Video: Lufthansa shows off its new baby: Boeing 747-8I. Wow!
Wow! This week Lufthansa took delivery of its biggest new baby, the Boeing 747-8I. What a beautiful bird! Take a look at the excellent video above and keep in mind the following:
>Lufthansa is the first commercial airline to fly the 747-8I. The first 747-8i will fly between Washington-Dulles and Frankfurt. Lufthansa says that there are no current plans to bring it to San Francisco. However, it will soon be flying between Los Angeles LAX, Chicago ORD and Frankfurt. Lufthansa has 20 of these planes on order– five more will arrive this year.
Lufthansa's new business class seat is true lie-flat, but is angled inward. (Photo: Lufthansa)
>The 747-8I sports Lufthansa’s brand new true lie-flat business class product. (See video for a good close look.) What’s most unusual about the new biz class is how seats are angled slightly inward. (See video. I reserve judgement on this until I actually spend 10 hours on a plane, angled slightly toward a stranger…) This is great news since Lufthansa’s angled lie-flat seats (on the A380s, 747-400s and A340s it flies into SFO) get low marks for comfort. Eventually, all aircraft will be fitted with the newer business class, but it’s going to take 2-3 years.
>The economy class seat is identical to that found on Lufthansa’s A380. On the 747-8I, the layout in coach is 3-4-3 with 31 inches of pitch.
Serrated edges on the engines. Cool! (Photo: Lufthansa)
>Plane spotters will know that they are looking at a 747-8I when they see: engines with serrated edges (just like the new 787) and the lack of winglets that are found on the 747-400. (Boeing says the new wings have “raked wingtips.”)
>The new 747-8I flies more quietly, burns less fuel and therefore has fewer emissions that earlier versions.
>The fuselage on the 747-8i is 250 feet, 2 inches long– that’s 18 feet, four inches longer than the 747-400. It’s now the longest passenger aircraft in the world…about three feet longer than the Airbus A340-600.
>Lufthansa’s version of the 747-8I will have eight first class, 92 business class and 262 economy class seats. First class is in the nose of the plane on the main deck. Business class is upstairs and downstairs.
>The list price for a Boeing 747-8I is about $300 million.
The first Lufthansa 747-8I takes off from the Boeing plant in Everett, WA bound for Frankfurt
Which US city is most expensive for travelers? Surprising answer
There are plenty of interesting nuggets in a new travel spending report from Concur, a company that provides travel expense management solutions for companies that spent a total of $50 billion last year for travel and entertainment.
A couple standouts from the infographic and Concur’s latest Spend Report:
>Our very own Santa Clara is the most expensive city for business travel in the US– beating out New York, San Francisco and Boston for the top honor. Why so spendy? Interestingly, the full report shows that ground transportation expenses are the culprit. According to the Concur report, expenses for rental cars and ground transportation run twice as much in this Silicon Valley city as they do in most other US cities. And who comes to the Valley without renting a car?
>Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world for business travel… but not a single US city ranks in the top 10 anymore. Bring a fat wallet if you are traveling to Australia or Scandinavia. Ouch!
Click on the graphic below for a better view:
What’s your advice for San Francisco-bound business travelers?
Click on the image to read the full column on BBC.com
One of the many hats I wear is that of business travel columnist for BBC.com. This month, I wrote “Business Trip: San Francisco,” which offers advice to visiting business travelers. It typically includes top upscale hotels– both elegant and edgy, dining or entertainment suggestions, local color and local protocol or etiquette advice.
This is the twelfth in a series of destination focused business travel piece I’ve written for BBC.com over the last year– other cities I’ve recently written about include: London, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro and Frankfurt.
Anyway, I thought writing about San Francisco, the city I know and love best, would be a breeze. But it was a lot tougher than I expected! The most difficult part was deciding what NOT to include. My instructions from BBC are to keep the stories short and sweet– a quick read for busy global business travelers from anywhere in the English-speaking world.
So Dear Reader, what advice would YOU offer a global business traveler visiting our fair city? What did I leave out? Please leave your comments, advice or suggestions below! And then send the link to this page to visitors headed our way!
Summer business class sale beckons bargain hunters
Lufthansa's A380 flying SFO-FRA has a whopping 98 business class seats
Economy class round trips between SFO and Europe during peak summer travel season (July/August) are now approaching $1,500 round trip– and will continue to creep up to near the $2,000 mark over the next few months.
However, airlines have a tough time selling those big business class seats on transatlantic flights because a lot of business travelers are on vacation during July and August. Due to the drop in demand for business class during summer, airlines are dropping prices– from the standard $6,000-$8,000 round trip to as little as $2,250 round trip.
For example, Lufthansa’s round-trip, all-in business class fares from SFO range from $2,250 to $3,500 depending on your final destination. (See chart below.) You must book your trip by May 31 for trips beginning June 29 and ending before September 1.
