After, among others, the first classes of Air France, Emirates or Garuda, it is the one of Lufthansa that we try today on a Frankfurt-Hong Kong flight.

A review that will start in Paris since it is my point of departure and therefore the airport where I checked in.

Zero recognition for First Class passengers at Lufthansa

I am a bit early and there is almost no one at the check-in counters.

While I put my suitcase on the conveyor belt, the agent asks me for my passport. Nothing irritates me more than people who ask you to do something when they see that you are materially unable to do it. And the way it’s asked doesn’t sound nice to my ears.

He quickly hands me my boarding passes in a “First Class” sleeve and shows me where the lounge is. And “have a nice trip”.

No particular attention, no particular words. This is the first time on an airline that I have seen a total lack of recognition of a first class passenger at check-in, even on a medium-haul feeder flight

Let’s go to the lounge.

Between the two, I still have to go through the security check. Only half of the booths are open (so 2/4) and one of them is dedicated to priority passengers. No need to say that the other one is quite congested, especially since there is really very little room in the satellites of Roissy’s Terminal 1 to wait in line. The control will be quickly completed for me and I will go to the lounge.

I vaguely feel like I’m disturbing the two flight attendants in the middle of an exciting discussion. One takes my card, scans it, gives it back to me with barely a glance and sends me to the business lounge. I thought that passengers connecting to a first flight were entitled to the Senator lounge but obviously not. The feeder flight of a First being made in business so I have the business treatment.

Level zero of recognition thus and at the limit of the meanness….Level zero of the recognition thus and at the limit of the meanness….

I won’t dwell on my stay at the lounge, which I’ve already presented here, and the flight to Frankfurt that followed…so I’ll see you directly in Frankfurt after landing there.

Plane at the contact so no Limousine service. And as I am in connection I have access to the First Class lounge at the Z gates but not to the very famous First Class Terminal.

From a practical point of view, I could have gone out of the airport to reach it on foot from outside. But I didn’t want to make any extra effort and I wanted to put myself in the shoes of the average passenger, not the one who has done his research before.

As a result, unless you check in and leave Frankfurt or go to the trouble of walking to the First Class Terminal from the airport to re-enter, the Lufthansa First experience on the ground is non-existent and by no means exclusive. No personal agent, no limousine, no First Class Terminal. Not even, as Air France does for example, emails presenting the “La Première” experience, what to expect, what you can have on demand, book in addition etc….

So the First Class Lufthansa passenger connecting in Frankfurt who doesn’t know that by taking a little responsibility he can live a very interesting experience lives the life of the average connecting passenger. This total lack of proactivity on the part of the airline which does not even present its services, this difference in treatment between the passenger who checks in at Frankfurt and the one who comes from a feeder flight is really disappointing.

I find myself in the First Class lounge of the zone Z….heu not in fact the Lufthansa lounge of the zone Z in which the First Class passengers can go so the Senator lounge of which I already made the review. Nothing differentiating for the First Class passenger who is treated without any form of recognition.

It’s time to board the plane and head for gate Z22.

It’s quiet, people are waiting quietly.

The start of boarding is announced and I am one of the first to board.

Lufthansa’s first class cabin on A340

Arrived at my seat I am immediately greeted by the crew who take off my jacket and offer me a drink. I’ll have some champagne. And I start to dissect the cabin.

Having boarded first, the staff, very friendly, made my life easier to take pictures and even offered to take some for me.

The Lufthansa First CLass therefore consists of two rows of seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.

It is very airy, even too much. On the other hand, the privacy is not so good. We are not only far from what we have seen at Air France, Garuda or Emirates for example, but even far from the new generation of “business suites” that are breaking into the market in the lower class.

This aside, the product is pleasant. The materials are pleasant to touch and the overall atmosphere of the cabin is very warm.

I am in 1K.

I really like the rose arranged at each place. Original

There is definitely plenty of legroom. Maybe not as much as on Air France but…it must be very close.

Another original feature….for people whose legs are too short to reach the ottoman, it can be moved closer at the touch of a button.

I often complain that the adjustment of the seats in the “front classes” is much too complicated for Mrs Anybody, here it is limpid and comprehensible of all.

Large side boxes hold the headphones (with noise reduction of course) and allow you to store your things.

In the meantime I was brought a hot oshibori, a glass of champagne and some snacks. Compared to Garuda I regret that the peanuts were not hot and melting, it was a delight.

It is a Pommery 2004 cuvée Louise! Here I say bravo I did not expect that.

A bar service area is set up on row 1 and it is from there that the two flight attendants work.

A system that I find really well thought out. Indeed they do not have to go back and forth in the galley, are 3 steps away from any passenger. Moreover, it allows them to keep a conversation with the passengers. I found that it gave a very warm touch to the boarding with the flight attendants present, visible, attentive and responsive, even proactive.

I will be served several times while the other passengers board. The purser will also come and introduce himself.

I am given the amenity kit and a pair of pajamas. They don’t ask me my size but they got it right.

The amenity kit is “standard” and not necessarily very premium.

The pajamas look nice (we’ll see how it turns out later) and in any case of very good quality.

Another good surprise: real slippers very comfortable, not only the disposable slippers that we often have elsewhere.

