As i still had some two Lufthansa segments booked for the first week in october and when my days off at work I started playing around with different booking engines.
I found quite soon a cheap Air Baltic Combination from LGW to ARN via RIX and the most important fact, the LGW-RIX sector should be operated by one of their 757s. So I quickly booked that for some cheap 80 Euros and started looking into flights to build around.
To get to LGW I had basically two realistic choices: taking the early Cityjet bird to LCY and take the public transport from there, but as I flew this route some two weeks ago, I decided to take theEasyjet flight to LGW from CGN, which would also be a new departure airport for me. That flight was around 30€, so quite a bargain.
In Arlanda I decided to book a night in the famous Jumbo Hostel, as it would also allow me to fly further on the next morning. In ARN i fixed up two meetings with the members LH4116 and Tobry.
For the next morning, I decided to book the DY flight to FCO, as my LH connection would start there, and I was quite interested in DY 's product.
From FCO i already had a connection to CDG via DUS on LH, so all was set.
So after waking up in the nice Jumbo Hostel in the morning, it was time to head back to the airport, as I arranged a meeting there.
There is a free shuttle bus to the Terminal, which I gladly took, as it was quite cold outside, and i wasn't really in the mood of a walk.
After about 10 min, the bus stopped in front of Terminal 5, where I got off.
Inside I grabbed some Inflight magazines from the numerous airline counters and then made my way to Skycity, where I met fellow member Tobias, or Tobry on A.net.
I met him before earlier this year while on an AZ flight BGY-FCO, so it was nice to talk again, of course mostly about future travel plans and aviation stuff.
Unfortunately the time went by far too quick and it was time to head to my gate.
Thanks again Tobias for coming to the airport so early, really appreciated.
I made my way to Terminal 2, where my flight was going to depart from.
Arriving there after about 5 minutes, I directly went through security, which was a bit crowed, but not bad and I was through in about another 5 minutes.
Airside, there was not much to do, as there were only two shops.
So I just got myself a bottle of water, and then I settled down at a seat with runway views.
At the door I was greeted by an friendly F/A and I settled down in my seat 1 A.
Unfortunately the flight turned out to be 100% full, mostly people from Sweden on their way to holidays in Italy.
Next to my was a swedish couple, which was sleeping most of the flight.
Boarding was soon finished, but we had to wait another 30mins, as we were waiting for a stand-by F/A.
The captain soon came on the PA informing us, that our routing will be right over Germany, the Alps and then down to Rome.
As I still had some SEK left, I got myself a slice of pizza from the BoB service.
The taste itself wasn't bad at all, but it was quit fatty.
As I was not in a particular rush, I went off the plane, and had a look around the shops first, before I went to the LH transit desk to get my boarding passes.
Arriving there, no one was at the desk, but the friendly TP staff asked whether it would be okay for me to wait for the LH staff, as they just boarded another flight.
As i still had plenty of time left, I talked a bit to the TP girl, and then sat back and enjoyed the music on my iPod.
Soon enough the LH staff came back and apologized for the waiting. She was really nice and even asked me if I want to keep my seats, what I surly confirmed.
The flight was full of german tourists visiting Rome so it seems and in the end the load in Economy class was 100%, so no free seat next to me, even not in the last row.
We mostly flew along the Italian cost and the pilot frequently announced sights for the passengers sitting on the right side of the plane, but as I was sitting on the left, it was just water I could see.
The landing itself was a bit shaky on final, but the touch down was very smooth.
The came the part of aviation I hate: The clapping of tourists, never understood it...
Back on the ground we taxied past some maintenance hangars to the last gate in a corner.
As soon as the engines were turned off, everyone got up, but as the doors were still closed, no one could move.
Transit in DUS
Back in good old Germany, even only for a short time, I firstly went to the Dutyfree shop to buy some sweets.
After that I just went to my gate, or better said tried to, as a large glass door was still closed, so about 100 people were just standing in front of this door until about 10mins before boarding where the seating area was finally opened.
Anybody knows why it is done like that, never seen it before?
Boarding started nearly on time and after scanning the boarding pass on the self service scanner, I made my way into the 737 classic.
The flight:
DUS-CDG
Lufthansa B737-500
D-ABIA
18:01-18:50 local-time
flightduration: 49 min
As there were mostly german and french business men on this flight, boarding was finished quickly and we taxied to the runway before making our way into better weather again.
The seatbelt sign was switched off quite quick, as the load was again 100% and the service onboard started immediately.
The last passenger was even served after the seatbelt sign was switched on again.
Sooner as I though we started our decent again and landed in CDG after a flight time of only 49 minutes.
Norwegian was a good airline with decent priced BoB. Also the flight was pretty on time and the crew was very friends. My flight with them was quite a long one, but I felt comfy all through the flight. I wouldn't mind flying with them again.
