Hello everyone, and welcome again to another FR. This is the second flight of the day, the previous one you can find it here:
Flight routing
- 1
- 2LH542 - Economy - Frakfurt - Bogotá - Airbus A340-300
After disembarking from the previous flight, LH1139 from Barcelona, I proceeded to the immigration form, which was full of people. Hopefully it didn't take that long, and the officer just checked my passport before continuing to the gate. Even the PCR is required even for passengers who are in transit, nobody requested it.
There weren't many things to do in this airport area. I found it very old-stylish and it was crowded.

This one is heading to Cancún today.

And this one was getting ready for it's flight to Abuja. This one, the one to Cancún, and the one to San José de Costa Rica were fully booked flights.

Soon it was time to boarding. Despite being the beggining of june, today's flight to Bogotá was really empty. The pandemic, and also the political situation in Colombia wasn't the best (still not good today), so no tourism at all, despite being a country with a flexible entry requirements. This flight was daily, and until march 2020 it was operated by the A346. Since Lufthansa came back to Colombia at the end of the 2020, they're operating the route 4-5 times a week with the A343. Sometimes it makes a stopover in Punta Cana on it's flight back to Frankfurt, but cabin crew told me it was only for refuelling.
Once on board I realized he plane was loaded with no more than 40 passengers. In the rear cabin we were no more than 15 pax. Not that bad, considereing a 12 hour flight.

Here there are a few pics outside. United airlines 787-10 started it's flight to Washington.

That's a nice one. Heading to Tashkent

"Boarding completed". Comfortable at all

Push Back on time. Soon engines started and we were taxiing for take off.




Take off on time, heading to the south. A right turn searching for France and a very slow climb to our cruising altitude. Despite being an empty flight, there are almost 10.000km to Bogotá, so tanks were full.




Inside the aircraft I decided to take a look at the film. You not always have 2 PTV for you.

Just over the Atlantic ocean meal service started. It was quite fast because of the load factor. As I said on the previous report, Lufthansa made some good cost-cut during the pandemic. On their long-haul flights you can also note that. Nowadays you just have one option, which is always pasta and tomato without cheese (vegeterian option). The appetiser is some kind of salad (just lettuce) and a small cheese pack. As a desert, an almond-apple cake which wasn't that good. I really used to appreciate Lufthansa meals, and the last time I flew with them (PTY-FRA, reported here too) the service was pretty good. I don't really understand this severe service cost-cut and I want to think they will improve whenever this situation improves.
Coffee or tea was served at the same time, so cabin crew have a contact-less with the passengers.

As I was hungry, I requested another meal to the cabin crew, but they told me they didn't have enough meals for their return flight, so the stewardess came a few moments later with some cookies and an almond business class bag. Well, it's something.

After meal service cabin crew dimmed the lights and closed the windows. I slept for a few hours. Later on, we were already flying over the Atlantic.

Over the Atlantic

A mid-flight snack was served after 6 hours in the air. It consisted of a drink service, a chocolate bar and an ice cream. Nice touch here. I enjoyed while working a bit.


A bad cabin pic while flying. Most of the windows were closed during cruise.

And as we were getting closer to the Caribbean, some interesting clouds appeared.

Getting closer…

The route leaves Europe from France, and takes the Atlantic Ocean. It passes over Azores islands before continuing to the Caribbean. Lufthansa avoids flying over Venezuela (Iberia doesn't, but I don't really know why) so it passes over the Caribbean Ocean before entering in Colombia from the northest point, in La Guajira.

1:30 before landing lights were opened and the cabin crew started it's second service. At the end of 2019 Lufthansa stopped providing 2 hot meals on their longer flights. So, despite being an almost 12h journey, Lufthansa is now offering a cold vegetarian snack. It was a kind of wrap with cheese and vegetables. A fruit salad and muesli bar came with it, but the quality wasn't the best.

Over Colombia, views weren't the best because of the weather.

But soon weather conditions imprved. And by the time, we were flying at the east of Magdalena River. This one is the most important of the country. Views were very nice.




We passed over Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio's capital. I've been here a few times and despite being one of the hottest places of the country, is one of my favourite places in Colombia. It's also the last city before commencing our descent.

And a few moments later descent started. Even I've been many times in Colombia, It was the first time in a window seat landing during daylight, and views are amazing here.

While descending, we avoided some stormclouds, which are famous here. I went with the night mode with my phone, and the result was quite good.






Approaching El Dorado. Magdalena River in the back.

On finals

And touchdown after 11 hours and 40 minutes in the air. Buenas tardes Colombia, que bueno estar por acá de nuevo!

A short taxi to the gate

And we parked next to the Dreamliner. We had to wait for a few minutes before the jetway was connected.

And this one was the last picture. After disembarking we proceeded to the immigration post, which was absolutely empty. Soon, my baggage appeared at the belt (the only one operating at that time, looks like not many international flights were arriving at that time). So just after that I went to the taxi stop at the terminal and headed out to the apartment.
Some good domestic flights are coming soon, so stay connected. Thank you very much for reading.
Guillem
Hi Guillbcn and thanks for sharing this report,
It's nice to see you having an enjoyable flight on Lufthansa and I would agree with your points on cost-cutting.
It's really a pitiful move from Lufthansa to cut hot meals on second services, cutting the aperitif ( Soletti cracker + drink ) and coffee/tea service after the meal. At least you had a mid-flight snack as they are also eliminated on flights shorter than 10 hours. I find the ex-Germany vegetarian pasta dishes really tasty and at least they didn't change them.
I'll be flying LH long-haul this month in Y or W and I hope I'll also have an empty flight like yours.
Once again thanks for sharing,
Best,
Thank you very much for you comment. I had pasta on previous LH long-haul flights, but in my opinion it tasted much better years ago. I hope LH improves a bit their service after the pandemic, as for many years they've been one of the best airlines in Europe.
I will read carefully your reports with LH. Have a nice flight!
Thanks for sharing this next report in the series! I was surprised to see this flight so empty. I figured it would be full since Colombia is one of the few places with no entry restrictions, though I guess it's a EU "Red List" country so that means quarantine, etc on return to Europe.
Yes, and I was one of the very few non-Colombian passengers on this flight. Things are complicated in this country these times (pandemic and social crisis), so there's no tourism at all. Surely things will improve next year.
Best wishes!