CDG – MUC / Airbus A320-214 CEO SL D-AIUT Lufthansa LH2239 Economy K / 6 AM Beer City Flug [THERE]
MUC – SOF / Airbus A320-214 CEO SL Lufthansa LH1702 Economy K / Eastern Orient Express [THERE]
SOF – VIE / Airbus A320-200 CEO OE-LBP Austrian OS796 Business C / Vienna coffee [THERE]
VIE – FRA / Airbus A319-100 CEO OE-LDG Austrian OS125 Business C / Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 [THERE]
FRA – JNB / Boeing 747-8i D-ABYO Lufthansa LH572 Business C Upper Deck / I’m leaving on a jet plane, (I know) when I’ll be back again [THERE]
JNB – SZK / Embraer 135 ZS-SWN South African Airlink SA8865 Economy Q / A different kind of animal [THERE]
SZK – MQP / Cessna Caravan C208-B ZS-MLT South African Airlink SA8930 Economy Y / Dreaming of Cessna [THERE]
MQP – JNB / Embraer 140 ZS-ALR South African Airlink SA8828 Economy Q / Outclassing the road [THERE]
JNB – DUR / Airbus A330-200 ZS-SXV South African Airways SA559 Business C / Comfy old cabin [THERE]
DUR – CPT / Boeing 738WL ZS-ZWU British Airways by Comair BA6310 Business U / On the ‘Business’ again [THERE]
CPT – GRJ / Embraer 135 ZS-SWN South African Airlink SA8631 Economy Q / Lost Gardenrouteflightpath [THERE]
PLZ – JNB / Boeing 737-800 Split Scimitar winglets ZS-ZWH British Airways by Comair BA6242 Economy O / From PE with chill [THERE]
JNB – FRA / Boeing 747-8i D-ABYR Lufthansa LH573 First C Nose / "Luck" [THERE]
FRA – VIE / Airbus A320-200 CEO OE-LBL Austrian OS128 Business C / Good Morning Austria [THERE]
VIE – SOF / Airbus A320-200 CEO OE-LBM Austrian OS795 Business C / Foodstock [THERE]
SOF – MUC / Embraer 195 D-AEMD Lufthansa LH1705 Cityline Economy K / …6.5 hours later [YOU ARE HERE]
MUC – CDG / Airbus A319-100 CEO D-AILY Lufthansa LH2238 Economy K / Clap-my-end or "I (don't) love Paris, in the summer…"
We meet unfortunately for the next-to-last FR of the routing !
Once landside after coming in from OS795, our first stop was the FIDS, which showed our flight was ready for check-in/drop off
It was a regular welcome that awaited us at the Lufthansa Economy Class Check-in counter (number 22).
The agent asked me if it was for FRA, I replied that it was for MUC and she gave me a weird look and asked "in the evening ?!" to which I answered yes. She was definitely surprised! But what do you want to do with a 6.5hrs layover ? Touring the whole Bulgaria ?^^
She handed us four beautiful Swissport BP. Here is mine for the first leg :
When we were done, we went airside. Opposite from the check-in counters are the sales counters
To reach Level 2, there is an escalator located between the arrivals and check-in areas. But before climbing on it, you scan your BP with, that day, a very friendly male agent!
We went through security (where there was quite a queue) and immigration quickly. Between the check-in desk and airside, I'd say to allow 20 minutes in case there is a long security queue.
Furthermore, take into consideration that some budget airlines operate from SOF, like Ryanair and Wizzair, and their pax are more tourists than businessmen, meaning it will, in average, take them more time to go through the different steps. But no offense here, just a common FF knowledge ;)
Once airside, we had to wait for a mere 6hrs. This terminal really lacks some warmth, it looks like an hospital. But it is clean at least.
Power outlets are extremely rare to find. I saw just two stations on our way, the first is right by the bunch of seats when you exit passport control.
You'll find the second one near the Sky Cafe, if you like garbage sightings (joke! I talked to a waiter to find my gate on the outbound journey and he was very helpful) ! I could charge both my iPhone and my Nikon quickly.
The toilets are located across the café
The windows were quite clean and I could do some Spotting while waiting for our flight
British Airways A321 operating flight BA891 to LHR
LOT Embraer 170 SP-LII to WAW
Air Bulgaria Embraer 190 LZ-VAR, 5yo
Ryanair Boeing 737-800 EI-EVG
An 18yo Air France Airbus A319 registered F-GRHB
I would have liked to be on that flight to CDG but it was incredibly expensive so it did not worth spending extra money for a direct service whereas I had been to SOF to get… an error fare.
SOF is a pretty empty airport, we had no trouble being relaxed for 6hrs airside
We took our seats at the boarding gate around 5:20 PM, for a boarding at 6:55 PM
D-AEMD, our nice Embraer 195, arrived at 6:30 PM. The route is inconsistent as LH sometimes operates an A319, LH Regional an Embraer 195 and Air Dolomiti takes over LH with an Embraer 195 some days. The schedule changes a lot as well.
Boarding was launched on time and we were even welcomed in French by SOF agents, how suprising ! NIce touch !
An interesting light started to show
We were 12 minutes behind schedule due to late luggage.
A Motorsich Antonov An-74, next to a DHL 757 RR
The wing is gorgeous with that light
The clouds, the sunset
Some air2air ? too far ahah !
The services comprised a 100g salmon or vegetarian sandwich and drinks. Several passings were made (for the drinks)
I took the salmon option with an apple juice. It was above average but still nice to have something to eat after that long loungeless layover.
The seats featured an high seatback pocket like the other Recaro seats.
Here were the safety card and the LH Magazin
The cabin was obviously quite new and well maintained.
During the flight, the First Officer told us we had flown over BUD and it was his pleasure flying us to MUC, which once again seems to be a standard LH sentence on every flight but adds a bit of esteem towards the pax.
The time to descend to MUC started half an hour before the block scheduled arrival time.
The approach was done in the early evening
We stopped at 8:10 PM at the gate. Taking into account the late departure, it was perfect.
