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*A First Class to Venice: TG,LH,SQ (Pt 2: LH & SQ)

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  • *A First Class to Venice: TG,LH,SQ (Pt 2: LH & SQ)

    Welcome to the 2nd installment of an amazing journey with top *A carriers TG, LH, and SQ in First Class. The 1st installment can be found here.

    After a couple of days in Venice, it's time to return. Originally, we were waitlisted on SQ's Rome flight. It would have been the fastest way to reach home in just under 12 hours (18 hours including train ride and wait at airport). But it was a full flight. There were no available seats even in revenue classes. We then had to have a back up plan which was FCO-ADD-DXB-SIN-CGK. It was a crazy routing which I was quite excited with because I have never been to ADD but it's not okay with my time-conscious other half. All along, we were hoping for better options and I monitored availability on various routes every few hours on a daily basis. I was especially eyeing for LH F which I noticed had quite a few availability regularly to PVG and HND.

    Very fortunately for us, LH opened their First Class cabin at T-15. When I first saw it, in my heart screamed a big 'YAY!' . The route was FRA-PVG evening flight and it would be on a refurbished 747-400, so all the more it's an even bigger 'YAY'. I had read many TRs on the 744's seat+bed combo and had been dreaming about it since. I wouldn't have been as excited had it been operated by LH's A380 or 748. And I know this would probably be our only and last chance to try this much-talked about F product as it is being phased out.

    The next step was how to find a flight back to Singapore from PVG. One of the reasons why the F cabin was wide open at T-15 was that this was around the Chinese long break in early October. All of China was on the way out but there was hardly any inbound traffic as most businesses closed. So here's the difficulty. I could get FRA-PVG but I couldn't get PVG-SIN. So I was actually sitting on the idea of returning via PVG on LH F without booking it, praying it would not be taken away while I kept checking SQ website every few hours for F or even J seats to open. Fortunately for us, the stars were finally aligned one fine day and 2 seats opened for us on the red eye SQ 825 A380 Suites. I wasted no time at all, immediately called SQ and issued the ticket for a rather circuitous LIN-FRA-PVG-SIN-CGK route. How I landed up on the earlier flight with the 777 will be explained later.



    Our journey started in Florence, a gorgeous romantic city by the river Arno





    There, we had spent a night in a stylish, chic and homey Portrait Firenze by the Ferragamo family.







    with a view looking directly into the iconic Ponte Vecchio



    But since this is an airline-enthusiast forum, I am going to fast forward to Milan Linate.



    We arrived a good 3 hours before the flight. I had placed a huge buffer time because I heard that Italian systems are not punctual. My worries were unfounded because the train and the airport bus departed exactly on time.

    Flight: LH275
    Route: LIN-FRA
    Aircraft: A320
    Seat: 2F
    Class: Business
    Reg: D-AIQC


    The airport, I must say, is quite a dump but I like it better than Malpensa for its more convenient location and Malpensa is also just as depressing. The spatial feel reminds me of old Mumbai airport, although Linate is of course much cleaner and less dusty.



    It was 3 hours prior to departure and quite a long line had already formed at Row 7. I didn't know that LH is not as frequent here and the check-in counter would not open continuously during the day.



    Premium passengers and *Gold have a separate queue which had no queue. I guess business travelers are chronically late comers.



    The counter opened 2.5 hours before departure and we checked-in telling them to check us through up to PVG and not SIN. Reason being is that I thought we would stand a better chance to attempt to board an earlier SQ flight rather than enduring a 10 hour transit waiting for the redeye SQ825 as per current ticketed itinerary. According to expertflyer, the earlier SQ flight was almost full but there were still 2 seats available for revenue booking.

    After security, we roamed about the airport.

    Last edited by SQueeze; 21 November 2014, 10:06 PM.

  • #2
    But soon realized there was not much to see so we headed to the lounge. LH uses a contracted lounge at LIN - the Leonardo da Vinci lounge.



    The lounge is smallish and was quite crowded at the time of the day. But it's quite a nice lounge. Unlike the rest of the airport, there is daylight and greenery which makes a lot of difference to the quality of the place.

    An hour there and most passengers left for some flights and we managed to secure a nice sofa for ourselves. I like the background sketch of the airport which reminds me of those days in architecture school.



    The food selection was quite diverse especially the pastry selection. They were of good quality.



