Air travel has become expensive and uncomfortable for most of us. With airlines cutting back on flights, planes are more crowded with less likelihood of an empty middle seat. Passengers are being charged to check luggage on some carriers, and meals are no longer complimentary on many airlines with one airline now charging for water and soft drinks. One carrier even tried to charge a "convenience fee" for booking on the web.
Upscale travelers can still experience luxury in the air on some of the world's finest international airlines. One of my clients recently experienced First Class on Singapore Airlines ... and Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt. He sends this trip report which I am publishing with his permission.
We did have a 3 hour delay departing JFK on Singapore but still had 7 hours at the First Class Terminal. Wow! SQ F was fantastic. I wish the flight lasted longer. And the First Class Lounge is clearly the best lounge I've ever experienced. The service was excellent. Great shower rooms complete with the Lufthansa First Class Terminal rubber duck. Awesome bar with many, many scotches and whiskies to choose from, and the staff was happy to play along.
Then the pièce de résistance — the transfer to the plane. At approx. 10 p.m. our Personal Assistant came and took us downstairs where we were processed by immigration and then escorted over to the line of cars. There had to be at least twelve Porsche Cayenne's, Mercedes Sedans, and a few mini-vans. We were given a Cayenne. Our driver loaded our carry-ons and drove us onto the tarmac and around the innards of FRA before again driving the tarmac and parking right next to the jetbridge. We were whisked up in the elevator to the jetbridge and escorted to the door of the aircraft. The driver handed the flight attendant a paper with our names and seats on it and bid us farewell. The flight attendant held up the other pax trying to board and walked us thru the Business cabin and up the stairs to our seats in First. Loved it! Felt like a celebrity.
Service was very good on LH. I had the full dinner and then popped an Ambien and got 8 hours of sleep before waking 30 minutes prior to landing. Our carry-ons are quite full with our 2 sets of pajamas and amenity kits. We might have to ship some of that stuff home.
luxury in the air (search here on Google)
copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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