VH-RMD

OK, in case the title misleads, my first experience was in J not F.

My first flights on LH took place earlier this week. I flew TG from VTE-BKK, then LH BKK-FRA-ATH. At the outset I acknowledge my sample size is VERY small.

Check in at VTE checked bags all the way through, but apparently LH don't release their flights to TG so boarding passes need to be done in BKK 3 hours preflight (9 hour connection between TG and LH), TG confirmed this in BKK but fortunately allowed me to stay in the lounge until I could get my BPs.

Boarding was fine, it would appear that the flight originated somewhere before BKK as there were quite a few PAX on board quite comfortable.


BKK-FRA
The Cabin
Typical 747, except of course LH have J in zone A and F upstairs. My impression is there is less toilets between zone A and B than other carriers, most likely due to the class layout, and the toilets are decidedly smaller than other carriers.

Seat angled lie flat. My impression is not as wide or comfortable as others, I did manage a couple of hours sleep, but not really that great a seat in my opinion.

AVOD, average selection of films, no better or worse than with others - perhaps I'm picky in what I watch. The AVOD did shut down completely about 1 hour into the flight but was restarted, no explanation given that anyone was trying to fix it however.

Service
Teutonically efficient, bordering on mechanical. Nothing done in any way wrong, an assumption that everyone spoke German until proven otherwise, only signs of personality were shown to German speakers - that is, banter, jokes (well there was laughing so something was funny), conversations. English speakers were avoided by all FAs unless there was a specific reason to engage in conversation of the most minimal kind. I know, it's not their job to talk to people.

Meals
Quite OK, tasted OK, hot, edible. Wines were nice although the FA made sure I was corrected when I mistook the wine variety.

If you have read this far you are to be congratulated.

The Lounge in FRA
EEEKKKKKK!!!!!!!
What an experience, I mut have been being spoilt by too much Australian, NZ and Asian offerings, with a small smattering of UK.

My arrival at the first lounge (D concourse I think - it was 6am and I was tired) was met by a breed of gate keeper which surpasses the BA dragons, I shall call these ogres. She was engaged in an animated mobile phone call at the desk at he bottom of the stairs. I stood there briefly, showing my onward BPto ATH in J, but there was no recognition of my presence. Deciding that she was really far to busy to be bothered with me I turned to go up the stairs when I was yelled at 'HALT' and some other German words which I don't understand. I turned back and said, 'Sorry, you appeared busy', her response was 'you go if I say you go', grabbing my BP, she looked at it and 'you may go in', t this point my response was a curt 'yes, I know that'.

Inside the lounge. What dreary, spartan offerings for international J class!

When it dawned on me that FRA was actually quite a big airport and my next flight left from concourse A, I thought (smart, I know for someone with very little sleep) perhaps I should be a little closer to my next gate. I asked at the desk if there was a lounge closer and got a single word reply 'yes'. Good I thought, lets play extrude the information, 'where is it?' I asked, 'in concourse A' was replied. Oh we are doing well now, narrowed down the field a whole pile. 'Anywhere special in A?', 'by A26'. Now that wasn't too painful I thought to myself.

Off we trundle to A, aha! you have to clear immigration, OK, no problem for me however there were many others in the line who appeared to have to have their passports minutely scrutinised before stamping.

Off to the new lounge, OMG, this is even worse than the last one. Shabby is being kind.

Anyhow, slum it there for a couple of hours before off I go to the gate, which has been changed. Dumb me, my fault for not looking at the boards and just sailing don to the 'old' gate then shlep back to the 'new' gate.

What chaos, the boarding by row number was a scrum which the Wallabies and All Black scouts should have been there for.

FRA-ATH
An A300 with the old J seats (at least not Y seats with the centre blocked like the LH web said). No audio or video (again spoilt by QF domestic).

Breakfast was a paired down version of the breakfast on the BKK flight.

Service was certainly more personable and animated.

All in all a nice little 2 1/2 hour hop.