These fares are good on Lufthansa as well as its Star Alliance partners Air Canada, Swiss or United. United has matched Lufthansa’s business class sale. So have SkyTeam airlines such as Delta, KLM and Air France. Virgin Atlantic has joined in the fun. However British Airways does not appear to be joining in on the sale at this time.
Lufthansa fares from SFO:
With fares that low for business class…would you pay the premium for a big seat up front?
4 fabulous new 5-star hotels in London worth checking into
The view across the Thames from London's new Corinthia Hotel-- that pointy building surrounded by cranes in the background is The Shard, Europe's newest, tallest building. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
I love London for many reasons, most of which revolve around my career in the travel biz. To me, the city just feels like the center of the universe, so every time London calls, I answer!
The dynamic London hotel scene is endlessly fascinating. There is always plenty of experimentation, unusual quirks and something new or unusual to check out.
In preparation for the visitor onslaught brought on by they upcoming Summer Olympics, I recently took off across the pond for a peek at the London hotel scene, and found four fabulous new (or newly renovated) five-star properties worth checking into.
Even if you can’t spend the night, it’s worth stopping by their lively lobbies to have a drink and a gawk at the cool design, have a meal or just to sit and enjoy the outstanding people watching.
A two-ton, LED illuminated Baccarat crystal chandelier sparkles in the lobby of London's brand new Corinthia Hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Corinthia Hotel London:
Wow! London’s not seen a stunner like this since the much anticipated re-opening of Fairmont’s Savoy Hotel in 2010. Just walking into the big, bright and airy lobby takes your breath away.
This magnificent 294-room newcomer is housed in a gorgeous, historic Victorian-era building that’s been so deeply renovated that it feels brand new. There’s none of the creaky floors, noisy plumbing or mustiness found in some of the capital’s finest grand dames. Rooms are modern, clean, and very big by London standards.
But it’s the big, bright, and buzzy lobby that really wowed me. In the center of the space is a soaring dome adorned with a giant, two-ton, globe-shaped Baccarat crystal chandelier composed of 1,001 grapefruit-sized crystal baubles—each illuminated from within with a tiny white LED light. Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, it’s worth walking through the lobby just to see this gorgeous work. While you are at it, pop in for a meal at one of the hotel’s two popular restaurants, The Northall (traditional British fare with a fresh twist) or Massimo’s (Italian seafood).
The Corinthia also earns high marks from business travelers because it’s one of the few five-star London hotels that include high-speed wi-fi in the nightly rate. Another big selling point for Americans is its liberal no-restrictions check-in and check-out policy—if you are arriving on an early morning flight, just let the hotel know beforehand, and your room will be ready when you arrive—no interminable wait in the lobby while your room is made up
The imposing, yellow sandstone building in Whitehall previously housed Britain’s Ministry of Defense. Malta-based Corinthia Hotels reportedly bought the building and restored it to the tune of about $550 million. Construction began in 2008, and the hotel opened in April 2011. See www.corinthia.com/London
Hipster doormen in rolled jeans and flannels set the scene at London's new bohemian chic Belgraves hotel
Belgraves
If your business is showbiz, fashion, tech, PR or advertising, the brand new Belgraves hotel is custom-made just for you. It’s the first British outpost of the popular NYC-based Thompson Hotels Group (which recently merged with SF-base Joie de Vivre hotels), and inserts a bit bohemian Americana to its buttoned-up Belgravia neighborhood near Sloane Square. The 85-room hotel, which opened on February 1, is located in the shell of the old Sheraton Belgravia hotel—but there’s nothing Sheraton about this place anymore.
American touches abound– Check out the jeans-and-flannel-clad hipster doormen, or the US flag art behind the front desk. The mid-century modern furnishings in the cozy lobby conversation nooks are straight out of Mad Men.
Comfy-mod rooms have smallish bay windows with plush jewel-toned velvet love seats, and big bright marble bathrooms with tubs that overlook a leafy square across the street. Nice touch: Bedside docking stations can accommodate either an iPad or iPhone. See http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/london/belgraves
Spectacular city views from the glass-walled 10th floor spa atop London's recently renovated Four Seasons Park Lane Hotel. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Four Seasons Park Lane
The Four Seasons on Park Lane oozes opulence as soon as you step out of your black London taxi in the porte cochere. Handsome doormen in knee length brown jackets and snappy English Trilby hats greet you by name (by sneaking a look at the tag on your bag). Well-heeled guests in finely tailored suits, Italian shoes and horn rimmed specs float through the lobby on their way to their rooms or to the hotel’s popular Amaranto restaurant.
Originally built in 1970, the hotel closed in 2008 for a complete makeover, and re-opened in January 2011. The sumptuous lobby is now bathed in sexy white streaked Italian black marble and mahogany paneling, trimmed in red leather and spritzed with hundreds of white orchids.
