Off to Europe for business--pretty light schedule though with meetings Monday and Wednesday in Holland and potentially Friday in CPH. Need to be in STL on Sat 8 February for a memorial service for a friend, but need to be in AMS by 7am Monday the 10th for a 2.5 hour (!) train trip to Groningen for an 11am meeting--decide this is too risky, so end up leaving on Sat. Between my company's preference for Delta (we get 31% off biz class) and scheduling, best option is a 2030 flight from ORD to CDG, connecting. So I find an AA flight at 1830 (only leaving 45 mins for the connection--i.e. illegal time), and think I'm good to go. Plus, as a dedicated FTer, find out that a flight to HAM is both cheaper than a flight to AMS, plus lets me take a KLM Cityhopper F70 HAM-AMS (new plane type, new airline for me!!!)

Anyway,,,

ATL-STL on TW, 4/8 1400-1447
Forgettable flt on TW a few mins late leaving, about 15 mins late landing due to bad weather in STL (my dad waiting for me said he got drenched in the car at the sked arrival time). 100% full in f/c, 95% in coach

memorial service out at the nearby Boy Scout ranch, kind of sad and memorable...

Got done pretty early though (it was kind of loose, hence needed the late flight on AA). Stopped by AA counter to convert eticket to paper b/c both TW and UA had earlier flights. Hot footed it down to TW for their 1540 flt at C6 (one of the TW One gates for ORD, LGA biz flights) to find them calling nonrevs (it was about 4 mins before flt time) and they (quite legitimately) said that they were full and couldn't get me on (I didn't have a TW reservation and it would have delayed the flt to take care of me...)

UA had a flight sked at 1611, so I headed to ticket counter, to see it delayed 1 hour until 1715 (the monitor was really doing a bob and weave--gave you a headache to look at it). Anyway, presented my AA tkt to the counter, who looked at it quizzically, and took it to another agent (it was full ($142) one way reduced refundable fare) who eagerly accepted it. Gave me a coach bp and put me on waitlist. Turned out that after some bad weather at ORD on Friday, they had a plane stranded in STL and they cancelled a turnaround to get the plane out, so this was an "extra section"--flight number 8860 (never been on one of those) and was an A320 (which doesn't fly into STL). Went to gate to wait.

Presented my tkt to gate agent, who said "always ready to take their (AA) money", checked me on the waitlist, and told me to take a seat. Ended up getting called in abt 15 mins to give up a certificate.

Boarded abt 1700. Advised flt time of 47 mins. Gate agent had trouble with the destination ck because PA system on Airbus is electronic and different than on Boeing. Flt attendants advised that there would be no service for coach on the flight (usually there is a service on all airlines on this flight). No orange juice (or anything else fresh)--all they had was canned drinks and ice.

Arrived right on time.

Onward to AirFrance.

Part 2

Got into the far, far end of the UA Terminal B at about 18:30 so have plenty of time to make a 20:30 in the int'l terminal. Start to walk, and walk, and walk. Get over to T5 to see about 4 people in line at AF, one entry point to the queue. Pull out my biz class DL (ticketed for AF flt) and get waved through. Don't seem to have any biz class line--about 5 mins and I'm waved over to a regular ckin position. The agent seems competent, but not very friendly, and speaks French, first. Anyway, get my lounge pass, connecting boarding pass, and am sent over to the AF lounge. Go through security to lounge. Really disappointing lounge--the extent of the food is olives (standard US green pimiento stuffed), crackers and cookies. This is it...although a good selection of drinks. Wait for about an hr--they don't really call the flt but people kind of straggle out to the gate (which is right next door). Get on board the 767-300 with 5-across biz class (yes!) and sit down. I note that biz class is full (25 seats) and coach has 95 (which would be about 60% full only).

I was not expecting much from AF, but was quite pleasantly surprised! Everything was done very well, and I actually think I prefer it to Delta Biz Elite.

Sit down to a blanket and 2 pillows in the seat, amenity kit in seatback pocket. Preflight drinks are very slow in coming, but it seemed that this was just the way AF did it. They were passed w/a smile right before takeoff.

Menus handed around after takeoff. Effective safety demonstration, with flight attendants actually standing in aisle as the video played. (I was in row 4 and it was tough to see b/c of place ment of screens).

