1Newflyer

Are we allowed to ask questions on this thread? or just enjoy reading your saga.

capedreamer

Of course! Ask away.

capedreamer

Looks like more changes might be forthcoming. Just after boarding was completed for UA822 from IAD to BOS, an ATC groundstop was announced. If the delay stretches past the current 7pm departure time, I'm going to miss LX53 from BOS to ZRH.

The United Club agent at IAD is looking to rebook me via FRA on UA932 (B772) or MUC on LH415 (A333) with connections to ZRH in time to make LX138 from ZRH to HKG. What would you guys choose?

1Newflyer

If all else is the same, I would suggest LH as it may be easier to make connections on the same carrier. I also find LH better than UA especially on long haul.

1Newflyer

Was that gratis because of your status or J or just availability, or did you pay to get it?

1Newflyer

You planned this trip some time ago. Can I ask why you chose to check this upcoming segment just several hours before departure of this part of your journey. I am curious to know why you did not confirm all segments before your first segment about 10 days ago or so. Hopefully your are on your way to Europe by now.

capedreamer

Thanks! UA822 ended up departing at 7pm (2 hours behind schedule) and arriving at 8:10pm, so I'll make LX53 after all.

Until you mentioned it, I totally forgot AC does not provide complimentary standby for lower fare J class. I guess the agent was just being nice.

Fair question. I was in transit for large chunks of the previous 30 hours. I did try checking in via the mobile app a few times during this period but kept receiving an error message indicating some sort of technical failure. I even called OS about it. I guess neither the agent nor I decided to confirm that we had the same date in mind. I remarked at the time that it should be within the 36-hour window now, and she just said "sometimes, the system is weird." As for why I didn't confirm all segments prior to beginning the trip, I guess I was just relying on the booking confirmation sitting in my inbox and the Google calendar reminders created from OS's e-mails. Lesson learned I suppose.

1Newflyer

Thanks for responding and best wishes for the remaining segments of your trip.

cooleddie

Strange... never been on a remote stand in CPT before. JNB is a given probably due to the fact that there's pretty much no domestic gate that would *easily* accomodate a widebody. That's just a theory, though. The gates at the domestic side are really small - it seems like it was only designed for A320s or 737s....


I believe this is due to South African civil aviation authority laws not relaxing to the US, Canada and EU standard.

http://www.flysaa.com/za/en/flyingSA...ight-mode.html

http://www.caa.co.za/Media%20Stateme...n%20flight.pdf

The airline is not to blame.

capedreamer

Segment 10
Flight: UA822
Route: IAD-BOS
Date: 9/8/16
Equipment: Airbus A320-200
Registration: N463UA
Cabin: F

With just under three hours to kill before my next flight, I made my way to the United Club in IAD's Concourse C. Like much of the Midfield Terminals UA operates out of at IAD, this Club could desperately use a facelift. That being said, the Club was well-stocked with a selection of soups, salads, veggies, cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, and nuts.

At 4:30pm, I headed to gate C19 next door for boarding, which commenced on schedule. Doors closed at 5pm, and everyone onboard the A320 was looking forward to an on-time push and arrival in BOS. Then came the bad news: The captain announced a 20-minute delay due to a ground stop in BOS, but before he could even finish, he amended that to a two-hour delay based on a revised estimate from ATC. We were let off the plane, and I immediately headed back to the United Club to investigate alternative routings in case the delay drags on and I miss the 9:45pm departure of my next flight, LX53 from BOS to ZRH.

Unfortunately, UA's direct IAD-ZRH flight (UA52) was full in J, so my only options were to reroute via FRA (on UA) or MUC (on LH) to catch LX138 from ZRH to HKG departing at 10:45pm the following day. Thankfully, the ATC estimate proved very accurate, and we were called back to the gate for boarding at 6:30pm. We pushed back just after 7pm, and after a quick and pleasant flight, landed in BOS around 8:10pm.

