Lufthansa set to revolutionize premium air travel
Mar 31, 2008, 8:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Germany
Posts: 3,791
Lufthansa set to revolutionize premium air travel
Lufthansa set to revolutionize premium air travel
April 1, 2008
Premium air travel may sound like a distant dream to economy class passengers who just got stale sandwiches on this
6:25am early morning flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt. Sometimes a curious passenger dares a glimpse into the
business class section in front of the airplane, where the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Thomas Gottschalk or Boris
Becker are said to travel in luxury. After doing so, he would usually just shake his head in disbelief and sit
quietly for the remainder of the flight, shocked by the discovery that the business class cabin on this 20 year old
Airbus A300 looks exactly like the economy cabin he is used to.
Yet the business class is reasonably full and some passengers even have smiles on their faces. If one looks
closely, the smiling passengers usually have red boarding passes in their shirt pockets. These are First Class
passengers, the wealthy people who once in Frankfurt, will connect to Tokyo, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and many
other longhaul destinations. Many of them preferred a connection in Frankfurt to a direct flight from London in
order to enjoy the legendary First Class Terminal in Frankfurt and the excellent service aboard the Lufthansa long
haul fleet. They are customers Lufthansa cares the most about.
With increasing competition among airlines, Lufthansa continues to improve it's premium product to keep it's
competitive advantage over other carriers. According to our sources within the company, a special task force has
been set up a few months ago to develop new revolutionary product enhancements. This became necessary because of
several new terminals opening at competing hubs, especially the Terminal 5 at Heathrow, which put Lufthansa bases
in Frankfurt and Munich to shame. Thanks to our good contacts inside Lufthansa, we got a good preview of the
enhancements awaiting premium travelers.
The biggest improvement will be Drive&Takeoff in Frankfurt, available to First Class passengers and the top
frequent flyers. It will allow the passengers to get onboard the aircraft within 3 minutes after arriving at the
airport. When buying a First Class ticket, the passenger will input the license number of his car in addition to
the usual personal details. When going to the airport, instead of the packed terminal, he will drive his car to a
special Drive&Takeoff gate on the airport perimeter fence. Here, an automated camera will verify the license plate
number, the gate will open and a follow-me car will guide the passenger in his car directly to the plane. A
specially trained screener and an immigration officer will come out, screen the luggage using a mobile x-ray device
and check the passport on the spot. After that, a valet will take the car to the airport parking lot while the
passenger is ascending the steps to the aircraft looking forward to a pleasant flight.
For flights to the USA and Israel, the necessary security arrangements are still being discussed with the aviation
authorities. An approval is likely, but for these destinations, passengers' cars will probably be surrounded by
federal police armored vehicles while driving on the tarmac.
Arriving First Class passengers will be taken to the First Class Terminal, which will be converted into an arrivals
facility starting on June 1. Here, they can have a light meal, a massage, enjoy a cigar or surf the Internet before
collecting the car from the valet. Those who enjoyed alcohol onboard the plane will find excellent facilities for
getting sober again, including a mineral water bar, recliner chairs, daybeds and luxury baths.
Lufthansa, in cooperation with airport operators, will also improve the security screening experience for it's best
customers. In a very bold move, pat-downs of all passengers (except for US citizens) will now be conducted by
members of the opposite sex. A test run carried out on November 11 at the Cologne airport brought a very positive
feedback from customers. Special provisions will be in place for passengers with non-conventional sexual
orientation.
If the metal detector rings, premium passengers will now have an option of being escorted to the lounge and taking
a shower or a bath while their clothing and footwear is being screened for explosives, liquids and sharp and pointy
objects. An optional express laundry service will also be available. A running joke among insiders is that the
shower and the laundry service will be mandatory for passengers seated next to HON Circle members.
Enhancements await business class passengers too. Lufthansa is talking with Airbus about modifying the flight
control software to allow a higher pitch angle during cruise. With the nose pointed slightly skywards, the business
class fully flat seats, which are now tilted at an angle, will become fully horizontal and much more comfortable
for sleeping. This would eliminate the biggest source of complaints from business class passengers.
The higher pitch angle will also allow mounting First Class seats in a tilted way, allowing to increase the First
Class seat capacity by 20-30%. Since the opening of the First Class Terminal, and - surprisingly - especially since
the start of the money transfer service for Lufthansa-issued credit cards in Germany, the load factors in First
Class grow by a two-digit figure every year. Increasing the seat capacity will allow more passengers to enjoy this
very exclusive form of travel.
