Trip to Kazakhstan in Lufthansa First Class and Dubai to Stockholm in Qatar Airways Business Class
A few weeks ago, I traveled to Kazakhstan for the first time where I spent two nights in the capital city of Astana. I flew from Dubai to Astana via Frankfurt (and back) in Lufthansa First Class using my miles and needless to say, it was one of the best trips I've ever had. I had a separate ticket on Qatar Airways between Stockholm and Dubai where I flew in economy class on the outbound and business class on the inbound. My business class ticket on Qatar Airways from Dubai gave me the chance to visit their newly opened lounge which was really nice, as well as that of British Airways'. This whole trip lasted for a week and eventhough it was very extensive, I loved every single minute of it!
Photoreview: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Review: Lufthansa First Class, Dubai-Frankfurt
Photoreview: Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Concourse A Schengen (FRA)
Review: Lufthansa First Class, Frankfurt-Astana
Top Attractions in Kazakhstan
Review: Hilton Garden Inn Astana
Review: Astana Airport Transit Hotel
Review: Lufthansa First Class Astana-Frankfurt
Photoreview: Lufthansa Welcome Lounge, Frankfurt (FRA)
Review: Lufthansa First Class, Frankfurt-Dubai
Review: Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Muraqabat
Photoreview: British Airways Galleries Club, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Photoreview: Qatar Airways Dubai Premium Lounge, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Review: Qatar Airways First Class, Dubai-Doha
Review: Qatar Airways Dreamliner Business Class, Doha-Stockholm
Lufthansa A330 first class cabin, Frankfurt to Astana
Flight: LH 646
Departure time in Frankfurt: 13:20
Arrival time in Astana: 22:50
Aircraft: Airbus A330-300
Seat: 1A
Duration: 5h 30m
Date of flight: September 10, 2016
*This is an award travel, First Class flight #37
Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Frankfurt
After visiting the Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Concourse A, I then went back to Concourse B (where we landed) to visit the First Class Lounge there. I immediately went to have a shower where I was given a rubber duckie for my collection. The last time I was here, I was driven in a Mercedez Benz to the aircraft but this time, I thought I'd ask one of the agents in the reception if I could have the Porsche instead. She said she'd request it but would only be able to confirm it close to the departure time.
Lufthansa Limousine Service
Ten minutes before the scheduled pick up, I went to the reception and was informed by Cristine (the agent who did the request) that we would actually be driven in a Porsche. Yipee 😊 For a person who can't own a Porsche (like me), you could imagine how happy I was to be driven in a Porsche.
Selfie with my ride (Porsche)
Video I took while we were being driven in a Porsche to the aircraft!
Aircraft
The beautiful Airbus A330-300 taking us to Astana.
Cabin
The cabin is the same as the one on the previous flight from Dubai to Frankfurt so I will concentrate more on the food and service. While the cabin was full from Dubai, this time we were only two passengers so it was like having one flight attendant per passenger!
Seat
Welcome to my seat, 1A!
As soon as I was seated, I was welcomed by Ms. Claudia, the chief purser, Andrea the lady flight attendant who took my predeparture beverage order, and Oliver, the other flight attendant in first class who asked for the right pronunciation of my surname. It was such a very warm welcome and I could already feel that it would be an extraordinary flight. Andrea also informed me about their turndown service with the mattress, duvet, etc. in case I would be needing to sleep.
Moments later, Andrea was back with my glass of water with a slice of lemon which was served with some warm nuts.
I was also given the male amenity kit with the same contents I got from the previous flight (La Prairie skincare products) and a large set of pyjamas although I requested to have the medium size instead which was brought moments later. I thought I ordered for a glass of still water but the one I got was sparkling, although it was not a big issue as I wasn't that thirsty either. By this time, the captain came on the PA to welcome us aboard. The purser also came on the PA a little later to advise us of our flight time of 5 hours, and reminded all the passengers with Samsung Galaxy Note S7 to turn it off and not use the device due to recent incidents where it would overheat.
Pushback was at 13:25 and was then followed by the safety video being played.
View after take off.
Airshow en route to Astana.
Lufthansa First Class monitor
I really love Lufthansa's shortcut buttons located on the left armrest since they are very logical and the ones that are most commonly used: light, play, pause, volume and call help button. If only all airlines in first class think the same way.
Dining
For my drinks, I settled for a glass of apple juice which was served promptly and was then followed by a hot towel.
Then, it was time for some amuse bouche which consisted of shrimp and tasted phenomenal that I could have another serving!
