LUFTHANSA Business Class Signature Service Update:  New Test Route In February

LUFTHANSA Business Class Signature Service Update: New Test Route In February

In October, I wrote about Lufthansa’s Business Class Signature Service and the testing the new concept was undergoing.   For those of you unfamiliar with Signature Service,  it is the idea where a Flight Attendant aboard a long haul flight would only be responsible for 8-12 Business Class passengers.    The concept is designed to create more 1:1 interaction between flight crew and passengers and to deliver a highly personalized service.

For the past several months, LH has been testing Signature Service in a variety of markets as they continue to fine tune it ahead of a Summer 2015 introduction across the entire long haul network.   Up until now, feedback has been positive and constructive and no changes to the launch are planned.

During this testing phase, LH has intentionally trialed the program in specific ‘cultural’ markets to determine adjustments that may be necessary due to cultural, dietary and ethnic needs.   What I mean by this is that LH is not testing this just between the US and Germany and assume that it will work the same between Africa and Germany.   Tests have been conducted on flights throughout the world.

To this end, the next phase of the Signature Service testing will take place on certain flights between Munich and Bombay, India during February.   I don’t have information on exact dates of these flights and I believe LH likes to keep it random and not predictable during the testing phase.    You’ll know Signature Services when you see it! 🙂

 

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SCOOT’s First 787 – First Take Off & Landing

SCOOT’s First 787 – First Take Off & Landing

Yes, this is a bit off topic from my regular posts but based on the requests that I have received for more photos from SCOOT fans, I thought to put together a post dedicated to their first 787’s inaugural flight.   Yesterday, I had published a post that included a photo of their new 787, dubbed “Dream Start”, sitting on the ramp in Paine Field which prompted quite a bit of activity on Twitter and in my email.

After yesterday’s completion of a high speed taxi and braking test, the bird was cleared for her inaugural flight.   ‘Dream Start’ departed Paine Field to the south, flew along Washington’s coast line past Seattle at which point it turned to the east and arrived in Moses Lake.  After departing Moses Lake she headed back to Paine Field where she will take a ‘customer flight’ with officials from Scoot in the coming days and then she she should be delivered to Scoot on or about February 1.

Since I had spent the majority of the day at Paine, I was able to see her depart and arrive.  Unfortunately most of this happened early in the morning which resulted in some of the photos being back-lit.   Unfortuntately I can’t control the Sun’s position so I’ve learned to accept that some photos will not be as good as others!

Hopefully for you SCOOT fans, this will tide you over until you see the bird arrive in Singapore!

a yellow and white airplane at night

The night before the big day…..

 

a large yellow and white airplane on a runway

Early morning start to her inaugural flight

a large airplane on a runway

Positioning on Runway 16

a plane on the runway

Takeoff Roll

an airplane on a runway

Nose Gear up & dramatic 787 wing flex

an airplane taking off from runway

Off on her first flight

a plane flying in the sky

Returning from successful test flight

a plane taking off from a runway

Over the numbers……

a plane on the runway

Touchdown complete with smoke…..

a large airplane on a runway

Taxi back to ramp and now ready for delivery!

 


a group of buildings in a city

Paine Plane Spotting Pictorial:  After Sundown

Paine Plane Spotting Pictorial: After Sundown

I’ve been in Paine for a couple of days and have been dealt a hand of bad weather weather for plane spotting.   Rain, fog, and mist have all gotten into the way so far but I did catch a break tonight.  With most of the rain and mist ending, it became easier to frame a few decent shots.

Several 787s are parked around the field as they wait completion and delivery.   Below, you’ll find a few from Virgin, Scoot, United, American, and JAL among others.

If you missed my earlier posts from Paine, click here to see Lufthansa’s newest 747-8i removed from the Paint Hangar, and click here to see Lufthansa Cargo’s newest 777F, D-ALFE move into final assembly.  Enjoy!

 

an airplane at an airport

American’s N800AN

an airplane at night

Ethiopian’s ET-ASG

a plane parked at an airport

LAN CC-BGA

airplanes at an airport

The Paine Field flight line

a yellow and white airplane at night

Scoot’s 9V-OJA

a large airplane at an airport

A United 787 missing just a bit of the logo.

an airplane at an airport

Virgin Atlantic’s G-VOOH

an airplane on the runway

Virgin Atlantic’s G-VZIG

airplanes at an airport at night
a city at night with lights