This text is a part of the Flight Critiques sequence, wherein I assessment the onboard product supplied by airways throughout quite a lot of plane sorts and routes. These first-person experiences assessment a selected flight — a novel mixture of things together with working airline, plane sort, route and sophistication of service.

German flag provider Lufthansa gives continuous flights from its hub airports of Frankfurt and Munich, Germany to plenty of U.S. locations, together with my residence airport of Boston, Massachusetts. When a buddy invited me to check out the airline’s long-haul enterprise class product on a flight from Boston to Frankfurt, I jumped on the alternative. Listed here are some primary flight particulars to get began:

Airline/Flight: Lufthansa, LH423
Route: BOS-FRA — Boston, Massachusetts to Frankfurt, Germany
Flight Date: February 22, 2023
Scheduled Departure/Arrival: 3:50 p.m. ET / 5:15 a.m. CET
Scheduled Flight Size: 7 hours, 25 minutes
Plane: Airbus A340-300
Registration: D-AIGY
Seat: 05K

Lufthansa is the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A340, with 22 of the plane sort at present in service. The airline operates 17 of the A340-300 variant, an plane it sends all all over the world. Its Airbus A340 fleet is due to get replaced by new Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 plane, which suggests this assessment might quickly be out of date as the kind is retired.

Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 Seating Format

Lufthansa’s Airbus A340-300 plane sort is a three-class plane, with enterprise, premium economic system and economic system class cabins.

Enterprise class is organized in a 2-2-2 seating configuration, with 30 seats throughout 5 rows. The 28 premium economic system seats are organized in a 2-3-2 configuration, and the 221 economic system class seats are organized 8-abreast in a 2-4-2 configuration as much as row 40, after which seats are organized 2-3-2 as a result of narrowing of the plane’s fuselage. A high-quality seat map of the Lufthansa A340-300 is on the market from aeroLOPA.

Wheelchair Accessibility of Enterprise Class Seats on Lufthansa’s Airbus A340

Whereas most airways have moved to a 4-across 1-2-1 configuration in enterprise class, Lufthansa’s A340s are organized 2-2-2, which means the window seats don’t present direct aisle entry.

The good thing about the 2-2-2 configuration is that the aisle seats make lateral transfers from the aisle wheelchair extremely straightforward.

Aisle seats function a movable aisle armrests that may be lowered by urgent a button and gently pushing downward. As soon as the armrest is lowered, it’s stage with the seat cushion and supplies very good entry to disabled passengers. In contrast to the reverse herringbone seats present in different enterprise class cabins (see this, this and this), there isn’t any seat shell, shroud, wall, door or enclosure that restricts lateral transfers from the aisle chair — an enormous win for accessibility!

With the press of a button, the seat may be reclined into quite a lot of lounge positions or a totally flat mattress mode. Though I slept for almost all of the 7-hour flight, I uncared for to take a photograph of the seat in sleep mode. The picture above, provided by Lufthansa, exhibits the A340’s enterprise class seat reclined totally flat.

Regardless of its 2-2-2 configuration, the seat itself is spacious. The footwell is just not enclosed, which means vacationers profit from the flexibility to maneuver freely whereas mendacity down. I discovered the mattress to be a bit onerous, main me to reposition regularly all through the evening, nevertheless the seat was very comfy in lounge mode.

Most inflight leisure screens function contact display screen shows, nevertheless that isn’t the case on the Lufthansa A340-300. My explicit plane, registration quantity D-AIGY, was delivered in June 2000 and it doesn’t seem that the enterprise class cabin has been up to date since then. The leisure system is managed utilizing a handheld distant management/mouse that may be a bit tough to get used to. At finest, it might show extraordinarily tough for these with restricted dexterity to make use of successfully.

Headphones are offered at every enterprise class seat, although their high quality Though I didn’t have time to observe a film, I did scroll by way of the in-flight leisure library. The choice of movies was first rate, with each new and previous titles out there. The IFE system additionally offered entry to further content material, together with video games and a transferring map — I left my display screen on the map at some stage in the flight.

Meals & Beverage Service

The primary of two meal providers started shortly after the flight’s departure and upon reaching our preliminary cruising altitude of 37,000 toes.

