tng11

Although I've been at Heathrow a number of times, it was always where my journey started or ended. I've never had the "pleasure" of connecting at LHR before.

After deplaning from QF9, I just followed the signs, to a rather busy hallway (as there was an SQ A380 that had arrived at the same time as us.) At the end of the hallway, was another long hallway. Then another, then another, well you get the picture. It was a good 10 minute walk (and I walk quickly) to even get to the actual stairway that takes you down to flight connections.


2014-04-29 06.10.33 by jurastudent, on Flickr

From there, there were buses that bussed you around each terminal. Except that the buses weren't coming very frequently (I was quoted a 12 minute wait for a T3-T5 transfer.) Bus came, it was more waiting time. Eventually I lost track of time. We passed by QF9 on the long bus ride to T5.

Once being dropped off at T5, it was another series of long hallways to get to the first boarding pass check (which thankfully, was rather empty today.) Only my QF boarding pass wouldn't register at the counter, which meant having to queue and get a new boarding pass. (What's up with the cheap thermal paper, BA?)


2014-04-29 06.43.20 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Then up the stairs to transfer security, which thankfully was rather quick today (I've heard of disastrous lines for all passengers.) No Fast Track necessary today and no NOS nonsense again.

By the time it was all said in done, it had taken me a solid 35 minutes just to get from T3 over to T5, and that was with barely any queues along the way. I'd hate to think what this transfer would look like at busier times of the day.

British Airways Concorde Room

BA's Concorde Room entrance was rather unassuming - it was a simple white door. After hearing of a bad experience just photographing the door by someone on FT, I refrained from doing so this time.

Lounge dragon scanned my passed and advised me that since my flight was leaving from Concourse B, it was probably a good idea to leave a little earlier to catch the automated mover over there.

First impressions are good. It looks cosy and elegant.


2014-04-29 07.18.40 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 07.02.28-1 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I first approached the Elemis Spa counter to check up on the massage I had pre-booked for 7:00am. I was told, rather rudely by the lady at the counter "come back at 7am."

I took a seat by the balcony, where a waitress immediately came to my attention and asked if I wanted anything from the menu, which I declined.


2014-04-29 06.40.06 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 06.39.03 by jurastudent, on Flickr

It sounded good though.


2014-04-29 06.40.44 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 06.40.50 by jurastudent, on Flickr

15 minutes or so later, I went back towards the Elemis Spa counter and there was a massive queue of 10 people or so already, asking to book massages and such. I got in line and waited for about 8 minutes. When I got to the counter, another lady barked at me "you're late, sorry." I told her that because of the line-up, obviously I was late even though I was on time. She just replied "well, you should have just cut in line."

I asked for a later time. She said "nope, your flight leaves too early". She then said "or, you can take whatever's remaining of your 15 minute massage." Begrudgingly, just to waste their resources, I accepted the remainder of the massage, after waiting a few more minutes after filling out the form.

I got a grand total of 4 minutes of the massage. No big loss in the end, as it was an on-shirt massage that really paled to the massage that Qantas had provided in Melbourne. I won't complain about a free massage in the end, but it spoke volumes to me about BA's customer service.

Back to my seat on the balcony, the same waitress approached me and asked if I wanted anything from the menu. I opted for the fruit plate and orange juice, as I was still stuffed from all the food Qantas so gracefully provided.


2014-04-29 07.20.15 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Well, it was a bloody mistake. The orange juice tasted freezer burnt, and the fresh fruit plate was anything but fresh. It was in this weird syrupy substance that just tasted awful. I had a single sip of the juice and a bite of the fruit and left it behind, having lost my appetite.


2014-04-29 07.24.32 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I went around and got a few more pictures. It feels like a nice living room. The setting was quite nice - again, the same rich, dark undertones with contrasting light colours that I like.


2014-04-29 07.40.51 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 06.47.20 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 07.42.17 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Too early for booze.


2014-04-29 07.02.11 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 07.39.21 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The washrooms were definitely out of place in a first class lounge. Firstly, it reeked (even though it was just cleaned), and just looked like any 'ol public toilet out there (I'm used to seeing marble and wood even in the FCL lavs!)


2014-04-29 06.48.16 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The other, "grander" entrance.


2014-04-29 07.48.17 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Okay, so maybe it's the cool thing to hate on BA, and I went in with very low expectations. But the customer service from the spa and the terrible food make me wonder what's the big deal with this lounge, especially when you make a big deal out of it being only available for First passengers and Concorde Room card holders. Sure, the seating is nice, but it was still rather busy and full of people in suits yakking away obnoxiously on their cellphones.

LHR T5 isn't too shabby. I like that it's open and airy, unlike T3 (which has been my only experience at LHR, as I shuttled back and forth on AC quite a few times and used T3.) A quick ride later, I was at Concourse B, which had quite a few 747 departures waiting.


2014-04-29 07.57.49 by jurastudent, on Flickr

British Airways Galleries Lounge, Concourse B

With 20 minutes or so to kill, I might as well visit this lounge too.


2014-04-29 08.08.41 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 08.08.37 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Despite being only for Concourse B passengers, it was pretty busy.


2014-04-29 08.02.09 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 08.02.28 by jurastudent, on Flickr

It definitely looks a lot more modern and contemporary than the CCR.


