To finish off my two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, my dad and I flew Lufthansa’s A340 first class from Frankfurt (FRA) to New York (JFK), which was also my first flight featuring Lufthansa’s new first class soft product.
Continue reading: Review: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Throw in an East German Stasi interrogator, female of course, and I'd be aroused.
Ben, you're a duck-person, I'm a delft-blue-house-person. By now, you must've flown LH First and visited their lounges nearly 100 times over the past two decades... so, how many you got? Do they fill a shelf or a room?
There wasn’t much difference when you visited, but...
At the recent centenary celebrations, however, caviar and some special dishes were only available at FCT.
Lufthansa is just a wretched, irredeemable airline. And yet it seems to be the top choice for the owner of this website.
@1990:
I'm half Dutch and FB Platinum but have never more than a barely enjoyable flight with KLM in Business. I find the crew too nonchalant. Their Premium Economy is very good and Economy is decent; especially in Europe. AF business on the other hand is pretty enjoyable (except their hot food which is usually over cooked). Their crew are always very attentive when you're Platinum; always a nice welcome even sometimes in Economy. So the question is what do you see in KL that I don't? Or is it just the Dutch attitude you enjoy? I live in Paris so I guess I'm a needy Parisian and need to be treated like a king
There’s not even a dedicated security line from there. Ugh, negotiating FRA is hell even in FC, no thanks.
Personally, KLM for the Delft Blue Houses and AMS (which, I know, some don't prefer, but I do, Crown 52, rats and all.) AF for food, wine, but unfortunately, they are often delayed (usually 'boarding' on-time, but then keeping everyone in the jet bridge for an hour while they sort it all out.) Of course, La Premiere is on a whole different level (kingly, indeed.) As for Paris, hope you are staying cool; we've seen the reports of 'heat dome' (100F/40C). Ouch!
We made use of the FCT a few weeks ago and it sure was nice.
The staff literally bounded out the door to meet us. We'd check our luggage the night before so only had carry on but one agent insisted on carrying our bags while the other escorted us inside.
We've used the Terminal before so knew the drill but I'd forgotten how relaxing it is to not have to think about when to leave or where to go. When the time came our agent took us downstairs to their dedicated immigration station, walked us to the car which a short drive later parked next to the nose of the 747 we'd be taking. A quick elevator ride up and we boarded straight from the jetway without ever entering the terminal.
One could easily get used to this. Alas with last year's devaluation it's not to be, at least for us.
The fixtures and furniture are very... IKEA, which is a perfectly good retailer, but not on par with a first class experience costing five figures.
LH and QR are the two airlines you overrate above else. Both are okayish but honestly mediocre in most people's experiences yet these are the two you put on a pedestal
The décor is pretty similar to, and arguably a bit less inspiring than, most SEN lounges.
I do feel sorry for you. Next time in, I will collect a duckie for you.
While Ben's suggestion That when connecting from a Schengen flight to an international one, stay indoors and connect with the international lounge is sound, my wife and I prefer the ten minute, mostly undercover walk. Great to get joints going again. And the distinct advantage advantage is that you clear immigration and get on lim to your gate. Also, I prefer the terminal lounge because of a decided lack of crowds and noise.
And be it lounge or terminal, from the time you enter, until the time you leave, your personal rep is tracking your sked. And of course, she will hand you your ducky. Years ago when flying KLM FC, got slew of Delft houses.
Now all I need to do is to build a Peabody pond for my ducks. To
I do feel sorry for you. Next time in, I will collect a duckie for you.
While Ben's suggestion That when connecting from a Schengen flight to an international one, stay indoors and connect with the international lounge is sound, my wife and I prefer the ten minute, mostly undercover walk. Great to get joints going again. And the distinct advantage advantage is that you clear immigration and get on lim to your gate. Also, I prefer the terminal lounge because of a decided lack of crowds and noise.
And be it lounge or terminal, from the time you enter, until the time you leave, your personal rep is tracking your sked. And of course, she will hand you your ducky. Years ago when flying KLM FC, got slew of Delft houses.
Now all I need to do is to build a Peabody pond for my ducks.
"Lufthansa HON Circle members get access to the lounge whenever flying a Lufthansa Group flight same day; there’s no need to be in first class, and there are no route restrictions, so this is also a frequent flyer lounge"
This is correct for the FCT, but actually FCL can be accessed by HON Circle members when travelling on any *A flight.
First Class lounge in main terminal is very good. Usually much less crowded than First Terminal. They have good restaurant and bar. Usually very short walk to the gate. Only disadvantage is a very long walk if you have a connecting flight - it takes up to 30 min including additional security check which is a pain in the neck.
Thanks for the nice review, Ben.
Even when connecting I usually take the short walk to the First Class Terminal.
Why?
For me there are a few reasons to do so.
- After a long haul flight I find it good to be able to walk for a short while.
- When arriving from a destination which requires a new security check one often ends up with a long wait at security - even with fast lane access. Mostly it is much better to just exit the terminal and have the new security check done at the FCT - where I never ever had to wait or even one passenger in front of me at security.
- Almost the same applies for immigration. Immigration for connecting flights feels more crowded than immigration for exit to Frankfurt.
- the First Class Terminal offers Limousine service to the plane for each and every departure. The First Class Lounges in the terminal do that only for flights leaving from apron positions. Which means that you may have to walk the terminal - and those walks easily may take 10 to 15 minutes in A (and a bit shorter in B).
Only on tight intra Schengen connections I tend to stay at the terminal.
Ben is definitely sentimental about Lufthansa because of his roots but he has also not been shy about criticizing them. Just search up "Spohr" in the search function lol
I would love to recount wonderful lounge experience in Frankfurt, but alas, on recent trips through that airport (three layovers last month), that was impossible. Flying on Lufthansa, with multi-hour layovers, but because of the horrific EES situation and the ludicrous lines to get through, even three and four hours layovers didn't allow enough time to visit any lounge. Until the EU solves the EES issue, we're avoiding Europe from now onward.
He criticizes the CEO, but seems to regard the decades-old FC cabin as if it's still something special.
Also, I don't get the idea that just because a product or service is from your ancestral home country, you need to be sentimental about it? Seems silly.