Trip Reports - LH First Class: FRA-BOS

I recently flew on LH from WAW-FRA-BOS in C/F (late July). I won't dwell on the WAW-FRA segment, but I have made a few observations/comments on the LH board. I also have provided a comparison of LH F to BA F on the LH board ("Trans-Atlantic First Class: BA vs. LH").

July 20, 2003
LH 420
LV FRA: 5:45PM
AR BOS: 7:50PM

Arrived from Warsaw via LH. We had to park way away from the terminal and walk down stairs to take a bus to the terminal. We arrived at the terminal and I wound my way up to the Senator lounge in Terminal A, after a little duty free shopping. Duty free was disappointing (selection and prices).

The Senator lounge was a big disappointment for a major carrier like LH at their home airport: even after reading all the posts. It was smoky and full. The food and drink selections were mediocre, at best -- mayonnaisey herring sandwiches, hotdog-like things and mid-level wine/spirits (12 year old scotch, for example). Only two computers with internet connection were provided (they were both busy, as were all the other 6-8 work stations).

The lounge staff's attitude was very perfunctory. Given that I was in the Senator Lounge in Terminal A and my flight was to depart from Gate A65, I had thought that my gate would be close by the lounge; but the truth was quite the opposite: it was only after checking with another lounge hostess that I was informed that I had to walk a long way and then take a tram to an entirely different section of Terminal A (should be called another terminal), and then have to pass thru security again, and then walk a long way to my gate -- way down towards the end of this part of the terminal. Had I not checked with the lounge hostess on my own, I would have missed my flight.

The plane was an Airbus 343 with 8 seats in First Class in the first two rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. FC was completely full. I sat in seat 1A. There was a bottle of champagne out on the counter. It was Lanson, 1994 Noble Cuvee Brut, which is decent, but not fabulous, served in nice sized stem wine glasses, pre-departure.

After a while, but before take off, we received soft sided amenity kits in blue Bogner bags (which supposedly double as bicycle bags). The contents of the kits are discussed elsewhere, but are adequate. The also passed out slippers with the bags.

I asked for the movie guide in order to get started on a movie pre-flight. I did this so that I didn't have to wait 20-30 minutes into the flight in order to get started ... I also like to try and start the movie before departure, which oftentimes is interrupted by announcements. I selected the new James Bond movie, which was perfect for the flight. The video player had a hard time tracking at the beginning of each of my movies, and this was very frustrating, but I survived.

Seats: I like the seats for all the creative hidden storage space they contain: a special pop out place for your shoes, a pop out holder for a water bottle, and plenty of storage inside the armrests. The seats lack the privacy of some of the other carriers: when fully reclined, they have a little protector that pops up to shield your head, which helps a little.

IFE: The IFE was OK. The screens are small and the movie selection is average in terms of number of titles available. The best thing is the attached Sennheiser headphones, which I think deliver better sound than the Bose (albeit not better noise reduction, but I don't find the plane to be very noisy). The headphones are connected directly into the seats so that you can't steal them.

Cabin Comfort Items: LH provides one oversized pillow and one duvet per person, each enclosed in an attractive and somewhat soft case/cover with a nighttime decorative theme. These were pretty nice and cozy.

They also offer "flight sweaters" for lack of a better term. The ones available on this flight were solid dark gray Bogner shirts with a silver colored zipper with a dangling Bogner "B" which are comparatively classy. On the downside, the material is a medium weight cotton blend which is somewhat coarse. The sleeves seem tight, but the body is loose, although another poster said they were designed for athletic physiques. I think they are "one size fits all", which seems likes a men's XL. While these shirts seem generally "available", no one was offered them. I had to ask for one. Towards the end of the flight, after no one else had even requested one, I asked for and received another "for my wife". I understand that LH is replacing these Bogner shirts with Van Laack shirts which are supposedly more flashy.

Bathrooms: Not that bathrooms are too relevant, but these bathrooms were very plain: no creams or amenities and paper towels vs. real towels. I contrast this with BA which has 3 types of fresheners/creams and a flower in each FC bathroom, plus real towels (IMO, a very nice touch and a major step up over paper towels).

