Planes, Trains & Automobiles - Lufthansa 747-400 Upper Deck & A Drive around Scotland

[yflyer]

Great report so far!

I just wanted to interject here as there is a general misconception as to lounge strategy of LH v PPS (speaking as a LH Sen and TPPS here).

The reason for the lounge policy at LH is that the senator and business lounges are actually the same (one small dish different perhaps but not always). The booze is also the same (and quite good for a biz lounge — though not exactly premium). Remember you cannot get champagne in sen lounges (which appears to be barrier to FCL on LH lounges). SQ biz model is to prioritize premium spend, hence why PPS (which is not a frequent flyer program in its current iteration) gains access and star gold (which globally is easier to get) is relegated to KF gold lounge (which funnily enough has marginal better food than LH sen lounges). sQ biz lounges, aka SKL as a concept is actually more premium than SEN as it offers a wider variety of arguably more complex dishes (slightly off topic but western dishes are fairly easy to execute en mass and are readily accessible in SG). The SKL F in SIN just by virtue of the champagne quality on offer would be on par with La Premier based on that price point only and perhaps even ahead as you get multiple champagnes at exceedingly high price points.

The main spend at LH lounges has gone to the FCL facilities in their hubs.

I will single out the Alpine lounge (sen lounge in effect as only star gold gets access) in ZRH for its made to order dishes (limited but excellent quality). Funnily enough the Alpine lounge in the Schengen area is good wise vastly superior to Senator lounge at E gates in ZRH (which does have a whisky bar — albeit slightly worsening selection as the years go by).

Special shout out to the Thai bar tenders at MUC Senator Schengen lounge. Other than that the cost cuts and resulting lack of differentiation between SEN and biz lounges has been shocking. I would jot be surprised if they combined these going forward.

tldr: with sq it is obvious the more you spend on flights the better the facilities — with LH the general standard is low but differentiation kicks in and jumps when you fly F with them. So they are not quite the opposite but follow different loyalty and commercial strategies.

Appreciate your insights, as always, SQ777!

[scooby5]

I did this 744 a year ago on the same EDI-FRA-SIN after my EDI-MUC was cancelled due to weather in Germany. The EDI-FRA also ended up 2hrs late that meant we landed FRA around 10min before departure of FRA-SIN. Lucky there was a dozen of us doing the connection, so they held the flight, but organization on the ground was hopeless and rude.

To my point, that 744 is the worst long-haul I've done in many years. Sitting in row one, after crew gave away my pre-assigned seat, the screen was hopeless, controller, service, everything was sub-par. I have no idea how LH out-price even SQ now on the SIN-FRA sector. I've been checking through flights the last couple of days and where SQ was like S$8k, LH topped S$11k+ for the same dates. TG is S$4.4k and TK ~S$5.3k.

LH, with this flight, on this 744, cannot even match TG or TK for comfort or service - they are delusional, yet full for a reason that I cannot find.

[yflyer]

I did this 744 a year ago on the same EDI-FRA-SIN after my EDI-MUC was cancelled due to weather in Germany. The EDI-FRA also ended up 2hrs late that meant we landed FRA around 10min before departure of FRA-SIN. Lucky there was a dozen of us doing the connection, so they held the flight, but organization on the ground was hopeless and rude.

To my point, that 744 is the worst long-haul I've done in many years. Sitting in row one, after crew gave away my pre-assigned seat, the screen was hopeless, controller, service, everything was sub-par. I have no idea how LH out-price even SQ now on the SIN-FRA sector. I've been checking through flights the last couple of days and where SQ was like S$8k, LH topped S$11k+ for the same dates. TG is S$4.4k and TK ~S$5.3k.

LH, with this flight, on this 744, cannot even match TG or TK for comfort or service - they are delusional, yet full for a reason that I cannot find.

Wow...your experience on that flight was so different from mine last month. Thanks for sharing your experience. I guess that's the thing about travel, sometimes airlines get it right, other times they mess up. Good of LH to hold the plane for connecting pax. That said, it's a bummer that your seat was switched. On this trip, I took pains to book seats on the upper deck, and would have been disappointed if I was switched to the main deck.

[yflyer]

Continuing with the TR...

Like many other parts of the UK, there was excellent Indian and South Asian food to be found.

For breakfast on our 2nd day in Glasgow, we headed to Dishoom, an upmarket chain of cafes featuring Bombay-inspired Indian/crossover cuisine.



