“This is not the Captain speaking. It is Sue, who is a very happy passenger, accompanying her friend Martha who booked our intercontinental flight to Munich from Newark NJ in………Business Class!”
Martha flew up from Tampa Florida and I arrived Newark from Detroit Michigan on the afternoon of July 3. The old saying that a picture is worth 1,000 words will be proven quite true here, so as the title says, I’ll give you a few words and let the photos say the rest.
Special treatment begins as we await our departure time in the Executive Lounge provided us by United.
We flew on a United Boeing 767, a very large plane. We boarded as Zone 1, ahead of others, and when we entered the aircraft, we turned LEFT instead of the usual right turn. There upon we entered what United labels as Business Class, replacing the old term, “First Class.”
You will now see photos of this spectacular setting, which I had never seen before. You will see other passengers, customarily settling into their places, reading their papers, using their electronics up to the last minute. But me! No, I am the passenger, new to this scene, taking photos, perhaps being thought of as a “no-class” category.
But just so you can see for yourself, if by chance you haven’t been in a plane like this, fasten your seat belts, sit back and enjoy the scene.
Martha and Sue, Friends “United.”
We are ready for this. We’ve waited and planned for six months and packed with just exactly what we think we will need.
The seats are actually separate consoles onto themselves. You always maintain the same space in front of you regardless of the position you put your seat in. The seat, reclines, lifts legs up, and actually flattens for sleeping and none of this affects the person behind you, as your cocoon remains stationary. It was interesting trying out all the different options you had. I was hoping I didn’t fold myself up like a taco.
The cabin attendants were upon us at once, with friendly, soft spoken greetings and offers of a drink of our choice, also bringing entertainment plug-ins, warm blankets and a gift cosmetic bag, and choice of newspapers in several languages. Take-off approaches.
We’re in the air and we study our information panel with its options as dinner soon approaches.
I choose a movie to watch after dinner and music with dinner. I can also monitor the flight to see where we are at any given moment.
We are given warm washcloths to clean up for dinner and a linen table cloth is set upon our trays. We were given our menu choices and made them prior to take-off. Now comes the cold salmon appetizer.
Martha chose a pork chop dinner. I forget what I had but on the return flight the “lunch” was like a dinner and the “snack” was like a lunch. I chose a delicious beef filet for “lunch” which was like dinner. Did you get all that?
Dessert was delightful. I think this is why I forgot what I had for dinner.
We left Newark at 5:30 pm and flew from day into night into day again, arriving Munich at 7:30 am Germany time, which is 6 hours ahead of US time.
I made the mistake of staying awake most of this time. So not only did I lose my regular sleeping hours, I lost 6 hours on the clock “somewhere.” Oh well, you only live once.
Martha and I were met by a Tauck representative who handled our luggage for us and drove us into Munich in his sleek, black BMW. There was a slight rain falling and it is the only time it rained on our whole 12 day trip.
So we had twelve days of go, go, go up and down and all around, so on the return trip we did sleep…..a little.
Skygazing…..a “snack” which wasn’t peanuts…….and after clearing customs, rechecking our baggage, Martha and I depart for different terminals and destinations back home……Detroit and Tom……here I come.
Interesting cloud formations over Detroit; I caught a flight to Detroit getting me in two hours earlier, with United assuring me both checked bags (to save carry on, as I was tired) would indeed arrive with me. Wrong! One out of two did, as Tom and son-in-law Carl helped me check up on it. It was on the United flight coming in 2 hours later and they sent it on to Kalamazoo, arriving on our front porch at 4:00 am.
This was my view on my return flight from Newark into Detroit, as the plane was too small to accomodate Business Class. If it serves as an icon reminder of my rather “plain” life, it is rather misleading, as I was overjoyed to walk right back into life “as usual.”
This was an opportunity of a lifetime, generously given to me and graciously received by me. And I take each day of my life the same — as a gift generously given and gratefully received by me.
Napkinwriter 