There and Back on QF/SQ/SK/LX: Starring the SQ A380

[jjpb3]

The best times to visit Stockholm: Christmas time, and summer!

Awesome TR, KeithMEL.

[HUGE AL]

And I love the cold. But rather disappointingly, it wasn't as cold as I'd hoped it'd be - coldest it ever got was 1 degree celcius.

Come join us in YEG where the wind chill has us at -35°C!

[KeithMEL]

Sector - ARN-AMS
Flight number - SK1555
Class - Economy
Equipment - B737-500
Seat - 6C

Checked in quickly and easily at the totally deserted *G/JCL desk. For some reason I showed up as BD*B in The System despite having removed and re-entered my number in Sabre when I achieved *G. So thankfully I've already got my card which was once again needed for lounge entry as the lounge dragon needed to swipe it.

The SAS lounge was comfy and functional with a v tidy look. I reckon the Scandinavian carriers I've experienced thus far, SAS and Finnair have rather sleek lounges, if a bit IKEA like. V spartan food selection, 2 choices of wine on tap (1 red, 1 white). Most importantly and for me would be almost the point of an airline lounge, there's free wifi to while the time away with.









Not much to speak of when it comes to the onboard experience. SAS intra Europe whY is like an LCC, ie buy-on-board food and drink. The seat is identical to the C seat as per most intra Europe C products.



But SAS is even more brutally austere than most in that the only thing distinguishing the C and whY+ cabins is little signs fitted on seats indicating the start/end of those cabins. Apart from the rather dubious looking food and acquiring extra miles , I can't imagine anyone paying a premium to fly in C or whY+. Unless the fare difference between a flexible whY fare and a C fare is negligible of course, for those who need that sort of flexibility.



Next: Hotel V Frederiksplein, Amsterdam; An unexpected Lufty C experience

[view]

Hi KeithMEL, thanks for a nice report. I just wanted to comment on the ARN lounge, I see you were in the business class section. As a Star Gold you should have been invited to the Scandinavian Lounge (taking a left at reception), which is for Golds only. The business lounge is for designated for business class ticketholders.

Not a huge difference, but it's usually calmer in the Scandinavian Lounge, (except at afternoon peak hours), and it has a better selection. Bottled wines, severals kinds of bottled beer in addition to tap, better food selection. Of course the most important feature for us Scandinavians is that this lounge also has a nice selection of spirits as well (but only available after 12 noon )

[KeithMEL]

Review of the Hotel V Frederiksplein, Amsterdam posted here.

Next: An unexpected Lufty experience: AMS-FRA LH4677 C; FRA-HKG LH738 C; Another WoW stay at the W Hong Kong

[SuperJonJon]

Hi KeithMEL, thanks for a nice report. I just wanted to comment on the ARN lounge, I see you were in the business class section. As a Star Gold you should have been invited to the Scandinavian Lounge (taking a left at reception), which is for Golds only. The business lounge is for designated for business class ticketholders.

Not a huge difference, but it's usually calmer in the Scandinavian Lounge, (except at afternoon peak hours), and it has a better selection. Bottled wines, severals kinds of bottled beer in addition to tap, better food selection. Of course the most important feature for us Scandinavians is that this lounge also has a nice selection of spirits as well (but only available after 12 noon )

I was also directed to the right even though I was a star gold and travelling in business class.

[KeithMEL]

Sector - AMS-FRA
Flight number - LH4677
Class - Business
Equipment - B737-???
Seat - 1D

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about Lufty rather than SWISS despite the thread title.

