このへんで搭乗開始を待っていたら... 近くに座っているトルコ人のおっさん(どっちかというと、おじいさん)が、いきなりタバコを吸い始めました。ゲートの職員がマッハの速度で駆け寄り No Smoking, Sir!!! Or I will call the security!! ってもの凄い剣幕で脅します。しぶしぶ煙草を消した(足元で踏み潰したら「ちゃんとゴミ箱に捨てろゴルァ!」って、追加で怒られてた)...と思ったら、ゲートの姐さんがポディアムに戻ってすぐ、また別の煙草に点火しました。今度はセキュリティの兄さんがセグウェイに乗ってF1レーサーの速度で飛んできて、タバコをぶんどって消火、破棄したうえでクドクド怒ってました。...おじいさん、英語もドイツ語も判らないみたい。でも近くにいた別のトルコ語を話すヒジャブをかぶったおばさんが訳してくれて、ここでタバコ吸ったらダメらしいと理解はしたようで、やっと平穏に戻りました。
以上、公衆での喫煙がまぢ重罪扱いのカリフォルニアに住む僕には、まるっきりありえない光景でした。
これだからルフトは大嫌いなんだよ。座席指定はオンラインチェックインするまで出来ないし、そもそも米国発トルコ行きはUAのエージェントがビザの確認を目視する必要があるから、空港カウンターでしかチェックインできない。しかもユナイテッドのカウンターでは「ルフトのコードシェア便は座席の変更ができないんです」って言われるだけ。どうせ3時間の飛行だから、頭上に荷物が仕舞えればどこでもいいんだけど、電話口でもカウンターでも対応が氷のように冷たいから、原則ルフトハンザは大嫌いです。
対照的にトルコ航空は出発90日前になれば、好きな座席を選ばせてもらえます。原則的には欧州内便は3時間以上のフライトに限るらしいけど、名前が日本人的なせいもあるかもしれませんが、いつも応対がにこやかでたいへん好印象です。なお、トルコ航空への要望は米国の支社にかけるよりSkypeでイスタンブールに電話するほうがスムーズです。
で... たかがエアバスA320なのに機内 Wi-Fi が整備されていました...。
FlyNet®というネーミング... なんだかユナイテッドのイントラネット SkyNet のパクリみたい。きっと将来、地球征服を目論んで独語訛りのシュワちゃんみたいなアンドロイドを過去へ送り込んでくるに違いないわ。←こればっかし
ルフトにお金は払いたくないので、ルフトハンザAppからフライトステータスだけ取得。
・・・なんか、ユナイテッドAppよりショボイよ。
ついでに機内食も相変わらずショボかったよ。
配っていったのは、こんだけ。選択肢なし。
開封すると、こうなってます。
ベジタリアン仕立てのパスタに、いかにもドイツな薄汚い色の硬いパン、飲んでも死なない水とKitKat。
パスタはどんだけ悲惨だよ!? ・・・と思って食べると、そんな酷くはない。ユナイテッドより美味しい。
ただ、トルテリーニらしきパスタの中身はほうれん草とチーズでガッカリ。茹ですぎていないのだけが取り柄。
パンは冷たくて硬い。ルフトハンザ航空のおもてなしを具現化したようなパンです。
冷たいから、こうやってパンの上にバターを載せても緩まない...。(怒)トルコ航空だとパンがアツアツだからバターを溶かせるけど、ルフトは無理。
・・・と、ショボいお食事で飢えをしのぎながらイスタンブールに到着。アドさんのタクシーでホテルへ。
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBest Denki sensei,
DeleteI’m so sorry I mistakenly removed your comment by clicking the wrong icon, but this Blogger by Google cannot redo/recover it. Sincerely apologize.
