Lufthansa First Class A380 Review
Lufthansa First Class onboard the A380 is still a fantastic experience but lacking compared to most airlines who offer private suites and a better dining experience. The crew and service were the highlight of this flight.
After having a fantastic experience on-board Swiss Airlines in their first class cabin, it was time to head back in the same direction. This time with what is considered one of the best first class products out there: Lufthansa First Class.
Booking Lufthansa First Class
This flight was part of a return fare I booked earlier in the year. Instead of using points (which is hard on Swiss Airlines & Lufthansa), I found an incredible airfare from KBP (Kyiv – Ukraine) to Singapore. The return price of this ticket was AU3,900 and almost earned me Star Alliance Gold in one go + around 50,000 frequent flyer points.
Lufthansa First Class Check-in
Lufthansa flies from Singapore Changi Terminal 2. I consider this the “less superior” terminal in Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates out of T3, which is the main terminal.
Check-in was fast and easy, but I did notice the lack of first class counters. Since I was a first class passenger, the check-in staff did offer to escort me to the lounge. In any other airport, this would be a nice feature that saves you time etc. Singapore Changi however, is so efficient that it doesn’t matter what class you’re flying.
Premium passengers do receive a dedicated lane to enter the terminal, but it’s only where they check your boarding pass and passport. Once that’s completed you’re back in the same (non-existing) queue for passport control.
The Lounge – Singapore First Class
Lufthansa being a Star Alliance carrier, offers its first class guests access to the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge.
The SQ lounges in Singapore are somewhat underwhelming, and I can’t wait for the refurbishment roll-out to start! The only benefit of the first class lounge, in my opinion, is the champagne on offer. Piper Heidsieck Extra Rare is a fantastic drop and on par with the Dom Pérignon served in The Private Room.
Boarding Lufthansa A380 First Class
Somehow, I managed to walk the complete opposite direction of where I needed to go. This meant I was no longer the first person to board, which is a bit annoying when you want to take pictures. I hate to be seen as an obnoxious travel blogger doing everything for the gram, so it’s nice having the cabin for yourself – even just a few minutes.
Once on-board I was greeted by name, and the bubbly first class attendant proposed a glass of champagne or if I’d prefer she would whip up a Singapore Sling.
The cabin manager also stopped by to say hello and give some information about the flight, which was running a little bit behind schedule.
A hot towel, dinner menu and wine list were handed out for our perusal. After a 40 odd minute delay, we pushed back and set off on the 12hr trek from Singapore to Frankfurt.
Lufthansa A380 First Class Cabin & Seat
The first thing you notice when boarding Lufthansa first class is the open plan situation of the cabin. While most other carriers opt for enclosed suites offering a superior level of privacy, Lufthansa has gone for the “sharing is caring” approach.
Each seat does have a privacy screen which can be put up after take-off, but it only really blocks you from looking at your neighbour’s face. Apart from that, the cabin design is very clean…the only thing breaking these lines are the somewhat dated looking chairs. Maybe leather would have looked less messy?
That said, the seats are incredibly comfortable and every aspect can be adjusted to suit the passenger. I love how the ottoman is on a rail that glides closer to you, so you don’t have to be a giant to rest your feet on it. It also doubles as a storage compartment big enough for a keepall.
Each guest is allocated a separate locker, passengers in the first row have lockers right in front of their seats while those in the back have them in the galley. The lockers are spacious and big enough to accommodate a small suitcase. There’s also a clothes hanger to keep your clothes fresh while you’re on-board.
Each seat has a fresh red rose, and the same can be found in the first class bathrooms which come stocked with La Prairie hand moisturiser.
That’s unlike Swiss First who also offered the expensive La Prairie facial moisturiser in the first class bathrooms.
All first class seats have ample storage for your small items on the side of the chair. Here’s also where you will find the headphones (Bose noise cancelling). However, there’s one design flaw.
If you happen to want to use your own headphones, this is probably not possible since the adaptor size required is larger than the space allocated to the headphone jack. Luckily Lufthansa headphones are good enough quality, but I prefer to use my own Bose QC35’s where possible.
Lufthansa IFE
Lufthansa’s IFE system is a shocker, it’s outdated, lacking in the content department. The monitor is tiny and has a terrible resolution. I really hope Lufthansa refurbishes these units!
On my flight, the IFE kept on crashing every time I tried to watch a movie. It took the crew 5 hard resets before it finally worked! Luckily there was plenty of champagne to entertain me
Lufthansa Food & Beverage
Although I enjoyed the caviar service, I did find the rest of the food lacking in quality and presentation. Honestly, Qatar Airways offers a much better food selection in business class!
I had the appetisers which were ‘ok’ but nothing special. For my main I opted for the fish, although it was a lovely fillet, it was overcooked and way too dry.
Where Lufthansa excels is in the beverage department. I loved the champagne on offer, and the wine list is outstanding. If you like German wines (I do!) you’re in for a treat.
Lufthansa First Class Amenity Kit & Pyjamas
Lufthansa’s first class amenity kit isn’t a design masterpiece, but it does have some unique items inside such as the La Prairie products and the quality eye mask. The pyjamas are also great quality and will be added to my ever-growing collection of airline-loungewear.
The Lufthansa PJs are great quality designed by Van Laack a German brand renowned for their shirts. It also comes with a scarf, modelled by my cat. It’s unclear whether he was impressed with the German quality or not.
Lufthansa First Class Service
The thing I enjoyed most about this flight was the genuine service from the crew. Everyone seemed to be happy to be working that evening and stewardess working the first class cabin section was great. I love the down to earth German hospitality and nothing was too much trouble for the crew.
Lufthansa First Class Bed
After sampling a good selection of wines from the menu, I asked the crew if they could make up my bed. After I got changed, I came back to a comfortable looking bed. At first glance, Lufthansa’s first class seat makes for a nice bed with good airflow thanks to the lack of privacy. However, the bed is nowhere near as comfortable as other first class products I’ve flown.
The pillow was poor quality, and instead of down-feather (like Swiss First) it was a simple (small) synthetic pillow. While the seat is great because you can modify each aspect, this soon turns into a problem when in bed mode since the surface isn’t 100% flat and the mattress pad is on the thin side.
Since I sleep face down, I also noticed that the bed isn’t 100% flat (at least it’s flatter than Emirates First Class). Towards the head it’s got a small incline, at least the feet area is flat thanks to the ottoman.
I was really expecting an exceptional first class bed because everyone that reviews airlines always raves about Lufthansa. Personally, I thought it was a bit disappointing and over-hyped for no reason.
Lufthansa First Class Conclusion
Lufthansa first class has always been one of these iconic experiences aviation geeks talk about. While I’m glad I tried it (and had an awesome flight), I did think that the overall flying part was overrated. I think the Swiss First Class cabin is a far superior seat. The crew where fantastic though and I think they really made the flight!
Upon landing, I made my way to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt for a 6-hour stopover. Lufthansa offers first class passengers on connecting flights complimentary Porsche chauffeur drive to the aeroplane which is pretty cool!
Check out my full Lufthansa Frankfurt First Class Terminal review here.
