This week we are taking a walk down memory lane with a vintage first class trip report. I’m sharing photos and brief commentary from a trip I took in the final days of 2010 and first days of 2011 that included many first class flights from five Star Alliance carriers. As we enter a new decade, the goal of this trip report is to examine how airlines have changed over the last one. Although this trip report has never been published, I will not be publishing a detailed, word-heavy review as I do for current trip reports. Instead, commentary will be limited and the focus will be on photos. For the final post, I will summarize, as generally as I can, how premium products have changed over the last decade.
- Prior Segments
Flight #2: Lufthansa A340-300 First Class Chicago To Munich
- Before the flight, we spent a couple hours in the old International First Class Lounge, where the Polaris Lounge now sits in the C Concourse.
- The lounge may look so dated now to most) but I think there was a certain timeless charm to it.
- The buffet and self-serve alcohol selection was way better than the Red Carpet Club (United Club) especially during that period, but still a far cry, it seems to me, from what is available in the Polaris Lounge.
- I did not eat, in anticipation of dinner onboard.
- While no escort onto the plane, there was a roped off area at the gate for first class passengers.
- Upon boarding, my brother and I were delighted to discover we had the entire cabin to ourselves!
- While the old seats look dated, they were quite comfortable in the lie-flat mode.
- The Munich-based crew was very gracious and took great care of us.
- Meal service began quickly after takeoff and although I indulged in the full service (at 10pm), it went quickly.
- Food was excellent onboard, including caviar, garlic bread, appetizers, salad, a tremendous steak (my brother had chicken), cheese, and dessert.
- I quickly fell asleep and awakened for breakfast about an hour out of Munich.
- The omelet was only so-so: no fresh scrambled eggs like on other routes.
- I distinctly remembering a special Lufthansa-made Christmas CD from the audio selection that included Christmas songs from around the world. Does anyone know where I can get a copy of it?
- Upon landing in Munich, we headed for the first class lounge: we had a long layover ahead of us.
There are a bunch of those CDs on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LUFTHANSA-FIRST-CLASS-1991-CD-WEIHNACHTSMUSIK-AUS-ALLER-WELT-CD/202868045513?hash=item2f3be0b6c9:g:7HIAAOSwADRd8V1Z
Your photography skills have gotten a lot better over the decade!
Matt. Can u comment on this? How much is it better phone camera vs. experience?
Thanks Howard!
@Ak: This trip was photographed with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel II. That camera struggled in low-light situations but I thought it did excellent close-ups with portrait mode like effects.
Today, all my photos are done on the iPhone 11 XS Max.
Caviar presentation looks quite similar to the way they serve it today.
I liked the seats on LH first that I flew in, but anything is better than their 2×2 business class! The service was fine. I was actually surprised by how little it changed between first and business! They were polite but not particularly efficient or attentive, and twice cleared plates without asking that I was still eating from! All in all I much preferred the BA first flights I’ve taken and for the price it wasn’t worth it.
I am happy I tried it though and it sure is amazing to see how much planes have changed since you flew it here!
“The lounge just looks so dated now, but there was a certain timeless charm to it.”
A bit contradictory…though I will say, it looks more like a cigar lounge than a premium airline lounge.
“I did not eat, in anticipation of dinner onboard.”
Given the quality of food being offered back then, a wise choice.
That lounge looks amazing to me. Call me a boomer, but to me this looks like a really nice bar or a lounge in Europe.
Lufthansa’s caviar always looks low grade. Small dark pearls are never a good sign. Interesting it hasn’t changed in 10 years. Looks more like tobiko.