I’m not very sentimental when it comes to birthday celebrations, but this particular birthday will always be one of my most memorable. After a great morning in Frankfurt in the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, I received additional surprises, including a very special one in Munich.
My Lufthansa Birthday Celebration Went Beyond Frankfurt
My final destination was Dubrovnik, but the Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt did not depart until later in the afternoon. It would have meant a 10-hour layover. While I can think of far worse things than 10 hours in the First Class Terminal, I opted to travel to Dubrovnik via Munich so that I could get into a Dubrovnik a couple hours earlier and visit the First Class Lounge in Munich.
The driver was aware it was my birthday and played a special tune for me on our ride out to the Airbus A321 that would take me Munich.
Onboard, the purser welcomed me, wished me a happy birthday, and presented the following card:
A sweet touch.
In Munich, only one of the two First Class Lounges is open (the older one), where I was quite thankful to spend my four hour layover.
In the lounge, I asked the shower attendant if she had a birthday duck and she shook her head no and offered me one of the regular mini ducks.
About 15 minutes later, though, she found me in the lounge and asked how long I was staying. I let her know I’d be there for another few hours.
About an hour later, she returned…singing happy birthday to me and then presenting me with a special Munich birthday duck (which I believe was meant to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of that lounge). What a blessing she was to me. What a beautiful gesture. In my stupor, I forgot to ask for her name and she was off-duty by the time I remembered. Anyone recognize her? But I’m incredibly grateful her act of kindness.
After a lovely lunch (review to come), I boarded my final connection to Dubrovnik, a quiet and uneventful flight.
CONCLUSION
While I’m not very sentimental when it comes to birthdays, I am beyond grateful for the kind way in which Lufthansa helped me to celebrate. As I said yesterday, this is how loyalty is forever solidified and if you wonder why I’m such a Lufthansa fan, perhaps this special day explains why.
See you for Christmas, Lufthansa!
Matthew, now you’re just showing off. Seriously, give it a rest. Some of us have been stuck without the ability to travel for the past three years. I’m finally going to see my family in Poland next month for the first time since 2019. Show some humility.
THANK YOU!!!!
What in the world are you talking about? Do you think people read this blog for Hyatt Place Orlando reviews? Or for Matthew to sit at home and write about his garden? Honestly, why in the world are you reading any these blogs if it’s just going to trigger you? It’s especially odd as Matthew is about the most humble and least entitled blogger out there.
“Least entitled blogger”? You must be reading someone else’s blog. A “humble” man does not stay at the finest hotels, take business & firstclass trips all the time, eat at the best restaurants, complain on their blog about amenity kits, blankets etc.
Just wondering if Matthew has a real job to support all of his high class flying. Thanks for trying economy now & than Matthew. I like Matthew despite all of this. I’m not saying he isn’t good at what he does. But entitled he his.
You clearly do not read his blog posts entirely. Nor understand the man. Dig deeper. Try harder. Matthew is a gem because, more than anyone else, he is all of us. A regular guy. Do you think he is paying F? Do you honestly think his trips are some whirlwind jaunt with cash flying off his fingertips? The guy struggles like the rest of us and scrapes, earns, and redeems for the experience because he loves to travel like the rest of us. How anyone would put him in the same entitled league as other bloggers who have huge connections into corporate marketing teams is beyond me. This is the very reason why he has a niche, he’s a regular Joe. To call him otherwise is ignorance.
+1
+2
Well said!
Stay home Mr G. It is not safe to travel right now. Case numbers are through the roof and we all need to do our part to stop the spread.
LOL. Wait until you hear I’m not even vaccinated!
Wait, what? It’s a travel blog, which shockingly includes reviews and posts about aspirational travel (you know, live Lufthansa FC). If I wanted to read the news or score some decent scones recipes I’d go somewhere else. However, I come to Matthew’s incredible blog for posts like this! Also, seconding Stuart, one of the best, most humble travel bloggers in the space!
You don’t know what humble means. He is entitled. Not a bad thing. Just the American way.
@CK Humble can also mean appreciating nice things. Relishing the good. Never taking it for granted. Going down grade when you need to and never complaining, and cherishing the better things when they fall your way. Matthew checks those boxes.
Lufthansa: Mr. Klint got three ducks in one trip. We are a 5-star airline!
There’s something very unsettling about a grown man highlighting his own birthday to this extent.
12 years of writing this blog…I’ve done it once. This was a special day and aviation-related. Boo hoo hoo.
Mathew, I’m new to your blog, and I’m addicted! Reading your blogs always puts a smile on my face. I particularly enjoyed reading about your birthday experience on Lufthansa today. Keep them coming!!!
Happy Birthday man- as my own grandfather used to say- “jealously’s head turns hardest from the stiffest neck”. Celebrating another successful year around the sun is always worth a glass of Champagne and if you’re lucky a little duck for the shelf 🙂
Talk about getting your ducks in a row!
Lufthansa is a three duck airline.
This guy is just so full of himself!!!
Now we know for sure that they had checked your blog before your trip:
“As for me, I’d be thankful for anyone that carded me when I ordered a drink or offered me a coloring book.”
https://liveandletsfly.com/simone-biles-coloring-book/
ROTFL. Love it. I don’t think you’re right, but that’s an astute connection.
You look like one of Santa’s elves in the offseason
Presented with a colouring book on boarding?
I think the FA got the measure of you……….I hope the pencils weren’t too sharp………
I’m lucky enough to get to ride in the left hand seat up the pointy end wondering what all the pretty lights and switches actually do……
But I do find the endless privileged status showy-off reviews tiresome; given the majority of pax fly Coach….you should offer more realistic experiences if you want your blog, or whatever you call it, to be taken seriously by more people
You misunderstand my purpose.
Nope! I understand perfectly and maintain your “reviews” are elitist and out of touch with the majority of air travellers
My daughter LOVES those coloring kits and expresses such happiness when she receives them. I’m sure you take them home to your kids. I also give them away to families I’m staying with.
You appear to have discovered something I learned about birthdays earlier in life: The best presents on that day are what you give yourself and you probably don’t confine this “luxury” to your birthday.
Wait a minute! Does this mean your birthday is close to Ben and Ford’s son? I hope one of your many,many ducks makes it to Miles’ gift basket. 🙂
One day apart! 😉
The ‘Foodie’ that you are, by the food you write about on your flights, you are certainly not overweight!
You don’t look horrible at all. You look slim, trim, and fashionable.
First of all, happy belated birthday. Your birthday is a day’s apart from Ben’s son, and just 4 days apart from my son’s (tomorrow, August 7th), which I find remarkably small world.
Second, while it’s sad, though also sadly predictable, that this post has brought out the haters, I for one think it’s really cool you did this. My birthday falls right around Thanksgiving, and my son (and probably my wife and mother to boot) would ex-communicate me if I disappeared on a blog boondoggle like this for my birthday. I’ll have to wait until my son is old enough to appreciate the FCT and bring him along for the ride.
Serious question. What is it with grown travel bloggers and their thirst for rubber ducks?
We’re weird like that. Maybe something in the potable water tanks. I do drink airline coffee.
Matthew – love your blog; don’t listen to the jerks! Why are they reading it anyway?!?
Question– if you are flying F from USA to FRA and then onwards in J, can you access the First Class terminal upon arrival in FRA? And then will they drive you to your plane if in J? Thank you!
i am so sick of the schweinhunds at lufthansa
they toot their german perfection all the time but their customer service and
third world fra terminal are nothing close to perfection