AFKL From Netherlands, joined Feb 2008, 219 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 7567 times:
Hey all,
Last year I flew on an LH A3B6 for the first (and last) time of my life, as I flew from Malta (MLA) to Frankfurt-am-Mein (FRA), and loved every second of it. I decided not to write a trip report on it, but I still have some of the pictures on my hard-drive that I would like to share with you today, since today (July 1st) will be the last ever LH A300 flight after more than 33 years in service with the company. It was a pleasure to fly, and I think I don't stand alone when I say that I just love to fly wide-body on short-haul!
I had always been hoping for another chance to fly on her since, but unfortunately this never happened.
Anyways, I shall now let the pictures do the talking as my tribute to the LH A3B6, this particular one serving our flight was named Bocholt (sorry, I do not know what the reg # is). Sorry if the pictures are not top-notch quality.
I LOVE the wingtips!
Can anyone tell me what these black brush-like things are between the flaps? Typical A3B6? I have never seen it before!
Let's hope the A300 will have many more years in service with many other carriers around the world.
BPS3458 From Australia, joined Oct 2006, 502 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 7364 times:
Hi Allard,
great report for a wonderful air craft. Still remember my first LH A300 flight from HAM-FRA back in the seventies. Just last week had the pleasure of flying a KE A3B6 from Jeju Island to Seoul Gimpo. Believe KE still has 8 A3B6 in service on their domstic routes. Seems they are pretty much used like a bus between Seoul Gimpo and Jeju. One of my best domestic flights with clear skies from Jeju to Seoul.
Airbuseric From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 3735 posts, RR: 52 Reply 2, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 7334 times:
Hi Allard,
thanks for this topic.
Flew the LH AB6 also for the first and last time last year, ship was D-AIAL.
Indeed a wonderful experience and great ride on this magnificent Airbus!
Quoting BPS3458 (Reply 1): Believe KE still has 8 A3B6 in service on their domstic routes. Seems they are pretty much used like a bus between Seoul Gimpo and Jeju.
KE use the AB6 also on PUS-NRT, since I see it always on the morning flight at NRT.
Regards
Eric
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
Levent From France, joined Sep 2004, 1718 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 7119 times:
Quoting BPS3458 (Reply 1): Seems they are pretty much used like a bus between Seoul Gimpo and Jeju
Yes, that's why it's called an Airbus
Never flew on a LH A300 but my flights on this bird include Air Alfa, Air Anatolia, China Northwest Airlines and Thai Airways. Even the 3-3-3 seating on the Turkish carriers always made for a comfortable ride.
Profcalvin From United States of America, joined Jun 2008, 103 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 6999 times:
Great Pics.
RIP Lufthansa A300's. We will miss you. I remember flying them between FRA and TXL in 2005-6. They are just wonderful. My only other A300 experience was on AA from MIA to SJU which is also not going to be around for much longer with the 300. Hope some airlines continue to fly these machines cause they are beautiful.
Quoting BPS3458 (Reply 1): Believe KE still has 8 A3B6 in service on their domstic routes. Seems they are pretty much used like a bus between Seoul Gimpo and Jeju.
FYI, they also use them on Korea (not sure where but guessing incheon) to NGO because i was at NGO a couple weeks ago and there was a KE 744 and A300 waiting in the night for morning flights back to Korea.
Pitintl From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 87 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 6768 times:
I, too, will miss the AB3s very much. I fondly remember many flights aboard them, mostly on the AB3s that Indian Airlines had....I've logged many hours flying onboard them. Infact, my very first flight was when I was 2 months old from BOM to TRV in 1982!
Maybe I should purchase a pass on AA and try to get on an AB3 flight before they are completely gone from pax service in the US skies!
PRAirbus From Puerto Rico, joined Apr 2005, 930 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 6691 times:
Love the A300-600R, it's a beautiful plane, nice lines, comfortable and roomy. They will be truly missed. Here we have another 2 months to enjoy seeing AA AB6's grace the skies for the last time. The end of an era, what a shame!!! Nice report by the way.
AFKL From Netherlands, joined Feb 2008, 219 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 6562 times:
Thanks for the comments you guys!
