My trip begins with a 1 hour drive to Durango, Colorado to catch my first flight. It is a nice area to visit if anyone is inclined. Anyways, the United Express CRJ200 is fueled up and ready to depart for Denver on time. I grabbed 8A which is a window exit aisle. Good leg room for a regional jet. The flight is a very short 45 min, barely enough time to drink my Coke Zero.
View of the Rockies from 26,000ft
After landing in Denver I immediately made my way to the Red Carpet Club in terminal B. The RCC was quite busy. I grabbed a few snacks and a free Segrams and 7up and sat down to relax.
I was looking forward to the 2.20 min flight to Chicago in First Class as my UDU cleared 4 days previously. 30 min before I was to board the UA 757, the board showed a delay. The GAs tell us 1 hour for mechanical. I am not too worried as I figure I will still get to ORD with about 1 hour to make my connection to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. Wrong! As it turns out all UA 757s nationwide are grounded by the FAA for a software related issue. Here is a picture of our broken chariot lookin like a ghost town.
The customer service desks were a mad house. Right when I realized I was not going to be getting on my Turkish flight, I had the RCC agent rebook me at the first available. I was put on a next afternoon flight on Lufthansa to Frankfurt and then Frankfurt on to Baku, Azerbaijan. I was given a very nice hotel room in Denver and a measly 15$ food voucher. They told me I could wait about 4 hours to get my bag or they would just transfer it for me. I made the mistake of trusting they would get it transfered for me, more on that later.
The next morning I woke up with a massive headache due to the amount of alcohol I consumed to ease my pain. I hung out in the hotel until they kicked me out around noon. I arrived at the airport and checked in with Lufthansa. Everything was on time. Our plane was a very nice A340-600.
I took 26A which is a bulkhead. I had the seat next to me empty as well.
The first meal served was chicken and mashed potatoes, or so they claimed. It was pretty bad.
The in flight entertainment system is very nice on Lufthansa's a340. Wide selection of TV and movies, games, etc. I watched the movie Red with Bruce Willis, don't really recommend it but it did pass some time during dinner.
I then popped a sleeping pill and slept soundly for 6 hours and then was awaken to breakfast. When I say awaken i mean awaken. I find the Germans really structured and some what harsh on their flights. "You vill eat now!" You vill put your vindow shade down immediately or you will be whipped!" Anyways, breakfast was horrible. Cold bread, and awful tasting eggs. I actually took 1 bite and that was that.
Upon arriving in Frankfurt, I went strait to the Senators Lounge. I had a coffee and a pastry and sat down to try my luck at some poker on my laptop. Won about 25$, so I wont be quitting my job just yet.
Of course a picture of the self cleaning toilet is a must.
View from the lounge of a SQ 747 just about to be pushed back
Before leaving the lounge I wanted to check with the desk about where my bags are now that I had been re-routed. They assured me they were in a container. I asked where, she just said, don’t you worry young man, they are safe. I have heard that before. I went over to the Hugo Boss store and bought a 35$ pair of under wear, 20$ pair of socks, and a 60$ T-shirt with the company credit card so that I could change into something once I got to Baku later that night, as I was going on 3 days now in the same clothes and I was not counting on my bags making it.
Boarding the A340-300 to Baku was done via a bus and stairs, so I snapped a few pics when boarding.
The flight was quite empty so I moved from my assigned bulk head aisle to the rear of the plane where I could have 4 seats to my self and make a bed for the 4 hour flight.
Here is a picture of the worst smelling man I have ever smelled. I was forced to move to the other side of my 4 seats before take off.
Soon after take off food was served. Beef stroganof or Pasta was suppose to be the choice, that is until it got to me. Pasta is all we have says the FA. No thanks I say politely, I would rather not eat. She ended up getting me some chicken dish with mushrooms from B class, I thanked her and told her she really didn’t need to do that. She said that if I had not been polite in the first place she would not have done what she did. Here is a pic I took before she found my other meal. Sorry no pic of the entree, not much to it anyways.
Arrived in Baku at 9pm and cleared immigration quickly. As expected, my bags were no where to be found. I sat there for 1 hour and filled out paper work with the only LH agent in the airport. Told me it could be 2-4 days before my bags make it. Lovely. Good thing I have my new Hugo Boss Undies and T-shirt.
Thanks for reading my first trip report.
BEN
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