Happy New Onbaord-Food Year! At least, there is one flight experience from 2024 in this posting already, a Lufthansa Business Class flight back from the USA. Overall, there have been a lot of similar flights since late November 2023. My next flights are scheduled for early February 2024 – maybe the next edition is even kicking off with some train experience. Hope you enjoy my travel calorie comsumption overview – it’s already the thirteenth edition of Food I Had Onboard.

 

23rd November 2023, British Airways BA 3272 (operated by BA Cityflyer), Dusseldorf (DUS) – London City (LCY), Business Class

This flight kicked off too late in Dusseldorf for a reason I had for the first time: Terminal C of Dusseldorf Airport (DUS) has been evacuated for some 20 minutes. It was only a test – so it felt somehow enjoyable. I typically love BA Cityflyer – but this crew was not that heartwarming. The service felt slow and not too welcoming. The late morning service had a selection of two light lunches. I went for this salmon and potato salad, which actually felt like a majo salad with fish and spuds. The small berry cake for dessert was better, though.

 

26th November 2023, British Airways BA 942, London Heathrow (LHR) – Dusseldorf (DUS), Business Class

The return flight departed from Heathrow. No thrills in here in regards of any flight delays (we had a few minutes). The crew was nice even though I felt that the gate agent did not take the best decision pushing everyone into the passenger bridge for priority queuing, Ryanair style. The late morning snack was a nice one. I went for the heritage tomato salad with mozzarella. I really enjoyed the different tastes of the tomatoes. Unfortunately, the dessert was not my favorite (and neither it was really loved by my wife). Still a good performance for a flight, which felt to be as long on the ground as airborne.

 

30th November 2023, KLM KL 1852 (operated by German Airways), Dusseldorf (DUS) – Amsterdam (AMS), Economy

German Airways again – after my feelings were rather mixed about the KLM wetlease I had in October, the crew did a very charming service on the short flight this time. The snack looks a bit of weird, but the oatmeal cracker was really thick and thus filling – after I refused to pay the massive prices for food at Dusseldorf Airport (DUS), I really appreciated that culinary start of the day.

 

30th November 2023, KLM KL1125 (operated by Transavia), Amsterdam (AMS) – Copenhagen (CPH), Economy

No picture in here. I really enjoyed the cheese sandwich this time and had a cup of ginger ale with it. Unfortunately, the Transavia seat was so narrow and had such a close pitch that I did not feel there was a need to buckle up. No scenario under which I am able to get out of this seat anyway. KLM flights operated on Transavia hardware have a bad reputation in the frequent flyer scene… And now I know the reason.

The crew was very friendly. However, due to the limited space on the full flight, it was hard to have a safe flight. Some people even had bags on their laps during landing, which I don’t like at all. Furthermore, I ask myself why they allow the purser to have a suitcase which is significantly larger than and luggage size on a flight like that – it blocked most of the front overhead bin.

 

30th November 2023, KLM KL 9537 (operated as RC 453 by Atlantic Airways), Copenhagen (CPH) – Vagar (FAE), Economy

Being on a codeshare flights, I could neither reserve a seat beforehand nor food. Thus, I felt so sad that I could not have one of the amazing open sandwiches I pre-booked on my trip in September. The “ordinary” sandwiches were already out, so that I just went for a lovely Rocky Road bar and a Pepsi max. Total price is 65 DKK, roughly 8 EUR.

 

2nd December 2023, KLM KL 9540 (operated as RC 456 by Atlantic Airways), Vagar (FAE) – Copenhagen (CPH), Economy

As I did not expect too much nutrition on the three flights lying ahead of me, I had a quite nice lunch at the cafe of Vagar Airport (FAE). Thus, no food for me on this flight, just the complimentary cup of water. Again, the crew was very friendly. A nice way to say farewell to the Faroe Islands.

 

2nd December 2023, KLM KL 1134, Copenhagen (CPH) – Amsterdam (AMS), Economy

After the terrible Transavia experience on the outbound, sitting in the rear of an old Boeing 737-700 felt almost like luxury to me. Food has been the good, old cheese sandwich. I more and more feel it is always the same, but the taste is very different, based on the amount of sauce you actually have on it. Very nice crew again – I liked it.

