Lufthansa this weekend began the global rollout of its new 'inflight restaurant service' on long-distance business class flights.
After a debut in June and July on its Airbus A380 routes to New York and Miami, the service has been extended to superjumbo flights to Houston, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Delhi, Beijing, San Francisco, Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore.
Boeing 747-400 and 747-8 flights from Frankfurt will see the upgraded meal service from October 1, followed by the Airbus A340 fleet from Frankfurt and Munich to Asia and the Middle East on October 25.
"Flight attendants will now adapt their service more strongly towards the rhythm of their passengers in order to individually respond to their guests' needs and requests just like a top-class restaurant" Lufthansa says.
"After the flight attendants have welcomed 'their' guests on board in person and by name, they take their orders and set the table with ceramic crockery."
Meals will be served directly from the galley, with trays and flight trolleys replaced by plates.
Lufthansa has conducted training courses for some 4,500 flight attendants since May this year.
PREVIOUS | Lufthansa is set to officially launch its new 'Business Class Signature Service' on long-range international flights from September 1st.
Based around the concept of individualised restaurant service, the program will see a higher crew-to-passenger ratio of one flight attendant for every eight passengers in the business class cabin.
"We want to create a restaurant-style service where flight attendants introduce themselves to the passengers and take care of the same group of passengers on the flight" Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr (below) told Australian Business Traveller at this week's meeting of Star Alliance airlines in Warsaw.
Meals will be plated in the galley and individually delivered to each passenger – "like in a restaurant" Spohr says. "You get your meal from the kitchen already prepared, rather than from a trolley."
Lufthansa began trialling the service in late 2014 on selected flights. Spohr says it's already been 'soft launched' on Miami flights, "and New York is next", to be followed by more routes from September.
"It's a substantial upgrade to business class and the Lufthansa premium experience" Spohr explains.
"When we designed this a year ago we said that premium quality is what Lufthansa once stood for, and will stand for again."
Core to Lufthansa's premium push is the fitting its latest business class seats (below) on all long-range international aircraft, which Spohr says is on track to be completed by August.
"We are at 96% now, with or three aircraft to be done over the next weeks" he told Australian Business Traveller, while premium economy (below) will also feature across the Lufthansa fleet before the year is out.
The German flag-carrier will also begin flying its flagship Airbus A380 between Frankfurt and Hong Kong from October 25, replacing the Boeing 747-8 and boosting the number of seats available between the two cities.
"Asia is getting stronger and stronger, not just by size but also demand for quality" Spohr explains.
"It's a growing market and a market where quality brands plays more and more a role. German brands are very en vogue in Asia, quality German cars are selling like crazy there, so we are very happy to have the Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian brands all in our group and offer a higher quality (experience) there."
Also read: Swiss' new first class, business class for Boeing 777-300ER
David Flynn travelled to Warsaw as a guest of Star Alliance.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
07 Jan 2014
Total posts 42
LH is already operating A380 to Hkg as of 28MAY15
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
"We want to create a restaurant-style service where flight attendants introduce themselves to the passengers and take care of the same group of passengers on the flight...Meals will be plated in the galley and individually delivered to each passenger – "like in a restaurant...You get your meal from the kitchen already prepared rather than from a trolley."
Don't other quality airlines such as SQ, QF, MH and dare I say AA (try them before bitching about them) already do this? It appears LH is playing catch up....makes you wonder what the service is like now?
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1560
When I paying for business, I am actually not after meal
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1560
And I still like 747-8 better than 380
19 Jun 2014
Total posts 32
Don't forget you can play "footsie" in their business class ... https://www.executivetraveller.com/lufthansa-rolls-out-new-business-class-signature-service
25 Jun 2015
Total posts 2
QR have been very successfully doing this ages. Makes for a much better experience. On a recent QR J longhaul i had my own 'personal assistant' who was the only person to look after me and a small group of others. Worked very well and service delivery spot on!
QF NZ
28 Jul 2013
Total posts 29
If I recall correctly Austrian have done this for some time in J, with a "chef" on board individually preparing and even delivering each plate. Flew SYD - VIE many times via KUL and it was great. It was also around the time Austrian introduced thier llay flat beds. Austrain have been part of LH for some time now,.
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