Frankfurt Rhein-Main

I fueled my rental car at the petrol station at Frankfurt airport, returned it at the Sixt line and headed over to concourse C, where my flight to Singapore was scheduled to depart. I had already printed my boarding pass and I was only traveling with hand luggage for the rest of this trip. It was no need to visit one of the Lufthansa desks.

It is a long walk to the concourse C from the rental car return, but I had plenty of time. I had expected to be stuck in traffic jam on my way down to Frankfurt, but I was lucky, there was unexpected low traffic and I arrived in Frankfurt much earlier than expected.

From the immigration check point it is quite a hike to the security checkpoint. No one was queuing and I passed immigration and security checkpoints quite fast.

I have been in this part of FRA quite a few times now and although it is a long way, the lounge facilities are quite nice and the Senator Lounge was quite empty. 30 minutes after I left the Sixt rental car return I reached the Senator lounge. I took this opportunity to make a few pictures and got something to drink from the buffet and also a few bites to munch. Having had only strawberries at noon and nothing else since the morning, I need something of more substance to accompany the glass or sparkling wine.

There were some problems with the air conditioning and the staff offered refreshing tissues, which was a nice gesture. It was a quite warm day for May and I already enjoyed the warm weather during my drive to Frankfurt with an open sunroof of my Volvo XC90 and open windows instead of the air condition in the car. Spring was in the air and I wanted to enjoy it, before I was stucked in the dry climate of an air conditioned 747 for 12 hours.

The food offerings were okay and restocked frequently during the time I was in the lounge. I had more than three hours to spend in the lounge and I used this time to work on the reports I had received from my office and which had to be finished two days prior to my return. This meant that I probably most of my free time had to be spent at the desk of my hotels rather than doing outdoor activities and sightseeing. On the one had a pity, on the other hand nicer than doing it what all the day routine at my office – I could focus on this project. Nevertheless, I was trying to finish the reports before I spend the weekend in Singapore to give me at least a free weekend before flying back on Sunday Evening.

Time passed quickly and in the meantime the lounge had filled with passengers and also a few other flights had already left. A few minutes before announced boarding time, I finished one report and mailed it to my office and I did not want to start another one. The time was simply too short.

I could see the plane for my flight to Singapore and on to Jakarta from the lounge. This time I was flying D-ABVE name after the city of Potsdam. D-ABVE was delivered to Lufthansa on May 04th, 1990 as a new plane right from Seattle. It made its first flight a couple of days earlier on April 19th, 1990. This Boeing 747-400 was equipped with the usual four GE CF6-80C2B1F engines like all other Lufthansa Boeing 747-400.

Boarding was announced and after a quick visit to the lavatories I headed over the FTL / Business Lounge where the flight to Singapore and on to Jakarta was boarding. My boarding pass was scanned and I was on my way down to the jetbridge. This time, I had a seat in the rear part of the cabin and therefore used the Economy Class jetbridge, where a few passengers were queuing. But the line moved quickly and I was greeted as I entered the plane.

11 May, 2011
FRA - SIN
[Frankfurt Rhein-Main – Singapore Changi]
LH 778 (Lufthansa); Boeing 747-400 (D-ABVE / ‘Potsdam’)
Gate C 15
21:55 – 15:50 [effective 21:57 – 15:57]
Business Class
Seat 27 C

I stored my belongings in the overhead compartment and put my jacket on the trolley. The amenity kit as well as pillow and blanket were already placed on the seat.

The flight was not full and my seat neighbor moved to the first row to a colleague, so I had a free seat next to me, which was really nice and from my memories the only free seat in Business Class. Really nice if seat blocking works this way.

The captain came on the intercom and informed us, that there had to be done some cargo load which would need a couple of minutes before we were finally able to push back. Boarding was already completed at this time and so pre departure drinks were offered, as usual a choice of water, orange juice, apple juice or champagne. I decided to give the alcoholic beverage a break and took an orange juice.

