For the first international sector of our ski trip in the French Alps, we flew Lufthansa first class from Boston to Munich. While I reviewed Lufthansa's Boeing 747-8 first class not too long ago, I was excited to fly Lufthansa's A340-600 first class. That's because Lufthansa grounded these jets during the pandemic, and they were…
Continue reading: Review: Lufthansa First Class Airbus A340-600 (BOS-MUC)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Ben, just a nerdy language question for you: do you interact fully with the crew in German? What about Ford? Or do you do English when you’re with him and German when you’re solo? Thanks!
@ Eric -- Great question! Generally we both talk exclusively to the crews in German. Ford is really good at languages, and has been learning German over the past couple of years, and is now basically fluent.
@Ben Schlappig, just a verification comment, it’s the 747-8 the longest aircraft, not the A340-600.
You're right. That hard product does look quite uninspiring. I wouldn't be motivated to pay a premium over business class for it.
Not a fan of Lufthansa but to be fair, the A340-600s were brought back from long term storage and haven't been upgraded, nose to tail, nor will they be, right? Either way, LH's cabins vary wildly and are generally inconsistent. The service, food, and comfort levels are all middling at best.
Like a cranky old man, LH won’t give up on its traditional crappy products. hat is the worst 1st class product I have seen on a major European carrier.. imagine paying thousands of dollars for that seat and that meal. Ugh.
Lucky, can you please comment on your experience entering Germany/EU after landing at MUC.
Several years ago, I flew LH F LAX-MUC-VIE and entered Germany/EU just outside the entrance to the LH F Lounge on the international arrivals level. There was just one podium/inspector, but there was no one else in line when I arrived. It was extremely easy and convenient.
As you’ve said many times you have an emotional attachment to LH and I completely get that but it’s now very out of date, just look at those overly exposed window seats. I am surprised they haven’t introduced curtains around each seat like AF, just as an interim measure. No way would I choose gp pay for seats in that configuration.
I realized a few years ago that LH serves the same mains in Business and First on ex-US flights. Flying out of Germany, First has different mains from Business.
I love the A340-600 and have flown it from/to Munich and Bogota, Hongkong and the US. Its great in economy with the 2-4-2 seating and that the toilets are on the lower deck.
".... the center section of the A340 in first class doesn’t have overhead bins, to give the cabin a more spacious feel. Ultimately I’d say that’s a net positive, as it makes the cabin feel much larger."
As though the only purpose of bins is in the absence, to make the cabin feel larger. This is a huge net negative when there's not enough room for passengers' luggage and they're schlepping it away to closets and the economy cabin
I flew an LH A340-600 years ago on FRA-CAN-MNL, back when it was operating. I had the very last seat in economy, and looking down the aisle you basically couldn't see the front of the plane it was so far away.
I'm not sure I see the value of F class over a decent J on a short eastbound TATL flight. Two full meals really takes up a lot of valuable sleeping time...
@ Credit;
I've flown LH First tons of times and never ever the bins where full. With 8 seats in First you all must be heavy loaded to fill up the side overhead bins.
I don't understand. The seat was old and not really a good F seat. The amenity kit was terribly cheap. The food was nothing special. The wines were worse than before. A lot of the small things that used to be there were now missing. And yet, after what must have been a very mediocre First flight, you rate it four stars. Surely this would be a three star flight, nothing more?
There is no way LH (nor any other airlines) can dedicate that much space to a business class seat. That simply won't work commercially.
Having flown LH F once, I recall storing some luggage in the extra storage behind the two middle seats.
@Daniel from Finland
5 stars for sure. A proper international first class product.
The food and wine menu ? What about the FAs professionalism ? The Porsche amenity kit. I still have that brush. The spacious beds? The Evian spray bottles in the lavs. That’s a nice aircraft a340.
"the main courses are the same as in business class"
Emirates does the same as well on many of it's long-haul flights.
You hit the nail on the head. I had the opportunity to upgrade to BA First from IAD to LHR last year on an AAdvantage redemption (maybe it was an incremental 25,000 points?) and didn't bother for that very reason. 7-8 hour overnight flight, I want: airport lounge, priority boarding, personal space and a lie-flat seat. All come with a business class ticket. Will save my first class redemptions for the really long ones! Also, I imagine that the perks on LH are much better ex-Germany, vis-a-vis ground experience and catering.
Looking at two blogs today we find that you complained you had a hard time sleeping on this flight and only managed 3.5 hours and then state categorically on the other blog that you love looking "at the scenery" outside the window and don't believe that blinds should be closed.