Room design is mostly masculine—reds, browns and wood paneling. Black leather covered desks. Light brown and orange wool tartan curtains, big walk in closets. There are even 32 rooms with working fireplaces.
During the recent re-do, the nine story, 217-room hotel got a tenth floor—housing a gorgeous light and airy spa, gym with views across Mayfair to the London Eye, the new Shard and the City. This aerie also serves as a day lounge where early arriving guests can set up shop while waiting for their rooms.
Nice: The hotel also has two big black Rolls-Royces on hand to shuttle guests to points within central London. See www.fourseasons.com/london/ Note: There are two Four Seasons in London—the other is located in Canary Wharf on the city’s eastern edge.
Gothic architecture looms over London's fab new Renaissance St Pancras hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Renaissance St Pancras
When my cab pulled up to the front of this north-central London hotel, I felt like I was arriving at Hogwarts with its ominous clock tower, gothic arches, spires, red brick and wrought iron. The hotel is actually part of the London St Pancras International train station, built over 150 years ago, but redeveloped in the last decade.
The old hotel part of the station had fallen into disrepair, and was nearly demolished when developers swooped in and returned the space to its former glory as a very unique luxury hotel—unlike any Marriott-branded hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
For instance, developers transformed the station’s old iron and glass porte cochere into a lively, bright lobby area. The adjacent ticketing office is now a warm and clubby lobby restaurant and bar—packed with locals as well as passengers waiting to board the Eurostar trains that depart St Pancras for Paris or Brussels.
In addition to historic (and more expensive) “chambers” rooms in the old building, a modern Marriott-style 200-room wing was added out back— not as unique, but probably better suited for business travelers who prefer to spend most of their free time in public spaces and work in their rooms. See http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lonpr-st-pancras-renaissance-london-hotel
Disclosure: McGinnis was a guest of the house at some of the hotels mentioned in this post.
Two stunning new airline lounges at SFO (Photos)
Gorgeous white marble and backlit Fabbian glass tiles make for a dramatic entrance at Cathay Pacific's new SFO lounge.
International business and first class travelers departing for Hong Kong, Dubai or beyond can now cool their heels while awaiting flights at two gorgeous new lounges at SFO. These perches are so plush that passengers may want to get to the airport early just to enjoy the surroundings and get a great pre-flight meal.
In December, Cathay Pacific and Emirates opened new lounges at SFO’s international terminal. Both invited me out last month for a look around, and allowed me to take photos to share with readers.
The gorgeous 5,500 sq ft Cathay Pacific lounge is located up an escalator just beyond the security screening area near most other airline lounges on south (A) side of the International Terminal. Prior to the opening of this lounge, Cathay Pacific passengers used facilities offered by Oneworld partner British Airways. Now they have a lounge all to themselves. The lounge’s minimalist design is based on Cathay’s flagship lounges at Hong Kong International– materials such as white italian marble, bamboo paneling and Fabbian crystal are the same. Another similarity: the chef-staffed noodle bar!
The Emirates lounge is located about halfway down SFO’s south side international terminal corridor on the left hand side. First, business and Skywards elite passengers enter and check in, then descend into the enormous 9,500 sq. ft. lounge located one floor down– with direct access to the waiting B777– there is no need to exit the lounge to board the plane. Again, the design of this club should be familiar to Emirates flyers– the rich contemporary look (wood, leather, brass, earth tones, sprays of fresh flowers and plants) is nearly identical to Emirates’ 25 lounges in Dubai and around the world. Similar to the carrier’s main hub lounges in Dubai, passengers are tempted by a visually stunning, seemingly limitless smorgasbord of dining options designed to appeal to western, Indian, Asian and Arab palates. There’s even a Muslim prayer room– with it’s own foot-washing station.
Let’s go take a look! Cathay first:
The big, bright Cathay lounge is open from 7:45 am until 11:50 am, and then again from 8:05 pm until midnight.
The unique and popular Cathay Solus Chair is a specially built unit offering a private space to eat, work and relax.
Cathay's signature fresh noodle bar turns out the perfect pre-flight comfort food-- made to order. There is also a wide variety of hot and cold Western and Asian dishes at the self-service counter
Plenty of space to spread out and work or chill, bathed in natural light
There are three unusually large shower suites, sheathed in marble and other unusual finishes like this white river stone tile.
A large carrera marble communal table in the dining area.
Cathay offers two flights per day from SFO to Hong Kong-- noon and midnight. SFO-HKG nonstops last about 14 hours.
Now, let’s walk on down to the Emirates lounge….
Emirates passengers check in here, then descend to the lounge. It opens at noon and closes once all passengers have boarded for the 3:45 pm departure to Dubai (15.5 hours away!)
The enormous, light-filled lounge is filled with cozy seating nooks like this. Floor to ceiling windows look out onto the ramp and the waiting Emirates B777.
