It’s no secret that I’m a fanboy when it comes to Lufthansa first class. The rest of the airline I don’t feel quite as fondly about, from their old business class to their new business class. But their first class experience is phenomenal, in my opinion, from the onboard experience to the ground experience.
I’ve done what I can to avoid flying them lately, though, since I’ve reviewed more Lufthansa first class than any other product.
But my mom and I decided to fly Lufthansa first class home from Frankfurt to Miami yesterday. For the first time in quite a while I used the Lufthansa First Class Terminal. It sort of felt like coming back home, given that I haven’t been there forever, but it still felt like I last visited yesterday.
Funny enough I actually wasn’t impressed by the service in the lounge. The servers who usually roam the lounge to offer drinks seemed to be especially lazy, as I wasn’t once offered a drink without asking. That’s of course not a big deal, but it wasn’t the usual excellent service I’m used to there, where I’m offered a drink the second I sit down.
Despite that, we had an excellent experience. For our entire trip in Germany we were looking for Kinder Überraschung, which are those chocolate eggs with toys inside. A friend of the family in Florida really wanted them for her kids. However, oddly we couldn’t find them anywhere. Instead supermarkets just seemed to have Kinder Joy eggs, which are not nearly as good.
The Lufthansa First Class Terminal has a duty free shop, which is nice though has a fairly limited selection (as you might expect). We asked if they had Kinder Überraschung eggs, and the associate apologized that they didn’t. She asked when our flight was, and after making a call she realized they had them in one of the duty free shops in the main terminal (if you’ve ever been to the FCT you’ll know it’s quite a haul from the rest of the terminal).
We were about ready to head to the terminal to get them, though she offered to get them for us. She literally spent over an hour away going to the terminal to pick them up, and then brought them back. All for a ~20EUR purchase.
Perhaps the coolest part is that they were Airbus themed eggs, which kind of made me wish I had purchased some for myself as well. 😉
Generally tipping isn’t customary in Germany, though I really felt like she went out of her way, so wanted to give her a tip for the help. She looked at me like I was crazy, said it was her job, and told me that if I really wanted to spend the money I should throw it in one of the charity boxes, as that would make her happy.
She explained that in the future if we wanted anything from the First Class Terminal duty free shop we should just email or call them in advance, and they can arrange to have it waiting for us.
Good to know for the future — what awesome service!
Hi Ben, what were the contact details she provided for the FCT or the FCT duty free? I cannot find anything online…
Hi, although the review is a little old, maybe for others that are interested in Kinder-Überraschung: They ard not sold during summertime, as they offen melt because the chocolate is quite thin.
Normally every supermarket is selling them, you need to have a look around the cashiers area.
Just got home from Germany and our box of kinder eggs were destroyed by us customs. We had no idea they were illegal! Shame on the duty free shops for selling them without that warning!!!
Hi Ben! This was a timely post for me. I'm flying back to Chicago on Luftansa FC this evening, and I'm loving the FCT experience. They are treating me like royalty and I'm sure loving it.
I just got my two silver ducks (I asked for a second one, which was graciously granted) and I got a couple of boxes of chocolate eggs as well, you know, the ones with the toy inside.
Thank you...
Hi Ben! This was a timely post for me. I'm flying back to Chicago on Luftansa FC this evening, and I'm loving the FCT experience. They are treating me like royalty and I'm sure loving it.
I just got my two silver ducks (I asked for a second one, which was graciously granted) and I got a couple of boxes of chocolate eggs as well, you know, the ones with the toy inside.
Thank you for the tips o getting the best out of the flying experience! I hope your health is looking up.
Kinda surprised you'd publicly post something that could get your GE revoked; you don't think they'd hesitate to make a public example of you?
It sure is strange that children (and adults!) all over the world apparently enjoy these chocolate treats without choking to death, except of course in the good old USA. Way to keep everyone safe, TSA!
Sounds like Birgid was working the lounge!!!!!
I used to love Kinder Surprise eggs! We have them here in Australia but definitely not cool themed Airbus ones, I probably would have got some too haha
Flying in Surprise Eggs with foreign labels carries a fine of up to USD 2,500 per egg:
http://www.komonews.com/news/offbeat/Seattle-men-busted-at-Canadian-border-with-illegal-candy-162685596.html
US customs obviously sizes quite a number of them.
Interesting that you found the FCT service underwhelming this time around. I've only been there twice, in 2007 and 2013. The service the second time was nowhere near as good as the first time, although obviously that's not enough of a sample size to say that service has declined.
@Anon, yes they are really banned.
From what I understand, prior to their ban..there was only one reported choking death of a 3 year old girl related to the small toy found inside the chocolate. The mother of the little girl, supposedly made it her mission to have the confectionary banned.
Are they really banned in the US? What are these "Kinder Joys" then? Sorry if I sound ignorant, but I live in the UK and have never heard of anyone choking on a Kinder Surprise- you really can't (and they're delicious!).
We got the same Airbus Kinder eggs at the Cancun airport duty free shop a few days ago! We always buy kinder eggs abroad and have never had a problem bringing them through customs. Maybe just lucky I guess?
Time and again LH Lufthansa first class has blown me away with exactly this kind of amazing service. Such a shame that they are cutting the number of first class seats on their network. Let's hope that some of the fantastic first class customer service trickles its way down to business class. As you rightfully point out LH Business Class (new or old) has been woefully unimpressive.