2014-04-29 08.03.20 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The beverage selection looked pretty extensive. But where was the food? All I saw were some crisps and cereal. But if my fruit plate in the CCR was any indication, then I'd hate to think what food served here would look like.


2014-04-29 07.59.44 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The wifi was also painfully slow - a dealbreaker for me in any lounge.

Aside from the wifi, the Galleries lounge was an acceptable, very average business class lounge. Definitely better than ones in North America, but still way below those in Asia.

tng11

British Airways Flight 233
London Heathrow to Moscow Domodedovo
Boeing 747-400
April 29, 2014
Scheduled: 08:55-15:35
Actual: 09:19-15:27
Seat: 1A (First Class)
Load: 4/14

Today, we were using door 2L only - because Concourse C doesn't have a second airbridge at all of its gates (from what I can see.), yet the terminal is relatively new. Why is that?


2014-04-29 08.10.45 by jurastudent, on Flickr

When boarding was called, there was a security person who very carefully scrutinized visas after the gate agent had scanned boarding passes. This was the 5th check of Russian visa that I counted from the time of my check-in at Melbourne. Down the escalator, through the bridge - I was directed to turn left.

I selected Seat 1A at T-24 on OLCI when it was made available. At the time, there was someone seated in 1K, but sitting at the tip of the nose is really something special.


2014-04-29 08.20.33 by jurastudent, on Flickr

It looks cramped, especially when compared to the seat on QF, CX, SQ, NH, LH (even the OZ F 747 seat was wider and more open.)


2014-04-29 08.20.27 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I guess that's what happens when you cram in 14 seats into the nose of a 747.


2014-04-29 08.20.22 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-29 08.23.57 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I do like the colour scheme of the cabin though. The window shades are also pretty cool, with the dark neon-like blue shading which remind me of a hip, upscale club.


2014-04-29 08.23.54 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The lamp at the seat was also very nice. But what's up with the seat controls? I found the seat adjustments were very inflexible, and all you could do was turn the knob and I never found a lounging position I was comfortable with. Was I missing something?

2014-04-29 08.24.11 by jurastudent, on Flickr

One of the attendants came by and asked if I wanted anything, recommending a glass of champagne. I was delighted to accept a glass of my favourite Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle. She also asked if I wanted an amenity kit, pyjamas, a pillow or if I liked, to have turndown service during the flight - something I didn't expect to be available for a 3 hour flight. Impressive that BA does make their longhaul services available for the DME flights. ^


2014-04-29 08.22.43 by jurastudent, on Flickr

All I took was the amenity kit. The bag was nothing special, but the amenities were decent. Above all, this was the only amenity kit I've ever seen to include a pen - something of much more utility than "facial emulsions" or whatever the heck they call it these days.


2014-04-29 11.25.35 by jurastudent, on Flickr

After a while, 1K showed up to his seat with another passenger. He gave me a dirty look, summoned the attendant and basically said "what the **** is this **** doing in 1A?"

The attendant was rather polite and civil, and said that it was indeed my seat that I had reserved. The guy then threw a hissy fit about being Gold, etc. etc. etc. He then said to me "hope you enjoy my seat" in a very nasty way, and stormed off to 3K with his friend all while mumbling how I stole his seat, what a stupid (racial epithet) I was, etc. etc. etc.

A true DYKWIA.

Good riddance to you, Mr. 1K. Despite that, I could hear Mr. 1K obnoxiously talking loudly to his companion and bossing the attendants around during the flight.


2014-04-29 08.36.18 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Aside from that, everything sounds good so far, right?

Something I couldn't quite capture in the pictures was the wear and tear in the cabin. For a "New" product, it definitely looked "Old" to me. The seat cushion lacked any support and felt "empty", there was dust and crumbs everywhere in the nooks and crannies, and I could even see pieces of food stuck in all around. The knob for adjusting the chair had some black coloured filth trapped all around the grooves, and the paint was coming apart on many surface and corners of the suite. Gross.

The seat was also definitely cramped. The seat was adequate for a person my size, but wider people might find it a bit tight. Also, I didn't quite care for the footrest, which had weird adjusting positions. Yes, there is more space than the Cirrus J seat (which I tried 2 weeks later on EVA), but substantially less space than almost every other F product I've tried so far.


2014-04-29 08.22.50 by jurastudent, on Flickr

But it's a 3 hour flight after all. I'll live. I'm still in the phase where I'm thankful and happy to be seated in anything but coach. Seat 1A in a 747 is also clearly a very coveted seat.

There were going to be some delays in departing LHR today, with a huge amount of traffic at this time in the morning, but the flight time was going to be just about 3 hours, putting us on-time into DME.

On the takeoff, we passed by T3, where I spotted 5 A380s all parked closely to each other, 1 from EK, 2 from SQ and 2 from QF. Amazing that these airlines can fill these jets on a daily basis.

Takeoff at LHR

After takeoff, I was offered a top-up of champagne, but I just opted for a glass of water. I checked out the breakfast menu as follows. I wasn't too hungry, but for the sake of this TR, I decided to take on the full breakfast service, hoping it would be better than the CCR. I initially ordered the mackerel fillet with Oscietra caviar and mixed grill with earl grey tea to wash it all down, but was later told that the mackerel fillet was out.


2014-04-29 09.39.23 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Tablecloths were set out (the attendant apologized for it being so wrinkly, haha.) The table setup was pretty nice and attention was paid to the little details (unlike LH where the cutlery and napkin were just left in a roll on my table.)


