at AKL at 07:45 one day and left from CHC at 15:45 the next day...then he was in NZ for more than 24 hours and needed to pay the departure tax!
cheers,
Henry
ghia74
Nov 30, 06, 11:49 pm
Great report jacob_m. I came to this forum 2 hours ago to find a thread on Italy and your thread caught my eye. Well I just got done reading everything and eagerly await the rest of your write up.
jacob_m
Dec 1, 06, 4:26 am
Well Done! You were just robbed by the Government and all the other people that get revenue for that. But I am sure the extra taxes you paid were appreciated by the people of NZ.
Being in NZ for less than 24 hours, you didn't need to pay it.
Henry999 is right, I stayed overnight in Christchurch and got to spend a full day in this very charming little city.
That was the nice thing about the routing, that I also got to spend a day in Wellington on the way to the Pacific Islands, and a day in Christchurch on the way back.
The visit to Christchurch was also the reason for the long layover in Auckland. Since my flight from CHC to SYD left at 3.45 pm and my ticket did not allow stopovers, I had to arrive in CHC at the very earliest 3.45 pm not to breach this rule. That's why I was so happy when they were willing to rebook me to an earlier flight in Auckland.
Even though I decided to stay a few hours in Auckland I still ended up spending more than 24 hours in CHC (3.20 pm - 3.45 pm the following day).
Since my flight from PPT landed at 7.45 am and my flight from CHC to SYD left at 3.45 pm the next day I had to pay the departure tax.
But I didn't have to pay it on the outbound flights, arriving in WLG at 11.25 pm and leaving AKL 9.00 pm the next day.
I didn't have to pay it in Rarotonga either.
So I'm afraid they didn't get that much money out of me after all... :D
jacob_m
Dec 1, 06, 1:21 pm
Time for a flight I was very much looking forward to, and a flight I know some people here have been waiting for.
It's time to test Singapore Airlines in First class, 8 hours between Sydney and Singapore on a Boeing 747 equipped with the SkySuites.
I had very high expectations of the flight, but I can assure you already now I was not to be disappointed! :)
Off we go...
Check-in
There was a shuttle bus in operation between my airport hotel and the terminals, which was very convenient. As breakfast was not included in my rate I left the hotel quite early to have late breakfast in the lounge instead, I arrived at the international terminal just after 10 am with well over two and a half hours before departure.
There was no line for the two first class check-in desks, so they were checking in Raffles class passengers instead, but once the couple at the desk were checked in it was my turn.
There was a very pleasant young woman at the counter who confirmed my seat assignment and that my luggage would only be tagged to Singapore.
She also asked me the standard security questions, to which I just replied “Yes, No, No, Yes”, I had heard those so many times by now. After the last question she said “excellent, you passed the test!” with a large smile. :D
I was given a red boarding pass with First class printed to the left. Yay, my first Singapore Airlines First class experience was about to begin.
Just like last time I departed from Sydney there was no line at all at passport control, but after security I was randomly selected for an explosives test. They take samples from the hand luggage and from the clothes and put all of it into a machine to see if there are any traces of explosives.
Pics
The red carpet laid out for me, Singapore Airlines First class check-in in Sydney! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2369.jpg)
The First class check-in desk ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2367.jpg)
Air New Zealand lounge, Sydney
I still had well over two hours before departure, so I decided to go to the Air NZ lounge first, the lounge I had visited a week before and very much enjoyed.
I presented my boarding pass and gold card at the reception (the BP would actually have been enough) and asked nicely if I could use the lounge for a while.
No problem at all, I was most welcome to spend some time in the lounge, the only thing was that they would close the lounge in just 45 minutes.
I actually thought the lounge was open the whole day, but 45 minutes was about the amount of time I had planned to spend there anyway, so that was perfect for me.
The lounge was just as nice as last time with plenty to eat and drink.
This morning they had a very extensive breakfast buffet with toast, muffins, quiches, scones, cold cuts, and god knows what else. That could easily have been the breakfast buffet in a hotel, I really had a proper breakfast in the lounge.
The lounge was very empty, not more than five people in the lounge, so plenty of space.
I also found the business centre (didn’t notice it on my last visit) and they had free internet as well, so I took the opportunity to check my e-mails and surf the internet for a while.
After around 40 minutes when I knew they would soon close the lounge I left. I had checked my e-mails and had a proper breakfast, so I was happy with my visit anyway.
I did some shopping in the tax-free before going to the Singapore Airlines lounge, I was running out of deodorant for example. Funnily in the tax-free shops in Sydney they always ask for your nationality when you pay, and out of curiosity I asked the girl at the cashier why they were so interested in knowing where I come from.
Apparently it had something to do with statistics, they want to see what people from different countries mostly buy. However the girl managed to type my country code wrong, and my receipt ended up saying Taiwan instead, so now I guess the statistics will tell Taiwanese people buy a lot of deodorant in Sydney.
Pics
Inside the Air NZ lounge in Sydney ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2376.jpg)
The very nice and extensive breakfast buffet in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2373.jpg)
Plenty to drink as well ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2374.jpg)
Singapore Airlines First class lounge, Sydney
I made my way to the Singapore Airlines lounge which is right next to the Air NZ lounge.
I was warmly welcomed at the reception and directed to the right, to the First class side.
The lounge was nice, but actually not that spectacular. As it was a First class lounge it was of course small and intimate with only a few people inside, but I actually enjoyed the Air NZ lounge more (a business class lounge) which had a lot more to offer in all aspects.
Still I’m naturally not complaining about being in a proper Singapore Airlines First class lounge.
They had a self-service buffet in the lounge with plenty of sandwiches, fresh fruit and lovely pastries.
Plenty of drinks as well, but I did not see any champagne (on the other hand I didn’t ask for it either). The china in the lounge was also the proper First class one, same as they use onboard.
The lounge never had more than 15 passengers inside, so it was far from crowded.
I had something to eat (but not a lot to save room for the food onboard), a glass of red wine and another cup of coffee, and then killed some time in front of one of the internet computers (they had two with free internet).
Around 12.10 (35 mins before departure) the first boarding announcement was made in the lounge.
We were told boarding had started at the gate, but passengers who wished to stay a little longer in the lounge could wait until the final boarding announcement was made.
We were also told there was a special line at the gate for first class, business class and Star Alliance gold passengers.
Since I didn’t really have anything more to do in the lounge and was quite eager to get onboard, I left the lounge. When passing the reception desk the nice lounge attendant thanked me for my visit and wished me a nice flight.
Pics
The entrance to the Singapore Airlines lounge in Sydney ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2378.jpg)
Inside the First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2379.jpg)
Another photo of the First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2381.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2382.jpg)
Sydney-Singapore, flight SQ 232 operated by Singapore Airlines
Departure: 12:45
Arrival: 17:45
Aircraft: Boeing 747
Class: First Class
Seat: 04F
The gate area was packed with people, I think they boarded passengers by row numbers or sections.
Just as we had been told in the lounge there was a dedicated priority line, very clearly marked with a young woman waiting to assist passengers, and there was not a person in line, so I could walk straight onboard.
Only one passenger bridge was in use for door 1L, right behind the first class cabin.
A male flight attendant was greeting all passengers at the door and checked their boarding passes, in most cases he just directed them to the appropriate aisle.
However when I arrived things immediately changed, he warmly welcomed me onboard and escorted me to my seat and also opened the overhead locker before he had to go back to the door to greet the other passengers.
Another flight attendant then came and welcomed me onboard and offered to take my jacket.
A minute later she was back, and from that point I was addressed by name (and pretty much throughout the entire flight). She asked me if I wanted anything to drink, and after saying “champagne would be nice” I got the question I had been waiting for, if I wanted Krug or Dom Perignon. :)
I finally decided to go for Dom , but after having had quite a few glasses of both now I think Krug is actually my favourite, although they are of course both very good.
Top-ups were also offered as well as newspapers and magazines.
While I was sipping Dom in my lovely first class suite people were still boarding, and I could see many passengers looking into the first class cabin with envy and looking at me sitting there with my glass of champagne in my huge seat (most passengers in F had still not boarded yet).
Well I would probably have done the same, but this time I didn’t have to be envious.
I have to agree the cabin gives a very good first impression when you board the aircraft and it’s really clean and completely empty. Even though I had seen so many photos of it and was well familiar with all the amenities, being there myself in one of those large leather seats was still something completely different.
Soon the remaining first class passengers came onboard, among those a whole family of four with two children, probably not more than 10 years old. Not too bad having tried SQ F already at that age, but they got the same great service as everybody else, although of course no six courses meal with alcohol.
I think 9 out of the 12 seats in First class were occupied during the flight.
We pushed back on time and as we were taking off to the south it was only a short taxi to get to the runway.
They showed the usual safety demonstration video on the monitors, which in first class meant on the personal TVs, but I have to say the video starts to feel a bit old and dated.
The weather in Sydney was nice this afternoon so nice views during the climb, but no city views like last time.
I agree with you all that the photo of Sydney is spectacular (from the CHC-SYD flight), I didn’t even realise how nice it was until I was back home, and it’s impossible to see it is taken through an airplane window (usually the windows are a bit dirty).
Anyway, after the seat belt sign was off the service in the cabin started (or continued perhaps).
More amenities were handed out like a Givenchy sleeper suit in a dark grey bag and also a Bvlgari amenity kit. The amenity kit had plenty of things inside like hand cream, lip balm and a shaving kit (in the male version). But the most remarkable thing was a bottle of Bvlgari eau de cologne, 25 ml! That’s expensive stuff! Although I haven’t really checked any prices I’m sure you have to pay 50 USD or so for that bottle in a regular shop.
Slippers were also handed out as well as blankets; there was already a pillow at the seat.
Just under the TV there was also a drawer with a writing kit and a first class pen for each passenger, the pen was in the same brown colour as the first class logo and had the first class F on it.
Pics
All passengers entered the aircraft just behind the First class cabin ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2386.jpg)
A glass of Dom Perignon before departure ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2387.jpg)
The First class cabin ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2385.jpg)
Nice view just after take-off ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2396.jpg)
Amenity kit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3379.jpg)
Contents of the amenity kit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_4194.jpg)
Sleeper suit and slippers ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3380.jpg)
The menu
After having received all the amenities more drinks were offered. I went for another glass of Dom and some cashew nuts. They actually had both peanuts and cashew nuts on offer, and you could choose which one you wanted or have a bit of both.
Next the menu and the drink list were handed out in a nice black leather binder.
All the food sounded delicious with as much as five main courses to choose between. The drink list was also most impressive, especially with all the cocktails they mix onboard.
But I have to say even though the menu was superb it still does not beat the menu offered onboard ANA which was really a class of its own.
Pics
The First class menu and drink list presented in a nice leather binder ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2397.jpg)
Here is the First class menu for the flight between Sydney and Singapore:
Appetizers
Chilled malossol caviar, with melba toast and condiments
Parma ham and duckliver terrine garnished with marinated grilled vegetables and mustard dressing
Soup
Chicken broth with black mushrooms, asparagus and quail egg
Cream of asparagus garnished with roasted pinenuts
Salad
White asparagus, olives and pistachio, baby lettuces and aged feta cheese
Soya vinaigrette
Thousand island dressing
Main courses
Grilled wagyu sirloin with veal tongue in red wine sauce, cabbage-bacon, potato mash and cold terragon salsa *
Steamed sea perch fillet with “mui choy” and wood fungus served with selected vegetables and steamed rice
Grilled “kuro buta” pork served with Burgundy wine sauce, caramedlised apple, broccolini and fingerling potato
Indian rogan josh chicken with spiced vegetables and pilaff rice
Salad of barigoule style artichoke, sauteed assorted wild mushrooms, goat cheese, shaved fennel, arugula and hazelnut dressing **
* Exclusively created by Matthew Moran of Aria Restaurant, Sydney
** Specially prepared meatless selection
Dessert
Summer pudding served with vanilla ice cream, passionfruit coulis
Cheese
Gourmet cheese
Fresh fruit
A selection of fresh fruit
From the bakery
Oven fresh rolls - with a choice of extra virgin olive oil or butter
Garlic bread
Hot beverages
Freshly brewed coffee
Espresso or cappuccino
Selection of tea
Pralines
To end on a sweet note
Light bites
Kao tom
Thai style rice porridge with sliced pork and pork meatball, fried garlic and pickled vegetable
Warm tandoori salmon served with assorted tomato, mizuna, cucumber, with yoghurt salad
Champagne
Dom Pérignon 1998
Krug Grande Cuvée
White wines
2003 Bannockburn Chardonnay, Australia
2005 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
2004 Dr Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese, Germany
Red wines
1999 Château Cos d’Estournel Saint-Estephe, France
1998 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtess de Lalande Pauillac, France
2003 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz, Australia
Port
Dow’s 20 year old Tawny port
Special cocktail
Orange cooler
Cocktails
Singapore Sling, Silver Kris Sling, Gin Fizz, Cloud Nine
Screwdriver, Bloody Mary, Daiquiri, Red or White Wine Cooler
Aperitifs
Campari, Dry Vermouth
Non-alcoholic cocktails
Citrus Royale, Tropical Sparkle, Golden Spice, Fruit Spritzer, Sunrise Surprise
Spirits
Bombay Sapphire Gin, Cognax XO – Hennessy, Chivas Royal Salute Scotch Whisky, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Macallan 12 years old Single Malt Whisky, Smirnoff Red Label Vodka, Bacardi Carta Blanca
Premium Ginjo Sake Tamanohikari (available on flights to/from Japan)
Liqueurs
Cointreau, Tia Maria, Baileys Original Irish Cream
Beer
International Selection
Tea selection
Pure Ceylon tea, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Camomile, Decaffeinated tea, Fruit tea, Japanese green tea, Japanese Jasmine tea, Chinese Oolong tea, Mint tea
Gourmet coffees
Brazil Santos Bourbon, Colombian Supremo, Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kenyan AA “Kilimanjaro”
Iced drinks
Iced fruit tea, Iced tea, Iced mint tea, Iced coffee, Iced mocha, Iced chocolate, Iced ovaltine, Iced milo
Milk
Full cream or Low fat
Meal service
After some more drinks the flight attendant was back to take meal orders.
I thought about skipping either the salad or the soup as I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish the entire meal (after all there were six courses!), but the flight attendant managed to convince me to have all of it anyway and said I should just eat slowly.
Next the table was prepared for the meal, the table is actually hidden under the TV-screen.
White tablecloths were laid on the tables followed by the usual cutlery, but only plastic knives on the flight and there was even a small note apologising for it and explaining that it was beyond their control.
The table setting looked very nice, they really do an excellent job in this area, and it's intersting how they carefully place all the plates and glasses so the F points at you (you can see it yourself on the photos).
After all the champagne I switched to wine for the meal and I was happy to learn that the crew had some knowledge in that area, they knew a bit about what they were serving.
The meal service then started with appetizer (I had parma ham and duckliver terrine), soup (asparagus for me), salad, main course (I had the veal which was superb) and then dessert.
The summer pudding served as dessert was wonderful and looked absolutely fantastic, they really do an excellent job on SQ to make the food look nice.
I really could not manage cheese on top of all that so I just asked for a cup of coffee, and just like on ANA you could choose coffee bean for the coffee.
They had four different coffee beans on offer, which were all very well explained in the drink list with ratings about the aroma, body and acidity.
I tried three out of the four coffee beans during the flight and the Jamaican Blue Mountain was probably my favourite, quite strong and tasty.
I actually managed to finish the whole meal with both soup and salad, and I didn’t leave much on the plates either, so the flight attendant was right when she thought I would manage. But that’s not to say I was still hungry when the meal was over, I was so full I could hardly move!
The key to first class meals is to eat slowly and also drink plenty of water, which was certainly possible on SQ.
The meal service is 100% individual, so you can choose to have the entire meal or just parts of it and all dishes are served individually based on what you have ordered and how fast you eat.
They really do a good job in coordinating the meal service and keeping track of orders and what people are eating and drinking at the moment and when they are likely to finish what they are eating and when their glasses will be empty, and so on… Very impressive!! ^
So while I had my dessert a woman got her main course and at the same time another man had already finished his meal, and we were all happy!
With a maximum of 12 passengers in F that does require a bit of work, and amazingly even later during the flight they still remembered (or at least had notes of) what wine and coffee I had been drinking.
When I asked for another cup of coffee a few hours later I was asked if I wanted the Jamaican coffee this time as well, and when I said I wanted a glass of the other French wine (they had two French reds onboard) she instantly knew which wine to serve me before I had looked up the name in the drink list. Well done!
Pics
More Dom Perignon and cashew nuts after take-off ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2398.jpg)
The table setting ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2402.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2403.jpg)
Soup ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2404.jpg)
Salad ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2405.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2406.jpg)
Dessert (looks very nice!) ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2411.jpg)
Coffee and chocolate pralines ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2412.jpg)
One of the nice flight attendants passing during the meal service ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2413.jpg)
The inflight entertainment system - Krisworld
The Krisworld inflight entertainment system is really superb, there is enough there to keep you entertained for a few days, if not weeks.
I think they had around 100 movies on offer including some new ones, foreign/non-English ones, old classics (Gone with the wind for example), and movies for children.
There was just so much to choose between!
On top of that they offer many documentaries (including nice travel ones), dramas, TV-series, music (with over 100 full CDs to listen to) and then games (Nintendo and interactive games to play with other passengers onboard).
We’re talking about an impressive amount of entertainment here!
The SkySuite in F also has a full 15” TV in front of the seat which makes the experience even better. You also get noise-cancelling headphones in F.
When you recline the seat a bit to a comfortable position and then lower the window shades it almost feels like sitting at home a late evening watching TV in a nice armchair (if not better).
You certainly don’t think much about how you are actually on an airplane at 33,000 feet.
If you add (on top of all that) nice Singapore Airlines girls who are happy to serve you free drinks and cocktails during the flight, I guess it’s obvious you don’t really suffer in first class.
Pics
The Krisworld inflight entertainment system ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2414.jpg)
On-demand movies ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2415.jpg)
Watching Friends – The one with Chandler in a box ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2399.jpg)
The video console ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2419.jpg)
The seat – SkySuite
The seat is very comfortable and has plenty plenty of space and storage.
There are two “seat pockets” where you can put newspapers and reading material, and then by the window there is also plenty of space for magazines, drinks etc.
The seat can be reclined to a fully flat bed, and the crew are happy to prepare the bed with a mattress, pillow and duvet if you want to get some proper sleep.
Since this was a daytime flight I didn’t really feel like sleeping onboard, there was too much available through Krisworld to watch, but other passengers onboard wanted to sleep so I got to see what the seat looks like turned into a bed.
I changed into my Givenchy sleeper suit though which was very comfortable and fitted me perfectly, the crew was also happy to take care of my regular clothes during the flight and put them on a hanger in a closet.
I reclined my seat a bit (plenty of options to find a nice position) and then asked for a blanket (actually I was given one) so I could enjoy some movies on my personal TV and also get a bit of rest.
Pics
The First class cabin ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2427.jpg)
My seat! Perfect position to watch a movie! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2429.jpg)
The seat control ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2421.jpg)
This is what the seat looks like turned into a bed ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2432.jpg)
More food onboard
During the flight I asked for some fresh fruit to have something to eat while watching movies, they had a whole basket with fresh fruit including bananas, strawberries, apples, grapes and probably other things. Without asking for it I was also given a napkin and proper cutlery (even though just a plate would have been enough).
I also asked for a Singapore Sling which they happily mixed for me, quite good!
Around two hours before landing they offered a second meal with a choice between Thai rice porridge with pork, or salmon with vegetables.
I was still watching a movie when they came to take the meal order but I was told I could decide myself when I wanted to eat. There were 20 minutes left of the movie, so I said in 20 minutes, and they really kept track of when 20 minutes had passed.
In the meantime I was served drinks, I tried one of the other red wines onboard this time, and after 20 minutes the flight attendant was back and asked me if I was ready to eat.
I said I was, and my table was prepared for the meal, the salmon was absolutely delicious!!
I had another cup of coffee afterwards, the Brazilian coffee bean this time.
Pics
Inflight snacks! A Singapore Sling and fresh fruit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2442.jpg)
The meal just before landing, the salmon was delicious!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2446.jpg)
A last cup of coffee before landing ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2448.jpg)
Arrival in Singapore
Soon it was time for the descent into Singapore and the flight attendant returned my clothes so I could change back in the lavatory.
One of the main differences between first class and economy class is how lenient the flight attendants are with the passengers and what they do.
For example when the seat belt sign is turned on, in economy class that means you should be seated with the seat belt fastened and sit there until the plane has parked at the gate, and certainly not visit the lavatory.
In first class the seat belt sign is an indication that it’s time to slowly start collecting your belongings, get changed/dressed, visit the lavatory a last time, and then raise your seat back and eventually fasten your seat belt.
I don’t think a single person in first class was seated with the seat belt fastened five minutes after the seat belt sign had been turned on, and you can probably visit the lavatory until minutes before touchdown if you are quick.
I collected my belongings and packed my bag before landing, and both the amenity kit, slippers and menu ended up in my bag. I have actually kept almost everything I have been given during the flights, so I have something like five amenity kits at home including the black Star Alliance overnight kit I got in Rarotonga.
We landed in Singapore right on time, actually 5 mins early, and taxied to terminal 2.
After having parked at the gate the curtains between business class and first class were closed and first class passengers were allowed off the plane first through the front door.
I chatted a bit with one of the male FAs who asked me what my plans were in Singapore, he already knew I did not have a connecting flight. He guessed shopping, he might have been right… ;)
I was among the first passengers off the plane and the very first passenger from the flight to reach immigration, which took around 2-3 minutes.
Still, when I got to the baggage reclaim the first bags were already on the belt. As my bags were tagged with the SQ first class tag they were among the first on the belt and one of them was actually already there. Amazing!
I was actually standing in the taxi queue only 15 minutes (!) after getting off the plane, and that’s with two checked suitcases and immigration in between.
Absolutely amazing!! ^ ^ I think that’s very hard to beat!! And I checked the time, 15 minutes it was...
Final comments about the flight
This was a very very nice flight with great service onboard and very delicious food.
The service was absolutely superb, the FAs are so attentive and really keep track of everything going on. On top of that they also try to think of other things that could be done and they almost try to anticipate what you may want or need.
I sometimes saw FAs standing at the back of the cabin looking for something to do, and you just had to turn your head and the flight attendant would immediately come and ask if she could get you something or do something for you. Very very attentive service!! ^
The seat was also extremely comfortable, and the large screen was a big plus.
I was also impressed by all the amenities offered. A sleeper suit on an 8-hour daytime flight is certainly not bad, and the Bvlgari amenity kit was probably the best one of all flights.
If I should give any negative comments about the flight I would perhaps echo what other people have said about the FAs being a little bit robotic.
Even though the service was absolutely fantastic onboard the FAs have been so highly trained that I missed some genuineness. They have been taught exactly what to do and how to behave in every single situation, and it just leaves very little room for own initiatives.
It’s a bit like the service was too polished, if you get what I mean.
These are just some reflections though and certainly not any complaints, we are still talking about one of the best inflight experiences you can get, and I am also being very picky.
Overall it was still an absolutely fantastic flight, and I can warmly recommend the Singapore Airlines First class product to anybody!! And with the new first class seat launched next year it will be an even nicer experience! :)
eternalX
Dec 1, 06, 1:44 pm
I really enjoy reading your posts, but I can't help think that you're not spending much time in the actual cities. Are you getting a feel of where you are going or is this mostly about the journey itself?
jacob_m
Dec 1, 06, 2:06 pm
I really enjoy reading your posts, but I can't help think that you're not spending much time in the actual cities. Are you getting a feel of where you are going or is this mostly about the journey itself?
The trip was two months long (57 days), so I had plenty of time to explore the cities and have a look around. The only exception was with the award ticket where I could not do much about the length of three of the stops, I was not allowed to stay longer than 24 hours due to ticket restrictions.
But other than that I think I had on average 3 days in every major city, in Japan I also had a 7-days Japan Rail pass which I used quite a lot to have a look around.
I have deliberately chosen not to write much about the cities and focus on the flights instead. I really have enough to write anyway and this report has already reached an amazing 104 replies without any comments about the cities.
So I can understand if it sounds like just an endless amount of flights, but it really wasn't!! :)
uncertaintraveler
Dec 1, 06, 5:00 pm
This is an absolutely amazing trip report---it certainly gets my vote for one of the top 5 trip reports of all time! You write really well and your pictures are wonderful. Your trip would truly be (for most, if not everyone) a trip of a lifetime.
Speaking of pictures....is it just me, or does the airshow picture from your Osaka-Auckland flight make it look like Osaka suddenly become part of Australia? :D
Nearly there ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_1452.jpg)
henry999
Dec 1, 06, 5:30 pm
...After some more drinks the flight attendant was back to take meal orders. I thought about skipping either the salad or the soup as I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish the entire meal (after all there were six courses!), but the flight attendant managed to convince me to have all of it anyway and said I should just eat slowly.Since you haven't said anything about it yet, I'm going to jump in and ask: did you know about the SQ 'book-the-cook' programme in C (J) and F? Instead of the +/- 3 or 4 entrees usually available on the flight, you can choose from 8-10 if you tell them in advance what you want.
Mrs Henry and I were in late October -- in C class, alas, not F -- on the same SYD-SIN route as you, and we connected to SQ SIN-BKK (which, I believe, goes on to NRT). On the short SIN-BKK flight, we got the full meal service of our choice, because we had 'booked the cook', instead of the 'light' meal they offered to the other business class pax on that short, first sector.
If I should give any negative comments about the flight I would perhaps echo what other people have said about the FAs being a little bit robotic.
Even though the service was absolutely fantastic onboard the FAs have been so highly trained that I missed some genuineness. They have been taught exactly what to do and how to behave in every single situation, and it just leaves very little room for own initiatives.
