As soon as Matsuyama Airport opened, we headed for the ANA counter. Even then, we had only an hour until the departure time. We wanted to ask a counter person to have our luggage transported through to Heathrow Airport, because we would change aircraft in Haneda and Munich Airport and it wasn't acceptable to move with our luggage in these vast airports.
Additionally we had asked her to upgrade our seats of the international flight from economy class to premium economy class. As one of the membership privileges of the Super Flyers' Club of ANA, this upgrade is free of additional charge if there were vacant seats on the departure day. Therefore, before other passengers upgraded their seats, we needed to get our seat upgrade done. That's why we rushed to the counter. However, the computer system in Haneda Airport was busy and wasn't able to receive a favorable reply from ANA in Matsuyama Airport. Finally we received the definitive answer from ANA at Haneda Airport. The upgrade was successful! The flight between Haneda and Munich was really comfortable.
Our ticket was offered free corresponding to the obtained mileage and we had no option other than the route via Munich. However, we had high expectations in Munich. Oct 3rd is a German holiday called "Tag der deutschen Einheit", which means the unification of the former west and east Germany. We hoped that we would come across various social gatherings or entertainment concerning the day in Munich Airport, but in vain.
Another interest is: The U.K. is still in the EU, but out of the Schengen Agreement. Did that mean that we had to go through two immigration inspections in Munich and Heathrow Airport? Actually we had to pass the carry-on baggage inspection in Munich Airport, but didn't pass passport control. We had just run in Munich Airport. There was no appropriate guidance and I felt an obnoxious aspect of German. It seemed that we were the only passengers who changed aircraft from ANA to Lufthansa bound for Heathrow Airport. We hurried in the deserted and dark passage. It was a little hard work for me who had drank a lot of wine.
I understood that the inspection at Heathrow Airport was strict under the influence of repeated terrorism, but it was done in a minute. Because of our nationality? The Japanese Passport is said to be the strongest in the world. Anyway, we arrived in the U.K.
(Vocabulary)
obnoxious 〈人・発言などが〉 ひどく不愉快な, 鼻持ちならない
松山空港が開くや否やＡＮＡのカウンターへ直行。それでもフライトまで１時間しかありません。この荷物を何とかヒースロー空港までスルーしてもらう手続きと座席のアップグレードを依頼するため。フライトは地元松山空港から羽田空港、ミュンヘン経由でロンドンヒースロー空港です。スーツケース４個を空港ごとに受け取って持ち運ぶなど考えられません。
また、ＡＮＡのＳＦＣ会員なので当日空席があればエコノミークラスからプレミアムエコノミーにアップグレードが無料なのです。そのためにも朝一でカウンターへ！ところが羽田のコンピューターが混んでいて返事が来ないとのこと。結果は羽田で聞くことにして出発しました。そして改めて羽田で尋ねるとアップグレードＯＫでした！！！足を伸ばせるし、幅は広いし、言うことなし。
ミュンヘンを経由するのは利用するのが特典航空券で他に選択種がなかったから。しかし、楽しみもありました。この日はドイツ統一記念日で何かイベントに出くわすのではないかと。しかし、結果的に何も無くがっかり。そしてもうひとつ、イギリスはシェンゲン協定未締結。なので、ミュンヘンとイギリスと両方で入国審査に出くわすのだろうかと興味がありましたが、ミュンヘンでは手荷物検査のみで書類チェックなし。結構な距離を走らされただけでした。案内もなく、ドイツの嫌な不親切な面を見ました。ワインを飲み過ぎた身体には少しきつかったです。(^_^;)
入国に関してイギリスは厳しいと覚悟していましたが、実にあっさりと済みました。日本人だったから？ま、とにかく快適にイギリスに到着です。
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