Review : Lufthansa Business Class, Paris-Munich, A319

In the context of my vacation in Asia, this is the beginning of a long series of reviews that will take us from Paris to Bali, using the Lufthansa First on A380 and the Singapore Airlines business on their recent 787-10.

But before the main course we have a Paris-Munich as an aperitif and a Munich-Frankfurt as a starter. Why so many detours? Because the First Class lounge in terminal 2 was missing from our list of achievements, knowing that we have already visited the satellite lounge twice in the spring and this summer.

So I played on the fact that Lufthansa offers flights including connections in its two hubs quite easily to make up for this lack.

On the program :

Check-in and ground course at Roissy
Boarding at Roissy
The business cabin of the A319 Lufthansa
The flight and the service
The Lufthansa crew
Arrival and disembarkation in Munich
Bottom line

Check-in and ground course at Roissy

I didn’t want to take any risk for this morning flight and I was well advised when I saw the state of the traffic when I got up. It was also an opportunity for me to test the newly opened Moxy Roissy, which gave me complete satisfaction.

I had already checked-in online but for once I had a baggage to check-in so I went through the Lufthansa counter in Roissy terminal 1.

Quite a lot of people in line, but it must be said that flights to Munich, Frankfurt and Zurich follow one another for Lufthansa and Swiss, which operate from the same counter.

And given the commercial aggressiveness of the two airlines out of Paris, many of these passengers are not people simply flying to one of these cities but long-haul connecting passengers who have found that a good fare is worth a stopover rather than a direct departure from Paris.

However, only one person in the First Class line. The check-in is done in one minute and I am given paper boarding passes

However, they are not in the beautiful signature red pocket of the German airline’s First Class tickets. Out of stock ? Negligence? Anyway.

No waiting in line Access n°1 and here I am in the famous conveyors of the terminal.

At the controls it’s a little jammed but the priority line is well cleared and I’m in the boarding hall very quickly.

Given the small size of the area, only a few passengers are needed for it to become overcrowded, and this is already the case at our gate, which is located just outside of the controls, even though boarding is only scheduled in about half an hour.

So I have time to go to the Lufthansa Senator lounge while waiting for boarding, a lounge already presented here and which does the job a minima without sending too much dream.

But you should not expect anything better in the near future in the Shengen section of Terminal 1.

At the time of boarding the door has been changed and finally we leave from the one which is situated just at the exit of the elevator of the lounge.

Boarding at Roissy

Lufthansa has recently opted for a group boarding procedure which finally has little to do with some announcements made a few months ago.

The aircraft is waiting for us at the end of the jetway.

The boarding starts on time at 8:45 am precisely.

The boarding priorities are strictly respected, no free riding or people who in good faith or not try to get in the wrong lane.

It is however simple and I wonder why for others the boarding is still too often the occasion of a happy mess.

The business class cabin of the Lufthansa A319

No surprise on the cabin: it’s the good old NEK seat, which I will always reproach for being a little too firm, even for short haul flights.

On the other hand, I really like the neutral tones and the leather seat.

I always appreciate the legroom at Lufthansa: despite my 1.88m, I can easily extend my legs and even cross them. Rarely is this the case on the competition’s aircrafts.

It is Christmas and the cabins are soberly decorated for the occasion. It’s not much, but it helps to give a flight a bit of a human touch.

Considering the weather outside, I won’t miss Paris, especially considering my final destination.

The boarding will be finished at 9:05 am and the doors will be closed 5 minutes early.

There will be 3 Business rows for 5 passengers on this flight. I’m used to seeing this class better filled at Lufthansa.

We’re ready to go.

The flight and the service

Nothing special to report except for the not so good weather conditions which will make us see the sky only after a long climb through a big cloudy layer.

While waiting for the service I put my “personal IFE” on the neutralized central seat.

The service starts at 9:33 am. It will be done with the tray and fortunately not with the trolley.

Here is the meal of the day. Until the last minute I was afraid I would get the milk/muesli duo that I hate.

If someone from Lufthansa is reading this article I would like to have the answer to a metaphysical question that keeps me awake at night: why square trays on rectangular tray tables? In the end it doesn’t take up the whole width and it sticks out in the depth.

The bread is served hot and, more importantly, the tray is brought to you with a broad smile, as is (almost) always the case at Lufthansa.

The salmon is correct without being fantastic but the horseradish cream served with it successfully enhances the whole and makes it very acceptable.

The cheese is not bad either without being amazing. Here it is the radish shavings that give a nice little taste and save the dish.

The charcuterie is very good, which is a constant at Lufthansa. I just wish I had a little more.

The cottage cheese is light and very digestible but again it is the fruit that enhances the taste of the whole.

Out of the 4 dishes we have 3 whose main ingredient is a bit bland on its own and which is saved by what accompanies it. Luck or know-how? Anyway, for a breakfast on a medium-haul flight of 2 hours, we won’t be picky, it was a very good meal.

I will accompany all this with lemon tea and sparkling water.

At 9:47 am we are entitled to a second service of drinks and the trays are cleared.

I take the opportunity to notice that some economy passengers go to the business cabin to use the toilet, which is quite surprising. In fact what is especially surprising is that the separating curtain was not closed the whole flight. The breach of protocol was quickly forgiven because it did not create a traffic jam in the alley.

At 10:30 am we start our descent in a blue Munich sky which changes from the Parisian greyness.

The Lufthansa crew

Not much to say about such a short flight although in two hours if it is not easy to be “magical” there is easily something to miss.

Here the crew was very professional, smiling and warm, no fault in the service, nothing to complain about.

Arrival and disembarkation in Munich

A short taxxing allows us to admire a family grouping of Airbus of the German airline.

Bad luck for us, we will park at a remote stand. Another bus disembarkation that I find far too frequent with Lufthansa in Frankfurt on medium-haul flights and that is repeated in Munich as well.

The presence of a Porsche Cayenne on the plane’s descent means two things: passengers with HON Circle status from the Lufthansa Miles&More frequent flyer program or First Class connecting passengers are on board, both of which are entitled to a “limousine service” transfer to the First lounge.

Oh yes…I forgot…that’s actually me. Seriously, I almost got on the bus before I “woke up”.

And so after flying on Lufthansa I’m going to ride a Porsche to the First Class lounge which was the reason for this little detour.

Bottom line

An uneventful flight but not without a few minor bugs like the handing over of boarding passes without a distinctive pocket, the curtain left open and I would have inevitably complained about the remote parking if, in my particular case, it had imposed an uncomfortable and long transfer by bus rather than by car.

For the rest a comfortable flight, on time, with a good crew and a very acceptable meal.

My routing :