baccarat_king

I tend to BYOC (bring your own caviar); since, I fly mostly Delta transatlantic and that's not something that is ever going to happen in BusinessElite.

What caviar does LH serve? I'd be curious to see a comparison between what is served on LH, CX and AF first class.

When I first started to "really get into" caviar; I always purchased Petrossian Sevruga (I was too young and poor to afford Ossetra or Beluga). At around that time, TWA did serve a decent Sevruga in their international first class. But, Caspian sea caviars are just too expensive now, IMO.

Of recent, my "go to" sturgeon caviar is a farm raised high quality product from a company in California (which has just started distributing in the EU over the past 6-8 months.) Sterling Caviar. Great product.

LTN Phobia

Arriving or departing T5 as a straight arrival/departure is generally OK and I would not generally call it dismal.

However, connecting (transfer security in particular) can be a distinctly non-premium experience during busy periods, and I'd even contemplate going landside to connect because of it. Sea of people, being stuck in a long queue, pinned into a small area with a hundred or so other people is not really stellar even if you are flying Y, let alone F.

I am also not impressed with the silly "Under Construction" looking enclosure at some of the T5 South Security Fast Track. How long has that been there? A year? It's often shut too, which adds annoyances. It's very unsightly and looks quite unprofessional since it's been there for so long to be honest.

I admit I have a degree of "familiarity breeds contempt" with fast track security and transfer security at LHR T5, but I think it's rather non-premium experience (especially when involving F) and it needs to be improved.

LTN Phobia

I like caviar nowadays (I didn't like it until about 10 years ago) but I wouldn't say that those who don't like it have "myopic food interests" either.

Some people don't like tomatoes but no-one accuses them of "myopic food interests". It's just a taste!

While BA do not offer a caviar service, a bit of oscietra made an appearance on the appetiser on LHR-SIN (if I remember correctly) not that long ago. I think it made a regular appearance on some other routes a while ago too (DME and the initial A380 routes maybe?). So BA do occasionally serve caviar. I wish they served more of it, but I like other aspects, so I am not fixated on the caviar. If I really want some, I'd do BYO nice caviar.

RTW1

No conclusion was reached about the current offering (it's still FT :-)): http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufth...ing-first.html

And this was in a recent interview with Spohr, take it with more than a grain of salt: “The further up the class of service, the more we invest per passenger. Caviar service on every flight at Lufthansa first class, which is difficult for us to get,” Mr. Spohr said. “Five per cent of the global caviar production goes to Lufthansa first class. Five per cent. We are the biggest caviar customers in the world.”

Joely

I am ambivalent about caviar, does that make me astigmatic or sommit? I don't get what the fuss is about and there are nicer tasting things that don't cost nearly as much. I would much rather spend my money on a good bottle of scotch personally, or some lobster.

RTW1

If only people would read the original comment..... calling it yuck/nasty was the basis for the statement. We all know taste in food is somewhat personal and cultural, dismissing something like that does project a somewhat limited view on food.

And it's just one of the things you can eat on board. I've never grown hungry when in F (on any airline). But I still have preferences, even though I don't make my choices (just) based on caviar or the price of the champagne they serve. That's what this thread seems to have become :-).

LTN Phobia

That was just his opinion of caviar and I don't think it was meant anything more, i.e. I don't think it was criticising others for liking it.

I used to think that beetroot was nasty and yucky when I was very young despite really liking it nowadays. It wasn't to say that I considered other people's liking of beetroot was nasty or yucky - it was that I thought beetroot tasted nasty and yucky to me. I have no idea why I thought that nowadays though, because I really like it (still missing the beetroot salad in the CCR).

Although sadly not always available on BA

I agree, it does seem like the that. I don't think I can bring myself to choosing a carrier based on the caviar (no pun intended!) - and I don't drink alcohol on board so as long as they don't serve me orange juice from the concentrate or water from the aircraft tank, I'm fine...

RTW1

You don't sound like F material to me :-). (sorry couldn't resist since for so many others those items seem so important).
The next question would be: Do you like Porsche's to the plane?

LTN Phobia

I am actually a self-confessed F waster. I do eat a fair bit, but spend the rest of the time sleeping as much as I can. No benefit from the better alcohol or larger IFE screen! I even often don't bother with the pudding, tea or coffee either.

