Molly on the Main

Day 17 - Sunday, June 9

We arranged for the hotel to transfer our bags – including the bulky bicycle bags – to the check-in counter for Lufthansa. This greatly simplified the process of getting to the lower level of the terminal, since the hotel bellhop had access to a freight elevator, and, without his help, we would have had to use a more circuitous route to get back to the one working elevator in our part of the terminal.

When we arrived at the check-in counter, I was stunned to see a long line snaking through the terminal – thousands of passengers waiting to check in for the Lufthansa flights. The business class lines were much shorter, and Steve headed directly there since he had upgraded our seating to business class the night before for a small fee (for which I was now very grateful, because even though it was nearly three hours before our departure, there was no way we would have gotten to the head of that line in that amount of time.)

When the ticket agent for the business class counter learned that we also needed to check oversize luggage, we were directed to another counter, where there was absolutely no line. And because we were now business class passengers, the additional fee for our bike bags was waived. We were starting to feel like our vacation magic was still working.

At the gate, several announcements were made indicating that seats in the first class cabin were available for qualified passengers. It was tempting, but I assumed the fee would be outrageous. “I’m just going to go ask,” said Steve, and when he learned that it really wasn’t as much as we thought it might be, he sent me a text while he was still at the counter. “Let’s do it,” I texted back, and so we did.

Thus, our flight home was in the lap of luxury – plenty of leg room, a chance to nap, a glass of champagne, a tasty lunch, and another nap. We arrived in Chicago much more rested and ready for the drive home.

Frankfurt am Main Airport - departing flights

Departing flights

All the small change was exactly enough to buy some chocolate

getting rid of the change

Appetizer plate in first class on Lufthansa

fine cheeses


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