I realise though that this isn't a true TR. I would have filled you in with the details of the flight (food/service/the works), but since this was a little less than a year ago, I won't even be able to tell you what date it was (except that it was a sunday, haha).
Klima From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 203 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 6547 times:
Great pics!
My one and only A300 flight was on Lufthansa from FRA-HAM, August 25th, 2004. Good times
GlenP From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2009, 53 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 6226 times:
Thanks for bringing back some fond memories of a wonderful flight, ahem years ago , on an LH A3B6 that made me realise just how much I'll miss the opportunity to fly on these great old birds.
Did the MS A3B2 in 1988 & fell in love with the A300 as a type. Really sad to see yet another operator finally having to let them go.
Debonair From Germany, joined Jan 2004, 1734 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 5349 times:
Lufthansa A300... I luv you!
The A300 is a truly masterpiece. I was cabin crew on TransAer's A300B4's based in LGW. One day the PIC (pilot) asked me for briefing: "hey buddy, do you know why our A300 is series B4?" I was shocked and not prepared to answer the question. He smiled: "well, it was build B4 (before) you was born!".
Back to the Lufthansa's A300. These birds, series -600, looked even after years of service factory fresh and even after used on the milk runs between HAM/MUC and FRA. A very, very sad story! I will miss you baby...
DL752 From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 170 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 4983 times:
What a great experience!
I haven't been on a wide-body on short-haul yet but it must be exciting!
The pictures were excellent and you would never know the plane was a bit older because LH keeps them looking brand new.
Glad you enjoyed!
DL752
Stylo777 From Turkey, joined Feb 2006, 2751 posts, RR: 11 Reply 20, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 4 days ago) and read 4608 times:
It's indeed very sad to see the retirement of such a beautiful, amazing and great aircraft. Lufthansa always kept them in excellent condition. Outside was spotless, inside like a brand new plane escpecially after the installation of the slimline seats.
As everybody here I enjoyed every single one of my total 24 flights on the Airbus A300-600 operated by LH including the 7 flights on this particular plane (D-AIAU). After D-AIAH which is covered in my log with 8 flights "Bocholt" was the 2nd most AB6 showing up for my flight.
Kappel From Suriname, joined Jul 2005, 3533 posts, RR: 21 Reply 21, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 4463 times:
Quoting Stylo777 (Reply 20): Outside was spotless, inside like a brand new plane escpecially after the installation of the slimline seats.
Agreed. I was very surprised to learn that D-AIAL was over 20 years old when I flew it last March, it looked impeccable on the inside as well as the outside.
EI320 From Ireland, joined Dec 2007, 1398 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 4400 times:
Great Report, always nice to fly a widebody on short-haul. My first and only time on an A300-600 was a few years ago on Monarch DUB-PMI and back. Great experience.
CMK10 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 513 posts, RR: 8 Reply 23, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 3834 times:
Good report. D-AIAU is the only LH AB6 that I have flown on. I was amazed they were able to do a full beverage and sandwich service on the FRA-LHR sector I flew it on. Good to see the plane is still in good condition so thank you!
"Traveling light is the only way to fly" - Eric Clapton
Sdate747 From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 272 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (2 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 3799 times:
I was a regular commuter on LH's morning and evening flights between LHR-FRA around '06 and '07, which due to demand, were on the A300 instead of the A321. Great aircraft, boarding was always done on the apron and there was literally tons of space on board those rare times when load factors were in fact low. LH had done a nice job refitting the cabin every few years which made it easy to forget that you were flying in a plane from a bygone era.
25 FatmirJusufi: Thanks for sharing. I've once flew an A300-600 and it was a really great experience.
26 StefanPAD: Sad to hear that all LH AB6 are retired now. It was my favorite aircraft on short hauls. I flew 14 times on LHs AB6 and enjoyed every minute. Stefan
27 DALCE: 4 legs on LH AB6's TXL-FRA on D-AIAT FRA-AMS on D-AIAX FRA-OPO on D-AIAT OPO-FRA on D-AIAM Thanks for the report on my favorite LH bird. We will sure
28 TUNisia: I only ended up on an Lufthansa A3B6 by accident. It was two years ago while flying from EWR to ATH via CPH. Apparently SAS had canceled the CPH-ATH p