#66 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings.
1597 reviews
Hello everyone.
This trip in China from 2018 has now come to an end. And it's time to go back in Europe.
Before we start, some pictures might be difficult to see due to the fact they've been taken in the dark. Although I tried to "improve" the quality to some of them, it might still be difficult to see and so, I apologize for this.
As I did say at the very start, I did two bid upgrades to Lufthansa. As for the onward flight, it has been accepted but I never had the confirmation mail. As for this flight, my offer has been accepted as well. But this time, I received the airline's answer on my e-mail address.
Among the group that travelled with me from Beijing, Republic of China to Hong Kong, we were a very reduced one (7 people total). Among the group, 4, including our "guest star" * from the previous flight shall stay in Hong Kong because they paid for a 2 days extra.
* If you don't understand what I mean, please look on the Shanghai -> Guilin City's review via the routing just above.
As for those who chose not to stay longer, we were brought at the airport with our guide at 07h00 P.M. From our hotel to the airport, we ned 30 minutes.
Next stop, Lufthansa's check-in desks, located in area F.
The world clocks.
It was very crowded when we arrived in front Economy class check-in desks. That's somehow normal for a airport that hosts both the A380 and the 747 from the same airline.
First Class and Business Class check-in counters are located on the other side.
Although my travel companions are travelling in Economy Class, they shall do the check-in at the same desk as me. Unlike SQ, there aren't any Business Class carpets compared to First Class.
Now everybody is checked-in, let's go to the security controls. On the way, I found a advertisement for a certain perfume brand.
Right after security controls, CX's First Class lounge.
HKG airport's airside map.
During the check-in, the check-in agent showed me all lounges I can go and their positions. I can choose between all Star Alliance's lounges, known as United Airlines (UA) Red Carpet Club, Thai Airways (TG) Royal Orchid's lounge and Singapore Airlines (SQ) Silver Kris's one.
I chose SQ's lounge because it's the closest.
I'm passing by Plaza Premium First lounge that doesn't have a review on the site. Until recently (in French though).
Here we are.
The lounge's First Class section.
The lounge's bar with all alcoholoic drinks.
Soft drinks.
the hot spot.
Salad's spot.
Ice-cream's spot.
My selection. Chopsticks wore SQ's logo.
All travels documents with the airport lounges's map.
If the lounge is very quiet, it doesn't give any sights about aircrafts.
Newspapers spot.
At the end of the lounge, you can find "mini-suites", giving a foretaste about SQ's Business even First before you get onboard.
The website's news.
The lounge's toilets were still unavailable back then.
The FIDS informed me which gate we are boarding. It shall be gate 216 ! This won't allow me to stop by the two other lounges because they aren't on the same concourse as our aircraft. :(
The lounge's toilets were out of service, there are public ones just next to it.
Gate 216 isn't next door, I must take a shuttle downstairs.
There we are.
Nice paintings on the gates.
The terminal is very calm.
When I arrived at the gate, I spotted the "Kaiser" 's arrival to its gate (A380 or "King of the Skies") heading for Munich (MUC), Germany. By the way, this is not any A380; this is D-AIMB, Lufthansa's 2nd superjumbo. Besides, It is also known as… «München».
What a beautiful aircraft that unfortunately, shares the same fate as the Concorde… AF officially declared a few days ago that all its remaining superjumbos are removed from now on.
Its "spouse" is located two gates further. And just by seeing it, the Queen of the Skies we are dealing with tonight is just not any either !
Indeed. This is Yankee Alpha (D-ABYA). The 747 wearing LH's new livery we saw at FRA while we were taxiing.
But such as the legendary phoenix that arises from its own ashes, this aircraft has inherited the same registration as the one that conquered the skies 50 years ago. And as a tribute to this legend as well as the avgeeks's biggest pleasure, I did its resume as well !