Still, I'd love a catering upgrade on BA F. It's not something I can classify as being top notch. Same with long haul J food. LH wins on the catering front. I quite liked BA's food offering to ICN in F though - their Korean food was rather tasty!

As for Porsche, a bit too noisy for my liking, although I wouldn't complain. Better than bus boarding I think I prefer a nice comfortable Mercedes though.

munichmarcus

All I can say is: BA F is more like a Premium Business Product!

I did my 1st BA First 2 weeks ago, to get me the total Start to Finish I did stay a night at the Sofitel T5. The F check in was just doing a job, unfriendly at best. To walk back to almost mid to the Terminal to go through security and stand in between crying babies for 20 Minutes is not a F experience. The Concorde Room is nice, but not a utterly expansive First Class Lounge! The offerings are OK. The bathrooms are a joke and could be Economy Class on a 3rd world airport. Dirty and falling apart!
The hike to T5C is unacceptable for a F product and then to stand with again with a whole lot of people to be waiting to start a confused boarding.

The F seats are hard and give not so much space (like some Business Class Suites), while the décor is very nice.

My flight attendants have been fantastic! But 1 was kind of unprofessional and told me straight out that Kevin Spacey would be sitting beside of me in the nose of the 747. Also told me his real last name.
Food beside taking too long to get it started, was OK! It was all tasty and eatable...even the steak! The dessert was one of the best I have ever had!
The red wine selection is more Business then F! Whites wines are good and Champagne is excellent!
I loved the Tea service!
The PJ's are of bad quality!
The Amenity kit is fine!

Overall I have to say, LH has a real First Class Product in every way! Little details are not missed and provided, higher quality on everything! Also the First Lounges are a totally different world of luxury! Even Air France does a lot better then BA!

Will see how my flight back to Europe is tonight! Will post!!!

HIDDY

Which says hell of a lot about the quality of their J product over the many years they offered a lie flat J bed compared to the likes of LH and AF.

baccarat_king

I was under the impression that the Air France first (La Première) lounge was even nicer than the LH first lounge (FCT). It definitely is more exclusive (not that exclusive = nicer).

I expect to have a chance to experience it in January; due to a promotional Air France First fare to SIN/HKG. (as well as the new 777 Air France First hard product)

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

more recent lounge review

munichmarcus

Actually I must admit that even United Global First Class has a better offering! Better Seat! Food is not as FuFu, but therefore totally eatable! Champagnes on UA are not good (more Business) but therefore they do have at least a decent Californian Red! Service is as good as BA!

FlyIgglesFly

I'm neither the most classy nor most discerning F customer, but I recently came off my first BA F experience (have done LH, TG, LX, being a current US refugee from *A) and, though very happy with the cabin crew and on board service, was left disappointed by the transfer and ground handling aspect.

In the air, quite frankly F is F is F to me. Give me a flat bed, a TV, and some top shelf alcohol and I'm content. Keep bringing the alcohol to me with a smile and a sense of humor and I'm happier. BA crew did that. The problems came once we got to LHR.

I was doing PEK-LHR-EWR (car was at EWR and I wasn't taking UA, forget that nonsense) and a delayed inbound led to the first leg being delayed to the point I misconnected. Whatever, this happens. Having never transited T5 before, there was quite frankly nothing F about the transfer and rebooking process.

No one at the gate. Take the long walk/train transfer. Security won't let me through to the terminal without a new boarding pass, because obviously my flight has been missed. Protestations that I'd "sort it out in the CCR" didn't matter. Sent over to the agents, told I've already been rebooked into JFK and my luggage is on that flight. Whatever, take the BP, go through security, go to the CCR where I'm told I can make my own way between JFK and EWR and claim reimbursement later. I then attempt to just be put onto the later EWR flight in J, since there's no F on the 787. Which they can't do for me, but send me upstairs to Galleries to both rebook and have my luggage moved. Then back down to the CCR. Then long slog out to the gate.

Contrast that with TG, who shuttle you around the airport in a buggy and provide a complimentary massage (with no advance reservation needed), and LH whose personal assitants simply "make it so" during a rebooking and send you to the plane in a luxury vehicle and BA loses. Ever QR in J has easier transfers.

HIDDY

Now you are trolling.

Decent seat but the rest is a joke.