Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Enterprise Class (higher deck)

Wednesday newsletters all the time function a resort or flight evaluate.

In the present day: Evaluate of Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8  Enterprise Class on the higher deck  (Frankfurt to San Francisco flight)

Flying the Boeing 747 – dubbed the Queen of the Skies – is all the time an epic expertise and Lufthansa is among the final remaining airways on the planet that also flies this plane kind, with 27 Boeing 747s in its fleet. The Boeing 747 has been a bestseller with airways: between the primary 747 flight on February ninth 1969 and the tip of the 747 manufacturing line in 2022, Boeing has constructed 1,560 B747 plane. The Boeing 747-8 is the newest, quieter, extra economical, and extra environmentally pleasant model of the well-known plane kind. The B47-8 options related engines & cockpit know-how because the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It is usually the world’s longest airplane with a fuselage size of 251 ft (77 m).

However whereas the Boeing 747 is a marvel of know-how (I all the time really feel privileged to fly in a 747, particularly when seated on the higher deck), Lufthansa’s Enterprise Class doesn’t match the grandeur of its flagship plane. The cabin configuration (2-2-2 on the decrease deck and 2-2 on the higher deck), the dearth of privateness in addition to the mediocre facilities are disappointing and lightyears behind the Enterprise Class product provided by the provider’s rivals. Actually, to the most effective of my data, Lufthansa is the one flag provider on the planet that also provides a subpar format in its Enterprise Class the place not all passengers have direct aisle entry. The excellent news is that Lufthansa will quickly introduce a brand new Enterprise Class seat and cabin format – referred to as Alegris – in order that’s one thing to sit up for (though the launch of the brand new product simply retains getting postponed).

Have you ever ever flown onboard the Boeing 747? If that’s the case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.

• Journey: Frankfurt (FRA) to San Francisco (SFO)
• Airline: Lufthansa
• Plane kind: Boeing 747-8
• Plane registration quantity: D-ABYJ (inbuilt 2014 and nicknamed ‘Hannover’)
• On time departure: Sure (10:30 am)
• On time arrival: Sure (12:30 pm)
• Distance: 5680 miles (9140 km)
• Flight time: 11 hours
• Seat: 87A (higher deck)
• Class: Enterprise Class

On this evaluate (extra data & pictures beneath my YouTube video):

1. Price of my ticket
2. Lounge
3. Enterprise Class cabin
4. Enterprise Class seat (+ greatest & worst seats)
5. Facilities & bedding
6. Meals
7. Leisure
8. Onboard web
9. Different inflight experiences
10. My verdict (rating)

1. COST OF MY TICKET

I paid this one-way Enterprise Class ticket from Frankfurt to San Francisco with miles by way of Lufthansa’s frequent flyer program Miles & Extra (which I’ve reviewed right here). The entire value of my ticket was 270 euro + 56,000 Miles & Extra miles.

2. LOUNGE

Lufthansa operates a community of greater than 12 lounges at Frankfurt, a few of which I’ve reviewed in my earlier journey experiences:

Since my connection time is Frankfurt was very quick (lower than one hour), I didn’t have the time to go to the lounge throughout this journey.

3. BUSINESS CLASS CABIN

Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8 options 8 open First Class suites, 80 Enterprise Class flat-bed seats with 180 levels recline, 32 Premium Economic system recliner seats, and 244 commonplace Economic system Class seats. The 80 Enterprise Class seats are unfold over three cabins:

• The most important Enterprise Class cabin is situated on the decrease deck (behind First Class) and options 6 rows of 36 seats, organized in a 2-2-2 format. I’ve beforehand revealed a visit report of my flight expertise on this cabin, which you’ll learn right here.
• The smallest Enterprise Class cabin can be situated on the decrease deck – separated from the bigger Enterprise Class cabin by a galley – and options solely 2 rows of 12 seats, additionally organized in a 2-2-2 format.
• The higher deck includes a third Enterprise Class cabin with 8 rows of 32 seats, organized in a 2-2 format. Because of the 2-2 format (opposite to the 2-2-2 format on the decrease deck), this cabin has a extra intimate really feel and is the most effective Enterprise Class cabin. It virtually feels a bit like flying in a personal airplane. The window seats right here even have extra cupboard space (with additional bins on the facet) in comparison with the decrease deck Enterprise Class seats.

All three Enterprise Class cabins have a clear and unremarkable but very German-esque design, with white cabin partitions and gray seat covers making a impartial coloration palette. The one refined colours you’ll see are the picket panels between paired seats and the colourful pillows which might be positioned on the seats upon boarding.

All pairs of seats alongside the home windows and within the cabin’s heart are angled barely in direction of each other. This is likely to be nice for {couples} however not for solo vacationers, for the reason that ft compartment is situated proper subsequent to the certainly one of your neighbor, and it’s attainable that your legs and ft sometimes contact those of your neighbor whereas resting or sleeping. General, all seats lack privateness, and there’s not even a divider or privateness display screen between paired seats, which these days feels utterly dated for a Enterprise Class product.

Click on right here for the seat map of Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8.

