LUFTHANSA
Business Class Route and In-Flight Amenity Analysis
 

Lufthansa is the flag carrier of Germany and transports more passengers annually than any other European airline. Lufthansa connects Europe with 183 international destinations in 73 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. In March, 2005 Swiss International Airlines merged with Lufthansa, though both airlines continue to be run as separate companies. Both Lufthansa and Swiss International Airlines offer varying policies governing business class discounts. While Swiss International Airlines offers set business class discounts which apply to an entire region (i.e. North America to Europe), Lufthansa tends to review each region and route independently when evaluating  what level of discount, if any, it will offer. Lufthansa offers direct service from Europe to every continent other than Antarctica and Australia. Lufthansa has also made significant enhancements to the in-flight experience in business class. 

A summary of continents served by Lufthansa and its business class product are as follows

Asia-  Lufthansa offers direct service via its Frankfurt and Munich hubs to most leading Asian destinations including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. Lufthansa also operates codeshare flights with its Star Alliance partners Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. However, business class discounts are normally not awarded on flights operated by carriers other than Lufthansa.  Lufthansa has also been a mainstay in India, offering direct service to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Madras, Mumbai, New Delhi and less known cities such as Pune.  All flights into India are operated featuring a business class cabin, and a First Class cabin on select aircraft. For travel to Asia and India, the best opportunities for Lufthansa business class discounts are for mid-week travel. In additional Lufthansa standard business class discounts, Lufthansa also features special deals and offers based on the country where travel originates. For travel originating in Europe, business class fares from the United Kingdom can be up to 50% less than similar itineraries originating in neighboring European countries.

 

Americas – Lufthansa offers direct service via its German hubs to leading North and South American cities. In addition to the regular suspects of North American destinations (i.e. New York, Los Angeles) Lufthansa also offers direct service into less frequently served cities including Denver, Detroit and Philadelphia.  Business class discounts with Lufthansa are generally more widely available via their mainstay gateways such as New York from where they operate as many as six flights a day. Business class discount inventory with Lufthansa may be more restrictive from smaller or less competitive markets such as Denver or San Francisco. Reviews of Lufthansa’s business class product are generally more favorable when using Airbus A340 equipment compared with its Boeing 747 aircraft.

Lufthansa also offers direct service via its German gateways to leading South American cities including Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. Availability of business class discounts into Latin America with Lufthansa does vary based on weekday vs. weekend travel as well as seasonality (i.e February Carnival). Lufthansa also offers direct service between Frankfurt and Caracas, Venezuela featuring a business class cabin which is eligible for business class discounts.
 

Africa- As of 2010, Lufthansa offers service to 18 cities in North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa and South Africa. In North Africa, Lufthansa services Algiers, Cairo, Tripoli, Casablanca, Khartoum, and Tunis. In Central Africa, Lufthansa services Luanda, Pointe Noire, Malabo, and Libreville. For travel to East Africa, Lufthansa services both Asmara and Addis Ababa. To South Africa, Lufthansa services both Johannesburg and Capetown on a seasonal basis. Lufthansa operates its service into Africa with aircraft fitted with a business class and on most routes also a First Class. Business class discounts are generally available for travel to destinations in North Africa and South Africa. However, because of limited competition as well as limited service business class discounts to East Africa, business class discounts to Central Africa, and business class discounts to West Africa may be limited.

In-Flight Amenities
In Lufthansa business class on long haul flights, you will find an environment that the carrier hopes will put its passengers at complete ease during their journey. Whether travelers would prefer to sit up or lie down, the business class seat can be adjusted into almost any position at the touch of a button, including into a 2 meter long bed. The Lufthansa business class seat also features a massage function. Lufthansa business class also features Lufthansa media world, allowing travelers to enjoy a wide array of entertainment ranging from the taking in the latest blockbuster to brushing up on language lessons prior to arrival.
Lufthansa Airbus 340 and A380 aircraft features a comfortable 2 x 2 x 2 configuration, while older 747-400 equipment utilizes a 2 x 3 x 2 configuration.

The best opportunities to obtain business class discounts with Lufthansa are generally for purchases made more than 50 days from the scheduled departure date. At its discretion, Lufthansa may also release a limited number of discounted business class seats within 14 days prior to departure depending on the route and demand.