Kinglobjaw's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘swiss’

I’m enjoying the last 30 minutes of my transit throught Europe in the Zurich Swiss First/ HON lounge and have to say that the last two days have been busy, but very exciting! From riding the U4 to downtown Frankfurt, to a visit to the Lufthansa First Class lounge to a limousine ride around the tarmac to a mechanical problem gone good. All this and more should be posted around August 1, 2009 on my blog, so stay tuned. I’ve been taking a LOT of photos here and there, and everywhere!

At the same time, I’ll add a cliff hanger. I can, without a pause, mention a couple of ways US Airways Envoy Class is superior to certain experiences of Lufthansa First Class. I’m not saying Lufthansa is poor, it most certainly isn’t, but return to the blog on or after August 1, 2009 and you’ll hear more.

That said, I’m off to Cape Town (via Jo’ Burg) on Swiss and South African Airways.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

Beginning October 25, 2009, British Airways will start flying Male, Maldives nonstop on a 777  from London’s Gatwick airport. The flight operates 3x weekly and is a 3-cabin plane (Business/Premium Economy/ Economy). The outbound from London departs on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays arriving the next morning, while the return departs Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The return is a daylight service. It appears that the service will be year round.

Along with Maldives, Britsh Airways will launch Sharm El Sheikh and Punta Cana. It’s a shame they aren’t running the flights from Heathrow, but British Airways’ holiday flights now tend to operate from Gatwick.

I was wondering which full service European airline will take the “plunge” (pun intended) and fly to the Maldives first. I remember reading about LOT planning flights from Warsaw and Virgin Atlantic wanting to start flights from London- Heathrow. Guess they were too slow as Sri Lankan airlines launched the flights first. Personally, I was betting on Lufthansa from Frankfurt or Swiss from Zurich.

Normally, I don’t blog about other airline’s routes aside from Star Alliance, but the Maldives are a destination that’s close to my heart and to which I plant to return to. Plus, I could redeem some of my AA miles on the new flight and try out Club World cabin on British Airways.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

I was able to change some flights on my return from FRA to LAX to route myself FRA-ZRH-JFK-LAX on Swiss and United so I could enjoy the brand new Swiss First Class product on LX14 between Zurich and JFK. The flight is on Swiss’ newly delivered A333 aircraft which commences service on April 20, 2009. Then it’s PS First on United yet again- one of the very few good things United still has to offer (mainly due to the seat in this market). Unfortunately, neither JFK-CLT-LAX, JFK-PHX-LAX nor JFK-PHX-LAS-LAX were available on US in First- ‘O’ class, thus I settled for United and PS F is better than regular United First so no argument there. Who would argue anyway?

Anyway, back to the main event- new LX F class. It’s stunning. It will be by far the best transatlantic First Class offered. Surely outperforms parent company Lufthansa’s First Class. I think Singapore Air’s  New First Class on the 77W isn’t as nice as this either. Link that with award winning Swiss hospitality and you can’t go wrong!

He are some pictures courtesy of FlyerWiki.

Only 8 seats in the cabin in a 1-2-1 arrangement on this A330-300 aircraft

Passengers traveling alone: no longer worry about lack of privacy in a double seating section

Large, personal TV screen

Non-angled, fully flat bed in an suite like enclosure

I will be able to compare the new product to Swiss’ current First Class on the A343 on my way down to JNB and it may actually be my first full trip report. I’ll be taking my Mini 9 along so I could use some of my transit time to type up some drafts and keep my immediate reflections stored before they’re replaced with newer ones. Rush of excitement, I guess! Who wouldn’t be excited?

Luckily, US Airways has already “trained” me to enjoy the A333, so the ZRH-JFK flight will be on familiar aircraft “territory”.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

What has Windows XP SP 3, an 8.9 inch LCD screen and a full QWERTY type keyboard?

Answer:  A Dell Inspiron Mini 9! A truly blogable device that will even fit in smallest book bag or purse. They’re coming out with a 12, but if you want to keep it small, go with the 9. And while in the aviation world bigger is better and more fun, when you mix blog writing, laptops and travel- smaller does turn out to be wiser.

So it has been a while since I’ve talked to all you fine folks and I wanted to assure you I have not turned my back on you. What has changed? The last time you thought about me, I was 18- now not so much. 19 here and every flight I take less people consider me the “brat” who stole their last available upgrade seat. I sure miss those days!

What’s new, you ask?

A lot has happened since my few hours in PIT. Aside from fuel going sky high and falling down low, one of the best TV series fast forwarding 5 long years into the future, world’s longest all-business class legacy airline flight making it’s way from EWR to SIN and a few other things, I’m still good!

What’s coming, you ask?

I think my tiny photography hobby might be growing in the upcoming months. I’ve upgraded my simple digital point and shoot camera to the Canon EOS 50D. Get ready for some nicer, higher quality travel photos.

Back in September five airlines allocated in two opposing teams fought for the honor of giving up 2 of their highly coveted “O” and “I” class award seats in First/Business Class for Kinglobjaw’s 150,000 (X2) US Airways Dividend Miles Award from USA to Africa.

