Frankfurt Rhein - Main

We checked out at the Sheraton and walked over to the First Class Terminal (FCT). After ringing the bell at the door of the lower level, we were granted access by one of the agent. If you walk over from the main terminal building it is easier to access the First Class Terminal from the lower level and not the driveway. The staff did not enforce the access rules that much for our special group, so more or less everybody who wanted to enjoy the FCT before the flight could do so. We spent the time having breakfast, drinking something and surfing the internet and of course chatting about the flight to Houston and the reception the day before.

I have not been checked during the reception in the FCT in the night before and “my” personal assistant took care of it and I got my boarding pass some minutes later, while I was enjoying my latte macchiato.

The time passed quickly and soon it was time to head downstairs, were the fleet of Mercedes Vans, Porsche Panamera and Mercedes S-Class Limousines were waiting to bring us to our flight. But first we had to pass immigration and customs and then a Mercedes van brought us to our waiting 747 “D-ABVH” named after the city of Düsseldorf.

At the gate we took the elevator up to the jetbridge and boarded the plane. After a long time it was a seat in the upperdeck of a 747 for me again.

03 November 2010
FRA - IAH
[Frankfurt Rhein-Main – Houston George Bush Intercontinental]
LH 440 (Lufthansa); Boeing 747-400 (D-ABVH / 'Düsseldorf')
Gate A 72
10:15 – 15:10 [effective 10:21 – 15:11]
First Class
Seat 83 H

The most seats in the upperdeck were already taken as rcs85551, newbie_runner and I arrived. The rear part of the cabin (rows 83 + 84) was completely occupied by flyertalkers. The crew noticed (and probably was informed during their briefing) that there was a special group onboard and at least in First Class changed the usual procedure of serving passengers and also the usual service routine quite a bit. I was told that it was slightly different in the Business Class Cabin not to speak of Economy.

Pre departure drinks were offered and I opted for a glass of champagne as the most of us did. My jacket was taken and I stored my carry on in the compartment near the galley as it did not fit in the overhead bin.

The safety demonstration was done while our plane was still at the gate waiting for the last passengers to board the aircraft. Sweaters of Van Laack were distributed and also slippers and the Bogner Amenity Kit. We pushed back at 10:21 and taxied to the runway. We let a few other planes pass, before it finally was our turn and the captain powered the engines and at 10:41 we climbed into the sky above Frankfurt.

Quite a few minutes passed before the seat belt signs were finally turned off after we had nearly reached cruising altitude. The crew jumped into action and a first beverage round was done. Also the menus were distributed. Each guest was served individually. I had another glass of sparkling water. A few of us had meanwhile changed seats, but the crew was quite good and noticed it immediately as the laid the tables with linen and distributed cutlery, salt and pepper shakers and glasses for the main meal service on this flight.

One crew member came around and took our orders for the meal service.

Time to read the menu and the winelist (click on the icon for the menu)

As an amuse geule a small slice of salmon was served. I declined the offer for some wine or an aperitif and stayed with the sparkling water and chatted with flysurfer as well as LFCorsten and rcs85551.

It took a while, but finally the first course was served. Bread, garlic bread, rolls were also offered by the very attentive crew member with the first course. I was asked about my choice and took the Mixed Vegetable Terrine but also was offered some of the other available options, which I refused. I am still not a fan of caviar.

Bread and rolls were offered throughout the whole meal service. I took a glass of the Riesling with the first course. The meal service was done individually row by row and the crew was paying special attention to us and we did not make it easy with a lot of seat changes. They were friendly and taking the time for chatting with our and of course the other paying guests as well.

The second course was “Frothed Soup”, which was okay. As main course, I choose the halibut, while flysurfer opted for the “Roast Goose”, which not only looked better than the fish, it also tasted much better than my fish. Why do I make every time the same mistake and opt for fish? After 50 flights in premium cabins I should have learnt that fish is always dry in a plane.

The dessert, which was served an hour after the meal service had started, was worse. And not only one available option but at least the “Truffle Cream” and the “Cream of Lemon Salt” tasted worse. It might be a good choice on the ground, but not in the air, where food tasted much different than on the ground. It was too much salt and the lemon taste had no chance to show its flavor, so it was some sort of “salt sorbet”.

In terms of food, this lunch service was very disappointing – and I had not really high expectations. I think, if I had not such a good company on the plane and it was more about being a special flight than the experience of flying First Class, I would have been really disappointed.

During the flight, we had a lot of fun, sitting together and chatting with each other about various subjects. A number of different flyertalkers from the lower deck - aka Business and Economy Class - came upstairs and the crew serving the first class cabin did not mind it too much. They were informed about the group and like their colleagues in the FCT did a really great job trying to make the flight worth to be remembered.

As we entered American airspace, a light snack was served. The menue for the snach servce (click on the icon for the menu)

The choices were antipasti, christstollen, fresh fruit and sandwiches. The crew again was really great and did not mind, that the Star Mega Do organization committee (sbm12, oliver2002 and tommy777) were joining us in the First Class. We tried not to disturb the other passengers in the cabin too much and think we managed it quite well.

Row 84 with seats A and C was converted in some sort of lounge, with quite a few of us sitting on the seat put in a flat position. We did care about the available number of oxygen masks in the last two rows and there were only as many passengers in this area as mask were available.

Approximately 1:40 before we were scheduled to land, the second meal service started. Tables were laid with linen and cutlery was distributed as well. Salt and pepper shakers were placed on the tray table and a flight attendant offered rolls and bread.

The choices for lunch service were listed in the Sky Lodge Holiday Menu. I asked for a schnitzel and some fruits and green tea as beverage. Service was again very attentive and friendly.

The service was done from a cart where the food was presented and then arranged on plates individually for each passenger. The food tasted good, but they had catered less than enough schnitzel, so that they could only serve one or two instead of two or three as planned.

Soon later tables were cleared and the crew slowly began to prepare the cabin for the arrival in Houston. Earlier, the captain had informed us about the beginning of the final approach into Houston and the most passengers (including flyertalkers) who had changed into pajamas or sweaters changed back in their regular clothes. The crew distributed jackets and did the final arrangement to prepare the cabin for our arrival.


It was quite cloudy and rained as we touched down at Houston and taxied for our gate. There was a KLM 747 and an AF 777 either on the taxiway towards the terminal or already parking at the terminal.

While we taxied the purser did the usual speech welcoming us in Houston and drawing the attention of the procedure for those passengers with onward connections to other flights. He also mentioned the group of flyertalkers and wishing all the best for the next couple of days.

As we arrived, we took our belongings, thanked the flight attendants serving the First Class for their service and hurried up and headed for immigration. There the line was long but not too long, since the most passengers of the KLM plane were also still on their way to immigration. I was lucky and my line moved quite fast. As far as I noticed, I was among the first of the non US Passengers through immigration. Unfortunately customs took a few more minutes, but rcs85551 and I were able to reach the already waiting Shuttle of the Sheraton and we were soon leaving the airport for the short drive to the hotel.

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