I just finished a “vintage” trip report looking back on a first class trip I took about a decade ago on several airlines. What has changed over the last decade in terms of international first class travel? First, first class has become rarer. Some airlines, like United, Malyasia, Turkish, and Asiana have eliminated it. United […]
Vintage Review: United Airlines 757-200 First Class New York JFK To Los Angeles
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Review: Park Hyatt Saigon + Exploring Ho Chi Minh City
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Vintage Review: Thai Airways 747-400 First Class Bangkok To Beijing
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Fifth Freedom Flashback: Bangkok To Ho Chi Minh City On Qatar Airways + Lufthansa
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Vintage Review: Turkish Airlines 777-300ER First Class Istanbul To Bangkok
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Vintage Review: Turkish Airlines 737-700 Business Class Munich To Istanbul + Aircraft Museum In Munich
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Vintage Review: United Airlines 757-200 First Class Los Angeles To Chicago
This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new […]
Introduction: A Vintage First Class Trip Report
As we enter a new decade, how has first class changed over the last decade? I’m in Israel this week and trying to relax a bit with my family. At the same time, Live and Let’s Fly never goes on vacation. In an attempt to find a happy medium, I am going to publish a […]
Review: United Airlines 787-10 Economy Class
I’ve flown United’s new Boeing 787-10 in business class, but how is it in economy class? Sometimes I will decline and upgrade even when it is is available. My supply of upgrade instruments is not unlimited and I made the choice to remain behind the curtain on my flight from Newark to Frankfurt. First, the […]
Air France Retires First A380…My La Premiere Clock Is Ticking
Air France quietly retired its first of 10 Airbus A380s last week. I’m still on the fence as to whether to invest in such an outdated product. F-HPJB continued onto Malta Saturday after arriving in Paris from Johannesburg. The Air France livery will be painted over and its future is unknown…Singapore’s retired A380 has not […]
Review: British Airways 747-400 World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy)
I have to admit, I really enjoyed World Traveller Plus (premium economy) on British Airways. On a daytime flight, it is a nice hybrid between economy and business class. My day began in Istanbul with a business class flight to London. After a six hour layover, I was anxious to board my nonstop flight home […]
Lufthansa Slashes Meal Service In Economy + Premium Economy (As Competition Improves)
Lufthansa is “optimizing” the pre-arrival meal service in economy class and premium economy class on longhaul flights. That’s bad news, since Lufthansa was already lagging behind its competition. Effective November 28, 2019, Lufthansa will only offer a cold vegetarian snack for the pre-arrival meal on longhaul flights. The portion will be small and there will […]
First Time In First Class Terminal + Lufthansa A321 Business Class To Scotland
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the United States who has offered his insights and analysis on a number of topics on Live and Let’s Fly recently traveled with his brother and father on a very special trip to Scotland. He asked me if I would be interested in a trip report and I quickly […]
Review: Lufthansa Business Lounge Athens (ATH)
Small but serviceable, the Lufthansa lounge in Athens was a nice alternative to the even-more-crowded Aegean lounge nearby. This Schengen lounge is located near gate A25 and available to Star Alliance Gold members as well as Lufthansa or SWISS business class or connecting first class passengers. It is open daily from 4:30AM to 8:00PM seven […]
Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge Berlin (TXL)
Lufthansa’s aging but adequate Senator Lounge provided a productive environment for my long layover in Berlin Tegel. This lounge really has not changed since I first visited it more than a decade ago. Neither has TXL…for decades. There is something I love about it flying out of West Berlin, which we might as well call […]
Air France First Class Awards: Sensible Or Foolish?
Air France First Class awards were never for the parsimonious, but were still reachable and in some cases valuable. With new restrictions and increased pricing on La Première awards, is there any value proposition left? Effective October 15, 2019, Air France is making first class awards even more restrictive: Only Flying Blue Gold and Platinum members […]
First Impressions: British Airways World Traveller Plus
I’m back home and honestly quite pleased by my 11-hour journey in World Traveller Plus onboard British Airways’ aging 747-400. The flight exceeded my expectations. I’ve flown British Airways so many times over the years and have yet to have a bad service encounter. Quite the contrary, I’ve had so many great interactions with caring […]
Last Row. Middle Seat. My 11-Hours In Lufthansa Economy Class…
I may be a glutton for punishment, but would never voluntarily choose a middle seat in the middle section in the last row of an aircraft, especially on an 11-hour flight from Los Angeles to Munich. But that’s exactly where I ended up this week, and I am searching for answers… My business partner, John, […]
Oktoberfest In Lufthansa First Class Munich Lounge
I connected through Munich last week, giving me a chance to check out the special Oktoberfest-themed menu in the Lufthansa First Class Lounge. As you walk into the lounge, you’ll notice a special stall with gingerbread hearts hanging from it. Oktoberfest started in 1810 in celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess […]