That's excellant service. Sadly, you can only find such service in Europe and Asia. I feel in US, people in service industry can be only motivated by tips, and they think they deserve tips without any effort, and treat it as a tax.
Even in some nice hotels like St. Regis. Butler couldn't be less lazy...
Well, consider most of US hotels are cheaper than in Europe and Asia, that may explain why....
"I’ve done what I can to avoid flying them lately, though, since I’ve reviewed more Lufthansa first class than any other product."
You're such a phony; quit with the half truths. We all know the real reason is because it is now too costly to redeem given various *A devaluations in the past two years.
Nice box! Must be only available in the duty free shops. Never saw this in store.
Lucky,
As others have said, those kinder eggs are banned in the US. At Canadian border crossings, US CBP told us that they have revoked people's Nexus (Global Entry) because they were carrying a few with other grocery/souvenier items.
We bought that same Airbus set for our son while in transit to the Paris airshow this month on the condition that he consume all the chocolate before getting back to the US. He was very willing to oblige!
The service here is great! The first time they did something like this for me they gave me their business card to call ahead for special requests! SInce then I have discovered you can pre order duty free and select the FCT as your pck up point.
@Carlos: that is exactly what I tried to point out in my earlier comment: the alleged reason for the Sommerpause is quite ridiculous. But still it might be true that Germans eat less chocolate (and more ice cream) during summer.
I didn´t get this explanation about not having them on Germany summers. We have them all year around in Brazil and the temperature in Brazil even in winter might be hotter than a summer in Germany.
This was one of the social media ad campaigns of the year:
http://adsoftheworld.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_retina/public/moms-demand-action-for-gun-sense-in-america-kinder-egg.jpg?itok=igGnIzyd
We found the eggs with the airbus inside in Singapore last month and had to buy them! Had no idea it was an issue to bring them back, we had no problems. So, yay I guess. :-)
There is a reason you didn't find "Überraschungseier" in supermarkets: the company marketing them has a self-imposed summer break ("Sommerpause") for this and several other products which they claim is to avoid declining quality due to the warmer temperatures in summer. The true reason might as well be the tendency of people not to eat that much chocolate when it's warm outside so they simply can't sell that much during that time (they have less...
There is a reason you didn't find "Überraschungseier" in supermarkets: the company marketing them has a self-imposed summer break ("Sommerpause") for this and several other products which they claim is to avoid declining quality due to the warmer temperatures in summer. The true reason might as well be the tendency of people not to eat that much chocolate when it's warm outside so they simply can't sell that much during that time (they have less chocolate-heavy products as alternates). I rarely watch TV for several years now, but I remember quite ridiculous TV commercials appearing in early September when customers allegedly were asking supermarket staff when these products were returning only to be shown the pre-prepared space in the shelfs and to be told that they still had to wait for the temperatures to dip - just the thought of these and other obtrusive commercials by this company gives me shivers and I tend to avoid their products ever since...
I agree it's awesome service, but doesn't a small part of you wonder if it isn't nice to get long walk in on a one hour "mission" that is completely defensible? Not hating on anything, just pointing out it could be nice to get away from the monotony. I've worked some menial jobs where any "special assignments" while on the clock were always welcome...
"Kinder Joy eggs"? I hadn't realised Kinder had expanded into the sex toy industry!
Thanks for the comments informing these are not legally brought into the states. I have brought them in for about 5 years now as my daughter loves them after tasting them in Mexico. Thankfully she is old enough now to not care that much for them so I won't be tested passing through customs with them.
What is the email address for the FCT to let them know?
@Joey
my CVS has Milka chocolate with hazelnuts for around $4... oddly that's the only flavor of Milka they carry.
Damn. I want Airbus themed Kinder Überraschung!
@JR How sneaky do you have to be? I didn't have a problem bringing these back. Packed them in my suitcase.
Easy explanation why you didn't find them in any supermarket: They switch their products according to the seasons. You can find Kinder Überraschung approx. from Sep-Apr/May and Kinder Joy for the remaining year, as it seems as if Kinder Joy is the better choice for the summer as the chocolate can't melt inside your hands.
Hope you didn't have problems at CBP!!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder_Surprise#United_States
Heinemann does have a service where you can order through their website and pickup at an airport. Never used it though. Oh, and you can earn LH or AB miles while shopping there (not only through their website).
I agree! I love love Milka with Hazelnuts and normally get them while I'm in Germany since they tend to be the cheapest there (roughly 4 Euros per chocolate bar at FRA compared to $9 at JFK!) Anyway, They had a few Milka bars but no Hazelnut ones. They asked me which flight I was on and since I was going to be at FCT for the next 3 hours, they went to the main terminal and got me 5! Excellent service indeed!
Indeed, I hope you got these back into the States before posting the blog, as CBP might have been on your case - they are not permitted to be imported to the United States! :)
Against US law to bring back Überraschungseier to the USA. have to be sneaky @ customs... Had once a quite a long discussion regarding this rule. Sweets & game equals kids eating the hole egg including the toy.....
You are aware that the import of this item into the US is forbidden and that is CBP catches you with them you will get a heavy fine?
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_107.html
That is truly spectacular service.
Two thumbs up!
@keith - Yes, they're a choking hazard - though at the rate we let people play with guns in this country, you wouldn't think a toy would set off an any alarms.
We have these in Canada too! You can't have them in America because I heard it's against some law to have toys inside food.