Below average budget airline
Written: Sep 25 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Straightforward, gets you there, cheap
Cons: Bad legspace and does not meet most expectations.
The Bottom Line: Lufthansa is great if you have budget concerns. Otherwise try for another airline as Lufthansa's seats are very uncomfortable.
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| eddie_ho_sa's Full Review: Lufthansa |
Johannesburg to Frankfurt, Economy Class
Check in at the Lufthansa counters in Johannesburg International Airport was quick and efficient - the wait took no longer than 10 minutes, a much better situation than US Airports.
Unfortunately, being 6 foot 2, I was not able to get a seat in the exit role that night being it a full flight, and due to regulations, in order to get an exit row you must obtain it during check-in on most airlines. So – if you have a long flight and want to stretch your legs, I suggest you to check in as early as possible. The extra hour wait in the airport for the exit row seat is worth it.
After security, immigration and customs, I entered the very modern waiting lounge in the Johannesburg International Airport. There you can find almost every type of shop and services imaginable to a traveller; it certainly meets world class standards.
When it was time to board the boarding took a long time, there was a huge line-up and we all had to stand and wait. Unfortunately, there were no seats by the gate so one could not sit and wait until the queue was fairly empty like all other airports.
As soon as I boarded the 747-400, the German feeling came on to me. The cabin was yellow, all the attendants were tall, blonde, neatly dressed, well groomed – that feeling you get out of a new Audi or Mercedes Benz. German newspapers were available for collection (no South African newspapers were available), and I was greeted by flight attendants that were somewhat friendly. The cabin looked modern from the greys and yellows, but yet, the plane itself was aging.
The seats looked very stylish, grey and yellow, representing Lufthansa’s colours. However, on closer inspection, the seats were tightly stacked and there was very little legroom. This was the first time I had a seat where my legs were uncomfortably pressed against the seats in front of me. Being in a full flight, I decided that there was nothing I or the flight attendants could do. But seriously, if there was turbulence during the flight with my shins against the metal part of the seat, I could have my bones crushed. Leg space (pitch) was tiny. Eating became a problem as you had to change to a worse position. Furthermore, the seats were somewhat harder, and more synthetic than seats of other airlines, but it did have a headrest support which you could adjust so you neck doesn’t fall the side type of thing. As for me, I used my own inflatable pillow.
The amenities that were provided lower than what I had expected: just one pillow and one blanket, but no kit. There were no socks, no toothpaste, toothbrush, nor eyeshades. Compared to South African Airways, one was provided all the amenities mentioned, and a dinner and breakfast menu. But in Lufthansa, it feels like a budget airline. Earphones were handed out instead by the flight attendants instead of providing it on the seat, like how SAA does. In all, Lufthansa does not make you feel special.
Lufthansa sold a bag containing eyeshades, earplugs, and all the amenities for 6 Euros. This was very greatly advertised and was also another attribute of the German quality – you have to pay for everything that’s good. Lufthansa’s ideas are genius and innovative, the bag can also be used in everyday work (as explained in the 10 minute advertisement), but sometimes they push it too far when they try get into your pockets. So, do not expect any extra amenities for free.
Announcements were made first in German, then in English. There was Afrikaans at some periods through the flight (Afrikaans is a South African white language), which provided the basic communication. The safety video is very standard but I feel they could have done something better, (like SAA's video was very entertaining). The video on Frankfurt airport looked really nice, but I didn’t get half of it and it was in English. So – if you are transferring between terminals in Frankfurt and have some language problems, you might get a bit lost.
The in-flight entertainment was also below competitive standards. There was no private entertainment, so one had to look up to the CRT display above the aisle (and not the main screen). There were only two movies throughout the flight and I have seen both of them on another airline a month and a half ago, showing that Lufthansa’s movie lists are not constantly rotated. However, there were Euro news, some very interesting documentaries, and instead of going straight into the movie or film, there’s a Lufthansa line-up screen that shows how many seconds until the next movie comes. This is really efficient and clever of them because I could get my headphones on in time and ready for the film. In between films, there was also some third party advertising, which I didn’t mind but it again proves the stance that Lufthansa is trying to make money. But one comment I would like to make is that on all flights with “main screen” movies (without private TV’s) I’ve been on; Lufthansa does set a leading example, covering all aspects of programming in a very efficient manner. Good for you Lufthansa! I’m sure there will be private TV’s soon.
Food and drinks were average, and below my expectations. They were served about an hour into the flight. You had two choices of the main course meals, and sides that came with it were plain and simple. You only had some salad, roll, biscuit, and the main course, followed by a small dessert. There was no fruit. The main course tasted and looked like something, but was not the greatest. Drinks were served by the plastic cup and they did not give you the full can. I was very disappointed that they did not have bottled water or juice where you could keep for yourself in the flight. For a long haul flight, keeping yourself filled with fluid is extremely important and I was not very happy about that. But, , after I had complained, the flight attendant regularly came up to me several times offering me some water, which was very good service of her. But, I would have preferred my own bottle of water to keep in front of me. There were bars of chocolates and packets of biscuits stored in the galleys for you to take anytime, and they were very nice, and the crew did come with lots of tea and coffee during breakfast. By the way, this is the first airline since Sept 11 using metal knives in a meal!
The bathrooms of Lufthansa are one of the cleanest I’ve been on in a long haul flight. I am sure that they clean it up in mid-flight or they make a plan.
The flight was smooth and peaceful in general but the only complaint I have was the leg space. As I said, this was the only flight where I had my legs pressing against the seats in front of me, whereas in SAA, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, or AA, I never had that problem. Luckily I had some earplugs and sleeping tablets of my own to keep me satisfied, and removed the attention. But for big people – do not take Lufthansa unless you are under budget restrictions.
Service was pretty good, but it’s not the best. If you request something, they would bring it. If you ask something, they would do it. However, they would not do something spontaneously to provide extra service.
The flight departed 50 minutes late, but arrived 10 minutes early, which I had no problems with – Germany efficiency. I think that sooner or later, Lufthansa would improve their seats and upgrade them with private in-flight entertainment systems, in order to compete with other major airlines. For now, Lufthansa is a normal airline that you cannot expect too much of, except the fact that they will get you there no matter what.
If you are flying the JNB to FRA route, see if you can get hooked up onto the code shared SAA flight. They are a great alternative for flying between Germany and South Africa. Yet again, what can you expect for a ticket that costs $900 that would have cost $2000 (From Johannesburg, to Frankfurt, to Toronto)?
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
eddie_ho_sa
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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