2014-04-29 09.51.22 by jurastudent, on Flickr

First, an amuse bouche of smoked salmon. It was alright.


2014-04-29 09.51.24 by jurastudent, on Flickr

A hot croissant and bun. They were good enough.


2014-04-29 09.53.10 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The attendant came by and told me that my mixed grill was still being heated up. But in the interim, she told me someone had cancelled the mackerel fillet and that I could have it if I wanted, so I gladly obliged.

So that's why whoever ordered it declined it. It was missing the caviar on top. It was dry and tasteless.


2014-04-29 09.52.39 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The mixed grill. Typically I don't like eating huge slabs of meat, so this was probably a poor choice (I ordered it because I remember hearing of a similar meal on the Concorde.) The eggs were actually half decent, but most of the meat was dry and leathery (with the exception of the lamb croquette which was too salty), and the rest of the vegetable were soggy.

2014-04-29 09.58.02 by jurastudent, on Flickr

And a fruit plate to finish. Better than the one in the CCR, but it was absolutely tasteless.


2014-04-29 10.10.53 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Service throughout was very efficient and courteous, which was the only good part of the whole experience. I took the rest of the time catching up on some work, as the IFE was disappointing (the screen was incredibly pixelated) and soon enough, we arrived in Moscow.


2014-04-29 15.34.29 by jurastudent, on Flickr

At DME, we were only using door 2L again. Well, Mr. 1K kicked up another fit about Club World and economy passengers being allowed to disembark with us and before us as Door 1L was being used. Keeping in mind, most of Club World was empty (the entire lower deck was empty and there were less than a dozen passengers from the upper deck.) Boy, Mr. 1K was on a massive roll today compensating for something empty in his life.

Summary:

If I subtract Mr. 1K from the equation, the BA F experience was still sub-par (I realize my view is biased after having flown CX, SQ and QF within short succession.) The seats in the 747 are just too cramped and uncomfortable compared to the competition, and the condition of the cabins were disgusting. The redeeming element was the courteous and friendly service, but the food was also subpar. Combine that with very average ground service (i.e. a average lounge and nothing else), BA's First product was disappointing. It would be a excellent business class product, but definitely no match for the likes of CX, SQ, NH, LH or even QF.

I was thankful to have added this segment onto my MEL-LHR itinerary for no additional miles and just the airport taxes plus some $40 of YQ, so I was grateful to have gotten the experience for very little. But moving forward, I would not consider using my miles on BA F, and settle for J instead, or fly other better airlines.

crispycrouton

Amazing trip report^. Especially enjoyed reading the QF F segments, given how few reports there are nowadays

Just wondering was there a seasonal dish not printed on the menu on offer?

Annalisa12

I'm about to travel Singapore Suites from Sydney to Singapore like you and I am quite excited, especially so now after seeing your report.

I'm a bit nervous about the food though. I am not an adventurous eater and am not in to caviar, lobster or anything fancy.

I'll love the attention to detail though but I agree there can be a bit of an overload.

DFW_CK

I traveled BA First from Dallas to Mumbai last Fall. I'll tell you what:

- Hated the Concorde room experience; the place was overrun, service was poor, and the food generally sucked. I also hate the public toilet type showers.

- As for BA first, the service was awesome, but the cabin is just too cramped. Really had a hard time sleeping well in the narrow seats. Can't wait to try CX First this December on my JFK to HKG flight.

- The plus: from an aesthetics perspective, new First is absolutely gorgeous - the lamp, shades, color schemes all go really well together.

Oh well; I can definitely see why people diss on BA.

tng11

Thanks! As far as I know, there weren't additional dishes not printed on the menu. From what I understand, the menu rotates rather frequently though.

SQ really pulls out all the stops on its First/Suites service, which really can be "over the top", but better that than complete ambivalence or apathy! SQ's crews are at the top of their game in providing top-notch service, and they deserve to be legendary for that reason.

I'd look into pre-booking something through BTC that is more appealing to you, then you have a safe choice and can still swap with the regular menu.

Though others think differently, I think SQ does a good job with their Singaporean dishes. It may not be fancy, but they're generally very tasty.

Agreed with all these general sentiments. BA F service is good but the hard product is really substandard (on the 747 at least.) I'd be willing to give it a run on their A380 again though.

CX F will be a real treat for you. Notwithstanding the few service hiccups I had and the average catering out of JFK, it was a very pleasant 16 hour experience.

tng11

Getting the visa to Russia was something of an adventure for me. It involved 4 visits through snowstorms, an overzealous clerk working the visa window in the Toronto consulate and much waiting time.

Moscow:

I only spent 1.5 days in Moscow (as recommended by a few of my Russian friends.) Red Square was barricaded off for the entire time I was there, in preparation for the Victory Day festivities. The subway system, with its extremely deep and lengthy escalators and elaborate stations were absolutely breathtaking by its own right.

The language barrier was the greatest difficulty I would face in Moscow. Aside from very few people speaking English, most signs were only in Cyrillic, which made it difficult to get around at times.