It’s a bit like the service was too polished if you get what I mean.This sounds like what Tommy77 refers to as the SQ 'kiss your shoes' service. Compared to the seniority-system dinosaurs on SK long haul, I have to say: I like SQ!
cheers,
Henry
MACH81
Dec 1, 06, 6:31 pm
Since you haven't said anything about it yet, I'm going to jump in and ask: did you know about the SQ 'book-the-cook' programme in C (J) and F? Instead of the +/- 3 or 4 entrees usually available on the flight, you can choose from 8-10 if you tell them in advance what you want.
I was going to ask the same question! the famous lobster thermidore!
Anyway, this trip report is AMAZING! I envy you! ^ ^
jacob_m
Dec 1, 06, 6:32 pm
Since you haven't said anything about it yet, I'm going to jump in and ask: did you know about the SQ 'book-the-cook' programme in C (J) and F? Instead of the +/- 3 or 4 entrees usually available on the flight, you can choose from 8-10 if you tell them in advance what you want.
Actually there were five entrees/main courses available in F! :) And I was very happy with the veal, absolutely delicious!!
But yes, I know about Book the cook. There are another three SQ flights to follow, so there is a slight chance there might be something about it later... ;)
This sounds like what Tommy77 refers to as the SQ 'kiss your shoes' service. Compared to the seniority-system dinosaurs on SK long haul, I have to say: I like SQ!
I like Singapore Airlines as well, and this was an absolutely fantastic flight.
I'm just including some reflections, like I have done with all other airlines,
Regarding SQ there really isn't much to comment about, the service is really 100% (as most people already know), especially in F!
My only comment has already been made, that some FAs could perhaps be a bit more laid-back and not feel the need to be efficient all the time.
But it's of course all about taste, I like FAs who put a personal touch on the service.
Regarding SAS it would be a shame to even include them in a comparison, SQ would win in every single category anyway. :D
sporadic
Dec 1, 06, 8:46 pm
jacob_m: You didn't ask any Singapore Girl to sit on your lap and take photos? Tsk tsk. :D :D Should try that. LOL.
ajthegreat
Dec 1, 06, 9:15 pm
really nice report, one of my top 5 favorite! ^ ^ :-: :-:
Kiwi Flyer
Dec 1, 06, 10:09 pm
While I was eating, just by a coincidence I had a look through the window, and what did I see, a spectacular view of Mount Fuji!
Well actually it was only the top of Mount Fuji as it was very cloudy, but the clouds just made it look even nicer and I naturally took a photo of it.
Coincidentally I was reading a print out of your report and got up to this bit just as we flew past Mt Taranaki, a volcano that masqueraded as Mt Fuji in the movie The Last Samurai. For the first time in several months there was a clear view of the whole mountain - recently I seem to have only flown past it at night or when it is hidden in thick cloud. I still have to read some more on my next flight to get up to date.
TrayflowInUK
Dec 2, 06, 2:21 am
Isn't Taranaki great? I stayed at a lodge partway up the mountain earlier this year, really great.
Anyway, back OT, thanks so much jacob_m for the detailed account of SQ F service, it sounds like a fantastic voyage! This is a great trip report.
jacob_m
Dec 2, 06, 9:14 am
Speaking of pictures....is it just me, or does the airshow picture from your Osaka-Auckland flight make it look like Osaka suddenly become part of Australia? :D
I actually noticed that myself as well, quite funny! :D
I'm not sure what they did with the map, but Osaka was definitely in the right place when we left.
Well I'm glad the captain doesn't use that map for navigation purposes! :D
jacob_m: You didn't ask any Singapore Girl to sit on your lap and take photos?
No I didn't, but that would have been a nice photo! :)
jacob_m
Dec 2, 06, 9:16 am
In Singapore I stayed at the Regent hotel located at the west end of Orchard Road.
I know from previous visits to Singapore that top-end hotels there are very affordable, very good value for money, and the service is often exceptional, so I didn’t think twice about what type of accommodation to go for.
I had originally planned to stay at the Shangri-la hotel which I know is supposed to be amazing, but just a few days before I was going to make the booking they raised the prices and it ended up being too expensive for my budget.
My second choice was the Regent hotel, part of the Four Seasons group, it had also received excellent reviews on the internet.
They actually had a very good suite deal on the internet which I could not resist booking. It had to be booked some time in advance though, but that was obviously not a problem.
The suite on offer was a Four Seasons Executive Suite, 75 sqm in total!! The suite deal also included free breakfast and a complimentary upgrade to the Regent Club if staying for a minimum of two nights (and as a coincidence I was planning to stay two nights).
Since I was very happy with my stay at the Regent I thought I should give a short review before continuing with the flights.
I took a taxi from the airport and asked the driver to go to the Regent hotel.
Upon arrival at the hotel my taxi was immediately surrounded by people, they offloaded my luggage from the boot while I paid the taxi driver.
Seconds later the car door was opened and I was greeted by name and welcomed to the Regent Hotel.
I was so surprised they knew my name before I had even got out of the taxi, but apparently they had checked the baggage tag on my suitcase (which obviously had my name on it) and there was also a woman standing at the entrance with a list of today’s arrivals.
I was so impressed they managed to do that in less than half a minute. Well done!! ^
I was escorted inside the lobby to the reception desk where check-in was taken care of.
I enquired about the complimentary upgrade to the Regent club as I was staying for two nights.
Unfortunately the Regent club floors were full (not sure what they difference was anyway as I was staying in a suite), but I was told I was most welcome to use the club lounge and I was also given a key card with Regent Club printed on it which I could show to get all the extra benefits.
I was then escorted to my room, I think it was the first time that has ever happened to me, unless being escorted by a bellboy with my luggage of course, but here the luggage actually arrived a few minutes later.
I was given a “guided tour” of the suite and the nice guy also explained all the facilities in the hotel and all the extra benefits I got as a Regent Club guest.
Very nice! After checking I was happy with the suite and all the arrangements he wished me a nice stay and left, minutes later my luggage also arrived
The suite was huge, 75 square meters. It had a huge king-size bed, a sitting area, two desks, two balconies, a walk-in closet, CD-player, two TVs, and two toilets.
The latter was probably the most interesting feature, don’t we all need to have a choice when we need to go to the loo?? :D Well at least I had…
Overall the place was really nice and very nicely decorated. There was also an excellent selection of minibar drinks and snacks and basically every possible glass, cup or plate you may need stored in a cupboard. Plenty of complimentary coffee and tea were available as well in a nice wooden box.
In the evening I visited the Regent Club on the 11th floor which was also excellent.
Very nice lounge attendants inside who were happy to help you with anything you may need. They also had complimentary food and drinks (including alcoholic drinks) between 5-8 pm.
I asked the guy who escorted me to my room what they had on offer in the lounge, and he said mostly cocktail snacks and light food, which sounded rather unremarkable.
But in fact they had a full buffet in the evening with plenty of hot food including chicken, skewers, oysters, meatballs, potatoes and prawn cocktails (it varied day by day). There was really so much to eat (and fairly few people eating anyway) that I actually skipped dinner one evening as I was really not hungry after the lounge visit.
They had a very good selection of drinks as well, plenty of spirits and two reds and two whites on offer. Of course also soft drinks, freshly squeezed fruit juices and excellent coffee.
Two internet computers were also available free of charge, in the main business centre you had to pay for internet access.
The buffet breakfast in the morning was also very good, extremely extensive. They were even cooking pasta with garnishes of your choice if you felt like eating pasta for breakfast.
Overall the service in the hotel was superb. Every time I passed a member of staff they greeted me, it the corridor, in the lobby, everywhere! And it didn’t matter who it was, housekeeping, bellboys, reception staff, everybody!
Every time they got the chance they also addressed me by name, each time I visited the reception or the concierge for example they instantly asked for my room number so they could find the name in the reservation and address me by name.
The service was really excellent, very polished, but at the same time friendly and relaxed and not intrusive. It was just the way I like it! ^
The turndown service also worked very well, they did a very good job there!
And some pics:
Pics
The nice lobby (well a part of it) ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2519.jpg)
Another photo of the lobby ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2482.jpg)
The large atrium inside the Regent hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2458.jpg)
The atrium again, I like the cool lifts, there are four of them ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2459.jpg)
The entrance to the Capers restaurant where breakfast is served ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2531.jpg)
My Four Seasons Executive Suite ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2489.jpg)
The sitting area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2488.jpg)
The large bed ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2467.jpg)
The bed, the walk-in closet and one of the TVs ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2453.jpg)
The second TV and the minibar cabinet ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2490.jpg)
The entrance to the Regent Club ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2521.jpg)
Inside the nice Regent Club ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2462.jpg)
Free drinks in the lounge in the evening ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2461.jpg)
Some of the food in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2523.jpg)
And finally a photo of central Singapore at night, after all it’s soon christmas:
Nice christmas decorations on Orchard Road ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2479.jpg)
jacob_m
Dec 2, 06, 9:49 am
To the airport, and Singapore Airlines First class facilities at Changi airport
When it was time to check out of the hotel I was asked if I needed a taxi.
I said I did and my luggage was immediately taken and after I had checked out and paid my bill a taxi was waiting outside ready to leave with all my luggage loaded.
I was thanked a last time for staying at the Regent hotel before the car door was closed, the service was really superb until the very end.
The taxi driver already knew I was going to the airport so he just asked which terminal.
I told him “Terminal 2, Singapore Airlines”. He looked at me again, the way I was dressed, and the hotel I had just checked out from and asked “first class?”.
Wow, that's quite a direct question! A little bit embarrassed I answered “yes”. :o
Well I knew Singapore Airlines had a special entrance at terminal 2 for first class passengers (and apparently so did he), and that’s where I wanted him to stop, so I would have had to tell him sooner or later anyway.
I checked out of the hotel at noon, I tried to get a late checkout since my flight was not leaving until 3 pm, but it was unfortunately not possible as they were fully booked the following night.
So I had to check out at noon and with a quick taxi ride to the airport (around 20 mins) I arrived at the airport almost three hours before departure. Well not the end of the world with a first class ticket.
The taxi stopped at the Singapore Airlines first class drop-off area at terminal 2 just before the main entrance, there was a large sign there marked “Singapore Airlines First class / Solitaire”.
Just after the taxi had stopped a man opened the door and asked me if I was flying Singapore Airlines in F that day, after I had confirmed I was he immediately started offloading my luggage while I paid the taxi driver.
He loaded my luggage on a trolley and then escorted me inside the terminal to the Singapore Airlines first class check-in room.
Inside the room I was greeted by a friendly woman who asked for my ticket and passport and then asked me to sit down in a nice armchair while they took care of all check-in formalities for me.
A few minutes later I was checked in and the agent approached me with my boarding pass, baggage receipts and passport. I was also given an immigration form for Malaysia and an invitation to use the fast-track immigration in Kuala Lumpur.
I exited the check-in room through another door where there was a man checking boarding passes for first class passengers from the first class check-in room.
After he had checked my boarding pass I found myself standing right in front of the passport control which was as quick as always in Singapore.
Overall the whole check-in process was completely hassle-free, very smooth, and I didn’t even have to touch my luggage at the airport, everything was taken care of for me.
Great service!! Well done!! ^ ^
Pics
The Singapore Airlines First class drop-off area outside terminal 2 (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2532.jpg)
The entrance to the SQ First class check-in room (sorry about the poor quality) (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2533.jpg)
Inside the Singapore Airlines First class check-in room (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2534.jpg)
Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge, Singapore
With way too much time before departure (still well over two hours) I took the skytrain over to terminal 1 to stretch my legs a bit and do a bit of lounge hopping, I knew there was a Thai Airways lounge in terminal 1.
It may sound a bit strange to go there flying SQ in F, but there was actually another reason why I wanted to get over to terminal 1 and the Thai lounge, since I am passing Bangkok later on I wanted to ask about the complimentary limousine transfer, if it was still available.
The female lounge agent was a bit surprised I wanted to enter the lounge, especially when she noticed I was in SQ F, but she was very friendly and told me I was most welcome to use the lounge.
Unfortunately she didn’t know anything about the transfer in Bangkok.
The Thai Airways lounge was very empty, only two people inside so plenty of space.
The lounge was OK, not spectacular in any way, but I have no complaints about it either.
They had a good self-service buffet with sandwiches and hot snacks and plenty of drinks, so not too bad after all I guess!
I spent 20-25 minutes in the lounge, they had an internet computer with free access, so I took the opportunity to check my e-mails.
The lounge attendant was just as friendly when I left as when I came, she thanked me for my visit and wished me a nice flight.
Pics
The entrance to the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2541.jpg)
Inside the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2539.jpg)
The self-service buffet area (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2540.jpg)
Singapore Airlines First class lounge, Singapore
I took the Skytrain back to terminal 2 and went to the Singapore Airlines lounge located on the first floor above the departure hall.
There were two young women standing at the entrance checking boarding passes, and with my first class boarding pass I was obviously directed to the first class lounge.
The first class lounge was very large, and not at all crowded this afternoon. I had no problems finding a seat or even a whole table to myself.
The buffet area is very large, most impressive, there really is plenty plenty to eat. Lots of hot food, sandwiches, different cheeses, ice cream, fresh fruit and probably lots of other things.
There is also a bar in the lounge, but it does not open until 3.30 pm so it was closed when I was there. They still have alcohol available at the buffet though, but it’s at the bar you’ll find the real stuff, including free champagne.
Since I had not eaten any lunch yet I had some food from the buffet and a glass of wine. There is so much (proper) food available that you can basically have lunch/dinner in the lounge and skip eating onboard.
Afterwards I had some ice cream, fresh fruit and a cup of coffee.
I also had another thing I wanted to sort out in the lounge, I wanted to book “Book the cook” for an upcoming flight, so I asked a lounge attendant and she directed me to the customer service desk in a separate room just by the entrance to the first class lounge.
I spoke to a customer service representative there who told me she could definitely help me to book it.
I had a printout from the SQ webpage with all the food options, but she actually had a small booklet with all the dishes available and even photos of all the dishes, there was one booklet for Raffles class and one for First class.
She gave it to me and asked me to have a look, I had already decided what to order, but I almost got seconds thoughts seeing all the delicious food inside.
I finally decided to stick to my original choice, but I have kept the booklet as a souvenir.
The woman said she had to make a phone call to arrange with the meal, so she took my ticket details and asked me to come back 15-20 minutes later to check that everything was OK.
I spent some time in the business centre where they had several internet computers with free internet. I visited the customer service desk just before leaving the lounge and the woman confirmed my meal had been ordered.
By now the monitors showed “gate closing” for my flight, but I knew all too well not to trust the monitors so I did not rush to the gate and even stopped for some last-minute shopping before going to gate.
And just as expected, boarding had not even started at the gate.
Pics
The entrance to the Singapore Airlines lounges (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2546.jpg)
Inside the First class lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2548.jpg)
Plenty of seats in the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2549.jpg)
The very large self-service buffet area (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2550.jpg)
Lots of food available (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2552.jpg)
The bar, plenty of alcohol! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2553.jpg)
Late lunch in the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2554.jpg)
Fresh fruit, Häagen Dazs ice cream, and coffee (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2555.jpg)
Singapore-Kuala Lumpur, flight SQ 112 operated by Singapore Airlines
Departure: 15:15
Arrival: 16:10
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: First Class
Seat: 12K
The Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route is a bit strange since they offer economy class and first class but not business/Raffles class on these flights.
So it’s a good and cheap way to experience the SQ first class service (well, on the ground at least), but passengers with business class tickets or RTW tickets in C will end up in economy on these flights, which may be a bit unfair.
Two passenger bridges were in use at the gate, one for first class passengers and one for economy class passengers leading to the appropriate aircraft doors.
First class passengers could board at their leisure so I walked straight onboard the plane where I was greeted by a smiling Singapore Airlines flight attendant.
The aircraft had a two-cabin layout with Raffles class seats used as first class seats (although they change the headrests etc). The first class cabin had a 2-3-2 configuration.
I got a bit confused with my seat assignment, I had 12K, so I started walking down the aisle only to be stopped by a flight attendant who noticed I was going the wrong way, it turned out the first row of the cabin was actually row 12, so I was seated in the very first row.
My jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink, but only soft drinks on this flight.
The flight to Kuala Lumpur was quick, only 40 minutes, still they managed to perform a proper meal service in first class.
There was a choice between salmon and chicken sandwich onboard, tablecloths were also laid out on the tables and the meal was served on proper first class china (although on a tray).
I had the salmon to eat, quite good, but of course the meal service was nothing remarkable.
The flight attendants also served tea, coffee and soft drinks, no mention of alcohol though.
It is still amazing that they managed to do all of this (and quite well!) during only 40 minutes, and the first class cabin was completely full as far as I could see.
The service was really as good and attentive as it could get, and they even had time to offer more drinks before we started out descent to Kuala Lumpur.
Very impressive!! It was fascinating to see how much they managed to do during only 40 minutes with good coordination. ^
We landed at Kuala Lumpur International airport (or just KLIA) right on time.
All the international gates (or most of them at least) are located in a satellite building in the middle of the apron, so you have to take an automatic train to get to the main terminal and the baggage reclaim.
In Singapore I also got an invitation to use the fast-track immigration at KLIA which I also made use of, I was actually processed at the diplomatic counter and was through immigration within two minutes
It took quite some time before the baggage delivery started, but at least the priority tagged luggage came out first.
In the arrivals hall there were people waiting for me, ready to take me to downtown Kuala Lumpur in style.
Time for an even more fantastic hotel experience in a really spectacular hotel! But more about that in the next instalment… :)
Pics
Welcome onboard SQ 112 to Kuala Lumpur! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2560.jpg)
The First class cabin onboard the Boeing 777 (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2558.jpg)
Light meal to Kuala Lumpur (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2561.jpg)
The baggage hall at Kuala Lumpur airport (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2562.jpg)
jacob_m
Dec 2, 06, 4:38 pm
In Kuala Lumpur I stayed in one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in, the Shangri-La!!
The service was absolutely flawless, the arrival the smoothest I have ever experienced, and the lobby was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, stunning!! ^
So I thought I should write a short review about this hotel as well and there are also some pics at the end so you can have a look yourself.
I booked a “value rate” on the Shangri-La webpage which gave a lot of extra benefits such as free airport limousine transfer (roundtrip), breakfast, late check-out, unlimited laundry, free local calls and broadband in the room.
And believe it or not, in spite of all these extra benefits and the standard of the hotel I did not may more than 150-160 USD per night including all taxes!! Amazing!! ^
Just the airport transfer itself was well worth it, after all the airport in Kuala Lumpur is located a good 60 km outside the city centre, that’s quite a distance!
With such a cheap rate in such a great hotel I could almost have stayed a few more days just to enjoy the hotel.
The booking was made on the Shangri-La webpage, and a few days before arrival I contacted the hotel by e-mail to confirm the airport transfer and make sure they had my details (flight number, arrival time etc).
At the airport there was a young woman standing in the arrivals hall with a Shangri-La sign, I approached her and she asked me if I was Mr jacob_m.
Shangri-La had a desk at the airport, and after signing a paper at the desk they called for the car (the cars are not allowed to wait outside) and the nice girl kept me entertained until the car had arrived outside the terminal. She was quite friendly and very charming, but it took some time before I got used to the Malaysian accent.
The driver was also very pleasant and spoke perfect English. The car was spotlessly clean and inside the car there was a hot towel, a newspaper and a bottle of cold water waiting for me. Excellent!!
The ride to Kuala Lumpur took around 45 minutes, surprisingly quick considering the distance and the time of the day (late afternoon=rush hour).
When the car finally stopped at the hotel a young woman opened the door and immediately greeted me by name and welcomed me to Shangri-La.
I was very surprised she didn’t even ask for my name, she obviously knew well who I was and it soon became clear that the only reason why she was standing there was to wait for me to arrive!! :)
I was told we would check in in my room so we walked straight into the hotel and to the lifts, no need to stop at the reception since she had all the papers with her. I didn’t even get a chance to say good-bye to the driver.
Inside my room on the 12th floor I was checked in. She asked for a credit card and my passport and wrote everything down on a form. When the paperwork was completed she asked me if I had any questions and then wished me a nice stay and left.
Wow, what a welcome!! That was the smoothest hotel arrival ever in my life and I was absolutely fascinated by how well it worked and how well it was prepared. ^
I was so overwhelmed that I started thinking if I even got a key, but the key was actually on the desk, together with a personal welcome letter with my name on it signed by the front desk manager. Nice!
A few minutes later the luggage also arrived.
The room was quite nice, nicely decorated, but actually not that large. On the other hand I had a corner room, and based on the emergency exit map the corner rooms seemed to be smaller than the other rooms, but in return they offer a much better view. I was quite happy after all and the view from my room was great, I loved the view at night.
They also had a very good turndown service at the hotel which worked very well. A towel and slippers were placed on the floor by the bed and they also placed a bottle of water on the bedside table. The cover was also removed and they adjusted the ligting and closed the curtains. Everything was really prepared so you could go straight to bed when you came back to the room in the evening.
The hotel itself is also very beautiful, well not the outside, but the inside.
The lobby is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, awesome! The bar was also very nice and some evenings of the week they offered live music, and funnily they had a small stage on top of the bar. I have never seen anything similar before!
The hotel also had several restaurants, a bakery, a shopping arcade, a large business centre, an outdoor swimming pool, a beauty saloon, and an excellent fitness centre.
The breakfast was served in the Lemon Garden restaurant and it was easily the largest and most extensive breakfast buffet I have ever seen. I thought I had seen a lot when it comes to breakfast buffets, but this one was absolutely enormous. They could have kept the buffet and used it as lunch and dinner buffet as well, that’s how much food there was.
A fun feature of the breakfast buffet was also a chocolate fountain where you could dip things in chocolate, the children obviously loved it, and actually many adults did as well. :D
Overall it was a fantastic hotel experience, one of the best ones I have ever had. The service was flawless and the hotel had so much to offer that you hardly needed to leave it.
On top of that it was very incredibly affordable, I still can’t believe how little I paid considering everything I got.
I warmly recommend the hotel and I really hope I will get the chance to experience more Shangri-la hotels in the future.
Pics
The entrance to the Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2642.jpg)
The beautiful lobby! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2646.jpg)
Another photo of the gorgeous lobby (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2653.jpg)
The reception and the concierge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2654.jpg)
The nice bar (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2628.jpg)
The bar in the evening with live music (notice the stage on top of the bar!) (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2644.jpg)
The two girls entertaining in the bar, they were pretty good! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2648.jpg)
The bakery in the hotel (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2630.jpg)
The enormous breakfast buffet in the morning, this is just a part of it! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2661.jpg)
The chocolate fountain in the breakfast buffet (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2663.jpg)
The swimming pool (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2664.jpg)
Inside my room (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2563.jpg)
The view from my room, quite nice! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2565.jpg)
And finally:
The famous Merdeka Square and the two (actually three) towers at night (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2637.jpg)
jacob_m
Dec 3, 06, 2:40 am
I had a transfer booked from the hotel at 2 pm (again included in the rate) and I arrived at the airport around two hours before departure.
I checked in at the Singapore Airlines first class counter, there were two first class desks open and both of them were empty, so no wait at all.
The check-in agent was very nice and pleasant but got a bit confused with my rather strange routing, it took a little while before she understood where I was going and how many ticket coupons she should use.
My luggage was checked all the way to Bangkok and I also received boarding passes for both legs that she put in a nice red SQ first class folder.
She also checked the immigration rules for Thailand, and I didn’t need a visa (I had already checked) but she said I needed a passport-sized photo for immigration.
I didn’t know that, and I was pretty sure I didn’t have any, so the next thing would have be to look for a photo booth. Although just before I left the check-in counter I suddenly remembered I had some photos in one of the suitcases (well I packed the suitcases several weeks earlier, so not too strange I had forgotten about them).
Fortunately she had not sent my bags away so I had a look in one of my suitcase and actually found them, nice, problem solved!
Next I was off to passport control, I had been given an invitation at check-in to use the fast-track line (just like when I arrived) and it was completely empty so I was quickly processed.
I then took the skytrain from the main terminal building to the satellite where the gate and all the lounges are located.
Pics
The International transit hall in the satellite at Kuala Lumpur airport (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2665.jpg)
Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge, Kuala Lumpur
I had read on the internet that the Thai lounge was supposed to be nice and worth a visit, this is where all the star golds are directed as the Singapore Airlines lounge is a dedicated first class lounge.
The young girl at the reception seemed very bored and spent her time texting messages to people. She was friendly though when I arrived and let me in without a comment.
The lounge was actually surprisingly nice, just like I had read. A nice pink interior, comfortable chairs, and a nice view of the apron. It was also very empty with only 5-6 people inside.
There was a self-service buffet available with some light snack: sandwiches, yoghurt, fresh fruit and some pastries. They seem to offer some hot food as well, perhaps later during the day.
I had some light snacks to eat before heading over to the Singapore Airlines lounge.
Pics
The entrance to the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2671.jpg)
Inside the nice lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2667.jpg)
Light snacks to eat (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2668.jpg)
Singapore Airlines First class lounge, Kuala Lumpur
The Singapore Airlines lounge was right opposite the Thai Airways lounge, only a few meters walk.
Even though it is a dedicated first class lounge (no star gold access) there were plenty of people inside and the lounge ended up being very crowded closer to departure.
It is really too small considering all the people who use it and the last passengers who entered the lounge had problems finding empty seats.
The lounge had a small self-service bar with sandwiches, pastries and some hot snacks. It had a good drinks selection as well with wine and plenty of spirits, but no champers.
As the lounge was so small and crowded I think the Thai lounge is actually a better choice. OK, it isn’t a first class lounge, but it’s nicer, has roughly the same amount of food and drinks, and it is far less crowded. But it was nice to visit both lounges so I could compare.
While in the lounge I also visited the reception desk to ask if I could change the seat for the flight, I had an aisle seat but would prefer a window seat.
