Hello everyone and welcome back to this series of flight reports.
This series covers my trip to Johannesburg, South Africa with LH and SA in Business Class.
Series overview
1st Part
NUE > FRA with LH153 Can be found here: LH153: NUE > FRA
2nd Part
FRA > JNB with SA261 Can be found here: SA261: FRA > JNB
3rd Part
JNB > FRA with SA260 Can be found here: SA260: JNB > FRA
4th PartFRA > NUE with LH142 Cancelled!
FRA > NUE with LH140 You are here!
Flight information LH140
Aircraft Registration: D-AIUI
Aircraft Type: A320-200
Boarding (planned): 06:35
Boarding (actual): 06:40
Push Back: 07:07
Departure (planned): 07:05
Departure (actual): 07:17
Arrival (planned): 07:45
Arrival (actual): 07:38
Arrival Gate: 07:41
*All times are local
Flight Ticket
Original Flight information LH142 can be found as bonus!
Flight information LH142
Aircraft Type: Embraer E190
Boarding (planned): 09:25
Boarding (actual):
Push Back:
Departure (planned): 09:55
Departure (actual):
Arrival (planned): 10:35
Arrival (actual):
Arrival Gate:
*All times are local
Flight Ticket
Pre Flight @ FRA
As the aricraft turned off the runway, I deactivated the flight mode of my mobile phone and guess what …
The first message I got was from Lufthansa "Unfortunately your connecting flight LH142 was cancelled - you are rebooked onto flight LH144".
Now you have to know, LH142 departes at 9:55 am - LH144 at 1:15pm local time.
I still not understand why Lufthansa did'nt booked me onto LH140 with a scheduled departure time at 7:05am.
Luckily I know about LH140 - so I thought "No way - I will not wait 7 hours for a 25 minute flight - I want to get that 7:05am flight".
When my flight SA261 from JNB arrived at the B-Gates I wanted to get as fast as possible to the A-Gates - a long way when you in a hurry.
I tried to get off the plane as one of the first passengers and was ready to run.
But I did not found any Lufthansa service center in the arrival and connectin flight area of the B-Gates.
So I had do pass the imigration and security check first - security check took so long. Full 30 minutes and there was just the persons in front of me, but the personel worked so slow.
I don't know if they were still tired or something else.
There was such a huge queue at the economy security checks … I don't know why they were that slow?
After I passed the security check, it was 6:30am and there was a long way in front of me as I was still in the B-Gate area. I still did not know if all the hurry would pay off.
I took the connecting tunnel between B- and A-Gates and both moving sidewalks were broken, so I had to run all the way.
When I arrived the A-Gates I ran to the nearest Lufthansa service center - luckily there was no person in front of me.
The woman helped me and asked if I want to get onto LH140 and my answer was "Yes please, I ran all the way from the B-Gates to get that flight."
I got a seat on that flight (it was about 6:45am) and she promised me, that there is still enough time, that my luggage will make it to NUE with that flight, too. But boarding was already under way, it started at 6:40am! I also asked why the flight was cancelled - but she had no information. I guess there were not enough people on LH142 that it would be profitable for LH.
Now I needed to get to Gate A40 which was - well not very surprised - at the complete other side! :D
So another long way and some morning sport to get to the gate. As you can imagine, I had no time to visit any LH Business Class Lounge.
When I finally reached the Gate at 6:55 am - I was the last passenger to get onboard!
But as I saw the "The Spirit of Hong Kong" Cathay Pacific B777 - I needed to take a short photo!
Flight LH144
I was so happy when I was onboard - to wait about 7 hours for a 20min flight, that's not what you want to do!
Here are a few pictures during push back and taxiing.
Great to see so many heavies in FRA!
We took off heading south and as my seat was on the left side of the aircraft - I was able to see the rising sun in the east.
Breakfast service started as on the NUE > FRA flight, very shortly after takeoff.
You get a very nice plate.
I barely finished my meal as the captain announced the descent to NUE.
The landing was very smooth and here we are - back home again!
After Flight @ NUE
Well - after the flight, I thought about my luggage.
I did not expected that it was on the flight to NUE.
And no surprise … when the carusel stopped, there were many people without their luggage.
I asked someone if he was rebooked on that flight, too.
He said yes and was also very upset that he got no information during his flight to FRA.
I don't know why airlines can't inform their passengers that possible connecting flights are cancelled.
Especially when the flight is cancelled about 10 hours before the planned departure.
A few information during the flight in such cases would be great!
In the end, I got my luggage a few hours later that day.
To sum it up:
It was a very busy and eventfull sunday morning which ended my trip to JNB :)