Good news for economy class travelers are reduced mileage levels needed to qualify for the frequent flyer status.
The HON Circle status can now be achieved by collecting just 480,000 miles in the economy class, instead of the
usual 600,000. The Senator status can now be achieved by collecting just 100,000 miles when flying on cheap
betterFly tickets. These enhancements will allow many budget travelers to enjoy the benefits of Miles&More.
According to our sources, these enhancements will take some time to implement, but should all be finished by April
1, 2009. For those who can afford premium travel, interesting times lie ahead.
(Source)
April 1, 2008
Premium air travel may sound like a distant dream to economy class passengers who just got stale sandwiches on this
6:25am early morning flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt. Sometimes a curious passenger dares a glimpse into the
business class section in front of the airplane, where the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Thomas Gottschalk or Boris
Becker are said to travel in luxury. After doing so, he would usually just shake his head in disbelief and sit
quietly for the remainder of the flight, shocked by the discovery that the business class cabin on this 20 year old
Airbus A300 looks exactly like the economy cabin he is used to.
Yet the business class is reasonably full and some passengers even have smiles on their faces. If one looks
closely, the smiling passengers usually have red boarding passes in their shirt pockets. These are First Class
passengers, the wealthy people who once in Frankfurt, will connect to Tokyo, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and many
other longhaul destinations. Many of them preferred a connection in Frankfurt to a direct flight from London in
order to enjoy the legendary First Class Terminal in Frankfurt and the excellent service aboard the Lufthansa long
haul fleet. They are customers Lufthansa cares the most about.
With increasing competition among airlines, Lufthansa continues to improve it's premium product to keep it's
competitive advantage over other carriers. According to our sources within the company, a special task force has
been set up a few months ago to develop new revolutionary product enhancements. This became necessary because of
several new terminals opening at competing hubs, especially the Terminal 5 at Heathrow, which put Lufthansa bases
in Frankfurt and Munich to shame. Thanks to our good contacts inside Lufthansa, we got a good preview of the
enhancements awaiting premium travelers.
The biggest improvement will be Drive&Takeoff in Frankfurt, available to First Class passengers and the top
frequent flyers. It will allow the passengers to get onboard the aircraft within 3 minutes after arriving at the
airport. When buying a First Class ticket, the passenger will input the license number of his car in addition to
the usual personal details. When going to the airport, instead of the packed terminal, he will drive his car to a
special Drive&Takeoff gate on the airport perimeter fence. Here, an automated camera will verify the license plate
number, the gate will open and a follow-me car will guide the passenger in his car directly to the plane. A
specially trained screener and an immigration officer will come out, screen the luggage using a mobile x-ray device
and check the passport on the spot. After that, a valet will take the car to the airport parking lot while the
passenger is ascending the steps to the aircraft looking forward to a pleasant flight.
For flights to the USA and Israel, the necessary security arrangements are still being discussed with the aviation
authorities. An approval is likely, but for these destinations, passengers' cars will probably be surrounded by
federal police armored vehicles while driving on the tarmac.
Arriving First Class passengers will be taken to the First Class Terminal, which will be converted into an arrivals
facility starting on June 1. Here, they can have a light meal, a massage, enjoy a cigar or surf the Internet before
collecting the car from the valet. Those who enjoyed alcohol onboard the plane will find excellent facilities for
getting sober again, including a mineral water bar, recliner chairs, daybeds and luxury baths.
Lufthansa, in cooperation with airport operators, will also improve the security screening experience for it's best
customers. In a very bold move, pat-downs of all passengers (except for US citizens) will now be conducted by
members of the opposite sex. A test run carried out on November 11 at the Cologne airport brought a very positive
feedback from customers. Special provisions will be in place for passengers with non-conventional sexual
orientation.
If the metal detector rings, premium passengers will now have an option of being escorted to the lounge and taking
a shower or a bath while their clothing and footwear is being screened for explosives, liquids and sharp and pointy
objects. An optional express laundry service will also be available. A running joke among insiders is that the
shower and the laundry service will be mandatory for passengers seated next to HON Circle members.
Enhancements await business class passengers too. Lufthansa is talking with Airbus about modifying the flight
control software to allow a higher pitch angle during cruise. With the nose pointed slightly skywards, the business
class fully flat seats, which are now tilted at an angle, will become fully horizontal and much more comfortable
for sleeping. This would eliminate the biggest source of complaints from business class passengers.
