In all honesty, I’ve never encountered a bad flight in Lufthansa First Class. Service is routinely spectacular. But flight attendant Marcel Olschweski took service to a whole new level on my recent flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.
Earlier this year, I wrote about a model flight attendant I encountered on United Airlines. Now I have the pleasure of recognizing another model flight attendant, this time on Lufthansa. Marcel was simply fabulous in every way.
I requested an early departure from the First Class Terminal so that I could board the flight first. As I stepped onboard the aircraft, I noticed Marcel was busy carefully arranging each amenity kit and slippers on the ottoman of each seat. This was a tell-tale sign of the attention to detail which would follow.
I’ve written before about how much I appreciate the precision of carefully setting up a table for meal service, including intricate details like ensuring the logos on the glasses and salt/pepper shakers are facing forward. I loved how carefully and flawlessly Marcel did this. It simply showed he truly cared.
If you notice, upon boarding there were no roses at each seat. That’s because Marcel artfully presented them while introducing himself and offering his pre-flight welcome. As he presented the menu, he explained that service could be fully-customized to my needs…I could dine whenever I wanted and choose whatever I wanted from the menu (not all first class FAs offer this). He had memorized the wine list and offered to make pairing suggestions. He also offered to create cocktails that were not on the menu. After takeoff, he whipped up an excellent Aperol Spritz.
Marcel addressed passengers by name and carefully monitored the cabin to ensure that glasses did not go empty and that each passenger was comfortable.
What I loved most is that he clearly loved his job. He once worked for Etihad, where he no doubt cultivated his superb hospitality skills. But I think his skills were innate…they were that good. When you love your job, it always shows through.
CONCLUSION
As we neared Los Angeles, Marcel warmly thanked me for my business. I asked if it was too late for a cappuccino and without a flinch, he said of course not. Moments later a wonderful coffee arrived:
There was only 30 minutes of flight time left…my request was perhaps unreasonable in the first place. But it was yet another sign of a flight attendant willing to go above and beyond the minimum required of him.
Thank you Marcel for the wonderful flight and for your gracious and professional service. And a shout-out to FA Andrea Gscheidner who also served in the first class cabin and also provided lovely and professional service.
You can find Marcel working in the first class cabin on 747-8 flights.
(John, my business partner, took the pictures above that show both Marcel and me)
Aww, that was a lovely review. Kudos to Marcel!
Wow. Fantastic . Someone give this man a raise !
@Susan
This is how all FA’s should be regardless of the class of service they are in. No raise needed, just make him the trainer for all the other FA’s who don’e want to seem to be at work. 😉
I`m sure most FA`s would be more like Marcel if they too had only four passengers each to tend to and not 50 AeRoSpacemen demanding 1C service for coach fare..
Great Writeup. Hopefully his bosses will take note as well of how superb he is.
I’ve been in every class on Lufthansa but mostly Business Class and First Class and I can rate my last five flights on Lufthansa in First Class as very mediocre and very unmemorable especially my last two flights in First Class from Boston to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Tokyo. On both flights I was served by indifferent middle aged women with no personality or passion for their jobs who gave very robotic service. Thank God I used miles and did not have to pay hard earned money for such very average service. The only thing I remember about my flight from Frankfurt to Tokyo was how hot it was making it very difficult to sleep. I am sure Lufthansa knows ahead of time when a blogger is going to take one of their flights especially on a major route in First Class. No wonder why Lufthansa is getting rid of First Class on many routes because the top 10 airlines have a better Business Class then Lufthansa ‘s First Class.
John, nice job taking the pics!
Made for a great review. Thanks Matthew.
Are you and Peter Johnson who posted below the same person?
Sorry, that wasn’t meant for you, that was for GWJ who posted above…
It’s naive to think that Lufthansa doesn’t know when a blogger is taking a flight on a major route in First Class so that they can make sure the food and service in First Class isn’t very average and robotic as it usually is. I keep thinking this time will be better but my last two flights in Lufthansa First Class were average unmemorable and hot, with indifferent robotic service. Could this be why Lufthansa is eliminating First Class on more than a few routes because Lufthansa knows that their are airlines that try to give good service and food in every class of service and airlines with better Business Class service and food than their First Class on many routes.
Are you kidding? I booked this 12 hours before departure using my business partner’s account.
Guy in 1A is super cute.