She said it was unfortunately not possible since the flight was full. Well no big deal, it was only a short flight anyway.
Pics
The entrance to the Singapore Airlines First class lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2672.jpg)
Inside the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2674.jpg)
The self-service buffet area (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2673.jpg)
Light snacks and red wine, and the nice SQ First class folder I got (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2675.jpg)
Kuala Lumpur-Singapore, flight SQ 113 operated by Singapore Airlines
Departure: 17:00
Arrival: 17:55
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: First Class
Seat: 15H
In Kuala Lumpur the security control takes place at the gate, just like in Singapore. It took some time to get through, and there was no priority line available.
At the opposite end of the gate area there were two doors to the aircraft leading to the two passenger bridges in use. First class passengers were allowed to board at their leisure, so I walked straight onboard through the left door.
I was greeted onboard and shown to my seat. My jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink, only soft drinks though so I had some orange juice.
A man next to me asked for a glass of beer before departure, and he actually got some, so they seem to have alcohol onboard, but you need to ask for it.
We departed right on time, and just like the previous flight there was a meal service onboard, despite the short flight time.
On this flight there was a choice between chicken sandwich and beef sandwich, I had the latter. It was once again served on proper first class china accompanied by crisps and salad. It was really a proper meal this time and I was feeling quite full afterwards.
They also served coffee, tea and soft drinks onboard.
I was once again impressed by how much they managed to do during only 45 minutes. ^
Due to a lot of inbound traffic to Singapore it took some time before we were allowed to start our approach and we ended up landing ten minutes late despite an on-time departure.
First class passengers were once again allowed off first through the front door.
Pics
Welcome onboard flight SQ 113 to Singapore (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2679.jpg)
Light meal to Singapore (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2680.jpg)
The First class cabin onboard the Boeing 777 (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2681.jpg)
Singapore Airlines First class lounge, Singapore
I had plenty of time before the next departure, well over two hours, so I went to the nice Singapore Airlines first class lounge again.
On this visit the bar was open and manned, so I asked for a glass of Dom Perignon.
There was of course still plenty to eat as well, but since I expected a full meal service on my next flight to Bangkok I only had some fresh fruit and some lovely Häagen Dazs ice cream to eat. I think there might have been a second glass of champagne as well ;)
Even though I did not have a lot to eat in the lounge and only got a light meal from Kuala Lumpur I was starting to feel quite full, I guess the champagne might have had something to do with it as well.
Pics
The entrance to the lounge, the bar to the left and newspapers to the right (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2689.jpg)
Inside the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2683.jpg)
The aquarium in the lounge (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2684.jpg)
The very extensive buffet area (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2685.jpg)
The bar, open and manned this time (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2686.jpg)
Light snacks to eat and a glass of Dom Perignon (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2687.jpg)
After checking my e-mails I left the lounge and walked around the terminal for a while to see if I could find anything nice to buy in the many tax-free shops before finally proceeding to the departure gate.
Just like last time the monitors indicated the gate was closing for my flight already 45 minutes before departure, but naturally I didn’t believe a word of it.
Pics
Plenty of shops in the transit area (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2690.jpg)
Singapore-Bangkok, flight SQ 632 operated by Singapore Airlines
Departure: 20:35
Arrival: 22:00
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: First Class
Seat: 01F
As always in Singapore the security control took place at the gate.
As the flight was continuing from Bangkok to Tokyo it had a nice mix of people onboard and the man in charge of the security control had a hard time communicating with people, many passengers spoke virtually no English.
Boarding had already started so I could walk straight onboard after security.
Two passenger bridges were in use, first class and business class passengers used the left one and economy class passengers the right one.
Once onboard I was shown to my seat by a young female flight attendant and my jacket was taken.
Shortly afterwards the purser came to greet me, and he then asked me if I had a favourite seat onboard. I thought that was a strange question to ask after I had just come onboard, but I told him I didn’t really know, I had pre-booked 01F and was quite happy with that seat.
And then the surprise came, he told me I would be the only first class passenger onboard to Bangkok, so obviously I could sit wherever I wanted!!! :)
Wow, a whole cabin to myself!! That had actually never happened to me before, and when it finally happened it was onboard Singapore Airlines in first class, can it get any better?? :D
And consequently I soon realised there would be a Singapore Airlines girl just serving me!! :)
I was asked if I wanted anything to drink before departure and I decided to go for a glass of Krug.
Top-ups were also offered and I actually had second glass, but with all the champagne in the lounge before the flight I felt I had had enough afterwards and declined further top-ups.
I could not help feeling a bit bad about asking for champagne and then only drinking two glasses, after all they opened a whole bottle just for me. Same thing about the wine later.
Soon the doors were closed and they started preparing the cabin for departure, still nobody else in first class except for me, a very strange feeling!
There are 12 seats onboard the Boeing 777 in first class, two rows with a 2-2-2 configuration, but it was all empty.
We took off right on time and headed to the north and to Bangkok.
After the seat belt sign was off they closed the curtains between Raffles class and first class and the inflight service started.
I was offered nuts and more drinks and I asked for some red wine, four glasses of champagne is really enough.
On this flight I had ordered Book the cook, the chicken dish with spinach, and the flight attendant confirmed my meal was onboard.
Still I was given a menu and there were three main courses on offer, and all three had been loaded onboard just for me, even though I had ordered Book the cook.
The flight attendant specifically told me I was allowed to change if I wanted something else, but I was actually happy with my meal choice.
Amazing!! So I basically had four choices of main course!! They really must waste so much food in first class…
I have no menu from this flight to post, the flight attendant removed it after the meal and there was actually no point in keeping it anyway.
The appetizer was salmon, the main course was Book the cook, and then they served fresh fruit.
The drink list was exactly the same as the Sydney-Singapore flight (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6778238&postcount=104), even the wines were the same.
The salmon served as appetizer was very good, and I was very happy with the main course as well (Book the cook), the only problem was that I was so full at that time that I could not finish all of it.
They didn’t serve any dessert onboard, but they offered a good selection of fresh fruit.
I was definitely not familiar with all the fruit on offer as there were a lot of local Asian fruits in the basket, but the flight attendant happily explained what it was and how to eat it.
Since she was obviously not in a hurry she really took some time to explain which I appreciated, I always enjoy trying local food.
Needless to say the service onboard was excellent, it really could not have been more attentive, for obvious reasons. :)
Still it was a bit awkward being the only passenger in first class, the flight attendant wanted to be just as attentive as they always are onboard, but at the same time she didn’t really want to stand looking at me eating and pass my seat every two minutes in case I wanted something.
But she did it just right, the service was very attentive without being intrusive. Just like on previous flights they have an amazing ability on Singapore Airlines to figure out when you have finished eating and when you need top-ups of water and whatever else you are drinking.
The purser also passed several times and asked if everything was OK. Since I was the only passenger in F basically the entire crew in the front cabins knew my name, and everybody kept smiling at me whenever they passed. It was quite fun!! :)
All too soon we started out descent into Bangkok, the flight time to Bangkok was just a little over two hours.
Before landing the purser came a last time to check that I was satisfied with the flight and the service, I naturally said yes, I really had no reason to say otherwise.
I also took the opportunity to ask if they had the writing kit onboard, which they indeed had. It’s always nice to have an extra Singapore Airlines first class pen to bring home as a souvenir.
The flight attendant also offered me a bottle of water since “it could be a long taxi ride to Bangkok”. Well an extra bottle of water is always good to have so I happily accepted it.
We landed right on time at the new Suvarnabhumi airport, I was quite excited to see what it would look like inside, the flight attendant had not been there before either.
After being safely parked they did the usual first class arrangements, even though I was the only first class passenger. The curtains between first class and business class were closed and were not opened again until all first class passengers had left the plane, i.e. until I had left the plane.
I chatted a bit more with the crew while we were waiting for the passenger bridge to be positioned. We talked about Japan and our favourite places there (they were continuing to Tokyo an hour later) and also a bit about the new airport in Bangkok.
The purser had been to the new airport before and he said that things work quite well now, but in the beginning there were lots of problems.
Soon the gate staff knocked on the door to indicate it was safe to open and I was the first passenger to leave the plane.
The new Bangkok airport looked quite nice, sure it is not as “cosy” as the old Don Muang, but I had expected it to be a lot worse after all the negative comments I had read.
There was no line at immigration and they didn’t need a photo either as I had been told in Kuala Lumpur, it was actually very smooth.
The baggage delivery started fairly quickly with the priority baggage out first, I noticed my bags even had two priority tags, one first class tag and one standard red *A tag.
Pics
The First class cabin to Bangkok, a whole cabin to myself!! :) (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2692.jpg)
Red wine to drink after take-off (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2693.jpg)
The table setting (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2696.jpg)
Appetizer (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2697.jpg)
Main course (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2698.jpg)
Fresh fruit from Asia (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2699.jpg)
A cup of coffee (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2700.jpg)
Inflight entertainment, "Travel and Living" about Pays de la Loire in France (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2701.jpg)
Did anybody say priority? My very priority-tagged suitcase!! (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2705.jpg)
In the arrivals hall I was as always approached by several people asking me if I needed a taxi. Since I was quite properly dressed and had first class tags on my luggage I guess I was an attractive target.
I naturally didn’t believe a word of it and just ignored them, but finding the real taxi stand turned out to be very tricky, there were hardly any signs and I had to ask an airport employee to get directions.
It was actually located one floor below the arrivals hall, well that explains why I did not find it.
The taxi stand was not the most impressive of places, there was basically a desk there with some handwritten signs, that’s about all the information we got. I hope that was only a temporary solution until they can make proper arrangements.
At least the staff were very friendly and they explained to all people in the queue the different taxi charges and also asked us where we were going and wrote down the destination in Thai on a piece of paper.
When the taxis arrived they also helped passengers with the luggage and wrote down the registration number of the taxi on a receipt.
It is very unlikely you will be overcharged with all these arrangements, I actually paid less than I had expected to get to the hotel, which was nice!!
Pics
The taxi queue at the new airport in Bangkok (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2702.jpg)
Next it’s time for Thai Airways in First class and a test of the First class facilities at the brand new Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok… :)
SMART51
Dec 3, 06, 4:09 am
Please Jacob 2 questions for you:
1) What is that fruit in the Plastic container?
2) Where is the picture of the F/A;)
fumitani
Dec 3, 06, 6:19 am
Please Jacob 2 questions for you:
1) What is that fruit in the Plastic container?
2) Where is the picture of the F/A;)
I can answer question #1 for you it's Pomelo or in Thai it's called Som-O :)
I ditto pics of F/A's please :D
jacob_m
Dec 3, 06, 1:55 pm
Please Jacob 2 questions for you:
1) What is that fruit in the Plastic container?
2) Where is the picture of the F/A;)
1) Thanks fumitani! I had actually forgotten the name of the fruit, but I recognised the name when I saw it.
It was quite good, tasted a bit like grapefruit.
2) If we are talking about Singapore Airlines girls (which I presume we are) I unfortunately don't have any pics of the nice one who served me on the SIN-BKK flight.
But there is actually a nice girl on the first SIN-KUL photo, if you are eager to see some SQ girls. ;)
jacob_m
Dec 3, 06, 1:56 pm
I stayed overnight in Bangkok at the Radisson hotel. The main benefit of this hotel was its location in the outskirts of the city centre close to the highway, which enabled a quick access to and from the airport.
As quite a few Scandinavians go to Bangkok I also hoped that the hotel would be aware of the upgrade benefit I have as an SAS gold card holder, and in fact they were!
Upon arrival I was upgraded to a room on the executive floor, which meant the 22nd floor. Not sure what the difference was between an executive room and a standard room, but at least I had a spectacular view from my room and there was also a small executive lounge I had access to with free coffee and soft drinks (I don’t know what they had in the evening).
At noon the following day I checked out of the hotel and went back to the new Suvarnabhumi airport.
The only thing I got to see of Bangkok was the view from the executive lounge, but I had been to Bangkok before and had no interest in spending any time there on this trip anyway.
Pics
Bangkok seen from the Executive lounge in the hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2708.jpg)
Thai Airways Royal First class check-in area
At the airport there were several entrances from the taxi drop off area, I noticed there was a large sign saying “Royal Silk/Royal First" above one of the entrances to the very left, so that’s where I went.
Once inside I was greeted by a young man who asked me in what class I was travelling and I replied “first class”. He also asked what airline I was flying and to what destination, and when he was certain I was a Thai Airways first class passenger he immediately offered to take my trolley and escorted me to the first class check-in area, a secluded area to the very left of the main departure hall.
The first class check-in area looked very nice, very bright, clean and modern, you could see the place was very new.
He escorted me to a desk where I was greeted by two female check-in agents who asked for my ticket and passport. They were both very nice and professional but also confident enough to joke with me a bit. Overall the check-in was very pleasant!
When they had checked my ticket and asked me the usual questions they asked me to have a seat in one of the nice armchairs opposite the desk while they completed the check-in process.
The porter from the entrance put the luggage on the scale, and I honestly have no idea what happened to my luggage afterwards, but I did not see a baggage belt by the desk.
After a little while one of the check-in agents then came to my seat and handed over my ticket, passport and boarding pass and told me she would escort me to the lounge. Nice!! :)
She first escorted me to the airport tax counter for premium passengers where I paid the departure tax, and then to the passport control (also a dedicated one for premium passengers). We then took the escalator one floor down to the lounge entrance.
The young check-in agent who escorted me was very nice and pleasant and I took the opportunity to ask her a bit about the new airport and the facilities available.
At the lounge entrance I thought the escort was over, but not quite! This was actually the entrance to the Royal Silk lounge, but since I was in F I should obviously use the Royal First class lounge, which wasn’t really there.
A man was standing by the entrance to the Royal Silk lounge with an electrical car (similar to a golf cart) and the girl told me he would take me to the first class lounge. Wow!! ^
I said good-bye and thanks to the girl and took a seat on the electric car, and off we went! We passed the entire Royal Silk lounge before reaching the entrance to the first class lounge. Very nice!! :)
So far I had been at the airport for around 10 minutes, and I had already got help with my luggage by a porter, got escort from check-in through all the airport formalities, and been taken to the lounge by an electric car. Not bad!! :D
Pics
The entrance to the Thai Airways Royal First class check-in area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2714.jpg)
Inside the nice First class check-in area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2715.jpg)
One of the nice armchairs where you can sit and wait ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2716.jpg)
Thai Airways Royal First class lounge, Bangkok
I was greeted at the entrance and showed the lounge attendant my boarding pass, but considering my arrival at the lounge "by car” it was not too hard to figure out I was entitled to go inside.
The brand new Thai Royal First class lounge looked very nice and very new, I really got a very good first impression.
It was not at all crowded and there were plenty of armchairs and sofas and even separate rooms with seats if you wanted to get some privacy or if you were a group of people.
I had a seat in one of the sofas and was immediately approached by a lounge attendant who asked me if I wanted anything to drink, a minute later I had a glass of Moet & Chandon on my table.
Next I went to check out the food offerings, I had not had any lunch yet. There was a separate room with a buffet: some sandwiches, cold cuts, fresh fruit and nice desserts.
I took a plate but was approached by a woman who offered to help me, apparently they want you to just tell what you want and then let them place it on a plate for you, and afterwards they also bring it to the table with a napkin and cutlery.
I almost prefer to do these things myself, but OK, I’m really not complaining. ;)
I still had plenty of time before departure so I had another glass of Moet and some more to eat.
They had some nice fresh fruit on offer for example and it was partly the same as I had got on the SQ flight from Singapore the night before, so now I knew what it was.
I also tried some of the nice desserts, delicious!! Finally I ordered a cup of coffee which arrived on a large tray decorated with a flower.
Overall the lounge was very pleasant and the staff was excellent. It was very nice to be in a lounge which had not been in use for more than two months, something you could really notice.
There was also a business centre in the lounge with free internet which I visited later. Next to the business centre they also had a very good selection of newspapers and I even found copies of the four major Swedish newspapers (albeit 1-3 days old). I had not read a Swedish newspaper for over one and a half month so one of them ended up in my bag to read on the flight.
I did not see any signs about free massage though, and I had read there should be spa facilities available for first class passengers as well, although I didn’t ask.
My guess is that they are focusing on the core facilities first (food, drinks, internet etc) as the lounge is still very new, I think the girl who escorted me mentioned something about it as well. There was actually a part of the lounge on the way to the restrooms which seemed empty with no signs on the doors, so perhaps that’s where they are planning to have more facilities in the future.
After around two hours in the lounge I left to have a look around the new airport.
Pics
Inside the Thai Airways Royal First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2717.jpg)
The bar in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2718.jpg)
Cocktail sandwiches and fresh fruit to eat, and a glass of Moet & Chandon! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2720.jpg)
More fresh fruit, delicious desserts, and another glass of Moet ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2724.jpg)
Coffee ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2725.jpg)
One of the nice lounge attendants ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2723.jpg)
The main entrance to the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2729.jpg)
Suvarnabhumi airport
After leaving the lounge I followed the signs for the main transit hall and the tax-free shops, I had to take an escalator to get there.
There were plenty of shops there, the shopping area was quite large and actually not bad at all.
Although I can see the point people are making about the airport being a bit sterile, even though Don Muang was not the most modern of airports it did at least have some atmosphere.
Suvarnabhumi on the other hand might be modern and does have quite a few nice-looking shops, but it lacks the nice atmosphere and the terminal could just as well have been located anywhere else in the world.
They have one of those Thai houses inside though, similar to the ones they had at Don Muang, which makes it feel at least a little bit like Thailand.
Pics
The transit area at the new airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2732.jpg)
Plenty of shops in the transit area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2733.jpg)
The C-pier ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2734.jpg)
Bangkok-Hong Kong, flight TG 606 operated by Thai Airways
Departure: 16:00
Arrival: 19:45
Aircraft: Boeing 747-300
Class: First Class
Seat: 04K
My flight departed from the C-pier which was very close to the shopping area, only a short walk.
Security took place at the entrance to the pier and afterwards there was an escalator down to the gate level.
The gate to Hong Kong was already open and before entering the gate area they asked for my boarding pass and passport, so the gate area is actually a restricted area.
There were two doors at the end of the gate, one marked first class and business class, and the other one marked economy class.
When the boarding started around 20 minutes before departure priority boarding was offered and we also used the appropriate door to get onboard.
Pics
The Boeing 747 at the gate in Bangkok ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2735.jpg)
The gate area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2736.jpg)
There is a separate exit for first class and business class passengers ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2738.jpg)
Once onboard I was greeted by the purser and escorted to my seat where he also offered to take my jacket.
The aircraft was an old Boeing 747-300, one of the oldest (if not the oldest) aircraft used by Thai Airways. Even though the seats are both wide and comfortable with plenty of space and legroom they feel very old-fashioned by today’s standard. They don’t even have personal TVs onboard, not even in first class.
The flight time to Hong Kong was quite short though so it really didn’t matter that much, but on a longhaul flight it would have been a bit different.
On the other hand Thai only uses these planes on short routes and use the new Boeing 747s with the new first class seats on the more important longhaul routes.
I had actually kept my fingers crossed for a last-minute aircraft change to experience the new first class, but unfortunately no luck. Well no big deal, after all I was still in first class onboard, and the old seats are comfortable enough.
A nice thing about the Boeing 747-300 though is that they have a small table in the middle of the first class cabin where they put newspapers and magazines during boarding.
Later during the meal service they use it for all the bottles and glasses so they don’t have to go back to the galley every time they need something. It actually looks pretty nice, like having a private bar in the cabin, and it means you can also have a look yourself what they have on offer.
I guess during longer flights they also use the table as a small self-service buffet.
Before departure drinks were offered, and by now I probably don’t even have to mention what I asked for.
I forgot to ask which one they served though, and I never saw the bottle, but in the Thai forum they talk a lot about Dom, so that’s probably what it was.
The crew also decided to keep the plane on the ground for some time to wait for some delayed connecting passengers, we actually didn’t push back until 4.40 pm, 40 minutes late.
I think they waited for something like 10 passengers, well nice for them, but not quite as nice for the rest of us 300 passengers already sitting onboard.
Well the positive thing about the delay was that I had time for more bubbles. :)
We were finally airborne around 4.50 pm and we were told they had some marginal in the timetable so we would only arrive a few minutes late in Hong Kong.
Pics
Welcome onboard! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2740.jpg)
The First class cabin on the Boeing 747 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2751.jpg)
Plenty of newspapers and magazines ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2742.jpg)
A glass of champagne before take-off ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2745.jpg)
Lining up for departure with the huge terminal building in the background ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2749.jpg)
Meal service
During the flight they offered a full meal service in first class.
I was really surprised (positively surprised) how much food they served on the flight, despite a flight time of only about 2h 20 min.
They actually served a five courses dinner onboard with appetizer, soup, main course, cheese, and dessert. Very impressive!! ^
Pics
The First class menu ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2754.jpg)
Hot savouries
Fried spring roll Hong Kong style
Deep-fried crab claw
Soup
Five color balls (Mixed vegetables soup)
Lobster bisque
Main course
Crab claw and vermicelli Chinese style
Egg fried rice, cucumber, tomato
After the seat belt sign was off the meal service started with more drinks and nuts and at the same time they handed out the menu in a nice folder.
There was no drink list though, but there were several options of both wine and spirits and the flight attendants always showed the bottle before serving.
The appetizer was spring rolls and crab claw served with some sauce, yummy!!
Afterwards the tables were prepared with tablecloths and cutlery and they took the meal orders.
I had the vegetable soup followed by the Japanese salmon teriyaki which was fantastic!!
After the main course I was offered a large and pretty impressive fruit and cheese plate with crackers, and finally they offered chocolate fudge cake, chocolate pralines and coffee.
I also asked for a glass of whiskey, and they had Chivas onboard, my favourite!
Overall it was a very nice meal service, very impressive for such a short flight time.
Although the crew tried to be efficient to manage all of it the meal service never felt rushed, I had plenty of time to eat all five courses without any stress.
Regarding the service onboard the flight attendants were very nice and friendly, just like the Thais are in general, however they never made an effort to learn our names. I was not addressed by name onboard one single time, not even when they had the passenger manifest in front of them.
On the other hand it was only a short flight, and I actually prefer that they use their time to provide good service rather than wasting time learning my name.
When it came to service they really tried hard and they should definitely get some credit for their efforts, even though the service was not as polished as e.g. Singapore Airlines.
Overall it was a very nice and pleasant flight, even though the interior of the plane was not really top-notch the service well made up for it, I left the plane as a happy customer!
Pics
Red wine and nuts after take-off ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2752.jpg)
Appetizer ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2753.jpg)
The table setting ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2756.jpg)
Soup ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2757.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2759.jpg)
Cheese and fruit ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2760.jpg)
Chocolate fudge cake, coffee, a glass of Chivas, and chocolate pralines ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2763.jpg)
The table in the middle of the cabin with the drinks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2761.jpg)
Soon there! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2769.jpg)
Arrival in Hong Kong and the Thai Airways First class arrival service
Despite the very late departure from Bangkok we landed only 15 minutes late in Hong Kong, so the captain was right when he said they had some marginal in the schedule.
In Hong Kong Thai offers a very nice arrival service for first class passengers.
Being in first class we were of course allowed off the plane first and at the gate there were employees with “Royal First” signs calling for first class passengers.
I approached one of them and they asked for my name and checked my name on a list. I was then told I would be taken to immigration by an electric car. Each car could take three passengers and I ended up in the first one and left the gate before most other passengers had even left the plane .
Anybody who has been to Hong Kong knows the huge walking distance in the terminal, and our plane really parked at the end of the Y-pier, so this arrival service was very appreciated.
But it did not just save us the walk, it also meant we arrived early at immigration which definitely saved me a considerable amount of time, a large group of passengers arrived at immigration just a minute after us, several planes seemed to have landed at the same time.
The priority luggage was already on the belt so I was on my way to Hong Kong within 30 minutes or so after getting off the plane. Not bad!!
Pics
The electric car in Hong Kong that took all first class passengers to the immigration ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2773.jpg)
And finally:
An updated map of my travels so far! (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA-YYZ-YUL-YQB-YUL-NYC-LAX-SFO-SEA-DEN-DFW-LAX-TYO-OSA-AKL-SYD-WLG-AKL-RAR-PPT-AKL-CHC-SYD-SIN-KUL-SIN-BKK-HKG&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=&MAP-STYLE=)
Kiwi Flyer
Dec 3, 06, 3:23 pm
She asked me if I wanted anything to drink, and after saying “champagne would be nice” I got the question I had been waiting for, if I wanted Krug or Dom Perignon. :)
I finally decided to go for Dom Perignon, but after having had quite a few glasses of both now I think Krug is actually my favourite, although they are of course both very good.
Top-ups were also offered as well as newspapers and magazines.
While I was sipping Krug in my lovely first class suite people were still boarding, and I could see many passengers looking into the first class cabin with envy and looking at me sitting there with my glass of champagne in my huge seat (most passengers in F had still not boarded yet).
You managed to sample both champagnes pre-departure? ^
SMART51
Dec 3, 06, 3:32 pm
1) Thanks fumitani! I had actually forgotten the name of the fruit, but I recognised the name when I saw it.
It was quite good, tasted a bit like grapefruit.
2) If we are talking about Singapore Airlines girls (which I presume we are) I unfortunately don't have any pics of the nice one who served me on the SIN-BKK flight.
But there is actually a nice girl on the first SIN-KUL photo, if you are eager to see some SQ girls. ;)
No i am referring to this
The guy just smiled and disappeared, and seconds later he was back with one of the nice-looking flight attendants who sat down on my lap, and the result…well one hell of a crazy photo!!!
