On my return trip to Montreal, I experienced the service offered by Lufthansa, a member of the Star Alliance, with an award ticket booked using Aeroplan miles.
Being an aviation enthusiast, I had deliberately “complicated” the itinerary by making a flight with multiple stopovers: Amsterdam-Frankfurt-Munich-Montreal.
The first two flights, qualified as intra-European flights, offered an identical experience. That’s why I’m grouping them together in this article.
After a weekend spent in Amsterdam for a friend’s bachelor party, here I am on my way to the airport at 7:30 am.
After a train ride of about 30 minutes, I arrived at the Amsterdam Airport around 8am. My flight to Frankfurt is scheduled for 11am, so I check at the Lufthansa “First Class” check-in desk to see if it’s possible to bring my flight forward.
As usual, there is no wait to get to the counter… one of the advantages of traveling first class!
Unfortunately, there are no seats available on other flights. So I head to security, still with a line reserved for First Class passengers: in fact it made me go in front of everyone, and the line was big!
Everyone is required to go through body scanners. This has become the norm in many airports today.
After an overzealous security (my luggage will be re-scanned, as well as my shoes, my computer, my jacket…. and my belt!), I arrive at the heart of the terminal and go to the lounge.
A lot of people on this Sunday morning at the Amsterdam Airport.
On the upper walkway of the terminal, you can access the 2 lounges offered: the KLM lounge (longe 25) and the Aspire lounge (lounge 26).
By the way, the atmosphere is rather relaxing with trees and birds singing.
After a short walk, I arrived at the entrance of the Aspire show.
I show my business class ticket on Lufthansa, which automatically gives me access to the lounge. Otherwise I could have shown my Priority Pass card, obtained with my American Express Platinum card.
I check the departure screens… my flight is not yet displayed. I have a lot of time on my hands.
After dropping off my stuff, I head to the buffet to help myself to some lunch.
The juices are fresh, which is nice!
No beer for me this morning ….
Nor strong alcohol…
Some rolls and waffles.
And the traditional Dutch cheese.
The lounge is far from being full, the relaxation areas are rather pleasant.
After an almost white night, I rush to the coffee machine which proposes various drinks.
This is what my lunch looked like. The croissant was definitely not good. Let’s just say that the lounge has the merit of offering a rest area, far from the hubbub of the terminal!
After lunch, I sat down at a desk to work a bit on milesopedia, with the 4th coffee of the morning!
10:30 am, it’s time for me to leave the Aspire lounge to reach my door, the B35.
There are very long corridors to reach the B doors. Fortunately, there are conveyor belts to speed up the pace.
In passing, I would like to congratulate Amsterdam Airport for the facilities they have made available to families. Almost all the airport’s restrooms have rooms reserved for families (changing tables, breastfeeding room…).
Still very long corridors to reach gate B35… the second to last one of the terminal.
Finally, the Avgeek that I am is happy to be at the back of the terminal: the bay window offers a 180 degree view on the slopes! It’s a great way to spot planes that you don’t usually see in Montreal!
After a quarter of an hour, it is time to board, which will be a priority for me: I board first.
I am sitting in the first row of the Business Class. In fact, the difference between business and economy class: the middle row remains unoccupied.
However, the first row offers much more legroom.
My carry-on fits perfectly.
4 rows in business class on this Lufthansa Airbus A319.
The legroom is very good, with the table integrated in front of me.
A small glimpse of the outside: the control tower of Amsterdam Airport and an Air Malta plane, my next destination in July!
Well placed advertising by ING: indeed, I’m flying to Frankfurt!
Here is a quick video of the takeoff to Frankfurt from Amsterdam.
https://youtu.be/1XDPH_3ruhg
Some views while flying over Amsterdam:
The flight will be very short (35 minutes), small outside view just after takeoff. The weather is great!
Despite a very short flight, a meal tray will be distributed to passengers in business class.
Small tour to the toilet at the front of the cabin, door next to the cockpit.
The clouds are forming over Frankfurt Airport, it is already time to land.
And there, nice surprise, traveling in First Class on my transatlantic flight, a driver is waiting for me at the bottom of the plane, in a very nice Porsche Cayenne.
A small view of my plane from my back seat in this Porsche Cayenne!
My “driver” enters the vehicle and asks me if I prefer to go to the First Class Lounge or directly to my boarding gate. I choose to go to my plane… my stopover is only 30 minutes.
As I leave, I see the other passengers taking the shuttle to the terminal.
Small souvenir photo for milesopedia!
This is the first time I’ve been in a car on the tarmac. This offers good spotting opportunities. Here a Russian Aeroflot plane.
And a brand new Boeing 747-800 from Lufthansa. Impressive!
And a little gift for you: here is the experience as if you were there!
https://youtu.be/H4JJcmpW_FU
A few minutes later, we arrive at our destination, just below my boarding gate.
Here too, a small souvenir photo! Note the personalized license plate for Lufthansa (LH).
1 minute later, here I am at my boarding gate. There too, I enter the plane first thanks to the priority boarding.
Small view on the Airbus A320 that will bring me to Munich today.
This time, it will not be rank 1, but rank 2. Immediately, there is less legroom (but still very reasonable).
There is also storage space for magazines.
The flight will be as short as the previous one (30 minutes), but here again, a meal tray will be served right after takeoff. And it is different from the previous one.
Shortly afterwards, we landed in Munich. It is time for me to join the last flight of my trip… Munich-Montreal on Lufthansa in First Class!
Here, I needed American Express Membership Rewards cards (transferable to Aeroplan miles), Aeroplan sign-up bonuses and my Scotiabank American Express Gold card (which allowed me to pay Aeroplan taxes with the Scotia bonus points).
Savings are here:
