Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners) - LH First Class - is it like BA or Cathay sleepers?

I am taking my 1st trip on LH in first, and I would like to know is the F the same as BA and Cathay F class, with sleeper suites and all the associate amenities - even after doing a search on the site, here, I could not come up with a difinitive answer.

Thanks!

I have 0 experience on BA or Cathay.

LH: no suites (separation), but still 100%-reclining. For my swiss/european-'taste': top first class food/wines and excellent/attentive service and readyness to serve - the best so far I did experience in first (for me better then even my, short/first, BKK-SIN segment in first on SQ).

For me, miles (& more) better than UA international first (not the 'suite'-separation/technique and in Europe no special first lounge and concierge-service, but the rest).

I also have zero experience on BA & CX first, but have tried both LH and SQ long-haul first class. I think the boards have plenty of posts about comparing CX/BA vs. SQ first class, so maybe you can reach some conclusions using the transitive (a=b, b=c, ergo a=c) property of airline benchmarking...? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Seating: LH F has no suites, but the seats are excellent. I also like the SQ sarcophagus very much. Overall, SQ wins.

Food: SQ has great asian favorites, but their service setup doesnt have the old cart down the aisle system, so you can't easily pick out a little here & there. LH's food service is superb, with the cart, great traditional caviar service, etc. Lovely German favorites like the seasonal Asparagus feast, etc. Overall, I would pick LH.

Wines: Both have great wine lists, but for me SQ wins due to their bubbly cellar (both Dom and Krug). Very close call, though.

Service: LH is very good, FA attentiveness & service is light years apart from LH's C class. However, no secret here if I tell you SQ's asian service traits win the honors.

Entertainment: LH's is good, but SQ wins due to the tech edge. Wisemen system, huge 14" screen and the best noise-killer headsets in the industry (IMHO) make it hard to beat.

Overall, I wish I had this problem (ie. choosing between LH and SQ first class) all the time... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif. Its just too close to call. Oh, by the way, the SQ benchmark Im using here is the MegaTop B747-400 first class, since all the perks I describe are not available on the B777 Jubilee and Celestar A340. Hope this helps !!



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Gaucho100K

Personally I rate the BA F seats better than LH's. My problem with LH's seats is that although they are more spacey than BA's they are not really flat. I don't sleep very well in them.

But on the other hand the caviar and the wine selection on LH is excellent. The 375% miles credit for flying First is also very nice. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif

Flew SQ from SIN-MAN and LH from FRA-CPT.

SQ sleeper suites on 747-400 provide more privacy than LH. The window seats on SQ are singles, LH are twins. SQ wins

SQ has a better in-flight movie system. Bigger screens, better choice.SQ wins

Both SQ and LH seats fold flat. However, I found it easier to settle with the LH seat-it felt wider (I am 16stone in weight). LH wins

SQ give you a Givency sleep suit, LH give you a sweat shirt. SQ wins.

SQ and LH meals are very good. LH wine selection better. LH wins.

SQ FA's more attentive. Whilst you change into your sleepsuit the FA makes up your bed.
SQ wins.

SQ First Class is downstairs at front of 747, LH is upstairs. Equal.

So, I don't know about BA, but I can recommend either LH or SQ. Overall I think SQ just gets my vote.

I must say that I don't really rate LH's seats very highly. They're really just full reclining normal seats.

For me, in flight movement determines whether I sleep or not. With LH being upstairs the floor bounces and as you're attached to the person next to you any movement from them wakes me.

So for me it's SQ, CX, BA, UA and LH in that order - best->worst.

I have got to agree with Markie on this one. Only I would juggle his 'top-three' list and maybe add SR as a fourth.

That takes care of the in the air bit.

On the ground LH really let themselves down. Only two First Class check-in desks at Frankfurt. The First Class Lounges are much poorer than the other carriers listed. The Fast-Track system at Frankfurt isn't used any more.


But I have flown LH First quite a few times and it is fine. You are really talking very small differences in service levels in the air.

Nick

Thanks for everyone's input - That's what I like about this forum; unbiased, personal opinions from real people - keep up the GREAT WORK!

One nice amenity of the LH F, even though I would definitely go along with the rest of the bunch in favoring SQ; its a long stem
fresh red rose arranged on your table....
A very very nice touch of class. If LH could do this, why BA, CX and SQ have not, I wonder? All they have to do is to dig a small hole to hold the beautiful rose. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

You have to be some kind of a small person to prefer UA's suites over LH's F seats. Those are the widest F seats I know.

I will second Bernie's comment re UA, and would actually extend it (to a much lesser extent) to SQ's suite.

If you (like I) are broad across the beam or have big feet, you might find, as did I, that the Sky Suite and F Suite are quite confining ad not as conducive to sleep because of width issues in the seat, and the fact that your feet are poking into a box.

Markie's right, the LH seats are just fully reclining normal seats, but they go flat, they have a modest privacy divider, are w-i-d-e and don't have anything to confine your movement beyond the seat-belt.

I also happen to like the upper deck, a lot, but that is a matter of personal taste.

Re: Merry's point on ground services, I find LH F class ground services to be only a modest amount better than UA C (really modest amount - carpet at the F check-in at FRA). At the other stations, I don't really find any distinguishing characteristics between C and F, depending upon local lounges. UA, on the other hand and SQ, partic. in SIN, is a huge difference between C and F ground services.

Now we've successfully reached the point where my friends say "Shut up, we're sick of hearing you quibble about which F class lounge has better catering." http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Oh well,
Greg

Kaoru Kanetaka: OK, seeing as we are not getting down to the nuts and bolts - I hate the rose being there all the time, after a couple of hours I normally re-pot it to the toilet. The last thing I want is a rose stuck in the seat-arm whilst I am trying to sleep.

BA bring you a flower and vase whilst you are eating, this I much prefer. But if you want to keep your flower I am sure they would not object!


Nick