    As usual, half an hour before departure, we proceeded to the gate, embarked and settled down on our so-called business class seat.



    At least there was a pillow. I didn't recall there was one on the FRA-VCE sector earlier in the week. But the pillow was too thin to be of any use.



    Checking out the in-flight magazine



    Look at the range of LH fleet from the biggest to the smallest ! I wonder what is a JU-52, the tiniest in the fleet. And where LH flies it to.



    Looking out of my window seat. Milan being Milan, a couture house sponsored the airport?



    And looking out into a row of green liveries. No doubt we know who is the king here.



    Take off was on time.



    Overflying Milan



    Comment


    • #3
      And soon the Alps were below.



      Lake Como



      More of the Alps. I was surprised that there is no snow in summer. I thought the Alps would be snow-capped year round.



      Refreshment service began soon after. I love LH catering. They put a lot of diverse things and they are always a curious assortment for me, an adventurous eater. For this service, we had 9 items on the plate, a bowl of dessert (a parfait), cookies, and bread. Everything tasted delicious although German food is not a familiar food for me. I especially loved the sausage and the creamed potatoes. Quite a high quality catering I must say.



      It became cloudy over the German plains.



      A quick 45 minutes later, we descended over FRA.



      And we landed pretty much on time. Again, it was a very long taxi. On the way, we passed by this bizarre airliner.



      And then we parked next to a very very dirty Air China. It's the dirtiest plane I have ever seen to date. I hope the exterior maintenance is not a reflection of the interior maintenance.



      Although it was not a remote bay, our disembarkation was through staircase. At the door, the senior purser greeted us good bye. She was warm, and courteous. Well done LH, we are impressed so far.

      " Thank you very much for flying with us, Mr SQueeze, I hope you had enjoyed our service. Your car is waiting for you towards the right".

      Car? What car? Hmmmm.

      Ah, here's the car.



      Its door and booth were already opened. The chauffeur was standing nearby holding a placard with a Lufthansa First sign. Our names were on it. Impressed. We felt very special and privileged. This is better than flying with SQ.

      It was not a far drive and we were soon dropped at the terminal building before anyone else. And then that's it. No escort? Unexpectedly, no. We were soon left on our own while the chauffeur drove away although he did make a effort with our luggage and explained to us how to get to the lounge.

      " Welcome to Frankfurt, Mr SQueeze, the First Class Lounge would be up the escalator, and then to the left, and then to the .... Blablabla .... Just follow the sign and you will find it. "



      Well, LH, I think we need an escort in the maze that is FRA.

      Comment


      • #4
        But the First Class lounge was not where we were headed. I had done my research so we walked following the sign to the exit, and then walked outside, and then towards the left, all the way out, past the taxis and then there we were in front of the much-talked-about Lufthansa First Class Terminal.

        An obligatory pose outside the building.



        We took a few more photos just outside the entrance and then proceeded into the unmanned lobby, up the lift, and then into the security check area where a lady greeted us.

        "Welcome to the First Class Terminal, may I have your passport please, where are you heading to tonight?"

        "is it your first time here?" She added.

        "Well, yes, it's our first time here, and we are heading to Shanghai"

        "Do you have any luggage with you? We will be retaining your passport until departure, but we will be looking for you later to pass you the boarding passes."

        She then talked a bit more. I didn't really catch it but I think she said she would be bringing our passports back to the main terminal building to check-in. Is this really the case? Or is it the luggages (if any) because I imagine the luggages should be checked in and go through the same conveyor belt system as the rest of the flight.

        I then went through the most polite security check. If only all security checks were like this one.

        And then we entered the main lounge, still accompanied by the lady.

        "Mr SQueeze, you can sit anywhere, we will look out for you later with your boarding passes"

        Ok, they are trained to recognize faces and names. Good. This is very personalized service. This is a whole different level of First Class service. So far, ground service has surpassed SQ.

        The First Class Terminal is definitely better than TG's F lounge at BKK. It's spacious and feels quite serene and classy. Comparing it to SQ's Private Room, I think it's not as grand. The ceiling is low and the space is quite open. The furniture is simpler and more contemporary. It is not as pompous as the Private Room with its so many high-backed seats. It's more low-key than I expected.



        We settled down around a cluster of sofas with a low coffee table which had 4 jars of nuts already placed there.



        There was a menu card for drinks which is impressively extensive. 26 types of Vodka.



