Lufthansa
Flight 419
Frankfurt – Washington, DC
Departs 6:05 PM, Arrives 7:18 AM
Seat 1K, First Class

The drive from the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in the Mercedes van took about five minutes. Upon turning a final corner, the majestic 747 came into sight.

Upon boarding, we were directed to the left where the first class cabin of eight seats is located.

There are three seats on both sides of the plane, and two seat located next to one another at the rear of the cabin.

Waiting at my seat was a large, comfortable pillow.

The seat controls were located on the left, which were easy to understand and use.

The IFE controls were located on the right.

There was a small compartment located to the right of the IFE controller which held the Bose headphones.

There is another side compartment behind the first compartment for even more storage.

The ottoman is electronically adjustable, and also includes further storage for a laptop bag, or to store your shoes.

At the front of the right side armrest, is a USB port and electrical outlets.

There is a large flat screen TV, and movie selections were not very extensive, but good enough to keep me entertained throughout the flight.

A signature Lufthansa rose was placed at the front of the seat. I was offered a pre-departure beverage and chose water. A ramekin of macadamia nuts was also served.

We were then given the food and wine menus.

A Rimowa amenity kit was then distributed. The men received a blue amenity kit, while women received a white amenity kit.

Van Laack pajamas were then distributed. The flight attendant recommended XL pajamas which seems like overkill. I did not wear them so I do not know if they run small, or if I am really that big.

We were also given slippers, which were comfortable and had a decent amount of cushion to them.

Rose scented warm towels were then distributed, which had a fantastic smell.

At the beginning of meal service, service trays were set up with tablecloths, a salt and pepper shaker, “First Class” butter, and a dish of olive oil. I chose some garlic bread, and a wheat roll.

Meal service started out with a scallop and mashed potatoes, which was quite good.

Caviar was then served with rather large toast points, rather than blini. Minced onion, eggs, sour cream and lemon accompanied the dish.

I chose a glass of Taittinger champagne, which went well with the caviar.

I chose the mixed leaf lettuce salad with pumpkin seed oil dressing. The greens were fresh, and the dressing had a nice nuttiness to it.

The duck breast was nicely cooked, and the apple celery salad added some texture. The prune sauce also added another layer of sweetness to help cut through the richness of the duck.

A spiced orange sherbet was served as an intermezzo. It was paired with a mango ragout, which is rather sweet for an intermezzo.

For the main, I chose the Red Snapper and King Prawn. The snapper was cooked nicely, but the skin was rather limp and rubbery, making it less appealing. The prawn was slightly overcooked and a little on the tough side, but the flavor was good.

For dessert, I went with the semolina dumplings, caramel ice cream, and plum compote. The dumpling was like a donut of sorts, but went well with the ice cream and compote.

My wife went with the yogurt and lime mousse and passion fruit sauce. The dessert was light and tangy, and another portion would have been warmly received.

The bathroom is on the larger side, and the toilet has a wide seat.

The sink is also wider and water didn’t splash all over the place.

Wet wipes and razors were also available for use.

There is also mouth wash and facial mist available.

After meal service, the flight attendant asked passengers if they wanted their bed made. The bedding was soft and comfortable, and the bed is rather spacious.

A bottle of water was also distributed.

Several carafes of water were also put out.

There was no snack menu, and snacks were not put out in the galley. I got a little hungry before the second meal, and asked the flight attendant if there were any snacks available. She looked at me somewhat startled, as if nobody had ever asked for a snack before.

The best she could come up with a Sweetmeal digestive biscuit, which tasted a lot like a graham cracker.

Menus were then distributed for the second meal, with the “Winter Magic” theme.

The table was set, and decorate blue napkin holders were used consistent with the Winter Magic motif.

I chose a pretzel roll to begin with, which was very good.

The corn salad was good but a little heavy handed on the dressing.

I also chose the veal filet as an appetizer, which was cooked to medium. The lemon dressing helped to lighten up the dish, while the pomegranate seeds added some textural contrast.

I went with the crab bisque for the main course, which was rich and full of flavor. It was served with a very thin lobster roll type sandwich.

For dessert, I went with the baked apple which was paired with a nice granola type filling. Frozen yogurt added a nice cooling zing to the dish.

Just prior to departing the plane, all first class guests were given a chocolate Santa Claus.

We were also given a box of chocolates, which I thought was a nice gesture.

The flight attendant working the first class cabin was very nice, and professional. It was semi-reminiscent of flying an Asian carrier, as she was not walking throughout the cabin too frequently but was happy to provide assistance should the need arise.

Having a larger seat and personal space was definitely a luxury. I do think redeeming Aeroplan miles is worth the opportunity to fly Lufthansa first class, but I am not sure I would redeem them again if flying into Washington DC. The direct flight to Los Angeles does not become available too often, but I would definitely consider flying into Houston should that become available when coming back from Europe.