Mileage Tally: 27,595/49,313

capedreamer

Segment 11
Flight: LX53
Route: BOS-ZRH
Date: 9/8/16
Equipment: Airbus A340-300
Registration: HB-JME
Cabin: J

With almost an hour before LX53's scheduled boarding time of 9:10pm, I thought I had ample time to make the connection. Little did I know what a horrible transfer experience BOS presents to passengers connecting from UA to a Star Alliance partner.

For some odd reason, no gate information for LX53 could be located on the internet (not through the UA or LX apps, Google, or three different flight tracker sites I tried) or any departure screens in Terminal B. Thanks to Wikipedia, I did know that LX operates out of Terminal E. But how does one get there? After deplaning UA822 from gate B22, I could not spot a single sign within Terminal B with any information about transfers to other terminals. Thankfully, my BOS-based seatmate on UA822 had instructed me to follow the signs for ground transportation and baggage claim, and that signs for Terminal E would start appearing once one got out of Terminal B.

Nearing one of the exits of Terminal B, I finally spotted a few signs for Terminals A, C, and E. But after following these for a while, mentions of Terminal E just disappeared, and I had to make a decision about whether to follow the signs for Terminal A or C, which were now pointing in different directions. I ended up pulling up a map of BOS on my phone, and saw that Terminal C would provide the most direct route. After walking through what can only be described as a series of public high school hallways undergoing much-needed renovations, I finally arrived at Terminal E. Here, I discovered with joy that I would need to re-clear security. At 8:50pm (so almost 40 minutes after landing), I found myself at the smallest and most crowded Senator Lounge I've encountered to date, tucked away in the basement along with a number of other airline lounges.

With not a single open seat left in the lounge and a non-functioning WiFi, I decided to head straight for the gate. The lounge agent informed me LX53 would be boarding from gate E7B, which was confirmed by the departure screens in the terminal. That information turned out to be false, as BA was boarding from E7B. Eventually, I and a number of other confused passengers discovered that LX was actually boarding from gate E4 at the other end of the terminal.

Having lived in NYC for a number of years, I'm used to hearing everyone and their cousin sh*t on JFK, EWR, and LGA as three of the worst airports in America (and have probably chimed in with a few disparaging remarks of my own at some point). But after this terrible transfer experience, I think BOS can give the NYC 3 a run for their money.

By the time I located the correct gate, priority boarding for LX53 was starting. Soon, I found myself settling into seat 7K, one of the desirable single window seats usually reserved for SEN and HON Circle members that I was thankfully able to secure.

I'm a big fan of LX's classy and timeless J cabin design (it must be the wood finishes?), but this A343 was clearly showing its age. The flight was scheduled to be operated by an A333, though I'm not sure if that would have made a big difference. I am, however, looking forward to my next flight on LX's brand new B777W!

Despite its age, LX's J seat is very spacious, private, and comfortable, certainly superior to what I would have been stuck with on either UA or LH. The IFE is truly archaic though, with a tiny, grainy screen and UX that feels at least a decade out of date. But since I planned to sleep for most of this flight, I didn't mind.

The cabin crew on this flight was very young and friendly, humouring my desire to practice my German. Consistent with my experiences on LH, the crew also carried themselves with an air of effortless elegance that is generally absent on North American carriers. I know some prefer the "earthiness" that is more common with the latter, but I appreciate the European approach.

After completing boarding and a short taxi, we climbed out over the night sky and began our trans-Atlantic crossing.

Given the 9:45pm departure time and a relatively short flying time of 6.5 hours, LX offered an abbreviated dinner service on this flight. Hot towels were handed out and dinner orders were taken while still on the ground, and in lieu of a pre-dinner beverage and nuts service, dinner was served immediately after take-off. As evidenced by the menu, there was also no separate appetizer course:

First Course
Seasonal salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Main Course
Sautéed beef tenderloin with Bordelaise sauce, Anna potatoes, pattypan squash, courgette;
Herb-roasted chicken breast, demi-glace with oregano, Parisian gnocchi gratin, broccolini;
Pan-fried salmon with Béarnaise sauce, jasmine rice, green asparagus, shimeji mushrooms; or
Chäschüeche, a traditional Swiss cheese quiche

Cheese
Selection of Swiss and international cheeses

Dessert
Toffee cheesecake with chocolate sauce

The service was very efficient, and the salmon I chose was pretty good for airline food.