But sorry guys, I understand your curiosity, but no I’m not going to publicly embarrass myself on the internet, I’ll keep that photo to myself (although it’s definitely part of my permanent collection now
jacob_m
Dec 3, 06, 4:14 pm
You managed to sample both champagnes pre-departure? ^
Hmmm... I think that's actually a printing error! It should say Dom the second time as well, I think I only had Dom on that flight, but I did have Krug on the SIN-BKK flight (as well as on a few other flights).
I'm actually quite surprised I remember all this, which one I had on which flight (actually I really don't remember, I'm reading from my notes :D).
Well done noticing the mistake though, I actually try to read through what I have posted to correct errors and spelling mistakes, but I didn't see that one. ^
No i am referring to this
I have already told I am not going to upload that photo, twice!! So please leave it!!
I only mentioned it because it's a fun story!
I have uploaded 430 photos now, with still a few more to come, so hopefully there should be something else to look at...
fumitani
Dec 3, 06, 5:03 pm
1) Thanks fumitani! I had actually forgotten the name of the fruit, but I recognised the name when I saw it.
It was quite good, tasted a bit like grapefruit.
You are certainly welcome :) I see you had it on your SQ flight in the lounge and on TG ^
Waiting for your next flight read now. Hopefully I'll be able to write a trip report good as yours :-:
SMART51
Dec 3, 06, 5:31 pm
I have already told I am not going to upload that photo, twice!! So please leave it!!
I only mentioned it because it's a fun story!
I have uploaded 430 photos now, with still a few more to come, so hopefully there should be something else to look at...
Sorry Jacob i was only teasing i respect your privacy.:o
jacob_m
Dec 3, 06, 5:51 pm
Sorry Jacob i was only teasing i respect your privacy.
Apology accepted! :) But just leave it now, it is a private photo that was never intended to become public, and it will stay that way.
I really want to focus my energy on finishing the report instead and make it as good as possible until the very end, especially since I have been writing on it for over two weeks now a couple of hours a day, and obviously start to feel a bit tired.
SMART51
Dec 3, 06, 5:57 pm
Apology accepted! :) But just leave it now, it is a private photo that was never intended to become public, and it will stay that way.
I really want to focus my energy on finishing the report instead and make it as good as possible until the very end, especially since I have been writing on it a couple of hours a day for over two weeks now and obviously start to feel a bit tired.
All who have read your report myself included do appreciate the effort and the energy you put in it.
Promise i will never mention that thing again.:D
Keep on the good work and thank you again.
Moomba
Dec 3, 06, 6:36 pm
I really want to focus my energy on finishing the report instead and make it as good as possible until the very end, especially since I have been writing on it for over two weeks now a couple of hours a day, and obviously start to feel a bit tired.
Maybe there is something to be said for writing these things as you go. ;)
Although the down side of that is you eat up some of you travel time writing reports and uploading pictures. Many of my posts took over 2 hours to put together in hotel rooms of an evening. :(
I would like to echo SMART51's comments about your report being appreciated. It has generated a lot of interest and deservedly so IMHO.
Keep going you must not be too far from the end now.
I was glad you finally got to the SQ portion, as you know I was one of those eagerly awaiting those posts. ^
Kiwi Flyer
Dec 3, 06, 7:13 pm
Maybe there is something to be said for writing these things as you go. ;)
Although the down side of that is you eat up some of you travel time writing reports and uploading pictures. Many of my posts took over 2 hours to put together in hotel rooms of an evening. :(
I try to write as I go, but mostly in airport lounges - better things to do of an evening ;) I am sure if I left it to write until afterwards I would start getting confused - which flight was this thing I remember, the one I am writing about or from a subsequent trip?
jacob_m you're doing a splendid job, sounds like I will have some more reading for my next flight ^
upgrade lover
Dec 3, 06, 9:46 pm
jacob_m Keep up the great work^ ^
I know how much time you have put into this report! It is truly one of the best:)
Yesterday, when the board was very slow I was upset because I could not get to your next installment.
Your efforts have not gone un-noticed and they are really appreciated. This is really a trip of a lifetime and I for one, am getting vicarious pleasure reading about your journey:D
jacob_m
Dec 4, 06, 6:02 am
Maybe there is something to be said for writing these things as you go. ;)
Although the down side of that is you eat up some of you travel time writing reports and uploading pictures. Many of my posts took over 2 hours to put together in hotel rooms of an evening. :(
As we discussed earlier there really are pros and cons of both options.
I'm quite happy I didn't spend my time in for example the South Pacific typing menus and uploading pics, a time-consuming and boring job.
On the other hand writing it back home means you have to write all of it at the same time and you may forget details, but instead you can do it properly and you don't waste time at the destinations/in the lounges.
Two hours is probably what I also spend on average on each post.
It really takes a good amount of time with the pics, to upload, include the links in the report, and finally check that everything works.
I would like to echo SMART51's comments about your report being appreciated. It has generated a lot of interest and deservedly so IMHO.
Keep going you must not be too far from the end now.
With 132 replies and soon 10,000 views I am certainly not complaining about a lack of interest!!! :D
I am absolutely amazed to see the interest it has generated and the amount of comments I have got so far, which is very nice and very appreciated!! ^
It is a pleasure writing it (otherwise I wouldn't do it), just takes a bit of time.
Probably 5-6 instalments left depending on how I decide to structure it.
sporadic
Dec 4, 06, 7:24 am
^ ^ Can't wait. :D :D Stories of more girls. :D :D ^ ^
jacob_m
Dec 4, 06, 1:25 pm
During my stay in Hong Kong I made a day-visit to Macau (one hour by ferry) and a two days visit to Guangzhou to get a taste of real China. Even though Hong Kong is now technically a part of China, it still isn’t real China (culturally and administratively).
Funnily you still have to bring a passport to travel between Hong Kong and China even though it’s administratively the same country.
Guangzhou (or Canton as it is known as in the west for some time) has around four million inhabitants and is located two hours by train north of Hong Kong.
I think my guidebook summarises quite well what the city is about “Guangzhou isn’t exactly the prettiest of cities, but it’s a real Chinese city”.
Since I’m not a big fan of over-exploited tourist places packed with souvenir shops, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Guangzhou. As a matter of fact there are hardly any tourists there, the only westerners who make it to Guangzhou are a few business people (plenty of industries in the region) and American couples coming to adopt Chinese babies.
For the latter there is actually a hotel in Guangzhou where most of these couples stay called White Swan Hotel, and it has got the unofficial name “White Stork Hotel”.
I had to get a visa to go to China and it was arranged well in advance through the Chinese embassy in London close to Great Portland Street.
Quite a few Brits seem to go to China in these days, it actually took two hours before I reached the counter, and they don’t accept applications by mail.
My application was approved though, and three days later I could collect my passport with a valid Chinese visa for a stay up to 30 days.
By train to Guangzhou
To get to Guangzhou I had to take a train. The trains are operated by Kowloon-Canton Railway Company (KCRC) and depart from Hung Hom station in Hong Kong, just east of Tsim Sha Tsui.
What I didn’t know when I booked the tickets was that KCRC only operates some of the trains themselves, the other train departures are outsourced to the Chinese national railway company (whatever it is called).
The train to Guangzhou was indeed a proper Chinese train with a Chinese train crew onboard, quite an experience.
There was one train attendant (all of them girls) in each carriage who spoke almost no English, and during the train ride they kept going back and forth the aisle selling things from trays and calling out what they had on offer in Chinese (well Cantonese).
Nothing was ever said in English and there was no chance to see what was on the trays as everything was either packaged or in boxes, I didn’t see anybody buying from them.
A nice surprise though was that they handed out a bottle of water for free to each passenger, but there was never ever a smile, you could really feel the train was operated by the state railways of China.
The train attendants also handed out immigration forms and health declaration forms and when she got to my seat she said “passport” and pointed at the forms before continuing. Well I got it!
Quite an experience, but otherwise the train ride was smooth and hassle-free.
On the way back to Hong Kong the train in use was a proper KCRC train with a Hong Kong-based crew who spoke perfect English.
I had paid 40 HKD extra (only 6 USD) to travel in their premium class, well worth it!
In premium class they served coffee, tea, soft drinks and peanuts free of charge, and there were also free newspapers available. The train carriage was also very nice with a modern and elegant interior and comfortable seats, a very big difference from the Chinese trains.
Pics
The first class car on the train back to Hong Kong, quite nice! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2972.jpg)
Sightseeing in Guangzhou
Guangzhou itself was very interesting to visit, as it is not packed with tourists it felt very genuine and also due to the lack of tourists there were very few beggars, touts and sellers.
I could walk around the city and look around fairly undisturbed, other than some people who looked at me curiously (maybe it was exciting with a white young man) most people did not bother too much about my presence, which is the way it should be. :)
The main tourist attraction in Guangzhou is an island in central Guangzhou by the Pearl River called Shamian Island, that’s where most historical sights are located
Guangzhou was one of Asia’s most important trading places for several centuries, and if I remember the history right Shamian Island was the only place in Guangzhou where westerners were allowed to be. So there are several colonial buildings on the island including an old church and several buildings used for administrative purposes.
Shamian island is really a western oasis in the middle of this huge Chinese city and even in these days it has a large concentration of western hotels and this is also where the US consulate is located.
Pics
The Pearl River in Guangzhou ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2859.jpg)
Colonial houses on Shamian Island ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2868.jpg)
The exotic Qing Ping Market ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2870.jpg)
Another photo of Qing Ping Market ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2875.jpg)
Beijing Lu, the “Oxford Street” of Guangzhou ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2884.jpg)
China Plaza shopping centre, this is described as “The new China” ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2920.jpg)
A statue of some communist victory in Haizhu square ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2930.jpg)
Haizhu Wholesale Market, basically anything labeled “Made in China” can be found here at discounted prices ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2939.jpg)
Sunset over Guangzhou ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2944.jpg)
Dong Fang Hotel, Guangzhou
In Guangzhou I decided to stay in a top-end hotel and after looking around and reading the reviews I could find I decided on a Chinese five-star hotel called Dong Fang.
There are not many international chains in the city yet, there is a Marriott and they are also constructing a Shangri-La, but that’s about it, although I thought it would be more fun to stay in a local hotel anyway.
Accommodation is very cheap in Guangzhou and even in the five-star Dong Fang hotel (renovated just a year ago) I only paid around 140 USD for a Business Deluxe room, basically a minisuite of something like 55 square meters.
The hotel was very nice and the service pretty good as well, but not impeccable. You could notice though that they were struggling hard to adapt to western standards. ^
Everybody spoke excellent English and even though the service wasn’t perfect I really have no complaints about it, they really tried hard!
The only drawback was the prices inside the hotel, even though the room rate was cheap everything else was bloody expensive, and that’s bloody expensive for a European.
In the bar a rather uninspiring club sandwich cost over 10 USD and a cup of coffee around 5 USD.
Still I enjoyed my stay. A nice surprise was also that they had a desk at the train station (Guangzhou East) and offered a free shuttle bus from the station to the hotel and back. ^
Pics
The entrance to Dong Fang Hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2898.jpg)
The nice Chinese garden inside the hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2850.jpg)
Another photo of the nice garden ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2911.jpg)
The lobby in the hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2969.jpg)
The shopping arcade in the hotel ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2907.jpg)
My “Business deluxe” room ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2899.jpg)
The bathroom in my room ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_2846.jpg)
Retrieving my luggage in Hong Kong
Back in Hong Kong I had left my luggage in a locker at Hung Hom station as I didn’t want to bring it to China. There was actually a left luggage facility available, but they close at 10 pm and my train arrived at 10.12 pm, so the luggage locker was the only option.
I had already pre-paid for a day, but there were another 24 hours to pay for and apparently I owed the machine over 100 HKD, and everything had to be paid in coins.
They don’t use a lot of coins in Hong Kong, 5 HKD is the largest value, and occasionally you can get a 10 HKD coin, so I really didn’t have enough coins and just had to keep my fingers crossed the staff at the station or in the shops would be nice to me.
The girl at the ticket counter thought I was absolutely out of my mind asking for over 100 dollars in coins, but she finally decided to help me and I went back to the lockers with both my hands full of coins. Crazy! Well at least I got my luggage… :D
jacob_m
Dec 4, 06, 3:05 pm
Check-in at Kowloon station and to the airport
The next part of this trip is Hong Kong-Zürich-Frankfurt-Brussels with Swiss and Lufthansa, the HKG-ZRH leg is with Swiss in first class, the other legs are in business class.
In Hong Kong they actually offer in-town check-in (even with luggage) at two of the railway stations, so you can check in any time of the day until 90 mins before departure and then go straight to the gate at the airport.
Check-in is offered for all major airlines at both Kowloon Station and Hong Kong Station (in Central), the only requirement is that you have to take the airport train to the airport.
Fair enough! They actually check that you have a valid ticket before you are allowed to check in, there are ticket gates at the entrance to the check-in area, so you either insert your train ticket or touch your Octopus card on the card reader to deduct the fare.
Great service! I really wish more cities would offer in-town check-in. There used to be one at Paddington station in London (for Heathrow), I used it several times while it existed but unfortunately they decided to remove it, what a shame!
I took the free transfer bus from Tsim Sha Tsui to Kowloon station, the bus is free of charge as long as you will take the airport train to the airport (a same-day airline ticket was enough to get me onboard as I did not have a train ticket yet).
I arrived at Kowloon station around 6 pm, even though my flight was not leaving until midnight.
The main reason was that I wanted to have enough time to check out the lounges at the airport. I had read on the internet that Swiss first class passenger are allowed to use the Cathay Pacific lounge “The Wing”, but more about that later.
I bought a train ticket from a machine and inserted it in the ticket gate to enter the check-in area. I found the dedicated Swiss check-in desk almost right opposite the ticket gate.
The check-in agent was busy helping a colleague but a minute later she came to assist me.
She got very confused by my ticket though and had difficulties to figure out where I was actually going (by now I was quite used to this though).
Well everything was sorted out and my luggage was properly tagged all the way to Brussels and as a Swiss first class passenger they also attached the F/HON-tag.
They could only issue a boarding pass to Zürich though since the other flights were not open for check-in yet, not all too surprising since my connecting flight from Zürich would not leave for another 24 hours.
And finally, just what I had been waiting for, I was given an invitation to the Cathay Pacific lounge. I was actually given a proper invitation and they even printed my name, flight number and the date on it, so it looked very nice!
The invitation also clearly stated I was allowed to use the first class side of the lounge! Score! :)
I thanked her for her help and went downstairs to the platform level and caught the train to the airport. It takes around 20 mins to get to the airport from central Hong Kong.
Pics
In-town check-in in central Hong Kong (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3007.jpg)
Inside the Airport Express train to Hong Kong airport (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3039.jpg)
The departure hall at Hong Kong Intl airport (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3040.jpg)
Lounge hopping in Hong Kong
As I said I checked in and left early for the airport to have time for some lounge hopping. This was possible due to the in-town check-in, but I doubt it would have worked without it as the airport check-in probably does not open earlier than three hours before departure.
As you already know I had an invitation to the Cathay Pacific lounge, ranked as one of the best in the world, but that was not the only lounge I had access to.
As a Swiss first class passenger I was also regarded as a Star Alliance first class passengers, and with a same-day Star Alliance boarding pass in F I had access to all Star Alliance first class lounges (and business lounges) at the departure airport, that's what the rules say!
In Hong Kong there are as many as three dedicated Star Alliance first class lounges – Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, and Thai Airways. :)
That's a pretty decent selection of first class lounges!!! I decided to skip the UA lounge, but my intention was to visit the other two lounges plus CX The Wing.
After looking on the internet I found that all lounges would stay open until at least 9.30 pm (The Wing until last CX departure after midnight). As I arrived at the airport just before 7 pm there was still plenty of time for all the lounge visits as planned.
Time to start...
Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge, First Class side, Hong Kong
The Thai Airways lounge was my first stop, the lounge is quite a walk from security in the left pier of the Y-shaped terminal. The lounge is completely new and very nice.
I presented my first class boarding pass at the reception, and after taking a photocopy of my boarding pass I was allowed inside and accordingly directed to the first class side.
No problem at all to enter and they did not mention anything about being in the wrong lounge either. However I was told the lounge would close at 9.30 pm, but I could naturally stay until that time.
The first class side was very empty with only three people inside, Thai only offers first class on two daily flights to Bangkok, so I am surprised they even have a first class lounge.
I had a seat at a table and was approached by young woman who welcomed me to the lounge and gave me the lounge menu, I was also asked if I wanted anything to drink and I asked for a glass of red wine.
While my drink order was taken care of I had a look at the menu, they basically offer an à la carte service to first class passengers, nothing extraordinary, but there is hot food available and you can have a proper meal in the lounge.
I had not had any dinner yet so when the waitress was back with my glass of wine I ordered the pasta dish with chicken.
It took around 10 minutes before the meal arrived, but the pasta was quite good.
I was offered more wine and after the meal I asked for the ice cream and a cup of coffee.
Overall the lounge was very nice and the à la carte service is great!! ^
The Thai Airways lounge is definitely the best lounge choice for *A first class passengers in Hong Kong (unless you fly Swiss and have access to CX The Wing of course ;)).
Other than the mentioned benefits in the first class lounge you are also welcome to make use of the facilities on the business class side where they have a fairly large self-service buffet.
In the lounge they also have a business centre with free internet and nice massage chairs, but they were all occupied during my visit.
I spent around an hour in the lounge having dinner and checking my e-mails before continuing to the next lounge.
Finally here is the à la carte menu for the Thai Airways first class lounge. I took a photo of the menu so it was quite easy to type and post.
Soup
Daily cream soup
Main course
Assorted Dim Sum
Sauteed pasta with herbs chicken meat and spinach cream sauce on top with cheese
Stir fried Japanese style black pepper beef cube with garlic and vegetables on side sesame soy sauce and steamed rice
Baked chicken roll with wild rice and vegetables served with mustard cream sauce
Dessert
Chef recommend homemade fruit cake
Pappagallo premium ice cream
Coffee and tea selection
Café latte, Espresso, Cappuccino, Regular Coffee
Darjeeling, Earl Grey, English tea
Pics
The entrance to the Thai Airways lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3042.jpg)
Inside the first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3047.jpg)
Plenty of drinks in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3046.jpg)
The a la carte menu for first class passengers ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3043.jpg)
The pasta dish and red wine ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3051.jpg)
Coffee and Pappagallo ice cream ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3052.jpg)
The business class side of the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3050.jpg)
Singapore Airlines First Class lounge, Hong Kong
Next stop was the Singapore Airlines lounge which is located in the main shopping area just after security, so I had to walk all the way back to the central area.
It is quite a walk to get from the end of the Y-pier to the main shopping area, a few minutes walk at least, even though there are moving walkways.
No problem getting inside the SQ lounge either, the lounge staff in Hong Kong really seemed to know the rules, after writing down my ticket details the friendly lounge agent invited me inside the first class lounge.
The first class lounge was a bit dark and the self-service area looked a bit dated with the yellow lighting.
There was plenty to eat though including some hot food, and plenty of drinks as well.
Since I had already had a proper meal in the Thai lounge I continued my lounge dinner with wine and cheese in the SQ lounge and then coffee and some more ice cream. Just like in Singapore they had lovely Häagen Dazs ice cream on offer.
I had some more wine to drink and then surfed the internet for a while, they had several computers with free internet.
Around 9.20 pm the lounge was completely empty except for me, the last SQ departure for the day to San Francisco was soon leaving and all passengers had already boarded.
The nice lounge attendant came into the lounge and told me they would close at 9.30 pm, but I could still stay a few more minutes. I finished my wine and got ready to leave the lounge.
On the way out I chatted a bit with the reception girl, she knew my flight was not leaving until midnight, so she was a bit concerned how I should manage to kill all that time since her lounge was closing.
Well that was very thoughtful of her (really great staff at the SQ HKG lounge!), but obviously she didn’t know about the Swiss lounge agreements and that I had an invitation to CX The Wing in my bag. :D
Pics
The entrance to the Singapore Airlines lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3060.jpg)
Inside the first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3055.jpg)
The self-service buffet ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3057.jpg)
Another photo of the self-service buffet ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3058.jpg)
Cathay Pacific “The Wing”, Hong Kong
After a bit of shopping I went to the third lounge for the day, of course I had saved the best one to last (well the others were closing early anyway).
It was around 10 pm when I arrived at the entrance to the Cathay Pacific lounge “The Wing”, also located close to the main shopping area. After giving my invitation to the reception girl I was allowed inside and I took a lift to the lounge which is on the first floor
Apparently I used the business class entrance to the lounge, there is actually a separate first class entrance as well to the immediate left after the security check.
I first had a look inside the business class side of The Wing which is the main part and also the largest part of the lounge. There were plenty of nice features there like two bars named “The Long Bar” and “The Short Bar”, a noodle bar, and a room with plenty of magazines and newspapers.
There was a sign for the first class lounge though, so after having a look around and taking some photos I headed over to the first class lounge.
There was a lounge attendant standing at the entrance to the first class side, I showed her my first class boarding pass and was welcomed inside.
The first class side was much smaller and actually pretty crowded as there were many flight leaving around midnight, I found an empty seat though quite quickly.
The staff noticed my arrival and just a minute later I was approached by a waitress who asked me if I wanted anything to drink, and soon I had a glass of Moet & Chandon on my table.
The first class lounge also had a very nice self-service restaurant called “The Haven” with plenty of delicious food, snacks, fruit and desserts. Too bad I really wasn’t hungry and also wanted to save some room for the meal onboard, otherwise I would happily have tried some of the food on offer.
I had some fresh fruit though and some chocolate pralines and brought it to my seat in the lounge, although they have tables inside the restaurant if you want to eat properly.
On the whole the lounge was fantastic, great staff who passed frequently to take drink orders and a superb buffet in The Haven. ^
On top of that you obviously have access to all the facilities in the business class lounge, if you feel like having noodles for example.
The only drawback was that the lounge was fairly crowded and also the armchairs in the lounge were a bit too low for me.
But other than that I really enjoyed the lounge, definitely a real competitor to the Lufthansa first class lounges in Frankfurt, and after all Cathay Pacific recently won the award of the world's best first class lounge.
Pics
Lounge invitation to “enjoy a redefined standard in elegant luxury” ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3048.jpg)
The entrance to The Wing ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3062.jpg)
Inside the business class side of the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3063.jpg)
Plenty of facilities in the lounge, so it's good to get directions! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3064.jpg)
The short bar ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3065.jpg)
The noodle bar ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3066.jpg)
Plenty of newspapers and magazines ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3068.jpg)
The first class side of the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3079.jpg)
Internet computers in the first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3080.jpg)
A glass of Moet & Chandon ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3070.jpg)
Inside “The Haven” restaurant in the first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3073.jpg)
A part of the buffet in "The Haven" ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3072.jpg)
Next it’s time to try Swiss First class, 13 hours to Switzerland! There might be some more first class lounges later on as well... ;)
dsimon
Dec 4, 06, 3:16 pm
Next it’s time to try Swiss First class, 13 hours to Switzerland! There might be some more first class lounges later on as well... ;)
Wonderful reading thus far. Eagerly awaiting your LX installments.
fumitani
Dec 4, 06, 3:18 pm
Can't wait till the LX installments too :D
BTW did you like the TG or SQ lounge better? I'll be going through HKG during new years with limited time.
jef7
Dec 4, 06, 3:58 pm
Like many others I had been closely following your report with much excitement jacob_m.
The ease and descriptive manner of your reporting is definitely a reflection of your enjoyment while taking these trips. Being 'confined' here in the cold and rainy Pacific Northwest, I can't help but hope to visit Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong again soon. Oooh, SQ F service and lounge hopping with all the amenities and hospitality, I wish flying within North America can be just as fun;).
Again, thank you so much for the efforts. The hours you spend preparing these reports are truly appreciated!
SMART51
Dec 4, 06, 4:02 pm
Jacob, some of your outdoor pictures are postcard perfect,like Sydney from the air and Sunset over Guangzhou
Nice really nice^
Also you should have tried the shower service at the wing, really great experience.
jacob_m
Dec 4, 06, 5:13 pm
Can't wait till the LX installments too :D
I don't think there have been many reports on Swiss, at least not Swiss F, so hopefully it should be interesting and a bit original to read.
Great flight, and the seat was awesome!! But that's for tomorrow... ;)
BTW did you like the TG or SQ lounge better? I'll be going through HKG during new years with limited time.
Which airline and in which class are you flying?
Overall I liked the Thai lounge a lot, very bright and modern. It's very new, opened just a year ago I think.
Both the C and F sides are very nice, but of course the a la carte service makes the F side even nicer.
But it really depends on what airline you are flying and how much time you have.
It's a very large airport, the walking distance from the TG lounge to the SQ lounge for example (which I walked) was quite significant, we are talking about a couple of minutes, and I usually walk very fast.
If you have limited time you won't make it to a lounge on the other side of the airport, and even if you do it probably wouldn't be worth it.
So use the lounge nearest to your departure gate if time is a problem.
fumitani
Dec 4, 06, 5:47 pm
I don't think there have been many reports on Swiss, at least not Swiss F, so hopefully it should be interesting and a bit original to read.
Great flight, and the seat was awesome!! But that's for tomorrow... ;)
I will be waiting for the trip report tomorrow. No worries the quicker the better :D
Which airline and in which class are you flying?
Overall I liked the Thai lounge a lot, very bright and modern. It's very new, opened just a year ago I think.
Both the C and F sides are very nice, but of course the a la carte service makes the F side even nicer.
But it really depends on what airline you are flying and how much time you have.
It's a very large airport, the walking distance from the TG lounge to the SQ lounge for example (which I walked) was quite significant, we are talking about a couple of minutes, and I usually walk very fast.
If you have limited time you won't make it to a lounge on the other side of the airport, and even if you do it probably wouldn't be worth it.
So use the lounge nearest to your departure gate if time is a problem.
