Pacha

10/25 LH 457 LAX-FRA
I arrived at the airport about 1 ˝ hours before departure. Check-in was the usual mess, and the plane-side duty free shops were closed, so I had to trek back to the shops in the main hall. When I finally get to the cashier, she tells me that I missed the cut-off by 2 min's!! and she wouldn't sell anything to me anymore. Great:
Back to security, this time on the opposite side in order to get a drink in the small shared ANA/LH lounge, but at this security checkpoint was where the stress began.
The first time through, they asked me to put keys and my phone through the x-ray machine, and hand scanned me quickly. At the other security (Gates 110+ think) I first had to put the usual items through: keys, hand luggage, coat etc. After I they sent me through the scanner twice again, they asked me to put my belt through. Through the scanner I walked again. Shoes were next.. So I take them off and put them on the conveyor. After a hand scan by 2 people and a pat down, they finally let me put my clothes back on. I didn’t know that 19 year old Americans(to them at least, as I only show my German passport in Europe ) where suspected terrorists nowadays, but as their were mostly women at the checkpoint lets just say they wanted to keep me there as long as possible
After I finally reached the lounge, and sat down, they announced boarding and made us all trek back to the gate.
At the gate I encountered the usual mess. People in line, although boarding hadn't even been announced yet. Then pre boarding for people with small children and disabilities, immediately followed by a general boarding announcement for all passengers. The LH ground staff at LAX have never been good, but why announce boarding, if they only let the F/C/*G passengers in. A couple minutes later, they added they announced pre-boarding for the F/C/*G.
Boarding went amazingly quickly and I was greeted by the extremely pleasant LH FA's and shown to my seat, 84A. I had reserved 82A, but the CSR at the SEN desk in the US hadn't blocked the seat next to me, and at check-in, 84A was the only one that had an empty seat next to it. So I settled into my seat and had a glass of champagne to start, while beginning to write this report. The pilot welcomed all passengers to our friendly "Duesen-riesen" (giant jet), and informed us that he will start the "4 friendly engines"(4 freundliche Motoren) at this point. The FA's kept walking through the cabin to make sure every passenger had everything they wanted.
Push back was at 18:09, and we took off from 25R(I think) into low, dense fog and clouds at 18:28. After take-off, the privacy screens were set up and menu's were distributed.
Wine selections were as follows:
Special White:
-1998 Baron de Bachen, Tursan VDQS, Michel Guerard, France

Champagne:

-1990 Cuvee Grand Siecle,Champagne Laurent Perrier, France
-Champagne Tattinger Brut Reserve

Wines:

White:
-1999 Dunnigan Hills Chardonnay, RH Phillips, California
-1999 Chardonnay Spaetlese trocken, Krug'scher Hof, Rheinhessen, Germany

Red:

-1997 Chateau Belgrave, Bordeaux, Haut-Medoc, France
-1996 Labourge-Roi Volnay 1er Cru, Beaune, Burgund, France
-1998 Ninquen, Vina MontGras, Chile.

Dinner:
Hors d'oeuvre:
-Caviar with the traditional garnishes
-spicy shrimp served with a snow pea salad
-Porcini dusted tenderloin of beef enhanced by Fava beans and watermelon compote

Salad:
-seasonal greens presented with roasted bell pepper or blue cheese dressing

Entrees:
-Grilled pork chop offered with caraway jus, sauteed brocoli rabe and garlic mashed potatoes.
-Sauteed striped bass accompanied by a tomato olive vinagrette and a Fennel Polenta
-Tri-color ravioli filles with spinach and mushrooms accented by a Crayfish Bisque sauce.
-Asian style sliced breast of chicken, served with stir-fried vegetables and steamed jasmin rice.

Cheese and Dessert:
-International Cheese,
Manchego, brie, Port Salut and Petit Basque
-Haagen Dazs ice cream
-Apricot Buckle
-Fine Chocolates

The dinner was, in all aspects excellent. It was served over a time period of two hours, and it could have been three. I started out with my usual scotch and soda (Glenfiddich) which was followed by a beef tenderloin pre-appetizer. Very good. Caviar service was next and was served with the traditional garnishes. Because the shrimp also looked great I had them after the caviar, very nice. The salad followed, and was also very tasty. I took a little break before the main course, to wander the aisles and get a little exercise.
I had the ravioli as the entree and here I was pleasantly surprised. The dish did not only look very appealing, it tasted marvelous as well. After the cheese with a glass of port, and a praline, you can imagine there was no room for the Ice Cream, although I was tempted. Throughout the Dinner service, the FA's did a perfect job in serving, refilling the glasses and making sure everyone was comfortable.
After dinner the FA's came around and prepared the beds (which is basically distributing the Bogner sweaters, fluffing up the [very nice] pillow, and preparing the blanket. They also handed out bottles of water to everyone, which can be stored in various cup holders, so that they are accessible throughout the night.
I lay down and my mind left to lala land.
The FA woke me up 1 1/2 hours before landing as I had requested. A glass of orange juice (or other drink of choice) was distributed along with a hot towel, in order to get used to the fact, that the flight was too short, and should have been 20hrs. I am sorry to say that I didn't write down the breakfast menu, but they offered about anything you would want to have. There was a selection of fruit salads, cheese and meats, yoghurt, muesli, bacon and eggs, and a nice selection of breads and pastries. i had a fruit salad and some cheese, and would have opted for the bacon and eggs had I not still been full from dinner .
Only negative thing: espresso machine always seems to be broken.
After landing 20 minutes early, the luggage came out fast and I was out the door to be greeted by my (gorgeous) pick up service, who I hadn't seen in a couple months. all in all a very nice experience, and definitely recommendable. I wish I would have remembered the name of my FA, as you can request your FA in first and the service on the return was not half as good
.
10/27 LH 1698 FRA-TXL seat: 6f