Team Europe included Lufthansa (LH) and Swiss Intl Airlines (LX) and offered a tempting LAX-FRA-MUC-ZRH-JNB-FRA-LAX which consisted of upper deck 747 First Class on 3 flights, a First Class Terminal visit in FRA, a ride on the rare A300, and exquisite Swiss hospitality service generations have raved about.

Team Asia which included ANA (NH), Singapore Airlines (SQ) and Thai International Airways (TG) offered an exotic ORD-NRT-BKK-JNB-BKK-NRT-ORD involved the elegant Japanease service, the warm and friendly Singapore Girl and the Royal Orchid service by Thai was another excellent choice. NH is known for delicious food and Thai’s First Class lounge at BKK is a true rival for Lufthansa’s FRA First Class terminal due to it’s Royal Orchid Spa.

The winner? Before the decision, only one airline knew it would win regardless of which of the above choices would be selected. Team Africa! Since, JNB isn’t the final destination, there is only one Star Alliance carrier that could fly me from JNB-MRU and back. South African Airways, I’m ready to try your Business Class.

Alright! Alright! You want to know what option was selected between the United States and JNB? Both choices were available in First Class all the way through to JNB, so this decision was tougher than most would expect. In the end Lufthansa and Swiss were chosen. Lufthansa’s ultra private upper deck First Class experience on the B747, the FRA First Class terminal and the option of flying Swiss is what made me choose the two carriers for the July 2009 trip. Plus, I’m dying to fly an A300, especially since Lufthansa is one of the oldest operators of the type and is slowly, but surely beginning to retire them. Therefore, I hope my flight won’t be downgraded to a narrow body. I want to save airlines SQ, NH, TG, and OZ for my next trip to Asia. To my readers, which option would you pick?

A) LAX-FRA (Lufthansa 747) + 1 night in FRA for Zzzz’s…
FRA-MUC (Lufthansa A300), MUC-ZRH (SWISS AVRO RJ100), ZRH-JNB (SWISS A340)

Return: JNB-FRA-LAX (Both 747’s on Lufthansa)

B) ORD-NRT (ANA 777) + 1 night in NRT for Zzzzz’s
NRT-BKK (Singapore Airlines 777), BKK-JNB (Thai A346)

Return: JNB-BKK (Thai A346), BKK-NRT (Thai 777), NRT-ORD (ANA 777)

What else is new, your ask? I’m planning a fun mileage run since I think I can find lower deals than the US Airways’ Buy Up to Preferred program.

I really want to try to find a deal to Seattle, WA (SEA). I love the city and I want to check out the Boeing museum. Plus, if I can get a free night at the Seattle Airport Marriott that would be fantastic. It is my favorite property near the SEA airport. Their indoor pool is amazing. Few airport properties in the USA are this nice. Marriott sure did an excellent job here. Enough with the words, sometimes pictures do indeed speak more than words.

Pretty long post, but totally worth it since I messed up big time by not posting for a few months. I’m really sorry about that, but I won’t forget this blog or my readers- I promise.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

My previously unannounced trip to KRK involved some intra-Europe Lufthansa segments. The German airline touts itself as very punctual. Did they inherit that by swallowing the Swiss clock? Maybe… I haven’t flown them before.

It’s true, though. Very punctual, and as one of the lounge agents said so herself, “I don’t know about those other airlines, but LUFTHANSA! We always fly, and we fly on time!” As for lounge agents being called “dragons”, sure they are strict, but at least I know I’m surrounded by people who actually belong there.

What about the crews? Some are very friendly, some are very strict and downright bitter, but both types provide excellent service. 3 drinks in Coach on a short-haul, regional flight from MUC-KRK? Not 3, but how about 4! And if that isn’t enough for a 1hr20 minute flight, why don’t you enjoy a sandwich and a Toblerone? Yep, that’s Lufthansa and Lufthansa Regional.

Advice I’ve gotten when it comes to Lufthansa, “Never ask the crews for pictures. They will shred you to pieces.” Apparently, the royal treatment for the King extends everywhere, even to a Friday late-night flight from Munich to London’s Heathrow. No shredding this evening:

Augsburg Airways, it’s who operates on behalf of Lufthansa to Krakow, Poland:

It’s quite a celebration when a short regional flight yields such a quality meal:

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

Well isn’t it? I’m sure many have seen a plane with a bad paint job, and some may have even seen one without any paint! Scary looking, isn’t it? As airlines try to make their planes look attractive, we don’t realize it’s the struggle to make the plane good looking, with a lighter coat of paint, adequate to weather conditions. All this while trying to spend the least possible amount of money.

And while the standard livery of an airline will often greatly appeal to the eye, it’s the special and “dedicated” liveries that are the celebs of the airport hubs, runways and even the skies.

Swiss Intl. Airlines recently repainted one of their Airbus 319’s in a very “cannot make it more Swiss than it is right now” way, by simply multyplying the emblem from the tail and “photoshopping” it a bit.

Swiss’ neighbor and parent airline, Lufthansa spiced up it’s birds with a little work on the nose. GOL!!!!!!!!!!!

The most popular liveries however, must be retro “dos”. People seem to go wild about seeing US Airways’ PSA A319- and frankly I cannot blame them:

Now if there could only be a Kinglobjaw.com just clicK! livery,

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark