Frankfurt Airport

It is always a joy to land in Changi Airport. For all its acolades, the irony is that Singaporeans get to enjoy the airport least because we are always heading straight to Arrival & Baggage Claim. It is even more enjoyable if one is flying SQ, and a bonus if Business Class.

My return flight from Stockholm was a SAS-operated LH flight, transiting in Frankfurt, before changing to a nice comfy SQ plane. Gosh, I hated to transit in Frankfurt (although it is the lesser evil to Paris airport). Each time I transited there, I had problems - usually because one had to get a new boarding pass at Frankfurt and customer service was not ace. The airport was also old and had capacity issue - it clearly could not sit so many people in the boarding area, lacked shopping facilities and other creature comforts. This time, I was stuck at the passport control because the guy said I did not have a ticket to go through and had to go get one from the main hall (ok, my fault, I did not print out the e-ticket). I reasoned that I had to go through to get my boarding pass. Logic failed him. A customer service lady pointed me the way to main hall, I walked but did not find it. Returned to passport control and tried my luck at a different queue. Guy flipped the pages many times and could not find the EU-entry stamp. Re-flipped pages again and finally found, stamped and waved me through. Hmmmph!

Went to supposedly SQ counter to get boarding pass. I was early, counter was still processing TG passengers. Decided to go to the business lounge. No boarding pass, no entry. Girl guarding the entrance needed proof. Repeated story of unopened counter. No go. After much wrangling, I resorted to showing her the soft pdf copy on my netbook (thank goodness for the zippy netbook!). She let me through. Ahh.... away from the maddening crowd and nothing-to-do waiting area.

Then SQ flight delayed. By 10min. The waiting area was full of impatient passengers. Boarding officer advised me to return to the lounge and wait there instead. Flight still delayed. By 30min. Gosh. I had enough of climbing to-fro the lounge, which was closing soon. Joined the queue of restless passengers. Finally we get to board the plane. Ah what a luxury to be on board SQ. This was a newer Boeing, which featured the fully-flat bed cabin. I stop complaining and enjoy the flight service. :)