The safety video was shown while we were still at the gate. I made the usual check if everything was in place and the seat vest where it was supposed to be and checked the surrounding area. I do this more or less every time since I was able to join a short safety training with Swiss back in 2006. I also usually open and close the seat belt a couple of time without looking at the seat belt or closed eyes to familiarize with the unlocking mechanism. The most seat belts use the same mechanism, but I have experienced a few with different ones. To me, a real safety training by an airline is worth the money. Currently British Airways is the only airline to offer this as scheduled and regular training lessons for a nominal fee.

We were pushed back at 21:57 and taxied from the concourse C towards our runway. 15 Minutes after we were pushed back the captain powered the engines and left the runway and climbed into the already dark sky.

We climbed and climbed and it was nearly 25 minutes after we left the runway in Frankfurt before the fasten seat belt signs were switched off. As usual after takeoff a hot towel service was done.

A few minutes later the tables were laid with linen and a beverage round started. I choose tonic water – indeed no alcoholic aperitif this time for me.

Aperitif

Menus were distributed after the aperitif service was done and I had a quick look at the menus. While reading it, the purser approached me and welcomed me onboard and introduced himself. We did a little bit of small talk and he mentioned the crew change in Singapore for my onward flight to Jakarta.

I already had discovered that the meal choices on the flights out of Singapore to Germany were the same on the flight to MUC and FRA. This applies of course also on the flights out of Germany to SIN, only that I have been in First Class for my flight out of Munich. So I did not know the menu on this flight and therefore decided to have a closer look.

Here is the menu (click on the menu / opens new window)


The offerings prepared by Casablanca borne Wahabi Nouri of Restaurant Piment in Hamburg for Lufthansa sounded good and I decided to try them. I again had decided to minimize sleeping time to easier adjust to Singapore time.

Approximately an hour after takeoff the meal service finally started with the first course, but it took some time before the cart arrived in the last row of the Business Class Cabin.

First Course
Coffee marinated salmon with oriental potato salad

Second Course
Swabian Dumplings

I went with the coffee marinated salmon, which was arranged on the tray together with napkin and cutlery. Butter and bread and rolls were offered as well. I was surprised to see the Halloumi on the tray together with the first course as well. A slightly different from the printed menu, there the cheese was offered after the main course. Anyway, I think it was a good idea, as this sort of cheese simply is better before the main course, but I doubt that this was the intention. I had a glass of the Wegeler Riesling with the first course.

I could already state, that I had more luck with the food on this journey. The salmon was quite good and so was the potato salad. Rolls and bread were offered later again.

The first course was okay, perhaps a bit of the small side but otherwise it tasted quite good and I enjoyed the food.

The trays were collected before the main course was served, which meant one has to take the cutlery from the tray. I am still not a friend of this procedure, but somehow used to it. I opted for the Swabian Dumplings as main course and I asked for another glass of my Riesling.

Later the plates of the main course were collected. I skipped the desert service, as I was quite full. I only had a coffee and a glass of port as digestive.

Soon later the linen was collected and I folded the table away and used the bathroom. I began the final report for work but closed the laptop two hours later around 02:00 German time and called it a night. The cabin lights were switched off a long time ago and I was now feeling really tired. So with a bit more than seven hours to go, I lowered my seat, put the back to a fully plat position and place the pillow of the free seat next to me under my legs, so that I got a nearly flat position.

I woke up six hours later with the lighst already turned on and only one hour to go. Breakfast service was already in full swing and as a flight attendant noticed that I woke up offered me to have breakfast. I thanked for this offer and only asked her to bring me a cup of coffee, which later arrived.

Soon later the crew began to prepare the cabin for arrival and handed out the jackets. We accessed Singapore over the sea, but the view was not the best due to low clouds. The captain had mentioned to expect thunderstorms in Singapore and it was a bit bumpy as we descended into Singapore Changi. We touched down at 15:50 and taxied to our gate. The flight from Munich had already arrived and we parked next to a Silkair plane.

Both jetbridges were used and so we could disembark quite fast. I went to the Silver Kris Lounge for a quick visit, before it was time to reboard D-ABVE to Jakarta.

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