Enjoy ;)
The royal couple is separated by this little A320 HK Express…
Boarding isn't right now, I shall flash aircrafts. Even though it's night, it's going to be difficult to get good pictures.
A330 Hainan Airlines for Auckland (AKL), New Zealand.
Cebu Pacific A320 going to Clark (CRK), Republic of the Philippines.
You can relax on these deckchairs while seeing the air traffic.
777-300ER TK going to Istanbul Atatürk (ISL). Back then, TK was still operating from its former hub before the turkish carrier transferred all its activity to its newest hub. A relocation that took 3 entire days (from the 3rd of April to the 6th of April 2019). The new hub also picked up the same airport IATA code as its predecessor (IST).
Turkish Airlines was by the way doing the promotion by showing its flight attendants's new uniform. Inspired by Ettore Bilotta, it's the same tailor that created Alitalia cabin crew's uniforms that they wore from 2016 to 2018.
You can from this picture see the similarities between both the Italian and the Turkish's uniforms.
A340-300 Air Mauritius.
A380-800 Asiana Airlines.
A321 Hong Kong Express for Tokyo Haneda (HND), Japan.
While I'm spotting, I see one of LH's cabin crews members. That one shall be ours and promise to be a very good one. As proof, one of them said hello to the camera back then… :D
In HKG, you can buy some aircrafts models. But none of them had my preference.
My BP on my smartphone.
Bad point for HKG:
The boarding is about to begin. Boarding staff is checking identites and priorities. And when it's my turn, the boarding agent told me to go to the other side to see her colleague. Okay…
I then went to see her and she answered me to do the line behind the Business. And then passengers on top of the line started to insult me. I really didn't get it so I go back on the line, which, of course, got longer since. The first agent saw me again and insisted. But this time, I raised my voice to claim what I paid by pointing my travelling class as well as the «Priority Boarding» mention on my boarding pass. She won't insist but she won't even apologize for that.
It's not because I look young that I'm taking the Priority line to board. Or that I prefer using a "virtual" boarding pass and they prefer the paper version.
Fortunately, it shall be the real bad moment. I'm so excited for my first flight in 747.
The time has come to pass DAS Gross Tor.
Warm welcome from the cabin crew member at gate. Let's go to my seat 83C, which is located on the upper deck. The stairs.
Here we are.
My seat has the advantage to be just behind the emergency exit door.
In the storage next to the ottoman, we can find a bottle of water, slippers and the amenity kit.
the kit looks like more Business compared to the one I got on my flight to Beijing. However, there is still no pen.
A welcome drink is offered by the flight attendants. We can choose between water, orange juice or Sekt. I stay with water.
Good quality noise-canceller headset.
LH's Business Class is also named "footsie-footsie" because of a big ottoman with a separation between the seats. This nickname tag along pretty well if you're travelling in Business on a 747-8i's upper deck. That's funny compared to the 747-400, at the same place, the ottoman is a private one.
We can by the way, notice a few signs of wear.
The remote (picture taken in the dark).
Boarding completed in 20 minutes. The captain made an announcement we're ready to leave and having a flight in excellent weather conditions. However he told us we are going to leave the parking a little after the scheduled time because of Frankfurt airport's curfew.
Indeed, the German airport closes its runways at 23h00 P.M and don't open again before 5H00 A.M. Therefore, if we arrive before that hour, the aircraft isn't allow to land safely.
For this flight, the cultural flight attendant officed on the upper deck during the entire flight.
We left the gate precisely at midnight.
While we're taxiing, the cabin is plunged into the dark.
A330 and A350 CX.
So, what do we have for dinner and for breakfast ?
I only took the no-alcoholic drinks and forgot to take the picture about alcoholic ones. My bad…
A towel shall be given. It shall be very lukewarm.
While I 'm watching a movie, our cultural cabin crew is taking ordres.
Bad point for LH: The jasmine tea, exclusive on Chinese flights, hasn't been loaded. However the flight attendant suggested another "special" tea instead.
The cabin crew noticed the fact I flashed everything, told me a surprise awaited me once the flight shall be over.
It's dinner time!
Good point pour LH: If you're not tempted by the menu, or you want to relax or work during the flight, You can ask for an "express service".
Advantages are: You are then served in priority and everything you ordered is coming in one time.
I chose the starter "Sautéed Prawns with Chili Oil, sweet and sour Cucumber Baton with white Sesame" and the dessert. "Vanilla Crème brûlée with Chocolate Cookies". I wasn't very tempted about main courses. Besides, I ate quite a lot at the lounge.
Cutlery is in metal and are wearing LH's logo.
The starter wasn't terrible but fruits and dessert shall be tasty.
Chocolates are given when dinner is done.
After dinner, I decided to have a little walk to the lavatories, far to be clean. Fortunately, it isn't gonna repeat for the next times.
A tribute to a certain reporter that passed away a few years ago! But we can make a "German Touch". :D
The upper deck's galley.
I I also take the opportunity to walk on the main deck and to talk a little bit with my travel companions. But when I arrive, they already went to sleep. I shall try to go to sleep as well, but I couldn't.
LH's entertainement program is rather generous. However, there's always an advertising spot before your movie started. I watched "Avengers". It shall more be a homage because Stan Lee, its creator, passed away precisely one week after this flight.
Alles Gut, Kommandant Stark?
I also found "The Big Bang Theory".
The safety card.
The fleet and our aircraft.
The mood-lightning is on again. This time, it's in a nice blue.
Breakfast come 1 hour and 20 minutes before landing. Another towel shall be given by the crew. Unlike the first one, this one was burning.
I chose the asian breakfast: "Beef noodles with vegetables".
Just one word: Delicious !
My neighbor chose the western breakfast.
Cheers while we are about to land.
I shall chat one last time with my travel companions before they get their short connection towards Paris, France. And by the way, to see all the main deck's cabins (except First).
LH's logo.
While I'm returning to my seat, I shall have a little chat with our devoted flight attendant in the upper deck's galley.
The cultural flight attendant will thank every passengers to fly Lufthansa and asked what we thought about. She did an impressive effort to talk a few words of French..
It is precisely at 5H00 A.M we land at FRA. In other words, our aircraft was the first of the day to land. Last view of my seat.
A little view from the cockpit.
No doubt about it, we're back in Deutsch's land.
Fuselage and reactors shot.
It is alongside our sky's empress that this review has come to an end. I thank you for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed it. If that's the case, don't hesitate to leave a like and to leave a comment. We'll meet you again soon for this Chinese trip's epilogue. A touristic bonus of China and Hong Kong will be included.
The route our Queen took from Hong Kong to go back home in Germany.
For the flight :
Excellent from take-off to landing. The strong point here was the cabin crew. The catering however, is Lufthansa's weak point. The breakfast was excellent compared to the diner. Another week point to me is the "footsie-footsie" cabin, that doesn't give privacy. Until the German carrier receives its 777-9 MAX and 787-9 and the new Business cabins along with it, we have to deal with it...
For the lounge :
Calm and comfortable. But that's especially due to SQ's last flight that has already departed. Too bad it's a blind and doesn't give a view on aircrafts…
HKG :
In a global view, it's good. But the boarding agent's attitude after we paid for having the Business Class product is unacceptable. And for that I remove points.
FRA :
Nothing to report... until next review.
Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 9 avis concernant 2 compagnies sur la ligne Hong Kong (HKG) → Frankfurt (FRA).
La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Cathay Pacific avec 8.4/10.
La durée moyenne des vols est de 12 heures et 36 minutes.
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4 Comments
Then you aren't the only one; when I showed it to the crew, they were surprised too. Well, when I knew the carrier was Lufthansa, I was almost obliged to put this T-shirt in my suitcase. ^^
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