There are several of Emirates signature Rolex wall clocks throughout the lounge.
A private prayer room.
This is the foot washing station adjacent to the prayer room.
Passengers get restaurant-style service at the largest private dining room at SFO.
Foodies will delight in the array of gorgeous hot and cold options-- all labeled.
Vegetarian options abound to appeal many travelers who travel through Dubai to get to India.
Passengers can even get a steak! There's also a full bar, a fine wine selection, including champagne.
Nice touch: Free wi-fi throughout the lounge. There is also a business center with several internet connected PCs.
Take a look inside United’s newly configured Boeing 777
You can spot a Boeing 777 by the pinched (vs cone-shaped) rear tip of the fuselage (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Slowly but surely, United is rolling out its popular true lie-flat business and first class seats across its international long haul fleet.
According to its website, all of the carrier’s Boeing 747′s and 767′s now have the new business and first class seats. The revamp of its Boeing 777-200 fleet is about halfway there– with 24 out of 46 completed.
United is also installing brand new coach seats in its B777′s, and reconfiguring the cabin from a 2-5-2 to a 3-3-3 layout. (You can see a seat map here.) United’s B777′s are 11-13 years old, on average. Eventually, Continental’s 22 B777′s will be folded into the United fleet, but for now will remain with Continental’s BusinessFirst configuration– which also offers a true lie-flat seat.
From SFO, United has deployed the newly configured B777s on nonstop routes to: London, Tokyo-NRT, and Shanghai.
In December, United invited me out to its maintenance hanger at SFO where most of the reconfiguring is taking place. Below you’ll find photos and info on the new design. Once you’ve had a look, or if you’ve flown on one of these birds, leave your comments about it below!
Check out how big the first class section looks without seats-- like a gymnasium! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
At the back in coach, the B777 is now configured 3-3-3 vs. the old 2-5-2. The new Weber seat "pivots" back, instead of leaning back into the face of the person behind you. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Knee-room in Economy Plus is not bad! Economy Plus provides 34" of "pitch" -- three more inches than standard coach at 31". (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Every coach seat gets a new 7" seat back screen with 150 hours of programming with a variety of movies (all free), television programs, games, and music. If you'd rather BYO entertainment, United's also installed two power outlets for every row of 3 coach seats-- which means you might have to share the juice. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
United and British Airways are the only two carriers to offer front AND rear-facing business class seats. United said it can fit more business class seats into the cabin this way-- and has received few complaints from rear-facers. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Here's another angle so you can see what I mean by forward and rear-facing seats. All biz class seats now have a power plug, USB 2.0 plug and iPhone/iPod input plug. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Seats are configured 2-4-2 which means two middle seats for each row. But there's a nice wide armrest separating them. However, it will still take some maneuvering to get out of the middle seat if your seatmate is in full recline. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Plenty of legroom and a big 17" screen in both business and first class (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
There are eight "First Suite" seats on the B777 configured 1-2-1. Niiice! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Here's a full frontal view of the big First Suite seat. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
There's plenty of storage space for personal effects in the First Suite-- nice on those long hauls to Asia! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Many thanks to the fine folks at United Services at SFO for taking us behind the scenes! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
So, what do you think? In coach, is 3-3-3 better than 2-5-2? The lie-flat seats in biz are clearly better than the previous version. And how do you think the First Suite stacks up against competitors? Please leave your comments below.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
- United and British Airways are the only two airlines in the world to offer forward AND rear-facing business class seats. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
How to use your phone overseas- and not spend a fortune
(Photo: Jorge Quinteros / Flickr)
Did you get a shiny new iPhone or smart phone for Christmas? Are you worried that it might cost you a fortune if you dare to turn it on overseas? In this guest post, longtime BAT reader Jim Braude offers some excellent tips for staying connected when overseas– whether you use an iPhone or an Android device. Braude divides his time between Atlanta and Paris managing a delightful collection of guest apartments in both cities that he rents to travelers.
Learn From My Mistakes!
The first time I came here [to France] with my iPhone I didn’t pay attention to details or warnings, resulting in an $1800.00 bill after just two weeks. Now I’ve learned the tricks and happy to share them with you. — Jim Braude, ourhomeinparis.com
1 – Use the wi-fi! Most hotels and all of our apartments have unlimited wi-fi use. Of course, it makes sense to do as much data transfer as possible using the wi-fi network, as it’s the 3G that nails you if you go over your limit (see next point). More coffee houses are adding wi-fi too as a free perk, but be careful if non secured.
2 – AT&T has three features that greatly reduce the bill:
>Global messaging – 200 international text messages for 30.00
>International roaming – data – 125MB for $49.99 – this is greatly reduced recently. If you use it with ONAVO (see below) it’s more than enough for a once-an-hour check of emails for a full month.
>International roaming – voice – $5.99. Cheaper long distance to the US. But I use SKYPE when on wi-fi instead, which is even cheaper.
