Lufthansa Longhaul Inflight Experience ✈️
Panama, is a vibrant destination known for its stunning landscapes and rich culture. However, with a long history of American tourism it’s also not the cheapest of countries to visit.
Our objective was to fly there from Europe as inexpensively as possible, so as to boost our daily budget allowance. With numerous budget airlines and routes on offer, how easy is it to find affordable flights that fit your schedule and budget?
Highlights
- A Deal Too Good to be True?
- Our Multi-Flight Schedule
- Arrival in Frankfurt
- Lufthansa Longhaul Experience
- Bogotá Airport, Colombia
- Flying with Avianca Airlines
- Useful Accessories for the Plane
- Fly from Bogotá to Panama City
- Airlines, Airports & Transfers
- Our Complete Panama Itinerary
A Deal Too Good to be True?
Our journey from Europe to Panama involved a 3-leg flight with Lufthansa, starting from Amsterdam. Having flown little with Lufthansa beforehand, we were curious to discover how a Lufthansa longhaul inflight experience would pan out.
The Lufthansa flight deal we found was quite exceptional. Just €310 each for a return flight ticket. We’ve sometimes paid more than this for one-way only flights within Europe. Admittedly, the low price was largely due to the fact that we weren’t flying direct.
Our Multi-Flight Schedule
Our journey comprised 3 legs: Amsterdam-Frankfurt, Frankfurt-Bogota, Bogota-Panama City. The total journey time was a hefty 18 hours.
The only questions were would Lufthansa live up to its reputation as the best airline in Europe? and the 9th best airline in the world?
Following a short flight from Amsterdam and a quick plane change in Frankfurt, we had a 12-hour long-haul flight to Bogota. The final leg would be a short hop with Avianca from Bogota to Panama City.
Arrival in Frankfurt
After a 20-minute ‘technical’ delay in Amsterdam, we were already running late for our connection when we arrived in Frankfurt.
Lufthansa longhaul inflight experience
Frankfurt is a huge airport. After finding our zone, we had to queue for another passport check. When we finally reached our gate, they were ready for boarding. Had we been delayed by another 30 minutes, we’d possibly have missed our connection (and holiday).
Our Lufthansa Longhaul Inflight Experience
So how did our 12-hour Lufthansa longhaul flight pan out?
Cramped Seating
Lufthansa’s Airbus A340-300 – used for these longhaul flights – is a little cramped in economy class.
Once on board, we found the seating to be less than comfortable. The seats were cramped with limited legroom, making it difficult to relax during the longhaul flight. The seat cushions were thin and provided little support, leading to discomfort over the duration of the journey.
Mediocre Meals
The dining experience on our Lufthansa longhaul flight was acceptable but underwhelming. The meals were bland and lacked variety. The portions were small, and the quality of the food just OK.
Drinks are served from large bottles on the trolley (no miniatures here).
Inflight Entertainment
Lufthansa’s inflight entertainment system left much to be desired. The selection of movies, TV shows, and music was limited and outdated. The touchscreen interface was not very responsive, making it difficult to navigate through the options. This lack of engaging entertainment made the long flight feel even longer.
The headphones for the inflight entertainment system were 2-pin, but there was only a single-pin plug on the console. This means that unless you bring along and use your own headphones, you’ll get only single-speaker mono sound, with just half the volume.
Conclusion – Pros & Cons
Our Lufthansa longhaul inflight experience was a mixed bag. While there were some positive aspects, such as the polite cabin crew and the range of beverages, the overall experience fell short of our expectations. The cramped seating, limited entertainment options, and mediocre meals all contributed to a less-than-ideal journey.
For travelers seeking a comfortable and enjoyable longhaul flight, there are other airlines that can offer a better experience (but not at this price!).
All in all, Lufthansa is not much worse than any other long-haul flight we’ve taken from Europe – but certainly no better.
However, considering the really low price we paid for our economy tickets, we can hardly complain.
If you enjoyed Lufthansa longhaul inflight experience, check out Airlines, Airports & Transfers. You may also like:
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