Across the Atlantic with Lufthansa...

After attending a conference in Princeton and a spot of fine dining and shopping in New York, it was time for Airgroove to continue the 'RTW' trip and make a relatively short flight to Frankfurt from the Big Apple. This part of my trip was now HOLIDAY!

Upon arriving at JFK Terminal 1, I swiftly proceeded to check-in and was issued a boarding pass for the mini Business Class cabin (seat 4D) on the A340-300 aircraft. LH407 was upgraded from an A330 on this particular day to the larger A340 bird...

After clearing security, I entered the Japan Airlines Lounge, which Lufthansa passengers utilise at JFK prior to their flights. The lounge was great, in comparison to American based Lounges - which is not hard! There was a great selection of snacks and lovely wines... No bar tender and drink chits here! :-) The lounge was set out like a theatre... Circular in shape; it made quite a nice ambiance - which is what one would expect from Japan! I relaxed and managed to take advantage of the free Wi-fi to finalise some email prior to having my holiday in Europe...

Boarding was fast and orderly - unusual for JFK! The LH check-in gate was working with precision, which LH do well! Once on board, I was told by the Purser that the flight was full in all classes. Shame! I was opting for the seat next to be to be free :-( None the less, I had a lovely seat companion who could only speak very minimal English, so the conversation was sparse. This suited me well as I was not in a talkative mood (makes a nice change!)... I wanted to sit back, relax, have a few drinks and dinner and watch a movie, or read the huge array of magazines Airgroove purchased at the airport.









I was pleasantly surprised that there was only a small wait before we zoomed down the runway, it was afternoon at JFK, after all... It was not long before the professional LH crew were handing out hot towels, menu's and asking if I'd like another top up! Yes, please! The crew on this flight were going to be good, you can tell right away, and let's face it, the crew can make or break a flight. The were in synch with one another and there was a sense of control in the cabin - exactly what Airgroove likes, and expects...








The menu looked great: I opted for the Chilli and Wasabi Prawns with Asian Salad and Mango with a mixed salad. Lufthansa serve their cheese course first, when in Germany, do as the Germans do! Personally, I like my cheese at the end of the meal service, All that said, it was scrumptious! Another great LH Hor d'oeuvres service. To compliment my salad, I enjoyed a glass of 2007 Leo Riesling, German Hill, Pfalz, Deutschland. As I mentioned earlier in my Blog, Airgroove is not a big Riesling fan, but this wines is fabulous... Lovely citrus notes, fresh acidity and a fine smooth texture. YUM!

For my main course, I selected the Poached Brisket of Beef with Vegetables, Potatoes and Horseradish Cream Sauce. When the dish arrived, I was slightly aghast, it looked hideous. I almost asked the FA to take it away! But I gave it a taste and it was surprisingly good - don't be turned off by the picture, it was tender and tasty. Looks can be deceiving! To wash it all down, I quaffed the 2004 Chateau Leboscq, Medoc, Cru Bourgeois, Frankreich - delicious.

Was Aigroove to have dessert? Of course... I very quickly devoured a cream puff with marinated cherry tart! Yum... In addition there were these very cute little jam tartlets from LH... I never finish a meal at 35,000ft without a Baileys... Ah, as full as one can be!

After my meal, I settled into a peaceful sleep and remember thinking, what great service the crew provided during the meal service and beyond - thanks again LH for another great flight... The Purser on this flight was AMAZING, she was what a Purser should be: personable, knowlegable and above all makes one feel welcome, she enveloped all of those qualities and I sent a feedback form to LH to ensure she was recognised for her stellar work.

LH, I will gladly board your planes anytime and do what Airgroove does well, enjoys crusing along at 35,oooft to fabulous destinations around the globe!