3 – SKYPE – nothing beats Skype to Skype video calls, free and with the newer Macs you get really clear sound and picture.
4 – ONAVO is a free app for iPhone that compresses data and greatly reduces the amount of data transmission– it literally halves your incoming data bill.
5 – PHONE TAG – for $9.99/month. I forward my incoming voice calls to my phonetag number, it then computer-generates a voice to email message, and sends me an email. This also makes it unnecessary to check voice mail which I prefer. It’s not perfect– occasionally the computer will make some odd choices in its translation from voice to text– but it includes an attachment of the actual voice message that you can listen to if needed as a back up.
6- CHANGE SETTINGS. Change how often your phone checks for email from every fifteen minutes to every hour during the day and change to MANUAL setting at night unless you have wi-fi setting and wi-fi remains on 24/7.
7- WHATSAPP - an almost free app (99 cents) for international texting, works great [across iPhone, Android and Nokia platforms].
8 – GET AN APARTMENT - when a homeowner gets cable service in France, it costs only 5 euros more per month for the owner to add unlimited free calling to the US or Canada from a fixed line. Warning: some carriers do NOT allow free calls to mobile phones–only to fixed lines– so confirm that first. And confirm whether the country you are calling is on the free list. When you install cable (and wi-fi and phone) in your apartment, calls to the US and Canada are almost always free, from both both fixed line and mobile.
9 – PICKPOCKETS – the number one most stolen item in France is the iPhone. DO NOT leave it on a table top at a cafe. A young man covered mine with a newspaper as he asked me a question and took my iphone away in seconds, but I caught him in the act. Avoid using on the subway as you are alerting those around you that you are a prime target. Never leave your iphone in backpack or purse that is behind you rather in front of you.
Do you have any other money-saving or hassle-reducing tips on using your mobile phone overseas? If so, please leave your advice in the comments box below!
Q: What is the longest flight from SFO?
Seatback screen aboard an Emirates B777 showing the route of our 15.5 hour flight from SFO to>>>
Q: What’s the longest flight from SFO?
A: The longest flight from San Francisco International is Emirates’ nonstop, 15.5-hour flight to Dubai on a Boeing 777.
Q: When flying from San Francisco to Dubai, would your heading be west or east?
A: Neither! The 8,100-mile flight between SFO and Dubai heads due north—right over the North Pole!
Last fall, Emirates invited me to take this monumental, nonstop journey to the other side of the world. Here are some notes and photos from the flights—in both directions. C’mon along for this spectacular ride– and see the North Pole…
Photo: Chris McGinnis
Emirates flies a Boeing 777-300 between SFO and Dubai in a three-class configuration: First, business and economy. Depending on time of year, economy class roundtrip nonstops cost between SFO and DXB are in the $1,000-$1,500 range; business class fares range from $5,000 to $7,000; first class roundtrip fares are $8,000+.
Emirates says its load factors out of SFO are very healthy– around 80% on average. It says that SFO is at the “top of the list” for deployment of one of Emirates 15 giant A380s, however, at this time the double-decker does not have the range to fly SFO-DXB with a full load during the hot summer months, so there are no set plans to switch to the A380 for now.
Emirates recently opened a brand new 9,500 square foot business class lounge at SFO’s International Terminal A (the southern side).
Forty-two business class seats are configured 2-3-2 on the B777, with a cocoon-like back shell that provides plenty of privacy. Most surfaces (such as the tray table, and even the toilet seat lid in the lavatory) are covered in a classy burled walnut veneer; there are power outlets for laptops, noise canceling headsets, and oversized inflight amenity bags– one for men, another for women– full of all sorts of goodies. While there is no in-flight internet, passengers can send and receive text messages from their seats at $1 per message. All seat functions (including recline, in-flight entertainment or IFE controls and even massage) are controlled by the hand held unit you see in the armrest pictured above.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After a 3:45 pm departure from SFO, we headed due north on a clear day, right over the top of Mt Shasta, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and the snow-capped peaks of British Columbia at sunset. What a view! I tried to get some work done on the laptop, but found it difficult not to watch the show unfold out the window.
I was particularly impressed with Emirates’ IFE system, which provided a 3-D, virtual-reality-like experience that (to me) was much more entertaining than the thousands of movies, TV shows and games from which passengers can choose. For those who don’t want to view the scenery out the window, electronic window shades raise or lower at the touch of a button.