4. BUSINESS CLASS SEAT (+ BEST & WORST SEATS)

The Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Enterprise Class seat is kind of snug within the upright place, with a pitch of 162 cm (64 inch) and a width of 52 cm (20,5 inch). A studying gentle is situated subsequent to the top relaxation. The middle arm relaxation holds the seat controls, a handset for the inflight leisure, and a fold-out tray desk. The opposite armrest – both alongside the window or the aisle – may be lowered or raised (this enables for extra consolation within the seat’s flatbed place).

Every seat is provided with its personal leisure display screen, whose place may be barely adjusted based on the passenger’s want. A storage drawer is situated beneath the TV display screen, in addition to a small footrest (ottoman) that turns into a part of the seat when totally reclined. As talked about above, paired seats share their ottomans, with a small divider in between (though not ample to stop unintentional ft cuddling along with your neighbor).

On the push of a button, the seat reclines right into a full lie flat-bed with a size of 78 inch (198 cm).

What are the greatest Enterprise Class seats on Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8?

• As talked about above, the most effective seats are situated on the higher deck. Because of the 2-2 format (opposite to the 2-2-2 format on the decrease deck), this cabin has a extra intimate really feel. As well as, the window seats right here even have extra cupboard space (with additional bins on the facet).

What are the worst Enterprise Class seats on Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8?

• The two-2-2 Enterprise Class format doesn’t make the cabin very enticing for solo vacationers, since you’ll all the time find yourself sitting subsequent to a stranger. And sadly, there isn’t any display screen between adjoining seats for added privateness.
• Window seats don’t provide direct aisle entry.
• Passengers seated within the first row of all three cabins could also be bothered by the noise of the galley and passengers going to or getting back from the bathrooms.
• I additionally counsel to keep away from the final row of the decrease deck Enterprise Class, which is simply in entrance of the Premium Economic system bassinet seats.

Click on right here for the seat map of Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8.

5. AMENITIES & BEDDING

Lufthansa’s Enterprise Class passengers obtain the next facilities on longhaul flights:

• An amenity equipment, which is wrapped inside a reusable tote bag. The equipment options the important journey objects (e.g. toothpaste, toothbrush, socks and a single breath mint) in addition to some L’Occitane toiletries. To cut back waste, eye masks and ear plugs usually are not offered contained in the bag however can be found within the bathrooms
• A snug, multi-colored pillow
• A heat, marine blue blanket
• A padded mattress topper to offer an additional layer of consolation to enhance sleep high quality
• Noise cancelling headphones (that are fairly efficient in blocking out the cabin noise)

6. MEALS

Throughout this flight, a lunch was served (proper after takeoff) in addition to a lightweight dinner (previous to touchdown)

I select the next choice from the lunch menu:

• Appetizer: pink roasted saddle of veal with potato salad, roasted cauliflower, broccoli and pepper drops

• Principal course: roasted tenderloin of beef in thyme sauce with new potatoes & gree beans

• Cheese: Lenggenwil nation cheese, Montagnolo blue cheese, and French delicate goat cheese

• Dessert: Berry cake with whipped cream and chopped pistachio

Lunch was okay and acceptable for a transatlantic Enterprise Class flight, though IMHO, Lufthansa must have some work carried out in its catering division to lift the bar of its meals providing. It’s weird that Germany’s house provider is so mediocre in terms of its onboard meals, whereas its daughter firm Austrian provides among the greatest meals within the sky.

Two hours previous to landing, a lightweight dinner was served (on one tray). It comprised smoked salmon filet, served with salsa verde and cucumber sesame topping, sriracha, and mayonnaise.

7. ENTERTAINMENT

Lufthansa’s Boeing 747 inflight leisure is managed by a handheld distant, however sadly, scrolling with the handset by the number of films and TV reveals may be very sluggish. This system itself has a dated format, however nonetheless it provides a good selection with greater than 100 movies in as much as eight completely different languages. Hollywood blockbusters, new German and European productions and movies from Japan, China, India and plenty of different international locations cater for all tastes. There are additionally 200 TV packages accessible in addition to a wide selection of leisure content material for households and youngsters. As well as, you possibly can observe the newest information by way of the reside TV channels CNN and Euronews, in addition to sports activities highlights by way of Sports activities 24. The audio part options a big number of CDs, audio books, playlists and podcasts from world wide. Bose noise-cancelling headphones are offered to ensure the most effective sound high quality. Lufthansa’s B747s are additionally outfitted with a stomach and nostril cameras, whose broadcasts are straight streamed on the TVs.

8. ONBOARD INTERNET

In 2004, Lufthansa was the primary airline to supply inflight web to its passengers on worldwide flights. What’s just about the norm lately, was a floor breaking change on the time. On this flight, there have been three particular person tariffs for utilizing the web service (referred to as ‘FlyNet’):

9. OTHER INFLIGHT EXPERIENCES

# CREW: Tthe Lufthansa flight attendants on this flight had been skilled, environment friendly and discrete.

# LAVATORY: tlisted below are seven bathrooms for the Enterprise Class passengers: 4 bathrooms are situated on the decrease deck and three on the higher deck.

# VIEWS: we received some nice views of San Francisco and the Bay space throughout touchdown.

10. MY VERDICT

• Seat consolation (upright): 8/10
• Seat consolation (mattress place): 7/10
• Privateness: 3/10
• Meals (high quality): 7/10
• Meals (amount): 7/10
• Inflight leisure : 6
• WiFi: 9/10
• Service: 8/10
• Cabin design: 7/10
• General expertise: mediocre – 6/10

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