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Home » Lufthansa » Lufthansa Shows Us The Way Forward With Onboard Service
Lufthansa

Lufthansa Shows Us The Way Forward With Onboard Service

Matthew Klint Posted onJune 8, 2020November 14, 2023 17 Comments

Lufthansa has chosen not to engage in hygiene theatre on longhaul flights and for that I think it deserves great praise. Don’t expect many changes to Lufthansa’s onboard service model.

Lufthansa’s New Onboard Service Won’t Change (Much)

Lufthansa is taking a distinctly opposite approach to Turkish Airlines and will maintain full service on most flights, especially in premium cabins.

As noted by One Mile at a Time, if you fly Lufthansa in business or first class, you won’t notice much of a difference than prior to the pandemic.

On shorthaul and medium-haul flights, economy class will see some cutbacks:

  • Flights under 50 minutes – no service
  • 50 to 150 minutes – a bottle of water
  • 150 to 180 minutes – snack and full beverage service
  • Flights longer than 180 minutes – an additional vegetarian sandwich option

This sounds like hot meals on flights over two hours will replaced by sandwiches. Lufthansa will also eliminate pillows on these flights.

Meanwhile, business class passengers will lose pillows, but everything else stays the same. Blankets, meal, and beverage services, even on the shortest flights, will still be offered.

On longhaul flights, we will see the following changes:

Lufthansa Economy Class:

  • One meal choice (a vegetarian dish) plus full beverage service
  • Special meals still available
  • Disposable headphones offered onboard

a tray of food on a tray

Lufthansa Premium Economy:

  • Choice between two dishes
  • Menus will be distributed
  • Disposable headphones offered onboard

a tray of food on a tray

Lufthansa Business Class:

  • Choice between three dishes
  • Menus will be distributed
  • Snacks will be pre-packaged

a plate of food on a table

Lufthansa First Class:

  • No changes to onboard service

a table with plates of food and a glass of wine

I just love that Lufthansa is leaving longhaul flight alone (economy class is already bad enough on Lufthansa…). Hopefully I can hop on a Lufthansa flight sooner rather than later (perhaps with the whole family…Heidi’s parents are waiting anxiously to see their first granddaughter) and report first-hand on what it is like.

The changes on short- and medium-haul flights are in effect until August 31, 2020 and then will be re-evaluated. In theory, the limited cutbacks will be temporary.

CONCLUSION

I do not support the approach airlines like British Airways and Turkish Airlines have taken to in-flight service. I cannot respect cost cutting masked as hygiene theatre. Better to just say they are saving revenue by cutting onboard catering than try to insult me with platitudes about protecting my health in a confined metal tube in which social distancing is impossible. Consequently, I am elated that Lufthansa is taking a different approach.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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17 Comments

  1. Pete Reply
    June 8, 2020 at 1:15 pm

    “I just love that United is leaving longhaul flight alone”
    You mean Lufthansa?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      Yep. Thanks.

  2. Gene Reply
    June 8, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    @ Matthew — Now, if only I could actually book an LH F award AND fly to the destination.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      Plenty of space from ORD on most days. Hopefully the full network with award space returns soon. They’ll run an A350 from LAX-MUC so we lost eight first class seats from LAX…

  3. Ben Reply
    June 8, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    I call BS on this: They cut service HEAVILY for Economy! How is THIS the way forward?! Or in any way better than other airlines? Qatar has kept all food service in place and not used this to cut cost – speak about that maybe? Really not impressed with LH…

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      I applaud Qatar Airways, but there is essentially no changes to premium cabin catering at Lufthansa. I greatly appreciate that compared to what Turkish and British Airways and KLM/Air France have done. Sure, I don’t like to see the cutbacks on shorthaul economy class flights, but I’d say that is minor compared to what other airlines have done within the same region.

      • Ben Reply
        June 9, 2020 at 1:59 am

        So screw folks in economy I guess. I don’t applaud LH for anything – it’s a joke to even call it a 3* airline. I don’t see how you can compare Turkish and Lufthansa, when LH seems to cater based on the menu of the average German retirement home or kindergarten – last time I was in LH business they presented me with a dish that seemed to have been mishandled from seasoning to plating. On a scale of 1-10 I would give LH a solid *meh* when it comes to food. And mind you, I am German so really cutting them some slack here…

  4. Troy Reply
    June 8, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    Well said, Matthew. Other than the (United longhaul) exception you mention, this same theatre is being practiced by United.. no liquor available in domestic first class or by purchase in economy? Come on, just admit it United, you’ve largely eliminated cabin service to save $$.
    Also, Matthew, just wondering is there a good SINGLE reference site (realizing it will be fluid and by flight time) to see exactly what is offered in first/economy as far as cabin service is concerned by US / worldwide carriers?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2020 at 2:09 pm

      Unfortunately, not that I am aware of and I am afraid it is too big of an undertaking for me. 😉

  5. Pete Reply
    June 8, 2020 at 1:55 pm

    Do you know the status of FRA F terminal lounge service?
    Still a la carte / full bar service?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2020 at 2:42 pm

      Still closed.

      https://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/lounges

      We will find out when lounge re-opens, hopefully soon.

  6. John F Reply
    June 9, 2020 at 3:53 am

    Unfortunately, Lufthansa’s economy meals are so terrible I don’t think passengers would be missing anything if they were cut….

  7. Max Reply
    June 9, 2020 at 5:36 am

    “Hopefully I can hop on a Lufthansa flight sooner rather than later (perhaps with the whole family…Heidi’s parents are waiting anxiously to see their first granddaughter) and report first-hand on what it is like.”

    Wait a second, granddaughter?! Either your son has changed his biological sex or congratulations are in order! (Unless I have missed something, in which case, belated congratulations!)

  8. L Lau Reply
    June 9, 2020 at 8:36 am

    Any word on how Asian carriers are cutting back on service?

  9. SFO ramper Reply
    June 9, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    Let face even before Lufthansa food was not very very good in economy or business class I don’t know first class
    But the FA there are always very good

  10. emercycrite Reply
    June 10, 2020 at 5:41 am

    Theatre is exactly what it all is.

  11. Shelly Reply
    June 10, 2020 at 10:21 am

    I have flown Turkish many times in business to Los Angeles and mainly due to the reason it’s food cater and of course huge leg space . Now that TK is coming down with its food options would really have to look for other options .

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