Photo: Chris McGinnis
Upon boarding, flight attendants served a round a Veuve Cliquot champagne to business class passengers. After about two hours, flight attendants then proffered scented hot towels and warmed mixed nuts and then poured a nice Stag’s Leap Chardonnay, which was followed by a nice meal, briskly served, since many passengers were readying for sleep. I chose halibut, potatoes, grilled asparagus and tomatoes (my seatmate had the Lamb biryani). Food was on par with other foreign carriers I’ve flown– and head and shoulders above what’s typically found in business class on US carriers. Service was efficient, not obsequious or doting.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
While I was hoping to stay awake long enough to peer out at the North Pole, the two glasses of Chardonnay, the meal, the melatonin and this nice linen covered mini-mattress (see above), full sized pillow and cozy comforter convinced me otherwise. (I did see The Pole on the return, though! Keep reading…)
Business class seats on Emirates B777 are of the “angled lie-flat” variety (vs true lie-flat) which disappointed me at first. However, the tilt was barely detectable once the seat was fully reclined– and get this: I fell asleep somewhere over the Yukon Territory, and woke up seven hours later somewhere over Iran! By far, the longest, best night’s sleep I’ve ever experienced on a plane.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After our 15.5 hour journey, we landed in Dubai the following day at about 7:45 pm. Dubai International Airport (DXB) is simply stunning. What you see above is baggage claim– which should give you some idea of what the entire airport is like– big, bright and beautiful. It felt like a brand new Las Vegas casino– minus the gambling, which is illegal in Dubai.
Sixty percent of Emirates passengers use Emirate’s giant DXB hub as a connecting point to the carrier’s extensive network of flights– especially to India. As a matter of fact, 50% of all Emirates passengers from SFO end up flying onward from DXB to Indian cities such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.
India-bound passenger’s other options include flying from SFO via Asia or Europe. At one time, United and Emirates participated in a frequent flyer program partnership where Mileage Plus members could earn United miles when flying Emirates to Dubai. However, Emirates says that United decided to terminate that partnership last May.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
All business and first class passengers get free transportation via a fleet of black Volvo station wagons stationed outside the airport to their hotels in Dubai (most are about 15-30 minutes away). There is also the quick, slick Dubai Metro rail system that connects the airport to the city– however, note that it has limited hours on Fridays, which are holy days in the Arab world.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
This photo, taken from the roof of the Shangri-La hotel shows the towering Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world. In the lower right corner is a Dubai metro station. It all looked like something out of a science fiction movie.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
On the day of my return flight, I arrived at the airport early to investigate and enjoy what I’d heard was one of the poshest business class lounges in the world. I was not let down– from the spray of fresh flowers at the entry, to the multiple buffets serving traditional English breakfast, full Indian meals, baked potatoes with all the toppings, salmon with capers, shrimp, endless refrigerated shelves of desserts, juices, tea, and coffee. The selection boggles the mind.
Morning is peak time in the Emirates business class lounge, and the place was packed– almost uncomfortably so. I was told that this enormous lounge could accommodate up to 1,600 travelers, and I think it was running pretty close to capacity that day. Seeing the crowds, and knowing that everyone in the lounge had paid several thousand dollars for their business class tickets made me wonder to myself, “What global financial crisis?” (See additional photos here.)
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Flying back to SFO took us over the North Pole once again, and this time I stayed up for the action. In the photo above, you can see our routing over the top displayed on the IFE system.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
That’s it! The money shot! In this photo, I’m looking out the window straight down on the North Pole. (See the big striped candy cane? 
)
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After the excitement of seeing the North Pole, it was time for a snooze. Note how Emirates has cleverly installed thousands of tiny fiber-optic white lights (that actually twinkle) into the ceiling of the aircraft to let you know that it’s time to sleep. Nice touch.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
For Muslims, who must face east for their daily prayers, Emirates in-flight system displays this icon several times throughout the flight in the IFE system– the arrow points east toward Mecca, no matter which direction the plane is pointed in.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Almost home!
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Forward facing cameras on the B777 broadcast the view as we approach SFO and touch down at about 1 pm pacific time.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. He was a guest of Emirates Airline on this roundtrip flight. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
SFO to get posh new biz/first class lounge
Entry at the Emirates Lounge in New Delhi-- expect similar touches like marble, polished wood and gold letters at SFO (Photo: C. McGinnis)
Dubai-based Emirates Airline has announced that it will open a new business and first class lounge on the A side of the international terminal at SFO later this year.
It will be Emirates’ only lounge on the West Coast…not even LAX gets one of these posh perches.
(Want to see what’s in store for SFO? Scroll down for my slideshow of photos inside Emirates lounges in Dubai and Delhi.)
Emirates currently operates a single daily Boeing 777 SFO-Dubai flight from the G (left) side of the international terminal where it provides business and first class passengers with access to United’s lounges.
The new 9,502 square foot club will be located on the A (right) side between gates 3 and 5 (on the left as you walk from security) and directly across the terminal walkway from the British Airways lounge.
As in other Emirates facilities around the world, cost does not seem to be much of an object with the SFO lounge—expect marble floors, gold Rolex Clocks, fresh flowers, HD televisions, exclusive restrooms and showers, a business center, workstations and free wi-fi. (See slideshow below for a peek of what’s in store.)
