BristolTraveller

(sigh) they still haven't loaded the fares. It's still only showing the nasty Y fare, which is what you're seeing.

Ask your TA or Lufthansa to do a fare combination (assuming availability of the class) of VHNRKWI (£375 ex tax) with a WABASIC1 (£104 ex tax), and see what that quotes out at (my guess is about £690 with the tax).

Annoyingly, BHX is also priced out at £375 (ex tax), so because LH haven't loaded a VHNRKWI fare basis for BRS yet, it's knocking the price up £104.

BristolTraveller

Actually, the real reason for dropping onto this thread was to see if any fellow West Country FTers were going to be on the first LH flight from BRS-FRA on 30-MAR-08?

Time for a quick drink in the Cabot lounge pre-departure, before boarding our 737 to FRA?

moocherx

Will do! Lufthansa in Kuwait now know me personally, for all the wrong reasons, and I like to maintain my notoriety.

I'm only doing this because I can't fly eastwards from Kuwait on a Skyteam flight, otherwise I'd just take the easier/cheaper option and go with KLM.

MileageAddict

The MileageAddict clan is heading to Bristol this summer and we are booked on the FRA-BRS service with Eurowings.

Any meal service on this relatively short (503 miles) flight?

oliver2002

The usual sandwich and drinks in Y, cold meal tray in C.

qasr

A bit OT, but what length intra-EU flights get hot meals in C these days?

Cyba

IIRC, the cut-off is 2:30 block time.

BristolTraveller

This is a final call for passengers on tomorrow's LH4961 inuagural BRS-FRA service.

If you are travelling, feel free to post or PM me for a potential lounge meet.

BristolTraveller

LH's route from BRS-FRA is open for business.

There's a prominent LH branded ticket office on the main concourse, and three check-in desks (1 biz, 2 econ); as yet, no automated check-in, but it might be integrated into the airports own kiosk system (currently only used by KL and AF).

Inaugural Flight

All pax issued with Fast Track passes, which was a nice touch (although not really important on a Sunday mid-morning). Lounge access to the Cabot lounge was fine - the lounge staff have a *A manual, and seem to know what they're doing. The Cabot lounge overlooks the main stands. The LH 737 was parked on 4, adjacent to CO's 757 waiting to push off to EWR.

First boarder was a UM (clever parents...) who didn't really seem to understand the hoopla. Then the rest of us boarded and were given a most fabulous gift. (It's a plane, "etched" in 3D in a solid block of glass, engraved "Bristol - Frankfurt". A definite keeper!).

Push back was briefly interrupted by a FR plane trying to sneak past on the taxiway (.......), but otherwise fine and takeoff about 20 minutes past time. Landing at FRA was punctual, but had to be bussed to the terminal (as we landed at A18, which is a Schengen gate).

Unexpectedly, the last flight back from FRA-BRS was also operated by a 737 (it's scheduled to be a BAe 146-200). Bus-boarded from gate B52, punctual departure, early arrival. Excellent crew (again). Landing to arrivals hall in about 8 minutes; landing to front door in 23 minutes.

So if you're heading west of London, consider skipping LHR for BRS. It's handy for Bristol, Bath, South Wales (Cardiff, Swansea), The Cotswolds (Cheltenham, Gloucester) and the best beaches in the UK (Cornwall, Devon). If you want some personalised recommendations, PM me.

supermasterphil

thanks for the nice report. ^^

This is something so airline typical. They all give out those glass blocks, no matter which airline it is, no matter if cargo or pax. Apparently they all get a special deal on it, I never saw other industries going for that kind of gift.

BristolTraveller

It was better than the paper certificate I got from CO for the inaugural BRS-EWR flight. Although we got a brass band and hamburgers at the gate for that one.

supermasterphil

I like those glass blocks as well, all though a certificate once in a while is funny too.

Regarding CO's EWR-BRS, one might see the goodbye party soon. I hear it's not really going that well

tom tulpe

Affectionately known as "tombstones" in the financial and legal industries.

BristolTraveller

I'm wondering what the extent of LH's winter schedule reductions in Europe are, typically.

BRA-FRA launched in April on 3 rotations a day, 7 days. In the first winter timetable, it seems to be cut back dramatically, and I'm wondering if this is repeated anywhere else in Europe?

The new schedule:
1234--- - 3 rotations (as now)
----5-- - 1.5 rotations (LH4965 / LH4962 / LH4963)
-----6- - no flights
------7 - 0.5 rotation (LH4962)

The reductions on Friday are particularly hurtful, with only 1 flight FRA-BRS at 17:35. Similarly, not being able to fly to FRA from Friday morning to Monday morning is pretty unhelpful too.

Given that the route launched 6 months ago, and is competing against KL to AMS and AF to CDG, is it too dramatic to hit it back so hard?

qasr

My guess is that with some route data now acquired, they have tuned their schedules to be more efficient than what they had to being with. They will change further with time, but I wouldn't expect more service without better yields any time soon.