Flight: We took off on time...it seemed an unusually long period of time before the purser came around with menus and wine lists. Because there is only one FA to serve all 8 PAX in FC (not including the "Chef" in the galley and the Purser, who doubles back and helps out mid-meal), I would say that overall the service was slow, at least until dinner was in mid-course, at which point it flowed reasonably well.

The primarily flight attendant serving first class was a young women who didn't seem to have great experience (she wasn't new, but wasn't "expert" either). I asked her what the best scotch was: she didn't have a clue (answer is a choice of Ballantine's Gold or Glenfiddich 12). I asked her what the best wine was: she answered that she likes Italian wines -- it turned out she was Italian. IMO, the best wine was the Bordeaux. When I had problems with the tracking of the video, she didn't seem to know what to do, and so she called over to the Purser, who pretended to have a clue.

Anyway, she was efficient, although it took a while to get everyone's orders in and get rolling. She started taking orders on the other side in the back (2K).

Having learned of the poor whiskey selection, I decided to drink from my own private stock, so I asked for a clean glass and poured from the 21 year old scotch I had purchased at the airport Duty Free.

I have copied the menu below. The caviar was nice and despite a full flight, I was able to get seconds (and even thirds). I had the standard salad and the Braised Rib of Beef. I asked if this could be done rare, and she said she would try, but once again, she didn't have a clue, because I learned that braised rib is well done by definition, sort of like brisket. It was tasty.

The cheese selection was above average...the port was young, however, but the desert wine was pretty good. The deserts were not my cup of tea, but the chocolates were delicious.

There is a snack available, but no one had anything, opting to sleep at that point thru arrival on this relatively short flight (7 hours or so).

We arrived a few minutes ahead of schedule. I carried my own bag on the plane and so I was out the door of customs and home by around 8:30.

Menu:

Hors d'oeuvre

Caviar with the traditional garnishes

Smoked Marlin, served with sautéed Zucchini and red Onions

Eggplant with Tomato, flavored with Basil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salad with Corn-fed Chicken, pistachios and Pomegranate

Salad

Young Lollo Bionda, Lollo Rosso, Mizuna, Romaine Lettuce, Beet Greens and Red Mustard Leaves, presented with Thyme Vinaigrette or Basil Kefir Dressing

Bread, Rolls, Toast and Butter


Entrees

Braised Rib Roast of Beef, accompanied by Polenta and Summer Vegetables

Salmon enhanced by Caper Anchovy Sauce and Green Asparagus

Cannelloni filled with Ricotta, Mascarpone, Buffalo Mozzarella and Spinach, offered with Tomato Coulis and Leaf Spinach

Roast Breast of Duck with Zucchini, Peas and Rice Patty, complemented by Balsamico Fond "Tradionale di Moderna"

Cheese and Dessert

Italian Cheese Selection
Fontina, Gorgonzola, Paicintinu with Saffron, Parmigiano Reggaino and Taleggio served with Grapes

Cassata with Chocolate Crème

Amoretti Cake on a Vanilla Mocha Mirror

Fine Chocolates



Snack

Cold Specialties

Char and Shrimp Terrine with Lime Crème Fraiche and marinated Ginger

Sliced Filet of Veal accompanies by Salsa Diavola

Bread, Rolls and Butter


Entrees

Sea Bass Acqua Pazza offered with Spring Onions and roasted Potatoes

Rigatoni Pasta with a light Vegetable Mousseline served with Shiitake Mushrooms and shaved Parmesan Cheese

Hot Pot
Potato Cream Soup


Desert

Fresh Fruit: Pineapple, Kiwi, Raspberries, Mango and Watermelon

Chocolate Roll garnished with Caramel


Wine List

Champagne

1994 Noble Cuvee Brut Champagne, Lanson, Frankreich


White Wine

2001 Casablanca Valley Chardonnay "Grand Reserve" Vitisterra, Morande, Chile

2001 Valdadige DOC Bianco, Albino Armani, Italien

Vinotek Discoveries:

2001 Schloss Vollrads Reisling "Erstes Gewachs" Weingut Schloss Vollrads, Rheingau, Deutschland

2001 Weinheimer Kapellenberg Huxelrebe Beerenauslese (Desert Wine)

Red Wine

1999 Chateau Yon-Figeac, Saint Emilion, Grand Cru Classe, Frankreich

1999 Pommard, Bouchard Pere et Fils, Burgand, Frankreich

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Castell Miquel, Mallorca, Spain

[This message has been edited by nologic (edited 08-07-2003).]