Appetizer choices--smoked salmon or (cold) roll of chicken w/gorgonzola and smoked duck breast over salad greens (my choice--was delicious.

Dinner choices--filet steak or boulliabasse (I had boull. which was delicious, with crunchy croutons. My seatmate had the beef, which looked deliciously rare)

Cheese offered (pre-plated, 3 choices--a blue veined Roquefort, a rind-ed cheese (very mild and delicious) and an yellow firm type.

Dessert was fresh fruit from a basket or strawberry tart.

Leaned back with help of 1/2 Ambien tablet and think I slept.

B'fast was either pancakes filled with apple, sausage link and (oddly) a broiled tomato, or egg omelet. I had the pancakes.

Interesting, all wine and champagne was served in tumblers--kind of unpretentious.

Best looking trays I think I've ever seen--everything in blue and white, really attractive chinaware, big utensils.

I was definitely impressed. Stopped at a bus gate at CDG, long bus ride to terminal. Walked over to 2D for flt to Hambourg. AF lounge nice, light and airy on 2d level of terminal. Security area congested but got through in abt 10 mins. Walked onto 737 to HAM--3 rows of biz class. 1/2 full in biz, DK how full in coach.

Served cold plate of roast beef along with a really delicious square of tirami-su like cake--nice and moist.

Right on time into HAM. 2 hr wait for KL flight to AMS. Explore airport a bit--Diners Club lounge closed on Sundays.

KL uses Ogden for handling at HAM. Not very good service--they open ckin only 1 1/2 hours before flight time, so when they open they have a long queue. Lots of people seem to be going to Cairo. Finally open a biz class line 1 hr before flt time, but the effort is futile.

F70, all coach, nearly full. Amazing they serve a sandwich on this flight. In to a bus gate at AMS, short wait for luggage.

Onto the Hotel Ibis...

Hotel IBIS in AMS is right next to the station, very convenient for as mobile as we are going to be. I check in about 6, ask for a second night (at the time of booking was full on Mon. eve), and they say fine. Since ACCOR owns both IBIS and Motel 6 in the USA, they look pretty similar in the rooms--minimal. Have a quick rijstafel after a walk, and come back to the hotel and meet the guy who came down from CPH for the meeting. As we had a tight schedule Monday, we walked back to the station to buy a ticket. NS requires cash for intra-Netherlands travel, so I tried to use my cash card--link to the US down, so then get a cash advance on my VISA card at the bureaux de change--didn't have my passport, so back to the hotel, back to the bureaux, then to the ticket counter...

Groningen is a 2 1/2 hour train ride from AMS in the northeast of the country. One direct train per hour, a couple of connections. To meet our schedule and the people we're meeting, we had to get a specific train (and were successful). Funny, another person came into our compartment. She settled right down, plugged in her earphones, and promptly ignored the 3 of us for the next hour. 2 of the 3 of us noticed that she had some papers from our company (BellSouth), and I got nervous, but she paid us no attention at all and read Carl Jung (!).

We got off at Groningen, waited for someone else coming in then piled into a taxi, where we found our mystery woman at our meeting. Funny coincidence!

Everyone tricked out after the meeting--I got to the hotel by about 830, dog tired. Had some Thai food and early nite for me.

Tuesday, train to Maastricht (2 1/2 hours in the other direction). Again, one direct per hour, others need connection. Have dinner in the Markt section in a cafe (ate asparagus, which is about 1 1/2 weeks from prime--this was from Spain and wasn't terrific).

Wednesday, make meeting. Lunch at their canteen-interesting how they have a cash-free cafeteria (everyone uses their chip card). Latin America isn't this advanced yet--they use a ticket system (nor are we...)

Wander a bit around Maastricht--I'd like to be here with a car, because the mass transit seems tough to understand and is only every 15-30 mins.

Crowne Plaza excellent location, comfortable and quiet. Luscious big beds!

Dinner at a superlative restaurant just down the block--one of the Maastricht Culinair group. 4 courses 80 guilders--total f100 with wine. Starter of a chunk of smoked fish on a toast, then carpaccio of tuna over a anchovy cream with salt crystals, drizzled with olive tapenade, then an interesting baked scallop dish where one big scallop was slivered and stacked with some steamed celery, then the entire dish baked hot and fast and served with a light hollandaise sauce. I loved every drop.
Main course was local veal, roasted and served with truffle sauce and vegetables. Only downsides on this course was the truffle sauce was relatively bland, and the potatoes were over-fried so they permeated the odor of the dish.
Dessert was called "Maastricht Porridge"--essentially a clafouti on top of fresh fruit. Really good.