I'm flying OZ F one time and SQ F the other time. I will have no problems in getting into any lounges. I will have my UA 1P card with me. Unless United figures a way to issue my 1k card on the spot at the BKK office. I will be there around 7am in the morning and my departure will be at 8am. The other departure will be 1pm and I will be at the airport around 11am. So in total I will have about 2 hours max. I won't be early like you and arrive 6 hours early for lounge hopping. ;)
I walk fast also and I plan to visit the IFL if I have enough time to do so :D
Ty Vil
Dec 4, 06, 10:21 pm
wow I've been reading about one a day, this is amazing.
jacob_m
Dec 5, 06, 3:03 pm
I'm flying OZ F one time and SQ F the other time. I will have no problems in getting into any lounges. I will have my UA 1P card with me. Unless United figures a way to issue my 1k card on the spot at the BKK office. I will be there around 7am in the morning and my departure will be at 8am. The other departure will be 1pm and I will be at the airport around 11am. So in total I will have about 2 hours max. I won't be early like you and arrive 6 hours early for lounge hopping. ;)
Actually it was only 5 hours of lounge hopping! :D
I very much enjoyed it though, Hong Kong is the best when it comes to lounges!
You won't need your *G card to enter the lounges, an F boarding pass will get you into all *A lounges at the airport, including the F lounges, same situation as me.
Do consider the walking distances though when deciding where to go. If you only have one hour there is no point in walking all the way to a particular lounge if it takes maybe 10-15 mins to get there and back (as it can do), even though the lounge itself might be nice.
jacob_m
Dec 5, 06, 3:06 pm
After a very nice evening of lounge hopping in Hong Kong it was time to proceed to the gate for the flight to Zurich.
The gate was only a short walk from The Wing, it was packed with people when I got there.
Priority boarding was offered, starting with first class passengers. There was a long line of passengers at the gate and I was at the very back of it, so when the first boarding announcement was made for first class passengers I got to pass the entire line of passengers and walk straight onboard. :)
Pics
The transit hall in Hong Kong ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3082.jpg)
The Swiss Airbus A340 that will take me to Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3081.jpg)
The gate area for the flight to Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3083.jpg)
Hong Kong-Zurich, flight LX 139 operated by Swiss
Departure: 00:05
Arrival: 06:10
Aircraft: Airbus A340
Class: First Class
Seat: 02K
I entered the aircraft through door 2L and walked through the business class cabin to my seat 02K in the first class cabin.
I was greeted by a female flight attendant who welcomed me onboard and offered to take my jacket. A smart thing is that they have a hanger in the seat pocket of every seat with the seat number on it, that's the one she used for my jacket, thus at the end of the flight it was very easy for the crew to find which jacket/coat belonging to which passenger.
I was also offered a pre-departure drink and naturally went for a glass of bubbles, they served one called Cuvée Allegra onboard which I was not familiar with.
Together with the pre-departure drink they also offered an amuse bouche, it is the first time I have been served food before take-off (other than nuts), but since this was a night flight and many people wanted to get some sleep after take-off it reduced the length of the meal service a bit up in the air.
The first class cabin onboard the Airbus A340 has eight seats, two rows with a 1-2-1 configuration, five of the seats were occupied on this flight.
There were two flight attendants in charge of the first class cabin, so with a ratio of two FAs for five passengers it meant a very attentive service.
It turned out I was the only passenger in first class who was not Swiss, so I was also the only person speaking English. I do get by in German, but still decided not to try as I would probably have had to switch to English sooner or later anyway.
Actually the other passengers spoke Swiss German, which really isn’t the same thing as German. I overheard a conversation between one of the flight attendants and the passenger in front of me and after 10 mins I had still not figured out what they were talking about. It’s a weird language!
The seats were very comfortable though with plenty of space and storage.
Each seat also has an ottoman in front of it which can actually be moved by pressing a button on the seat control. The ottoman can either be used as a footrest or as a seat if two people are travelling together and want to dine together. During the night the ottoman becomes part of the bed.
There is also some storage available inside the ottoman, where you preferably put your shoes.
More champagne was offered before the doors were closed, although I declined a top-up after all the drinks in the lounges.
We pushed back on time and a safety demonstration video was shown in English, afterwards they also made safety announcements in German, French and Cantonese. An impressive amount of languages! ^
After departure when the seat belt sign had been switched off the meal service started almost immediately, it was already after midnight and many people were tired and wanted to go to bed as soon as possible.
More drinks were offered and I had one more glass of champagne before switching to red wine with the meal.
An amenity kit was also handed out with toiletries from La Prairie, quite OK, I actually ended up using some of it. We also got slippers, pretty comfortable!
Pics
The first class cabin onboard ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3084.jpg)
The ottoman in front of each seat which can be moved using the seat control ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3086.jpg)
A glass of champagne and amuse bouche before departure ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3087.jpg)
The amenity kit in first class ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3367.jpg)
The menu
The menu was then handed out for the dinner and breakfast service, it also included the drink list onboard.
The menu was very nice, definitely the nicest looking menu of all menus I got on this trip, the cover was a beautiful photo of a Swiss landscape in the Alps.
Pics
The nice Swiss First class menu ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3364.jpg)
This is what was on offer for dinner and breakfast on the flight to Zurich in first class:
Amuse bouche
First courses
Selection of hors d’oeuvres
Seafood platter and vegetarian choice
Main courses
Loin of lamb and lamb cutlet
Lamb jus with garlic and mint, potato purée with chives
Pan-fried guinea-fowl
Balsamic and honey sauce, fettuccine with herbs
Special of the day
(I think it was some kind of risotto on this flight)
Choice of vegetables
Cheeses
Selection of Swiss cheeses
Dessert
Crème brûlée ice cream with raspberry compote
Swiss chocolates
Espresso and a selection of coffees and teas
Before landing: Swiss breakfast
Selection of juices
Assortment of breakfast breads, preserves and honey
Fresh fruits
Assortment of yoghurts
Muesli and cereals
Egg dish
Selection of coffees and teas
Supplementary choices available at your request
Selection of soups (Cream of tomato, Oxtail clair, Miso)
Seasonal salads
Swiss cheeses
Fresh fruits
Champagne
Cuvée Allegra 1999
White wines
Pinot gris Spätlese 2005, Rebgut Hoch-Chapf Eichberg, Weinkellerei Haubensak, Switzerland
Montagny AC 1er Cru 2003, J.M Boillot, France
Sauvignon Blanc Reserva L Bosca 2005, Argentina
Red wines
Perseus 2004, Balgacher AOC, Weingut Schmidheiny, Switzerland
Château Latour-Martillac Grand Cru classé 2003, Passac-Léognan AC, France
Cavas de Weinert 2000, Argentina
Swiss Discovery Wine
Specialities or rarities, these wines are exclusively selected for Swiss First for only a short period
Dessert wine
Sauternes AC Les Sables d’Or 2003/2004, France
Port
Porto Calem, 20 years old, Portugal
Aperitifs
Campari, White rum, Gin, Vodka
Liqueurs & Digestifs
Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Jack Daniel’s, Cognac Davidoff Extra, Grappa di Brunello, Kirsch, Williamine, Drambuie
Appenzeller Alpenbitter – A speciality made of Alpine herbs
Coffees
Coffee selection from Nespresso with Capriccio, Vivalto or Decaffeinato
Espresso, Café au lait, Café crème, Cappuccino, “Kapi fertig” – A Swiss speciality, Iced coffee
Lattes and cappuccinos are made using the aerolatte steam free milk frother
Refreshing drinks
International and Swiss beer, Non-alcoholic beer (0.5% vol), Soft drinks, A selection of juices, Mineral water (sparkling and still)
Meal service
Next the table was prepared for the meal service with tablecloth and cutlery.
The table is really the largest I have seen onboard an airplane, it is huge!! I basically only used half of it.
However the good thing is that if you are two people travelling you can dine together at the table, the ottoman can be used as a visitor’s seat and the table is easily large enough for two people to eat at it, and it won't feel cramped.
The meal service started with a choice of hors d’oeuvres and salad from a trolley. The hors d’oeuvres were basically some canapés and sauces and then they offered salad with different garnishes and dressings. Quite good!
The nice flight attendant offered to put a bit of everything from the trolley on my plate, but I declined a few things to save some room for more food, and I actually was not that hungry after all the food in the lounges.
She also said they had some soup onboard, pumpkin soup, and for some reason I decided to have that as well even though I really wasn’t very hungry, I'm not quite sure why! Maybe it was something she said that made me change my mind?! :D
The soup arrived after a few minutes and the pumpkin soup was quite good.
Next it was main course, and I had the lamb which was excellent. A nice thing was that they served the potato purée in a separate bowl, almost like in a proper restaurant.
They had two main courses on offer plus a “special of a day” which was some kind of risotto if I remember correctly.
Three main courses isn’t a lot for a longhaul flight in first class, SQ had five in F, but on the other hand the flight departed very late and one of the passengers even skipped the meal.
After the main course they passed through the cabin with some lovely Swiss cheeses. I have actually been to Appenzell myself where some of the cheeses onboard came from, so I know how good they are, but I really could not manage cheese on top of everything else I had eaten.
I decided to make an attempt with the dessert though as the crème brûlée on offer just sounded too good to skip, and in fact it was. :)
Coffee and tea were also offered, but I declined as I soon wanted to get some sleep.
I was so full when the meal was finally over that I felt like bursting, so much food onboard!! You certainly don’t starve in international first class!! :D
I was quite tired at this point since it was around 2 am Hong Kong time, but I decided to wait for a while before going to bed to digest some of the food, as I said I was very full.
Pics
More champagne after departure ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3090.jpg)
The table setting ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3091.jpg)
Appetizer and salad ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3092.jpg)
Soup ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3093.jpg)
Main course ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3095.jpg)
Dessert ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3096.jpg)
Inflight entertainment system, and time to go to bed...
Before going to bed I had a look at the inflight entertainment system, Swiss has AVOD onboard which is always nice.
Through the entertainment system there are movies, documentaries, and TV-series episodes available. The selection is OK, but not exceptional, there are maybe 15 movies to watch.
There was some music to listen to as well, a nice variety of CD albums, I found they had the latest album of Enya for example called Amarantine which is one of my favourites and very nice to listen to before going to bed.
They also had a few games, for example "Who wants to be a millionaire", they used the UK version. I managed quite well, but no million for me I’m afraid.
Soon I started to feel all too sleepy and felt it was time to go to bed, so I asked one of the flight attendants to prepare my seat for the night.
The Swiss first class seat can be made completely flat, and they also move the ottoman to make the bed longer.
After the seat had been reclined and the ottoman was in place they added a mattress, pillow and a comfy duvet. It was basically a proper bed now!
I had once again brought my ANA sleeper suit onboard and changed in the lavatory before going to bed, unfortunately Swiss doesn't provide sleeper suits/pyjamas in first class.
The bed was really comfortable though!! It honestly felt like a real proper bed!! :)
The only thing is that they want you to keep your seat belt fastened even when sleeping, which feels a bit strange. Well you don’t actually need to have it fastened, but in case there is some turbulence during the flight and the seat belt sign is turned on the crew are required to make sure it is fastened and may have to wake you up in case it is not.
I slept pretty well onboard, I think I got a few hours of sleep in that adorable seat/bed!!
My only complaint was that the passenger in front of me really did not seem tired after the meal service and wanted to chat with one of the flight attendants instead of going to bed. Fortunately I found some earplugs in my amenity kit, problem solved!
Pics
The Swiss inflight entertainment system ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3103.jpg)
The seat control and video console ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3102.jpg)
The personal TV-screen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3098.jpg)
We are working our way through China ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3105.jpg)
The seat made into a bed, very comfortable!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3110.jpg)
It is a bit strange to have the seat belt fastened while sleeping ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3112.jpg)
Breakfast and arrival in Switzerland
I woke up around three hours before landing, which meant 10 am Hong Kong time or 3 am Swiss time. Even though these westbound night flights are excellent as you can both sleep properly onboard and avoid jet lag fairly easily, it is still strange to experience a night lasting for 15-16 hours.
I asked one of the flight attendants to help me with the seat and remove the bedclothes, and afterwards I started watching a movie.
I was then offered a cup of coffee which was very needed and very appreciated, it ended up being two cups of coffee.
At this point most passengers in first class had woken up and started to get ready for the breakfast service.
Around two hours before landing they served breakfast, and once again the table was prepared with tablecloth and cutlery, the table setting onboard Swiss actually looks quite elegant.
They passed through the cabin with a breakfast trolley with a selection of fresh fruit, yoghurts, muesli, cereals and bread and preserves.
I skipped the cereals but had the rest of it. Nice fruit juices were also on offer including a mixed one with grapefruit juice, orange juice and something else, quite good!
Next they offered a hot dish with an omelette, a sausage and some mushrooms.
I had some more coffee as well (I think I managed four cups between waking up and landing) before asking the flight attendant to clear my table.
Soon my movie was coming to an end and shortly afterwards we started our descent into Switzerland. I changed back to my regular clothes and then started to pack my things while the cabin was prepared for landing.
Before landing one of the flight attendants who had been serving in the first class cabin came to say good-bye and thank me for flying Swiss and she also wished me a nice weekend.
Shortly afterwards the male purser onboard came to say good-bye, I think he was from the French-speaking part of Switzerland based on his accent, but he was fluent in German.
He was delighted to hear I would make a brief stop in Zurich and Switzerland (although I didn’t really tell him for how long ;)).
We landed right on time at Zurich Kloten airport and landed from the south providing nice views of the city centre during the approach. Even though I had been on that plane for 13 hours it was only 6 am in Zurich and completely dark outside.
We taxied to the E-pier which is the newest pier at Zurich airport used for intercontinental flights, it is linked to the main terminal building by an automatic train.
Once we were safely parked at the gate I said good-bye to the flight attendants and the purser and left the plane through the front door.
I thought the terminal would be quite empty considering the time of the day, but there seemed to have been quite a few longhaul flights arriving at the same time as us and there were plenty of people waiting for the train.
After the short train ride I entered the main terminal building. I tried to find a transfer desk to get my two next boarding passes issued, but I didn’t find one and decided to sort that out later, my connecting flight from Zurich was not leaving for another six hours.
I passed through passport control and followed the signs for the Swiss arrivals lounge to which I had access as a Swiss first class passenger.
The lounge was located next to the baggage reclaim, after passport control but before customs.
Pics
A cup of coffee after waking up ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3115.jpg)
Preparations for breakfast with lovely fruit juices, looks like we are flying over Ukraine ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3122.jpg)
Table setting for breakfast ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3123.jpg)
Continental breakfast ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3124.jpg)
Hot breakfast ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3125.jpg)
Just landed in Zurich where it is early morning ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3129.jpg)
Swiss Arrivals lounge, Zurich
I was greeted at the entrance to the lounge by a friendly Swiss woman, she even addressed me by name, doesn’t happen very often in lounges. ^
She immediately asked me if I wanted to take a shower and I said yes and was escorted to an empty shower room. I also asked if she had a shaving kit, which she had.
10 minutes later I was feeling like a new person, that shower really did wonders and I was now ready for a few more hours of travelling.
I had another two flights that day and would not reach Brussels until late afternoon, so there is still a lot more to come.
The arrivals lounge also had a small breakfast buffet with some bread and preserves, croissants and yoghurt, and of course hot and cold drinks.
Nothing extraordinary, but always nice to have something more to eat and another cup of coffee, so I actually had my second breakfast for the day.
The arrivals lounge was even mentioned on the menu and they advised passengers who wished to sleep a bit longer that they could have breakfast in the lounge instead.
Pics
The entrance to the Swiss Arrivals lounge next to the baggage reclaim ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3131.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3132.jpg)
The small but nice breakfast buffet ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3133.jpg)
After a nice shower and some more breakfast I left the lounge.
It was now just after 7 am, with another five hours before my connecting flight would depart I decided to make a short visit to Zurich which is only 10 mins by train from the airport.
Verdict
On the whole the Swiss flight was very nice, the seat was simply fantastic and the food pretty good as well, even though the menu was not the most extensive of all the flights I have taken.
Regarding the service it was friendly and attentive, I will especially stress attentive since there were two flight attendants serving only five passengers, and they were both very nice, always smiling! :)
The service was a bit more formal though than my previous flights with Asian airlines, which is probably related to the Swiss culture which I know is quite formal. After two months away from Europe I definitely felt I was on my way back to Europe again.
Still I have no complaints, the flight was excellent and I will happily consider Swiss again in the future. ^
Next instalment will be part 3 of HKG-ZRH-FRA-BRU with two business class flights and a few more lounges, actually a few more first class lounges… :)
hoyateach
Dec 5, 06, 4:24 pm
I have followed this thread with rapt attention and you are making me very, very envious.:D
Keep up the good work!^
das
Dec 5, 06, 10:30 pm
Hey there - this report is looking awesome! I've only read through New Zealand, but just downloaded all of it to read tomorrow when I enjoy the fine service of Ted from ORD to SJU. I notice you took SQ 232 SYD-SIN - I also flew this SQ flight number, as a kick off to my FRTW.
You set the new standard in trip reports - I only reported on about half of my flights, I'll do better next time. ;-)
Thanks again for some fantastic reading and inspiration!!! I just can't wait to read it....
jacob_m
Dec 6, 06, 12:34 pm
After my visit to the arrivals lounge I passed through customs and went to the departure hall to get boarding passes for the next two flights before going to downtown Zurich.
They have a special “Swiss First class island” in the departure hall where I went first, but there was only one agent inside and he was quite busy sorting something out for another passenger.
There were several empty desks in the main departure hall though, it was surprisingly empty this morning, so I went to one of the baggage drop counters and asked if they could issue my boarding passes.
There was a young and very friendly girl behind the baggage drop counter who said she could definitely help me. She didn’t really understand though why I came to the departure hall to get the boarding passes when I was in fact in transit at the airport, but I explained I had plenty of time and wanted to make a quick visit to Zurich.
She was even more surprised to see my ticket, in fact she was absolutely amazed to see the itinerary and all the places I had visited. Even though there was not much left of the actual ticket the receipt was still there at the back with the full itinerary, not particularly hard to read.
She said she was so envious of what I had done, but also happy I decided to make a visit to Zurich as well, albeit a very short one.
When my two boarding passes had been issued and my bags registered in the reservation she explained how to get to the railway station and wished me a nice “stay” in Zurich.
Pics
The Swiss premium check-in area in Zurich with the First class island to the right ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3160.jpg)
A quick visit to Zürich
I took a local S-Bahn train from the airport to Zurich HB, it was rush hour so the train was packed. It’s very quick to get to central Zurich from the airport though, roughly 10 mins, and not very expensive either.
I used to spend a lot of time in Switzerland, I have been almost all over the country, but I had not been to Zurich for several years now so it was fun to come back and have a look around.
It is such a nice and charming little city, but unfortunately it was bloody cold this morning. Since I had just arrived from Hong Kong where it was 28 degrees I was not really properly dressed for such a cold weather and it was not at all enjoyable to walk around.
After less than two hours I decided to head to the railway station and go back to the airport.
Back at the airport I already had a boarding pass so I could go airside straight away.
Passport control was very swift, the man didn’t even look at my passport. No I’m serious, he didn’t even open it! He saw the red cover (which all EU-passports have) and waived me through.
Well I don’t really care if he looks at it or not, it saved me some time so I was happy.
The transit area is quite nice, pretty modern, but even though Switzerland is not part of the EU and I would be allowed to buy tax-free to Frankfurt the shops seemed pretty expensive.
I skipped the shopping and decided to make some lounge visits instead.
Zurich has two lounges I had access to, the Swiss lounge and the Star Alliance lounge. I started with the Star Alliance lounge.
Pics
Sunrise over Lake Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3145.jpg)
Downtown Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3143.jpg)
The main transit hall at Zurich Kloten airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3173.jpg)
Star Alliance First class lounge, Zurich
The Star Alliance lounge is the world’s first common Star Alliance lounge used by all *A carriers in Zurich, even though Lufthansa is the dominant airline.
It opened a long time before Swiss became member of Star Alliance though, so now there is a second option for Star Alliance passengers.
The lounge has two sides, a business class side and a first class side. As far as I know the first class side is only open to first class passengers and LH Senator/HON Circle cardholders.
Business class passengers obviously use the business class side, and I think all other Star Golds also have to use the business class side.
I presented my boarding pass at the reception and after seeing I had a business class boarding pass and also a Star Alliance gold card (she saw the status on the BP) I was instantly allowed to enter.
Although before entering I showed her the boarding pass stub from Hong Kong and asked very nicely if I would get access to the first class side since I had arrived in first class in the morning.
After looking at it for five seconds she directed me to the left, to the first class lounge, rather than to the right. Great!! :)
The first class side was pretty small, a lot smaller than the business class side, but it was very empty, only two people were inside when I arrived and maybe 7-8 when I left.
They had a fairly large self-service buffet available, but at 9.30 am there was still breakfast on offer with croissants, bread rolls, yoghurt etc. I had my third breakfast for the day and a large cup of coffee, possibly the sixth one that day (I should really try to cut down on coffee!).
After finishing the breakfast I had a more proper look in the buffet area, and what do I see? Yes, a bottle of champagne nicely chilled in an ice bucket!! :)
At the same time a couple entered the lounge and instantly went for the champagne, so when half of the lounge was drinking champagne at 9.45 am it felt a bit less embarrassing to do it myself. I actually ended up having two glasses as the champagne was pretty good.
Well it was 5 pm in Hong Kong, so I’ll blame the time difference!! :D
Looking at the photo it seems like it was Saint Evremond they had on offer.
After two glasses of champagne and some lovely Swiss chocolate I left the lounge, I spent about an hour inside.
Pics
The entrance to the common Star Alliance lounge in Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3170.jpg)
Inside the first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3166.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3162.jpg)
Some alcohol, and two bottles of champagne!! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3167.jpg)
A glass of champagne, and lovely Swiss chocolates ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3168.jpg)
Pretty nice view from the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3164.jpg)
Swiss First class lounge, Zurich
Next I went to the Swiss lounge which is located on the first floor above the main departure hall.
Once again I showed my business class boarding pass to Frankfurt and my boarding pass stub from Hong Kong and asked very nicely if I would get access to the first class lounge as I had arrived on Swiss in first class the same morning.
The young reception girl seemed unsure and asked her colleague, but she immediately said yes. Fantastic!! So that’s my second first class lounge in Zurich! :)
The girl told me she would escort me to the lounge, I was soon to find out why.
The first class lounge is actually located inside the business class lounge, so you enter the business class lounge like all other passengers and enter the first class lounge through a locked door, that’s why I was escorted as she needed to open that door for me.
Inside the first class lounge we went to the reception desk where the girl confirmed with a supervisor I was indeed allowed to be there, but the answer was once again yes.
She registered my boarding pass in the computer and also checked my flight would depart on time, after that I was welcome to take a seat.
They had a self-service buffet available and also two types of champagne, a standard white one and a pink one.
Still only breakfast available in the buffet, but just after 11 am they brought a large trolley inside the lounge with some hot food.
I decided to have a look on what was on offer and one of the lounge attendants in charge of the buffet immediately approached me to explain what they had on offer.
They had two types of chicken skewers for example, one of them served with chilli sauce, quite spicy!! That’s what I had, pretty tasty!
She also asked me if I wanted anything to drink, I had not planned to drink more bubbly, but somehow she managed to convince me to have a glass anyway, I guess it wasn’t too hard after all. :D
There were not a lot of people in this lounge either, but that’s half the point with a first class lounge I guess.
On the whole the lounge was nice, but not spectacular. The staff was most friendly though and really made the lounge visit enjoyable. ^
Before leaving for the gate I made a brief visit to the business class lounge (well I had to pass through it anyway to leave the lounge).
The business class lounge was a lot more crowded, it almost seemed hard to find an empty seat. Inside the business lounge they also have the world’s longest attended lounge bar, which they make quite a big deal about. It is one floor above the main lounge, but it is indeed pretty long.
Pics
The entrance to the Swiss lounges in Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3174.jpg)
Inside the Swiss first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3178.jpg)
The self-service buffet in the first class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3176.jpg)
Yummy skewers to eat at lunch time ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3179.jpg)
The main business class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3180.jpg)
In the Swiss lounge they have the world’s longest attended lounge bar ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3181.jpg)
And here is the bar, pretty long indeed! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3182.jpg)
Zurich-Frankfurt, flight LX 1072 operated by Swiss
Departure: 12:20
Arrival: 13:25
Aircraft: Avro ARJ100 (Aircraft change from Airbus A319)
Class: Business Class
Seat: 02F
In Zurich the security controls are located at the beginning of the piers, i.e. after the lounges and tax-free shops.
There was a separate line for first class and business class passengers which I used (they didn’t mention anything about star gold). Fortunately they did not say anything about the amenity kit from the HKG-ZRH flight I had in my bag, I was not prepared to give that one up unless being specifically asked to.
At the gate I realised we would be taken to the aircraft by a bus, and once we had reached the aircraft at the remote stand I realised there had been an aircraft change.
The flight was originally supposed to be operated by an Airbus A319, but there was now an Avroliner there instead.
Well it’s only a short flight so it doesn’t matter and I got to keep my pre-assigned seat as well, but I suppose an A319 would have been more comfortable.
The flight to Frankfurt was short, a total flight time of around 50-55 minutes, still they had a full inflight service in business class.
In business class we were offered a plate with two sandwiches and some grapes. They also had a full bar service onboard with two reds, two whites, and I think they even had champagne available (might have been sparkling wine, I didn’t see the bottle).
The two reds were a Swiss one and a French one, and the flight attendant tried to look as disappointed as possible when I chose the French one rather than the Swiss. :)
Well I actually had a Swiss wine from Hong Kong, and she agreed that that was a valid excuse.
Coffee and tea were also offered and finally Swiss chocolates. Overall a short but nice and enjoyable flight.