 

2nd December 2023, KLM KL 1863 (operated by German Airways), Amsterdam (AMS) – Dusseldorf (DUS), Economy

Sitting in the front of the German Airways cabin was really nice. The flight is short, so that I am amazed that you have a food service at all on this one. I really liked the two flight attendants in charge of service and safety – and the pizza crackers were a really nice snack as well. Despite major delays on the ground (with a rather poor communication by the gate agents, once more…), a good flight experience.

 

8th December 2023, British Airways BA 3270 (operated by BA Cityflyer), Dusseldorf (DUS) – London City (LCY), Business Class

Even though there were not too many passengers onboard, the BA Cityflyer crew quickly ran out of options for breakfast, so that I had to opt for the “normal” Full English breakfast. At least, no tomato on it – I just don’t get why people like these warm heated up as a whole. Nice food, the crew was overall attentive. By the way, the first time I have been removed from seat 2C as I needed a seat belt extension.

 

10th December 2023, Eurowings EW 9331, Birmingham (BHX) – Dusseldorf (DUS), diverted to Cologne (CGN), SMART / Economy

Due to technical issues, the outbound flight from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Birmingham (BHX), the Airbus A321neo had massive delays and we landed at about 0:45… at Cologne/Bonn (CGN). No landings accepted in Dusseldorf (DUS) at that time. I had food at the nice Aspire Lounge in Birmingham Airport (BHX). Unfortunately, the obligatory meal voucher for the delay arrived when we were already in the waiting room of the gate. The crew was great, though, and at least gave drinks (a bottle of water for me) for free. Thanks!

 

16th December 2023, KLM KL 1852 (operated by German Airways), Dusseldorf (DUS) – Amsterdam (AMS), Economy

Heading to Gothenburg for the Women Floorball SSL match of Pixbo and Malmö, it was another time for the oatmeal cookie. I really like the cabin comfort in the front rows of German Airways. After my very first flight with them did not work well regarding the cabin crew, I had a lot of really good experience with them. This flight was another nice one – it is a short hop anyway.

 

16th December 2023, KLM KL 1153 (operated by KLM Cityhopper), Amsterdam (AMS) – Gothenburg (GOT), Economy

Another 2-2 seated flight in the Embraer, this time by KLM Cityhopper. Overall, I more and more prefer the German option. The crew was really nice, though. Needless to state that it was another cheese sandwich flight.

 

17th December 2023, KLM KL 1132, Copenhagen (CPH) – Amsterdam (AMS), Ecomomy

Okay, you know what the food has been by now. I was a bit surprised that I had a full can of Coke Zero this time. Not too much excitement for me afterwards – I slept until they served a bite (good old traditional cheese sandwich) and then relaxed a bit on my way to Amsterdam (AMS).

 

17th December 2023, KLM KL 1863 (operated by German Airways), Amsterdam (AMS) – Dusseldorf (DUS), Business Class

I took the 49 EUR option and upgraded to Business Class on this flight. Unfortunately, this does not lead to more XP on Flying Blue, but the very front seats at German Airways are even better. On top of that, that granted me fast lane in Copenhagen (CPH) before and lounge access to the KLM Crown Lounge in Amsterdam (AMS) – I just needed the transfer time for work. A good deal. Due to the short flight, you just get a cute bag with a bottle of water, a salmon sandwich and a dinner mint. Nice crew, good 25 minute flight, which compensated the trouble before. The ground handling in Amsterdam (AMS) by KLM was terrible (missing loading sheet, very lately added passengers etc.). Later, there were even some cheese crackers as well.

22nd December 2023, Swiss LX 1069 (operated by Edelweiss), Frankfurt (FRA) – Zurich (ZRH), Business Class

Our wedding trip revival – ten years after my wife and I married in Las Vegas, we headed back to the West Coast. The first stage was already messy. The plane came from Zurich (ZRH) with a slight delay – which finally summed up to more than an hour. The reason: one passenger was missing. She arrived at the gate just when the ground crew was about to spot and unload her luggage. You rarely have applause in planes nowadays, but this lady definitely deserved it.

Without irony, the cabin crew was awesome. Yeah, counting the passengers in the cabin looked a bit of clumsy, but they treated with business class cabin with chocolates and champagne, at least. Water was also provided at your seat. Due to the delay, it felt a bit too late for the small breakfast (a croissant) and a block of cheese. But as the in fact time to consume it on the short flight was about five minutes, it was actually not too bad.