Lufthansa First Class menu card and wine list
The menu on this flight read as follows:
Choice of Appetizers
Caviar with the traditional Garnishes
Guinea Fowl Confit with Lentil Salad, Egg White Cream and Ham Chips
Octopus with mixed Mango Medley and Tapioca
Garden Vegetables on Pumpernickel Bread with Garden Cress and Escabeche Stock
Mixed Leaf Salad with fried Chanterelle Mushrooms, sun-dried Tomatoes and roasted Kernels accompanied by Pumpkin Seed Oil or Spanish Dressing
Soup
Clear Oxtail Soup with Ravioli and Shimeji Mushrooms
Choice of Main Courses
Saddle of Venison with Juniper Sauce, Dried Fruit and Celery Mash
Braised Breast of Duck with Mustard Seed Sauce, White Cabbage and Potato Rösti
Fried Pike-Perch and Pike White Sausage, Champagne Sauce, Pumpkin and Pretzel Dumpling
Cannelloni of Wild Mushrooms with Fonduta, Olive Oil and Wild Herbs
Selection of Cheese and Dessert
Obatzda, Kellerhocker, Brie de Meaux, Taleggio and Fourme d‘Ambert Cheese garnished with Fig Mustard
Guanaja Chocolate with Redcurrant and Sorbet
Green Apple with Cider and Mint
The champagne on board was the Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle.
From the menu, I ordered the caviar from the starters and the venison as my main course.
Lufthansa first class table set up
I really liked the butter with the words "First Class" on it.
Lufthansa first class caviar (without the onions) 😋
By this time, I had a chat with Oliver who was such a delight to meet. He obviously knows how to treat first class passengers special and with his 17 years of experience, nothing could go wrong. He was also not bothered by me taking a lot of pictures during the flight and even shared his enthusiasm about photography.
Although I've already had the caviar, I was still offered some more appetizers and I took the Octopus with Mixed Mango Medley and Tapioca which was excellent.
Saddle of Venison with Juniper Sauce, Dried fruit and Celery Mash 😋
Lufthansa first class cheese cart and dessert
From the dessert selection, I chose the Guanaja Chocolate with Red Currant and Sorbet. Unfortunately, I had to skip the cheese as I was already full.
To end the meal, I had a cup of green tea. I was also offered some pralines but declined.
First class pralines
Airshow enroute to Astana
Lavatory
Lufthansa first class lavatory with La Prairie face moisturizer and hand cream
Lufthansa first class lavatory
After an excellent meal, it was time to take a nap and Andrea came to turn my seat into a fully flat bed where I slept like a baby.
View from my seat
About an hour before landing, I was offered some snacks and drinks and I chose the club sandwich, some desserts and a glass of apple juice.
I was also offered a hot towel.
Club Sandwich and Tabouleh (the tabouleh was only for picture taking as I was already full).
Plumcake
At 22:15, the captain came again on the PA for some flight arrival info, that we should be landing in 26 minutes with the temperature of 16 degrees. Moments later, Andrea came to distribute immigration forms. Ms. Claudia the purser came once again to my seat to thank me for flying with them which was a very nice gesture. We landed at Astana Airport at 22:40 and reached the gate five minutes later.
Arrival at Astana Airport
Astana Airport
As usual, I was one of the first passengers to disembark and was actually surprised that a Lufthansa agent was waiting for me (and the other lady who flew in first class) with our names on her ipad. I really did not expect this service and needless to say, the whole process of passport control, etc. went smoothly as I was able to use the lane for airline crew. As I needed to withdraw money first from the ATM, the agent waited for me and she even helped me talk with the taxi driver who would be taking me to the hotel as the language barrier was obviously there. I was worried I'd have problems taking a taxi to the hotel but thanks to this Lufthansa service for first class passengers, I did not have to worry at all.
CONCLUSION
There are a lot of things I loved about this flight to Astana but the following are the highlights: the limousine service where I was driven in a Porsche from the lounge to the aircraft; the impeccable service from the crew who know how to make a flight unforgettable; and the service upon arrival at Astana Airport. Of course, the food was exceptional and the seat/bed was one of the best in the industry. I was continuously offered refills during the meal service and was always addressed by my surname by the crew. If there is one thing I wish they could improve on, it was placing the salt and pepper shakers with the "Lufthansa" logo facing the passenger. Otherwise, this was an almost excellent flight and that I could not possibly ask for more. To Ms. Claudia, Andrea and Oliver, Danke Schön! Auf Wiedersehen!
Related Post:
Qatar Airways A380 First Class, Doha to Paris
A few weeks ago, I traveled to Kazakhstan for the first time where I spent two nights in the capital city of Astana. I flew from Dubai to Astana via Frankfurt (and back) in Lufthansa First Class using my miles and needless to say, it was one of the best trips I've ever had. I had a separate ticket on Qatar Airways between Stockholm and Dubai where I flew in economy class on the outbound and business class on the inbound. My business class ticket on Qatar Airways from Dubai gave me the chance to visit their newly opened lounge which was really nice, as well as that of British Airways'. This whole trip lasted for a week and eventhough it was very extensive, I loved every single minute of it!