IMG_6084 by jurastudent, on Flickr


IMG_6114 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-30 11.53.49 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-01 09.39.23 by jurastudent, on Flickr


IMG_6205 by jurastudent, on Flickr


IMG_6197 by jurastudent, on Flickr


IMG_6106 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-04-30 21.45.56 by jurastudent, on Flickr

My favourite restaurant in Moscow was Cafe Pushkin. Expensive, but the setting is killer and the food was the best I had in Russia. It was the setting that was absolutely ridiculous though (in a good way!)

tng11

Moscow has a few main train stations - all of which are located close by each other. Trains to St. Petersburg leave from Leningradsky station. I got lost for a good hour (thankfully I decided to come here early), desperately trying to match Cyrillic signs before I found the correct station and platform.

I chose the second fastest option, as I had only booked the train a day earlier, and the high-speed options were coming up for anywhere from USD 300 to USD 2000!

The conductor checked my ticket and I was on board. Unfortunately the system had assigned me a seat right next to the toilets, which emitted a very strong scent of urine for the entire trip. Karma is coming back to bite me after all these first class trips.

St. Petersburg

It was quite a few degrees colder in St. Petersburg compared to Moscow. Thankfully I had packed enough clothes for the next few days. There were even bursts of snow twice during the trip.


2014-05-02 14.46.54 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The Hermitage:

Wonderful museum. I loved the grand rooms and the really vast art collection. The queues were pretty terrible , but the best part was that students get in free. ^


2014-05-05 12.04.52 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-04 11.57.35 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-04 11.38.56 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Architecture:

I loved the architecture in St. Petersburg, along with the canals. It was a shame I wasn't here for White Nights during the summer.


IMG_6303 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-03 13.18.19 by jurastudent, on Flickr


IMG_6356 by jurastudent, on Flickr


IMG_6262 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-05 12.05.26 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-02 10.29.31 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Metro:

An even deeper Metro than Moscow? You've got to be kidding! St. Petersburg's Metro was even more grand than Moscow's - every station was unique and lots had some beautiful artwork and statues. I spent half a day just checking out the Metro stations!

Even better was that the Metro here had English signs! (I noticed them in a lot more places in St. Petersburg than in Moscow)


2014-05-03 17.09.25 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-03 17.28.53 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Skyline:

Amazing that the city extends as far out as the eye can see. Lots of industrial areas, but the city centre has thankfully retained its old world charm.


2014-05-04 18.54.36 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-04 18.55.40 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Night Views:

I'll conclude with some pictures by night. Magical.


2014-05-03 23.11.52 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-03 23.41.37 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-03 23.33.13 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Conclusion:

I liked St. Petersburg a lot more than Moscow. Aside from the chilly weather, it was beautiful for most of the time I was there. The people here were also more welcoming of foreigners and friendlier than Moscow. The architecture and sights were also better than Moscow. Only complaint would have been that it was super busy, packed with lots of tourists (mostly domestic), resulting in huge queues for just about everything.

tng11

My trip to LED got off to a bad start, as I had mindlessly decided to follow a group of Russians that were towing around suitcases onto a bus that had an Airport logo. Well, sure enough it was the wrong bus which took passengers to the old Pulkovo Terminal 2 which was no longer in operation. Unfortunately, I had saved just enough Rubles for the bus ride to the airport. That resulted in a massive cluster where I had to walk 2km to find an ATM to withdraw some cash for my bus fare.

Note to self: don't spend every last penny before you've reached the airport.

airberlin Flight 8485
St Petersburg Pulkovo to Berlin Tegel
Boeing 737-800
May 5, 2014
Scheduled: 16:20-16:40
Actual: 16:29-16:24
Seat 9A (Economy Class)
Load: ~50%

The airport in St. Petersburg is nice and modern. Layout and appearance wise, it has DME beat by a mile. To enter the airport, there was a full security check (everything through the x-rays, through the WTMD)


2014-05-05 14.07.23 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The AB check-in was a total cluster today. The queue was 30 deep for both lanes, and there was no expedited queue for OW elites or OLCI customers.


2014-05-05 14.17.51 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Ugh. It feels like a long time since I've been seat past row 4.


2014-05-05 15.29.18 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The lady at immigration spent a good 5 minutes scrutinizing my passport and immigration card, much to my fear. Once that was done, another security then the main terminal was past the duty free shop (looks like they've learned from MEL)


2014-05-05 14.52.44 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I grabbed a coffee and sat at the Starbucks in the terminal as I waited for the flight to depart. About 20 minutes before departure, boarding was called and a massive line formed in less than a minute. Looked like the flight was going to be full today.


2014-05-05 15.58.39 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Down the jetway:


2014-05-05 16.03.39 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Not bad for an economy seat. It looked relatively comfortable and spacious.


2014-05-05 16.07.14 by jurastudent, on Flickr

In under 10 minutes, boarding was complete. I had the entire row to myself, much to my delight. Turns out the flight was less than half full (I'd estimate the load was around 40% - lots of people had the entire row to themselves)


2014-05-05 16.07.30 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Legroom wasn't bad. Certainly better than the Australian LCCs.


2014-05-05 16.07.35 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Captain announced we would be taking off on time, and that today's flight to TXL would be just under 2 hours. With that, we had a very quick taxi and takeoff.