The weather was also nice during most of the flight and I got some nice views of northern Switzerland during the climb and an excellent view of downtown Frankfurt during the approach. I actually managed to recognise the Radisson hotel from the plane where I stayed in the beginning of this trip, the building has a very distinctive look.
Landing right on time in a sunny Frankfurt, but we were directed to a remote stand so once again a bus to the terminal building.
I end up in remote stands more than 50% of the time I visit Frankfurt, irrespective of aircraft type and destination/origin, it gets quite annoying after a while.
We were taken by bus to the B-pier where I had to pass through security again.
Pics
The view shortly after take-off from Zurich ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3184.jpg)
Inflight service in business class to Frankfurt ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3185.jpg)
Nice view of downtown Frankfurt during the approach ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3188.jpg)
Lufthansa First class lounge, A-pier/Schengen area, Frankfurt
I had read on the internet that from this summer Swiss first class passengers would also have access to the Lufthansa first class facilities in Frankfurt, which means the first class terminal and the three first class lounges.
But how would they interpret this rule if I fly HKG-ZRH with Swiss in F and then ZRH-FRA-BRU in C?
I didn’t really know, in the Lufthansa forum they thought I would get access, but the only way to really find out would be to try.
I had already been to the first class terminal, nice place, but with only two hours between flights I would waste a lot of time (too much time) to just get over there.
There are three first class lounges though, one of them very conveniently located in the Schengen area of the A-pier, the escalator to get to the lounge is right opposite the Lufthansa Senator lounge.
I know Frankfurt airport almost inside out by now, so I easily found my way to the lounge after a long walk through that dreadful tunnel between the B-pier and A-pier.
I was quite excited when I arrived at the lounge to see if I would actually get in.
Upon entering the lounge I was approached by a lounge agent and I showed her my boarding pass to Brussels and my boarding pass stub from Hong Kong and said I had arrived the same morning with Swiss in first class.
The woman looked at my boarding passes and thought for a while, but eventually said I would not get access.
Well she still seemed very unsure, so I told her I had actually asked about it and had been told Swiss first class passengers do have access to the first class lounges in Frankfurt, and I did have a same-day Swiss first class boarding pass to present.
She was quiet for a few seconds, and suddenly she completely changed her mind.
She said I was indeed very right, I would get access, she told me she was still not used to this new rule about Swiss first class passengers.
I think she apologised three times, but I told her not to worry about it. Hey, she had just given me access to the LH First class lounge, I was too happy to listen to her excuses!! :D
The first class lounge was virtually identical to the first class terminal. The facilities are exactly the same with an extensive bar, a restaurant, plenty of sitting areas, showers etc.
The lounge obviously doesn’t have the limousine transfer though, but other than that it’s exactly the same. Since so many people want to visit the terminal it may actually be worth going to one of the lounges instead as they may be less crowded.
There were very few people inside the lounge when I arrived, not even 10 people.
I had a seat and was approached by a waiter who asked me if I wanted anything to drink. I decided to have a glass of champagne and asked him what he had on offer, he said he could recommend the pink Taittinger champagne they had, I followed his recommendation.
Together with the tasty champagne he also brought a bowl with some nice snacks, there was some Parma ham in it I think, and a few other things.
After drinking champagne and browsing through some newspapers I decided to have something proper to eat and headed over to the restaurant and had a seat at one of the tables.
The restaurant was completely empty, that’s why I could take so many photos, I have uploaded almost all of them since I thought they might be of interest. Everything is also identical to the first class terminal, so these pics complement the ones I posted in the beginning of the report.
I had some food from the very extensive self-service buffet. Plenty plenty of food was available including hot food, cold cuts, salad, sauces, many types of bread, fresh fruit, delicious desserts, and god knows what else. It’s really a lot!! I was told the buffet also changes every three weeks.
I also had a glass of red wine from the drink trolley in the restaurant, I decided to try an Italian wine with the meal.
After a delicious late lunch (or early dinner, or whatever it was) I moved back to the main lounge.
One thing I never got to try in the first class terminal was their superb selection of whiskeys. The first class lounge/terminal is a heaven for whiskey-lovers like me, there are as many as 75 types of whiskey on offer, including some very rare ones and a few vintage ones. :)
There was a new guy in the bar who was really friendly, so we discussed the whiskey selection a bit, he actually seemed to know quite a bit about what he had on offer at the bar.
After looking through the drink list I finally decided to try a 15-year old vintage whiskey called Knockando, not bad at all! I also asked for a cup of coffee and got a chocolate dessert from the buffet.
All too soon it was time to leave for the gate, I wished I could have stayed a bit longer in the lounge, but I still got almost two hours in there which I am very grateful for.
The Lufthansa first class facilities in Frankfurt are really fantastic! Great staff, great facilities, fantastic food and a very impressive selection of drinks! ^ ^
I hope I get the change to come back there again one day...
Pics
The entrance to the Lufthansa First class lounge in the A-pier in Frankfurt ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3222.jpg)
Inside the fantastic LH First class lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3195.jpg)
A glass of Taittinger pink champagne and some nice cocktail snacks ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3191.jpg)
One of many sitting areas in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3203.jpg)
The very extensive bar ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3199.jpg)
The entrance to the cigar lounge, and the bar to the right ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3201.jpg)
Nice view from the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3197.jpg)
Inside the restaurant in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3206.jpg)
My table ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3205.jpg)
The very extensive self-service buffet in the restaurant ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3211.jpg)
Second part of the very nice buffet, and delicious desserts! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3212.jpg)
The drink trolley in the restaurant with plenty of wine ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3214.jpg)
Late lunch in the restaurant, bon appetit! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3215.jpg)
Coffee, Knockando whisky, and a chocolate dessert from the buffet ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3218.jpg)
Some of the 75 whiskeys available at the bar listed in the drink list ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3219.jpg)
Frankfurt-Brussels, flight LH 4580 operated by Lufthansa Cityline
Departure: 15:45
Arrival: 16:40
Aircraft: Canadair CRJ-700
Class: Business Class
Seat: 05D
I left the lounge very late and almost had to run to make it to the gate in time, the gate was just at the beginning of the A-pier next to the security check.
A bus would take us to the plane parked at a remote stand, and I think I was the very last person to board the bus.
Most of the passengers were already onboard when we got to the aircraft parked close to the Lufthansa hangars in the western part of the airport.
The aircraft in use was a CRJ-700 which seemed almost fully booked. The nice thing though is that in business class the seat next to you remains empty, so you automatically get both a window seat and an aisle seat.
The flight time to Brussels was surprisingly short, only around 35 minutes, but they still offered inflight service onboard
In business class they handed out a small tray with some bread and cold cuts and a dessert, nothing remarkable, but definitely not bad either.
Drinks were also offered, but I declined more alcohol and settled with a glass of orange juice. I really had no idea how much wine and champagne I had been drinking in the past 24 hours, well probably best not to count either!! :D
Due to the short flight time we landed 15 minutes early in Brussels and actually parked at the main terminal building (the Schengen pier) so we could walk from the plane right into the terminal building.
It’s quite a walk from the Schengen pier to the baggage reclaim though.
Baggage delivery started fairly quickly but not even the Hon Circle/First class-tags on my bags seemed to make a big difference, but on the other hand it was a small plane with not a lot of checked luggage onboard anyway.
It was nice to see my luggage again, I realised 30 hours had passed since I checked it in at Kowloon station in Hong Kong. But what a 30 hours!!
I don't think I have ever got so much use of one small piece of paper as that boarding pass stub from the HKG-ZRH flight. It gave me access to three first class lounges in Hong Kong, two first class lounges in Zurich, and one first class lounge in Frankfurt.
Pics
The A-pier in Frankfurt, rushing to the gate as I’m running late ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3223.jpg)
The business class cabin onboard the CRJ-700 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3224.jpg)
Inflight service to Brussels in business class ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3225.jpg)
After collecting my luggage I took a train from the airport to central Brussels.
I had a reservation at the new Radisson SAS EU hotel in Brussels, it is located 2 mins from the Bruxelles-Luxembourg station and not too far from the EU institutions.
I had actually used some Eurobonus points for the stay, so it was completely free with breakfast included as well.
I was pretty tired when I arrived though, and I actually fell asleep at 7 pm with both the TV and all the lights in my room turned on, I must have been completely exhausted after over 30 hours of travelling. :)
But if you ask me if it was worth the long layover in Zurich and the extra transfer in Frankfurt, I would say ABSOLUTELY!! :D
hoyateach
Dec 6, 06, 1:40 pm
LH First Class Lounges offer the 18 year old Macallan and 21 year old Glenfiddich?:eek: At the Northwest lounges I'm used to, all we get is Jack Daniels and Dewar's.:(
view
Dec 6, 06, 4:08 pm
Very impressive. Just out of curiosity, how much weight did you put on during your trip? :p :D
FLYGVA
Dec 6, 06, 4:11 pm
Though I have not finished the reading of your report yet (printed it and read it), I must say, it is one of the best trip reports I have ever read. Thanks a lot.
Jan
uncertaintraveler
Dec 6, 06, 4:17 pm
Excuse my ignorance, but is all of the food and alcohol in the lounges free, even in the LH restaurant?
HIDDY
Dec 6, 06, 4:49 pm
"I finally decided to try a 15-year old vintage whiskey called Knockando,"
In Scotland we don't spell whisky with an e. :p
I have really enjoyed reading your trip report each day with so much detailed information.Great job.^
jacob_m
Dec 6, 06, 5:24 pm
Very impressive. Just out of curiosity, how much weight did you put on during your trip? :p :D
Haha!! :D
Yeah that was actually my main worry. But it wasn't too bad, I ended up doing a lot of walking at the destinations and I also made extensive use of the hotel gyms wherever possible.
Some light food between the flights certainly also helped.
Excuse my ignorance, but is all of the food and alcohol in the lounges free, even in the LH restaurant?
All food and drinks I have had in the lounges during this trip have been free. The only exception is the UA RCCs in the US where you have to pay for any alcohol.
In the Lufthansa First class lounge in Frankfurt everything you see on the pics was free, that includes all the food and drinks in the restaurant (the entire buffet!) and all the drinks at the bar (including the champagne and all those whiskeys).
Vaclav
Dec 6, 06, 7:06 pm
Jacob, this a Report of the Reports! I recommended reading it to many of my friends and even saved some pictures. For 2007, I am saving points to fly on LF in F between FRA/MUC and YYZ/YUL, being inspired by what I saw. Merci!
SmilingBoy
Dec 7, 06, 3:14 am
The nice thing though is that in business class the seat next to you remains empty, so you automatically get both a window seat and an aisle seat.You were lucky - this was introduced just a few weeks ago. I previously found it most annoying to pay €700 for a C class flight Brussels to Germany just to be crammed into the CRJs. And business class is always sold out when I need to travel...
Hope you liked it in Brussels!
SmilingBoy.
jacob_m
Dec 7, 06, 11:02 am
So the fantastic first class flights are over (but what an experience!), just another three intra-European flights left to get me home.
As I said in the beginning of this report one of my objectives with the ticket was to try as many airlines as possible in premium cabins, and I am happy to say I managed to include as many as 10 airlines in the itinerary, the last airline being BMI British Midland.
BMI is by no means a new airline to me, I have been a frequent flyer on the London-Paris route for quite some time, but I had never tried BMI in business class before. Well business class is only offered on four routes nowadays and London-Paris is not one of them.
However London-Brussels is one of the routes, so time to test BMI in the front of the bus!
I arrived at Brussels airport one and a half hour before departure.
The premium check-in counter was empty so I was quickly checked in by a very pleasant woman.
She was a bit surprised to see how much luggage I had (and the weight of it), and even more surprised to see the itinerary of the trip I was about to finish (printed at the back of my ticket).
Well the weight was not a problem as piece concept applies to round the world ticket, and even without out it it would still not have been a problem with my extra 20 kg as Star gold and a business class ticket.
I had flown out of Brussels several times before, but almost exclusively to Schengen destinations, so I got a brief explanation how to get to the BMI lounge which is in the non-Schengen zone of the airport (UK is not part of the Schengen agreement).
Not a lot of people in the terminal this afternoon, so both passport and security were very quick with hardly any lines at all.
After a quick look in the tax-free shops I made my way to the BMI lounge located on the first floor above the non-Schengen pier.
Pics
The non-Schengen transit hall at Brussels airport ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3253.jpg)
BMI Business class lounge, Brussels
In the non-Schengen pier in Brussels there is a lounge corridor where all the lounges are located, I think there are four or five lounges in total, among those the BA and BMI lounges.
The BMI lounge was at the very end of the corridor and I was welcomed at the reception by a woman who was very friendly but otherwise seemed bored as there was not much going on.
The lounge itself was pretty empty, not more than 6-7 people inside.
It had the standard BMI lounge design with the standard blue sofas (which are actually pretty comfortable) and a standard BMI self-service buffet area.
Some cocktail snacks and cookies were available at the buffet but no proper food which is something I have always missed in the BMI lounges, at least some sandwiches would be nice.
The drinks selection was quite good though, but the spirits were in optics. That used to be the main difference between the Diamond Clubs (for gold card holders) and the Business class lounges, in the Diamond Clubs the spirits are in bottles, in the business lounges in optics, not sure if that’s still true.
I had something to eat and drink and browsed through some newspapers. Unfortunately there are no toilets in the lounge, so you have to use the public ones in the middle of the lounge corridor if you need to go.
They usually make boarding announcements in the BMI lounges, but when there were only 25 mins left before departure and no announcement had yet been made I decided to leave anyway.
Pics
The entrance to the BMI lounge in Brussels ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3254.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3257.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3258.jpg)
Newspapers and magazines ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3256.jpg)
Brussels-London/Heathrow, flight BD 150 operated by BMI British Midland
Departure: 15:10
Arrival: 15:20
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Class: Business Class
Seat: 01F
Just as I got to the gate the boarding announcement was made and I could walk almost straight onboard.
Five rows were used for business class onboard, but the load was light in both business class and economy class so I got my own row, as did almost all business class passengers.
Boarding was completed well before departure but due to ATC restrictions in London we had to wait almost half an hour on the ground in Brussels before we were allowed to depart.
Brussels airport was fairly quiet this afternoon, so once we had permission to leave we taxied and took off almost immediately, after all it was the British ATC who wanted us to wait on the ground.
On the short flight to London they served a bento box in business class with a choice of two different sandwiches. The one I had was egg and mayonnaise, I can’t remember what the other option was, probably nothing spectacular, and apparently nothing worth remembering.
The box also contained some fresh fruit, some slices of apple, and well that’s about it!
They also offered a full bar service in business class, and they did have champagne onboard. Tea and coffee were also served.
Overall the food was OK, it was only a short flight to London so I understand that time is a limitation for the inflight service. But I have flown BMI for quite a few years now, and just two years ago this was basically what you got for free in economy class, before the “Tiny fare”-madness started.
Well you didn’t get the champagne of course, and not the fruit, and it was not packed in a box, but other than that it was exactly the same. Two sandwiches on offer (the same ones as now), and all drinks free of charge including wine and beer.
So although I have nothing really to complain about I can’t help feeling a bit sad to see how much BMI has gone downhill over the last years. :(
The service onboard was allright and the flight attendants were friendly and courteous, but the service was by no means exceptional.
The service was a bit rushed, which is understandable considering the short flight time so the passengers have time to eat. But when we reached London we were directed to a holding pattern (the good old Lambourne!) and we actually had to hold there for as long as 20 minutes before starting our final approach to Heathrow. That’s quite a lot of time making the flight time significantly longer.
The crew could have used those extra 20 minutes to offer more drinks and take care of the passengers (especially as there was a business class cabin onboard), but instead they gathered in the galley to chat (all of them) and were not to be seen until the last check of the cabin minutes before landing.
As I said I have no real complaints about the flight, it’s just a bit sad to see what has happened to this airline. A few years ago I thought BMI had among the best FAs in the air and the service was very decent, even in economy. Obviously not quite the same now. Oh well…
Due to the late departure and the long wait in the holding pattern we landed 25 minutes late at Heathrow.
As I sat on the right side of the plane and we landed on runway 27R (as the planes do most of the time) I got a very nice view of central London during the approach and decided to take some pics this time. :)
Well at least there was no line at all at passport control in terminal 1, and baggage delivery started almost immediately.
It seems like most passengers onboard had connections at Heathrow because less than 10 bags came out at the baggage reclaim.
Pics
The BMI A319 at the gate in Brussels ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3260.jpg)
The business class cabin onboard ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3261.jpg)
The bento box offered in business class ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3265.jpg)
The bento box opened and a bottle of champagne ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3267.jpg)
Great view of central London during the approach to Heathrow ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3270.jpg)
Another view of central London, Buckingham Palace and London Eye are easy to recognise for example ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3272.jpg)
jacob_m
Dec 7, 06, 2:26 pm
Final leg of this trip is London-Copenhagen-Stockholm with SAS, the stop in Copenhagen is only to maximise the miles.
I had originally planned to fly London-Copenhagen with Varig, they do (did) fly Brazil-London-Copenhagen three times a week with three cabins onboard (another flight in F for me), but we all know what happened to that plan.
The Varig flight was actually still showing up on Expertflyer when I was about to book, so I asked about it when making the booking (in case of any problems I’m sure SAS would have helped me, especially since they even handled check-in for Varig in London).
However my booking contact at SAS was not even allowed to book the flight due to the financial problems of Varig, and two weeks later the route was indefinitely cancelled.
So it’s good old SAS for me to Copenhagen!
I arrived quite early at Heathrow Terminal 3, a little over three hours before departure.
I actually tend to arrive early when flying SAS out of Heathrow as terminal 3 has pretty good shopping and as Star Alliance gold I also have access to as many as three lounges in terminal 3, two of them being very nice (and no, the UA RCC is not one of them ;)).
Check-in at Heathrow
Four desks were open in the SAS check-in area, one baggage drop, two premium desks, and one economy class desks. That’s not a lot considering all the SAS flights out of Heathrow.
The line for the single economy class desk was quite long, and some people looked at me angrily when I could walk straight to the empty business class check-in desk upon arrival (If I had not arrived, someone from the economy class line could have used it).
The young woman at the check-in desk was very friendly, I have been very happy with the SAS staff at Heathrow on my last visits (for a while they were pretty grumpy).
However she had problems checking me in, it turned out all flights from Heathrow to Scandinavia were fully booked, and my flight from Copenhagen to Stockholm was even overbooked by as many as 17 passengers.
In order to sort out this overbooking situation they had a check-in restriction for the flight, so the check-in agents had to call to get approval to check in passengers for that flight, although with a gold card and a business class ticket it was obviously not a problem for me.
It took a few minutes before the restriction was lifted for my ticket, in the meantime I got to see yet another agent amazed by my itinerary, I agree it looks quite impressive when you see it at the back of the ticket.
Soon she got permission to check me in, my luggage was tagged all the way to Stockholm and I got boarding passes for both flights.
I also asked about the weight of my luggage, not that I was worried about having to pay (piece concept for RTW tickets), I was just curious. It turned out I had 51 kilos of checked luggage!! Yikes!! :D
I went upstairs and used the fast track security as I was travelling in business class. The fast track definitely takes more time now than it used to with all restrictions on liquids and the shoe circus that they have now imported to the UK.
It could have been worse though, I was through within a few minutes.
I proceeded to possibly my favourite lounge at Heathrow, the Singapore Airlines lounge located to the left after the main tax-free area next to gate 10.
What I really like about this lounge is the food offering with plenty of proper sandwiches and even hot food in the evenings, since SAS has scrapped free food in economy it’s nice to have something proper to eat in the lounge before the flight.
The reception staff should also get credit for never making a comment about being in the wrong lounge, not once have they told me to go to the SAS lounge instead, they just advice you to keep an eye on the monitors as obviously no boarding announcements are made. ^
There were not a lot of people in the lounge when I arrived, but after a while more people started arriving for the 6.30 pm departure to Singapore.
Since I did not have much lunch I had some food to eat from the buffet, no hot food available though, I guess it was still a bit too early.
I also had some red wine from the bar counter, I tend to enjoy the red wine they have in the lounge for some reason.
Overall I think the SQ lounge in Heathrow is very nice. Very bright and modern, great staff, nice view of the apron and a pretty good food and drinks selection. ^
If you have a laptop you can also ask for one hour of free wi-fi at the reception.
Pics
The entrance to the Singapore Airlines lounge at Heathrow terminal 3 ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3294.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3300.jpg)
The bar (which is manned) ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3297.jpg)
The self-service buffet area ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3299.jpg)
The view from the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3301.jpg)
SAS/Air Canada “London lounge”, London/Heathrow
After the SQ lounge and a bit of shopping I went to the SAS lounge, “The London lounge”, located right opposite the tax-free area, it’s pretty impossible to miss.
The London lounge is definitely one of the better ones, it is shared by SAS and Air Canada but certainly feels more SAS than AC, overall it’s a nice place to kill some time inside.
The lounge is divided into two floors, although both floors have a self-service buffet area. The ground floor is more suited for people who want to work in the lounge with a business area, work stations, the SAS and Air Canada service centres etc. The first floor is more suited for people who are in the lounge for leisure. There is a cinema room for example, several TVs, internet computers, video games, a secluded room where you can get some rest, and even a play area for children.
They used to have massage chairs in the lounge as well, but since they were always broken they decided to remove them and now there are lounge chairs there instead, what a pity!
I had some drinks from the self-service buffet and had a seat in the cinema room where they showed a football game. The cinema room is the nicest place in the lounge in my opinion and this summer I actually spent an evening there watching one of the world cup football games before catching my flight, that was pretty fun! :)
Soon the monitors indicated it was time to go to the gate, the flight to Copenhagen was leaving from the gate next to the lounge, so a very short walk.
Pics
The entrance to the London lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3306.jpg)
The self-service buffet on the ground floor ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3308.jpg)
The self-service buffet on the first floor ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3309.jpg)
Sitting areas on the first floor ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3310.jpg)
People watching football inside (and outside) the cinema room ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3311.jpg)
Plenty of magazines available in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3312.jpg)
London/Heathrow-Copenhagen, flight SK 1516 operated by SAS
Departure: 18:15
Arrival: 21:10
Aircraft: MD-80
Class: Business Class
Seat: 02F
At Heathrow SAS offers priority boarding for business class passengers and Star golds. This is one of the few places in Europe where I know priority boarding is offered on a regular basis and sometimes they even enforce it strictly (checking boarding passes at the door so only eligible passengers board). Very nice and very appreciated!! ^
The nice thing with the priority boarding is also that you can take whatever newspapers you want as they are available right between the gate area and the plane, they are on a first-come-first basis.
I was one of the first passengers onboard and had chosen 02F which is my seat of preference. The aircraft in use was an MD80 (I think it was an MD81) which has a 2-3 configuration onboard, however in business class the middle seat is “reserved for comfort” (as the signs say), so it’s better to go for an aisle seat or a window seat on the right side as you get more space.
There is a small closet in the front of the cabin where they sometimes offer to hang jackets for business class passengers. It’s not really an official benefit (i.e. part of the service concept) but regular SAS travellers know it’s there and usually ask for it (if not being asked) in case they have a jacket or a coat they want to get rid of.
As I had a jacket I asked one of the flight attendants if she could take it, not a problem!
Just like I had been told at check-in the flight was completely full in all classes, not sure if anyone was left behind though. We departed fairly quickly from runway 27L and we were told it would be a short flight time to Copenhagen, around 1h 35 min.
Once in the air the seat belt sign was turned off very quickly (after 5 mins or so) and the inflight service started.
SAS offers three cabins onboard intra-European flights: Economy class, which is basically no-frills, not even water is free. Economy flex, which is an upgraded economy class with a cold meal and drinks included. And Business class with a hot meal and all drinks for free.
The inflight service in business class was the standard SAS service on all longer intra-European flight (above 90 mins or so).
Drinks are offered with nuts before the meal.
Then the meal service starts, in business class they serve a hot meal, or as they call it “a cold meal with a hot item” (which is probably more accurate). The “hot item” on this flight was chicken served with some salad and potatoes.
On the tray there was also a small dessert and some cheese, and the crew passed through the cabin with bread rolls. I also had some Nicolas Feuillate champagne to drink.
After the main meal coffee and tea were offered and they passed a second time (or a third time) with the drink trolley offering cognac, whiskey, liquors etc with the coffee.
Pics
Nicolas Feuillate to drink before the meal ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3316.jpg)
The inflight meal in business class to Copenhagen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3317.jpg)
Two flight attendants were in charge of the business class cabin on this flight, a young Swedish woman and a slightly older Danish woman.
The service was friendly but not spectacular, but on the other hand they had to work hard to manage all the entire meal service in less than 90 minutes.
Overall the inflight service in business class was OK, I certainly have no complaints, but not many years ago they used to hand out a nice menu in business class and maybe only five years ago they served a proper hot meal in C (not just a hot item) and there were two choices available.
The service on this flight was fine, but there have been many complaints in the SAS forum about old and grumpy FAs who can make a flight miserable. The average age of SAS FAs is quite high, and some FAs who have been around for some time have difficulties accepting all the cutbacks and unfortunately focus their anger on the passengers.
I have experienced these flights as well, and they are not fun, but fortunately this was a nice flight with a friendly crew onboard.
Due to the short flight time we landed 10 mins early in Copenhagen and were safely parked at the gate in no time. The taxi to the gate was amazingly quick, three minutes or so, the captain didn’t seem to apply the brakes one single time until we got to the gate, he just continued rolling.
I have experienced that before in Copenhagen, is it really permitted?
Copenhagen is one of my favourite airports, bright and modern with over 50 shops in the transit area. The terminal is starting to get a bit too crowded though, and it is getting increasingly hard to get from one end of the terminal to the other with all the people in the shopping areas, especially if you are in a hurry with a short transfer.
Pics
Plenty of tax-free shops in Copenhagen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3319.jpg)
More tax-free shops in Copenhagen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3320.jpg)
SAS Scandinavian lounge, Copenhagen
With the early arrival I had plenty of time for a lounge visit.
