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My summer holidays started and I decided to pay a visit to my mom, who lives in the Netherlands. Here we go....
I arrived to Ezeiza about three hours before my flight. Lufthansa check-in counters were just opening and there was a big queue that went very fast. After 20 minutes I already had my boarding pass for my EZE-FRA flight. Because of a reservation problem I couldn't be checked towards Amsterdam, but my luggage was sent to Holland without any problem (thankfully).
I passed the passport control without any problems and went to check out the planes parked, which were:
- Martinair MD-11F to AMS
- Air France B772 to SCL
- Lan Chile A343 to SCL
- Swiss MD-11 to ZRH via GRU
- United B763 to MVD
- Iberia B742 from MAD
- United B763 from IAD
- American B763 from DFW
I had a cup of coffee and phoned some of my friends for a last good-bye. As soon as I ended, boarding was starting.
Lufthansa
LH 521
December 8th, 2003
From Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Frankfurt (FRA) via Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)
Left EZE at 12:05 (local) 15 minutes delay
Reached FRA at 06:10 +1 (local) 5 minutes ahead of schedule
Boeing 747-430
D-ABVU "Bayern"
Seat 29G
[photoid=186364] [photoid=113073]
When I entered the plane it was still half-empty, but during the last minutes of boarding the load factor became 100%. Almost three quarters of the passengers were going to Frankfurt, so instead of putting the "Occupied" stickers in our seats, the flight attendants put some "Free" stickers in GRU passengers' seats.
Flight to Sao Paulo was very calm and nice and we reached GRU in about 2:15 hours, which is almost a record time. The service consisted on a brunch: chicken with salad. I turned my audio system to channel 6 (techno) and slept for about half an hour.
Landing at GRU was average and we parked on gate 24. After passing X-Ray I started spotting the planes. There were:
- Varig B738 to CCS
- South African A343 from JNB
- LanChile B763 to SCL
- Swiss MD-11 to ZRH
After about an hour boarding started. First, First and Biz class passengers. Then, connecting passengers from EZE. Finally, the very few pax boarding at GRU.
A "cocktail service" begun once we reached 30,000 feet. My neighbors (a Lithuanian couple) went for a Gin Tonic. I prefer Diet Coke, please. A hot meal was then served, meat or fish. I went for meat and it was very good: meat with potatoes, salad and a chocolate cake as a dessert. For what I could see from my neighbors tray, fish wasn't bad either: fish with broccoli, the same potatoes and some salad.
I remained talking with my neighbors for about one hour and then fell asleep. I slept about 5 hours and was woken up by the smell of breakfast. It consisted in scrumbbled eggs, two sorts of breads and some ham. It tasted good.
We still had 2 hours left, which I spent talking with my neighbours. They had been in Argentina for 25 days and had lots of very funny things to tell.
Landing at Frankfurt airport was average and 20 minutes ahead of schedule. However, we had to spend 10 minutes waiting for a Thai B744 to enter the gate.
Once on the airport, I went to the Lufthansa Transit Desk, were I was told to check-in in my gate (B03). Since I know there's no ground personnel in the gate before 1 hour before the flight, I went for a cup of coffee and spotted some planes:
- Eritrean Airlines B763 to AMS
- Spanair A320 to MAD
- Alitalia A318 to MXP
and lots of Star Alliance birds (Lufthansa, US Airways, United and friends).
I reached gate B03 at about 7:30 and checked-in. I was given a very cool yellow boarding pass with a 735 printed on it. It is very different than they ugly grey one I was given at EZE the day before. At 8:15 boarding started. We had to go to the plane by bus.
Lufthansa
December 9th, 2003
LH 4672
From Frankfurt (FRA) to Amsterdam (AMS) non-stop
Left FRA at 08:45 (local) On time
Reached AMS at 09:40 (local) 15 minutes advanced
Airbus A319-100
D-AILI
Seat 23D
I entered the plane from the rear door because my row (23) is the very last one in A319. This flight was full of Dutch people and connecting-flight passengers. Next to me there was a Pakistani businessman who also loved aviation, so we talked during the whole flight about planes.
We were served a ham sandwich (there's no cheese left, sorry) and something to drink (a cup of coffee for me). Skies were so clear that we could even see Cologne (Koeln) from our location.
Landing was very bad (we "jumped" twice before landing) and in a remote position (Polderbaan runway), so we had to taxi for about 15 minutes. We landed on B11.
After walking for ages to the baggage belt I was happy to find my luggage to be already there (first time it happens to me). No passport control needed since this was a intra-Schengen flight.
Marks (/10)
Lufthansa LH 521 EZE-FRA via GRU
Ground staff: 9
Plane: 7
In Flight Entertainment: 6
Cabin attendants: 9
Flight: 9.5
Lufthansa LH 4672 FRA-AMS
Ground staff: 8.5
Plane: 8
In Flight Entertainment: Not Applicable
Cabin attendants: 8
Flight: 9.5
Conclusion
Again Lufthansa was excellent. Their service is OK and planes are well maintained. They offer the best fares from Argentina to the Netherlands and Frankfurt airport rocks!
That's my trip report. Hope you liked it!
