Bart Lapers

Pic: Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 ‘Hessen’ at Narita Airport near Tokyo, Japan (Nov 2013)
Early November, I made some last-minute changes to my Thailand-Laos travel plans. Unfortunately, those changes included postponing my Laos trip to 2014…but that’s life when you’re addicted to extreme travel deals. 😉

Pic: Lufthansa First Class logo on Boeing 747-400 ‘Hessen’ (Nov 2013)
With the help of some friends in the frequent flyer community, I had identified an opportunity to fly Lufthansa First Class on the cheap using a ‘muy flexible’ airline loyalty program. Exceptionally, I will not detail how I managed to do this, as ‘the deal’ is still alive and I don’t want to kill the opportunity for other members of the community.  ‘But how do I become a member of the frequent flyer community?’… it all comes down to showing your dedication to our hobby and meeting people face to face at events like TravelMagic.

Pic: Lufthansa new First Class Cabin on B747-400 (Nov 2013)
I was quite excited about my Lufthansa First Class flight from Tokyo to Frankfurt, as it was operated by a B747-400.  Located on the upper deck, the Lufthansa 747-400 aircraft features a unique First Class cabin with 8 seats which each have a dedicated bed next to them!

Pic: Lufthansa new First Class – Seat 84C and bed on B747-400 (Nov 2013)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Seat 83C and bed on B747-400 (Nov 2013)
At the time of booking, I had selected front row seat 81H.  My seat buddy in 81C was John Mayer.  To be honest, I had never heard about the guy.  But if you manage to date Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson, Minka Kelly, Jennifer Aniston, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, you’re probably doing something right.

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Pommery Champagne and macadamia nuts (Nov 2013)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Champagne 1999 Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut (Nov 2013)
The Champagne Lufthansa was serving during the month of November was hands-down the best I ever had!  The Pommery Cuvee Louise Brut Millesime 1999 was simply amazing!  I was so blown away by it, I ordered a bottle to share with my family on Christmas.

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Amuse Bouche (Nov 2013)
As usual with Lufthansa, the food was good but not exceptional (I wish they had DO&CO). The service, on the other hand, was excellent!

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Caviar Service with Beluga Russian Vodka (Nov 2013)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Caviar Service with traditional garnishes (Nov 2013)
Here’s the full Narita to Frankfurt First Class Menu: Menu Cover, Menu Intro (by Chefs Adam Mathis and Teruyuki Kojima), Western Cuisine, Japanese Cuisine, Western Dinner, Japanese Dinner, Champagne & Aperitif, Spirits, Wine Menu Intro (by Markus Del Monego – Master of wine 1998), Red Wine, White Wine, Dessert Wine, Liqueur and Port, Sake And Plum Wine, Cold Beverages and Hot Beverages.

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Japanese meal – Zensai (Nov 2013)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Ceviche of Seafood Ensemble with Olives, Peppers, Herb Oil

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Chicken Paillard with Morel Mushrooms (Nov 2013)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Fresh Fruit and Peninsula Cheesecake with Red Berries

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Selection of Cheeses garnished with Grapes and Walnuts

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Etter ‘Vieille Quitte – Alte Quitte’ La Fine Eau-De-Vie

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Coffee Dallmayr Premium Selection (Nov 2013)

Pic: Lufthansa First Class – Peters, Pralinen der Premiumklasse (Nov 2013)
Conclusion: I’ve now enjoyed the new Lufthansa First Class on the A340, A380 and B747-400.  Still on my todo list: the B747-8.  It’s very hard to pick a favorite, as each aircraft has its advantages.  Ben did an excellent job comparing the different Lufthansa First Class cabins on his blog ‘One Mile at a Time’.