After a nice little trip that allowed me to multiply the flight experiences (see at the bottom of this article), it’s time to go back to Europe. It will be on Lufthansa, in first class, on A380.

Check-in

The check-in went smoothly with the Lufthansa app and I got my boarding pass on my mobile. But anyway I have a suitcase to check in so that doesn’t exempt me from going to the check-in counter at the airport.

Although I got a late check-out at 6pm at the W Hong-Kong, I was very early arriving at the airport since my flight was only at 10:35pm. And, logically, the check-in counters are not open. In fact, they are not even installed yet and the staff is just starting to work on “preparing the area in Lufthansa colors.

As time goes by, the passengers start to arrive and concentrate in front of the counter. Logical, people can not keep the room ad vitam eternam and once they leave the hotel there is no other thing to do than to go to the airport, either the check-in is open or not.

After a while, an airport staff member marking the boarding area told us “business class ? First class ? They have opened a temporary counter for you until the official start of the check-in“. Indeed, it was right behind us. As I noticed on the outbound flight, Lufthansa does a lot for its premium passengers but does not value them. So if you don’t know or you don’t guess, you just wait.

Anyway, I head for the “temporary” counter.

Given the indications and the markings, there was no risk of finding it.

After a few minutes I have my precious sesame with its so recognizable pocket.

I am also told the location of the lounge that welcomes First Class passengers and that the Plaza Premium First lounge and not the lounge of a Star Alliance Partner airline. After all, the Singapore Airlines Silverkris lounge located a few meters away also has a First Class zone.

And I am also entitled to a voucher to be “transported” if necessary. Not very useful since the lounge is located at the exit of the police and security controls and the boarding will take place in a satellite of the terminal that I will have to reach by shuttle!

This was finally done quickly and well, but I am convinced that like Air France, Lufthansa could do much more for its first class passengers on the ground with the possibility of dropping off luggage more easily at any time (possibly through a partner) and better accompaniment.

Ground experience

As usual in Hong-Kong the controls are passed very quickly and I head to the Plaza Premium First lounge which I have already talked about here.

So there is no need to go back to the subject.

Shortly before boarding I leave the lounge to reach the gate.

I will have to walk a bit and take a shuttle.

With, in passing, a wink to the Parisian tourists.

Once out of the shuttle it will take me a little walk to reach the gate.

A very smooth experience that owes everything to the efficiency of the Hong Kong airport since the airline does not offer any specific assistance to its First Class passengers.

Boarding

Passengers wait quietly at the door without crowding.

On the priority boarding side it is totally clear.

The boarding starts on time and the priorities are respected: first class passengers are the first to engage in the jetway.

So far, nothing but normal, and apart from boarding in the first of the first (and the specific lounge before), nothing distinguishes the First Class experience from that of a Business passenger or even a Star Alliance Gold member traveling in economy class.

Here I am finally in the cabin.

Settling in and discovering the cabin

It is located on the upper deck of this A380 and, except for this detail, looks like the one of the A340 I had on the outbound flight.

So I will make exactly the same points.

Its 1-2-1 layout is in line with current standards, but it is important to note that when you fly on the Air France La Première A380, you are surprised to find a totally outdated configuration (fortunately with the withdrawal of the A380 from the Air France fleet it will be nothing but a bad memory…but that’s not the point here).

The impression of space is real thanks to a seat that is not very massive in terms of structure. The counterpart is that the impression of “privacy” is very poor due to the absence of a “suite” type structure such as can be appreciated on the Air France La Première on B777 or in the First Class Suites of the Singapore Airlines A380, to name but two.

The marriage of tones is quite happy and gives a premium impression.

The seat gives, as I said, little possibility to isolate oneself from the rest of the cabin but once in flight a small partition can be deployed from the armrest with a simple push of a button. It is minimalist but better than nothing.

The seat adjustments are multiple and very easy to understand.

The remote control is quite basic but, as a result, easy to use.

The size of the screen is good, neither more nor less for this class of cabin and given the distance between it and the passenger.

The in-flight entertainment system is very decent and the movie offer is correct, but I won’t dwell on the subject: I haven’t used IFEs on the airplanes for a while now, preferring to have my own movies and series selection on my iPad.

By the way, you’ll notice that there’s plenty of legroom. At the touch of a button, the ottoman slides on rails to get closer to the passenger so that he can put his feet on it if his legs are too short (which is my case despite my 1m88).

The flight attendant introduced himself to me very kindly and made the effort to try to speak French, as I often noticed on Lufthansa. It will be David and Tina who will take care of me and the other passengers of the First Class cabin during this flight to Munich.

The welcome is very professional and warm, the “machine” starts immediately with the taking of my coat check, the order of a first drink etc. Here I really feel in the very exclusive universe of a first class and I am once again totally surprised by the break that exists, at Lufthansa, for First Class passengers, between a totally banal experience on the ground, with little differentiation or even value, and a very premium experience that is triggered as soon as you step into the plane.

So they take my coat. In this cabin there is no luggage compartment above the seats but large individual lockers at the entrance of the cabin. It’s a win-win situation.

