Paris for Valentine's Day via Lufthansa First Class
Feb 13, 2014, 8:43 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Paris for Valentine's Day via Lufthansa First Class
What could be more romantic than Valentine's Day and weekend in the most romantic and beautiful city on earth? Well... other than cleaning out our Mileage Plus accounts with the last Lufthansa First seats before the "we know we're crap compared to our partners" MP partner devaluation. 
Mrs. SFO and I are off for the weekend in our most favorite city. But what an ordeal getting good connections. Once again, DEN is the ugly stepchild in the LH network. Relegated to perpetual old First and despite an F6 cabin on DEN-FRA, LH essentially forgot about DEN this week and didn't release any O (First Class award) seats. Seriously? They kept opening more ORD, DFW, SEA and DTW First seats (with a hard to believe six DTW First seats available)... but nooooo, not DEN. OK, I know Peyton and the guys choked in the Super Bowl, but come on!
-United DEN-ORD First Class
-United Global First Lounge at ORD
-Lufthansa ORD-FRA First Class
-Lufthansa First Class Terminal at FRA
-Lufthansa Business Class FRA-CDG
-The Westin Paris-Vendome
-Paris
-Lufthansa Business Class CDG-FRA
-Lufthansa First Class Terminal at FRA
-Lufthansa First Class FRA-DEN
We originally booked DTW-FRA but the prospect of a 3 hour DEN-DTW United Express flight was not very appealing. So when LH released two O seats into an F3 cabin on the new ORD-FRA 747-800, it was a no brainer.
Unfortunately, the black BA cloud that hovers over us has now spilled over to LH as the 748 went mechanical yesterday and was swapped out for a New First 744. Not a bad swap since the seat and bed combo is the best hard product in the skies, but I wanted to try the 748 at least once.
UA 1591
DEN-ORD
737-800
10:30A-1:52P (sked and actual)
February 12, 2014
Seats 4AB
Lunch
No traffic on I-225 this morning and we were at DIA at T-70.
As usual for DIA, Pre-Check was packed with kettles. But this time, we used CLEAR to cut to the front of the line. ^
Meanwhile over at the B concourse, the typical UA gate lice scene.
Unlike on AA where only F pax board first, UA boarding commences with Group 1 which means includes GS and others... about 30 pax or so half on their way back to Y.
On time push and we are on our way.
The usual G&T to start the trip.
Lunch choices today were chicken salad or cheeseburger, with onion soup.
I wasn't really hungry but took one for the team and the photo op.
Meh, not so good.
The chicken was OK if one is starving but whoa Jeff, think you can find an even smaller serving of chicken?
On time arrival at ORD and a short taxi to B7. And down the escalator to the tunnel over to the C concourse and the United Global First Lounge.
Welcome to "The city that works"... but apparently not today.
There are no signs for the United's ORD Global First Lounge and it is basically hidden behind the C Customer Service counters. I guess that cuts down on traffic. Perhaps the rationale is that if you don't know it's there, you're not welcome.
On our last trip here in September, the staff was great but this was one sorry looking lounge with furniture long past it's prime.
But whoa Nellie, I didn't recognize the place. Gone with the old and in with the new. OK, it's a little minimalist for my taste, but a vast improvement over the old.
Unlike our last late evening visit, there was actually food. @:-)
A limited supply of serve yourself nibbles.
But also a made to order menu.
And wines...
But a major, indeed shocking upgrade in the wine quality. Far Niente Chard? At $40+ retail? Color me seriously impressed.
And Veuve is the new house champagne. Very nice. With a wonderful staff eager to please. By far, the best domestic lounge staff we have encountered. ^
All in all a pleasant hour stay. Excellent interaction between UA and LH as a pleasant LH agent came to verify passports, deliver our BPs and then retrieve us at T-50 to escort us to B17.
Up next:
Another fabulous LH flight and three days and nights in Paris.
Mrs. SFO and I are off for the weekend in our most favorite city. But what an ordeal getting good connections. Once again, DEN is the ugly stepchild in the LH network. Relegated to perpetual old First and despite an F6 cabin on DEN-FRA, LH essentially forgot about DEN this week and didn't release any O (First Class award) seats. Seriously? They kept opening more ORD, DFW, SEA and DTW First seats (with a hard to believe six DTW First seats available)... but nooooo, not DEN. OK, I know Peyton and the guys choked in the Super Bowl, but come on!
