Doing the Star Alliance Mega DO (Flyer Talk Event)

[Art at ISP]

JoAnn and I have secured spots on the Star Alliance Mega DO (sponsored by Star Alliance and Flyertalk), November 3 to 7, in Europe. Lufthansa is having a contest to give away one spot on this trip (see this link:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/ ... id=2795872 ).

We begin in EWR, with a tour of Continental's facilities, then bus to JFK, visiting the Lufthansa lounge in Terminal 1. Then we will fly LH to Frankfurt (220 people signed up, we will be taking most of the 744's seats!). Since this trip follows our anniversary by a week or so, I bought it all in Biz class.

On Thursday, we have a charter, which takes us to Oslo, to visit SAS, then to Toulouse for a tour of the Airbus factory (we will get up close and personal with an A380), then back to Frankfurt.

This will be an amazing trip--and I will diligently report on it...as possible when I get home (I am NOT planning on taking PC with me--she'd kill me).

From there for us at least it's on to Italy for a short few days.....

IF they allow photos in the factory, they will be posted.

[MarkLawrence]

Wow - that sounds like an awesome trip Art!!

[Art at ISP]

We are JUST back from the Mega DO PLUS our trip to Italy.

I DROVE to Naples from the airport, and then drove to Cassino, Sorrento, and actually DROVE the Amalfi coast from Sorrento to Positano to Amalfi--once I almost got sideswiped by a truck on the mountain road to Ravello, we turned around and went back to Sorrento--it was pouring anyway.

Tuesday we did Pompeii, Wednesday, Capri--full trip report to follow.

No matter how beautiful Europe is, it is GREAT to be home.

[Art at ISP]

PROLOGUE- Continental Newark and Lufthansa JFK (Pt. 1)

Being that the big FlyerTalk and Star Alliance MegaDO was coming up around the same time as our 10th wedding anniversary, I decided to combine events in a way: my wife would join me on the MegaDO and probably be bored out of her mind (she was most of the time), BUT then she'd get 5 days in Italy to celebrate our anniversary. As compromises go, this was a winner!

The Mega DO was organized by members of Flyer Talk, in particular Tommy, Oliver and Reb, who worked very closely with sponsor airlines Lufthansa, Continental, SAS and United to make this a memorable welcome for Continental into the Star Alliance. Kudos to all involved in the planning and execution of this trip!

The trip began on Tuesday with a limo ride to Newark Airport, where we would be meeting Flyer Talkers and a group who had begun the trip in Chicago earlier that morning. My schedule wouldn't permit me to join the Chicago festivities, but we were able to get to Newark right on time (early actually). We met up with FT'ers at the appointed place, and got organized into groups for the tours of Continental facilities at their EWR hub. We got the flight kitchen, which turned out to be a very interesting tour-we saw meals being prepared for loading on many of the flights scheduled to depart that evening, and got a good idea of how complex (yet efficient) meal service can be.

Once the tours were done, we all assembled back at the gathering point, and boarded a group of busses which were chartered to take us from Newark to JFK for our first leg of the trip, Lufthansa Flight 405 to Frankfurt. As we boarded our busses, we were each given a small snack bag, with water, which was a very nice touch. Making our way through NYC traffic was nothing special for me, but it must have amused some of the NY visitors on the trip. In any case we arrived at JFK ahead of schedule, and proceeded to check in lines to check bags and get boarding passes (we had checked in on line, so just needed to check our bags).

Through security, we were all assembled in the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Terminal 1 at JFK, where we were greeted by Lufthansa executives, champagne, and first class cuisine. After the presentations were made some of us were given a tour of the rest of the lounge, which is 3 levels. I must say the lounges were impressive, and typical of Lufthansa's commitment to the frequent business traveler (more about that later).

After the tours, dining and drinking were done, we made our way to the gate for LH 405, which was taking about 90 members of our group to Frankfurt.

LH 405 C 03 November JFK-FRA 747-400

As crowded as the departure gate area had become, which was to be expected when about to board a fully booked 747, it was remarkably organized. As First and Business were called to board, a small line formed as CBP agents checked passports in the jetway, but moments later we were on board, greeted by Lufthansa flight attendants who were impeccably dressed and looked like they just came from a magazine shoot. We crossed over to our seats, in row 14 (second cabin of business class), and settled into our seats. Coats taken, predeparture beverages served, tucked in for what was to be a short 6 hour flight to FRA (1 hour shorter than normal).

Once airborne, cabin service was started, with drinks, appetizers, followed by the main course (I chose a pasta dish which was quite excellent). This was a nice, relaxed service, and drink refills were offered before, during and for a while after the meal service by a VERY attentive cabin staff. Toward the latter part of the meal, the purser came to speak individually with a handful of passengers, and I was included - she introduced herself, asked if I needed anything, and welcomed me personally on board - a very classy touch I might add.

Well the word was that since almost 100 Flyer Talkers were on this flight it would be a party flight, with drinking and partying going on throughout. A funny think happened about an hour after the meal service, though--lights went out, the cabin got quiet, and almost all the lie flat business seats were extended to flat or near flat position, and almost everyone fell asleep...as it should be on a Transatlantic flight....

We awakened about an hour before planned landing, and were served a breakfast, followed by coffee, juice and breads. As we descended into Frankfurt, we tried to get organized and find out where we were to meet after checking in to the hotel. There was a full schedule for the rest of the day, and our rest time was reduced due to a schedule change.

NEXT- FRANKFURT DAY 1 and CHARTER!

Photos at http://www.starmegado.com/plogger

[mirrodie]

Very cool! Need to hear more!

Just finally took a moment and got through only one batch of pics. WIll go through the others later with wifey.

Are the photos all a mix from different people or all from one person?