The SAS Scandinavian lounge in Copenhagen is one of my favourites, even though some parts of it are starting to look a bit worn.
The food and drinks selection is pretty good, they have free internet, and they even have two dayrooms (only mentioned on the SAS webpage, not in the lounge) which you can use if you have a long layover and want to get some rest.
I used one of the rooms once on a 4-hour layover, it was just like a small hotel room and I got two hours of sleep in there, it saved my day!!
I checked my e-mails in the lounge and had some more drinks, they also had some nice cheese available at the buffet.
The lounge wasn’t very crowded this evening, just a few people waiting for the late connecting flights from Copenhagen to the major Scandinavian cities.
Pics
The entrance to the SAS Scandinavian lounge in Copenhagen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3334.jpg)
The reception desk in the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3326.jpg)
Inside the lounge ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3325.jpg)
The buffet area, it is supposed to look like a Scandinavian kitchen ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3324.jpg)
Plenty of newspapers, both to the right and below the departure monitors ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3323.jpg)
Comfortable sofas and armchairs ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3329.jpg)
The inner part of the lounge, you can usually see the strait of Oresund through the windows ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3321.jpg)
Copenhagen-Stockholm/Arlanda, flight SK 1428 operated by SAS
Departure: 22:45
Arrival: 23:55
Aircraft: Boeing 737-600
Class: Economy Class (one-class only)
Seat: 03F
I left the lounge quite late and most passengers had already boarded when I got to the gate.
The flight to Stockholm was completely full, since it was overbooked by 17 passengers I’m pretty sure a few people were left behind. I think they managed it quite well though by forcing the check-in agents to get approval before checking in passengers, it’s definitely better to be rebooked to a later flight already at the departure airport than being stuck in Copenhagen at 11 pm.
The vast majority of the passengers onboard were people who had arrived one hour earlier in Copenhagen from other European cities.
Due to some late connecting passengers and some last minute transfer luggage to load we pushed back 15 minutes late. Since this was the last flight to Stockholm and obviously no passengers had connections in Stockholm they prefer to wait for late passengers rather than leave them behind in Copenhagen.
The flight time to Stockholm was around one hour in length. I really don’t remember much of it as I was very tired and slept most of the flight.
As on most intra-Scandinavian flights they probably served coffee, tea and water free of charge while everything else was available for purchase (soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, snacks, sandwiches).
We landed a few minutes late at Arlanda airport, but at least my luggage was first on the belt. I noticed the luggage tag on one of the bags had fallen off and had been replaced, well 28 kilo is quite a lot for any person to lift.
I was picked up at the airport and I was soon off for a lot of well-needed sleep!!
Pics
Just landed at Stockholm Arlanda airport, the trip is over! ( http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3336.jpg)
The very last comment
This completes the trip report of my round the world trip 2006!
That was the last proper instalment of the report, the trip is over and there are no more flights to post (at least not this time).
I will post a short summary though of the trip and the flights taken, and I am also planning to post a little comparison of the various premium products I have tried, but after that the report will be added to the Flyertalk history.
Thank you all very much for all the comments I have received!! ^
At the time of writing this report has 11837 views and 157 replies!! That's incredible!! :)
I am absolutely fascinated by the interest it has generated, and needless to say I’m delighted to see so many nice comments about the report.
When some people complain FT was down for one day so no new instalments were posted and others say this is one of the best reports they have read, you really feel it was worth the time it took to write the bloody thing, type menus, and upload all the 590 pics. :D
So thanks all for being such a nice and friendly bunch of readers!! :) ^ ^
Moomba
Dec 7, 06, 2:43 pm
Thanks again jacob_m I really enjoyed reading your reports.
On a freaky deaky note, the instant I clicked on your picture of the SQ lounge in T3 at LHR I had an email notification popup saying I had received an email from SQ :eek:
More Champagne Sir?
Dec 7, 06, 4:06 pm
Brilliant. An enthralling read from start to finish. Thanks jacob_m!!
upgrade lover
Dec 7, 06, 6:32 pm
Well done! It was the trip report to end all trip reports. The pictures are fantastic, and your writing style is great. I am a bit sad that it is over as I have been enjoying this for the last week. I can't wait to read your summary and comparisons. Is there any chance you can take a picture of the ticket stub with all those segments?
Again thanks for all the pleasurable hours of reading^ ^ ^
CarlTheWebmaster
Dec 7, 06, 10:00 pm
jacob_m:
Thank you so much for an incredibly entertaining and interesting trip report. I've done three *A RTW F trips, but they were very short and for business, not vacation. You certainly got your money's worth!! Excellent, excellent work.
Thanks again.
-C
ak333
Dec 7, 06, 10:59 pm
This was a top notch jacob m. Thanks for all the effort of posting this mastepiece. I give it :-: :-: :-: :-: :-: !
ojala
Dec 8, 06, 12:09 am
Wow! Thanks Jacob! This trip report has been a daily "must read" since the very beginning. Very nice trip and after each section I had this urge to book a RTW in First myself..
I'm still missing the picture from the Air New Zealand flight, though, perhaps you could blur yourself out ;-)
jarinzfin
Dec 8, 06, 1:16 am
thanks Jacob for a wonderful report! ^
Flying Lawyer
Dec 8, 06, 3:20 am
Excuse my ignorance, but is all of the food and alcohol in the lounges free, even in the LH restaurant?
This is not ignorance but it is the outflow of your experience with some wunderful airlines in the US. YES: Food and drink is free more or less on all carriers' lounges all around the globe with the well known exceptions of the Star* US carrieres in the US....
Flying Lawyer
Dec 8, 06, 3:29 am
Thanks again for this, this was really fantastic. Would you mind to upload the full story eg as PDF to the net? I would really love to have it without any remarks in between as pure food for reading. Thanks!
Jensine
Dec 8, 06, 5:26 am
How much did the ticket cost? Maybe you have mentioned it, but I could not find it. Great report! Very interesting.
peter777
Dec 8, 06, 6:22 am
Really excellent report : well written, informative and detailed. Nice pictures, too! This report will no doubt make many readers dream about a similar trip. I for one wish o be able to have a similar trip on Star Alliance, especially on SQ with their new seats. By the way, what was the cost of your ticket?
jacob_m
Dec 8, 06, 10:16 am
I got a private message two days ago from an FTer who asked me if I could post a photo of the amenity kit on Swiss in F.
This has been done, and the photo is available in the HKG-ZRH instalment.
Thanks again for this, this was really fantastic. Would you mind to upload the full story eg as PDF to the net? I would really love to have it without any remarks in between as pure food for reading. Thanks!
If you just want to read the story without the comments you can go to the first page of the report where I have created a table of contents.
Just click on whatever you want to read and the instalment will open in a new window, without any comments.
It should be pretty easy to print it from there for example.
I'll have a look if anything else can be done.
How much did the ticket cost? Maybe you have mentioned it, but I could not find it. Great report! Very interesting.
The fare for FRWSTAR2 (34000 miles) ex-Sweden was 73690 SEK which equals roughly 10800 USD with today's exchange rate.
On top of that I had to pay around 8000 SEK in taxes and charges (1180 USD).
Quite a lot in taxes, but in all fairness I had 22 segments included in the itinerary.
Unfortunately they raised all the RTW prices just a few weeks before I made the booking, but Sweden is still one of the cheapest countries for RTW tickets and this was by no means a bad deal.
view
Dec 8, 06, 2:33 pm
I'm almost a bit sad to see your magnificent journey come to an end, because that means the report is finished too. An excellent effort, very much appreciated, but I guess you have already discovered that.
Thank you ^
dsimon
Dec 8, 06, 3:10 pm
jacob_m,
Thank you for taking the time to put together this report.
One question that I do have of this picture (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3084.jpg) of the LX 343 cabin is whether there is walking space in front of seats 1D and G and the bulkhead. From the picture, it is difficult to tell whether the front end of the suites run up to the bulkhead with the water bottles and display. If there is walking space, did you (I realize that you were in 2K) find that people used that to cross the cabin very much as opposed to going through the galley? Are seats 1D and G okay, in your opinion?
Thanks for your response.
jacob_m
Dec 8, 06, 4:46 pm
One question that I do have of this picture (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/jacob_m/RTW%202006/IMG_3084.jpg) of the LX 343 cabin is whether there is walking space in front of seats 1D and G and the bulkhead. From the picture, it is difficult to tell whether the front end of the suites run up to the bulkhead with the water bottles and display. If there is walking space, did you (I realize that you were in 2K) find that people used that to cross the cabin very much as opposed to going through the galley? Are seats 1D and G okay, in your opinion?
Yes, there is walking space between row 1 and the small "bar", maybe one meter, so no problem passing there.
There is only one lavatory in F on the A340 though and it's in front of seat 1A, so from my seat 2K I had to pass the bar (and seat 1D and 1G) every time I wanted to use the lavatory, not once did I go through the galley where the curtains were mostly closed.
If your question is related to seat preference in F I very much liked 2K since basically nobody had to pass my seat during the entire flight and 2G was also empty on my flight. Fabulous! Lots of privacy!
If F is full there is a slight chance you might find it disturbing to be in 1D or 1G since all people sitting on the right side (1G, 1K, 2G, 2K) have to pass you to get to and from the lavatory.
If you are travelling alone I think 2A or 2K are the best choices.
dsimon
Dec 8, 06, 5:08 pm
Yes, there is walking space between row 1 and the small "bar", maybe one meter, so no problem passing there.
Thanks for your prompt response.
I guess what I meant to ask was is, is the walking space on the other side of the small knee-height partition? I sort of imagine it would have to be, otherwise people would be walking on (your) seat side of the ottoman.
Can you confirm that? Thank you.
jacob_m
Dec 8, 06, 5:23 pm
I guess what I meant to ask was is, is the walking space on the other side of the small knee-height partition? I sort of imagine it would have to be, otherwise people would be walking on (your) seat side of the ottoman.
Can you confirm that? Thank you.
Yes the partition is between the ottoman and the walking space, nobody will walk over you or accidently touch your feet if they want to go to the lavatory in the middle of the night while you're sleeping, that's probably why the partition is there.
Still 1D and 1G are not the most private seats onboard, but definitely don't worry!
dsimon
Dec 8, 06, 9:04 pm
Yes the partition is between the ottoman and the walking space, nobody will walk over you or accidently touch your feet if they want to go to the lavatory in the middle of the night while you're sleeping, that's probably why the partition is there.
Still 1D and 1G are not the most private seats onboard, but definitely don't worry!
Thanks again for the follow-up.
jacob_m
Dec 9, 06, 3:15 am
There was recently a thread in the Star Alliance forum where someone asked if RTW tickets in F are really worth it since so many airlines do not offer F anymore and others only on selected routes.
The simple answer is that it really depends, a RTW ticket in F can either be a complete waste of money or a real bargain. In my case there is no doubt my itinerary falls under the second category.
I actually checked the published fares for my trip for fun, and I would estimate that my itinerary bought as single tickets with the lowest possible fare in the flown class of travel would have cost between 3-4 times more than the price I paid for my RTW ticket. :)
That’s some pretty decent savings!
I hope that my trip report can give some ideas and inspiration to people thinking of or already planning a RTW trip of what can be done.
It can be surprisingly difficult to create a good RTW itinerary, I for one know that, I changed my itinerary many many times before I was completely satisfied with the flights and the routing.
I think that my itinerary is a good example of how to make the most out of a RTW ticket in F and how to make the ticket a good deal rather than a waste of money.
Maps
The full RTW itinerary included three airline tickets (RTW ticket, Star Alliance Pacific award ticket, and US domestic ticket) and train tickets in three countries (Montreal-Quebec City in Canada, Hong Kong-Guangzhou in China, and a Japan rail pass with various short trips in Japan).
Map of my full RTW itinerary (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA-YYZ-YUL-YQB-YUL-NYC-LAX-SFO-SEA-DEN-DFW-LAX-TYO-OSA-AKL-SYD-WLG-AKL-RAR-PPT-AKL-CHC-SYD-SIN-KUL-SIN-BKK-HKG-CAN-HKG-ZRH-FRA-BRU-LHR-CPH-ARN%0D%0A&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=red&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=navy&MAP-STYLE=)
I bought a Star Alliance RTW ticket in F and went for the second options called Star2 which gave me 34000 miles to use. Of those I used 33959 miles based on Star Alliance calculations, that’s pretty close, only 41 miles left.
Map of my FRWSTAR2 itinerary, officially it’s 33959 miles per Star Alliance calculations (http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ARN-CPH-HAM-FRA-YYZ-YUL-LGA, JFK-LAX-NRT, HND-ITM, KIX-AKL-SYD-SIN-KUL-SIN-BKK-HKG-ZRH-FRA-BRU-LHR-CPH-ARN%0D%0A&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=red&PATH-UNITS=mi&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=navy&MAP-STYLE=)
Countries visited
Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France (French Polynesia), Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA
Not sure if Cook Islands could be regarded as a country, administratively it’s part of New Zealand, but I did pass “The parliament of the Cook Islands” on my island tour.
As already mentioned I am also planning to post a short comparison of the premium products I have tried (check-in, lounges, cabin, seats, meals, service etc), after all I managed to cover as many as 10 airlines, of which 6 in F.
I will be going away over the weekend and the beginning of next week (yes, more flying) so the comparison won’t be posted until later next week.
It’s nice to take a little break in the report writing as well ;)
Steady-EDI
Dec 10, 06, 3:56 am
The trip of trips and the report of reports ^ Can it really be over? jacob_m, your amazing report has kept me always looking out for the next instalment for the last couple of weeks.
Many thanks for all your work. Believe me, I know the amount of effort involved in putting something like this together!
PhilH
Dec 10, 06, 1:32 pm
jacob_m, can I say again, now that you've finished recounting your trip, what a great pleasure it has been to follow you on your way around the world. This is a fantastic trip report, almost perfect in terms of construction, style and use of photos. A wonderful effort. Thank you again! ^
josh123
Dec 10, 06, 8:21 pm
Fantastic report, loved it
SMART51
Dec 10, 06, 11:21 pm
Sadely all good things comes to an end.Did have to take a fast trip to Paris and did not bother to take my laptop with me.So first thing i did on my return is to check on your trip report.My wife was ready to kill me for that.
Very nice report in a matter of fact one of the top 3 rports on FT.
Another thing ,you did very well not to pass via CDG,what a mess and what a bad excuse for an airport.Sad thing at CDG as i was standing in line at security,the whole shift closed the procedure and the next shift did not show up for another 10 minutes.When some of us expressed our displeasure we got secondery search and along look into our hand luggage:td:
Now get some rest and let's hope that you will be flying again soon.
Scandinavian
Dec 12, 06, 7:13 am
fantastic report, is there anything else to say? Thanks for writing it!
But where are the whisky from Islay? Rather poor selection of whisky onboard the aircraft. Macallan 12 y is ok, but where is Lagavulin, Ardbeg.....? ;)
jef7
Dec 13, 06, 9:12 pm
Finally I was able to get through the last intallment of your report, and again, it has been a pleasure reading your experiences and observations jacob_m.
After all those cities you've visited, and being away for weeks, I could only imagine the mix feelings and emotions you must have felt upon arriving back at Stockholm.
Well, thank you for sharing with us this special trip. The report is well done, detailed, observant, informative, and given all the extra photos which effectively took us your readers along with you, very memorable.
jacob_m
Dec 15, 06, 11:03 am
The trip of trips and the report of reports ^ Can it really be over?
Yeah it's a bit sad it's over (for me as well), both the actual trip and the trip report writing which kept me busy a couple of hours every evening for almost three weeks. :)
Not sure if I would do all of it again though, and that's both for the trip and the report writing as they both made me very tired at the end due to the length.
And how on earth did I find energy to take all those photos during the trip? There are photos of every single lounge and every single dish I ate onboard a plane during two months!! Well I really don't know!! :D
Another thing ,you did very well not to pass via CDG,what a mess and what a bad excuse for an airport.Sad thing at CDG as i was standing in line at security,the whole shift closed the procedure and the next shift did not show up for another 10 minutes.When some of us expressed our displeasure we got secondery search and along look into our hand luggage:td:
I am all too familiar with CDG, that has been one of my main airports for quite some time.
Security hasn't been my main issue with that airport though, it's mostly that it's so confusing, disorganised, badly signposted and so on, and terminal 1 is really a dump!
It gets better the more you use it though as you get used to finding your way around without reading signs.
After all those cities you've visited, and being away for weeks, I could only imagine the mix feelings and emotions you must have felt upon arriving back at Stockholm.
Yeah there were almost too many experiences during this trip.
Japan, China, the South Pacific, 34 flights, 6 airlines in first class...during one trip!! And that's not even all of it...
I almost felt I needed therapy when I got home to absorb everything!! :D
But what an experience!! :)
jacob_m
Dec 15, 06, 12:27 pm
I promised earlier to make a comparison of the Star Alliance carriers I have flown during this trip, after all I managed to cover 10 airlines, of which 6 in first class and 8 where I got to try a longhaul product in one way or another. So I do have some material to compare.
The comparison has been divided into several categories starting with check-in and lounges, continuing with inflight experiences, and finishing with arrivals services.
After each category there is also a hands up ^ and a hands down :td:.
The hands up will be given to airlines where I have had particularly good experiences in that category, The hands down will be given to airlines where I had a bad experience or where the airline did not live up to my expectations or the norm in that category.
Obviously this is not a complete Star Alliance comparison in any way and should be read and interpreted accordingly, I am just summarising some comments and reflections.
Check-in
During this trip check-in was hassle-free pretty much everywhere with the exception of Papeete/Tahiti where they used the priority check-in for the rebooked passengers from Air Tahiti Nui and all passengers irrespective of class had to use the economy check-in.
The Air NZ check-in service in Wellington was also well below what can be expected, even on days with exceptionally bad weather. The check-in agent tried to send me away from the airport even though I had both a both business class ticket and a gold card, I had no alternative flight to rebook to, no place to stay in Wellington, and my flight had not even been cancelled yet.
I have travelled enough not to base my opinions on one single experience, but it was still a very bad experience and not at all acceptable.
Back to the positive experiences instead.
Both Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways offered special first class check-in rooms in Singapore and Bangkok. In Singapore I was met already at the dedicated first class drop-off area outside terminal 2, I never even had to touch my luggage at the airport.
In Bangkok I had the pleasure to try the new Thai Royal First class check-in area which was a very positive surprise. The secluded check-in area was great, the check-in staff very friendly and professional and the escort through the airport formalities to the lounge was also a nice touch.
The first class terminal should of course also get a mention, without any doubt the smoothest check-in process on this trip as I didn’t even have to pass a check-in desk. Everything was taken care of while I was relaxing in the lounge. That check-in experience just can’t be beaten!
The Air New Zealand premium check-in room in Auckland was also a nice experience with the dedicated passport control and security check. Saved me a good amount of time on my two international departures.
You can also pay the departure tax in the check-in room, other passengers have to visit the bank at the airport to do that.
^ : Lufthansa F terminal FRA, Thai F BKK, SQ F SIN, Air NZ AKL
:td: : Air NZ PPT, Air NZ WLG
Lounges
My favourite lounge was without any doubt the Lufthansa first class lounge in Frankfurt (and the terminal of course, but these are basically the same except that the lounge doesn’t offer check-in and limousine transfer).
The drinks selection in Frankfurt was the most extensive I have ever seen in an airport lounge, and the food selection in the restaurant was also pretty spectacular with several hot dishes, nice desserts, cold cuts, and plenty of other things.
In both the lounge and the terminal I will also give very high marks to the staff who were both friendly, attentive and professional, overall this was a very decent first class experience.
A competitor to the Lufthansa lounges in Frankfurt would be Cathay Pacific The Wing in Hong Kong. It is not a designated Star Alliance lounge, but of course it was still great to get a chance to try it.
Hungry lounge guests have several options including a noodle bar, several snacks bars, and the very extensive self-service buffet in The Haven restaurant in the first class lounge.
The service was also very attentive and waitresses passed regularly through the first class lounge to take drink orders, the only thing I did not like were the chairs which were very low, too low for somebody of my height.
Otherwise I would like to mention the Air New Zealand lounges and the Air Canada Maple leaf lounges, two nice surprises.
Basically all Air NZ lounges I visited were fantastic with the exception of the small international lounge in Christchurch. All the lounges offered plenty of food (including hot food in some lounges) and plenty to drink including an impressive selection of wine, beer and spirits. Especially the Air NZ Sydney lounge was a highlight, it is now one of my favourite lounges.
The Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges was also a nice surprise, after having seen the poor UA lounges I was very surprised to see the standard of the lounges across the border.
Among the less impressive lounges I am sure nobody is surprised if I say UA domestic Red Carpet Clubs. Even though some of these “clubs” are actually not bad, the food and the drinks selection is. There is virtually nothing to eat, virtually nothing to drink, and don’t even think about getting a glass of wine for free.
What is even more fascinating is that UA elite members have to pay an annual fee to get inside these mostly crappy places, even the top-tier ones, I just find that very strange.
I cannot really say I was impressed by the lounges in Japan either. Even though the lounges are quite nice the selection of food and drinks is very limited. In the ANA Signet lounge at Haneda airport in Tokyo, a dedicated gold lounge, there was nothing at all to eat and only coffee, soft drinks and Japanese whiskey to drink. That’s very poor.
^ : Lufthansa F-lounges/terminal FRA, Air NZ lounges, CX The Wing HKG
:td: : UA Red Carpet Clubs in the US, Japanese lounges
Boarding
In most countries priority boarding was offered for business class/first class/Star gold passengers with the exception of the majority of the European airports (as usual).
After having given poor reviews on my US experiences (lounges, inflight service etc) I really want to give them some credit for consistently offering priority boarding, I was allowed to board first on every single flight departing from a US airport on this trip.
Otherwise the smoothest and most hassle-free boarding process was without any doubt the one in Frankfurt when heading for Toronto.
The limousine transfer from the first class terminal to the aircraft just can’t be beaten and the escort service onboard the plane was also very nice, I actually think that the escort was an even greater experience than the limousine transfer, they really make you feel like a VIP when being escorted past all the other passengers onboard the plane.
^ : Lufthansa F FRA, UA domestic flights
:td: : Intra-European flights (SK, LH, BD among others)
Cabin
The new Air New Zealand Business Premier cabin definitely made a good impression on me, especially on the Osaka-Auckland flight on a B777 where they used a blue neon lighting in the ceiling before departure from Osaka and a red neon lighting during the breakfast service before landing in Auckland.
Check the photos I took of the cabin before departure from Osaka (on the Osaka-Auckland flight) and I’m sure you’ll agree with me.
The Singapore Airlines First class cabin was also one of the highlights, even though most people here have probably seen plenty of photos of it by now it is really a different thing being there yourself.
When you enter the aircraft and see the clean and empty cabin with marble interior and the light brown leather seats it is hard not to get impressed.
Otherwise I don’t really have any complaints about any of the cabins, the only real disappointment was to see the UA economy class cabins, especially onboard the Boeing 737s. These cabins should definitely need a revamp.
^ : Air NZ Business Premier, SQ F
Seats
This is a hard one, I don’t think I will be able to give a full ranking of the first class seats since there were several weeks between some of the flights, and basically none of the seats were uncomfortable.
On the whole I remember being very happy with the Singapore Airlines SkySuite in F, the ANA F suite and the Swiss F seat.
I was particularly happy with the latter, the Swiss first class seat was extremely comfortable and it was nice to have the ottoman in front of the seat which could be moved by a button on the seat control and used as a footrest.
The Swiss seat was also very comfortable when reclined to a bed, with a mattress and a duvet it really felt like a proper bed and I slept very well onboard. The Swiss first class seat also had the largest table of all the airlines, it was massive.
I think overall the Swiss seat was the best one I got to try, but it is difficult to say and in all fairness I did not sleep properly onboard ANA and SQ.
Regarding the Lufthansa first class seat onboard the Boeing 747 it was fine, I like travelling on the upper deck, but a 2-2 configuration isn’t really up to today’s standard.
Space wasn’t really a problem on my flight though, I was in emergency exit seat 83A and the seat next to me (83C) remained empty, according to checkmytrip (which I checked in the FCT) 83C seemed to have been properly blocked as I am Star Alliance gold.
But comparing the Lufthansa seat with the large and spacious seats (suites) onboard Swiss, ANA and Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa still has a bit to go.
I also got to try the new Business Premier onboard Air New Zealand. On the whole the seat was nice and comfortable, especially to be a business class seat, but there were some drawbacks.
I had a lot of problems finding the socket for the earphones, it is very well hidden in a really stupid place and can easily be confused with the power socket, on both my Business Premier flights I ended up getting help from the crew to find the socket.
As some other people have also reported it would be nice to be able to recline the seat a bit more, especially on longhaul daytime flight where you may want to get some rest but no proper sleep. The bed part of the seat was also slightly too hard.
^ : Swiss F, ANA F, SQ F
Crew and inflight service
Just like with the seats it is hard to rank service. The service offered onboard is very much linked to the culture of the airline (the country where it’s based), as is the perceived service by the passenger.
On this trip the only flight I was really disappointed with was the United Airlines flight in F from JFK to LAX where the service just did not live up to what can be expected on a 6-hour flight at the very front of an aircraft with three cabins.
During the remaining four hours of the flight after the meal service the FAs were rarely to be seen, they did not check on the passengers and I was only offered more drinks one single time during those four hours. Even though I try to be optimistic I just can’t say the service was nice and attentive, it really wasn’t.
Other than the UA transcon flight and the economy class flight on this trip (where the service was obviously not spectacular) I really have a hard time to say that one airline was a lot better than the others without being unfair, I just have too many great flights to try to compare.
Personally I like professional service in the air, attentive without being intrusive. I also like FAs who put a personal touch on the service, people who are happy to chat with the passengers and improvise a bit, even if it doesn’t say in the handbook they have to.