Sorry, duplicate post.

[This message has been edited by nologic (edited 08-05-2003).]

Sorry, duplicate post. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

[This message has been edited by nologic (edited 08-05-2003).]

Nologic -

Just out of curiosity, were you going out of your way to "test" the F/A, or were you honestly asking the questions about the scotch and the braised rib?

Nice trip report, though.

Greg

I completely agree with Greg99.

What is the point of your little "quiz" ???? Sounds like pretty snobby and totally uncalled for behaviour, IMHO.

Otherwise, a very informative report, thank you.

Just a small point but having just looked at the LH Inflight Magazine I note there is a comment that passengers may not drink alcohol which they have brought onto or bought on the flight onboard the Aircraft!!.

I think Nologic is getting beat up a little here -- I think it was a great report!

I think those paying for FC service should get it. He should be able to have a reasonable expectation of REAL answers to his questions or concerns. I think he has a legitimate gripe if neither the flight attendant nor the airline gave any more thought to the issues he raised than they apparently have. It doesn't appear to me that he was simply "quizing" the FA -- but in any case should have been able to do so to find out if she or anyone else gave any thought to the passengers flying experience.

I think NL handled the issues well.

nologic, no cry.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by greg99:
Nologic -

Just out of curiosity, were you going out of your way to "test" the F/A, or were you honestly asking the questions about the scotch and the braised rib?
Nice trip report, though.
Greg</font>

No test...I am sorry it came off that way.

I like good scotch and wines. I asked because I wanted to plan my meal/experience accordingly.

I asked about the scotches before the menus were passed out: on BA I often order a JW Blue before takeoff. But I have no interest in drinking a 12 year old scotch vs. a good champagne, if those are my options. I asked and she had no clue what they served, until well after takeoff...that's all. I went with champagne pre-departure and finally decided to pour from my own stock post takeoff, when I found out what the on-board slections were.

On a recent flight in FC on AA to LHR, I purchased a 50 ML bottle of JW Blue from Duty Free on board for $50 to drink on the plane because they too had "cheap" selections.

As for the wine, I really didn't want to try them all and honestly asked which one was best. Most FC FA's have enough experience to give you a solid recommendation vs: "I like Italian wines because I am Italian".

The beef thing was my mistake, in that I thought it was more like a roast beef dish which could come rare. She also had no clue and seemingly went along with my perspective and just responded that "you never know how the beef comes out when they load it on board these days" vs. having any clue as to what the dish actually was like...

Don't know if this sheds some light on my perspectives or not?

I agree that it was a great trip report, and I really wasn't trying to bust Nologic's chops.

Honestly, I've never had the good fortune to fly with a crew that I thought could make solid qualitative judgments as to food or wine, beyond what they've actually tasted, so it's never occurred to me to ask the F/A (even in F) which wine/spirit I should try. I started flying long after F class F/A's stopped receiving extensive training as to the food and beverage they served.

Perhaps showing a simplistic/gluttonistic perspective, I have a tendency to try a little bit of everything when I fly F, and make up my own mind.

Sorry for coming on a bit harsh - this was a great trip report.

Greg

I haven't flown LH in the past 6 months, and only flown LH F on flights over 10 hours duration -- perhaps that affects the crewing and provisioning of the plane. The crews have been both gracious and competent; my criticism of them is that you have to ask for everything, otherwise you don't get that service (unlike BA, CX, SQ, etc. who provide it automatically or ask if you would like x).
My reaction to your trip report was that LH has really deteriorated -- quite a drop from what I have experienced. But these short flights are difficult to judge. I did notice on my last LH flight a significant cost reduction in their meal service, it looks like that has continued. I used to think that LH was one of the top 5 airlines for F service.

Thanks for the trip report.

In my opinion the best wine on the menu is the Burgundy, typically available year in, year out (different vintages obviously).

I have had some wonderful experiences in F on LH.

