First Class on the Queen: Lufthansa First Class from Frankfurt to Johannesburg

There is always something awe-inspiring about stepping foot on a double-decker jumbo jet. Holy crap, this thing FLIES? We were directed left into the nose of the 747. If I had booked in advance, I would have loved snagging 1A and 1K, the most private seats at the very front of the cabin, but booking so last minute, those were long gone. Instead, I grabbed the only paired seats in the cabin, 3D and 3G. The cabin ended up being full, even though there were still 4 seats available when I secured out seats. Looks like waking up early to grab those seats was worth it! It was also funny that aside from us, every other passenger was the older German businessman type.

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Lufthansa doesn’t have overhead bins over the center seats, but does have a large locker assigned to each passenger in the cabin. Robert found space over the window seat next to him, while I used the locker for my belongings. The seats in the cabin, while not the most cutting edge or flashy, had a certain German sleekness to them, and were extremely well padded and comfortable. There were several storage compartments at each seat, plenty of space to spread out and get comfortable. There were more seat adjustments than I knew what to do with, including a power-operated ottoman that you could move adjust to be closer or further away. The window seats also had access to power operated blinds, but unfortunately we didn’t get to play around with those.

Waiting at our seats was a pillow, and a signature Lufthansa rose. Before putting our belongings away, we presented the Godiva chocolates we bought at Duty Free to the crew. The crew was literally speechless for a few moments, then thanked us profusely.

Speaking of the crew, the two ladies working First Class were an absolute delight. Polished, flawless, and unmistakably German, it was clear they loved their jobs. Also interesting was the fact that the Purser did not work First Class, unlike on most other carriers. She did come to the cabin to greet every passenger after takeoff and before landing, however, and congratulated us on our special occasion.

As soon as we sat down, one of the FAs popped out of nowhere with a Polaroid camera and offered to take our picture. I could hardly squeak out my enthusiastic yes before busting out into a huge grin and posing for the pic. What a wonderful, cute, and classy way to help us celebrate this special flight! That picture has already become a priceless memento of our honeymoon experience.

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After settling into our seats, the parade of goodies began. We were first offered our choice of beverage (Champagne, of course!), along with mixed nuts. Having done my research ahead of time, I knew Lufthansa would serve Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle on board, and it was predictably excellent. Next came a well stocked Van Laack amenity kit and Pajamas, which also came with a stylish scarf. The amenity kit was stocked with all the usual goodies, including more of the hyper-expensive La Prairie products. The pajamas included a long sleeve collared polo style shirt, and were comfortable and stylish though ran a bit small. The medium set left my ankles a bit exposed, and Robert ended up needing a large. Also offered were the most comfortable padded slippers I’ve ever worn, aptly branded Cumuli.

Next, we were offered the full menu and wine list. My jaw dropped when I saw that they also served vintage 2004 Laurent Perrier Cuvee Alexandria Rose, which retails for over $250 a bottle. That’s what we ended up drinking for most of the flight, but I did sample the 2010 Chateau Larmande Saint-Emilion and the Rieslaner dessert wine, both of which were also quite delicious.

We pushed back and departed on time into the Frankfurt night sky. One of the quirks about sitting in the nose of the 747 is how incredibly noisy it is during taxi and the takeoff roll due to the close proximity of the nose gear, contrasting with how breathtakingly silent it is after takeoff when the landing gear has been retracted, with no noise audible aside from the faintest whir of the GEnx engines over 100 ft behind us. Robert and I held a full conversation at library whisper levels and could hear every word.

As we climbed to our cruising altitude, I reclined the seat and took a look at the IFE. Lufthansa uses excellent quality Bose noise-cancelling headphones, which combined with the quiet cabin provided an immersive sound experience. The IFE itself, however, was a little slow to respond, and is probably due for a refresh within the next 5 years or so. The screen was way too far away to be used as a touch screen (not that I even attempted), and navigating the content with the remote wasn’t quite as seamless as the IFE on American Airlines, for example. I was, however, able to finish How To Train Your Dragon, and then watched the airshow the rest of the way down the African continent.

Lufthansa also offers free WiFi, with no apparent data, time, or speed caps, to their First Class passengers, but trying to actually use it was incredibly frustrating. Just merely getting to the landing page took a dozen tries, and after finally connecting, the signal was slow and unstable. While offering free WiFi was commendable, it really wasn’t useful except in very limited circumstances, and something that Lufthansa can surely improve when they start taking delivery of the new generation of 777-Xs.

Soon after takeoff, the FAs sprung into action. The rest of the cabin apparently wanted to go straight to bed after take-off, and while one of the FAs took our order, the other FA took the bedding from the closet at the front of the cabin and made the beds of the other passengers.

A thick, wonderful smelling hot towel was offered and our orders were taken. Moments later, our drinks arrived, along with an amuse bouche of fresh and delicious smoked salmon tartare.

We were also offered our choice of bread, along with butter and a deliciously complex olive oil. Robert and I shared a giggle at the fact that beverage napkin and the butter were both labeled “Lufthansa First Class,” to ensure they weren’t mistakenly used in Business Class or (gasp!) Economy? Heaven forbid!

