After a late final night in Paris and a wake up at OMG Oclock for a work out to work off that fine french food, I was in a Cab on my way to Charles De Gualle Airport. I made sure I got their early as I knew it could be one of the most confusing airports in the world. Thankfully the taxi drive out (still not a mercedes taxi 🙁 ) was pleasant and over quick and easy. 45 Euros later (pretty good price for it from what i can tell) I was dropped outside Terminal 1 at CDG ready to brave check in.
I found a sign which told me where to go in the airport but it was over quick and easy and quite painless as check in for all Lufthansa flights for Business/First was pretty much empty and soon enough I was boarding pass in hand and with a map from the info booth I was heading towards the gates I needed. I just kept following the signs to the right pier and then I was spat out right at Security.
The Pier Lufthansa use at CDG is quite small (the 60 gates) and once through security I headed straight for the lounge as it was dark out so no good for photos and I had plenty of stuff to do on the laptop as I have been without net for much of the last week, so plenty to plan for the coming week ahead.
The lounge was downstairs in what seems the basement of the Pier and with no windows was quite, how can i put this, clostrophobic. However in saying this it was well lit, nicely appointed and had just about everything you could need/want. I was not going to complain. The lounge had free wifi, free booze (albeit limited) and some free breakfast food if needed (i didnt ablige but it was pretty limited to a french style breakfast really). A few coffees and some wifi was all I needed.
After about an hour or more of work I headed out of the lounge to the gate area to explore the shops a little, work out where I was going along with doing a touch of spotting. Got a good range of Lufthansa aircraft (obviously) and a few other bits and pieces but nothing that exciting (still no retro jet). As the time approached and the gate found, I headed towards the desk as it seemed my seat was not really going to have good views for spotting on the taxi out. So I approached the desk and they moved my seat. Literally as they did this, boarding was called.
Lufthansa
LH3241
Paris Charles De Gualle to Berlin Tegel
0855-1030
Boeing – 737-500 (D-ABIX)
Business Class – Seat 3F
Boarding: 0831 (Gate 62)
Push Back: 0850
Take Off Roll: 0858 (Runway 27L)
Top of Descent: 0956
Touch Down: 1017 (Runway 26R)
Shut Down: 1020 (Gate: 10)
Once down the Air Bridge I was the 2nd person onboard the aircraft and noticed that this 735 was fitted with the new Slimline seats. Although typical Euro Business (ie economy seat just with middle blocked off) the seats were super thin, super hard and quite uncomfortable. Meh not worried, flights in Europe really aren’t that long. I settled into the seat and pretty soon at 0845 more than 10 minutes before scheduled departure the “Boarding Complete” announcement was made, doors shut quickly and off we were going! Gotta love German Efficiency. Obviously not a full flight and Business wasn’t very full at all, but it was ok.
A quick taxi out and no wait for the active departure Runway. We turned quickly, takeoff power set and we were heading for the sky. As we turned back around over Charles De Gualle Airport you can see just how big this airport actually is, but why they make it so hard and complicated I have no idea. Once Seatbelt sign was off, i headed for a quick pit stop (all the coffee and water does that to you) and once I was back at my seat, the breakfast try was already there.
With breakfast all laid out, it was a light, cold breakfast, pretty similar to the swiss flight on the way down but a touch more german (ie cold meats and cheese) and a little bit snacky kind of with cheesecake thingy. But really with coffee I wouldn’t care.
Tablet out to read, music on (since these aircraft don’t seem to be fitted with any form of IFE), coffee in hand and breakfast in front of me, I enjoyed the flight as it seemed to just waste away. What more can you ask for! I will tell you that the flight was super easy although I felt bad having to keep asking for more coffee. The service was decidedly cold and for some reason they just never seemed to be around. No pre departure beverage, no service really all to speak of unless I asked for it. meh!
Pretty soon we were at top of descent and a quick descent down to Berlin Tegel and a quick taxi to the gate. As we disembarked you don’t have to go far for the bags as they come out at the gate! 4th bag off the line (priority tags work yeah!) and i was off to pick up a Berlin Welcome Ticket and jump the bus to my hotel. The Pullman Berlin.