On a recent trip MUC-BOS the First Class lead Purser (or whatever the appropriate term is) was actually English, married to a German woman and living in the mountains south of Munich for ~ 20 years. As there was only one other FC passenger the service was incredible. When I mentioned my recent indulgence in Schnapps, he said that his Wife's family operates a legal still, so he was well-versed in Schnapps. He brought out at least four different ones including the smallish bottles) for a side-by-side tasting, and he provided detailed commentary on the different types. I did not notice these on any drinks menu so maybe they keep these just for special requests? His knowledge all of the wine and food lacked for nothing. He talked me into choices I might not have made, and even prepared tasting samples of some different entress. He provided some toys to give to my Son, and a half-dozen chocolate bars for my Wife.

(Note that during some times of the year the MUC-BOS flight is not daily, so this run is desireable in that the flight attendent crew gets an extra day layover in Boston, if they pick the right days.)

Full NH vs. LH in First Class report coming out later today. Keep an eye out for it.

Thanks to nologic for this one and I hope you all enjoy reading and looking at my comparative report based on flights a couple week ago.

Mike

------------------
FT picture page (hosted by markbach) (http://ftpics.markbach.com/gallery/mjm)
My Starbucks City Mug Collection Page (http://home.inter.net/mjm/mugs.html)
New Zealand Trip Report incl. lots of pictures (http://home.inter.net/mjm/nz2003cover.html)

On some of my longer LH flights, the purser came around to all first passengers to explain the wine list and the different selections available. They would bring all the bottles and some glasses to give out samples. It was almost like a little wine tasting for every passenger. A very nice touch, but with service like that it is easy to drink to much. I thought it was great as it helped pass the time, and made me try some interesting wines.

Does anyone know if they still do this?

OK: So I thought maybe a grade comp for FC would be good (all grades IMO):

LH: B+ (caviar gives it the +).

BA: A-, with flights ex-LHR = A (due to great A+++ LHR lounge experience).

AA: B- (great seats).

I think nologic's questions were perfectly justified and even if he was testing the crew, that is entirely reasonable. In F, a passenger should be able to discern for himself the crew's knowledge, competence and stylishess, then share such information with us!

On my part, I've asked LH FA's for wine recommendations and they have often been very helpful, and very correct.

Great report nologic.

You should try CX though. On my last flight the FA was well versed in the differences between the 1994 Lynch Bages and the 1997, but I just had to try them both to validate her opinion http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

In Asia in general I wouldn't ask the FAs about wine because Asians (women especially) are unlikely to drink much, if at all. But it seems to me that CX ensures that the FAs they have in First are more comfortable and "at home" dealing with the type of passenger they are likely to get there. On the flight I mentioned we had the excellent Grace Hetherington (who features in the CX advertising campaigns). From her name I guess she is married to a gweilo (westerner).

Can you please post a link to your comparison with BA. Looked through the LH forum and cannot find it. What have you titled the report?

posted in the wrong forum.

[This message has been edited by transpac (edited 08-10-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by nologic:
LH: B+ (caviar gives it the +).
</font>After you've had the caviar that CX serves the LH caviar rating will drop like a stone (becoming "caviar gives it the -"). CX uses Caviar House (LH used to but no longer does, due to the cost); and there is nothing worse than cheap caviar (probably the reason most people don't like it and wonder what all the fuss is about). On my last CX flight I had the caviar for breakfast (I was the only passenger in F, and they have to destroy any left over food on that route -- almost cried as they poured a half bottle of Deutz down the drain).
LH food was terrible in the early 90s, then became very good (particularly the fish dishes -- not what I associate with German cuisine) and now seems to be sliding back down again. And they used to stock some excellent TBAs including Scharzhofberger, but no more.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by number_6:
</font>After you've had the caviar that CX serves the LH caviar rating will drop like a stone (becoming "caviar gives it the -"). CX uses Caviar House (LH used to but no longer does, due to the cost); and there is nothing worse than cheap caviar (probably the reason most people don't like it and wonder what all the fuss is about).
[/QUOTE]
I thought the caviar was OK...not terrible at all. I am sure there is better caviar and look forward to CX!

I have actually been tempted one of these days to buy my own caviar for $100 or so at the airport and treat myself...


[This message has been edited by nologic (edited 08-16-2003).]