After checking in at the F check-in, I proceeded through security without much hassle. After a stop at the SEN lounge in the lower level A-Gates, I went back to the gate, and boarding began soon thereafter. The only weird thing was, that after I gave the GA my boarding pass with seat 4a she gave me a different stub with seat 6k. I didn’t mind and figured they just pushed the curtain back to make more room for another C passenger. I had two people next to me, but across the aisle, there was no one. I figured I’d move, but just as I got up, two men sat down there . About a minute later the FA came and asked them for there BP’s which they presented with a long explanation why they figured there was more room in C than in Y and that it was too cramped for them back there and they would rather want to sit up front. One man did all the talking and kept stressing (in a manner getting more rude every minute) that they wouldn’t eat or drink anything, but just wanted some extra space. It took multiple FA’s and the purser a while before they got them to move back again, and the man Was “arguing at the top of his voice the whole time, so that it was a wonder that the FA’s kept their cool and did their job remarkably well. After take-off the liberated passenger again felt the need for more room and came up front again, only to be finally asked to leave by the first officer. The rest of the flight was normal, meaning: the closer you get to Berlin the grayer the sky and finally you land through dense clouds into the depressing gray that is normal for any time of year there. If anyone ever travels to Berlin try to watch out for this , as it will be gray 9 times out of 10. None the less I love the city where I was born and visit once every 3 months at least.

All in all the longhaul, at least on board was a perfect experience, and although there are no suites, are the most comfortable airline seats there are. At 6'3" I had plenty of room and would recommend LH F to anyone as the best way to go transatlantic(yes, even better than SQ FRA-JFK).
As this has been my first trip report, I hope you all enjoy it and welcome all constructive criticism.
Dion

parallelrechner

Interesting story. I enjoyed reading it word by word.

Your experience of LAX security (putting belt and shoes through X-ray) is no singular event. In recent weeks I had a bunch of flights, and the intensity of the security checks ranged from zero to one. JFK and EWR were hardest, they asked me to put belt/shoes through x-ray screening (if I would have been prepared for this, I probably would have been able to make some money as some nearby flight attendents started to stare at me during the initial process of getting undressed). Anyway, with the same belt and the same pair of shoes (displaying metal applications) I passed the metal detector at a westcoast airport without even generating a single beep, and to be honest, this scares me a lot.

My message, in short, its more fun for all of us and probably a bit more security, if we all have to send our belts and shoes and artifical hips etc... through x-ray screening

Anyway, nice story
Chris

Greg45

I think I have to jump in and defend our home town: It will be grey there 7 out of 10 times, the most. Still, your report made me look forward to my next trip. Thanks.

Do you know more about how to get the seat next to you blocked? I think I'll post the question in the LH forum.

paulusst

Greg45: the seat next to you will be blocked automatically if you hold SEN status. But that works only in Y and only if noone is preassigned to that seat and the flight is not full.

In C and F just ask for it, if it is possible they will do it, but never guarantee that it will stay so. I make a point to be very nice to ground staff as to bribe them that my blocking is released last if the flight gets near full.

Pasha:
Your observations regarding the greyness of our capital are right on spot. But its not only the city / weather. Most of the people look greyish esspecially on a day like today.

I always have to go abroad to be reminded that a big city can have colors and people living in big cities can look friendly and warm (Rio d.J. being an good example).

Stephan

[This message has been edited by paulusst (edited 11-06-2001).]

curt

paulusst, Berlin looks especially grey, even for a german city! Have a look at MUC or DUS or CGN or HAM. Even FRA is nicer! But living in BER is another thing!

paulusst

curt:

thats what I said. As for CGN: It cant look grey as well (if the "Kölner Landregen" pours down), but thst doesnt stay for weeks or months in a row like here in Berlin. The other difference is that Cologners dont adjust their mood to the weather.

Stephan

Guy Betsy

As a fellow SENATOR, I can say that the seat next to you is not blocked when travelling in F or C class. What if another SENATOR wants that particular seat next to you? LH can't say that it's blocked off.

On a typical F class flight, there are many SEN members, so it's quite impossible to block that many seats off. Maybe in due time when LH relaunched their F class with individual seats, we won't have this problem.

Besides does one SENATOR's request to block a seat next to him off override another's SENATOR or full fare paying passenger request aside? I don't think its fair.