I’d like to think that I’m pretty receptive to feedback, and (for the most part) self-aware. That brings me to any time that I write about Lufthansa on the blog, and the interesting response I get, which I can’t fully make sense of.
I’m always surprised by how many people tell me that I’m some sort of a Lufthansa apologist or fanboy, or that I’ve absolutely lost my marbles for considering flying with Lufthansa. Like, even if I’m redeeming partner miles for travel in Lufthansa first class, some people come after me for what a horrible waste of miles that is.
Conversely, the irony is that I think if you asked anyone in Lufthansa management who reads this blog, they’d tell you that I’m far too harsh in how I cover the airline.
So, let me dedicate this post to sharing my perspective on Lufthansa, and then others are free to chime in, disagree with me, etc.
I have a certain love and nostalgia for Lufthansa
Let me acknowledge that I absolutely have a soft spot in my heart for Lufthansa, for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason is cultural — both of my parents were born in Germany, most of my relatives live in Germany, I have a German passport, etc. So there’s a sense of home and familiarity with Lufthansa.
When I was really young, my dad was an ex-pat working in New York for a German company, and he had status with Lufthansa, and flew the airline all the time. I fondly remember that whenever he had a business trip, he’d bring me home these delicious packaged cookies from the Senator Lounge, and it’s one of those memories from my childhood that I still remember as if it was yesterday.
For that matter, the ability to redeem miles for Lufthansa first class is what got me into miles & points in the first place. Every summer growing up, we’d spend weeks in Germany, and we’d typically fly leisure airline Condor, since it was cheapest. I absolutely loved flying, but at the age of 14 or so, I realized that I could mileage run to earn miles at a low cost, and then redeem those for us to fly Lufthansa first class in summer.
Over the years, there’s not an airline that I’ve flown more in first class than Lufthansa. I’ve easily done well over 100 segments in Lufthansa first class, and I suspect the actual number is significantly higher than that. My point is to say that I really want to love Lufthansa, and that it’s an airline that’s special to me.
The current reality of Lufthansa is a sad mess
I’m always surprised when anyone suggests that I’m overly nice about Lufthansa. I’d describe myself as being critical of the airline, but justifiably so (admittedly I’m biased!). Frankly, I’m confused how anyone could see it differently, but again, I recognize that maybe the way I express myself isn’t actually in line with how I feel.
So here’s my take: Lufthansa is currently a hot mess, and I don’t understand how the current management team is still in charge. Admittedly Lufthansa has also had really bad luck (like with the seven year plus delay of the Boeing 777X, which the airline was disproportionately relying on for long haul fleet renewal), but even beyond that, it’s hard to really see what has been going well for the airline.
Ultimately you have to judge the airline based on its current reality. A vast majority of the carrier’s long haul fleet is outdated in terms of passenger experience. We’re now seeing the new Allegris product rolled out many years behind schedule, but it’ll be a couple of years before a majority of the long haul fleet has that.
It just feels like everything at the airline has been needlessly over engineered, in a way that can’t help but make you shake your head. It seems that the only thing Lufthansa Group’s management can consistently do “well” is to create new cost saving subsidiaries, as part of a never-ending shuffle.
It’s fascinating to me how when you book a ticket on Air France, you fly Air France, or maybe Air France HOP. Meanwhile if you book a ticket on Lufthansa, you might end up on Lufthansa, Lufthansa CityLine, Lufthansa City, Air Dolomiti, airBaltic, etc. There’s simply no brand consistency anymore.
I’m certainly rooting for Lufthansa’s situation to be better a couple of years down the road, but ultimately we can only judge the airline by its current reality.
I think it’s no secret that I think Air France is Europe’s best full service airline, and has made incredible strides in recent years. That’s not just true in terms of what’s being promised for the future, but the actual reality of what has been rolled out, like the new La Premiere first class, the new business class, etc.
When I consider flying Lufthansa, and why
So, under what circumstances do I consider flying Lufthansa? Here’s where I stand:
People will sometimes tell me that they’re shocked that I’d “waste” miles on Lufthansa first class, and that honestly just leaves me puzzled. Which other first class product is better, while being bookable at the last minute across the Atlantic at a reasonable cost?
Never do I claim “oh, I’m flying Lufthansa first class, the world’s best way to fly.” Instead, I think of it as “I’m flying Lufthansa first class, an okay first class product, and it’s actually bookable with miles without huge surcharges and at a reasonable cost, so that’s great for me.”
For example, during our Good Morning Milan, Goodnight Moon trip, my dad and I flew Lufthansa first class from Frankfurt to Boston on the A340. I already wrote about how there were issues with seats functioning, and some people were shocked I’d redeem for Lufthansa first class in the first place.
For one, the schedule for the Lufthansa flight was perfect — my dad and I wanted to spend two nights in Frankfurt, and we were meeting Ford and Miles in Boston, with this flight being timed perfectly for that, since they’d land an hour after that. But for example, one reader wrote the following:
Honestly, I would do anything to avoid Lufthansa. I would have structured a different itinerary. I would have taken a train to Paris, stayed a day or two, then flown on. I understand that you might not have had that luxury. But, that’s what I would have done. Reasonable people can disagree.
Everyone is entitled to their own approach, but that seems like a lot of effort to avoid what’s ultimately an okay first class product that’s an excellent value on miles, flying direct in the market I need to fly in, with the convenience of the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.
My last Lufthansa first class flight was lovely***
Obviously Lufthansa’s first class hard product is anything but flashy, but I must say, my dad and I had one of our better Lufthansa first class flights.
For one, my dad was absolutely delighted to be able to smoke a cigar indoors at the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, his first indoor cigar of the trip, as the “pleasure police” (as he calls it) has otherwise restricted indoor smoking in Italy and Germany (I obviously have a different take than him, heh).
The crew on our Lufthansa flight was stellar — the two ladies working the cabin provided the very best kind of service you’ll find at Lufthansa, as they were professional and attentive, while also injecting some personality into the experience.
Usually I’m slightly annoyed by some of Lufthansa’s first class meal staples (like, Lufthansa loves elderflower more than I like avocado toast), but I’ve gotta say, the food was very good, from the caviar starter, to the monkfish main, to the kaiserschmarrn dessert.
While Lufthansa’s first class seats aren’t terribly private or spacious, the airline does have very good bedding, so I even managed to get a little nap in.
Is this the world’s best first class product? Absolutely not. Were the tickets used for the miles well spent? Absolutely, in my opinion. If nothing else, my dad enjoyed the flight immensely, and that matters more to me than anything!
Bottom line
Lufthansa tends to be one of the more controversial airlines in the miles & points space. There’s no denying that the airline is far from perfect, and in particular, has been in a really rough spot in recent years.
While I have a soft spot for Germany’s flag carrier, I would like to think that I’m pretty critical yet fair, because the current situation just isn’t great. Maybe I’m wrong, though, and the way I feel isn’t actually how others interpret things, which is the point of this post.
What’s your take on Lufthansa, whether you agree or disagree with me? Is my opinion off base? Feel free to call me out!
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