The higher pitch angle will also allow mounting First Class seats in a tilted way, allowing to increase the First
Class seat capacity by 20-30%. Since the opening of the First Class Terminal, and - surprisingly - especially since
the start of the money transfer service for Lufthansa-issued credit cards in Germany, the load factors in First
Class grow by a two-digit figure every year. Increasing the seat capacity will allow more passengers to enjoy this
very exclusive form of travel.
Good news for economy class travelers are reduced mileage levels needed to qualify for the frequent flyer status.
The HON Circle status can now be achieved by collecting just 480,000 miles in the economy class, instead of the
usual 600,000. The Senator status can now be achieved by collecting just 100,000 miles when flying on cheap
betterFly tickets. These enhancements will allow many budget travelers to enjoy the benefits of Miles&More.
According to our sources, these enhancements will take some time to implement, but should all be finished by April
1, 2009. For those who can afford premium travel, interesting times lie ahead.
(Source)
Mar 31, 2008, 8:35 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Soon to be LEGT
Posts: 10,928
Mar 31, 2008, 11:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Trier,Germany
Programs: LH SEN, BAEC, HH
Posts: 124
Made my morning...Thanks for the entertainment^^
Mar 31, 2008, 11:15 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: CH
Programs: LH
Posts: 1,780
Enhancements
Finally, enhancements that meet the promise.
Apr 1, 2008, 1:00 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Home sweet home
Programs: AA, LH FTL, BA, US, DL, UA, AF, Hilton, Priority Pass, Priority Club
Posts: 298
April April man. I would rather fly through FRA 1 than T5 any day.
Apr 1, 2008, 1:11 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold
Posts: 6,913
Good move by LH
That's great news ^ This service enhancement is the best possible way to answer BA's aggressive move to introduce a new level of ground service at T5. By introducing Drive&Takeoff and the new security procedures LH has a chance to compete with BA again.
Cheers
totti
Cheers
totti
Apr 1, 2008, 1:27 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A Sight For Roll Eyes
Programs: :enrolleyes:+, :drôleyes:
Posts: 5,461
PS Nice one, OP!
^
Apr 1, 2008, 1:37 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: Formerly: UA 1K, SPG Gold, Marriott Silver, FT Addicts Anonymous; Currently: Grounded
Posts: 829
We all have time to waste...
The OP to write it and us to read it.
The OP to write it and us to read it.
Apr 1, 2008, 4:09 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN only nowadays, AF & AY basic. Radisson Blu fan :-)
Posts: 505
I'm looking forward to the fully flat seats in business class
Apr 1, 2008, 5:39 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A Sight For Roll Eyes
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Apr 1, 2008, 6:28 am
#13
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Apr 1, 2008, 10:57 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ZRH / MUC / VIE
Programs: M&M basic / happy Wizzair+ user :-)
Posts: 6,490
[Enhancements await business class passengers too. Lufthansa is talking with Airbus about modifying the flight
control software to allow a higher pitch angle during cruise. With the nose pointed slightly skywards, the business
class fully flat seats, which are now tilted at an angle, will become fully horizontal and much more comfortable
for sleeping. This would eliminate the biggest source of complaints from business class passengers.
control software to allow a higher pitch angle during cruise. With the nose pointed slightly skywards, the business
class fully flat seats, which are now tilted at an angle, will become fully horizontal and much more comfortable
for sleeping. This would eliminate the biggest source of complaints from business class passengers.
This means that I have to sleep upside down when flying in C in a bulkhead-/exit-row? This is neither healthy nor comfortable. Bad move, LH!
Apr 1, 2008, 3:34 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Point Place, Wisconsin
Programs: LH HON, BA Gold, EK Gold
Posts: 14,505
premium air travel ?
Met a guy last night at the bar of the Stuttgart LeMeridien who travels like this:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kalai...-ER/0151691/L/
Turned out to be a nice guy from Orlando, Florida called Howie who is a member of the Backstreet Boys. This 767 has a capacity of 20 pax !
Met a guy last night at the bar of the Stuttgart LeMeridien who travels like this:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kalai...-ER/0151691/L/
Turned out to be a nice guy from Orlando, Florida called Howie who is a member of the Backstreet Boys. This 767 has a capacity of 20 pax !