Airline Profile: Lufthansa
The Facts:
| Founded | 1953 |
| Alliance | Star Alliance |
| Hubs | Frankfurt Airport Munich Airport |
| Headquarters | Cologne, Germany |
| Frequent Flyer Program | Miles and More |
| Fleet Count | Around 304 |
| Skytrax Rating | 5 (out of 5) |
| Type of Airline | Full Service Carrier |
| Parent Company | Lufthansa Group |
| Travel Classes | Short Haul: Economy Business Long Haul: Economy Premium Economy Business First |
| Subsidiaries (Owned by Lufthansa Group) | Mainline: Austrian Airlines Swiss International Airlines Brussels Airlines Low Cost/Leisure: Eurowings (and Germanwings) Edelweiss Air (Swiss) Sun Express (50%) Sun Express Deutschland Cargo Lufthansa Cargo AeroLogic (50%) |
| Website | Lufthansa.com |
Analysis:
Travel Classes:
Short-Haul Economy:
Short haul economy on Lufthansa features slimline seats throughout the entire aircraft. On most narrow-body aircraft, there is no entertainment or wifi, although Lufthansa is in the process of installing wifi and personal device entertainment on its A321s, and eventually all of its narrow-body aircraft. Snacks are given on pretty much all short haul flights. The seats are identical to the ones found in business class. I have flown Lufthansa short haul economy a few times, and it had superior service to flights that short in America.
Short-Haul Business:
Short-haul business class on pretty much all European airlines are not worth it and is to be avoided. The seats are the same as the seats in economy class, and the seats have not an inch more legroom or recline than
Long-Haul Economy
Long-haul Economy Class on Lufthansa is pretty standard compared to other airlines. It is in a 3-4-3 configuration on all 747s, is in a 3-3-3 configuration on A350s, and is in a 2-4-2 configuration on all A330s and A340s. It features seatback entertainment in all seats (on long-haul aircraft), wifi for purchase, and complimentary hot meals. Please note that there is no designated extra legroom economy section on Lufthansa such as Economy Plus.
Premium Economy:
Premium economy is also pretty standard regarding premium economy classes on the market. It is in a 2-4-2 configuration on all 747s and A350s and is in a 2-3-2 configuration on all A330s and A340s. It features seatback entertainment, wifi for purchase, leg rests, more legroom, seat width, and recline than economy, and meals much more edible than the ones which can be found in regular Economy Class. It seems to be about 1.2 times expensive as economy on average, which could be worth it, for extra comfort.
Long-Haul Business Class:
Long haul Business Class on Lufthansa on all aircraft features flat-bed seats without all aisle access. Business Class features seatback screens, wifi for purchase, and better meals, service, and amenities than in Economy or Premium Economy. On the A330, A340, A350, A380, and the 747-8, business class is in a 2-2-2 configuration, on the 747-400 it is in a 2-3-2 configuration, and on the upper deck and nose of all 747s, it is in a 2-2 configuration. While flatbeds are still much better than in economy or angle flat seats, most of its European competitors (Air France/KLM/Alitalia) have or are in the process installing all aisle access seats on its planes, which makes Lufthansa’s business class seats uncompetitive in the market. Lufthansa announced introducing a new business class seat with all aisle access on its 777x aircraft, which are to debut in the earliest in 2020.
First Class:
Long haul First Class on Lufthansa features open suites with all aisle access. It is in a 1-2-1 configuration on the A330, A340, and A380, and in a 1-2-1 and 1-1 configuration on the 747-8. It features more amenities and better food than in Business Class. While still a big step up from Business Class, most competitive First Classes now feature closed suites with closing doors while Lufthansa does not feature that. For the vast amount of money spent on it, not getting complete privacy could be a disappointment compared to other airlines. However, Lufthansa’s First Class has a pretty good reputation regarding its soft product.
Lufthansa First Class Terminal:
First Class passengers traveling on Lufthansa originating in Frankfurt get access to probably one of or even the best first class lounge in the world: The First Class Terminal. Passengers arrive in a completely separate building and have a private check in there. Then, passengers can relax in a private lounge in that building with on-demand dining, many different types of seating, and resting areas. Passengers then get driven in a private car or van to their aircraft when it is time to board. This is undoubtedly one of the best first class lounges in the world, just because it is not a lounge, it is an entirely separate terminal which allows passengers to get on a plane without having to go through the main terminal once. Well done Lufthansa!
A 5 Star Airline?
You may have noticed that in the table above, Skytrax gave Lufthansa a rating of 5 out of 5 stars, making it the only 5-star airline of Europe. But does Lufthansa deserve the 5-star rating? Lufthansa even painted three of its planes (a 747-8 and two A320s) in “5 Starhansa” liveries, showing off its Skytrax rating. However, based on its hard products, Lufthansa really shouldn’t deserve the rating. Its short-haul business class features economy class seats, with the middle seat blocked, which is hardly 5 star. Its long-haul business class does not feature all aisle access seats on any aircraft and does not plan to start installing such seats until 2020. Its first class does not feature closed suites, which is what most 5 star airlines have in first class. Lufthansa’s hard product does not deserve 5 Stars.
However, Lufthansa does have 5-star lounges including their First Class Terminal, and their fantastic Business and Senator lounges, which I myself have visited. Because Lufthansa does not feature an up to standard hard product, Lufthansa deserves to be a solid 4-star airline due to its great lounges and good onboard service but does not earn a 5-star rating. Overall, don’t think that just because of a Skytrax rating, an airline is phenomenal or horrible as it is a good baseline although is not perfect.
Future Routes:
- Frankfurt to Austin – Begins May 3, 2019 – Airbus A330-300
- Munich to Alicante – Begins April 12, 2019 – Airbus A320
- Munich to Bangkok – Begins June 1, 2019 – Airbus A350-900
- Munich to Osaka – Begins March 31, 2019 – Airbus A350-900
Further Reading:
Have you ever flown on Lufthansa? Share about your experience below in the comments section!