2014-05-05 16.15.15 by jurastudent, on Flickr

A beautiful, clear blue sky at cruising altitude:


2014-05-05 16.49.18 by jurastudent, on Flickr

A beverage was offered shortly once we were cruising. Then, a sandwich was offered with another beverage service. The sandwich was edible, which was a pleasant surprise. I was more impressed that AB had a snack and 2 beverage services on such a short flight in economy, and that the attendants were friendly and efficient, considering AB is positioned somewhere between being an LCC and full-service carrier. ^


2014-05-05 17.04.17 by jurastudent, on Flickr

It looked like a great day in Berlin:


2014-05-05 16.22.56 by jurastudent, on Flickr

A quick taxi to the gate, and we were off. The immigration counters were right at the end of the jetway with baggage claim a few metres away, so it got packed pretty quickly (TXL has a pretty weird layout where security/immigration/baggage claim are done at the gates.) Funnily enough, the immigration officer started speaking to me immediately in German, and to his surprise, I actually responded in German to his questions. He stamped me in and wished me a pleasant transit in Berlin/Frankfurt and a safe trip home. What a difference from Canadian/US immigration officers! ^


2014-05-05 16.27.58 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Summary:

airberlin has a very solid regional economy product. No nonsense with baggage fees or obscure airports, and the service/seat comfort was just like any of the other big European players, if not better.

tng11

I love Berlin. I was disappointed all I was going to be spending was a night here, with an early AM departure to Frankfurt. What better excuse was there though for a night of partying?


2014-05-06 00.23.53 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Lufthansa Senator Lounge Berlin Tegel

Still somewhat hungover, it was a quick bus ride through the city and a convenient dropoff a few metres from the First Class check-in.


2014-05-06 07.40.04 by jurastudent, on Flickr

At first the check-in agent didn't believe I was in First and demanded to see my passport. After some typing away, she couldn't find my reservation (turns out she was spelling my name wrong ) When she saw my backpack, which I was checking-in, she ordered me to wrap it in a plastic bag before she would check it in. Ummm, I've checked in that bag many times before. After some hemming and hawing, she got someone to bring a plastic bag over and had me wrap my bag in plastic. Boarding passes were issued - and she told me that because I was in First, she had blocked off the middle seat for me. ^


2014-05-06 08.00.27 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Up the stairs and to the lounge entrance, followed by a right turn to the Senator lounge.


2014-05-06 07.40.52 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The lounge was pretty busy at about 8 am in the morning. Most German businessmen in suits who were giving me rather impolite stares while yakking away on their cellphones (I was in a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.)


2014-05-06 07.57.27 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-06 08.13.42 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Lots of seating areas and natural light from outside:


2014-05-06 09.00.17 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Drink selection. No beer yet though (and I thought the Germans liked a morning pint. )


2014-05-06 08.33.17 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I grabbed a cappuccino and some veggies/cheese. There were other cold cuts and cereal on offer, but I was feeling a little queasy (I question my judgement of taking the pickle in retrospect given the circumstances.)


2014-05-06 07.56.45 by jurastudent, on Flickr

What ticked me off about this lounge was that I couldn't get onto the free wifi. Whatever airport wifi I could connect to was pay-per-use, at exorbitant rates. Adding to that, my flight to FRA was going to be delayed (cutting into my precious time at the FCT.)

All in all, this lounge felt like it would have been in place at a North American airport, but it was a world apart from the FCT.

Lufthansa Flight 181
Berlin Tegel to Frankfurt
Airbus A321
May 6, 2014
Scheduled: 09:45-10:45
Actual: 10:07-10:53
Seat 19A (Economy Class)
Load: ~90%


2014-05-06 09.26.59 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Many people were getting antsy about the delay, as no updates were provided and I overheard a bunch of people getting worried about their tight connections at FRA (I spoke to a woman who was connecting to SQ25.)

When boarding was called, all hell broke loose and people started crowding the gate. I was able to be among the first to board with the HONs as I had an "FCI" on my boarding pass.


2014-05-06 09.35.28 by jurastudent, on Flickr

On board:


2014-05-06 09.47.12 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The seats are so thin!


2014-05-06 09.49.57 by jurastudent, on Flickr

And uncomfortable. Thankfully I did have the middle seat blocked, so it was in some ways a quasi-upgrade to Euro business class without the crappy cold plate they would have served anyways.


2014-05-06 09.47.26 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Today's flight to FRA was going to be just about 45 minutes. As we were late boarding, we were going to have to wait a little longer on the ground. We departed just about 20 minutes behind schedule. Notably, the person in charge of making announcements on board was speaking extremely softly during the safety briefing and service announcements, to the extent that one could only hear about 1/3rd of the words she said.

The beverage cart was rolled around once, and soon enough it was time for landing into FRA.

D-ABTH in the background - one of the last 747s with old F.


2014-05-06 10.58.18 by jurastudent, on Flickr

We spent a lot of time pausing and waiting on the ground at FRA. First it was going to be 15 minutes before we reached the gate according to the captain, as the aircraft parked at that gate had not left yet. 15 minutes passed, it was going to be a little while longer. And longer.

Eventually, we sat on the ground at FRA for more than 35 minutes - almost the length of the flight itself!

D-ABTF: the other 747 with old F.


2014-05-06 11.15.46 by jurastudent, on Flickr

After the delay, I had 5 hours and a bit of wait time before my flight to ICN. Too little time to go into the city, but lots of time to use the FCT.