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Shortly thereafter, we were served a rare indulgence: caviar. I’ve only had caviar service on one other occasion, in Thai Airways First Class a year ago. While I could never imagine paying the $100+ price tag to enjoy this otherwise, both Robert and I enjoyed the three generous spoonfuls, served with onions, creme fraiche, grated egg, fresh lime, and toast. I even accepted the chilled shot of Grey Goose vodka offered with it. While caviar snobs may be horrified that the roe wasn’t served with a mother-of-pearl spoon, I was quite content to eat it with a fork.

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Since the rest of the cabin wasn’t dining, we were offered a refill, but declined since there was still such an extensive feast coming up. The trio of appetizers was fresh and tasty, and I found the Bok Choy with Coconut Mousse to be the surprising favorite.

A small mixed green salad with Yogurt and Lime dressing followed. It served as a nice palate cleanser between courses.

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Robert ordered the Scallop and Prawn Skewer for his Main Course, which was small (thankfully) but flavorful. The seafood wasn’t overly rubbery, and the sauce gave it a nice flavor. I wasn’t sure what to order at first, since the seafood entree would have been my first choice but I wanted to try something different. Lufthansa is notorious for ruining red meat by overcooking it, but I decided to give it a shot and was glad I did. The meat was cooked to a medium plus, but more importantly, was full of flavor and incredibly juicy. The Tomato and Pine nut crust added a nice depth of flavor, and the Saint-Emilion was a delicious pairing.

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I was quite full (and more than a little tipsy), but enjoyed a sampling of deliciously funky, rich, and flavorful cheeses. Robert sampled both of the sweet desserts, which I found to be rather boring and unmemorable. Oddly, the Champagne and Elderberry Soup was actually more like a panna cotta.

After dinner, I visited the lavatory while the crew made up our beds. The 747-8 lavatories were quite spacious, and even had windows (make sure to close them if using the lav on the ground!). They were stocked with mouthwash, Evian facial spray, and more La Prairie hand cream. However, the lavatory on my side of the cabin consistently stank of raw sewage, as if the drain in the sink was malfunctioning and allowing sewer gasses to enter the cabin. Using the toilet flush to vacuum the air out of the lav cleared the stench temporarily, only for it to return moments later.

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Walking back to my seat, I found it transformed into a spacious bed. The crew even left behind a cute little LED candle to add a lovely ambiance. The central divider/storage compartments prevented it from being turned into a true “double bed”, but we were able to (cue cheesy honeymoon moment) hold hands while drifting off to sleep.

Jetlag, a mild hangover, and a stifling hot cabin woke us up about three hours later with 4.5 hours remaining to JNB. I rang the call bell and asked for some ice water and if the temperature could be lowered. Both requests were quickly granted, and I felt the AC kick in on my sweaty neck.

Unable to go back to sleep for the time being, I managed to get my phone to connect to the WiFi intermittently and entertained myself that way while chatting with Robert and watching the airshow.

I ended up snoozing a bit longer after cooling off until about 1.5 hours before arrival, when breakfast service started. I ordered the smoothie and the scrambled-to-order eggs to start, then went back to the main menu with a request for the Spaghetti Carbonara with Chanterelles, partly to test the “Dine on Demand” concept and partly because it sounded delicious and I love Chanterelles. After checking with the galley to make sure it was available, she confirmed with a smile, with the caveat that it would take just a moment since it was heated and plated to order.

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Everything tasted wonderful, and the absolutely incredible scrambled eggs were a highlight; hot and fresh, rich in flavor and tender, with none of the sulfurous notes or rubbery texture that are the hallmark of airplane breakfasts. The pasta was delicious as well, and I loved how easy it was to use the pepper grinder to douse my food with the copious amounts of pepper I craved. The only thing to nitpick would be that the croissants were quite soggy, which for a European airline seems like a travesty. Robert had some Muesli with Yogurt and Smoked Salmon and enjoyed his breakfast as well.

After finishing up with some fresh fruit and delicious, pulpy orange juice, it was time to change out of our PJs and get ready for landing. However, the crew had one more surprise waiting for us. With an almost comical sense of coordination, the two crew serving us popped out simultaneously down both aisles, and set down a pair of adorable Lufthansa plush toys on our cocktail tables (“to help you remember your flight!”), then promptly disappeared back to the galley, leaving us to gawk and giggle at how absurd, yet awesome the gesture was. Look how cute they are! Between the FCT “Wedding Ducks”, the Polaroid, and these plush toys, Lufthansa absolutely nails how to use souvenirs to make a travel experience for a special occasion memorable.

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All too soon, the majestic 747-8i touched down at O.R. Tambo International Airport with a shudder, and the most amazing flight Robert and I have shared (so far!) drew to a close. We missed the chance to take a picture with the crew, but what a wonderful way to kick off our honeymoon. It will probably be a long time before I have the opportunity to experience Lufthansa First Class again, but it absolutely lives up to the hype the frequent flyer community puts on it, and I can’t wait until I have the chance to experience it again.

What was cuter? The wedding ducks, or the plush toys?