My cocktail, a Jack & Ginger, was served with a ramekin of cashew nuts. The starter course, included a salad, choice of breads and a selection of three appetizers:

• Herb roasted Beef, chilled Polenta with Feta and Dill, Solar-dried Tomato Tapenade enhanced by Arugula Pesto
• Ahi Tuna Poke, marinated Cucumber, curled Daikon Radish and Inexperienced Tea Noodle Salad
• Chilled Ratatouille Parcel with Artichoke Escabeche and Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze

I selected the meat and chosen a pretzel roll from the bread basket — it was a improbable option to begin the meal!

For the primary course, passengers had been supplied a selection of three entrees:

• Gorgonzola and Porcini crusted Beef Filet served with Burgundy Sauce, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Child Fennel Gratin, sautéed Child Zucchini and Pink Onion
• Crab Patty with Shrimp and Scallop Mousse, Capellini Pasta with Mushrooms, sautéed Squash and Carrot Ribbons, sautéed Child Bok Choy and Lemon Chive Beurre Blanc
• Gentle Goat Cheese Tortelloni, seasoned Vegetable Ribbons, seasoned Broccolini, charred Corn, Tomato Confit and Basil Oil

I’ve taken a variety of long-haul flights in my life and this was the primary time I’d seen a crab cake on the menu — it’s certainly one of my favourite meals, so I needed to give it a strive. The crab cake proved to be a bit dry — actually not seafood restaurant high quality, but it surely was pleasurable and broke up the “rooster or beef” monotony of inflight eating.

Following the primary course, a choice of desserts was supplied:

• New England Cave Aged Cheddar, Rouge Affinee and smoked Cheddar Cheese garnished with Grapes
• Dulce de Leche Mousse with Caramel Sauce

The mousse was a candy deal with earlier than mattress and I completely loved it. I remorse not asking for a second serving!

Previous to touchdown in Frankfurt, a continental breakfast was served — it consisted of contemporary fruit, Passionfruit Muesli with Kiwi, Raspberry and Blueberry, and an orange juice. A choice of breads was additionally made out there — I selected a croissant.

All in all, I discovered the meal providing to be greater than satisfactory for the brief size of the flight. Flight attendants offered fast and environment friendly service with a smile (certainly one of whom was my buddy!), and I made positive to share my appreciation for the tempo of onboard service. On an eastbound flight from New England to Western Europe, the precedence for many passengers (myself included) is sleep.

Accessible Toilet on the Lufthansa Airbus A340

I dedicated the cardinal sin in terms of wheelchair accessible flight critiques: I by no means went to the rest room! After the flight departed, meal service commenced, I ate, then slept. I by no means had to make use of the toilet throughout the flight and solely realized I had forgotten to test it out after I had deplaned.

Regardless of having scoured the net for a photograph of the biggest of the A340’s toilets, I wasn’t in a position to find one. What I can say is that the bigger bathroom is positioned behind row 27 within the heart of the economic system class cabin. The sink and bathroom are positioned reverse one another and the door opens into the area between the 2. I imagine this design will allow a switch from the onboard aisle chair at a forty five diploma angle, nevertheless that is solely an informed guess. I’m at present working to safe {a photograph} of the rest room and can replace this assessment if I’m able to find one.

For extra data on attending to and utilizing the toilet on the airplane as a wheelchair person, learn the article on wheelchair accessible airplane toilets, which accommodates images and descriptions of the varied bathroom types.

Closing Ideas

Lufthansa’s Airbus A340-300 fleet is a bit lengthy within the tooth, however its enterprise class cabin is rather more accessible than the premium seating merchandise which have extra lately entered the market. For non-ambulatory passengers, the benefit of transferring from the aisle wheelchair to the seat, whether or not independently or with help, is a serious profit.

A enterprise class seat with above-average accessibility isn’t the one cause to fly Lufthansa’s long-haul product. The provider’s strong meals and beverage providing, along with its sturdy dedication to customer support, actually strikes the needle for me. I had an awesome flight — my first long-haul journey with Lufthansa — and am wanting ahead to the subsequent!