Overall, I thought Lufthansa's domestic product was worse than airberlin. AB wins for the seat alone. It's a shame LH sells these seats as business class with just the seat blocked off in the middle. My back would have hurt had it been a 3 or 4 hour flight to TLV or CAI for instance even in business class, which is totally unacceptable given the fares LH are asking for these days.

shogunate03

Epic trip and great report. Looks like you really captured many of world's best premium carriers on this. And also got to experience BA F as well.

Still haven't flown QF in F yet but great to read up on it, especially that the F lounge still measures up to places like the FCT.

Looking forward to the remainder portion of it!

tng11

I detailed my experience at the FCT from my trip back in January here: (link), so I'm not going to bore you with more of the same pictures again.

As many around here know, FRA is a complete maze. Signs point you in so many different directions, and it takes multiple left/right turns to get anywhere in this airport. I decided to check out the FCL in the A pier before heading over the the FCT. It was packed at this time of the day - barely any free seats. There were some good views of the tarmac from the windows, but other than that, the seating and layout was very similar to the FCT.


2014-05-06 11.46.28 by jurastudent, on Flickr

As my flight was at Pier B today (so no car ride from FCL B and because there are no car rides to the plane from FCL A), I decided it was worth clearing security at the FCT instead of using the FCLs/trying to find FCL B.

After the same routine as last time (a very pleasant security) and PA offering a tour (which I declined - and probably a little too smugly said "Yes, I've been here before, I know how it works!) My first stop was the buffet (the dining area was notably packed today!)


2014-05-06 14.37.50 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Is the prosciutto slicer really necessary?


2014-05-06 14.07.22 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Today's hot dishes:


2014-05-06 14.37.59 by jurastudent, on Flickr

First plate of asparagus, hummus, Loch Fyne smoked salmon and Iberian ham. The last two were my favourites from last time and they were just as good this time.


2014-05-06 12.07.06 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I pursed the menu again, ordering the the Tom Ka Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup) and the Spargel (white asparagus) with bernaise sauce and grilled salmon.


2014-05-06 12.16.20 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The soup arrived first. It was too heavy and lacked any spice or the herbs that really make this soup lovely. I only had a few sips.


2014-05-06 12.21.40 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I checked out the hot buffet, of which nothing really appealed to me except for the panang curry (which again, lacked the spice and flavour expected.) But of course, I had to get more of the salmon and ham.


2014-05-06 12.30.14 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Main course of white asparagus stalks with bernaise sauce and grilled salmon. The serving was massive and far too much asparagus for one person. To add to that, I thought the asparagus was a tad overcooked and too mushy for my liking. I ate about half and asked for it to be cleared.


2014-05-06 12.32.34 by jurastudent, on Flickr

And to finish, apple strudel with vanilla sauce. After this, I was satiated.


2014-05-06 12.41.29 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Having missed out on a bath last time, this was the perfect time for a full bath, something I haven't had in years.


2014-05-06 12.47.03 by jurastudent, on Flickr

All the amenities. I must say I'm not exactly a fan of the Etro products - the smell is way too strong for my liking.


2014-05-06 12.46.55 by jurastudent, on Flickr

These bathrooms are ridiculously large!


2014-05-06 12.47.19 by jurastudent, on Flickr

And filling up the bathtub. Notice my new little friend (Spa themed) floating in the water.


2014-05-06 12.57.54 by jurastudent, on Flickr

After a good 20-minute soak (and me making an absolute mess of the bathroom), it was time to kill another 4 hours or so. I decided to check out the water bar this time and sample as many different water brands as I could to see if there's actually a difference or whether it's all just snake oil.


2014-05-06 13.18.57 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Back to these comfy chairs.


2014-05-06 13.17.33 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Let's sample the Icelandic with some chocolates and candy.


2014-05-06 13.22.53 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I changed seats as it was getting busier, moving over to the corner where there was no one. An attendant came over and offered a drink. I figured what the heck, might as well have a mocha. He also brought over some little pastries. Gee, Lufthansa really isn't helping my waistline, are they?


2014-05-06 13.53.32 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I question how old some of these crackers must be (I've never seen anyone actually eat them.)


2014-05-06 14.08.21 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Next selection of "Iskilde" with some fruits.


2014-05-06 14.10.50 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Let's try "Iskilde" with Gas. And some more dessert too (a chocolate brownie, vanilla cupcake and mango panna cotta)


2014-05-06 14.39.40 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Did I mention how much I love these chairs?


2014-05-06 15.39.23 by jurastudent, on Flickr

During the next 2 hours I did some work on my iPad to pass the time. During that time I tried 4 other brands of water (Fiji, Voss and 2 other I forget.) My conclusion? Aside from making me visit the toilet often, all this bottled water branding is snake oil. @:-)

It's close to departure time:


2014-05-06 16.46.38 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The PA came to get me, and I was downstairs.


2014-05-06 17.08.34 by jurastudent, on Flickr

It was a Porsche Cayenne that drove me out to the plane today. Notably, I was the only passenger in the car, which meant that I was the only passenger out of a full load of 8 that was using the FCT today.

I had a champagne problem moment: I was slightly disappointed I didn't get the 2014 S-Class ride this time. But, at least the ride was longer to the B pier, instead of Z the last time (which lasted less than a minute.)


2014-05-06 17.12.20 by jurastudent, on Flickr

There she is, the new queen of the skies. Although I love the A380, the reality is that on the outside, it's an ugly duckling. I was excited to for my first flight on the new 747-8i.