Photoreview: Lufthansa Business Class Lounge, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Review: Lufthansa Senator Lounge, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Review: Lufthansa First Class, Dubai-Frankfurt
Photoreview: Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Concourse A Schengen (FRA)
Review: Lufthansa First Class, Frankfurt-Astana
Top Attractions in Kazakhstan
Review: Hilton Garden Inn Astana
Review: Astana Airport Transit Hotel
Review: Lufthansa First Class Astana-Frankfurt
Photoreview: Lufthansa Welcome Lounge, Frankfurt (FRA)
Review: Lufthansa First Class, Frankfurt-Dubai
Review: Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Muraqabat
Photoreview: British Airways Galleries Club, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Photoreview: Qatar Airways Dubai Premium Lounge, Dubai T1 Concourse D (DXB)
Review: Qatar Airways First Class, Dubai-Doha
Review: Qatar Airways Dreamliner Business Class, Doha-Stockholm
Flight: LH 646
Departure time in Frankfurt: 13:20
Arrival time in Astana: 22:50
Aircraft: Airbus A330-300
Seat: 1A
Duration: 5h 30m
Date of flight: September 10, 2016
*This is an award travel, First Class flight #37
Lufthansa First Class Lounge, Frankfurt
Lufthansa Limousine Service
Aircraft
Cabin
Seat
As soon as I was seated, I was welcomed by Ms. Claudia, the chief purser, Andrea the lady flight attendant who took my predeparture beverage order, and Oliver, the other flight attendant in first class who asked for the right pronunciation of my surname. It was such a very warm welcome and I could already feel that it would be an extraordinary flight. Andrea also informed me about their turndown service with the mattress, duvet, etc. in case I would be needing to sleep.
I really love Lufthansa's shortcut buttons located on the left armrest since they are very logical and the ones that are most commonly used: light, play, pause, volume and call help button. If only all airlines in first class think the same way.
Dining
The menu on this flight read as follows:
Choice of Appetizers
Caviar with the traditional Garnishes
Guinea Fowl Confit with Lentil Salad, Egg White Cream and Ham Chips
Octopus with mixed Mango Medley and Tapioca
Garden Vegetables on Pumpernickel Bread with Garden Cress and Escabeche Stock
Mixed Leaf Salad with fried Chanterelle Mushrooms, sun-dried Tomatoes and roasted Kernels accompanied by Pumpkin Seed Oil or Spanish Dressing
Soup
Clear Oxtail Soup with Ravioli and Shimeji Mushrooms
Choice of Main Courses
Saddle of Venison with Juniper Sauce, Dried Fruit and Celery Mash
Braised Breast of Duck with Mustard Seed Sauce, White Cabbage and Potato Rösti
Fried Pike-Perch and Pike White Sausage, Champagne Sauce, Pumpkin and Pretzel Dumpling
Cannelloni of Wild Mushrooms with Fonduta, Olive Oil and Wild Herbs
Selection of Cheese and Dessert
Obatzda, Kellerhocker, Brie de Meaux, Taleggio and Fourme d‘Ambert Cheese garnished with Fig Mustard
Guanaja Chocolate with Redcurrant and Sorbet
Green Apple with Cider and Mint
From the menu, I ordered the caviar from the starters and the venison as my main course.
By this time, I had a chat with Oliver who was such a delight to meet. He obviously knows how to treat first class passengers special and with his 17 years of experience, nothing could go wrong. He was also not bothered by me taking a lot of pictures during the flight and even shared his enthusiasm about photography.
Lavatory
After an excellent meal, it was time to take a nap and Andrea came to turn my seat into a fully flat bed where I slept like a baby.
At 22:15, the captain came again on the PA for some flight arrival info, that we should be landing in 26 minutes with the temperature of 16 degrees. Moments later, Andrea came to distribute immigration forms. Ms. Claudia the purser came once again to my seat to thank me for flying with them which was a very nice gesture. We landed at Astana Airport at 22:40 and reached the gate five minutes later.
Arrival at Astana Airport
As usual, I was one of the first passengers to disembark and was actually surprised that a Lufthansa agent was waiting for me (and the other lady who flew in first class) with our names on her ipad. I really did not expect this service and needless to say, the whole process of passport control, etc. went smoothly as I was able to use the lane for airline crew. As I needed to withdraw money first from the ATM, the agent waited for me and she even helped me talk with the taxi driver who would be taking me to the hotel as the language barrier was obviously there. I was worried I'd have problems taking a taxi to the hotel but thanks to this Lufthansa service for first class passengers, I did not have to worry at all.
CONCLUSION
There are a lot of things I loved about this flight to Astana but the following are the highlights: the limousine service where I was driven in a Porsche from the lounge to the aircraft; the impeccable service from the crew who know how to make a flight unforgettable; and the service upon arrival at Astana Airport. Of course, the food was exceptional and the seat/bed was one of the best in the industry. I was continuously offered refills during the meal service and was always addressed by my surname by the crew. If there is one thing I wish they could improve on, it was placing the salt and pepper shakers with the "Lufthansa" logo facing the passenger. Otherwise, this was an almost excellent flight and that I could not possibly ask for more. To Ms. Claudia, Andrea and Oliver, Danke Schön! Auf Wiedersehen!
Related Post:
Qatar Airways A380 First Class, Doha to Paris
Comments
Post a Comment