Cheers
Marcos
I arrived to Ezeiza about three hours before my flight. Lufthansa check-in counters were just opening and there was a big queue that went very fast. After 20 minutes I already had my boarding pass for my EZE-FRA flight. Because of a reservation problem I couldn't be checked towards Amsterdam, but my luggage was sent to Holland without any problem (thankfully).
I passed the passport control without any problems and went to check out the planes parked, which were:
- Martinair MD-11F to AMS
- Air France B772 to SCL
- Lan Chile A343 to SCL
- Swiss MD-11 to ZRH via GRU
- United B763 to MVD
- Iberia B742 from MAD
- United B763 from IAD
- American B763 from DFW
I had a cup of coffee and phoned some of my friends for a last good-bye. As soon as I ended, boarding was starting.
Lufthansa
LH 521
December 8th, 2003
From Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Frankfurt (FRA) via Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)
Left EZE at 12:05 (local) 15 minutes delay
Reached FRA at 06:10 +1 (local) 5 minutes ahead of schedule
Boeing 747-430
D-ABVU "Bayern"
Seat 29G
[photoid=186364] [photoid=113073]
When I entered the plane it was still half-empty, but during the last minutes of boarding the load factor became 100%. Almost three quarters of the passengers were going to Frankfurt, so instead of putting the "Occupied" stickers in our seats, the flight attendants put some "Free" stickers in GRU passengers' seats.
Flight to Sao Paulo was very calm and nice and we reached GRU in about 2:15 hours, which is almost a record time. The service consisted on a brunch: chicken with salad. I turned my audio system to channel 6 (techno) and slept for about half an hour.
Landing at GRU was average and we parked on gate 24. After passing X-Ray I started spotting the planes. There were:
- Varig B738 to CCS
- South African A343 from JNB
- LanChile B763 to SCL
- Swiss MD-11 to ZRH
After about an hour boarding started. First, First and Biz class passengers. Then, connecting passengers from EZE. Finally, the very few pax boarding at GRU.
A "cocktail service" begun once we reached 30,000 feet. My neighbors (a Lithuanian couple) went for a Gin Tonic. I prefer Diet Coke, please. A hot meal was then served, meat or fish. I went for meat and it was very good: meat with potatoes, salad and a chocolate cake as a dessert. For what I could see from my neighbors tray, fish wasn't bad either: fish with broccoli, the same potatoes and some salad.
I remained talking with my neighbors for about one hour and then fell asleep. I slept about 5 hours and was woken up by the smell of breakfast. It consisted in scrumbbled eggs, two sorts of breads and some ham. It tasted good.
We still had 2 hours left, which I spent talking with my neighbours. They had been in Argentina for 25 days and had lots of very funny things to tell.
Landing at Frankfurt airport was average and 20 minutes ahead of schedule. However, we had to spend 10 minutes waiting for a Thai B744 to enter the gate.
Once on the airport, I went to the Lufthansa Transit Desk, were I was told to check-in in my gate (B03). Since I know there's no ground personnel in the gate before 1 hour before the flight, I went for a cup of coffee and spotted some planes:
- Eritrean Airlines B763 to AMS
- Spanair A320 to MAD
- Alitalia A318 to MXP
and lots of Star Alliance birds (Lufthansa, US Airways, United and friends).
I reached gate B03 at about 7:30 and checked-in. I was given a very cool yellow boarding pass with a 735 printed on it. It is very different than they ugly grey one I was given at EZE the day before. At 8:15 boarding started. We had to go to the plane by bus.
Lufthansa
December 9th, 2003
LH 4672
From Frankfurt (FRA) to Amsterdam (AMS) non-stop
Left FRA at 08:45 (local) On time
Reached AMS at 09:40 (local) 15 minutes advanced
Airbus A319-100
D-AILI
Seat 23D
I entered the plane from the rear door because my row (23) is the very last one in A319. This flight was full of Dutch people and connecting-flight passengers. Next to me there was a Pakistani businessman who also loved aviation, so we talked during the whole flight about planes.
We were served a ham sandwich (there's no cheese left, sorry) and something to drink (a cup of coffee for me). Skies were so clear that we could even see Cologne (Koeln) from our location.
Landing was very bad (we "jumped" twice before landing) and in a remote position (Polderbaan runway), so we had to taxi for about 15 minutes. We landed on B11.
After walking for ages to the baggage belt I was happy to find my luggage to be already there (first time it happens to me). No passport control needed since this was a intra-Schengen flight.
Marks (/10)
Lufthansa LH 521 EZE-FRA via GRU
Ground staff: 9
Plane: 7
In Flight Entertainment: 6
Cabin attendants: 9
Flight: 9.5
Lufthansa LH 4672 FRA-AMS
Ground staff: 8.5
Plane: 8
In Flight Entertainment: Not Applicable
Cabin attendants: 8
Flight: 9.5
Conclusion
Again Lufthansa was excellent. Their service is OK and planes are well maintained. They offer the best fares from Argentina to the Netherlands and Frankfurt airport rocks!
That's my trip report. Hope you liked it!
Cheers
Marcos
. Now seriously, their music channels are very good. Better than KLM's or Varig's, for example. I love their techo and lounge channels.
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