Thoughts of many a jolly moment supping on bottle after bottle of Swiss pinot noir were suddenly shattered when I got a panicky phone call whilst in my hotel room from a friend, Pieter who works at Schiphol Airport and had received notification on his system that SWISS had cancelled my flight. A call to the local SWISS office immediately followed where I found out that my flight was zapped due to "bad weather in Zurich" and, more importantly, that I've been rebooked on Lufthansa via Frankfurt. I was mildly disappointed as I've been looking forward to fly SWISS for their excellent vinos, and whilst Lufthansa in F is a top shelf class act - I've not been on their other long haul cabins and haven't heard very many flattering remarks about them. But I s'pose beggars can't be choosers. One good outcome was that I now have a much shorter connection in FRA than I had in ZRH, and the new itinerary gets me into HKG some 5 hours earlier. My email to the W requesting for an early check in was promptly replied to in the affirmative (within 15 minutes of sending said email - WoW!). I was advised to be at the airport a little earlier so that my ticket can be reissued. I thanked Pieter profusely for warning me about the cancellation or I'd have arrived at the airport too late.

I arrived at the SWISS ticket office in Schiphol to find an extremely long queue of people in the same situation as I was. The Lufthansa counter which was just next to the SWISS one was empty, and I'd decided to try my luck doing the ticket reissue there (hey they virtually share the same office), throwing in my shiny LH card in with my ticket for good measure. Noticing my Senator card, the dude at the LH desk was more than happy to perform the requisite formalities (lots of keyboard tapping). In no time at all I was checked in through to Hong Kong at the empty FCL/SEN/HON queue, with aisle seats assigned. The very nice LH check in chick also cheerily announced that seats next to me have been blocked as both flights weren't full. This I didn't expect as seat blocking isn't a published benefit, but I guess one of the nice things about "home carrier" status is you get lots of unpublished benefits which make your journey just that little bit more special.

LH uses the Servisair lounge at AMS which is nothing really special but still a pleasant space away from the rest of the terminal. No free wifi in AMS. Had some of the red wine (a cab sauv) which was rather quaffable, and whiled my time away reading the unfolding political scandal surrounding the Governor of Illinois.







On the way to the boarding gate I met a fellow pax on the same flight. It turned out that he was going to be sitting across the aisle from me. I was quite fascinated about his flying destination - Iran. He mentioned that he'd been there many times for business and whilst quite apprehensive the first time, he'd grown to love the country and its apparently v friendly people.

Very long queue at the gate with no separate lines for shiny card holders or premium pax. At the entry to the aircraft I was greeted by the v suave GQ model umm,Head FA (QF CSM / SQ IFS equivalent, not sure what they're called on LH) who offered to hang up mine and my fellow pax's coats. Seat 1D not only offered great legroom as the bulkhead didn't extend to the D seat, but I could also steal quick glances at aforementioned rather hunky Head FA who displayed some v talented multi tasking skills - he made the cabin announcements flawlessly in both German and English (without once looking at a script) whilst dancing around the galley (as far as the microphone cord would allow him anyway) prepping it for departure, and gesticulating randomly to his assistant.







We sat at the gate for a while, no reason for the delay was forthcoming. I had a technically adequate connecting time at FRA but knowing the vastness of that airport, I got a little anxious with the reduction in my connecting time.

Very soon after take off, I was offered a platter of savoury goodies which were washed down with bubbles. The Head FA caught me examining the container of mulling spices and v kindly explained how mulled wine is traditionally done in Germany. I'd remarked that I enjoyed mulled wine in Stockholm and this led to an interesting conversation about the subtle differences between the Swedish and German varieties. I was offered some of the mulled wine they had onboard but declined as I wasn't really in the mood and simply felt like sipping on the bubbly, which was v promptly topped up.





The flight only landed 5 minutes behind schedule. We arrived at a bus gate - just my luck! But despite the anxiety about making my connection - I felt that we arrived far too soon.

[flo]

I am glad you enjoyed this trip so much, Keith ... I really love your reports and I can only wish that one day I can travel the way you do. Seriously, mate, your TR's have been most inspiring for me and without them I guess I'd probably still be grounded in grey Vienna. Pity you couldn't come over when you were in Europe ... in the last few weeks I found a few places you would really love

I hope I will be able to fly to MEL asap for some serious clubbing and coffee refresher-course I am really looking forward to your next installment on this TR! Can't wait for it....

cheers, mate!

ps: once again, I see that your shoes serve you very well mine would probably only last one or two trips, I wrecked one pair of shoes on my RTW this summer

[SQ LPP]

... in the last few weeks I found a few places you would really love

Hip and happening places?