        And 26 types of cola. But Tu-kola from Cuba is not in the list.



        There are many lounging chairs. All of them are oriented towards the same direction as if looking into an infinity pool with beautiful vista beyond.



        But they are not looking into a great view. They look into the bus park. LOL.



        There are also day private rooms which I think will be useful on long layovers.



        There is a cigar room nearby which we didn't use since we are not smokers.

        Also an extensive bar with these beautiful jars of candies.



        This is my favorite. Initially I thought this was a massage chair. I was wrong. It's a lounging chair that soothingly rocks with personal ambient music. It was an incredible experience. I think I felt like I was back a baby again in my mom's arms. Hahaha. It was so calming and relaxing.



        Again, the view is not good.



        After the rocking chair, it was time to check out the dinner offerings. The dining area, by that time, was crowded, but lucky there was still one table left unoccupied.

        Comment


        • #5
          First impression of the dining space was tight and crowded. In this case, I much prefer the Private Room at Changi.

          Bubbly was quickly served while we checked out the menu.



          The menu had both western and Asian options. Some of the items were actually on the buffet.



          Since this was late September, there was also quite an extensive Oktoberfest menu.



          There was a buffet but they didn't look too appealing as most buffet is.



          Quite an extensive salad buffet.



          And cold cuts.



          Impressively-presented cheese in its own wheel.



          A fancy ham slicer right by our table side.



          And the shelves of the various colas available.



          Bread was offered. And I had to go with the warm pretzel.

          Comment


          • #6
            The mains arrived next. My partner had the schnitzel which was good although it was no match to ultra thin and fine Fieglmueller's in Vienna.



            I had the Oktoberfest special of Munchner Weisswurste which was sausage soup. I was adventurous and I didn't ask what it was. I just assumed it would be grilled or pan fried which is how I like my sausages prepared. Or at least they will be poached and served dry over a bed of sauerkraut. I never expected that sausages can come in soups and it was bizarre. Moreover, these sausages had rather tough skins which was hard to cut.



            Cakes were of high quality. I love Kugelhopf. My first was at the Grand Hotel Wien and I think it was my best cake ever with a crusty crust and soft interiors. The FCT version was no match although it was still good.



            Tarts





            And Demel cakes. But I was too full and I wanted to eat some more on board so these were skipped.





            All in total, we had 3 hours between the flights. But because of the long taxi to the gate, the long walk to FCT, the rocking chair, and the dinner, time quickly flew and gasp!!!! I only had 10 minutes left to try the shower.

            I actually went over to the shower counter just before dinner only to my horror that it was fully booked for hours. I didn't know that we needed to make appointment first. But after some soft pleading and a pitiful face, the friendly attendant squeezed me into her list. She said "don't worry, just come here after your dinner, I will make ready the shower room for you.". Thank you!

            So after dinner, I went to get my shower, hoping to be accompanied by the cute and famous FCT rubber duckies. Wrong, I looked to the left, to the right, hmmm, there was none. Disappointed, I quickly showered.





            On the way out, I dropped by the attendant again requesting the rubber duckies. Only then she gave me two, still wrapped in plastic, all while she put her finger on her mouth "don't tell anyone". I am not sure why, I thought these duckies can be taken home. And I thought they don't need to be requested.

            After the shower, we had to rush already, with the lady who first welcomed us at the entrance already urging us to make a move. This was about half an hour before the flight.



            We had to go down by elevator to ground floor where immigration is located. It was relatively quite hectic with 1 officer having to process more than 10 people at that hour with departure to both Săo Paulo (full load of 8) and Shanghai (load of 4) at almost the same time. We had to allow the rushed GRU-bound pax first.

            Since there were 4 of us that night, there was no private car for us. We had to go to the plane by this shared van. It was all feeling a little rushed.

            Comment


            • #7
              Flight:LH732
              Route: FRA-PVG
              Aircraft: 747-400
              Registration: D-ABVH (Düsseldorf)
              Seat: 81H
              Class: First Class


              A short drive later, we were back to LH's long haul wing, the new Z gates.

              We were dropped off below the aerobridge, greeted by a magnificent sight. What a queen of the skies she always has been and will always will be.



              We were escorted by the chauffeur (I think it was the chauffeur although I don't recall exactly) to Door 1. From there, we were transferred to the cabin crew who didn't escort us further and just let us find our way to the upper deck cabin.

