Review: Lufthansa's Short-Haul Economy Class
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We chose to travel with Lufthansa from Helsinki to Belgrade. The flight times were convenient, although the tickets were not the most affordable. Furthermore, this experience allowed us to write a review on Lufthansa and enhance our collection of airline reviews. Read on to understand our experience with Lufthansa's economy class and the potential areas we identified for improvement.
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Lufthansa
In October 2023, we spent a brief vacation exploring Serbia, where the weather was still summerish. Lufthansa offered the most convenient flight timings from Helsinki to Belgrade and also the price was reasonable, so we decided to choose this airline. In this review, we share our thoughts about the economy class of Lufthansa and give a rating based on our experiences.
Lufthansa originates from Germany and was established in 1953. It is a part of the Lufthansa Group. In addition to Lufthansa, this group encompasses a variety of airlines, such as Eurowings and Austrian Airlines. Amid the pandemic, Lufthansa grappled with near-bankruptcy. However, it is steadily bouncing back and reinstating its operations.
Lufthansa boasts a global route network, with three primary bases of operation: Frankfurt, Berlin, and Munich. This often necessitates a layover in Germany, as direct flights are seldom obtainable. By the conclusion of 2022, the Lufthansa Group's fleet had expanded to include an impressive 710 aircraft.
Our Lufthansa Economy Class Experiences
We flew from Helsinki to Belgrad via Frankfurt and back from Belgrad to Helsinki via Munich in the economy class of Lufthansa. The flights were operated with Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. We describe our travel experiences onboard Lufthansa.
Booking
Instead of booking our flights directly on the Lufthansa website, we used an online travel agency this time. We compared flight prices on Skyscanner and eventually booked our flights from Travelis. Although booking through an online travel agency carries more risk, we saved approximately 50 euros. The booking went smoothly, and we received the ticket in our email.
As members of the Lufthansa loyalty program, Miles&more, we added the flights to our Lufthansa mobile application, and everything appeared to be in order. Since we don't fly frequently with Lufthansa or other Star Alliance airlines, we don't accumulate miles for Lufthansa's loyalty program. Still, the mobile application is useful for seeing and managing bookings.
Lufthansa has a well-designed and user-friendly mobile application.
Check-in
It was possible to check in using the mobile app 36 hours before the flights. Despite being unable to select free seats, the check-in process was quick and straightforward. We were travelling with Light tickets with minimal luggage. Our tickets allowed us to bring only cabin-size luggage (8 kg) onboard and a small personal item. However, in both cases, Lufthansa recommended that passengers check cabin luggage into cargo without an extra fee, but we rejected these offers for two reasons. We had fragile items like cameras and laptops, which we didn't want to put on hold. Secondly, we wanted to save time when arriving at the airport since we have scheduled time for car hire pick-up and return.
Boarding passes were conveniently accessible through the mobile app, eliminating the need for printing anything at the airport. We appreciate this trend among airlines promoting the use of digital boarding passes, which is helping to curb CO2 emissions.
Boarding
Lufthansa's boarding procedure was efficient and organized, starting with priority passengers, then those seated by the windows, followed by passengers in the middle and aisle seats. Like other airlines, passengers were categorized into specific boarding groups called to board in order. The airline staff at the gate ensured that every passenger would only board according to one's group.
There were instances where the cabin luggage sizes were not checked thoroughly. In Helsinki, a passenger managed to bring aboard an oversized bag, which she struggled to fit into the overhead compartments. This seemed to frustrate a flight attendant who behaved in an unfriendly way, saying in a pretty angry tone, 'Nobody told you can't bring this big-sized luggage to the cabin?'.
In another boarding instance at Munich airport, the boarding gate machine flashed an unusual message: "Wrong flight". Upon seeking assistance from the staff, their response was less than courteous, like accusing the passenger and saying, 'You have shown the wrong boarding pass', even though it was surely a glitch in their system.
Despite the well-structured boarding process, the attitude and professionalism of the staff fell short. An improvement in this area would significantly enhance the overall boarding experience.
In Helsinki, pushback started when people were still standing in the aisle.
Aircraft
We embarked on our journey with the Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. These featured a 3+3 seating arrangement, with the business class at the front and the economy class behind it. Notably, these flights were not equipped with LCD screens or the conventional in-flight entertainment system, so the cabin was simple.
The aeroplanes were maintained well and were very clean and lighted with Lufthansa's prominent orange colour. The level of comfort provided by the economy-class slim leather seats was as good as it gets, and there was enough legroom even for a tall passenger. Interestingly, onboard Wi-Fi was available on two planes we travelled with but unavailable on the other two flights. During our trip, one Lufthansa plane offered USB sockets for charging, while the others did not. This indicates that Lufthansa features a diverse range of aircraft similar with varying amenities.
The complimentary Wi-Fi was accessible for 30 minutes, necessitating a Miles & More account for free access. Once connected to the in-flight Wi-Fi, we had to navigate to the login page and input our Miles & More credentials. While Lufthansa only guaranteed functionality for instant messaging, free Wi-Fi also worked for web browsing and sending emails. However, the Wi-Fi speed was extremely slow. We expect the paid Wi-Fi to have a better internet connection speed. The complimentary Wi-Fi onboard was a valuable source of real-time updates about the flight's progress. This feature kept passengers like us informed about the journey's advancement.
The aircraft did not have magazines for reading but only catalogues for shopping and onboard snacks and drinks.
Bottom Line
Lufthansa is a dependable airline in Europe, offering domestic and international routes. Although the level of service is comparable to that of budget airlines, additional charges apply for most amenities. Its strategic and comfortable hubs in Germany may be the driving factor for choosing Lufthansa when the price matches.
Lufthansa operates efficiently, with a user-friendly website for booking flights and a practical app that simplifies flight management and check-ins. The boarding process is swift, and in-flight services are effectively coordinated. The professionalism and expertise of Lufthansa's crew are evident in their performance. However, the experience of flying in Lufthansa's Economy class doesn't exactly leave you astounded.
Did you have a chance to travel with Lufthansa? What was your experience like? Feel free to share your anecdotes below.
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