Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal – Luxury In Transit
For the vast majority of travelers the single most stressful portion of air travel is the airport experience. Airport terminals are crowded, noisy, security lines can move at a snails pace, security screeners may be less than polite, the benches aren’t comfortable and the food selection options are dismal.
For the privileged, Lufthansa has a solution to the complaints of most travelers regarding their airport experience … The First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.
Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal is not a lounge, or even located in the main terminal, it is an independent freestanding terminal dedicated to meeting the needs of first class passengers flying internationally.
The First Class Terminal is an experience of multiple services and a haven from the usual stress of traveling.
Upon entering Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal passengers experience one-on-one service. Check in involves no lines and virtually no waiting as they are escorted through security and into the lounge.
For some passengers, the first immediate difference in the passenger experience at the First Class Terminal will not be the quiet setting or the one-on-one assistance, but that security not only has no lines, but also no walk through metal detectors. Passengers entering the First Class Terminal must undergo the usual security, metal detectors are operated by hand, but security agents that are exceedingly polite.
Once through security, passengers cross through a set of automatic frosted doors … and then the experience begins.
For those who have been traveling or coming straight from work, The First Class Terminal offers the option of not only showers, in spacious shower room, but also the option to take a bath (that comes with a rubber ducky). Those who choose a shower or bath are provided with a robe and slippers so that they may relax before and after bathing.
For those who just in need of some private time to relax, the First Class Terminal also offers sleeping rooms. Long comfortable beds are situated in private rooms away from the main room and dining area, creating a space ideal for napping or just laying down and relaxing.
Once finished with relaxing, passengers have a number of options to stay entertained, fed, quenched, relaxed or be productive.
For those in need of food, the First Class Terminal offers a top rate restaurant for passengers to dine and quench their thirst from an exquisitely stocked bar.
While many airline lounges offer food, very few off the level of culinary options available to passengers as the First Class Terminal … and this applies to those sitting at the bar as well.
As many who use the First Class Terminal are business travelers, the Terminal offers private offices. These private offices are not cubicles, but actual offices. Need to make some calls? Just shut the door, lean back in your leather office chair and dialing. Each office is similar to a mini-business center for individual travelers.
Not interested in working while at the airport? The Lufthansa First Class Terminal offers a unique place to unwind … this area is not for smokers … but cigar smokers. The First Class Terminal’s Cigar Lounge gives travelers the opportunity to experience different cigars from around the world, as well as enjoy a second fully stocked bar.
The First Class Terminal is however for travel and the services it directly offers its traveler’s make the experience a complete stand out.
As the time comes for passengers to depart for their flights, the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Staff will find individual passengers to alert them to the time. No watching the clock or listening to announcements and no chance for missing a flight.
Once the Lufthansa staff member finds a passenger, they take their passport from them and bring it down to the passport control in the First Class Terminal. Passport Control in the Terminal has no waiting and no lines, each passenger is handled individually, so by the time they arrive down stairs, at Passport Control they are ready to go … and go in style.
Passengers need not walk to their gate, or deal with lines, passengers in the First Class Terminal are placed in Mercedes or Porsche vehicles and driven to their flight, then escorted into an elevator that leaves them at the jet way door.
There are many outstanding first class airline lounges, but Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal out does them all by providing a level of service and services that outshine everyone of their competitors.
Next time you feel like booking a long haul international flight in first class consider experiencing the lap of luxury before a flight or between connecting flights.
Below are twelve photos of Lufthansa’s exclusive First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport.
Happy Flying!
Did you visit the lounge yourself, at their invitation?
Lovely to hear their first class is tip top – but the irony is, it is such a contrast to their economy.
I have frequently travelled short and long haul Lufthansa, and I now go out of my way to avoid their long haul flights. Almost every other long haul carrier I have been on in economy class gives a better customer experience. The last time I took a long flight with them it was Singapore-Frankfurt and a new plane. The economy area was uninterrupted by the normal toilets and galleys so it was just like one big, very plastic, tightly packed bus. It was very, very un-human. The staff were not rude, but we felt very much that we were not clients to them, but simply cargo.
Seems like the service and the feeling of being a valued client are channelled into the top only. Real pity, as they are such a big airline with such useful routing. By the extraordinarily elite treatment they are giving first class passengers it does sound that they are attempting to take over some of the private jet market, given that many were tempted to step away from it during the recent recession.
Keep up the good stories! – always a pleasure.
Amber
Just curious, were you comped on this A380 trip, including the FCT, or did you pay for it/use miles?