2014-05-06 17.12.51 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The driver escorted me upstairs and to the aircraft door. Meanwhile, a ground agent was holding passengers back at the bridge for F/J passengers, much to the dismay of one passenger who was complaining about why he wasn't being allowed to board, he was in business, etc. etc. etc. The ground agent just said "sorry, this gentleman's in First" much to his disappointed look.


2014-05-06 17.13.24 by jurastudent, on Flickr

That little episode led me to the conclusion that Lufthansa really abides strongly to its class system and how stark the differences are between them. First Class passengers get the royal treatment, and then it's all downhill from there. The Senator lounge at TXL was very mediocre for instance, and the economy product was just downright terrible.

In conclusion, although the FCT is awesome, I was reminded today that it is still an airport lounge at the end of the day. That is, it's a great place to freshen up, have a meal and relax for a bit, but not worth spending half a day at or worth depriving yourself of sleep when there are other better things to do. I'm one of those antsy guys who always like to be on my feet, and the FCT felt "restrictive" in that sense.

If only Lufthansa could add the Spa that Qantas had, I would not hesitate to say it's the best airport lounge in the world (the security and car ride are great, but are not substitutes for a full massage IMO.) For now at least, QF holds the crown in my heart for the best lounge!

TPJ

Wonderful report! Thank you for sharing...

tng11

Lufthansa Flight 712
Frankfurt to Seoul Incheon
Boeing 747-8i
May 6, 2014
Scheduled: 17:45-10:45+1
Actual: 18:38-11:13+1
Seat 2A (First Class)
Load: 8/8

Good to be back in Lufthansa First Class, where I reviewed for the first time here: (link)


2014-05-06 18.56.58 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Though there's no separate bed this time. The new 74H First Class is in the nose and not the upper deck. Would it be just as good I wondered.


2014-05-06 17.15.43 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The seat was still ridiculously spacious. And having 4 windows to myself was great.


2014-05-06 17.15.56 by jurastudent, on Flickr

It was very comfortable sitting upright. More so than the one on the 747-400.


2014-05-06 17.17.57 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The seat controls are also much easier to work with, more adjustable and less buggy than those on the 747-400. I also liked the presence of the privacy screen, which the other product lacks.


2014-05-06 17.21.02 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I liked the subtle differences in the colours of the new cabin. On the 744, the general background is an duller off-white, whereas here it is a light beige through out, which provides a warmer feel for the most part.


2014-05-06 17.19.07 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-06 17.24.34 by jurastudent, on Flickr

There was also no shortage of storage spaces. Huge overhead bins, lockers in the back, a spacious ottoman and a perfectly sized side compartment. The overhead bins on the 744 were tiny by comparison and the drawer underneath the bed was tiny too. With the lockers though, I probably would have preferred the overhead bins to be removed to make the cabin even more open and spacious.


2014-05-06 17.24.46 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Soon on boarding, the attendant came by to introduce herself and offered a glass of champagne. Today's champagne on offer was the Taittinger Grand Cru Brut Prelude. Not bad.


2014-05-06 17.18.55 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The only problem with 2A was the placement of the beverage service area beside the seat. There was lots of activity and noise before departure and during the meal service. Otherwise, it was probably the best seat in the house (with 1A having the closet to deal with and row 3, the galley) with the most privacy and distance between seats.


2014-05-06 17.28.22 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Lufthansa now offers a leather Escada amenity kit, instead of the Rimowa kits. In terms of brand name, the Rimowa one is great, but really of limited utility for me (I have two I use for electric cables and miscellaneous items while travelling), while the Escada one was designed to store a tablet - just what my iPad needed.


2014-05-06 17.30.34 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The contents were disappointing, as always.


2014-05-06 18.02.49 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The cabin filled up rather slowly. I was the first one in the cabin for a good 10 minutes before 2 more passengers came. Closer to departure time, the remaining 5 passengers were on board. 3A and 3D were loudly talking away on their cell phones and across the aisle from each other (thankfully, they were really quiet during the rest of the flight.)

The purser also came by during this time to introduce herself, and we made some conversation about the 744 vs. the 74H product, and she promised to come back at the end to find out how the 74H stacked up to the 744 as it was going the way of the dodo bird. We also cutely exchanged conversation in 3 languages - German, English and Mandarin (she was learning Mandarin very well, which I thought was impressive.)

The service this time around seemed awfully slow though. I sat with an empty glass for well over 10 minutes, before the attendant came to pick up my glass without offering a refill, though I asked for a glass of water. She was seemingly frazzled when collecting all the glasses and putting them back in the storage drawers (beside my seat) to get ready for departure.

Right on time, we pushed back from the gate.


2014-05-06 17.49.47 by jurastudent, on Flickr

About a minute out from pushing back, I noticed we were immediately going back towards the gate. The captain came on and told us that there was an incident on board and that we had to turn back immediately for medical attention.

Turns out that an older lady in the back had collapsed just as we pulled back, and we had to wait for paramedics to come on board and provide medical attention before we could continue. Captain came back later and updated us that she and her travelling companion were going to be offloaded, which required ground staff to pick out their luggage before we could continue.

So we sat there and waited. I was half expecting that we would be offered a drink in between, but nothing. The attendants came by to check up on us and apologize for the delay. Thankfully it appears that the woman had just fainted, and it was more than likely she was going to be okay.

