Stop Off in the Fatherland

I arrived at KWI about 10:15 for my 11:45 p.m. United Airlines flight through Dulles to Los Angeles. After standing in a couple of wrong lines at various incorrect terminals I finally made it up to the UAL ticket desk. Here’s the conversation:

Me: Hello. Should I put my suitcase on the scale?
Ticket Agent: (Looking at my printout) No. Your flight has been delayed until 2:45 p.m. [15 hours!!!]
Me: Um . . . yeah . . . that’s not going to work for me.
TA: Where are you ultimately going?
Me: Los Angeles
TA: [click, clack, click, clack, click, clack . . .typing] You’re on LH637, flying to LAX through Frankfurt on Lufthansa.

I've always been told that Lufthansa is great. Now I can agree. Ticketing, boarding, departing and landing went like clockwork.l The ticket agents and flight attendants were friendly and helpful. Most of them spoke at least 5 languages. Mark Miller (from Phoenix, flight attendant on the first leg) let me move into a row with two empty seats so I could try to sleep. Mark Becker (flight attendant on the second leg) spent time trying to find my glasses, which were lost for most of the flight.

I was also impressed with the airport in Frankfurt. In place of trash cans, there are four recycle bins. Employees ride bicycles, not fuel-powered gators. The airport is quiet without extraneous announcements in 3 languages every 30 seconds. There are small bathrooms all around the gate area rather than larger bathrooms 6½ miles down the corridor. I thought I was going through Dulles so unfortunately I didn’t bring any of my leftover Euros with me. I ended up spending $16 for “entertainment” (one People magazine and a small bottle of juice).

I arrived at LAX 40 minutes later than if I had been on the original United flight. Way to go Lufthansa!