-United DEN-ORD First Class
-United Global First Lounge at ORD
-Lufthansa ORD-FRA First Class
-Lufthansa First Class Terminal at FRA
-Lufthansa Business Class FRA-CDG
-The Westin Paris-Vendome
-Paris
-Lufthansa Business Class CDG-FRA
-Lufthansa First Class Terminal at FRA
-Lufthansa First Class FRA-DEN
We originally booked DTW-FRA but the prospect of a 3 hour DEN-DTW United Express flight was not very appealing. So when LH released two O seats into an F3 cabin on the new ORD-FRA 747-800, it was a no brainer.
Unfortunately, the black BA cloud that hovers over us has now spilled over to LH as the 748 went mechanical yesterday and was swapped out for a New First 744. Not a bad swap since the seat and bed combo is the best hard product in the skies, but I wanted to try the 748 at least once.
UA 1591
DEN-ORD
737-800
10:30A-1:52P (sked and actual)
February 12, 2014
Seats 4AB
Lunch
No traffic on I-225 this morning and we were at DIA at T-70.
As usual for DIA, Pre-Check was packed with kettles. But this time, we used CLEAR to cut to the front of the line. ^
Meanwhile over at the B concourse, the typical UA gate lice scene.
Unlike on AA where only F pax board first, UA boarding commences with Group 1 which means includes GS and others... about 30 pax or so half on their way back to Y.
On time push and we are on our way.
The usual G&T to start the trip.
Lunch choices today were chicken salad or cheeseburger, with onion soup.
I wasn't really hungry but took one for the team and the photo op.
Meh, not so good.
The chicken was OK if one is starving but whoa Jeff, think you can find an even smaller serving of chicken?
On time arrival at ORD and a short taxi to B7. And down the escalator to the tunnel over to the C concourse and the United Global First Lounge.
Welcome to "The city that works"... but apparently not today.
There are no signs for the United's ORD Global First Lounge and it is basically hidden behind the C Customer Service counters. I guess that cuts down on traffic. Perhaps the rationale is that if you don't know it's there, you're not welcome.
On our last trip here in September, the staff was great but this was one sorry looking lounge with furniture long past it's prime.
But whoa Nellie, I didn't recognize the place. Gone with the old and in with the new. OK, it's a little minimalist for my taste, but a vast improvement over the old.
Unlike our last late evening visit, there was actually food. @:-)
A limited supply of serve yourself nibbles.
But also a made to order menu.
And wines...
But a major, indeed shocking upgrade in the wine quality. Far Niente Chard? At $40+ retail? Color me seriously impressed.
And Veuve is the new house champagne. Very nice. With a wonderful staff eager to please. By far, the best domestic lounge staff we have encountered. ^
All in all a pleasant hour stay. Excellent interaction between UA and LH as a pleasant LH agent came to verify passports, deliver our BPs and then retrieve us at T-50 to escort us to B17.
Up next:
Another fabulous LH flight and three days and nights in Paris.
Last edited by SFO777; Feb 14, 2014 at 5:00 pm
Feb 13, 2014, 9:19 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
What could be more romantic than Valentine's Day and weekend in the most romantic and beautiful city on earth? Well... other than cleaning out our Mileage Plus accounts with the last Lufthansa First seats before the "we know we're crap compared to our partners" MP partner devaluation.
Once again, DEN is the ugly stepchild in the LH network. Relegated to perpetual old First and despite an F6 cabin on DEN-FRA, LH essentially forgot about DEN this week and didn't release any O (First Class award) seats. Seriously? They kept opening more ORD, DFW, SEA and DTW First seats (with a hard to believe six DTW First seats available)... but nooooo, not DEN. OK, I know Peyton and the guys choked in the Super Bowl, but come on!
We originally booked DTW-FRA but the prospect of a 3 hour DEN-DTW United Express flight was not very appealing. So when LH released two O seats into an F3 cabin on the new ORD-FRA 747-800, it was a no brainer.
Unfortunately, the black BA cloud that hovers over us has now spilled over to LH as the 748 went mechanical yesterday and was swapped out for a New First 744. Not a bad swap since the seat and bed combo is the best hard product in the skies, but I wanted to try the 748 at least once.