Unfortunately, the bags of both passengers were in separate containers, so it took some extra time to offload their bags as well. Once the offloading was complete, we had stood on the ground for just about 45 minutes. Captain came on and apologized for the delay, but that we would recoup most of that time from today's shorter flight (just about 9 1/2 hours.)

Taxiing out again, while the safety video was played. I found it interesting that Lufthansa had Korean as the second language on their safety video with only English subtitles (I presume that they adapt the second language to their destination, which I've rarely seen an airline do.)


2014-05-06 18.31.50 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The new 748i is noticeably quieter. The engines don't have quite the same "oomph" that its older sister has.

Lufthansa 74H Takeoff at FRA

Next part: Dinner

tng11

The sky during takeoff was beautiful:


2014-05-06 18.44.00 by jurastudent, on Flickr


2014-05-06 18.50.35 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I finally decided to change into pyjamas. I like the pyjamas on LH as they're thin and comfortable for sleeping (LH cabin temperature is also on the cooler side, which I like.) The lavatories on the 74H are also considerably nicer than those on the 744.


2014-05-06 19.12.20 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Time to pursue the menu. Lufthansa tries too hard with their dishes in First Class. Nothing sounded too bad - but a cherry gazpacho as the soup is rather odd. Moreover, the desserts made me scratch my head (I don't think green tomato confit, nor shiso sounds too appetizing to many palates!) Having 5 main courses to select from (with 2 Korean) was surprising to me.


2014-05-06 19.17.03 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Today's wine list. I was excited to see the presence of Veuve LGD 2004 on the menu, but it wasn't available. Darn.


2014-05-06 19.17.21 by jurastudent, on Flickr

I selected the monkfish as my main when orders were taken. In the meantime, I decided to check out the IFE, which was better in selection than the 744 by a wide margin (no match for SQ though,) and the screen was a lot sharper. I settled for "Good Bye, Lenin", a movie which I've seen over 10 times.

I think that there's no better set of headphones to use on a plane than the Bose QC15 (I myself have a set of Sennheiser Momentums and although the sound is better, the active noise cancellation of the Bose can't be beat.) The downside is Lufthansa bolts their headphones into the seat, so sometimes it doesn't look quite as clean as it should be.


2014-05-06 18.06.09 by jurastudent, on Flickr

About an hour after takeoff, the amuse bouche was delivered. It was some kind of marinated smoked salmon with creme fraiche. Not a bad start at all.


2014-05-06 19.33.56 by jurastudent, on Flickr

A beautiful sunset while waiting for dinner.


2014-05-06 20.04.35 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Another 40 minutes later, the tablecloths were set out. The service was definitely a little slower than usual. Also notice that the cutlery and napkin were left rolled up on the table - a small attention to detail missing this time around.


2014-05-06 20.10.32 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The pretzel and garlic bread are my favourites in LH F.


2014-05-06 20.10.29 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Let's start with the caviar service. Notably LH this time was serving Grey Goose and not Smirnoff any more. Great upgrade. ^


2014-05-06 20.21.12 by jurastudent, on Flickr

First serving of caviar. As I've said before, most of what the airlines serve isn't even close to the real Caspian sturgeon caviar. But it's free, so what the heck. I asked for some vodka to go with it, and it was a very generous serving (half a normal drink glass )


2014-05-06 20.21.58 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Seat 3D notably declined the entire meal service (and actually sat upright for the entire flight) - I believe he was the bodyguard to the passenger in 3A! That meant more caviar for me.


2014-05-06 20.32.52 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Next up was the trio of appetizers. The first one on the left was the "Canadian Lobster with Trilogy of Beetroot and Hazelnut", the middle one was the "Tomato Salad 2014, marinated pineapple" and the one on the right was the "Slow cooked corn-fed Poulard, Waldorf Cream, roasted Nuts."

The first two were quite alright. The chicken on the right was dry as the desert.

2014-05-06 20.42.53 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Wild Herb Salad, Oyster Mushrooms and Olives with Basil Dressing. Tasty, but too much dressing again.


2014-05-06 20.43.02 by jurastudent, on Flickr

The soup of "Cherry Gazpacho, Crayfish, Red Radish and Fava Beans." I like cold soups in warm weather, and this came out much better than I had expected.


2014-05-06 20.54.40 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Main course of Monkfish, Chevril Bulgar, Fennel and Celery Sauce. It was okay, the fish was a little dry but still tasty.


2014-05-06 21.09.34 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Cheese plate of Gorgonzola, Bosina, Banon, Reblochon and Walnut Cheese with Fig Chutney, Grapes and Celery. I liked the absence of "moldy" cheese on this plate, though I merely pecked at it as I was so full already.


2014-05-06 21.36.47 by jurastudent, on Flickr

Dessert of Green Shiso Sorbet, Lychee, Hibiscus Infusion. It tasted better than it sounded. It was light and refreshing, the perfect way to end a heavy meal.


2014-05-06 21.36.59 by jurastudent, on Flickr

When all was said and done, the meal service had lasted for close to 2 hours. Too slow for many, but I didn't mind the slower service after having had a big meal in the FCT earlier. Most of the cabin was finishing up, as I was about to doze off in my seat while sitting upright.

Next part: Bedtime and Breakfast