If anyone is interested, I'll post the name. Well worth a visit.

Thursday, train back to Schiphol to fly to Copenhagen. KLM cancels the 4 pm flight I'm scheduled on, so I stand by for the 530 SK flight. Couldn't get on even with *G, as they actually bumped a couple people. KL put me on standby for the 730 flight, and I got on. Very interesting difference in concept between coach/1C in the US and economy/business in Europe. It felt novel to a)have a ticket coupon that you could b)take across the desk to SK to get on the standby list.

5 across in a 737, though, isn't great.

Right on time into CPH.
Stay Radisson SAS Royal (recommended by travel agent). Normally my co. stays at Angleterre, but it was sold out (duh, the Queen's birthday was Sunday and the Angleterre is RIGHT THERE!). BTW, the tulips were beautiful.

Meetings fine on Fri. Spend the afternoon shopping. I found CPH unusually tough to get oriented in--don't know what I was missing!

Tivoli opened on Friday, so went in about 830p...what a wonderful wonderland. Interesting to see the wide variety of stuff to do and eat--everything from white tablecloth dining to hotdog stands. I recommend this highly!

Noted that the Swissair/Crossair plane that was to make up my flight was about 1 1/2 hours late landing on Fri. evening, but didn't go so far as to call about it. Hindsight is 20/20...

Got up Sat. and headed out to airport. Flight posted 10 mins late departing. I ask at counter, and they say all should be fine (I had a quick 40 min connection in ZRH, so would be cutting it close). No gate posted so I dawdle in the shops, getting VAT refunds, etc, when I hear my name being paged. Airport crawling with people--
start of spring break.

I find the appropriate company's (Servisair) counter, to be told that I'm being rebooked b/c of the delay on the CPH-ZRH flight (it ended up leaving 1 hr 10 late). (I had routed CPH-ZRH-IAD-ATL tktd on DL to get 3 more DL segments) They found a CPH-LHR-IAD-ATL combination that would get me in 4 hours later to ATL and say "that's about all there is out there". (I'm used to having more knowledge about what is where!) I don't have my trusty DL schedule to know where they have early afternoon nonstops into ATL to propose (I can't believe that DL biz class would be as heavily booked outbound on spring break days as the Eurpoean carriers, but they claim that everything else is booked) . I cool my heels for another 1 1/2 hours in CPH (meanwhile calling my travel agent who says that everything IS full--we didn't get too creative, however).

Hmm, wonder what's going to happen w/luggage. Mention it and agent calls down for it.
BA CPH-LHR
When they scan my ticket, they need to see my luggage ticket--good sign, I think.
Flight nearly full on 757, 5 rows of biz class. Lunch was salad with either hot beef medallions or hot shrimp (oh, excuse me, prawns). Fine and painless flight, but I hate connecting at LHR!!! Try to get AA miles on this flight (should be fun)

BA LHR-IAD
3 1/2 hours before this flight we get in, so a lot of time to wait. Stop at the UA connection desk to see if can take UA instead, but will delay me even more into ATL, so I decide to stick with BA (I want my DL miles and bonus, though--any ideas on my luck on getting them

Merry, the lounges at T4 are truly amazing--I was incredibly impressed. The Terraces is really nice--good views, lots of stuff to eat, do, look at, etc. They put the other long-haul ones I've seen to shame. The smaller one near the low numbered gates is obviously an auxiliary, but still is adequate. An entirely full 747-200, still called for boarding on time. Boarded 20 mins before departure time, we delayed closing door b/c of matching psgrs with luggage--there was a big queue at the entrance to the concourse apparently that delayed people, so they were humping all their luggage.

Pre-flight drinks.

Food was

Smkd Salmon/prawn plate, or mixed bean marinated salad with Parmigiano cheese (beans were good)

mixed salad

beef medallion, mushroom lasagna, crusty halibut or red chicken curry (which was really disappointing, but I wasn't hungry enough to press the issue

cheese (rinded, cheddar and blue) and white/dark choc mousse

Mid flight, pass around cup of frozen yogurt

Typical afternoon tea service (I passed)

Arrived about 20 mins late (left 50 mins late). Didn't realize that only UA uses the midfield customs/immigration system, so we go in the buses to the main terminal.

