Welcome to part one of our detailed review of traveling from London to Thessaloniki via Frankfurt. In this post, we’ll cover the first leg of the journey: Lufthansa flight LH921 from London Heathrow to Frankfurt.
Why Lufthansa?
I needed to travel urgently and even though there are many flights between London and Thessaloniki in Greece, both direct and via different hubs in Europe, prices in the summer can be sky-high. There is also the considering of getting to the airport in London that may require an expensive taxi and/or hotel, depending on the departure time and airport transportation options.
After analysing multiple options, I opted for flying from London Heathrow to Frankfurt and then onwards to Thessaloniki as the most convenient in terms of departure and arrival times, as well as cost.
Booking Process
One of my favourite frequent flyer programs is Miles & Bonus by Aegean Airlines. I’ve been a Gold member since they offered a status match for BMI Diamond Club (remember that?) and I have been able to maintain Gold every year since then.
On this occasion the number of miles required for a last-minute redemption in Business Class was very favourable. In fact, it was 15,000 miles cheaper to fly in Business Class instead of travelling in Economy/Coach.
booked this 2 days before departure and even though I was departing from London, taxes were charged in Euro. Top tip: When booking or redeeming miles with Aegean Airlines it is always worth checking the price in Euro as other currencies have a currency exchange fee built into the rate used.
I was able to choose my seat for both flights straight away free of charge. Interestingly enough, because one flight was operated by Lufthansa and the other by Aegean Airlines I needed to go to their respective websites to choose my preferred seat.
Smooth Check-in
I checked in online 24 hours before departure and received mobile boarding passes, which I added to my Apple Wallet.
At the airport, I used the Business Class / Star Alliance Gold desk to drop off my suitcase. This was tagged as ‘Priority’ and checked through to my final destination. I had the option of paper boarding passes too but declined as I was happy with the mobile boarding passes issued during online check-in.
A printed luggage receipt was provided by the ground crew and an electronic copy was also sent to my email address. I love this service and I’m still very disappointed that British Airways doesn’t offer this.
Lounging in Comfort
Business Class passengers have access to the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Terminal 2, right after passport control. Star Alliance Gold and Miles & More Senator members and above can also access the Senator lounge that requires a QR code provided by the lounge reception team.
The food & beverage options in both lounges are the same, i.e. hot & cold food options that changes according to the time of day, plus a range of hot drinks, cold refreshments, and premium spirits. This being a Lufthansa lounge, you also get gummy bears, and some other German delicacies.
As this was a morning flight, I had a pastry, some porridge, a bowl of fruit, some scrambled eggs, beans, potatoes, and toast. I also had a shot of energising ginger. English and German magazines and newspapers were also available.
Efficient Boarding
Boarding was organized by group numbers, with Business Class and Star Alliance Gold members in Group 2 using a dedicated fast track line. This efficient system meant I avoided the longer lines for Economy passengers in Groups 3 and higher.
Onboard Experience
For the comfort of its Business Class passengers, Lufthansa leaves the middle seat free. So on the Airbus 320neo there are only 4 passengers in a row of 6 seats. I had seat 1F, i.e. a bulkhead window seat. I am normally not a big fan of these seats as I end up kicking the bulkhead for the duration of the flight, but as this was a short flight this was not an issue. Plus, I slept for part of it so I had even less time to feel restless and unable to stretch my legs completely. Plenty of knee room though! If you’re tall, choose wisely.
Service onboard was very attentive. A breakfast plate of cold cuts, warm bread & croissants, as well as yoghurt with a delicious compote were served. Hot & cold drinks were offered and topped up freely. There was no hot towel service on this flight however a refreshing hand wipe is included in the breakfast tray. Shortly before the end of a service a single piece of chocolate by Drei Meister was given out by the crew. Mine was a chocolate orange flavour encased in white chocolate.
Arrival in Frankfurt
Arrival in Frankfurt was on time, however we parked at a remote stand and had to take a bus to the main terminal, which added about 15 mins to the process. I was connecting to another flight and then had to get a different bus to the A gates. As I was entering the Schengen zone I had to go through passport control and used one of the automated gates (only one of them was working!). In the end, even though my connection was 1h 50mins I only had 15mins in the lounge to relax and freshen up.
Final Verdict
Overall, Lufthansa provided a solid business class experience on flight LH921. The only downside was the remote stand arrival and the subsequent bus transfers, which could be stressful with a tighter connection. Nevertheless, Lufthansa’s service and comfort make it a reliable choice for this route.
Stay tuned for part two, where I’ll review the onward journey from Frankfurt to Thessaloniki with Aegean Airlines.
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