Based on these preferences I was very very happy with the service onboard ANA in F simply because the service was so genuine and the crew really took so much pride in what they did. Perhaps the service itself wasn’t exceptional and their command of English not 100%, but they worked very hard and really tried to make the most out of whatever they did.
I think the LAX-NRT flight was overall the best flight I have ever taken.
I was also very happy with the service onboard Air New Zealand, a service also pretty close to my personal preferences. The Air NZ crews were very professional and respectful and always treated me appropriately, but at the same time they were laid-back and you could chat and joke with them if you wanted to. Out of the seven business class flights with Air NZ on this trip I have to be quite picky to find things to complain about regarding the service, the service was consistently good on all flights.
Regarding Singapore Airlines I have already given quite a few comments about the service in my report. As many other people have reported the service in first class is simply fantastic and absolutely flawless.
They definitely get my vote for the most coordinated and polished inflight service of all airlines, they had an amazing ability to keep track of orders and what people were eating and drinking and when it was time for refills, and they never ever forgot an order.
The service was probably also the most attentive of all the airlines and I sometimes saw FAs standing at the back of the first class cabin looking for things to do rather than chatting with the colleagues in the galley. The service on the Singapore-Bangkok flight where I was the only passenger in first class was probably the most attentive service I have ever experienced onboard a plane, for obvious reasons.
The only thing I missed onboard SQ was a slightly more personal touch on the service. Even though the service was exceptional and just couldn’t get more attentive it felt a little bit too polished and perhaps a bit too much “by the book”. That’s just my personal reflection though and not a complaint in any way, we all have our personal preferences.
When it comes to Lufthansa and Swiss the service was very good on both airlines, but it was a bit more formal and not quite as relaxed as some of the other airlines. I still think both airlines offered very good service though, everything was done very properly and all crews were very attentive. It was just a different kind of service from the laid-back Kiwis and the efficient Singapore Airlines girls.
I have flown many many times with Lufthansa before and so far have not had a single bad experience when it comes to inflight service, it tends to be pretty consistent. Swiss was a new airline to me though since they only recently joined Star Alliance.
^ : ANA F, Air NZ (although the service was very good on almost all flights)
:td: : UA p.s F
Menu
My vote for the nicest looking menu will without any doubt go to Swiss.
The Swiss F menu had a beautiful cover with a photo of a Swiss landscape and also the insight was very nice with plenty of colour photos and some trivia about the origin of the food and wines. The menu was also printed in four languages: English, French, German and Chinese.
ANA gets my vote for the most original menu which came in a grey "box". The “box” contained both the drink list and the menu.
There are two photos of the menu and the “box” in the LAX-Tokyo instalment.
I will also mention Air New Zealand and give a hands up for offering menus on all flights in business class with a proper meal service, even flights as short as three hours, that would not have happened in other parts of the world.
I really missed a proper wine list though, especially on the longhaul flight.
^ : Swiss F, ANA F
Meals
As already mentioned several times I was very very impressed by the meal service onboard ANA in F and the amount of food onboard, they needed four full A4 pages in the menu just to mention all the food they had on offer onboard.
They really offered a gourmet à la carte restaurant onboard in F and everything on the menu could be ordered at any time during the flight, and they actually did that, there was never any “you would make it easier for us if you eat when the other passengers eat” as has been reported on other airlines offering “eat whenever you want”-service in first class.
Two other nice surprises were the Thai Airways flight in F between Bangkok and Hong Kong and the inflight service onboard Air New Zealand shorthaul flights.
Regarding the Thai experienced I was very very impressed by the extensive meal service they had in F on a fairly short route like BKK-HKG (just over two hours) with a five-courses meal. Especially the main course (Japanese salmon teriyaki) was delicious, as a matter of fact the whole meal service was surprisingly good after having read some mixed comments about Thai.
Air New Zealand once again gets a honourable mention for offering such a nice service on shorthaul flights in business class. I had four shorthaul business class flights on this trip with Air NZ (3-4 hours of length) and on each flight I was offered a full three courses meal with appetizer, a choice of three main courses, cheese and dessert. Everything was presented in a nice menu and all dishes served separately. This is certainly a lot more than you get on most intra-European flights of similar length for example.
The only real negative experience was once again the United Airlines p.s flight in F between New York and Los Angeles which did not impress me at all.
The food was way too heavy for my taste, but OK, I realise the food was suited for Americans and not for visiting Europeans, however there is still no excuse for the wine, four reds were mentioned in the drink list, only one of them had been loaded onboard. Offering only one red wine on a six-hour premium flight in first class is just not acceptable, especially considering the price of the ticket.
Finally, it would be a shame to do a comparison of the inflight meals without mentioning Singapore Airlines.
SQ certainly gets my vote for having the best food onboard, all the food I had was very good and they do an excellent job with the table setting and the presentation of the food. "Book the Cook" is also a big plus.
^ : ANA F, Thai F BKK-HKG, Air NZ shorthaul flights, SQ F
:td: : UA premium service F JFK-LAX
Inflight entertainment
Well one thing is true, nothing beats Singapore Airlines Krisworld! Krisworld is easily the most extensive inflight entertainment system I have ever seen.
Out of the airlines I tried, four airlines offered AVOD onboard: All Nippon Airways, Air New Zealand (in Business Premier), Singapore Airlines and Swiss.
I am not sure if Air Canada had AVOD as well since the proper inflight entertainment was not turned on during the short flight between Toronto and Montreal on the A330.
In all cases except SQ the selection was limited to around 15-20 movies, a few documentaries, a few TV-series episodes, and a few CDs, which is still perfectly adequate for a flight of a few hours.
Lufthansa did not offer AVOD on the Boeing 747 which was a drawback for such a fine airline, although first class had personal video players. Fortunately AVOD is now installed onboard many Lufthansa aircrafts.
Otherwise Air New Zealand was again a positive surprise, not only do they offer AVOD onboard the new Business Premier, the personal DVD-player was also a nice touch.
On international flights operated by A320 they offer a personal DVD-player to passengers in business class, and there is a selection of 18 titles which is actually comparable to the movie selection offered on most longhaul flights with AVOD. The only drawback was that it was a bit cramped to have both the DVD-player and the meal tray on the table at the same time, but I managed pretty well.
^ : SQ (Krisworld), Air NZ
:td: : Lufthansa, Thai Airways
Arrivals service
Travelling in a premium cabin you can be pretty sure to be one of the first passengers off the plane, many airlines even close the curtains between first class and business class to make sure first class passengers can get off before everybody else. This is something I especially got to experience in Bangkok where SQ still did this even though I was the only passenger in first class.
The priority tags that have been put on my luggage on all 34 flights have also worked pretty well.
In Asia it actually worked every single time, BKK, SIN, KUL, HKG, NRT, HND are some of the cities where it worked exceptionally well.
The priority tag also worked very well in the Pacific region, my bags were consistently among the first after both international and domestic flights in New Zealand and also among the first in Rarotonga and Papeete. Only in Sydney did it not work one of the times.
In Europe and North America it is hit or miss whether the priority tags work or not. The only country in Europe where I have almost consistently good experiences of the priority tag is Germany.
Otherwise two experiences stand out from the rest: Singapore and Hong Kong.
In Singapore on arrival from Sydney I made it from the plane, through immigration and baggage reclaim, to the taxi stand in just 15 minutes, and that’s with two pieces of checked luggage.
That’s the quickest arrival in my life, at least when arriving on an international longhaul flight with checked luggage.
The second experience was the Thai Airways arrivals service in Hong Kong where all first class passengers were met at the gate and taken through the massive terminal to immigration by an electric car. I was standing in the immigration line on the other side of the airport before most other passengers had probably even left the plane, on top of that the good priority baggage handling also made the arrival very smooth and quick.
^ : Thai Airways in HKG, Singapore Airlines in SIN
And finally: The very best ones according to jacob_m...
Best check-in: Lufthansa FRA (the F terminal) and Thai Airways BKK
Best ground service: I have to mention the great Air NZ staff in Rarotonga, otherwise ANA
Best lounge: Lufthansa First class lounge/terminal FRA
Best flight: ANA F LAX-NRT (special mention for Air NZ KIX-AKL, no reason given though ;))
Best seat: Swiss F
Best cabin Air NZ C (the Business Premier)
Best menu: Swiss F
Best food: Singapore Airlines F
Best food selection: ANA F (+ Singapore Airlines with Book the Cook)
Best food presentation: Singapore Airlines F
Best drinks: Singapore Airlines F
Best crew: ANA F (although that's a really hard one!)
Best amenity kit: Singapore Airlines F
Best inflight entertainment system: Singapore Airlines Krisworld
Best arrivals experience: Singapore after SYD-SIN with SQ
SMART51
Dec 15, 06, 2:32 pm
I did like your final chapter and i will agree very much with all of what you said.But one thing i would like to add with your permission is maybe UA did really bad in local traffic but i've been on them for 2 international trips in F in the last month IAD-KWI-IAD and IAd-CDG-IAD and they were much improved i am not saying they are equal to SQ or NH but you can feel they are really trying.
Again,thank you very much for a superb report. I and i might add we did really enjoy reading it.^ ^ ^
Kiwi Flyer
Dec 15, 06, 5:43 pm
Thanks for the truly comprehensive summary. Personally I wouldn't rate UA domestic well for boarding process. While F pax are indeed in group 1 boarding I often find the gate agents not policing groups properly allowing many other pax through. Additionally if arriving at the gate later than several minutes before boarding begins there is a scrum to work through or wait for.
Interesting how highly NZ rates in many areas even though they only have business class (not first) and only 1 of your NZ flights was the longhaul product. I think you've let the cat out of the bag ;)
jacob_m
Dec 16, 06, 4:29 am
Personally I wouldn't rate UA domestic well for boarding process. While F pax are indeed in group 1 boarding I often find the gate agents not policing groups properly allowing many other pax through. Additionally if arriving at the gate later than several minutes before boarding begins there is a scrum to work through or wait for.
Well at least they offer it, consistently! Since I have complained about basically every other aspect of US air travel I thought I should give them some credit for what they do right.
On all my 6 US domestic flights priority boarding was offered and in many cases they also enforced it, i.e. stopping people without Seating 1 on their boarding passes.
As far as I remember I was among the 10 first passengers to board on every single flight and there was no inconvenience at all in getting onboard.
I'm just mentioning this in contrast to the large number of intra-European flights I have taken where priority boarding is almost never offered.
They start with row 15 and back while business class passengers have to wait at the gate and board last.
While this may be the most efficient boarding process it is not particularly nice if you have paid a lot for your ticket to fly at the front.
Interesting how highly NZ rates in many areas even though they only have business class (not first) and only 1 of your NZ flights was the longhaul product. I think you've let the cat out of the bag ;)
Hehe, I also noticed afterwards Air NZ was mentioned quite a few times, maybe I'm a bit biased, but I was actually very impressed by the airline.
I had 7 flights in business class and great crews on basically every flight, the crew onboard the KIX-AKL flight is one of the best I have ever had.
You are indeed right there was only one longhaul flight (not sure if PPT-AKL, 6 hours, could be considered longhaul, perhaps not), but I was actually more impressed by the ground services and shorthaul flights than the longhaul flights (the longhaul flight wasn't that spectacular itself, and as you said didn't have F).
The service onboard the the shorthaul flights (+/- 3 hours) on the other hand with the great meal service and the personal DVD-player was miles better than the service offered on similar flights of similar length in other parts of the world making these flights a very decent experience IMO.
I also found the lounges pretty nice, plenty to eat even in the domestic lounges and I'm sure you know about the vast selection of beer and wine ;)
So overall I was very happy with Air NZ.
As I said this wasn't a full comparison in any way, a lot more material would be needed to make a fair comparison and some airlines are not even mentioned in some categories.
Basically I have just summarised my commens and reflections from the report.
hoyateach
Dec 16, 06, 2:19 pm
I was also very happy with the service onboard Air New Zealand, a service also pretty close to my personal preferences.
If a pretty FA sat in my lap for a photo, I'm sure I would've felt the same way.:D
Crispini
Dec 23, 06, 9:58 pm
Well, I just finished reading your comprehensive and impressive report and I had to register simply in order to say: WOW! ^ Some excellent reading there! Wonderful! Thanks so much for all of the work that you did writing that up. Really made me feel I was there.
f4freeJunior
Dec 26, 06, 5:30 pm
Swiss German [...] It’s a weird language!
:D yes it is. We (the Swiss) understand the Germans, but alternately they don't understand us :p
SQ77W
Dec 27, 06, 2:10 am
This the most impressive report! I just read it all at once. I have made similar trip many times and I certainly would not imagine so many places (and lounges!) could be visited in such a short period of time. The airlines should reward you for being such a good PR for them (except UA of course but they get what they deserve!).
Congratulations!!
f4free
Jan 2, 07, 5:54 am
I am amazed, and utterly grateful for the time and skill you have put into this wonderful report. I have found so much fun and useful information for an upcoming trip I have with SQ and TG F! I just loved reading it, and I divulged every word. This is definitely my favorite trip report, by far. Thank you and congratulations!
I am also happy you share the same good rating of LX F. I personally find the seat to be the most comfortable and functional first seat out there, even though the ambiance does not compare to SQ F. (I can't compare to the new SQ F seat just yet ....)
I find the crews can sometimes be a bit off. You definitely had one that kept up to their usual professionalism. I speak Swiss german, and I can tell you this usually changes the part about being a bit formal. I find LX crews to be much more chatty and personable than LH flight attendants, especially in F. But I realize this is likely due to the Swiss dialect and my outgoing nature.
Also, many thanks for a ton of wonderful pictures!
jacob_m
Jan 2, 07, 5:56 pm
Thanks again for plenty of nice comments!! ^
This thread has now passed 18,000 views!!! I almost can't believe it!! :)
Anyway, yesterday I uploaded a few more pics, mostly of menus and amenity kits since I had those at home anyway and had some spare time.
:D yes it is. We (the Swiss) understand the Germans, but alternately they don't understand us :p
I am also happy you share the same good rating of LX F. I personally find the seat to be the most comfortable and functional first seat out there, even though the ambiance does not compare to SQ F. (I can't compare to the new SQ F seat just yet ....)
I find the crews can sometimes be a bit off. You definitely had one that kept up to their usual professionalism. I speak Swiss german, and I can tell you this usually changes the part about being a bit formal. I find LX crews to be much more chatty and personable than LH flight attendants, especially in F. But I realize this is likely due to the Swiss dialect and my outgoing nature.
Well my knowledge of Swiss German is limited to Grüezi (meaning hello, which I actually said to the FAs when I came onboard) but that's about it.
Otherwise I can't understand a word of Swiss German, possibly short sentences where the words are somewhat similar to standard German.
Not sure if speaking German would have made a difference in the attitude/service though, it does on Lufthansa, but on the other hand they speak standard German while the Swiss FAs probably have Swiss German as mother tongue which is a different language and which I don't speak anyway.
No matter what I don't think I would have managed to discuss the first class food options in German, a bit too advanced for me. ;)
I was happy with the service onboard LX F and the FAs were very professional, nothing to complain about, I just noticed (like you said) they were a bit more chatty and laid-back with some of the Swiss passengers.
I agree the LX F seat is very nice, it was extremely comfortable as a bed and even felt like a proper bed. During the night it never occured to me that I was actually sleeping on a reclined seat. I also liked that you can move the ottoman by pressing a button so you can decide yourself if you want a footrest or not, pretty advanced!
It's really one of the best seats in the industry!!
QFBoy
Jan 3, 07, 8:52 am
That was an amazing trip report! I can only dream of matching the claibre of the writing. It will be hard for anyone to repeat such a detailed and quality report.
I read this over two days at work and got absolutely nothing done! Luckily it was during the Xmas period so there wasn't much to do anyway!
Thanks again!
henry999
Jan 5, 07, 2:46 pm
I can only dream of matching the claibre of the writing.Indeed you can. Dream on, mate. :)
cheers,
Henry
Fraser
Apr 2, 07, 6:24 pm
Sensational! ^^^
jacob_m
Apr 3, 07, 5:25 pm
Sensational! ^^^
Thanks for the comment Fraser!!
Btw I just looked at the view count for this thread and it has passed 23,400 views now which is simply astounding!!
Yikes, when I started writing the report in November I had hoped for a few thousands views, at best.
Now when I just checked it seems like it's the third most read trip report of all times which is just incredible!! :)
Sorry, perhaps an unnecessary post, but just wanted to say thanks again for all the nice comments and positive reactions I have got. ^
I probably spent 60-80 hours writing everything and uploading all the pics, and it's so nice to see how very well received the report has been!!
Fraser
Apr 5, 07, 6:39 pm
I probably spent 60-80 hours writing everything and uploading all the pics, and it's so nice to see how very well received the report has been!!
I can certainly attest to that! As a trip report writer myself doing all the photos, linking, text, proofreading and all that takes a LONG time and that is only for two, maybe four segments in my case! Getting the positive reviews certainly helps and makes it all feel worthwhile.
bea_001
Apr 6, 07, 9:58 am
Thanks for an excellent trip report.^ ^
SchmutzigMSP
Apr 6, 07, 11:34 am
This is an amazing trip report. Seriously. Nice work. :) ^
allset2travel
Apr 6, 07, 1:34 pm
jacob,
All I say is - Wow!
I copied and pasted your entire report, plus commentary onto a WORD file for future reading and reference. Who knows, there might be a RTW in my future.
Good job! ^ Like the comprehensiveness of your "Comparison of Star Alliance First class/Premium products"
Crampedin13A
Apr 6, 07, 3:38 pm
jacob_m that was just a superb report.^ I've just spent all Good Friday afternoon here in freezing Toronto reading it and hoping that one day I can get 2 months free to do a similar trip. What digital camera do you use for those in cabin pics?
jacob_m
Apr 7, 07, 7:24 am
Thanks for the comments and a very Happy Easter!! :)
I can certainly attest to that! As a trip report writer myself doing all the photos, linking, text, proofreading and all that takes a LONG time and that is only for two, maybe four segments in my case! Getting the positive reviews certainly helps and makes it all feel worthwhile.
I know you have produced many nice reports yourself.
Especially the photos really take a long time (but greatly enhance the report at the end).
You need to select which ones to use, upload, include links, write descriptions, and then check that everything works properly. That's a few hours of work itself if you have plenty of photos to include.
But as you said, getting all the positive comments afterwards makes it so worthwhile.
What digital camera do you use for those in cabin pics?
I have a Canon IXUS 800 IS which I'm very happy with, I think the photo quality ended up being pretty decent.
In those cases where the quality is not what it could have been I have mostly myself to blame. If you take photos of meals and lounges you tend to want to get it done as quickly as possible to avoid too much unnecessary attention, and sometimes you're just a bit too quick...
Gustaf
Apr 9, 07, 12:08 pm
I have spent quite some time this easter weekend to read Jacob’s trip report. I can’t write down in words how amazing this report is! A true 5 star report!
I’m sure you must have felt sad while approaching Arlanda at the end of your RTW adventure, but filled with memories and joy at the same time. Personally I even felt some sadness while closing in on the end of your report, I didn’t want it come to an end.
Thanks for writing it!
Skystar
Apr 25, 07, 9:52 am
Tack så mycket!
Really enjoyed reading this report, most impressed with its detail on the entire passenger experience. Great to read about a variety of carriers on various sectors and the non-flight components (e.g. staying in Japan, Canada, etc) were great too.
szg
May 6, 07, 9:49 am
Really a good job, jakob_m.
Thanks for your informations !! The best trip report, that I ever read.
jacob_m
May 7, 07, 3:15 am
I can’t write down in words how amazing this report is! A true 5 star report!
The best trip report, that I ever read.
Wow, those are certainly not bad comments!!! :)
Tack så mycket and Vielen Dank!!
Auscaz
Jun 6, 07, 12:25 am
Hi there. I am completely new at this as I have just joined. Having read the comments, I am keen to have a look at jacob's trip report but am not sure how to find it. Am trying to navigate my way around this forum, without much joy. Sorry and thanks!!
SmilingBoy
Jun 6, 07, 4:05 am
Hi there. I am completely new at this as I have just joined. Having read the comments, I am keen to have a look at jacob's trip report but am not sure how to find it. Am trying to navigate my way around this forum, without much joy. Sorry and thanks!!It is at the beginning of this thread (and then goes on for many pages):
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=626793
SmilingBoy.
chris78cpr
Jun 6, 07, 9:59 am
Amazing trip report!
I've just spent the best part of 2 hours reading through it! It really was a fantastic account of your trip and it gives a fantastic selection of reviews of various airlines, etc.
In feb of this year i did a little trip on *A which im writing the report for right now. My trip consisted of LHR-MAN-SIN-HKG-ICN-UUS-ICN-NRT-IAD-ORD-MAN all in C and F. It really is a long experience writing a report like this and i have a lot of respect for yours!
Many thanks,
Chris
tommy777
Jun 18, 07, 2:13 pm
What an amazing report! I'm speechless!
buck3y3nut
Jun 25, 07, 3:09 pm
WOW... What a report!!! Spent at least a week reading parts of the report due to time constraints, but what an amazing trip and the report. All I could really say after reading it was: WOW!!! I can only dream of traveling to these countries in cattle class, let alone in premium cabins. :)
The pictures were also amazing, especially the ones from the countries you visited... Really good work...
spanna2000
Sep 8, 07, 3:49 am
Thank you for this trip report - a lot of effort to allow us to vicariously enjoy your journey. You were so close to the mileage limit I think I may follow your route - if only Mrs S would allow me to.
I personally don't rate the CX Wing at HKG as highly as everyone else seems to - the bathrooms are superb and maybe they alone allow the lounge to justify its most favoured status. However I found the food service to be limited and "warmed over" - the noodle bar is always crowded and seems to suit groups of people eating together rather than single travellers. The staff of course are excellent. The First entrance is very badly sign posted.
Once again, thanks for your report!
S
jacob_m
Sep 8, 07, 5:08 pm
Thank you for this trip report - a lot of effort to allow us to vicariously enjoy your journey. You were so close to the mileage limit I think I may follow your route - if only Mrs S would allow me to.
I personally don't rate the CX Wing at HKG as highly as everyone else seems to - the bathrooms are superb and maybe they alone allow the lounge to justify its most favoured status. However I found the food service to be limited and "warmed over" - the noodle bar is always crowded and seems to suit groups of people eating together rather than single travellers. The staff of course are excellent. The First entrance is very badly sign posted.
Thanks for the comment!!
I hope you can convince Mrs S to go for the routing, she won't regret it... ;)
Regarding The Wing in HK I thought the lounge was very nice and the staff very attentive and helpful. However I agree with you the entrance to the first class lounge is hard to find, I completely missed it and ended up at the main entrance instead, not that it bothered me that much though as I wanted to have a look around anyway.
Also the seats in The Wing were not very comfortable, definitely too low for me, I didn't like them at all.
bodory
Sep 11, 07, 10:32 am
I have read your trip report for less than a half at that moment and it is absolutely amazing ! I cannot wait to read it all.
Every detail is interesting. Thank you so much for sharing.
aviatorzz
Aug 20, 08, 4:23 am
I guess I will rehash an "old" t/r and say I just spent a solid 5 hours reading through this report and looking through all the pictures. You are reading a post from a very jealous man :D
Big ^^ to you and look forward to your latest saga with your trip to Taipei.
zz :)
gemster
Aug 21, 08, 6:04 pm
Quite a trip! Thanks for the report, thoroughly enjoyed reading about it.
aim1
Aug 26, 08, 9:17 pm
should have gone to bed hours ago, but couldn't stop reading this rapport.
I really enjoyed reading it. It should be turned into a book.
Thank you jacob
jacob_m
Aug 27, 08, 2:15 pm
Many thanks for the comments!
should have gone to bed hours ago, but couldn't stop reading this rapport.
I really enjoyed reading it. It should be turned into a book.
Haha, that's very sweet of you!! :) I hope you eventually got some sleep though... :p
adampenrith
Aug 29, 08, 2:21 am
What a great read - I am only up the your second visit to SYD - its taken me a couple of weeks to get this far - and its joy all the way. Looking forward to reading the rest.
Don't worry about the NZ officials, they tend to pick out people who do not fit a very narrow profile, which is normally NZ residents on common routings and tourists.
I was sent to the Red lane many years ago, as I was young and on a family visit to Wellington when I lived in Melbourne, and I was departing via Auckland after visiting my sister in Kaitaia.
Last December my Dad died after a long illness, I often commute across the tasman SYD - CHC and don't normally have any issues.
Dad dies on Sat night, so I book a flight online with EK - (first flight Sunday morning, and the best deal), but only booked a one way. Get to CHC - front up to immigration, with a ? in the length of stay box, as at that stage did not know how long i would be away.
When I departed SYD I volunteered that I did not know how long I would be away without an explanation, to be told "you will come home when you are ready" (traveling on my Australian passport).
So the question is asked
- how long are you staying in NZ -
at this stage not sure,
- when is your return flight booked -
have not booked at this stage
- why not?
so I go - well couple of points, I'm an Australian citizen and able to enter NZ without restriction, second I was born in NZ and therefore am a full citizenship anyway, according to NZ law
-yes but how long are you staying-
so i then go well my Dad died last night so I don't really know, I just concentrated on getting here as soon as I could, at this stage I am due back at work in 10 days time - but will see how things go, don't worry I will return to Sydney to live, I have no plans to live here.
- sorry to hear that -
and waves me thru.
What a load of crud. I can understand if I needed a visa or was someone who might be a risk of overstaying a visa, or working illegally, but I can stay for as long as I can or even work if I want to.
So don't take it personally. Its just a kiwi thing.
Adam
ceeJ
Sep 1, 08, 11:15 pm
I'm just looking for a spot to practice my first post in FlyerTalk. I'll say this is my goal for 10 years from now. Wow.