Crowding should not be an issue since the lounge will be exclusive to Emirates first, business and elite frequent flyers. (Emirates says that it will not share loung access with any other carriers.) An Emirates 777 holds only 50 first and business class passengers, but the lounge is designed to accommodate a maximum of 265, including a dining area for 77.
Chefs will prepare and present a wide array of hot and cold dishes from an on-site kitchen. There will also be a full bar (flights depart SFO at 4:45 pm…conveniently close to cocktail hour).
Unusual: Business and first class passengers will be able to board the flight from a jetway door located in the lounge leading directly to the plane.
On a recent trip through Dubai to India, Emirates invited me into its massive lounge at its hub there. Since the look and feel of its lounges are pretty standard around the world, what you see in these photos should match up pretty closely with what we’ll soon see at SFO:
Entry point at Emirates flagship business class lounge at Dubai-DXB which can accommodate 1,800 passengers-- and still gets quite crowded at peak times. There's a separate first class lounge I was unable to get into. (Photo: C. McGinnis)
.
One of four dining areas at the Dubai lounge which can accommodate 1,800 passengers (Photo: C. McGinnis)
.
Check out this lox and bagel spread (Photo: C. McGinnis)
.
Loungers for naps (photo: C. McGinnis)
.
Shrimp (Prawn) sandos (Photo: C. McGinnis)
.
One of a wide selection of desserts and pastries (Photo: C. McGinnis)
.
Full bar stocked with premium brands (Photo: C. McGinnis)
.
Rolex wall clocks at Dubai Int'l-- a standard in all Emirates lounges (Photo: C. McGinnis)
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers.)
What’s your outlook for fall travel?
By the time you get back to the office on Tuesday, business travel season will have kicked in and road warriors can begin to reclaim their space at airports, on planes and at hotels. But given recent fluctuations in financial markets and economic uncertainty….what’s it going to be like out there over the next 4-6 months? Are travelers cutting back? Are fares and rates rising or falling?
At the recent Global Business Travel Association convention in Denver, I wrangled interviews with some of the most important executives in attendance— from the likes of American Express, British Airways, Southwest Airlines, Best Western and Singapore Air. I asked them about their outlook for the fall business travel season…. click on the video above to hear their answers.
What’s your outlook? Do you plan on traveling more, less or about the same amount this fall compared to last fall? Has the recent roller coaster ride in financial markets clipped your wings at all? Please take a peek at the 3-minute video, and leave your comments below!
Bienvenue! Air France A380 lands at SFO (VIDEO)
Today Air France’s big new A380 touched down at SFO for the first time. I was very excited to get special access to the runways and tarmac to shoot this two-minute video.
Check out how close we were to this leviathan as it gracefully touched down. And watch the special water cannon welcome salute from the SFO fire department.
I did not have the chance to see the interior of this big bird, but you can check out interior photos of all three classes here.
Looking out over the summer, roundtrip coach fares between San Francisco and Paris are running in the $1100 to $1500 range. Business class roundtrip summer sale fares are in the $3000 range– not bad compared to standard business class fares which normally runs closer to the $6K-$8K mark.
Bienvenue!
Planespotters: Air France A380 arrives Monday 6/6
Bonjour! Air France A380 flights between Paris and San Francisco commence with the arrival of flight 84 from Charles de Gaulle airport on MONDAY, June 6 at 12:40 pm. (Departing SFO for CDG at 4:10 pm)
While there is no formal arrival celebration planned at the airport, the city will welcome the giant new Airbus aircraft with a fire department water cannon salute as it taxis in to the gate.
Weather forecast for Monday: Currently a 40% chance of rain.
(photo credit: Air France)
Lufthansa’s A380 comes to SFO: 6 things you should know
That’s your trusty BATman underneath one of four engines that propel the A380 through the atmosphere.
Earlier this week I took a whirlwind 48-hour trip to Frankfurt, Germany to engage in the festivities surrounding the arrival of Lufthansa’s giant A380 to San Francisco.
Come on along and check out photos of all three classes, bathrooms, exterior cameras and several unusual touches that make this leviathan of a plane special.
1) There are 425 coach seats which fill the entire lower level of this big ship. Coach seating is tight in a 3-4-3 configuration (with 94 rows!), however due to the use of new composite materials, thinner seats provide more space, and knee room is not all that bad. Each coach passenger has a touch screen video entertainment system. Seats feel more comfortable than they look in the photos below. Current roundtrip coach fares between SFO and Frankfurt are in the $1300 range for June trips.
I’m 6’1″ and still have ample knee room in coach. Cup holder is a nice touch for those who don’t want to lower the entire tray table.
Yes, that’s right, Row 94! Last row in coach.
