Klicken, Buchen, Flopen DUB-FRA-DUB

Klicken, Buchen, Flopen
Good afternoon to you all.
The following trip report is from my trip this past weekend to Germany for the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim.
We booked this trip back in January as it was always a dream of ours to go and see an F1 race. Since I was a young lad Ive supported Michael Schumacher,
right back since he drove for Benneton. Im not one of these jump on the bandwagon people who have supported him since he began to dominate F1 since joining Ferrari.
To cut a long story short he won the race and his teammate came in second so a perfect weekend.
However enough about F1 and lets talk about how we got there.

Originally the package we booked included flights operated by Aer Lingus DUB-FRA-DUB but they sold out so we were put onto Lufthansa, great I thought a new airline and a full service airline for a change.

Friday 28/07/06

DEP: DUB:0645:LH4985
ARR.FRA:0940:AIRBUS A319 D-AILM

It was an early start 0330 to be precise so packing was already done and after a quick cup of tea we headed of to the staff car park in DUB. We walked up to the terminal in the dark but it was quite warm. We headed to check in area 2 where Lufthansa is checked in by Aviance but not for much longer as the contract has been awarded to another handling agent from next month but with the way Aviance are carrying on they may soon not be handling any airlines in DUB. Check in had not yet opened and their was a short queue which was dealt with quickly and efficently once check in had opened. We got to the desk and were assigned seat 19E and 19F the bags were gone and a much anticipated weekend was underway.

We headed through the thousands of people who were clogging up the check in area and upstairs to get some breakfast followed by a stop at an ATM and then headed for secuirity. Using my saff ID we managed to get through fast pass secuirity and we were through in no time. I headed down to the baggage hall to say goodbye to a colleuge who had been called in early due due a number of very delayed charter flights. After this I headed up and grapped a paper and some water and headed for gate C46. Their was our A319 D-AILM being prepard for our early morning departure. Boarding was called and was completed quickly as although the flight was 100% full it was only an A319 and doesnt hold a huge amount of passengers espeically as Lufthansa offers quite good legroom. We seemed almost ready to go but we were missing one passenger which forced us to miss our slot. While waiting I saw a MON A330 arriving from CWL to operate the DUB-SFB-SNN-DUB flight which was ontime this weekend for a change. Eventually the last passenger an asain gentltman arrived which his massive hand luggage. Our stand was in demand so we pushed bag and were towed while following a follow me car to a remote stand just opposite Peir C. Immeaditley after we cleard our stand an Aer Lingus A330 took it up. The captain had in the meen time advised us of some flight details and also advised that it was quite stormy around FRA.
5-10 minutes later engines were started and we taxied to the holding point of runway 28 were an EI and BD A320 departed before us we also had 4 EI A320s lined up behind us with GF023 from BAH just going onto stand. After another EI A330 landed we lined up and waited for takeoff which felt quite powerfull. Once airborn we could make out a number of places which are close by to our home including our house which was far off in the distance. We turned right towards MAN and climbed to FL330.

Quite quicky after takeoff the inflight service began and this is what turned me against Lufthansa. A cup of coffee which was undrinkable and a portion of a roll with some cheese and lettuce on it. For an airline who prides itself on being full service I felt this was disgracefull. Although it was free I would rather have been on a Ryanair, Aer Lingus or BMI flight and had the option of buying some decent food. FR,EI and BD are far superior than LH in this area and at a time were more none stop flights are available to passengers LH is ging to struggle and if I ever need to fly between DUB and FRA again LH certainly wont even be considered. We continued on towards AMS, DUS, CGN and descented towards FRA which was anything but stormy it was slightly cloudy, light winds and temperature was in the mid 20s. On route towards the continent we flew close to 2 My Travel aircraft the first an A321 ahead of us the the white 757 with MYT titles slightly behind. Also we came very close to a SQ 744 which must have been heading towards LHR it was very close and was obviously only 1000 feet above us.

Descent into FRA was long as we did a few laps which caused my to get the all to familiar excrutiating head ache. We landed on 07L and taxied quickly to our stand passing by a huge amunt of heavies before rounding a corner to a sea of LH Airbuses mainly A321 including D-AIRY better known as Die Maus the only non LH aircraft around there was an OS A320. Although parked at the terminal we were bussed to the terminal which was nice an it gave us the oppurtunity to see some nice 747s mainly LH as you can imagine but also a UA 744.

The walk to luggage claim in a loooong one espeically when you need a bathroom. The toilets in the dump that is some parts of terminal 1 one make DUB look like the Ritz.
The luggage came up quicky and it was off for a weekend of beer, car racing and relaxing.

31/07/06
DEP :FRA:2125:LH4984
ARR: DUB:2225: AIRBUS A319 D-AILP

The return trip just worsened by opinion of LH. We arrived to a quite terminal 1 to be checked in. Your bags are screened here before they check them in and they put a yellow tag on them to confirm the passed the screening process. Although 50 of us arrived together LH cleared us very quickley and we were assinged 18D and E so no window this time as the flight was full and most people had been checked in as transfer passengers. We had a look around the terminal and saw of the exotic airlines checking in such as SAA, TG, SQ, RG and Air Namibia. We bought some small gifts and airliner world which I havnt been able to get in Ireland in 3 months for a stupid €11.80 but I was looking forward to reading it but that never happend. We headed for security which was simply a breeze and picked up some items in the duty free shop. Now heres the stupidest thing I ever did. Instead of putting everything into my packpack like I normally do I kept the duty free seperate. We cleared passport control and headed for the bar for one last drink. I had a bottle of pissy tasting water. We chatted away with some other people who had been at the Grand Prix and then decided to head to our gate as their was another security check on the way. But as we walked away we reliased we had our 2 backpacks and one dutyfree bag but the other was gone. Ok dont panic it has to be here somewhere. So we looked and looked and it was gone. We checked with the people we were sitting with but no!!!. We then reliased the man who was beside us must have stolen it!!! I felt sick and at that point in time if he had been there I could have killed him stone dead. Luckily my camera, phone and wallet were with me but there was €40 worth of stuff in that bag including the most expensive airliner world Ive ever bought. We were very flusstered but had to get to our flight.
I was in the height of it at this stage but we had to catch our flight.I was so annoyed as I wasnt able to enjoy the heavys outside the window and before we knew it boarding was called. We were all put onto a bus and driven to D-AILP I dont remember much about this part as I was using some not to nice words about that £*&!”$% that took the bag.

When we did arrive we were held on the bus until fueling was finished and then we were all let on. There was a slight delay in push back but we were soon on the way the worst part was not being able to enjoy it.

Takeoff was from 07L and we took a left turn after takeoff again over Fankfurt and we headed home. Inflight service again was a disgrace with an even worse roll this time the good points however were we were offered 2 drinks and the crew were extremely freindly and efficent.
Descent into DUB was quick with no delays and we landed on 28. Nothing much of interest at 2300 except a US 757 which was in to bring some straneded passengers back to PHL as the flight on Sunday was cancelled.

Baggage claim in DUB was quick and a great weekend was over. We had a brillaint time but I was dissapointed with LH. however we did what we came to do.
My next trip is with Iberia in just over 2 weeks which is somthing to look forward to.

I hope you enjoyed and comments are welcome and their will be some pictures to follow.