Lufthansa First Class Rubber Ducks Explained

Lufthansa First Class Rubber Ducks Explained

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Lufthansa offers its first class passengers collectible rubber ducks. This is kind of fascinating, since rubber ducks aren’t typically something you’d associate with premium air travel. I’ve talked about these rubber ducks many times in passing on the blog, but have never dedicated a post to them.

What’s the story with Lufthansa’s rubber ducks? What’s the backstory, and where and how can you get them? Let’s dig in…

What’s the history of Lufthansa rubber ducks?

Lufthansa’s first class rubber ducks date back nearly 20 years, to 2004, when the First Class Terminal Frankfurt opened. Lufthansa’s lounges are frankly a bit sterile in terms of design, but the airline has a few quirky features that add a bit of personality, and among those is rubber ducks.

The rubber duck concept started off innocently enough. One of the shower suites in the First Class Terminal has a bathtub, so Lufthansa would place a rubber duck at the bath. Over time, the airline seemingly realized how much passengers enjoyed taking these ducks home with them, and embraced it.

Lufthansa First Class Lounge bathtub

In the meantime, the airline has expanded these to all of its first class lounge locations in Frankfurt and Munich, and the airline has introduced dozens of different ducks over the years.

Lufthansa has unveiled ducks for all kinds of occasions, ranging from Christmas ducks, to Oktoberfest ducks, to coronavirus ducks, to FIFA World Cup ducks. Honestly, how can you not fall in love with these ridiculously cute collectible items, especially as an avgeek, given the branding? Even if you’re not personally into them, surely you have someone in your life (a kid, or a kid at heart) who would love a cool rubber duck!

Lufthansa first class rubber ducks

How and where can you get Lufthansa rubber ducks?

How do you actually get your hands on one of Lufthansa’s first class ducks? You’ll need to visit the First Class Terminal Frankfurt, or any of Lufthansa’s First Class Lounges in Frankfurt or Munich. In order to access those, you’ll generally need to be flying in Lufthansa or SWISS first class, or you’ll need Lufthansa’s uber-elite HON Circle status.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to take a bath to actually get a rubber duck. Instead, the lounge attendants (referred to as PAs, or personal assistants, because of how attentively they look after your travel plans) will be happy to offer you one. I know it might sound weird, but just ask them, as they’re very used to it. “Hey, could I have one of those ducks?”

A few things to note regarding the logistics:

  • The general policy is that you can get one duck per person per lounge; so if you are in the mood to lounge hop, you might be able to get your hands on multiple ducks in a day
  • You’ll typically find different ducks in Frankfurt vs. Munich, as they’re often customized to the location
  • While there’s typically one primary duck being offered at a given lounge at one point, sometimes there are multiple types, at least upon request; usually I just ask for a duck, and then if it’s one I have, I ask if they by chance have any others, and sometimes they do
Lufthansa first class rubber ducks

If you want to get a sense of the variety of ducks there are, you’ll find a display case when you enter the First Class Terminal that shows some of the ducks that have been offered over the years. If I were ever to do a smash and grab, this might just be where it would be. 😉

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt rubber duck collection

The approach that Lufthansa takes toward marketing these ducks is also interesting to me. The airline says almost nothing about these ducks through its official channels, and the airline also typically only offers them if you specifically ask.

So while they have a cult-like following, it’s also entirely possible that you’ve flown Lufthansa first class dozens of times and had never heard of these ducks (and are just confused by the case of ducks at the entrance to the lounge).

What do you do with your Lufthansa rubber ducks?

With the above out of the way, here’s something I’m curious about — to those who collect these rubber ducks, what do you actually do with them? It’s a genuine question, because I collect these ducks, and… I’m not actually sure what to do with them? Like, I have plans to do something grand with them at some point, I’m just not sure what yet.

I suppose I could put them on the edge of our bathtub, which seems like the most logical option. But I feel like that will cause some of the more interesting ducks to fade and be damaged much more quickly.

I guess the other option is to line up the collection somewhere, but without context, it’s perhaps kind of weird to display rubber ducks in your living room as an adult (and realistically, I don’t think I’d get spousal approval for that either).

Like, I absolutely love these ducks and I have them all in a drawer next to my bed right now. I’d like to display them somewhere, I just can’t actually figure out where and how. So I’d love some tips, as I’m curious how others approach this!

Lufthansa first class ducks make great travel companions

Bottom line

Lufthansa has an awesome collection of rubber ducks, which are available in the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt, and in the Lufthansa First Class Lounges in Frankfurt and Munich. The selection rotates, so over time you can potentially build up quite a collection. Quack quack!

What’s your take on the whole Lufthansa first class duck thing?

Conversations (35)
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  1. Christine dumlao Guest

    Do they offer it at business class.

  2. Steve Steinhart Guest

    Last two times I flew Lufthansa they lost my luggage. They will not get a third chance

  3. Richard Guest

    I guess they're sort of like the KLM miniature delft houses that you get given in their world business class. I've seen people put them on their mantelpiece. I guess it's a sort of "if you know, you know...wink" kind of thing.

  4. iamhere Guest

    KLM has the gin houses.

