After an amazing flight in Lufthansa First Class from Mumbai (BOM) to Frankfurt (FRA), we connected to another First Class flight to Chicago on Lufthansa flight #430.
Connecting in Frankfurt was a pain, as the planes are parked remotely (a non-gate position) and you have to go down stairs and then catch a bus. In First Class, we had a special van, but the driver just delivered us to the bus stop at Terminal 1. No one there, including at the Lufthansa Customer Service Counter, could tell us how to get to the First Class Lounge where there are direct transfers to the plane. (These conversations were hampered by our lack of German language skills and a lack of English skills of the Lufthansa staff we encountered.)
After following a circuitous route through the airport as directed by the signs, and going through a security screening, then on a train, we eventually got to departure gate Z 52. Boarding at the gate was chaotic.
Finally, we got on board the Boeing 747-8 aircraft, which has first class in the front nose of the plane, rather than in the upper deck. You can see the full 747- 8 plane configuration here on Seat Guru.
We chose seats 3 D and 3G, which are good for a couple traveling together, as you can see in the image above (from the Lufthansa web site.)
These seats in the B747-8’s First Class are single seats that convert to a flat bed, rather than the seat with a bed-beside First Class configuration on the Boeing 747-400.
These newer style of seats have many adjustment controls, so your can configure your seat just how you like it.
Storage is fantastic in this arrangement, with spacious overhead bins, a personal wardrobe locker for each seat, and storage under the foot rest.
Here you can see the foot rest storage in the closed position.
Being in the front section of the main deck is said to be the quietest zone of the plane. (We still prefer the Upper Deck.)
Our flight, LH#430, was scheduled to depart Frankfurt at 10:45 am, arriving Chicago ten hours and 5 minutes later at 12:50 pm.
The purser presented everyone with a personalized menu.
A larger lunch was served just after take-off, with the following menu choices.
Lufthansa excels with its caviar service. I also choose the salad and artichoke ravioli, counting on pasta to induce sleep.
Below are all of the beverage choices for Lufthansa First Class (in April, 2014)
Four different white wines, plus Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 champagne.
Four different red wines, as detailed above.
Dessert wine, liquors and port, offered in Lufthansa First Class in April, 2014, above
Cognac and spirits offered in Lufthansa First Class in April, 2014, above.
Four different German beers were a nice touch. As this was a daytime flight, no one appeared to be drinking much beyond a glass or two of champagne, and we didn’t either.
The tea selection, above, is nearly as impressive as the one in Air China’s “Hidden Pavilion.”
Shades were lowered after lunch service, and the entire first cabin was fairly dark, which was nice for sleeping on a daytime flight.
About an hour and a half before arrival in Chicago, a snack was served.
The backrooms in the First Class cabin were first class: sparkling clean, spacious, and with a window view.
The toilet seat had a cover (below) that turned into a bench helpful for those changing into the pajamas provided.
One of the very special touches of this flight, which took place the Thursday before Palm Sunday, was a gift for each First Class passenger.
The gift were large, German-chocolate Easter bunnies. No one turned these down.
Our niece was the happy recipient of our bunnies.
If you’ve flown on Lufthansa First Class, do you prefer the bed/seats in the Boeing 747-400 aircraft, or these lie-flat single seats in the B747-8’s First Class?
Other airline-related posts that you may want to check out:
- Experiencing Air China’s “˜Forbidden Pavilion’ First Class Flight Service
- The #1 Action U.S. Travelers Can Take For a Better Flight Experience
- Mumbai’s New Terminal T2 at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
- A Peek inside the ANA Lounge at Narita Airport, Tokyo
- Two Thumbs Up for Free Live TV on Southwest Airlines