In-flight entertainment system

The screen is of acceptable size (even small for a First), the movie catalog “normal” without being as deep as Emirates’.

The remote control is basic but easy to use. Its touchpad, which is used to control the screen’s features and navigate through the entertainment catalog, is a bit disconcerting at first.

Nothing but very basic and I won’t go into more detail on the subject. I’m using more and more my iPad in flight and less and less the IFE.

We are finally ready to take off.

In-flight service

Very quickly after the takeoff we are brought a second hot oshibori and we are given the menus.

The dinner menu starts with the traditional caviar as a starter.

Very tempting at first sight. The choice is rich but one avoids the menu in 4 or 5 services which is often very lenghty and ends up being painful.

The wine list is also very good.

As I said the Pommery 2004 Cuvée Louise is really excellent. As for the Laurent-Perrier Rosé Cuvée Alexandra that I already had on Air France in First Class, it is also very high level.

Then the wines

Pretty good….

The alcohol menu is more than adequate.

Of course we are on Lufthansa so we have a real selection of beers

A nice selection of teas and coffees

And to finish, the breakfast

The table is set, I am offered a selection of hot bread and the service can begin.

A real salt and pepper shaker ….

I start with an amuse bouche

It’s fine and slides right into your stomach.

The starters arrive on a cart. They start by serving me the caviar, literally by the ladleful.

Then its accompaniments…

Once everyone has been served caviar the cart returns. Indeed, in First Class on Lufthansa you don’t have a choice of starters but all the starters. So I’ll add the chicken salad…

For the main course I will take the shrimps.

The names of the dishes are less fancy than elsewhere, it makes less fuss but at least it tastes good and it satisfies.

To accompany all this, the South African red wine will have made wonder!

And strawberries for dessert

I would have liked an ice cream but there was none on the menu. A few minutes the flight attendant will triumphantly return with an ice cream that she will confess to have “taken” from the business class menu!

I will finish with a mint tea with which I will be offered chocolates. Two will suffice but some other passengers have stocked up for the night.

Oh I forgot…a little cognac to go with it all. Served very generously.

The night on board

It’s time to go to bed. I go to the bathroom to change while the flight attendant puts my seat in “night” configuration.

Excellent initiative at Lufthansa: instead of having to sit on the toilet lid if necessary, it turns into a small, more comfortable chair.

There will be everything you need to have a decent head at the finish.

It’s not super premium products but it does the job.

I found the material of the pajamas pleasant, I confirm that aesthetically they are also very successful to my taste and easy to re-wear later.

Back to my seat. The mini wall was put in high position, the seat in bed position, the mattress and the comforter added.

Everyone has already gone to bed. The cabin is very airy and spacious.

On the other hand, as I expected, the weakness of the separations makes that in the middle of the night it remains very luminous when all the screens are lit which, I am certain, can prevent some from sleeping. And in terms of privacy there is still work to be done.

If on top of that they forget to turn off the rose lights…

Well, I’ll have a great 8 hour night. The bedding is very comfortable and the two times I press the button to get water the staff is very responsive.

Wake up and breakfast

As often I will skip the breakfast in order to prolong the night. The service does not take place too early before arrival so the passenger experience is not spoiled.

A tea will be enough for me.

I went to the bathroom to change and when I came back my seat was back to its original configuration.

I chat a little with this very pleasant crew and it is time to land…

The purser comes to say goodbye, the staff greets us again and blocks the access to the business class cabin to make sure that nobody disembarks before the first class passengers.

No specific accompaniment on the ground, so I head for the immigration then the baggage claim.

Bottom line

This experience in First on Lufthansa leaves me with a really mixed feeling.

I was really surprised not to say disappointed by the experience on the ground which for me does not correspond at all to what we expect from a First.

On the other hand, and this is recurrent with Lufthansa, I found the catering very good and, above all, the cabin crew professional, friendly, warm, responsive. In fact, on Lufthansa the First Class experience takes place mainly on the plane, not much outside.

The cabin is however in my opinion a bit “light” for a first class and a more private design would be appreciated. We look forward to what will be implemented on the future 777X.

As for the catering, I said it: maybe less fancy than elsewhere but very good and impeccably served. Special mention for the wines and champagnes.

This brings me back to the age-old question of whether the German airline deserves its 5th Skytrax star. On the First class product certainly not: it is a good 4* but if Air France is 4* then Lufthansa does not deserve more (but not less). On the other hand, if we take into account the consistency of the product and the consistency of the service, regardless of the class, yes, Lufthansa shines by its consistency in the customer experience where its French competitor offers the best and the worst. But since Turkish Airlines was downgraded to 3 stars, what about the credibility of Skytrax?

Ah I specify: at 3300€ round trip I had an unbeatable value for money on a First Class. I don’t think it’s worth paying 2 or 3000 euros more to get something better (although, really, the ground experience is grating).

For information: the routing

• Paris-Frankfurt: Lufthansa Business (no interest, no review)
• Frankfurt-Hong Kong: Lufthansa First (here)
• Hong Kong-Seoul : Asiana Business
• Seoul-Shanghai : China Eastern Business
• Shanghai-Hong Kong : China Eastern Business
• Hong Kong-Munich : Lufthansa First
• Munich-Paris: Lufthansa Business (no interest, no review)