Working like a dream (almost) so far...
Dec 19, 2007 | 8:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Programs: Mucci of the Dominion of Maple and Moose; Keeper of Sir MightyMoose; BAEC Silver; AC MileagePlus
Posts: 1,311
Working like a dream (almost) so far...
Started my itinerary from Toronto to Brussels to Hongkong last Thursday, and things are going well by and large...
1. Almost no line up at the Drop-Your-Bag counter, as I'd OLCI'd (but didn't PYOBP). Check-in agent at YYZ was very pleasant and efficient, and seemed almost surprised that I knew to direct her to my 2nd PNR for LHR-BRU the next morning.
2. Boarding was mostly smooth, and as I was travelling with the rest of humanity in WT+ and WT, there was no issue of priority. Boarding by section from the back of the plane was very orderly.
3. 10K was fine - the legroom is just right for me at 5'10", but anyone with longer legs would probably not be able to stretch them out. My seatmate moved to an empty seat towards the back of the WT+ cabin, so I felt quite happy and unmolested in my little corner. Even the loo wasn't a problem at all, save the very occasional flush
4. It was nice to be served dinner ahead of the rest of Y. The CC taking care of my area - one Andreas - was professional and efficient, and quite helpful with the few questions I had (about fast-tracking at T4). Easy on the eyes too he was, with appropriately strong arms - surely from all the bag-stowing and trolley-pushing and stumbling-old-lady-helping... :P ^
5. Got to LHR T4 around 9:15am, and by 9:50 I was at the Club Lounge (where the Concord Room was)!^ I'd dreaded the transfer and the security queue, but it worked out this time. Got to the lounge, asked about a hot shower, only to be shown a sign saying there was no hot water! Off I went a-trundlin' again, this time over to Gate 1 Lounge. The Dragonlady was quite nice, and asked for my baggage ticket. She was able to ascertain that my bag had been transferred. Good news indeed^, but we shall see at BRU...
6. The shower was a real saving-grace for very short overnight fllghts from the east coast of North America. Didn't have time for any spa treatments tho, since food was the next priority after returning to some semblance of human form. At 10:30am I guess the morning rush at the lounge was almost done. The usual offering of beverages and other cold breakfast items were ok I suppose, but what passed for bacon butties were clumps of hard rolls with bits of protruding pork bits, and you could see the cooled fat having congealed on them... *gulp*
7. Boarding the BRU flight was a mad scramble at gate 1a through this little opening to the ramp down to the bus. I was dreaming of UAE-style separate buses for First/Biz and the rest of humanity...
8. On boarding the Pursar/CSD (dunno which) greeted me by name, which was a nice touch I thought. No more personal address for the rest of the flight tho. Efficient crerw all around. The cold salad with 3 - one, two, three - chilled to rubber consistency shrimp sat atop a bed of crisp lettuce. I guess that was ok for a 12:30pm run - nothing to get too excited about really - tho I know from past experience of sitting behind the divider that almost any food is a nice touch in its own right these days.
9. Moment of truth - has my bag REALLY made it? No queue at passport control - LHR in comparison is such hell! Got to the carousel 2 min after that (5min after coming out of the jetway from the plane) and the thing started to move. First bag... second bag... VOILA MON VALISE ET LA! Overhelmed with awe and thankfulness - LHR in comparison... *sigh*
The four days in Belgium were COLD... not as cold as Toronto, mind you, but I hadn't had to layer like that in years (for lack of a proper winter down jacket, which I didn't want to schlepp all the way to Hongkong, where I am now, and it's 20 degrees!)
This is part one of my trip report, and I need to try to recover a bit from the jet lag now (I'd just begun to adjust to Belgian time when I started the second leg of this trip).
More praise and awe in part 2, and a bit of silly fun thrown in for good measure, thanks to my trusty sidekick Malhoumbeau the MightyMoose.
A suivre...
1. Almost no line up at the Drop-Your-Bag counter, as I'd OLCI'd (but didn't PYOBP). Check-in agent at YYZ was very pleasant and efficient, and seemed almost surprised that I knew to direct her to my 2nd PNR for LHR-BRU the next morning.
2. Boarding was mostly smooth, and as I was travelling with the rest of humanity in WT+ and WT, there was no issue of priority. Boarding by section from the back of the plane was very orderly.
3. 10K was fine - the legroom is just right for me at 5'10", but anyone with longer legs would probably not be able to stretch them out. My seatmate moved to an empty seat towards the back of the WT+ cabin, so I felt quite happy and unmolested in my little corner. Even the loo wasn't a problem at all, save the very occasional flush
4. It was nice to be served dinner ahead of the rest of Y. The CC taking care of my area - one Andreas - was professional and efficient, and quite helpful with the few questions I had (about fast-tracking at T4). Easy on the eyes too he was, with appropriately strong arms - surely from all the bag-stowing and trolley-pushing and stumbling-old-lady-helping... :P ^
5. Got to LHR T4 around 9:15am, and by 9:50 I was at the Club Lounge (where the Concord Room was)!
^ I'd dreaded the transfer and the security queue, but it worked out this time. Got to the lounge, asked about a hot shower, only to be shown a sign saying there was no hot water! Off I went a-trundlin' again, this time over to Gate 1 Lounge. The Dragonlady was quite nice, and asked for my baggage ticket. She was able to ascertain that my bag had been transferred. Good news indeed^, but we shall see at BRU...6. The shower was a real saving-grace for very short overnight fllghts from the east coast of North America. Didn't have time for any spa treatments tho, since food was the next priority after returning to some semblance of human form. At 10:30am I guess the morning rush at the lounge was almost done. The usual offering of beverages and other cold breakfast items were ok I suppose, but what passed for bacon butties were clumps of hard rolls with bits of protruding pork bits, and you could see the cooled fat having congealed on them... *gulp*
7. Boarding the BRU flight was a mad scramble at gate 1a through this little opening to the ramp down to the bus. I was dreaming of UAE-style separate buses for First/Biz and the rest of humanity...
8. On boarding the Pursar/CSD (dunno which) greeted me by name, which was a nice touch I thought. No more personal address for the rest of the flight tho. Efficient crerw all around. The cold salad with 3 - one, two, three - chilled to rubber consistency shrimp sat atop a bed of crisp lettuce. I guess that was ok for a 12:30pm run - nothing to get too excited about really - tho I know from past experience of sitting behind the divider that almost any food is a nice touch in its own right these days.
9. Moment of truth - has my bag REALLY made it? No queue at passport control - LHR in comparison is such hell! Got to the carousel 2 min after that (5min after coming out of the jetway from the plane) and the thing started to move. First bag... second bag... VOILA MON VALISE ET LA! Overhelmed with awe and thankfulness - LHR in comparison... *sigh*
The four days in Belgium were COLD... not as cold as Toronto, mind you, but I hadn't had to layer like that in years (for lack of a proper winter down jacket, which I didn't want to schlepp all the way to Hongkong, where I am now, and it's 20 degrees!)
This is part one of my trip report, and I need to try to recover a bit from the jet lag now (I'd just begun to adjust to Belgian time when I started the second leg of this trip).
More praise and awe in part 2, and a bit of silly fun thrown in for good measure, thanks to my trusty sidekick Malhoumbeau the MightyMoose.
A suivre...
