After enjoying a wonderful time in Germany with my parents, it was finally time for us to head back home. We all boarded the same transatlantic flight from Munich to Boston on Lufthansa A380 first class. However, I decided to take a detour on my return trip and flew from Frankfurt to Munich on Lufthansa A319 business class. In this post, I would like to share my review of the short business class flight from Frankfurt to Munich.
Lufthansa’s business class product within Europe is fairly average, nothing particularly notable. Unfortunately, this flight was no exception. I had booked a business class ticket from Frankfurt to Zurich, which cost me 15,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points and $103.16 in taxes and fees. Our original plan was to stay in Zurich for one night and review the SWISS First Lounge, but our flight from Munich to Zurich got cancelled. However, I was eligible for EU261 compensation, which was a small consolation.
Prior to the flight, I had the chance to experience the Lufthansa Panorama Lounge in Frankfurt, which is one of the better business class lounges at the airport. Boarding for our flight to Munich was scheduled for 5:45pm, 30 minutes before departure. The gate, A17, was conveniently located near the lounge, making it a short walk for us.
When we arrived at the gate, I noticed that our aircraft, an Airbus A319 with registration code D-AILK, had just arrived from Skopje. Passengers were loaded onto a bus as Macedonia is not part of the Schengen area. After everyone disembarked, the jet bridge was connected to the aircraft. Boarding was slightly delayed due to in-flight maintenance, but eventually started at 5:55pm. Families were invited to board first, followed by business class passengers.
The business class cabin on the A319 consisted of economy seats with blocked middle seats. The curtains separating business class from economy allowed for flexible cabin sizes based on demand. On this particular flight, business class occupied the fourth row and could accommodate up to 16 passengers. I chose a seat by the right window in the last row of business class. Surprisingly, I had all four rows to myself, although there were nine other passengers in business class.
Unfortunately, the seats on Lufthansa’s short-haul routes are not very comfortable. They are slim with minimal padding and legroom. The tray table was a standard size and the storage consisted of a loose net and a document pocket. There were reading lights and air nozzles in the overhead console, but no power outlets or other amenities. Overall, the cabin felt quite bare.
Despite some delays, boarding was efficiently completed within 15 minutes. The captain made an announcement, informing us that our expected flight time was 35 minutes. We experienced a slight delay due to a tow truck issue, but we eventually pushed back at 6:30pm. After a fast taxi, we took off smoothly and the seatbelt sign was turned off shortly after. The flight attendants quickly closed the curtains between business class, galley, and economy class.
One positive aspect of Lufthansa’s short-haul aircraft was the availability of Wi-Fi. Although it wasn’t particularly useful for a 35-minute flight, they offered different pricing options depending on the amount of data or messaging services desired. Lufthansa also provided 30 minutes of free messaging for passengers who logged in with their Miles & More profile.
Shortly after takeoff, the flight attendants passed through the cabin with snacks from Lufthansa’s “Tasting Heimat” menu, which aims to showcase flavors from different regions of Germany. The snack consisted of turkey, carrots, nuts, bread, and raspberry mousse for dessert. Drinks were also offered, and I opted for sparkling water and white wine. The flight attendants were attentive and provided refills throughout the short flight. Before landing, all passengers, including those in business class, were offered chocolates.
As we prepared for landing, I took a quick look at the restroom, which appeared slightly outdated compared to the rest of the cabin. However, it was clean and stocked with wipes for convenience. We landed in Munich at 7pm, 20 minutes behind schedule.
Overall, the business class flight from Frankfurt to Munich on Lufthansa’s A319 was unremarkable. The seats were not particularly comfortable, the cabin lacked amenities, and the flight was fairly short. However, the service from the flight attendants was attentive, and the Wi-Fi speeds were impressive.