              We walked through a very crowded and seemingly chaotic business class cabin with 2-3-2 layout. How different it is on SQ J. Only then I appreciate SQ J. LH old-J as on this particular plane feels almost Y-like.

              Ah, the stairway to heaven .... It's been awhile since our last 747 flight on TG J to London 1.5 years before. but it felt like forever and I had been missing the 747s.



              And what a blissful cabin we found ourselves in. It is like heaven and earth between upstairs and the packed J cabin downstairs and it would probably be hell in coach even further back.



              The iconic logo Lufthansa First Class graced the wall in front of my seat with a nice touch of rose next to it.



              Looking back into the cabin, I was truly impressed. This is really one of the best product out there. I have not felt this sense of exclusivity and bliss for a long time. Certainly it is not like this on SQ's 777, not even on their A380s. I guess it's the smaller intimate scale of a single aisle cabin. I think it's also partly nostalgia because my first ever First Class flight was with Lufthansa and it was also on the 747. Although it was the old F cabin, it has changed me forever.

              My seat and my bed. The colour scheme was contemporary, and soothing. I like it although it doesn't scream as much luxury as SQ's.



              Soon after, the cabin crew started to attend to us and helped with our jackets. They were warm and helpful. She insisted to take care of my bags and suggested to keep it with her. They were definitely just as service-oriented as on any Asian carriers. So far so good.

              That night, we were served by 2 crew, a senior lady in her 40s and a junior in her 20s. The IFS who should be in her 40s (I doubt she is older than that) came round not long after. She had some paperwork on her hand but kneeled by our side to talk to us, introduced her, her team, and simply asked us to be comfortable. Ms IFS was very professional, confident and very friendly. Again, I like this sort of hosting. And I expect the First Class crew to be a host, proud of their airline, proud of their work, and eager to make us comfortable. LH is top notch here.

              Soon after, Ms Junior came round with macadamia nuts and offered drinks. I just settled with water for now.



              Having settled down into my seat, I began checking out the features and all along very excited at this most anticipated part of the journey.

              Below the bed is the storage compartment which is pretty huge, useful, and easy to reach



              IFE control is pretty basic from generations ago. I didn't expect much of the IFE on this rather old plane. Anyway, it was just a relatively short overnight flight when most of the time, I would be sleeping.



              Control for seat position is also quite basic. Anyway, the seat has a basic function and it doesn't convert into a bed.



              Very slim pocket which is just enough to store the safety card. Nice to see just the 747-400 boldly peeping out of the pocket.

              Comment


              • #8
                Amenity kits by Braun Buffel were then distributed.



                And van Laack pajamas. Nice colour but they don't expect too many S-sized customers here so I had to settle with M-size. I had to give it to my dad instead because it's too big.



                So I settled down onto my TAM F pajamas which I like and relaxed onto my seat. I had the leg rest up, and wow, it is very ergonomically perfectly comfortable. I think I could have just slept soundly in that position. I have been so far continuously wowed and yes, I think this is the best F product out there (excluding the Suites).



                We were delayed a little due to congestion. So I went around the windows to take more photos. Looking towards the aerobridges on the left side.



                And a fleet of Lufthansa group on my side of the window. Is it my eye, or is that a widebody OS there. I wonder what it was doing at FRA.



                Fatigue started to set in while waiting to take off, and I kept looking at the oh-so-inviting real mattress by my side. It's thick, and the fabric is soft and feels cooling on the skin. This is perfect. I could only wish they allowed take-off in bed (belted up of course).



                It was a long taxi to the runway, and then we were airborne while I had actually already dozed off on my seat.

                And then DING ... I was woken up and yup, I had been looking forward to LH meal service because so far it had been good on the shorthauls.

                Cold refreshing towel was served. I prefer it cold over warm SQ-style actually.



                More macadamias were served in the meanwhile, and a bottle of beer too. I chose non-alcoholic beer because I think I would sleep better without alcohol. I was skeptical at first, so I asked Ms Junior what it tastes like. She assured me it would be just like the normal beer. Which actually it did taste the same on the tongue but not quite the same overall because there was no slight tipsiness after. Anyway, I quite liked it and wouldn't hesitate to order again.



                Time to check out the menu card.



                4 appetizers, 4 mains, and 2 desserts were listed. I was immediately drawn to the lamb in cassoulet. But I am quite picky with meat and will dislike it if it has too much fat, so I had to ask Ms Junior again.

