Review: Lufthansa A380 First Class Los Angeles to Frankfurt

Last week, I reviewed the Lufthansa 747-8 in first class from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. I had the rare opportunity to fly the same route just weeks apart on an A380. This review covers that flight.

I wrote about this flight a bit already–this was the flight with Jane Fonda, Amanda Seyfried, a German executive, and a very wealthy Ukrainian family…

> Read More: Flying Lufthansa First Class with Hollywood Stars, Oligarchs, and Executives

Upon check-in in the Tom Bradly Terminal at LAX, we were escorted to the first class lounge via LAX’s Best Kept Secret. We noticed Fonda sitting right next to us in the lounge, though she was escorted to the aircraft about five minutes before everyone else.

I never take a chance that internet will be available on a flight, so I stayed behind in the lounge this time and boarded at the last possible moment.

Lufthansa 457
Los Angeles (LAX) – Frankfurt (FRA)
Tuesday, August 29
Depart: 3:20PM
Arrive: 11:20AM+1
Duration: 11hr,00min
Aircraft: Airbus A380
Seat: 2G (First Class)

Note, I’ve also recently reviewed this flight in Premium Economy Class.

> Read More: Lufthansa A380 Premium Economy Los Angeles to Frankfurt

Lufthansa A380 First Class Seating

First Class is upstairs on the A380. Seating is configured in a 1-2-1 configuration with eight seats spread over two rows. Since we booked late, we missed out on window seats, which are always my preference. The seats are extremely comfortable in all positions and include a retractable ottoman that you can position to create the ideal footrest.

Note the suite offers ample personal storage and connectivity via dual USB ports and a 110/220v outlet. A water bottle was waiting in the seat.

I’ll jump to the bed here, noting that FAs will prepare it upon request and bedding (mattress pad, pillow, and blanket) is top-quality. Unfortunately, I did not sleep well on this flight, due to the mid-afternoon departure and a crying baby from the family occupying the seats in front of me.

Lufthansa A380 First Class Amenity Kit + Pajamas

The amenity kit had changed from earlier in the summer, with a new kit by Braun Buffel (orange for men, teal for women). it contained the usual contents of la prairie toiletries, a dental kit, and sleep kit with socks and an eye mask. One thing I noticed that I had not seen before was a small “quick shine” shoe cleaner.

Pajamas remain by van Laack.

Lufthansa A380 First Class Lavatories

The Lufthansa A380 has beautiful large lavatories…one of the best things about flying this aircraft in first class. While there is no shower like Emirates or Etihad, there is a urinal…and plenty of space to move around.

 

Having a large bathroom makes such a difference in terms of comfort when changing clothes or even just brushing your teeth. The lavatory was well stocked with towels and amenities.

Lufthansa A380 First Class Dining

For the first time EVER in over a decade of flying Lufthansa First Class, mixed nuts rather than exclusively Macadamia nuts were offered prior to departure.

I was offered a glass of champagne, and accepted. It was a hot afternoon day in LA and the cool champagne was particularly refreshing.

Dining began shortly after takeoff, with a hot towel and amuse bouche of watermelon and cherry tomato.

After the table was set for dinner, I enjoyed a slice of garlic bread and a caviar course. Kudos to Lufthansa for offering exceptional butter and olive oil. Attention to detail is so important in offering a competitive first class product, and Lufthansa gets it right with the big things and the small things.

The appetizer trio included roast beef, cucumber with eggplant, and crab with more cucumbers. Generally I order this course just for the photos (still eating it). In all honestly, though, I’d prefer a soup course over these items.

For my main course I ordered beef brisket, which was served with poatoes, squash, asparagus, and carrots (plus garlic cloves in a separate bowl). Sadly, the brisket (…of all meats) was tremendously overdone and that just eroded the flavor. The FA saw how bad it was and offered to bring me another main course, but I declined…instead I had a salad. Cheese and dessert were still to come.

Tasty olive bread, though.

Thankfully,  a salad cannot be overcooked.

Finally, cheese and a chocolate brownie with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and a cappuccino.

Lufthansa First Class dinner service always concludes with truffles.

A Breakfast Feast

I appreciate that breakfast can as late as 45 minutes prior to arrival in first class, allowing for maximal sleep. However, I had breakfast 90 minutes before arrival. It began with another cappuccino, fresh orange juice, a fruit smoothie, and mixed berries. Next, a fruit course and plain yogurt. Finally, scrambled eggs with bacon.

Lufthansa A380 First Class Service

John snapped this picture of Jane Fonda…just putting it out there to prove she was there.

So how was service? Did the FAs cater to the two celebrities at the expense of the other guests? Not at all. Fonda immediately went to sleep after takeoff and did not wake up again until just prior to landing. Seyfried was not demanding in the slightest. The Ukrainian family…well, they were quite demanding and ate only caviar and food they had brought themselves.

But the FAs treated everyone well, displayed skilled service and friendly smiles. I hear stories of indifferent service becoming more common in Lufthansa First Class, but my experiences (three flights in the last year) have suggested this is not the case. If anything, the service is even better than it was before.

Lufthansa A380 First Class IFE + Wi-Fi

The video and audio library contains movies, TV shows, games, and live TV. T-Mobile provisioned wi-fi is slow, but stable…something I always appreciate when I travel on Lufthansa. Cost is 17EUR.

CONCLUSION

Another great flight in Lufthansa First Class. So what do I prefer–the A380 or 747-8 in first class? Next week, I’ll compare them in a single post.

> Read More: Lufthansa 747-8 First Class Los Angeles to Frankfurt Review