Meanwhile over at the B concourse, the typical UA gate lice scene.
Meh, not so good.
Once again, DEN is the ugly stepchild in the LH network. Relegated to perpetual old First and despite an F6 cabin on DEN-FRA, LH essentially forgot about DEN this week and didn't release any O (First Class award) seats. Seriously? They kept opening more ORD, DFW, SEA and DTW First seats (with a hard to believe six DTW First seats available)... but nooooo, not DEN. OK, I know Peyton and the guys choked in the Super Bowl, but come on!
We originally booked DTW-FRA but the prospect of a 3 hour DEN-DTW United Express flight was not very appealing. So when LH released two O seats into an F3 cabin on the new ORD-FRA 747-800, it was a no brainer.
Unfortunately, the black BA cloud that hovers over us has now spilled over to LH as the 748 went mechanical yesterday and was swapped out for a New First 744. Not a bad swap since the seat and bed combo is the best hard product in the skies, but I wanted to try the 748 at least once.
Meanwhile over at the B concourse, the typical UA gate lice scene.
Meh, not so good.
F6 with no O seat is really weird, but again, I did kinda want to see a "De-Friggin-Troit" report from you
748 for a New 744 I think is a great trade, but understandable for wanting to try a new plane.
I can't seem to figure out why does UA of all airlines out there have the biggest amount of gate lice, AA isn't nearly this bad.
And that Onion Soup looks like someone's Diarrhea or #2, Gross
Feb 14, 2014, 2:39 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Iver
Programs: BA GOLD/OWE BA Amex Prem Plus Tesco Airmiles Qantas Bronze IHG SPG Eithad
Posts: 2,902
Wondered where you had got too, as there has not been a TR for a while, so very excited when I saw your latest TR showing up, enjoying it so far, looking forward to reading the next instalment down to FRA do not be too long^
Feb 14, 2014, 8:37 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 700
Looking forward to another SFO777 adventure, especially the mouth-watering food pictures that I know will be forthcoming.
And will also be making sure the Mrs. doesn't catch me reading this, as my Valentines plans have whittled from me agreeing to cook, to me agreeing to get take out, to me saying that I'll be ordering pizza
And will also be making sure the Mrs. doesn't catch me reading this, as my Valentines plans have whittled from me agreeing to cook, to me agreeing to get take out, to me saying that I'll be ordering pizza
Feb 14, 2014, 8:51 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Unfortunately, the black BA cloud that hovers over us has now spilled over to LH as the 748 went mechanical yesterday and was swapped out for a New First 744. Not a bad swap since the seat and bed combo is the best hard product in the skies, but I wanted to try the 748 at least once.
Feb 14, 2014, 8:59 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Texas
Programs: Former 1K turned UA Kettle
Posts: 413
Can't wait to see the rest. Someday I hope to travel like you and the Mrs. do! You may have answered this before, but is most of your flying award redemption, or do you shell out for all these great trips?
Feb 14, 2014, 9:48 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: MSP
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 107
Feb 14, 2014, 9:58 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 79
http://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/CO/i...IMG_2229-M.jpg
What's with morons who put their feet on the bulkhead with their shoes on? Scum and slobs, every last one of them.
Rant over!
Good report by the way.
What's with morons who put their feet on the bulkhead with their shoes on? Scum and slobs, every last one of them.
Rant over!
Good report by the way.
Feb 14, 2014, 11:04 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 406
Thanks again for, what look's like to be another excellent trip report!
Tell me how do you cope with jet lag? As you travel so much, I am sure you much have some special tricks? I travel quite a bit as well, mainly for leisure. Not in first, but in business class anyway. Although I enjoy my travels, sometimes the jetlag takes the better of me. Especially east-bound Atlantic crossings are sometimes quite awful.
Tell me how do you cope with jet lag? As you travel so much, I am sure you much have some special tricks? I travel quite a bit as well, mainly for leisure. Not in first, but in business class anyway. Although I enjoy my travels, sometimes the jetlag takes the better of me. Especially east-bound Atlantic crossings are sometimes quite awful.
Last edited by teme; Feb 14, 2014 at 11:11 am