                "Ah, I am not sure, I think it's a stew, but let me confirm it with my colleague (Ms Senior)"

                A few minutes later, she came back saying that it would be a steak of about so and so size (using her hand) and said she thought it looked good.

                "Oh, ok, then let me have that"

                While food was being prepared, I checked out the entertainment system.



                Headset on LH is by Bose.



                The movie selection is however very poor. Only 9 movies. Quite disappointing. But everything else in this cabin has so far made up for this shortfall.

                Comment


                • #9
                  A few minutes later, Ms Junior came round again with a cart and started laying out my table in preparation for dinner service. By this time, it was becoming clear to me how they divided their labour. Ms Junior served passengers, Ms Senior prepared food.



                  Salt and pepper mill. Nice stylish design.



                  Moments later, breads arrived. I chose the pretzel.



                  And then the canapé arrived. It was a refreshing savory panna cotta with smoked fish and passionfruit sauce.



                  And then another cart arrived. This time, it came with caviar and garnishes and all the appetizers. They were all served at one go.



                  Caviar was the centerpiece on the table



                  but while SQ serves it with Melba toast, and TG serves it with blinis, LH serves it with ... Air . No toast nor blini. Hmmm, did she miss it out or it was supposed to be like that. She was already with the other passengers and for some reason, I didn't pursue further and just had it on its own, which was quite salty and I indeed prefer it balanced out with some starch. But the amount was not a lot, way way less than on TG, so it was gone pretty soon anyway.

                  The appetizers were neatly placed on the left hand corner. From the left to right, the beef shank, the endive, and then the prawns. They were just ok. I was expecting better.



                  The mains came next. My partner had the oriental cod with rice which was just ok.



                  And my lamb was good. It was richly sauced and the lamb was tender and cooked just right. It was a comforting dish on a late night flight. Delicious.



                  And then the table was cleared, and Ms Junior asked what dessert I would like to have. The mango dessert sounded like something I could have made at home so I had to go with the exotic-sounding and almost-impossible-to-pronounce ofenschlupfer.

                  By that time, we were almost overflying St Petersburg.



                  And then we waited. And waited. And waited ....
                  For half an hour. By that time, I was already very tired, and I felt like wrapping everything up and went to bed. I am not sure why ofenschlupfer would take an hour to prepare. It better be good.

                  Really quite awhile later, the much awaited ofenschlupfer arrived. I felt like cheering and clapping. It came in a cart with a good selection of cheese and the mango soup.

                  Here's the ofenschlupfer with porcini ice cream. Yes, you heard it right, it's mushroom ice cream. LH did get adventurous here. And it was successful. Mushroom ice cream will be something I would buy next. The ofenschlupfer arrived warm and comforting for a late night flight. It was delicious. And I like the juxtaposition of warm and cold with the porcini ice cream.



                  Anyway, SQ better learn from LH. One-component dessert in a bowl is not fit for first class. But if I had known that I would have to wait for almost an hour, I think I would pass on the ofenschlupfer.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    It took Ms Junior awhile to realize I had finished my dinner. I guess two of them must be really busy in the galley. So I had to rotate the table myself to get out to prepare to sleep.



                    I went to the restroom to refresh. It's quite bare. Amenity was not much. No free flow toothbrush like on SQ, you have to use one from the amenity kit distributed.



                    Rose in the toilet. A nice touch.



                    And then we got ready to sleep. And wow, the bed is so far the best in the sky. LH triumphed over everyone else with this bed including SQ Suites. The beds are on the window side and therefore there is a lot of privacy while sleeping.

                    A couple of hours later, I woke up. We were then already in Chinese airspace. I got woken up because of the heat on my south-facing window. Darn, I should have picked northern side instead.



                    For some reason, the inflight map was showing mostly Chinese rather than English or German. And even the Chinese is not simplified Chinese used in China but traditional Chinese used in Taiwan. LH is not politically correct here.

                    Soon, orange juice was served together with a refreshment towel. I think this was cold towel. I don't recall now.



                    And then coffee followed - black as per my request.



                    Table was set up and this time Ms Senior served while Ms Junior was in the galley. Ah, looks like they swapped roles in the morning.

                    Butter must have a First Class logo. I thought they would be precise. But my butter was upside down. Haha.