I will get to check it all out again next week when I fly ATH-FRA-LAX.

One thing I do know is the lounges in FRA will still be horrible.

Thanks for reading....

Rambuster

hm, I don't think the LH lounges are that bad. Wait till you get to the US and then put everything into perspective again.
I agree that Asian carriers tend to have better lounges and even the QF clubs are very nice too. For a European carrier the LH offerings are ok.

skywalkerLAX

It really depends when it comes to the lounges. I dont work at the airport, rather spend the hour or so with watching the tarmac traffic (if a window is available) and having a snack/drink while that.

For this purpose I have to say that the LH SEN / *G lounges in FRA aren't bad.

If you look for silence and ambience then it's certainly a shock

SuperFlyBoy

Yes, it seems that MetroAir was in the Business Lounge, and not in the SEN Lounges!

NewbieRunner

Or wait till you get to the new *A lounge in LHR T1 when SEN & BIZ lounges in T2 are no more.

rorschi

The biz-lounges at FRA are a national ... - let's say it, all together - ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

At the other hand, MetroAir's report accords to the reality - LH C isn't that bad, neither on long- nor on short hauls.

I just wonder what a "LH virgin" would report when he/she has his/her first flight 10 stair-steps higher on the 744...

Rambuster

I for one find LH F a quite decent product and am happy to fly them any day. This is more than can be said for other airlines. I have for example stopped paying for BA F flights. Nice as an op-up, but I don't even use BA miles to upgrade to BA F. I will however book LH F (if there is a good deal around) or use M&M currency to upgrade to F. I have another 12 longhaul LH C segments coming up until December and will try to upgrade a couple of them ex-FRA.
I have only had one or two mediocre LH F flights in the past years.

(My sample references are a bit limited of course with only 55 longhaul F flights so far ... )

Ari

I think the OP's impression of LH's ground services at FRA would be very different if s/he were traveling in F.

andre1970

Stereotypes...
Stereotypes...
jkoul, are you listening? ^
You bet!

Overall, I agree with the OP . LH C is not designed to become a memorable moment in one's life. It's not supposed to be so, it's just C. The problem is that it doesn't really spare you any of the hassles of air travel. Not in the air, not on the ground, either.

DFW-SEN

In my experience I am more often addressed in English than in German when in C on LH longhauls.

Cheers, S

DownUnderFlyer

Mhh, I am not sure whether this is true. I think there is the same number as everywhere with the same size as everywhere. The accessible toilets are bigger than the others but it all is pretty much standard.


Comfort is subjective. But the seat is as wide as other business class seats like QF etc. And okay seat but nothing special anymore.

This is a surprise. I actually found the LH service to be very good. And I am usually addressed in English, so maybe you were wearing this "Talk German to me" button.

This is no surprise. The LH lounges are not up to standard anymore (having said this, the QF J lounge in SYD T1 is worse after the renovation than it was before). I don't think they are that horrible, maybe you just don't like the design. But the shower facilities, computers, WiFi etc. and overall ambiance are not what you would expect.
The SEN lounges are marginally better, but not that much of a difference and a lot more crowded.
In general, the lounges within *A are not the standard of the OW lounges.


I hope you will have a better onward flight. Enjoy Athens!

SuperFlyBoy

Is this because you are routing only on LH? (edit: Sorry, saw your post regarding BA, but maybe you were lucky on the LH flights you were on!)

Try Jet's service in J - much bigger bathrooms, better menu, etc...

bau31888

Wirelessly posted (E51: Opera/9.50 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.0.10406/546; U; de))

I think, the OP has described LH C in a realistic way.

Regarding the lounges: LH C lounges are by far better than all American C lounges. Some Asian lounges such as NRT and BKK are nicer. However, we should not forget, that many carriers do not differentiate between C and *G lounges. Eg the BKK lounges is clearly better than LH C lounges, but comparable to LH SEN lounges.

jkoul

Yeap!

SuperFlyBoy

I agree on this!