  5. Shirley-Anne Major Guest

    A woman in Canada, during the Pandemic, started putting ducks (with a note to say...something to make you smile) on any Jeeps she saw in parking lots. Now...I've seen Jeeps, especially in Florida, with the dash COVERED with ducks :) Not so much in Canada, but it has REALLY taken hold in Florida :)

  6. Jeff Guest

    I have mine lined up in my office so they’re behind me in my webcam shot.

  7. Travelling Duckie Guest

    I take mine to travel and hike with me. I have created an IG account for him. https://instagram.com/travelling.duckie?utm_source=qr&igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg%3D%3D

  8. Ross Guest

    Rubber ducks are the symbol of the protest movement led by jailed (after being poisoned) Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. So don't expect any Russian passengers to take them home. Then again, don't expect any Russian passengers. And thanks to the Germans for supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees.

    1. AnishReddi Gold

      I don't think all Russians support the war. I'm sure many will still be willing to fly Lufthansa to receive bad service and rubber ducks.

    2. RainbowsEnd Guest

      Fly Aeroflot Anish, try critcizing the new Czar when you land in Moscow, end up in a Gulag in Siberia. Lufthansa will look fantastic from there.

  9. PCT Member

    We have our collection lined up on the toilet tanks in both bathrooms!

  10. jdink Member

    I've got a couple of them. Keep them in my bathroom just in case they want to go for a swim.

  11. AndyPBNYC Member

    I must have about 6 or 7, and I keep them lined up by the side of my tub.

  12. Suzanne Guest

    Great idea! Shows imagination & playfulness that stodgy Germans aren’t supposed to exhibit. Kudos

  13. Henry Guest

    I think this is one of the most successful promotions among all the airlines with their products overall.

  14. D3Kingg Guest

    What shelf is the COVID duck I sent you on ? It looks a where’s Waldo :))))

  15. Alecta Guest

    Set up a ahelf in your bathroom and set up vignettes of various duckies.

  16. Stuart Guest

    What to do with Lufthansa First Class rubber ducks? Comedian James Veitch might give you some ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYOmtEcZ1lk

    1. Maryland Guest

      Thanks for the laugh. Just quackers.

  17. Jeb Brooks Guest

    We put ours by the bathtub. Seems like the most logical choice!

    1. bimbolus New Member

      Great idea! Btw, love your videos. Please keep them coming.

  18. Harry Guest

    I looked on e-bay and there are a bunch there for sale. Cheapest one was about $30 up to $150. Saw some pretty neat ones for sure!

  19. Bimbonello Guest

    In terms what you do with them, it's the same like any memorabilia. Other airlines have similar concepts - KLM's houses, Singapore's bears... etc... For us, the ducks go to my kids to play with in a bath and they often start peeling soon anyway.

  20. Droundtheworld Guest

    I bought a white sqaure board at an art store that was ready to hang on the wall. I cut the butt/tail end off and then glued them in a 3 Duck X 3 Duck grid onto the board. I get so many compliments. I wish all of the ducks were different but I have many duplicates. I happen to have more of the black and octoberfest ducks.

  21. Mike Guest

    I have about 20 or so lined up in my home office on top of the hutch thst sits on top of the desk. I was thinking of using the office for displaying other travel memorabilia like aspirational boarding cards etc

  22. AnishReddi Gold

    You could put them in your guest bathroom/powder room, soemthing interesting for guests to see and they won't get ruined cause no one will be having baths with them.

    Or put them on a shelf in your study. Maybe scatter them in between your airplane models.

  23. JoeSchmo Guest

    Are any of them valuable? I have a few and I'd sell them if there is a market for them.

  24. Sir Digby Chicken Caesar Guest

    As long as you have your ducks lined up everything will be fine

    1. Gregg Guest

      "Get your Ducks in a row" is the US saying...

    2. David Diamond

      Exactly what I expected a chicken would say.

  25. Ocean Guest

    Make your own glass display case for the ducks.

  26. seanp78 Gold

    I have 14 LH Ducks currently on a shelf in my shower/bath area. They are a fun addition to a boring bathroom!

  27. breathesrain Gold

    I don't think there's any point worrying about "preserving them". Give some to Miles as a toy, put them in the bath, hide them in silly places. Make Ford travel with one when he's without you as a good luck charm. Have fun!

    1. PJ Guest

      Use them. Far too often houses are cleared following a life event and all these things that have been “kept for best” get summarily thrown away.

      Maybe save one or two but use the the others. Enjoy Miles enjoying them in the bath. Enjoy using them yourself. Just don’t keep them to throw them away when you move or downsize.

  28. Daniel Guest

    You could create a mobile for your kid, hanging it above his bed.
    Of course that would also reduce lifetime of those ducks and you'd need to make a hole in the head or put glue on them, but at least they get some practical use instead of just being purely decorative. ;)

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar Guest

As long as you have your ducks lined up everything will be fine

2
breathesrain Gold

I don't think there's any point worrying about "preserving them". Give some to Miles as a toy, put them in the bath, hide them in silly places. Make Ford travel with one when he's without you as a good luck charm. Have fun!

2
PJ Guest

Use them. Far too often houses are cleared following a life event and all these things that have been “kept for best” get summarily thrown away. Maybe save one or two but use the the others. Enjoy Miles enjoying them in the bath. Enjoy using them yourself. Just don’t keep them to throw them away when you move or downsize.

1
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