Like AC, LX takes breakfast orders via a menu card. Interestingly, only continental breakfast items were offered. This was fine with me since I usually opt for yogurt and cereal or granola anyways, but I'm a bit surprised LX didn't offer any eggs or other more "brunch-like" items. Perhaps this is also a function of the short flying time? In any case, given LX's fantastic lounges at ZRH, the simpler onboard breakfast offering shouldn't offend anyone.

I, for one, was looking forward to another Bircher muesli, so skipped breakfast on the plane. I did, however, enjoy the excellent Nespresso coffee LX serves onboard.

We landed at ZRH on time and docked at the midfield Terminal E, which is probably my favourite airport terminal in the world. It is bright, airy, and offers fantastic views of the tarmac and Alps in all directions. In the past, the only drawback was that it was missing a proper LX lounge. IIRC, there used to be a contract lounge for Star Alliance passengers, but LX's flagship lounge was a tram ride and passport control away in Terminal A. That all changed early this year with the opening of LX's new First, Senator, and Business Lounges in Terminal E.

I am writing this from the Senator Lounge now. Earlier, I enjoyed my muesli, yogurt, and Americano on the outdoor terrace, watching widebody jets gracefully lift off against the Alpine backdrop. For an aviation geek like me, it's hard to imagine anything better. The food selection, with an impressive buffet and a live cooking station, is also one of the best I've seen. Well done, LX! ^

EDIT: I know I said there would be no pictures, but I couldn't resist snapping one of the beautiful view from the terrace of the ZRH Terminal E Senator Lounge:



Mileage Tally: 31,340/49,313

1Newflyer

Nice picture. I am surprised, however, that such a beautiful terrace has so many weeds instead of flowers. And for Swiss to have that is a disappointment.

capedreamer

Lol...if AC opened a MLL at YYZ with the seating capacity, design aesthetics, outdoor access, food offerings, WiFi speed, and shower quality of this lounge, I'd be willing to overlook any and all undesirable plant life.

capedreamer

Segment 12
Flight: LX138
Route: ZRH-HKG
Date: 9/9/16
Equipment: Boeing 777-300ER
Registration: HB-JNF
Cabin: J

With almost 12 hours to kill in ZRH, I considered heading into the city for the day. But feeling pretty tired after (literally) days of flying, I decided to stay put and take full advantage of LX's fantastic new Senator Lounge in Terminal E. As mentioned in the previous update, I arrived at the lounge just in time for my muesli fix. At 10:50am, the staff started replacing the breakfast items with the day menu, which included a salad bar with several prepared and self-assembly options; a chef's station offering spätzle, bratwurst, meatloaf, potato salad, soups, pasta, and a quinoa stir fry on this occasion (the last item being so delicious that I had multiple servings); an extensive pastries and dessert selection; as well as fresh fruits, light snacks, Mövenpick ice cream, and a fantastic espresso station. The lounge also has a much-touted whiskey bar (but I don't drink).

After breakfast, I took a nice long shower and was impressed by the water pressure and temperature (perhaps this should go without saying, but being used to the sub-par shower facilities found in many Maple Leaf Lounges, I always feel the need to point out when a lounge offers a truly enjoyable shower experience).

However, the real highlight of this lounge (for me) is its outdoor terrace, offering fantastic views of widebody jets rotating in front of the Alps. Since it was a beautiful day, I spent quite a bit of time reading and sipping cappuccino out there. At one point, while the terrace was empty, I even got in a jog to get the blood flowing.

At 10:10pm, I headed to gate E35 just next to the lounge, where boarding began right on time. I was a little surprised that LX only allotted 35 minutes to board a B77W, but I guess the Swiss know what they're doing because boarding was completed by 10:35pm.