The two Lufthansa segments were solid as usual. Good onetime performance and friendly staff. Also a appropriate service on intra european flights. What do you want more?
The Deutsche Bahn was also fine on my ICE ride. With a speed of 300km/h its the fastest way of getting from Paris to Saarbrücken, and for 29 euros its really a bargain.
Feel free to ask questions.
Comments are also very appreciated.
FlyingFinn76 From Finland, joined Jun 2009, 1705 posts, RR: 41 Reply 3, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3905 times:
Hi Johannes,
A nice second part of your trip. This time the images work much nicer - I guess you did some scaling.
Some very beautiful views from the air during your trip and of course those pictures from Paris were very nice.
Nice to see the Monty's wraps making an appearance - those are quite good actually. What was served on the DUS-CDG flight? Another surprise LH economy snack, I'm sure of it?
CaptainRed From Germany, joined Oct 2010, 588 posts, RR: 19 Reply 4, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 3833 times:
Hi Johannes,
nice report, for sure an interesting way to get from ARN to Paris. Seems like you had a pleasant experience on DY, an airline still missing from my log.
Some nice pictures as well, especially liked the ones from the approach to FCO. And also from Paris, what a great city. Have been there several times, but that view towards the Eiffel Tower always amazes me.
Quoting Luxair747SP (Thread starter): For getting home to SCN, I had booked a ticket on the ICE train for only 29€.
Quite good value for a journey of 1h40 and 440km.
That's indeed a great price for that trip, certainly a good competition for the airlines here. And it seems that DB also have that airline like fare structure nowadays, I have recently paid much more on a much shorter ride from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe.
sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1215 posts, RR: 29 Reply 8, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 3296 times:
Hello Johannes,
Thanks for another interesting episode! That's a nice zig zag route indeed you got yourself there. I hope DY will one day start serving BRU, I'm craving for some LCC's up north that are not FR. Hopefully someday...
Oh man, what dirty windows, the cleaner at FCO will have a difficult job removing all that filtiness...
Quoting Luxair747SP (Thread starter): We mostly flew along the Italian cost and the pilot frequently announced sights for the passengers sitting on the right side of the plane
A nice touch of the pilot. Too bad you couldn't see anything!
LH4532 From Germany, joined Sep 2011, 78 posts, RR: 12 Reply 9, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 3209 times:
Hello Johannes ,
You have written a very good end to the last part of your TR series . I have enjoyed reading it . The pictures you have taken , have been very nice to follow . Keep up the good work .
Quoting Luxair747SP (Thread starter): Arriving there, no one was at the desk, but the friendly TP staff asked whether it would be okay for me to wait for the LH staff, as they just boarded another flight.
Luxair747SP From Germany, joined May 2010, 449 posts, RR: 18 Reply 10, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3064 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Hi Volvair,
Quoting volvair (Reply 1): Great continuation of your trip!
Thanks a lot.
Quoting volvair (Reply 1): Always something special about sitting there, even if on a low-cost carrier.
Yes it felt nice to sit there up front.
Quoting volvair (Reply 1): How long have you been in Paris? You squeezed in a lot of nice sights.
Only two nights, but we squeezed in everything we could.
Hi Markus
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 2): good stuff and also well done pictures. Sure the way to go for us zig-zagging, like the title.
Thanks a lot.
Hi P.
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 3): Some very beautiful views from the air during your trip and of course those pictures from Paris were very nice.
Thanks for that.
Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 3): Another surprise LH economy snack, I'm sure of it?
It was a cold salad wrap this time.
Hi CaptainRed,
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 4): nice report, for sure an interesting way to get from ARN to Paris. Seems like you had a pleasant experience on DY, an airline still missing from my log.
THanks a lot. Yes DY is a nice carrier, a shame they cancelled their FRA plans again.
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 4): nd also from Paris, what a great city. Have been there several times, but that view towards the Eiffel Tower always amazes me.
Same with me, its an amazing city.
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 4): That's indeed a great price for that trip, certainly a good competition for the airlines here. And it seems that DB also have that airline like fare structure nowadays, I have recently paid much more on a much shorter ride from Frankfurt to Karlsruhe.
Yes, the funny thing is, I booked it on the french SNCF website, as they had it for this cheap price, on DB it would have been about 30 euros more.
Hi Martin.
Quoting deltamartin (Reply 5): Seems like your experience with DY was similar to mine. They offer cheap flights for a decent enough flight.
Quoting sultanils (Reply 8): That's a nice zig zag route indeed you got yourself there. I hope DY will one day start serving BRU,
Thanks, would be great as the train from LUX to BRU is not a long ride.
Hi Daniel,
Quoting LH4532 (Reply 9): You have written a very good end to the last part of your TR series . I have enjoyed reading it . The pictures you have taken , have been very nice to follow . Keep up the good work .
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