I see both a contradiction and perhaps a link between these comments. Perhaps if you closed the window you (and those near you) could sleep better? Or perhaps your in-flight insomnia is why you like looking at the flight map and out the window and why you can't understand why anyone would choose to close the blind?
Toilets In the hold? Odd! I suspect that you are talking about an A380 perhaps? The A340 does not have a lower deck.
Don't you suspect that being able to converse in German changes the in-flight experience?
The A340-600 does have washrooms and crew rest below the Economy cabin. There is a staircase for Economy class customers to access the washroom section below.
Actually there were A340 (and I believe A330) variants built with lower-level lavatories (in Y); presumably some trade off of cargo space.
The toilets in economy are down a set of stairs. One line for 4? toilets. Very efficient. Loved when I flew a this about 10 years ago, Boston to Frankfurt on Lufthansa
Nice review - I think the only way a carrier changes its product is when people provide feedback, until that happens they think all is well.
To be fair, Ben does point out that the service was excellent. And the food was the same menu as it has been for the past few years, but was actually very good - it just wasn't exciting.
And, being LH, the hard product is exactly what was expected.
Four stars seems reasonable to me.
Good they're in their own area away from passengers, but I hated the single line since the only place you could queue is on the narrow stairs. Creates quite a bottleneck in that gallery when all econ and PE pax are waiting in one spot.
Looking at that menu it seems like LH is offering a rather different product from outstations.
I flew LH First 2wks ago FRA-SIN on 747-8 and the champagne is for instance the Laurent Perrier Grand siecle. The wine list too was more substantial than that. The food was amazing. The amenity kit was lovely and had more content that what i'm seeing here. An almost completely different product than what you had.
The caviar service looks a little 'thrown together' - lack lustre compared with other premium airlines such as Singapore and Emirates. And coupled with my other love in F, fine bubbles, the offering appears inferior. However, in playing devil's advocate (with myself), excellent crew service will overcome most deficiencies in a soft product ..... except for poor champagne.
The LH A346 does, in fact, have a lower deck of sorts. It includes the coach lavs, as @criced mentioned, as well as the FA crew rest facility.
Was on LH 414 MUC-IAD yesterday, and for champagne they had Grand Siecle and then an off-menu bottle of the 1995 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires, which was a very pleasant surprise! Interesting to see the stark difference compared to your flight
He's not mistaken. To access the economy lavs, one does indeed have to descend into the hold area via a set of stairs. There are no passenger seats down there, but there are about 5 lavs and crew rest. I had to take a special trip to the back of the plane to see these myself when I rode this same route F last summer.
What I plan to do next month on my first and probably only flight on an A340. Zoom Zoom
What I plan to do next month on my first and probably only flight on an A340. Zoom Zoom
Oops double posted reply to bathroom in the hold 😉
I’m hoping for better from IAD next month
I agree! Lufthansa has not kept up with other First Class flights, e.g., Air France!!!!
A question I had about this trip, and others, is: assuming you had a defined period and hotel reservations on certain dates, do you worry about *NOT* being able to book outbound/return flights so close in?
IE - do you have a backup plan (pay cash?) or just so confident availability will appear? Also, in the intro you mentioned you booked the return seemingly WHLIE on the trip... I know you've mentioned in the past you are OK with that uncertainty, but just wondering has it burned you in the past/what you plan for as a backup?
No, he's right. The Lufthansa A346 has stairs and toilets below, where some airlines would be putting a crew rest.
Emirates' caviar course is pre-plated, while Lufthansa's is done from a trolley.
No, the A340 restrooms are in the hold and very unique to Lufthansa from what I understood. I flew the plane just a few weeks ago and it was unique to go downstairs to the loo.
He was in the middle seat. You are suggesting he violate the cardinal rule in First Class of actually speaking to another passenger and asking them to close/open the blind in their window? Mais non, mon p'ti gars! Quelle horreur!
The 340-600 (specifically) very much *does* have lavatories downstairs.
Maybe educate yourself instead of being a smart-youknowhat, boomer.
Did they get this 'off menu' bottle from the plane wine cellar?
How did that even work? Did the crew offer this proactively? I have never heard of airlines offering off menu wine choices, so I am intruiged.
Totally underwhelming for first. LH has been caught up and passed by from even some businesses class operations such a pity to see legacy carriers thinking this is acceptable in the modern age.
I can't imagine what you'd have written if this product were British Airways. The German bias is strong here.
What caught my eye was the champagne, it's a great champagne if you serve it in business class but when other airlines are serving Krug, Dom Perignon and Salon in First, this under $100 bottle of champagne suddenly seems cheap. Also, the First cabin seems very exposed, there's no much privacy from what I can see.