 

22nd December 2023, Swiss LX 40, Zurich (ZRH) – Los Angeles (LAX), Business Class

I know that they are a well-reputed airline – but whenever I have intercontinental flights with SWISS, that leads to a mess. Whether it was the missing water bottle at my seat or the used amenity kit in my compartments – I am sure that these things do not happen to you. The business cabin was not full, but multiple parties felt to be spread over the whole cabin and sometimes between First Class and Business Class, so that the flight was definitely too… Communicative for me. The crew was less communicative. The flight was significantly delayed (some 90 minutes) and there was neither an excuse nor a reason given for that. Don’t think about an additional pre-flight drink or some chocolate or so, naturally…

The inflight service started with nuts. Luckily they were not as freezing cold as the bowl in which they have been provided. Due to the holiday season, SWISS also offered dishes from their Christmas menu. I took the starter from there – smoked duck breast with a version terrine with orange and pumpkin compote, which was nice, but not that much of a bummer. For the main dish, I diverted from Santa’s favorites. Swiss has an excellent cooperation with vegetarian restaurant Hiltl, so that their pumpkin and chestnut goulash simply felt too tempting for me. And Hiltl held what their name typically promises: excellent food. The dish was definitely one of the best I had this year. The cheeseboard had surprisingly already been served with the starter, so that I completed the meal with the cinnamon slide (no option), which was nice and at least spread some Christmas feelings. While the crew felt kind of slow at the beginning, the service finally felt rather smooth.Sarah went or the Christmas meal for the entree as well.

Right before landing, there was the Schupfnudel pan, some sort of Southern German pasta with different veggies. To make it short: I felt it was awful. In addition, I just did not feel that this is the kind of bite you long for after a long flight – especially as the snack situation in the galley was rather poorly organized and a bit of chaotic (but still better than on the Lufthansa return).

 

2nd January 2024, Lufthansa LH 457, Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA), Business Class

The flight in the lovely upper deck of the Boeing 747-800 reminded me of my posting about the distribution of bathrooms. Nominally, there are three of them in the upper deck. However, one is blocked for pilots and crew at Lufthansa and the second one in the front had to be closed at Los Angeles already due to malfunction – which meant that the whole upper deck of 32 business class travelers had to share one loo. We sat at row 84, right behind the emergency door. Quite an interesting experience, as not the galley, but that space is used to do the final meal and service preparations on that deck. Some of the stuff the crew discussed was rather not intended to be heard by passengers. Without that special position, we would not have known why there is just one working toilet on the upper deck.

The flight itself was a typical example of how different the service level can be. Some crew members (kudos to Jess!) did an amazing job, others did a simply worse presence and hospitality. The pre-flight champagne was nice (the crew got a bit of nervous as there were so many opting for bubby…), the nuts before the meal as cold as they are on any flight with the Germans. You had a choice of one of three starters and one of three mains. I had the prosciutto with Straccino cream, which was overall nice, but not overwhelming. As a main, I went for the beef filet, coming with some veggies and a garlic potato mash. I am just not a fan of North American airport catering – and again I asked myself what they are doing wrong. The crew also ran out of beef and caused some confusion at the rear of the cabin. My guess is that they were a bit too friendly to family members privately in the cabin and changed their meal. In general, I felt that some guests got a bit too many perks. The family members were treated with rose champagne from first class, another guest triumphantly received a voucher for the inflight WiFi – which you typically get in First Class only…

Sarah started with some spicy grilled shrimps with a celery root and apple salad, which was quite nice. There was some confusion about her main dish. The English menu stated a vegetable Korma, while the German one game a “Vegetable curry”. The dish coming with rice and dal definitely has been a curry, but not a Korma – and also not one of the best ones I ever had onboard. The cheese board as well as a the ice cream my wife had for desert were both very pleasing, followed by two chocolates (which I did not picture, but enjoyed…)

At the end of the rather quick flight (some 10:20 hrs total flight time), it was time for breakfast. I opted for the cheese and egg frittata with some bacon and potatoes. The small bowl of berries made me smile. The remaining dish did not give me too much taste (the bacon was quite fine as well). Sarah went for the vanilla yoghurt with some fruits and nuts, which was fine – but also rather economic in size. By the way, where did the cute, little Lufthansa salt and pepper casters go? I saw some onboard, but they don’t feel to be standard Lufthansa service any more. The frittata would have definitely profited from some spice addition.

 

British Airways & Iberia

Here are all my postings related to British Airways, Iberia and IAG Airlines:

 

Media Reviews – 2023 USA Country Music

Here are all my 2023-published Media Reviews related to country music and the USA: