New Jersey’s major airport is often considered the third-largest public airport in the tri-state area, after JFK and LGA.
We arrived in the evening, and leaving Terminal B was smooth. However, when we leave from it, it’s super difficult!
Terminal A isn’t available for drop off, due to construction. We have to take the airtrain from Terminal B, then walk 12 minutes or take the 4-minute bus. The system costs $3.5 billion to build?!
The security control is a joke. The Pre-Check and Clear are not obvious. And it’s the first time that my little ball pen, was questioned. Seriously? Seriously!
Charging outlets don’t work at the gate.
Bathroom has line.
UA lounge is full and closed to One-Time pass, which is what I’ve “read the fine print,” and the staff said rudely. Hmmmm… any time when someone reminds you to read the fine print, it’s usually a good sign that you never have to deal with them again. … a.k.a. “I hid the trap in plain sight, and now I’m going to use it to get out of holdin up my end of the deal.” Less of a fair contract and more like A legal ambush.
This is my first time using ewr, and it will be the last. Thank you.
As we’re searching for an Uber ride to EWR Newark, this one jumps out. With a little extra time and the location right behind our hotel, the Hilton, we decided to give it a try. Uber car costs around $120 per trip. This fixed-route, pre-booked ride is part of the Uber group.
It’s a good decision.
$20 pp from Midtown to Newark airport. We’re the first to get on. Luggage is stored in the back, lying flat; the space is very limited. Since we’re the first, ours are at the bottom. With a few pickups, it takes an hour to get to the airport.
The minivan takes about a dozen passengers and offers USB charging outlets.
Our driver, Casandra, is cute. She curses other aggressive drivers, but meanwhile, sweetly announces the trip, and asks us to tell our besties about their service. She makes two trips a day.
It’s full and closed to One-Time pass, which is what I’ve.
“Can you put us on the waiting list?”
“NO. Look, we’re busy. … It’s from Chase.” She forcefully pointed to the room.
So we’re an outcast? “Read the fine print!” She yelled. “Or you can go to Terminal C.”
Hmmmm… any time when someone reminds you to read the fine print, it’s usually a good sign that you never have to deal with them again. … a.k.a. “I hid the trap in plain sight, and now I’m going to use it to get out of holdin up my end of the deal.” Less of a fair contract and more like A legal ambush.
Not really! And Thanks for making the decision for me that I’ll never use ewr again. This was my first time trying it out.
Transportes Aéreos Portugueses / Air Portugal is the main carrier of Portugal, Lisbon Airport is its hub. It has been a member of Star Alliance since 2005.
This is the first time that I’ll have to take a bus to board a transatlantic flight. And TAP made it worse by disorganizing the process.
They let nearly everyone come downstairs with the “Premium” group waited for the bus. The line became so zigzagged that the later comers ended up boarding the bus first, which wasn’t their fault.
After a long wait, the buses began to circulate the airport, from our Gate 45A back to 45A: WHAT’s the heck?
“The cleaning isn’t done.” They explained.
Then have us wait by the gate. This was the most ridiculous process I’ve encountered.
Our seats were 2 H and K at booking on the A330-900. They changed the aircraft to A321neo, without the K column. We ended up with 2F and 5F in separate rows. The configuration is: Rows 1, 3, and 5 each have 4 seats (2, 2), and rows 2 and 4 each have 2 seats (1 and 1). On this flight, Row 5 is empty except for one of us. No drinks offered before taking off. Wines are ok, wine glasses are awful, food is so so, except the breads and desserts.
Humberto Delgado Airport, or Lisbon Airport, is TAP‘s hub. it’s raltively close to the Old Town, 4.7 miles (7.7km) from Palace Ludovice in less than 30 minutes, $10.59 on Uber. It’s an orderly and modern airport.
The rating for this airport is poor, but I got through it in a breeze:
Drop-off: the Uber driver has to take a ticket and park in a parking space to let us off. We then walk the short distance to the Terminal 1, which shares the road with cars.