They had an intriguing breakfast menu comprising Asian and Western dishes. The only minor disappointment was that their Bloody-gosh Mary was only available after 10am because of local alcohol licensing rules.



I ordered the Haggis Pau, which was an absolutely delicious way to start the day.



Miss yflyer no.2 ordered a Chole Puri Halwa, which was pretty good.



They also served very satisfying and authentic masala chai with unlimited refills.

I thought Dishoom had a great concept, cuisine, and the staff were great too. No wonder they now have so many outlets across the UK.

[yflyer]

After breakfast we visited the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.



Admission was free, which was amazing considering the quality of the art and museum exhibits there.



This was an old-school museum, with lots of natural history exhibits, huge taxidermy animals, and a WW2 Spitfire hanging from the ceiling for good measure...



There was a Barbie exhibition opening a few days later...



I found the exhibits on Scottish history the most interesting...



The collection of armour and weaponry there was very comprehensive.

I don't play golf, which explains why St Andrews, the birthplace of golf, was not on the itinerary, but I did learn a little more about the history of the sport here.



The art on display here was unexpectedly impressive, with one of the highlights being Salvador Dali's thought provoking painting, Christ of St John of the Cross.



I was stunned by the number of paintings by many of the world's greatest artists on display here, including Van Gogh...



Monet...



and Whistler, just to name a few.

[yflyer]

From the museum, we took a short walk to The Hidden Lane, a small collection of craft shops and boutiques, which our hotel receptionist recommended.



We had a late lunch at the Hidden Lane Tearoom...



The tea and scones here were excellent. I almost committed a major faux pas here. When the friendly waitress asked me what type of tea I wanted, I almost said out of reflex "English Breakfast", but thankfully I asked her for a recommendation.

"Scottish Breakfast Tea?", she asked.

Of course that was what it was called here. No-one drinks English breakfast tea here!

[yflyer]

In the late afternoon, I headed out for a run. From the hotel, I headed down the main shopping street, Buchanan Street...



Weather that afternoon was perfect for a run...



The street was a blend of old and new, with gleaming modern subway station entrances nestled next to historic guard towers...



Buchanan Street led straight to the banks of the River Clyde...



...where I continued my run along the north bank of the river.



There were many bridges along the way.



The path along the river continued into Glasgow Green, a beautiful riverside park.



I continued through the park for a distance, before retracing my steps along the same route along the River Clyde, back up Buchanan street...



...and ended my run back at the hotel.



Total distance for this wonderful route was about 6km.

[yflyer]

Dinner that evening was at Ralph & Finns, located in a historic building which was the former HQ of the Bank of England in Scotland.



The interior was opulent, with a large U-shaped bar and several dining spaces.



The menu...



The cocktails here were good...



...and whisky lovers could sample a wide selection of whiskies by the dram.



We shared a selection of starters...



As well as the venison loin, which came beautifully presented on a plate with turnips, heritage carrots and a blackcurrant sauce.



This was a satisfying meal, and our final dinner in Glasgow. The next morning, we would be heading to Islay.

[yflyer]

The next morning, we headed to a nearby carpark to retrieve our rental car, which we had picked up at Edinburgh Airport when we arrived. The car had sat iin the Glasgow carpark since we arrived in Glasgow, as we were able to get around everywhere we needed to go in Glasgow by subway.

That day, we drove 170km from Glasgow to the Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to catch our ferry to Islay.

This was a very pleasant and scenic drive that took us about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The drive took us past Loch Lomond, and if not for the need to catch the ferry, I would have been very tempted to stop for photos along the way.

Along the way, we made a stop at Inverary for bathroom breaks and a snack.

We were quite early for our ferry (As usual, I was very kiasu about the travel time and put a lot of buffer into the driving time), so we made a 2nd stop at Tarbert, which was one of the towns closest by the ferry terminal.

[yflyer]

We got to the ferry terminal with plenty of time to spare, and joined the queue of cars waiting to board the ferry.



The ferry itself was a very new vessel, the newest in the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet. It was built in Turkey and launched in 2024. It first started carrying passengers just a few months prior, in early 2026.



We drove onto the ferry and parked our vehicle in the spot we were marshalled to, before exiting the vehicle and entering the passenger area.



The interior of the ferry was very impressive.