I hope I will be able to fly to MEL asap for
some serious ...

Wow, it's happening!
No further comment, otherwise I will get banned from this site!

[flo]

you dirty, dirty ... =)

FYI: yes, hip, trendy, happening places

[SQ LPP]

you dirty, dirty ... =)

Dirty? Hmm depending on how you do it, how you like it, or how you want it!

FYI: yes, hip, trendy, happening places

Hmm trendy? That reminds me that you should have a certain kool and trendy hair style done prior to your visit to MEL.

[flo]

watch me =)

[HUGE AL]

Hip and happening places?

Remember, they have to be "trendy" as well!

Wow, it's happening!
No further comment, otherwise I will get banned from this site!

[WittyBoston]

great report!

[KeithMEL]

Sector - FRA-HKG
Flight number - LH738
Class - Business
Equipment - B747-400
Seat - 1A

We got a little behind-the-scenes tour of FRA as we whirled around on the b*s. I was getting quite anxious about making the connection. Although I know that I'd be protected in the event of the misconnect, I didn't want to deal with the hassle of rebooking etc. So I geared up for a marathon race through FRA, Amazing Race style, and took off like a banshee the moment I got off the b*s. It was a long run to the C gates in T1 where my flight was due to depart, but I made it a few mins before boarding was called - sweating muchly. The SEN lounge was just around the corner and I'd decided to take the opportunity to pop in for a quick cold one to cool myself down.

At the gate I bumped into an SQTalk lurker who recognised me from my pictures on the forum. Coincidentally we were not only traveling on the same flight but he was also going to be seated near me. We exchanged a few travel tales and mileage-related tips whilst we waited for boarding - the usual FFer stuff.

Boarding was a bit messy, as once again there weren't separate queues for elite or premium pax. But at least there were separate jetways for FCL and JCL pax which shielded us from the heaving masses. LH's business class cabin was entirely on the main deck, and our seats were located in the nose of the plane - ah such a nice feeling to turn left, almost as if I wasn't 'slumming' it in JCL.

There was ample space in row 1, which is also right in front of the coat closet. I was originally assigned 1C but had no one next to me as 1A was blocked so I simply moved to 1A and left all the onboard paraphrenelia in 1C. Amenity kits and headsets were already at the seat. My coat was swiftly hung up, but the fizz wasn't forthcoming. It wasn't till the doors were closed that pre take off bevvies were offered. Champagne Jacquart for me - quite a quaffable one, finely balanced with enough sweetness to accompany the acidity but not so sweet as to render it sickly sweet. No time for seconds, but I was assurred with a wink by one of the rather charming FAs that there'd be ample supply of the fizz to go around after take off.








legroom in 1C


legroom in 1A


amenity kit - dull and uninteresting



Shortly after take off, the v amiable purser came around to introduce herself personally to each pax, as well as to distribute menus. Bar service commenced. The v cool FA already knew what I wanted, and was both eager and efficient in topping me up. I'd also took the opportunity to check out the IFE - the hardware wasn't too bad but the selection was extremely limited and dated. Wound up watching Fred Claus.





Dinner was soon served. At first glance, LH's JCL catering seems v interesting and sophisticated like QF's, almost as creative as LH FCL cuisine. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Alas I had to pass up on the rather exciting green tea noodle option as it contained shellfish. The other entree wasn't too bad but was a bit bland. The fish main was delicious; the fish was fresh and mouth-meltingly good, complemented well with the yummy rissotto. I'd almost decided to ask for seconds but for fear of not being able to finish. All washed down v well with a few glasses of the Italian cabernet, Cheese platter was rather plain, though had some delicious selections - some garnishes to complement the cheeses like pear paste would've been nice. Declined coffee/tea, but I was given a chocolate Santa anyway.