Recent trip from Washington Dulles to Florence via Munich w/return through Frankfurt on Lufthansa.

Bought 4 coach tix on Orbitz a few weeks ahead for around $500 each.

Flight over the pond was on time in both cases. 8 hours to Munich and 9 hours from Frankfurt. (10hrs and 12 hours with connections of no delays).

Equipment Airbus A340-300 over and 747 return. Seats in coach are absolutely shoe-horned in. Very uncomfortable flights. There was an equipment change on the return flight at the last minute and all the seats were cancelled. When seats were rebooked Lufthansa did not seat traveling parties together and so people were constantly milling about the plane to speak to one another. We asked to be reseated together and waited to board until no-show seats were released. It worked for us and we got a couple of aisles that way.

Connecting flights between Germany and Italy. Late several hours outbound because of fog. We were given a 10 euro lunch voucher on request. Munich and Frankfurt airports are unbelievably smoke filled. We took a little Air Dolomite jet BA 146 to Florence(more comfy legroom than the Airbus) and we all fell asleep from exhaustion. Small jet on return from Italy too.

Luggage was lost for 30 people from Munich to Florence. After we watched the conveyor go around about 25 times we got in line at lost baggage and were second to put in our claim. No help from Lufthansa saying that the bags were lost. We gave the claim to an airport employee. Bags showed up the next morning at our hotel.

Lufthansa flight crew was surly. Made my husband struggle to request a cup of coffee in German after we heard the flight attendant speaking English in rows before us. (I asked the same FA for a Grande Mocha Frappacino Light later just for fun). There was a poor guy who hadn't requested a special meal and they forced him to take it. He said that the same mistake had been made on the flight over. Food over was awful some sort of pasta goop. Return was better - choice of mad cow or bird flu. Movies both ways of course.

We will avoid Lufthansa in future and if we need a connection will go through London to reduce the length of the flight.

For $500 it got our group there and back but we gritted our teeth most of the way.

Have you had a better Fall 2005 experience on any airline in coach?