“Condor to Frankfurt Soars”
by VAfan on June 16, 2010
Flight from Las Vegas to Frankfurt
- Airline:
-
Condor
- RT/OW
- Round Trip
- Number of Stops:
- No stops
- Date of Flight:
- May 2010
- Seat Class:
- business
Two comments before I begin:
1. We live in Frankfurt, so our trips originated there
2. My comments cover more than the flight itself, as Condor doesn't get much coverage elsewhere
We have been flying this route regularly since 2008, two or three times a year. Condor is the only airline to offer direct flights between Frankfurt and Las Vegas, a BIG plus since one of us is on crutches.
Business class check-in in Frankfurt is a breeze. All classes of passengers have the option of checking in, and checking in their luggage, the night before departing Frankfurt. This makes a big difference in the departure process, as you can imagine. And it saves on parking charges, as we take a taxi to the airport in the morning.
TSA procedures in Frankfurt and LV are quick and efficient, though, as a handicapped person, I am regularly subjected to a humiliating full body patdown.
On-board service is excellent. Food is above-average for airline food, and served with an excellent selection of wines, both Californian, German, and Italian. Before- and after-meal drinks are also on offer.
Three first-run films are shown in business class, and the passenger also has the option of selecting from a range of DVDs (viewer also provided). Seats in BC are not flatbed, the only real drawback. They recline sufficiently for relaxing and sleeping, however, and also have an adjustable footrest, which for us shorties makes a significant difference in comfort.
The airlines provides a complimentary kit which includes foam slippers, eye shades, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and a hair brush and mirror (from Frankfurt to the USA, as the fight is overnight). In the other direction, flying into the sun, I guess it's assumed that the passengers will not wish to sleep, as the amenities don't include the eyeshade and slippers.
Beverages are available on request throughout the flight. Drawback is that all magazines and newspapers on the plane are in German only, so if one wishes to read English ones, it is advised to arrive early and go to the (complimentary) Business Class/First Class lounge, and pick up free reading material there.
Lounges are another advantage of flying Business Class. (Free) refreshments in the lounge include wine, champagne (sekt), snacks, and light meals (depending on the time of day - offerings in Frankfurt are superior to those in Las Vegas). In Las Vegas, the lounge is quite close to the gate, so one can relax in comfort until just before boarding.
Prices on Condor are quite reasonable for Business Class, more so if one is paying in Euros (we managed one flight at about 1700 EUR per person, though ticket prices vary with date and availability at the time of reservation).
We have flown this airline about 6 or 7 times over the past two years, and flights are invariably full. You will not find Condor on most search engines, as it is considered a "charter", which it was in the days when it was part of the Thomas Cook family. It is now a commercial airline, and I see that Airfarewatchdog is including it, which is a good thing!