FlyerTalk Forums - Horror trip on LH to JFK

Beeing new to FT and not a real FTL (only 20 to 25 flights a year; just for leisure) I thought I'll start out with a trip report.

First of all I'd like to state that although LH bashing is quite a popular sport among Germans (I have rarely heard any German saying anything good about LH), I don't think LH is responsible for everything (bad weather, crap traffic control personell, etc.) It just happened to be an LH flight.

The flight was TXL-FRA-JFK in January. Getting out of town for a weekend of serious beer drinking in NYC. Class of service was "cattle" on a Lufthansa reward for being bumped in Rio de Janeiro some months ago.

First segment was TXL-FRA on early friday morning and besides from beeing very tired (just got out of bed with no breakfast) I got the feeling that this was not the best of days for air travel. Arriving at the airport there was a snowstorm in it early stages. Nevertheless checking in was smooth (appart from the usual unfriendlyness <-- is that an english word? of the LH gate agent) and we were being told that the flight would be on time.

Boarding was punctual and after all the hassle getting all people in and sitting (they still dont check carry on baggage in TXL and in winter it is a nightmare, coats, hats, bags, umbrellas, etc..) we could have made the slot easily. But then the captain was heard saying he hadn't got the OK from FRA due to heavy snowfall there. Waiting in the plane at the gate for 1 hour. (nothing to drink or eat, remember "Cattle Class").

Then it was the captain again saying we had a new take off time in 1,5 hours time and we could switch on our mobiles if we wanted for the next hour or so, but NOT leave the plane. I was half way awake by then and got a little hungry. People were on the phone all over the place and did postpone their meetings (2,5 h late at this stage). I didn't want to talk since my only meeting after that flight was with a bunch of bottles in TRIBECA but I got really hungry.

One hour later it was the 1st Officer saying that we could go now but in that very moment TXL closed all runways due to the heavy snowfall. Half an hour later runways opened again and we had our push back (first movement of the plane in 3 hours). I could have had a breakfirst by then but my head told my stomach not to worry (in 1 h we would be in FRA and eat). Seconds after the push back it was the captain again telling us that we were number 13 in the line up for de-icing (TXL has the enormous quantity of 1 (one) de-icing facility) and that we had to wait approximately 45 minutes.

My stomach gave a little hiccup but now my head knew that we would miss the connecting flight to JFK for sure and promised loads of "decent" airport food in FRA. After de-icing (which took 1 hour) we were on our way taxiing to the runway. Got the engines up for start, accelerating down the runway and I realxed: FRA only 50 min. away. Half way down there was like a huge hiccup in the engines and shortly after that the plane was braking very hard. Everything was flying around some screams and I wasn't relaxed anymore but tried to help stopping the plane by stomping on an imaginary brake pedal. Stooooooooop. After the longest some-seconds-period in my life we stand still.

Now I know why you have to fasten your seat belt before take off. Puhhhh. It was the captain (again). Due to an error in the tower we had been given take off clearance on the same runway on which in that second an arriving plane had been given landing clearance. And that in a snow storm. Eventually the tower noticed the error and the arriving plane did an emergency go-around and we did what we did. Quote the captain: "The other plane was right over us, if we had taken off we would have made a nice sandwich in the air. We will try again in 10 min.". And he seemed not to be pleased with the performance of the tower. Me too!

I wasn't too hungry anymore (thanks to a little adrenaline shock). But that lasted only for minutes. Next take off was smooth an so the flight to FRA and I got at least something to drink (no snacks on LH domestic cattle class). Taxiing in FRA to the gate. OK, food is comming soon. Plane stops - nothing happens. 15 min later the captain convinced me that my feeling in the morning was right: "Not our best day, a push back truck has broken down in front of our gate an is blocking it. The tower is currently searching a parking position for us". I started to comtemplate eating the headrest of my seat. I was in the seventh hour of the day without any food and one glass of water. Half an hour later the tower's search for a parking position proved successful. They found an empty space on the far end of the airfield so we taxied for about half an hour had to wait another 30 min. for the bus. After that were then informed by the 1st Officer (the captain had given up making annoucements) that the ground staff was having difficulties finding mobile stairways to get us from board. In a very generous move we were allowed to switch on our mobiles in the plane though. What luck! I switch it on and inspected it very carefully for any nutrition value. Couldn't find any, thought about eating my shoe laces and halfway fainted by looking and the green glow of the mobile's display.

Nearly 6 hours after boarding the plane we got out. Right into a veritable snowstorm. Riding on the bus for 15 min. I was positive that food was comming closer and I completely gave up worrying about my connecting flight (I thought about having a nice meal in FRA and go back to TXL on the same day because my original schedule had only 2 days in NYC and due to the delay one of the two days was nearly ruined). Arriving at the gate I was met by a LH agent screaming for people with JFK connections. There were only 5 of us and a minute later we were rushed through the airport to a gate I have never seen before and hurried into a plane. No chance, no food, door closed. Sat down, plane was nearly empty, taxied to runway. In a last attempt to prevent myself from starving I asked a FA for a pre-take off drink (Coke) to get some sugar in my blood system. Request was turned down ("Don't have time now"). Silly me, you are on LH "holzklasse" how can you even dare to ask. I decided to die from starving during sleep, so soon after take off I occupied 4 seats in the middle section and fell into sleep.

When I got awake (after some hours of worst nightmares, half sleeping, half trying not to fell from the seats thanks to heavy turbulence) we had already left cruising altitude and made our final approach to EWR. EWR??? Noone told me that before. Bye-bye having my regular twice a year metro experience on the A train from Howard Beach to get into the right mood for NYC. OK, at least I could get a Coke and lift my blood sugar a little. The approach was the roughest and longest I have ever made. About an hour we were flying in 9.000 ft. in the worst turbulence ever. Engines up and down just to hold the height. Very windy. A lady two rows in front got sick very bad. First time I really saw someone vomiting in a plane. After half a glass of coke I wasn't hungry anymore, just exhausted. Tried not to look at the lady and hoped everything would be over soon. The landing came late and then it was so rough I thought for a second I had to join the poor lady.

Needless to say that in EWR the nightmare continued (searching for transport to town, waiting on a bus stop for nearly half an hour in temperature of -48 degres Celsius windshield).

Having finally made to Manhattan and checked in I went to the Hotel bar and with nothing in my stomach for the whole day after one bottle of beer I was completely pissed and went to bed.

Wow, what a night in the city that never sleeps. Thank you LH!

[This message has been edited by paulusst (edited 06-13-2001).]

[This message has been edited by paulusst (edited 06-13-2001).]