Tweet
Merry Christmas everybody!
My arm's been twisted and I'm breaking with tradition. The full TR is not ready but I've extracted a portion of it out and I reserve full rights to re-incorporate its content with all artistic liberties at a later date.
Some background, then. I recently completed a 12-day vacation aka 'Bachelor (Road)Trip Of A Lifetime' that incorporated a few places I'd always wanted to visit but thought it would never happen. Suffice to say, some people have Bachelor Parties, and some umm... make things up as they go along!
So, This portion of the massive TR constitutes Day 11, which is the return flight from my holiday in the EU.
All credit for the success in booking this flight goes to jimyvr without whose confirmation on the upgauge on this route on his blog, this trip could never have been possible/gone ahead. I owe you big time, buddy!
For more background, please read from Page 1 and 2 of this thread...
Now, I'm fairly spoilt as I've only ever flown ex-EU in F thus far (except for when I flew out of Vienna after the VIE DO on OS J to IST). For the record, I've only gone to Europe a handful of times and only ever departed from LHR, IST, and FRA; all of you know the story about that one and it doesn't bear repeating (, but just in case!).
Day 11 - Goodbye Europe, Hello LH A388 F!!
LH778
First Class
Seat 1A from FRA to SIN (Frankfurt to Singapore)
25 November 2009
Plane: A380-800
I shall preface this report by making an observation. Many people get very excited at the mention of flying the A380, and I admit that I myself am a serial offender. I've been wanting to fly that benchmark of premium cabins, SQ's Suites since forever, just as a basis for comparison. And the only way to have a fair verdict would be to actually fly the cabins myself and come to my own conclusion. I've now successfully done the EK 388 F cabin (the one with the showers), and this would mark the second 388 F cabin that I've flown. Thanks to some very in-the-know SQTalkers, I was able to put two and two together and land myself on the SQ 388 R Suites in Jan 2012, a day after they upgauge the 744 to the 388s, so I'll be able to compare those firsthand as well in exactly a month from now.
In many ways, the LH F 388 cabin is perhaps the hardest to nail and one of the most costly redemptions possible, for a primary FFP BD*G-er like myself. It is nigh impossible to redeem unless you're an Miles&More SEN or HON Circle member. Furthermore, LH F is only redeemable with a BD 2.5x multiplier and only on the 744 routes (not sure about their upgraded 744s as per Carfield's TR). The only way I'd manage to fly on this baby was to simply put, take a punt, and hope for an upgauge. Fortunately, thanks to paying close attention to jimyvr's posts, 3 hours after my ticket was issued, the ANA tool zero-ed out the already limited F availability on this FRA-SIN route and F redemptions have ever since been locked out. Someone upstairs must have been looking out for me!
So, let's begin by skipping straight to the part where I left the Westin Grand FRA.
It was almost 5pm and I was getting very excited to (in order of excitement):
1) Leave sub-zero temperatures behind
2) Try Lufthansa's 388 F
3) Go back to the LH FCT, this time, far more adequately prepared
4) Stop lugging around 4 humongous bags of luggage in sub-zero temperatures
5) Have another bath in bathtub #1
6) Get another ducky (the old one was getting a bit dusty)
7) Return to a land where humidity is the order of the day
8) Be able to breathe properly again because of my sinus from 7)
9) Resume eating Asian food
10) Get my duty-free tax rebates sorted out
Ironically, it would be 10) that would cause the most difficulty on the last leg of this trip. If you're not interested and just want to hear about the flight experience, kindly skip to the first picture below.
After pulling up in front of the LH FCT, I started to hand over two bags to the lady who asked if I had any bags to check in. The plan was always to check two bags in, and hand-carry the other two bags onto the plane. These two hand-carried bags would hold all the duty-free-purchased items I needed to present to the respective tax refund officer.
To cut a long story short, I shall present the blow-by-blow in bullet points:
-LH advises that the only way to get back my tax refund in the FCT would be to pay EUR70 to ferry two customs officers by buggy from the main terminals, and I would have the use of their services for exactly 15 minutes.
-Otherwise, I would have to proceed to the main terminal by myself and present my items there (sounds straightforward, right? But there's a catch!)
-(The LH greeter was kind enough to accept the two bags I had intended to check-in at the FCT, where they would await my return)
-I proceeded to the Tax Refunds counter at Concourse B where I explained the problem to the immigration officer on duty
-The immigration stonewalled me, literally, for 5 minutes saying I had to carry my items PAST immigration (i.e., get a BP) and then they could stamp it once I had gone airside
-I explained the problem arose because I was departing from the FCT, not through the main terminal, but he wouldn't listen
-His superior had gone to the loo, so he could not confer with anybody about 'bending the rules' (this is Germany, after all, where they don't bend rules)
-Fortunately, the queue behind me was now 23-deep, and without looking at the items I was trying to get tax back on, he proceeded to validate all of the items (not such a small amount, as it amounted to almost EUR190, in case you're wondering - and if you don't put the forms through properly, they charge you 1.5X the amount that they refunded in the first place in the form of cash, i.e. it could've cost me EUR275 if the officer had refused to bend the rules)
So, drama now over, let's move on to the FCT experience.
<START HERE>
I headed downstairs for the taxi ranks (as directed by the lovely lady at the FCT previously) as I'd need to walk past them a few hundred metres.
The Long Walk - Previously popularised here, but now performed in sub-zero temperatures
The wind was now biting cold and I certainly wouldn't be stopping too long for a breath of fresh air! Around the driveway road supports, and I caught my first glimpse of the FCT, from below!
LH FCT 'Long Walk' By Night - No fun when you're lugging around massive luggage bags at -1 Deg Celcius, I can assure you
That Famous Door - My hands were shaking with the cold now, apologies for the slight blur, but did I mention how COLD it was?!
Waltz on in! - No more need for someone to come down and get you, feel free to come in anytime
I was met by the same lady who had taken my luggage, and promptly checked in with typical German efficiency. No photos of this process as they aren't allowed.
I headed straight for the bar as I was now: 1) Cold and 2) Dehydrated
Water! - I didn't even have to ask, I must've been in a sorry state (and it was very much appreciated, even if it was Voss)
I didn't ask for the pig-wrapped breadstick, nor the cheese and olives - they automatically came with the water. I must have looked hungry somehow!
Drinks done, it was time for...
A Toilet Inspection - Yup, everything looking more or less the way I left it 2 years ago...
Towels are still there - Reassuring in their familiarity
Now, I've been nursing one regret the last two years about the FCT - that being not making sufficient time to test out the sleeping rooms properly.
Well, it's time to fix that.
Intimidating? - Red leather warnings on the doorknobs not to disturb sleeping pax within!
But once the doors are opened (there are only two rooms, by the way) -
Rest Lies Within - Decently appointed, a very functional and comfortable chaise awaits to send you into slumber
I set my alarm for an hour later and promptly slept soundly for a good 45 minutes safe in the knowledge that at the FCT, you'll definitely not miss your flight with your dedicated personal LH attendant looking out for you.
Why would Kyo+ possibly sleep at such an early hour, I hear you say?
The logic was that if I slept at 7-8pm, I could push myself late into the night for the LH F meal service inflight, tada! (it worked, by the way)
Next instalment: More LH FCT!
and bring out the munchies 
Comment