Matthew,
I have previously used the Lufthansa First Class Terminal as a passenger, once on a mileage upgrade to first on a paid ticket and the other time when my seat was upgraded by Lufty as an operational upgrade due to an oversold business class.
On the A380 trip I did not fly in first class and did not use the lounge as a passenger. I did however request access to the terminal to photograph it for the post I intended to write based on my previous experience as a fare paying passenger who had used the lounge.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Amber,
I have previously used Lufty’s First Class Terminal as a fare paying passenger. On this trip however I had requested access to the First Class Terminal to photograph it specifically for the post I had written. I did not however have the opportunity to use the facility for my travel.
My experience with Lufthansa has only involved flying them in business class and first class on long haul flight, except one flight many years ago, long before I began writing Flying With Fish. I recall the 747-400 seats being cramped, but at that time very few airlines offered in-seat personal TVs, multiple channels, games, in seat power, etc. So the experience at the time was comparable to flying United (who flew long haul from JFK at the time), British Airways and TWA.
My experience with Lufthansa’s short haul is that their economy product is comparable to KLM, Air France, British Airways, etc.
I can say this … the economy class on the A380 is leaps and bounds ahead of what you may have experienced on the Boeing 747-400 or Airbus A340-600 flying SIN-FRA.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
I’ve been to the Munich First Class Lounge and it was pretty amazing also. The thing that intrigues me about the Frankfurt Terminal is the cigar lounge. Is that a self service mini humidor in one of your pictures? I’m curious about the selection.
I have been on LH many times in all classes.
Economy on 747 is really not nice. Similarly on a A340 (used this last year on MUC-PVG).
Business is usually OK. On the 747 try to grab rows in the front and away from the toilet door in the middle (very noisy on long flights). Usually I have a nice service experience in C. The hard product on the 747 is just old. I hope for the upgrade soon (same for Y).
IMHO First on the 747 is good – especially due to the ‘upstairs’ experience and the food. The seats are currently in the process of being upgraded (finally!). Service was always top notch. Ground service – besides FCT is good on C and F. I usually had a great phone service as a SEN (yet robotic as many mention).
I did not try the A380 on LH, yet (only on AF) so I cannot comment on it.
The AF seating in Y is very uncomfortable (read: narrow). I really hope LH has more comfortable seats (they usually do). The real hit on that bird (and that should be the same for all airlines operating it is the significant noise reduction! I really really love that! Once you speak to a fellow passengers on a 747 after 4-6h into the flight you notice how loud it is. Nowhere the same on the A380…
LH is very pround about their A380 fleet so I would expect only the best from it (incl. soft product). I will check out the new 747 once it arrived in 2012/2013 – hope it is of similar quality.
To the point of this post: the FCT is indeed great! Once the hard product beyond the terminal is upgraded LH is back where it wants to be: at the top of the European airline industry…
Well. My 2cts anyway.
Ham
That pretty much sums it up. Nice job there, Fish.
Christine
Joe
I have used Luftys First Class Lounges as well … but the Terminal stands alone (no pun intended) as a whole different experience. As for the humidor, it is in fact a self service humidor, with a fully stocked self service bar behind it.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
If you have the chance go here! 9 different champagne’s to try. Pure luxury. If you get to Munich try out the FCL there. A huge assortment of fruit brandies. Hic.
“As for the humidor, it is in fact a self service humidor, with a fully stocked self service bar behind it. ”
It is, however, locked. You need to call an attendant to open it for you. That self-service bar alone,though, is equivalent to the highpoint in most other FC lounges.
My experience didn’t go so well at the FRA FTC. Here is a brief synopsis of my “Fair” Experience.
I must say it was a not up to par with Emirates/Qatar type lounges. Firstly, it is very hard to find and if I didn’t get directions from an internet blogger, I would have never found it.
The personal assistants are not all equal. That being said, ours was not very good.
You can not get a VAT refund for merchandise purchased that is considered carry-on. Beware of this fact.
Wine in the FTC were all under 10 Euros a bottle. One bottle pricing at 4 Euros.
Breakfast area seemed busy and employees were falling behind in servicing passengers.
Quiet areas(non-cellphone areas) are not enforced and therefore there was always someone talking everywhere even near the quiet relaxing chairs with blankets.
Limo service to your flight. You better request or demand the car you want when you arrive. They put my wife and I in a Minivan with two strangers, Business class HON members.
I felt this Terminal relative to my experiences around the world with others such as Emirates/Qatar/Singapore, was very poor. There are many Business class lounges that are better than Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal experience.
I personally will not be going back to FRA’s FTC.