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Germany's Airline

Air Berlin

Cynthia Dial

I travel, and travel a lot. So when I have an exceptionally pleasant airline experience, I like to share it. 

May I introduce you to Air Berlin?

Though it’s Germany’s second largest airline (after Lufthansa), Europe’s sixth largest airline and flies to 163 destinations in 39 countries, its presence has been a lower profile one on the North American travel scene. But no more.

Starting May 2012, Air Berlin begins three times per week non-stop service between Los Angeles and Berlin (becoming the first airline to do so). This complements the current Los Angeles-Dusseldorf route. And for the East Coast, there’s also news on the Air Berlin horizon – an increase of non-stop flights between the German capital and New York from four days weekly to daily. It additionally serves Ft. Myers, Miami and San Francisco in the U.S. market.

Now a few in-flight details of my business-class journey: 

~ Food – Created under the flag of the well-known Sansibar restaurant, the island of Sylt’s very famous eatery where hopeful diners pre-book weeks in advance, the meals and wine (also in great demand throughout Germany) are simply a fine-dining experience. Selections from my tray: Fillet of cod in coconut sauce with chili-flavored basmati rice and chocolate-mango cream cake for dessert accompanied by Sansibar Prosecco Spumante Brut.

~ Flight attendants – Smartly dressed in black attire with red accents, their professional look reflected their onboard performance. Above-and-beyond service was the norm – particularly from 20-year flight attendant Norbert Sutschet.

~ Amenity kit – Housed in a black zippered bag (now in my always-travel-with stack) were standard amenities, including a tailored-made sleep mask. In the no-surprise column, the amenity kit has received awards (“Best Business Class Unisex Kit,” “Best Economy Class Amenity Kit” and “Best Children’s Amenity Bag”).

My last made-in-Germany snack in the business lounge before boarding the plane homeward bound: warm freshly baked pretzel. Need I say more?

It is little wonder Air Berlin received over 10 awards for service and quality in 2010 alone.

Cynthia Dial

Cynthia Dial is an admitted travel writing addict, and shares that she pinches herself each time she steps onto the promenade deck of a cruise ship, boards a train or settles into a plane seat to go to work. She's taken a city tour of Melbourne, Australia, from the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, hiked the Austrian Alps and learned to surf in Waikiki -- all for a good story. A special corres...(Read More)

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