SFO Airport - 26 Dec 2006
I arrived on AC560 which was delayed due to fog in San Francisco. But, I had plenty of time for the connection to LH455 SFO-FRA. AC landed about 11:30am, and I had to pick up my check-in bag. (Yes, AC did not want to check-through, if not in the same PNR. I have a seperate PNR for my YVR-SFO.
At 1230pm, I stepped into the empty line for first Class Check-in, except that the agent was helping party of six. I know that none of them were HON, and one or two, who happened were in that area with the the whole LH455 crew, greeted one particular guy in the group.
Anyway, I was waiting there for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes ... and yes, i noticed that the supervisor (well I know she is the supervisor later on after the guy who took care of my check-in bags talked to me) saw me waiting, but no response. 30 minutes later, the only one check-in agent was finished wit the group.
I went up to the counter, and mentioned about the long wait. No apology. She said she was busy helping the six persons before me. She said she even did not know that I was waiting. The the fun began. I checked in on bag. I have one rollabag, and one Tumi backpack for my laptop. She said I had to check in my rollabag because the rule only one carry-on per person. I argued with her that I had been travelling in LH F or C, and no problem with my carry-on and laptop. She said she was instructed by the supervisor. I said, look, I know only two pax in F was booked for the flight according to LH on the phone. Thus plenty of space in the closet for my carry-on. She, then, gave me BS, which is "oh I would not pass security with two bags." Anyway, I told her that she and the supervisor do not value my business, and I said to her, to ease my travel (yeah I have not slept for 36 hours), I took some valuable stuff from the rollabag, and checked-in the bag. Unfortunately, I can't take those paperworks that I needed to work on during the flying.
While this is happening, the supervisor did not even look or I had a feeling, she was avoiding any eye contact with me the whole time. Well, in reality, I was the ONLY F pax for the flight (I found out later once I boarded the plane). Thus, as a supervisor, she knows only 1 pax in F, and yes, she should do better than this. Again, perhaps, I don't look like a F pax, perhaps?
Well, definitely, I noticed that she was talking to an older gentleman later which was booked on LH flight codeshare with UA (thus is UA metal), and he was in F, and she showed much much better attitude than towards me.
Okay here we go, I have two checked-in bags now. My routing is: SFO-FRA-LHR (4 hours lay over) - FRA-SIN-BKK. I told teh check-in agent that I wanted to check my bags as SFO-FRA-SIN-BKK. I said I had done this before. And guess what, she could not do it. And the supervisor told her that since I go to LHR even for 4 hours, the bag has to be check the way it is. So, I said to them that, just check up to FRA, and I will deal with the FC Lounge staff at FRA.
Surprise surprise ... the bag tags showed SFO-FRA-SIN-BKK.
This took place until 30 minutes prior to boarding. So, I have spent a very long time just to do the check-in.
Once I was on board, yes, the crew told me I was the only F pax. But later on, someone was upgraded to F, perhaps because he was using miles, or SWU last minute.
As usual, the flight was wonderful. No complaint what so ever.
Oh, once I arrived in FRA, I had to get my onwards BP, because she could not print BP FRA-LON-FRA-SIN if my bag tags as it is, which is SFO-FRA-SIN-BKK.
Went to the transfer counter, and yes, another surprise. SFO cancelled my flights FRA-LHR-FRA. So the E-tix in this RTW was there, but my booking for segments to LHR had been disappeared. So everytime the agent tried to ck me in, it says invalid pax. Thus, I had to go to the Departure Hall ( I mean I had to go through immigration, which luckily, I have the visa for Schengen..). Of course, once I was at the ticket counter, and the guy saw I was in F for the long-haul, he immediately said, wait here, and let me figure this out. 10 minutes wait, and he came back with all BPs. ^ He apologizes for let me waiting that long (10 minutes), and I told him about what happened in SFO, which he suggested to wirite to LH for 30 minutes wait and carry-on rule.
I took my flight to LHR, made it early. Did what I needed to do at LHR. And turned around back to FRA. And I had arrived back in FRA by 5pm, and went to FCL by Casino waiting for my SQ flight at 10:20pm. I told the lounge staff about what had happened to me at SFO, and he said it's unacceptable in his opinion to have to wait that 30 minutes long for F pax. At first I asked him for the address to write. He gave me the fax number. Then later on he came back and said, I'd better use the comment card for HON and he could submitted right away. And that's what I did. When I left for my SQ flight, I was told that LH has gotten my feedback, and will do follow up very soon. I thanked him.
Okay, what basically I don't understand is that, if the supervisor or SFO station manager knows that I am the only F pax to be on board, he/she should be giving more attention or easier to spot the only F pax.
Regarding the group, the crew downstair, when disembarked, let them went out FIRST, instead of holding them, and let the two F pax waiting on the stairs to disembark first. That's why I concluded that the guy in the group is somekind of celebrity or super super VIP on LH. BTW, he is not HON, because nothing on the BP C I saw. Not the bag tags as well.
What do you think guys? Do I do the right thing to get upset with the long wait? And I have to note that I have never wait that long for any of my LH flights in F or C at check-in counters.