2) There is a distinct separation among classes on the A380– it reminded me of how classes were separated in the movie “Titanic.” For example, first and business class passengers board the plane from their own jetway which leads to the upper level. Coach passengers board from two separate jetways that lead to the lower level. While there are two stairways (in the front and back) on the A380, mixing of the classes is obstructed by gates– coach passengers are not allowed upstairs.
This is the gate blocking passage at the rear circular stairway of the A380.
3) Business class seats (all 98 of them!) are identical to those found on Lufthansa’s 747s. Seats are “angled” lie-flat versus “true” or “horizontal” lie-flat for sleeping like you’ll find on United’s flights to Frankfurt or British Airways’ flights to London. I spoke with Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr about this and he admitted that the less desirable angled seat puts them at a competitive disadvantage. Without going into specifics, he said, “It’s time for us to step up– we don’t want to fall behind in this area. We plan to invest in quality and offer the best business class seat in the world which will be a true lie-flat product. You’ll see it first on our new 747-800′s starting next year.” While Lufthansa plans to swap out the A380 for a 747 on the SFO-FRA route during the winter months, it’s not certain that it will be a new 747-800 that will have the new style seat. Spohr said that eventually the A380 will get the new true lie-flat seat, but I’m guessing that could take several years. Current roundtrip business class fares between SFO and Frankfurt are in the $7000 range for June trips.
One of the things I love about flying upstairs on a Boeing 747 are the storage bins alongside window seats. On this big bird, there are storage bins along all 28 rows in business class.
4) Lufthansa’s first class product is outstanding and offers up several unique innovations such as personal storage lockers (with combination locks), electronic window shades, mattresses, sheets and full-sized pillows placed over the fully reclined, true-flat seat for sleeping, humidified air, extra sound-reducing insulation and gorgeous finishes in leather, steel, chrome and wool. There are only eight first class seats on the A380. Current first class fares between SFO and Frankfurt are in the (gulp) $20K range, but upgrades are available from business class for super elite Lufthansa and Star Alliance fliers.
Check out the knee room on the first class seat!
A thin mattress is placed over the flattened first class seat and made into a very cozy bed.
Each first class passenger gets his/her own storage locker with a combination lock.
5) Oh, yes, the all important lavatory! Lavs in coach and business class in this ship are slightly larger than you’ll find elsewhere– some even have their own portholes. First class lavs are strikingly nice– with plenty of room to take care of business (including a urinal for men); a bench to sit down on to change clothes (pajamas provided) and a large sink and vanity area. (No showers as you’ll find on Emirates A380. But I think inflight showers are overkill. The extra room for changing clothes is a more practical use of the space.)
Business class lavatory with a view!
First class toilet and urinal– note the thoughtful handlebar to help maintain aim in turbulence.
Now that’s a first class sink.
6) The A380 has three exterior cameras with awesome views that all passengers can access from their seatback video screens. Below are images of one camera mounted in the tail of the aircraft with a view of our departure gate at Frankfurt. Below that is the view from the bottom of the plane. As we landed at SFO around noon with the sun directly overhead, there was a perfect shadow of the A380 set against the brackish brownish waters of the bay. Gorgeous!
Nice touch! Midway through the 11 hour flight between Frankfurt and SFO, flight attendants served cake and champagne to all passengers to celebrate the arrival of SFO’s first A380.
If you are interested in digging in deeper or hearing other perspectives on Lufthansa’s big bird, check out the stories from fellow travel writers and bloggers who joined me on this trip: Brett Snyder, John DiScala, Stephanie Michaels, Harriet Baskas and David Armstrong.
(Disclosure: I was a guest of Lufthansa for the inaugural A380 event in Frankfurt and SFO)
So long QANTAS. Last SFO flight departs Saturday
QANTAS 747-400 parked at SFO. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
QANTAS will depart San Francisco International for Sydney for the last time tomorrow night, Saturday May 7. The flight departs at 11:10 pm.
QANTAS is moving the daily nonstop flight to Dallas/Ft Worth where it has close ties with Oneworld partner, American Airlines.
With QANTAS out of the SFO-SYD market, only United will offer nonstops on the route. One stop options from SFO include Air New Zealand via Auckland, or QANTAS via Los Angeles. I’m wondering if perhaps the newly named Virgin Australia may consider adding nonstops from Sydney to connect with SFO-based Virgin America. Stay tuned for more on that…
I’ll sure miss seeing that graceful kangaroo on the big red tail of the QANTAS 747 parked at SFO’s international terminal.
For email updates from The BAT subscribe here!
SFO officials are sad to see it go, too. “We are sorry to see them go and we would warmly welcome back QANTAS in the future,” said airport spokesperson Mike McCarron.
I’ve been unable to get QANTAS officials in Los Angeles to make any sort of statement about its departure. SFO says that no formal farewell is planned.
So I guess the big Aussie bird will go quietly into the night tomorrow. A sad sight indeed.
How do YOU feel about QANTAS’ departure? Please leave your comments below!