I only saw the very first few words on your comment which is telling you’re not know why Europe is more accepting smokers… then, my guess is that exporting tobacco and pox (for you: syphilis) are the revenges by native Americans and Indio, to the conquistadores for bringing in the smallpox (Variora) or various infection diseases to the new and never contaminated continent, as the world’s strongest BC weapons ever used. (Even the chemical weapons by Syrian killed hundreds, not millions done by Imperio España like this)
Anyway, as a result, it is quite ironic the United States, the origin of tobacco products in centuries ago, is banning those smoking habits but the people in old continents do smoke a lot even it is shrinking now. Within the member countries of OECD, Japan is quite high at 19.3% (30% of male) but Turkey is 23.8% (37.3% male) therefore the smoking habit is still quite common for these well-contaminated countries… (ex. California is less than 8% now)
And guessing your comments includes the hospitality by LH; The inter-continental first class is the exception. Otherwise are terrible. You can easily guess how the Jews were treated in Konzentrationslager by Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (a.k.a Nazi concentration camp).
obaKoba-sann,
DeleteI've kept my post just in case as follows (lol), though I didn't make any comments about the LH's hospitality...
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I don’t know why smoking is more accepted in Europe than in the States. even being aware of its hazards.
I anticipate that smoking has developed into a social error in the States.
Your moderately broad group of friends may not have any smokers.
Or you scarcely knew anybody who smoked in the business organizations which you worked for in the States.
I hear smoking is entirely prohibited anyplace on property in some corporations, hence smokers must move to a neighboring place to smoke.
Moreover, anybody knows who smoke, as a result the humiliation brought them into quitting.
In Europe, people shouldn’t have the same sensation.
I still keep in mind when going to a restaurant with my family in Amsterdam more than 10 years in the past, all the folks there smoked during dining.
It’s one of the most insane facts ever seen.
In the restaurant, we had to use a table in common with others, and then a couple began smoking adjacent to us.
Though they identified we were Japanese, furthermore we didn't smoke, they thoughtfully extinguished fire on the cigarettes.
I was rather astonished by their responses.
best denki
Thank you for the recovery, sensei. Now I can reply a bit more appropriately.
DeleteIn regards to the smoking in California, it feels like a felony charges since the smokers are minorities, lower than 8%, as I shown. Also, the risk of second hand smoke is being broadcasted on TV once an every hour on the major networks which is sponsored by tobacco companies required by the law in California… and now the ‘flavored’ tobacco products, such as menthol or fruit-flavored e-vapors, are being banned if the proposition E has been passed. Therefore the tobacco companies are spending billions of dollars for “No on prop-E” campaign TV ads… what a country.
Quitting tobacco is well supported as well on the TV ads to the support programs and help hotlines. Those ads and programs are also being paid by tobacco manufacturers… If I were a management of tobacco manufacturer, I simply give up to sell it within California and start exporting the products to Japan, Turkey, China or those areas where heavy-smokers resides. Isn’t this another BC weapon which is a bit milder, is it?? (lol)
About 4 years ago in Spain (precisely: Pamplona, Navarra because the law might differ by the state), we entered a high-end restaurant to have dinner then girls on the close table started smoking e-vapors, or e- cigarettes. We complained to the manager of the restaurant but he told us the tobacco products are prohibited but electronic vaporizers are exceptions at that time. But these e-cigarettes maybe banned as well now. The point is; in Europe, they have much better acceptance of smoking habits compare to California. Because City of San Mateo has numbers of restaurants and bars in the downtown, outdoor smoking such as patio or even the roadside tables are allowed if the designated arias and/or tables have enough distance from the public traffics. But for example, our neighbor city Belmont has stricter policy – smokers can only smoke in his/her private spaces, such as his/her studies and private cars without other passengers. If he/she smokes in a living room with his/her family, he/she can be prosecuted! What a….
Then in California, I think male Japanese, especially older ones, are commonly recognized as heavy-smokers because of their behaviors, unfortunately. I was lucky I could quit smoking 15+ years ago because California is so helpful and easy to the person who wishes quit. This is exactly “When in California, do as the Californians do.” (LLOOLL)