                    My order was taken. And while the menu looked like you had a choice of a few options, they were actually in series and the only thing one needed to choose was how one would want the scrambled eggs garnished with. "With bacon or with chives". Naturally I went with bacon.

                    Awhile later Ms Junior came with her cart. Hmm, ok, so they didn't swap roles. On the cart were many platters: fruit, cheese, cold cuts, fish, cornflakes. Basically everything on the breakfast menu was there except for the scrambled eggs.



                    "Would you like some fruits, Mr SQueeze?"

                    " Yes, please"

                    " How about some yoghurt?"

                    " Yes, too"

                    Then she was gone. Hmm, it made me wonder again. Did she forget to offer the rest or she would be back or I was supposed to request.

                    The fruit platter was ok. I didn't really understand the syringe with orange juice inside. Up to today, I still am not sure how it was supposed to be used. I just dripped it over the other fruits.

                    [IMG][/IMG]

                    Ms Junior never came back with the cheese platter, the cold cut platter, and the fish platter. Not that I would take them that morning because I was still rather full from the previous night. But just like the previous night's caviar sans bread, I wondered if things got missed out. I boarded LH expecting a 100% German precision in service but I now suspected things got missed out here and there. But it was not a big deal, the crew was friendly and they did a good job. I was a happy flyer and an impressed one.

                    The scrambled eggs arrived piping hot and looked fluffy and delicious. But wait .... Something is missing. Bacon, where are you? Chives, what are you doing there. Hmm, looks like they got my order wrong.



                    I flipped over looking for my bacon, and darn, there was still no bacon anywhere. Moreover, the scrambled eggs were overcooked on the underside. Not perfect I must say. I thought LH would do better than this.



                    Ms Senior came over when I had finished my eggs

                    "How was it, Mr SQueeze, I hope you had enjoyed our eggs"

                    "Well, yes, quite nice but I wish I could have the bacon"

                    She was shocked in a split of seconds and was in horror and then started apologizing profusely.

                    "Ah ah, yea, you ordered one with bacon. I am so sorry, I still have some more, can I prepare another one for you"

                    "Oh, no, it's ok. I am full already"

                    "Really? Are you sure? I feel so so bad. My mistake my mistake."

                    She was in complete horror actually. But I tried to keep her at ease. It's not a big deal. I was not ill because of her food so it's ok. I made her relax a bit with the sight of my toys, which she mentioned she also had one which she bought in Japan for her daughter. We chatted a bit about her, her schedule etc. I was stunned. I think it was just a one night stay, which would be quite taxing. SQ would have put crew for 2 or 3 nights on these long hauls. She was quite easygoing, and not stiff, stern, and robotic-efficient I expected from LH. The crew was really no different than on Asian carriers.

                    After that she disappeared again into the galley preparing for landing while Ms IFS made her rounds again making sure everybody was comfortable. And we were. This was an amazing flight.
                    Last edited by SQueeze; 20 November 2014, 10:39 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      We soon descended. Too bad that in this configuration, you had to buckle up quite away from the window so I couldn't get a clear view out. My apologies for my messed up bed.



                      We landed in the early afternoon Shanghai time. We passed by the terminal building passing MU and UA.



                      But then we suddenly turned leftwards away from the building.



                      Waiting to disembark was quite awhile so I got to chat up Ms Junior. She started first.

                      " Thank you very very much, Mr SQueeze. I hope you really enjoyed the flight."

                      " We did. We had amazing experience and this was one of our best flights."

                      She was beaming.

                      " Ah, good to hear. Thank you for making our work easy last night. I was stressed I didn't do well."

                      " Stressed? No. We also want you to enjoy the flight. When you are happy, we feel it too, and we will be happy as well. And you both have done a great job."

                      So I dug further.

                      " So how many years have you been with LH? How many times have you been to Shanghai?"

                      " Oh, I just joined in April..."

                      Oops, she was no more than 5 months old with the airline and she had done a fantastic fantastic job. She had been quite engaging from earlier on. I couldn't tell she was new. All the more I was impressed by her performance. Well, yea, so I guessed some of those missing food was a misstep. But to me, personality is more important than adherence to precise procedure. So here's how LH trains their crew - on the job ! SQ cabin crew have to spend many years to earn their green uniform / tie before they can serve First Class. Even for business class, I think it's a year before they get trained to do it.

                      We soon parted with lots of beaming smiles and made our way down the steps to lower deck and then ....