We’ve no check in luggage, and downloaded the boarding passes the previous day.
Fast Track is empty, and it works well for us, which took us 6 minutes, to get to Global Blue. Not sure this is enabled by Clear or TSA Precheck.
VAT refund in 13 minutes: Global Blue is efficient. Purchases made in Portugal can be dropped in the mailbox, and purchases made in Spain require a stamp from the office.
We tried two TAP Premium Lounges, one before passport control and one after. There are some public seats on the second floor.
Passport Control: is by the McDonald’s, which is a breeze; it took us 14 minutes from the McD to the TAP AirPortugal lounge, which is smaller.
We take the double decker bus #23 from Hilton Metropole to the Royal Courts in the morning 9am. It’s 2.8 miles, needs 33 minutes, passing throught various neigborhoods, and ends at Waldorf Hotel, which is a part of Hilton chain. This hotel was created by William Waldorf Astor (1848-1919) who was born in New York City. He was the only child of John Jacob Astor III (1822-90).
… the neighborhoods, according to my iPhone location info:
Virgin Atlantic was created in 1984 by Richard Branson (1950-), headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, England. The maiden flight from London’s Gatwick to Newark was on June 22, 1984.
Today’s flight VS47 is from London‘s Heathrow lhr T3 15:45 to New York’s JFK‘s T4, 18:50.
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9; 1, 1, 1
Seat A5, w/ the sun on my side.
Duration: 06:50
Toiletries: REN Clean Skincare
Service: 5/5 Foods & drinks: 4/5
Comfort of the seat: 4/5
The business section is full, but from the announcement, the economy isn’t: it asks the passengers to sit where they’re assigned for the balance at take off; then they can make themselves comfortable wherever.
It’s a day flight. We’ll have a full menu shortly after taking off, and a high tea before landing.
Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy im. Jana Pawła II Kraków-Balice to lhr via FRA.
This may be a challenging time, given everything happening in the world—but my first encounter with KRK turned out to be its own test of patience.
Uber dropped us off at the arrivals area—which sits on the same level as departures. The glass structure looks new and modern, and the drive from the Old Town is actually scenic and green. So the airport can be pleasant, at least from the outside.
Upon arrival, we were met with a complete closure due to a “threat” (or something equally unclear). A massive crowd was held back for over thirty minutes. I don’t know how long it had been going on before I got there, but I personally waited for thirty-one minutes.
The walk to Gate 7 was packed and chaotic. The boarding process was worse: passengers crowded the gate regardless of the boarding sequence, turning the area into an immovable human wall. Trying to get through felt like attempting to part the Red Sea without divine assistance.
Our flight to FRA was delayed from 11:15 to 12:10. Reportedly, the closure had no thing to do with it. Again, I haven’t had a flight delay in ages. And of course I only had a one-hour layover in Frankfurt for my next flight. Perfect timing.
As for Lufthansa — this part may not be KRK’s fault… but still.
Lufthansa’s online check-in refused to work for me, and there were no kiosks. So I had to wait in a long line just to get a paper boarding pass—something so outdated I genuinely cannot remember the last time I needed one.
And, as always, the Lufthansa counter agents zeroed in on my carry-on—the only luggage I travel with. No other airline has ever bothered me about it, but Lufthansa? Every. Single. Time. JFK, Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong… without fail. Their corporate culture really runs deep.
This time in Kraków, after the lockdown was lifted and everyone was already stressed, the line for check-in was long. Still no kiosks. Only three agents working.
My carry-on went on the scale: 1.8 kg over. The agent looked at me and said, flatly, “Overweight.”
I asked, “Should I remove a jacket? Pay? What do you want me to do?”
She shrugged—as if the whole situation bored her.
I bent down to unzip the suitcase, ready to pull something out, when she suddenly said, “That’s fine. You can go.”
What the heck? Was she just enjoying the momentary power trip? A little pre-boarding entertainment?
If this were an isolated incident, I wouldn’t even mention it. But with Lufthansa, it is never isolated. It’s every time.