This was probably the nicest ferry I had ever been on, with with a range of very spacious lounging zones and very comfortable seats.



There was an onboard cafe...



...which served a wide range of F&B, including hot food...



...and an impressive drink selection...



...which included bottles of gin, rum and whisky,



I had fish and chips for lunch onboard.



There was free wifi and the table we sat at had A/C power nearby. What a comfortable way to travel. The 2 hour journey went by in a flash.



The weather was wet and overcast that day, so we didn't spend time on the open upper deck, although we would get to do that on our next ferry leg from Islay to Oban.



As we approached Islay, we were told to return to our vehicles.



After we docked, we drove off the ferry, and went on our way. Simple!

I would highly recommend getting to Islay this way i.e. renting a car from Edinburgh or Glasgow then taking the ferry to Islay.

[yflyer]

On Islay, we stayed at Port Charlotte, a village located in a stunningly beautiful part of the island.



Our hotel was the Port Charlotte Hotel.



This was a small and very charming hotel, very far removed from glitzy modern properties, and a throwback to an earlier era of travel.



There was so much history here.



The lobby was warm and comfortable.



There was a small library for guests.



A narrow carpeted staircase led up to our rooms.



Miss yflyer no.2 had a beautiful corner room to herself.



She had great views of the water...



...and the nearby lighthouse.



The room next door, which Mrs yflyer and I stayed in, had two double beds.



Classic decor with cream tones and traditional wood furniture...



Fluffy white towels in the bathroom...



Bathtub...



We found our room to be cosy and comfortable.

Elsewhere in the hotel here was a bar with a beautifully carved wooden bar counter...



...a Conservatory to relax...



...and a highly regarded hotel restaurant, which also doubled as the breakfast venue, where a sumptuous daily breakfast was served.



This was a great base to explore Islay.

[yflyer]

There was just enough time before dinner for me to head out for a run. The Bruichladdich Distillery was literally 3km up the road from the Port Charlotte Hotel.



This was a near perfect round trip running route, 3km there and another three back for a total of 6km. There was also an excellent path, the Loch Indaal Way, running along the entire route.



I started my run from the hotel...



...and headed along the coast...



...along the Loch Indaal Way.



This was a very scenic trail...



...which put you in very close proximity to sheep...



...and the distinctive Highland cows, with their long brown coats.

[yflyer]

The mid point of my run was the Bruichladdich Distillery.



This was a sprawling facility that had been in operation since 1881.



Why was there a Yellow Submarine at the entrance?



At first I thought might have been a reference to the Beatles' song, but it wasn't, as I would learn when I visited the distillery the next day.

From there, I turrned around and headed back the way I came. By then, the very changeable weather had turned cold and wet...



...and there was light rain by the time I arrived back at the Port Charlotte Hotel.



Total distance that day: 6km.

[yflyer]

I arrived back in the hotel completely soaked. There was just enough time for me to take a hot shower and get ready for dinner.

Dinner was at the nearby Lochindaal Seafood Kitchen, just a 5 minute walk from the hotel.



This was a popular restaurant which specialized in seafood, mostly caught locally and super fresh and caught on the day.



My Botanist G&T was served in a beautiful glass...



A glass of Prosecco for Mrs yflyer, along with all the necessary utensils to handle shellfish...



A delicious Islay chowder...



Ultra fresh oysters...



...and the Lochindaal Seafood Plate for one, comprising, crab, seared scallops and langoustines.



We also sampled the Islay Venion Casserole, which was tasty but perhaps not at the same exalted level as the seafood.



The highlight of the meal was definitely the seafood plate!




We somehow had space for dessert...



...and cheese.



After that wonderful meal, it was just a short walk back to the hotel, to retire for the night.

[yflyer]

Breakfast at the Port Charlotte Hotel was very impressive.



I could not resist the full Scottish breakfast...



.,..which tasted as good as it looked.

Mrs yflyer, who has a bit of an obsession with fish, went for the wood smoked Kintyre kippers...



Miss yflyer no.2 went with the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. The eggs were delicious and the Kintyre smoked salmon tasted better than the salmon I had tasted almost anywhere else, with a smooth, luscious texture that you did not get with smoked salmon from elsewhere.



On another morning, Miss yflyer no.2 sampled tthe Traditional Scottish porridge with cream and honey, and really liked it.



I tasted it, and thought it was pretty good too, but there was no way I was going have that in place of a full Scottish...