                      Oh, it's a remote gate! And we got to descend in classic style down the steps. Nice. What a way to end a trip on the 747.



                      Looking back up to the magnificent D-ABVH (Düsseldorf).

                      Thank you LH for a most wonderful flight. LH exceeded my expectation although my expectation was already high. The hardware was flawless except for the IFE and I would give it a 10/10 because real mattress makes a huge difference. The service was great. Despite instances of errors, I place much greater weight on warm personality over technical details. So I would still rate them 9/10. The lounge was good, better than TG lounge, but not quite as posh as SQ's Private Room. But the plus is that it has a lot more facilities. And the drive to and from the plane was a special treat. So ground services is also almost perfect at 9/10. Only the food I find was slightly underwhelming although it was still good. Still an 8/10 for me. So overall, this would be a 9/10 flight compared to my TG rating of 8.5.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        The next part of the journey will be on SQ. I was eager to see how the flight would stack up against LH and TG. It's tough competition. I had flown with SQ too many times so I didn't review the cabin extensively here with lots of picture. If you are keen to see more of the details, you may visit my previous trip reports in SQ F from earlier this year:

                        Star-studded to Latin America Part 1: CGK-SIN-GRU
                        Star-studded to Latin America Part 4: MEX-GRU-SIN

                        Flight: SQ833
                        Route: PVG-SIN
                        Aircraft: 777-300ER
                        Registration: 9V-SWB
                        Seat: 1F
                        Class: First Class


                        After some squeezed moments in the bus with other pax irrespective of cabin class from the remote bay (First Class ends at the steps below the plane), and after some long queues at the immigration, we found ourselves in the main check-in hall trying to check in to an earlier SQ flight instead of waiting for 10 hours for our confirmed A380 Suites.





                        This was the Saturday before the long October break of the Chinese and there were lots of movement outbound and our flight appeared to be full in all classes barring 2 seats in First Class which I know were still available for revenue booking but not award booking.

                        It was already almost an hour before departure so we asked if we could change our flight to the next flight. The agent was thrown aback a little bit. Unsure what to do, she had to check with her supervisor first. A long conversation was exchanged and when she came back to us she said ok, but I had to pay USD75 change fee at the MU counter. Great! We could be spared the agony of 10 hours wait. The only drawback is that there was no couple seat left, we had to sit separately. But we were willing to accept it.

                        We went through immigration and security checks again and went to the Air China First Class lounge. The lounge was decent, clean, but nothing wow-ing compared to TG's or LH's lounges earlier in the trip.



                        It was quiet at that hour in the afternoon. There was an extensive buffet but there was no hot food. Those silver containers were empty.



                        But the desserts were available for consumption.



                        We only had about 10 minutes or so before we decided to make our way to the gate. PVG's gate area has an impressive view towards the tarmac.



                        There was nothing unusual during the boarding process and I soon found myself seated on my super-wide seat. I have been on this cabin many times over but each and every time, I feel a sense of calm. With its natural colour tones and plenty of leather accents, the cabin also feels more luxurious than TG and LH's. SQ's cabin is understated luxury and elegance without too much bling bling that overwhelms the senses. Overall, it's a very solid product. Its weakness is that its J class is too similar to it.



                        Unlike in J, there is a lot of storage space in front of the seat.



                        Sitting next to TG, AA, and OZ. Very colourful liveries against a background of hazy Shanghai skies.



                        Oh, look at that queue to the runway.



                        It was a long taxi to the runway. U-turning back looking towards the terminal.

                        Last edited by SQueeze; 20 November 2014, 11:45 PM.

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                        • #13
                          And then we passed by LH's A340-600 from Munich.



                          And here's the great beauty D-ABVH which had flown us earlier. She would be parked there for about 10 hours before making another red-eye back to FRA.



                          We made a right turn. Now that I see it, the architecture is very strange especially the pier on the right of the picture. It looks like a mustache or full upper lip.



                          We took off over perpetually hazy Pudong.



                          And turned southwards SIN-bound.

                          After the DING, the crew quickly unbuckled and service began.

                          The crew today was quick and efficient but their quickness translated to a certain hastiness. And I could sense the urgency and slight stress on the LS (Leading Stewardess) which also means a certain distance. The cabin was full 8/8 so I guess that contributed to the stress. Not the best F crew I had experienced certainly although my best was also in 100%-loaded cabin. It all depends on the crew.