Yes! They have INSPass! Through in a second.

Unfortunately, they don't have any news on my luggage, so tell me I have to wait for everything to come out before claiming (my luggage was tagged CPH-ZRH-IAD-ATL), but I was trapped by customs from investigating further. Finally found out there was no more to be had, then go out to the BA office where a very nice lady seemed very overwhelmed by the problems at LHR0--

I am very confused about when one reports a luggage irregularity. UA wants it when you are at your last point (i.e. ATL for me), but BA wanted it right then (even though I was connecting to DL). As time was running short, I elected to defer until I got to DL. (after all, as tkting carrier I've got a little more pull with them).

DL IAD-ATL

Utterly forgettable, but 2 pleasant touches--pilot welcomed aboard the "Rome High School Group" which had just spent the week in Washington, and the head flt attendant came around to individually thank us for using DL. Nice touch

Baggage claim at ATL.

Apparently, luggage cked in by a service company can't be tracked by DL before there is a report made, so they had no luggage there for me (I thought they might have kept it on the CPH-ZRH flight then sent it on the afternoon ZRH-ATL flight). So now I have a file number with DL.

Disappointed that I couldn't make the SR flights. I wanted to try them, and they had a much more attractive schedule, and I could have flown on 2 different new (to me) aircraft. Boo hiss. Delta had BETTER give me the miles for this b/c it came in just under the threshold for 6 biz/first segments for 25000 bonus miles.

JL

Four Paws up reports Jamiel. I"m sorry to hear about your luggage woes.

Hearing stories like that make me so determined to make sure I get on the plane with BOTh my carry-on's. I think I checked my bags once (one bag for the PIP, with change of clothes and the beautiful Hawaiian shirts I got from wanderlust in the carryon!) I'm confused by the baggage sitatuion you described Jamiel.

I would post the restaurant name anyway. If anyone might be familiar with it, it's probably Rudi (or maybe QUiet Lion as well.)

Glad you are home safe Jamiel.

Thanks for the great report!

I always enjoy reading the high quality service in the intra-European flights.

However, I have a question on your flight back to IAD...

What is a typical afternoon tea service?
Is scone still a popular item?

Thanks,
Carfield

well, since you asked carfield, I brought home the menu as well.

BA code 049, 067, 069, 093, 185 189, 203, 209, 213, 217, 223, 297, 299 CW QA APR (these are their short WB flights)

Lunch
Smoked Salmon and Tiger Prawns with Rocket Mayonnaise
or
Salad of Mixed Beans with Olive Oil, Sage and roasted Tomatoes

Mixed leaf Salad with Vinaigretter or Blue Cheese Dressing

Bakery selection featuring warm Breads served with Butter or Sunflower Margarine

Main Courses

Grilled Fillet Steak with roasted Sea Salt New Potatoes

Thai Red Chicken Curry with braised Rice

Baked Halibut with a Parmesan and Lemon Crust

Wild Mushroom Lasagnaw with Romano, Pecorino and Parmesan cheese

Dessert

White and Dark Chocolate Mousse

Henry IV, Cashel Blue and Connoisseur's Cheddar

Fresh Fruit

Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea

Afternoon Tea

Sandwiches of poached Salmon, Creme Fraiche and Cucumber, Egg Mayonnaise with Mustard and Cress on Brown Bread

Warm Fruit Scones with Cornish Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve

Afternoon Tea Pastry

Tea, Coffee or Decaffeinated Coffee

Raid the Larder (and they did bring around frozen yogurt during the movie.

JL

Thank you, JL!

Excellent trip report! welcome home...

------------------
BB
AA EP, DL PM, UA 1K, SPG PL, Hilton Diamond

CO Gold, TW E1, US GP, [b]Hyatt[b] Diamond, Interconti 6CC
(that's a lot of programs...I travel waytoo much!

Yes welcome home and thanks for a great report!

and I finally got my luggage yesterday AM.

Good report and welcome home!

... so I learn that you changed at ZRH and didn't tell me? ...