They bring me pyjamas and slippers for the night.

Then comes a voucher for free wifi.

I took the opportunity to take a look at the amenity kit, signed by La Prairie. Strangely not at all the same as on the outbound flight. This one looks more premium.

The drink arrives. I asked for champagne.

It will be a Pommery Cuvée Louise 2004. Nothing less.

A glance through the window: the Lufthansa A340 leaving for Frankfurt is also boarding.

It is comfortably installed that I wait for the boarding to continue.

By the way, as on the first class B777 of Air France, the windows close automatically at the touch of a button without having to manipulate the window blinds. On the other hand, where Air France only needs a button to “close” the 3 windows of each seat, here you have to close each window individually.

That’s it, the flight from Frankfurt pushes back…

To prepare for takeoff, the cabin switches to “night lighting” configuration. Very nice.

It is finally our turn, we are ready to leave… I expect that they take away my glasses but they make me a refill of champagne and sparkling water that I will drink quietly during the takeoff.

Service on board

The staff remembered my preferences well. Once the required altitude is reached, the champagne and water arrive as if by miracle.

It’s time to take a look at the menu.

Considering the late hour the service begins rather quickly, so that we have time to dine before falling asleep.

The table is set and to accompany the meal I am asked what kind of bread I want and if I want olive oil with it.Garlic Bread + olive oil… I still remember it. If you have other preferences, many kinds of bread are offered.

By the way when we you the size of the champagne glass I think that a certain French airline could be inspired by it! You will also notice that we have real mills for salt and pepper!

The starters are coming.

We start with the caviar, generously served with a ladle!

Nothing to do with the microscopic quantities that others serve as an appetizer before takeoff for fear of making a real starter with it.

Then the starters come. I say the starters because at Lufthansa it is not “or” but “and”: you can take all the starters of the menu if you want.

I start with shrimps and scallops.

Nice but a bit bland.

Ratatouille and burrata: a little better and I “save” the dish with pepper.

The terrine: same comment but it is excellently enhanced by the jam that accompanies it.

As a main course I will take the sea bass.

Perfect cooking, delicious sauce. A real success

Good note also for the dessert, mango and pomelo soup.

As for the wine, I took the South African wine that I had enjoyed on the way there… no way to take risks.

A good service that I will find a bit inferior to the one of the outward journey as far as the food is concerned. As far as the service and the staff are concerned, it’s still perfect!

Given the hour I will avoid digestive and coffee and go to bed immediately.

The night on board

So I go to the bathroom to change. On the A380 they are spacious First to offer a real changing room where you don’t have to contort yourself to change.

A rare and unique thing: the toilets have urinals!

It contains the necessary material to make a minimal grooming before going to bed and when waking up. Nothing amazing as a product but it does the job.

I am really a fan of the Lufthansa pajamas.

By the time I got back to the cabin, the staff had made up my bed: mattress, comforter, and raised the mini partition wall.

Negative point of this cabin: in spite of the thin separations, it is enough that a passenger has his screen or his reader lit so that everyone benefits from a halo of light. So if two or three of them do the same…

I have no problem falling asleep in such conditions but I know that this is not the case for everyone. Even the “no smoking” or “fasten seatbelt” signs light up the cabin a bit.

Funny: the roses so specific to the First Lufthansa cabin have their own lighting!

Well, it’s time to go to bed…

The night will be very quiet.

As usual, I will skip the very appetizing breakfast and just have a cup of tea.

The sun is slowly rising and soon we will be in Munich.

Landing without any problem and I am logically among the first to land. I am approaching the security controls to enter the Schengen zone while the flow of passengers has not finished pouring through the 3 jetways used to disembark this A380.

A few more meters and I’ll be in the First Class Lounge waiting for my connection to Paris.

The service and the staff

As usual the Lufthansa staff is very professional, warm and attentive. From the steward to the purser, almost everyone made the effort to speak to me in French, at least to introduce themselves. Attentive to the slightest request, often proactive, warm and close without being too colloquial, always watching over and going into the cabin to take care of the passengers, I really enjoy flying with such crews who seem to me to be more the norm than the exception at Lufthansa.

It show that one can serve in First class and not be haughty and uptight to embody the product!

Bottom line

Really a very pleasant experience that makes you want to go back, especially thanks to the quality of the service, even if I found the food a little bit below the outbound flight. The “soft product” largely compensates for a cabin that is less dreamy than that of some competitors but which is finally very pleasant.

When you think that Lufthansa prices its First Class from Paris at almost half the price of its competitors when you get there a little in advance, it makes you think.

It’s not worth doing without.

For the record, the routing of this trip.

• Paris-Frankfurt: Lufthansa Business (no interest, no review)
• Francfort-Hong Kong : Lufthansa First
• Hong Kong-Séoul : Asiana Business
• Seoul-Shanghai : China Eastern Business
• Shanghai-Hong Kong : China Eastern Business
• Hong Kong-Munich : Lufthansa First (here)
• Munich-Paris: Lufthansa Business (without interest, no review)

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