                          The menu that day contained a special menu by Chef Zhu Jun. It ticked all the boxes for me: marinated conch, stuffed okra, seaweed, abalone, dried shrimps. It doesn't sound like your typical sweet and sour and oyster sauce Chinese food.





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                          • #14
                            Meal service started with the signature canapé : the SIA satay. Nice as usual. And it tasted even better after a week of being away.



                            Not too long after, the set meal arrived. Pardon my missed focus. I didn't check after snapping. It was quite impressively arrayed in a triangular format with the conch at the top, and the duo of cured pork and stuffed okra at the bottom. Impressive visually but the taste was very meh ... The conch was the most decent but I expected it to be more intense similar to the Japanese version. The pork was tough and quite bland. And the stuffed okra was heavily starchy and bland too.



                            Soup was next and this was slightly better than the previous course but it was till disappointingly bland. SQ came up with much better oriental food ex-GRU and ex-BCN. What is wrong with PVG catering? Chinese food is supposed to be their forte.



                            The main course arrived next. This was the biggest flop.



                            3 pieces of chicken were not exactly generous. And they were bland, and the worst part was the skin. Eeeek, it was soggy wriggly and gelatinous, it was not crispy at all. It felt almost like raw skin. Gasp!! Yucks.



                            The preserved vegetables at the sides was forgettable. The abalone was just edible. They were probably ok but I was still reeling from the awful chicken skin.



                            And so I did NOT finish the meal. I always appreciate my fortune to be able to fly in premium cabins and always finish the meals knowing others are not so fortunate. But this particular meal was too much a disaster, especially the oily chicken which I had to spit out after the first bite.

                            It was a very very disappointing menu by the master chef. It's either the master chef, or perhaps the menu would suit the Chinese Chinese palate better than it would the Singaporean Chinese palate.

                            I felt bad when the crew had to take it away knowing they know I didn't like it.

                            Dessert came next and this was the saviour of the meal. In fact, it was one of the best Chinese dessert I ever had. The pear was just rightly soft without being mushy. It was naturally sweet and didn't feel artificially cloying sweet which Chinese desserts usually are. The hasma was perfectly cooked, tender, and had absorbed the flavours of the syrup. Overall, it was a fantastic finale to a horrible meal. Clap clap.



                            Now, vegetarians, beware. Hasma is not vegetarian. I knew it came from frogs. Yes, I didn't typo error, hasma comes from frogs, . But I didn't know exactly from which part. So here it is. I googled from Wikipedia and this is what it says. Hasma (Harsmar, Hashima) is a Chinese and widely Central Asian dessert ingredient made from the dried fatty tissue found near the fallopian tubes of true frogs, typically the Asiatic Grass Frog (Rana chensinensis).

                            Oops.

                            This flight was definitely catered more to the Chinese palate.

                            Meal service was concluded just when the sun was beautifully setting over Guangzhou.



                            It was then a smooth flight for the rest of the journey and we had nothing to do but unfold down the bed and then watched IFE.



                            Final thoughts:

                            Like I said, the SQ First Class cabin exudes an understated luxury which I appreciate, more so than LH / TG. Its only flaw is that its J class is too close. But comparing it to LH's 744s', I think it still loses out slightly because nothing can replace a real mattress on board. So I will give SQ a 9/10 for its hardware. The service on this flight was a little rushed at times, and they were stressed. Perhaps it was the full cabin. They were definitely not the best but not the worst either. I am ok giving them an 8.5/10. The meal, unfortunately, was really bad so I can't give more than 5/10. No rating for ground service because it is unfair to assess them based on Air China's ground staff and lounge. So well, overall, SQ got an average of 7.5/10 for this trip.

                            Tallying up all the scores, LH (9/10) won me over especially over the hardware (the real mattress with soft cooling fabric). While for the food, TG (8.5/10) was the stellar winner. SQ (7.5/10) was a bit of a miss on this particular sector but I will always still love my home carrier. I know they have been stellar in the past. And my best flights are still with them on the 744s F and A380 Suites. I am now looking forward to another trip in SQ Suites this coming February and in that trip, I will be pitching it against its true arch-rivals Etihad's and Emirates' Suites.
                            Last edited by SQueeze; 20 November 2014, 11:55 PM.

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                            • #15
                              Really enjoyed reading your trip report. Great photos! Would love to try LH F one day as well (pity Lifemiles have blocked them now).

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