So here we are at the second step of our journey to Beijing and Seoul.
After a rather disastrous flight with Air France to Manchester and a not necessarily memorable night at the Marriott Manchester Airport, we think that the vacations will finally start.
Let’s go to the airport to check in for Beijing.
Check-in and ground experience
The airport is teeming with people on this Saturday of vacation departures. We can’t say that the place is really pretty and pleasant.
We head for the Lufthansa counter. We only have cabin luggage because in Beijing we have a connection to Seoul and we didn’t want to have to worry about how to retrieve and recheck the luggage in Beijing without having to do a transit visa on the spot but, precisely, that obliges to be able to embark without visa to show at the check-in that you have a continuation flight.
Here we go.
No waiting in the priority queue.
The counter is not manned by Lufthansa staff but by its local handler, Dnata. The agent could not be friendlier. He asks to see our reservations for Seoul in order to issue the boarding pass for Beijing since the flights are on different travel records and, oh miracle, He takes the opportunity to check us in for our Asiana flight the next day and issue our boarding pass for this flight at the same time. This is a miracle of the interconnection of information systems, which is not always so exemplary in the airline industry.
On the other hand, there is no particular recognition for the First Clas passengers, as I have already noticed on Lufthansa.
We go to the security checkpoint via the priority lane.
No specific ground handling for First Class Lufthansa passengers in Manchester.
We quickly arrive at the controls and it is there that it becomes difficult. It takes an inordinate amount of time, there are long queues and the staff are as fussy as possible, as almost always are in the UK. 80% of luggage goes through manual check, so don’t be in a hurry.
After a second control we will finally be able to go to the Aspire lounge which accommodates Lufthansa passengers in Manchester. Very good lounge though.
A few minutes before boarding, we leave the lounge to go to the boarding gate.
Manchester airport is very lively and densely populated with stores, bars and restaurants. A pleasant surprise as the landside is gloomy.
On the other hand as soon as one leaves the commercial zone that becomes again gloomy and ugly.
Boarding
Not many people at the gate…until a group of about 30 loud Italian teenagers arrived.
We are announced a 10 minutes delay for the boarding but a departure on time.
The boarding begins well at the hour said but we find ourselves stuck in the gateway because the cabin is not ready yet.
The steward jokes with the passengers to make them wait and praises the qualities of the crew and the young flight attendant who gets caught up in the game and poses behind.
I am once again very pleasantly surprised by the mix of professionalism and relaxation of the Lufthansa crews, who are always in a good mood. Warm without being too casual, professional without being distant or haughty.
They are happy to be there, it’s a change from the Air France staff who seem to be sulking all flight long.
After a light wait we enter in the aircraft.
The cabin
Nice attention that we always find on Lufthansa and from which others could be inspired: we are offered a snack as soon as we pass the door of the aircraft.
The seat configuration is typical of the German airline’s cabins: more legroom than in economy class and the central seat neutralized for more space.
Sober and comfortable.
The legroom is very good.
You can cross your legs without any problem.
Because of the distance to the seat the shelf slides forward.
The last preparations are being completed in the cockpit.
We’ll finally be ready to go. It is 9:38 am, so that makes 18 minutes of delay in the end.
The flight and the service
The takeoff allows us to admire the Mancunian nature.
The service starts quickly and they bring us our trays.
Presentation rather correct even if I would always appreciate a menu to explain us exactly what we eat.
I will accompany it with a lemon tea and sparkling water.
The “thing” with the sauce and bacon will be pretty good.
The kind of ball on top made of an unidentified dairy will be very average on the other hand.
Nothing to complain about, fortunately, on the cheese and the cold cuts.
The pastry is also quite good.
It is very correct without more, I already had better on Lufthansa but it must also be admitted that breakfast is often the service which leads to the most contestation in the air.
As soon as the service is finished, the staff will return to the front of the cabin and systematically offer a new drink service. It may seem obvious but there are still airlines not so far from us where the staff passes by the passengers without ever inquiring about their needs once the first service is over.
No need to specify my request: they understood that I took my tea with a slice of lemon and that I preferred sparkling water. Again, this is obvious but not for everyone.
We will be served a second time and a third when they clear the trays.
The advantage of having the middle seat neutralized is to be able to use the tablet during the meal: for lack of in-flight entertainment system we make do with our own means.
The staff
Not much interaction on such a short flight but as I said he will be both very professional, friendly and warm. They love their job, are happy to be there and it is noticeable.
Arrival and transfer
We will arrive in Frankfurt with 22 minutes of delay.
Once again, we have a remote parking, too frequent in my opinion in this airport if I only rely on my experience.
But for once it is a good news: being in connection on a flight in 1st class, we will be entitled to the transfer in Porsche Cayenne!
The driver is about to take us to the terminal so that we can join a lounge while waiting for our flight to Beijing. But my previous experience served me well: we ask him to take us to the exit so that we can walk out of the terminal to the First Class Terminal since we have plenty of time to enjoy it.
Besides, no need to explain it to the driver who tells us “ah yes you surely want to go to the First Class Terminal”.
He will even make the effort to drop us off at a place where there will be fewer people to pass the police controls as quickly as possible!
And that’s it! More in the next episode.
Bottom line
A good flight. An excellent crew and a very good service even if the meal was good but not exceptional.
22 minutes of delay all the same and a remote parking of which we would have complained if we had not had the chance to have the transfer by car.
Our routing
- Paris-Manchester, Air France Economy
- Manchester-Frankfurt, Lufthansa Business Class (here)
- Frankfurt-Beijing, Lufthansa First Class
- Beijiing-Seoul, Asiana Economy
- Seoul-Beijing, Asiana Economy
- Beijing-Munich, Lufthansa First Class
- Munich-Frankfurt, Lufthansa Business Class (not interesting, not reviewed)
- Frankfurt-Manchester, Lufthansa Business Class (not interesting, not reviewed)
- Manchester-Paris, Air France Economy (coming soon)
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