Ever since my itinerary change, I've been looking forward to experiencing LX's J cabin on its brand new flagship, and LX did not disappoint. While the cabin maintained the same design themes and elements from the carrier's Airbus fleet, it was clearly refreshed with some important updates, including more privacy, more storage, and a state-of-the-art IFE system. As noted previously, I was able to secure 5K, one of the sought-after single window 'throne' seats. This seat was truly fantastic, and IMHO it compares favourably to some F — real international F; not US domestic F — seats flying today.

While parked at the gate, the cabin crew (which in general was much older than the crew I encountered on LX53) came around with pre-departure beverages, menus, and hot towels. The menu on this evening featured:

First Course
Air-dried venison and mushroom timbale, Chioggia beetroot carpaccio, pickled walnuts; or
Char mi-cuit with apple salsa and jelly; cucumber tapioca and black mustard

Salad
Seasonal salad

Main Course
Beef tenderloin with red wine jus, barley risotto with herbs, green beans and carrot;
Alpstein chicken with PX sauce, truffled polenta, carrot and courgette medley; or
Courgette with saffron sauce, mixed wild rice and toasted almonds

Cheese
Chällerhocker and Fischinger Brie with pear bread

Dessert
Plum and cinnamon mouse with plum compote; amaretti and walnut crumble

Chocolate
Swiss chocolates

The menu also included a "dine and recline" option with starter, pumpkin and ginger soup, salad, cheese, and dessert. I found it interesting that this express dinner option included an item (the soup) not part of the regular menu. Since pumpkin / squash-based soups are among my favourites, I asked the crew member taking dinner orders if I could have it in addition to the char appetizer and chicken entrée. She was happy to oblige.

After take-off, the crew was very efficient in getting dinner service started. Just like my previous flight from BOS, there was no beverage and nuts service on this flight either. Is this a late-night departure thing or just not part of LX's J meal service?

In any case, I really enjoyed my meal. The pumpkin soup and char starter were both fantastic. The chicken was also quite good. All in all, one of the better J meals I've had and comparable to my recent experiences on LH.

Once dinner service was completed, I went to the bathroom to freshen up for bed. Just like LH, LX keeps its bathrooms well-stocked with individually packed moisturizers, sanitary wipes, and a really refreshing facial spray.

After a few very comfortable hours of rest, I woke up, washed up, and did some reading. Before long, it was time for breakfast. Unlike the TATL flight, breakfast was not ordered via a menu card the night before. Instead, the crew came around with a cart and offered a rather extensive selection of hot and cold items, including cheeses and deli meats, Bircher muesli, yogurt, fruit salad, fruit smoothies, croissants and assorted pastries, omelette with ham and potatoes, and congee. It goes without saying that I went with the muesli, some plain yogurt, and an Americano, and I couldn't have been more pleased.

After another 30 minutes of flying, we began our descent into HKG. We arrived at 4:40pm, just a few minutes behind schedule.

Overall, this was one of the most enjoyable flights I've been on in recent memory, comparable to my best experiences on SQ, NH, and CX. As a single traveler, if you can grab one of the 'throne' seats in this cabin, I'd argue LX offers one of the best J hard products on the market today. LX's soft product is also not bad, though a couple of the older crew members on this flight could have been a bit warmer in their demeanor.

One final observation I found interesting: There was not a single Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking crew member on this flight. After boarding, a recorded safety announcement was made in Mandarin, and before landing, another recorded announcement was made in Cantonese. Finding this peculiar (and not having encountered any Asian flight attendants during the flight), I inquired with one of the friendlier (and younger) crew members. She confirmed that there were no Chinese speakers working this flight. In fact, according to her, it's not unusual for LX to not have any Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking crew members on flights to HKG, though they'll always ensure to have Mandarin speakers for PEK and PVG flights.

Mileage Tally: 37,116/49,313

1P

Thanks for this entertaining TR!

I know you don't drink, but for those of us who do it would be nice to have details of the wines on offer.....