A dated business class on one of the few 747 jumbo jets still flying

The airline: Lufthansa

• Route Frankfurt to Singapore Changi Airport, flight LH0780
• Frequency Daily on this aircraft; 16 weekly flights in all on this route
• Aircraft Boeing 747-400
• Class Business, seat 1K, window
• Flight time 12 hours, 40 minutes (we are delayed 45 minutes on departure but land on time)

Checking in

I flew into Frankfurt Airport from Portugal with my boarding pass ready for part two of three flights home to Australia. We board, then wait. Our departure delay is caused by a minor engineering issue, which requires documentation. “We used old-school pen and paper,” the captain’s voiceover explains with a chuckle. It feels appropriate for this old school aircraft. The first 747 took to the skies in 1969, and the 400 series flew commercially from 1989.

Baggage

Business class checked allowance is two bags, 32 kilograms each maximum. Lufthansa’s website states carry-on is two bags, maximum eight kilograms, plus one personal item. Because my carry-on is over eight kilos, I enquire at the gate and am informed that the allowance is up to 12 kilograms.

Loyalty scheme

Miles & More. Lufthansa is a member of the Star Alliance Network (members in our region include Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways).

The seat

Lufthansa currently operates eight Boeing 747-400 aircraft, each configured to seat 371 passengers: 67 business class, 32 premium economy, and 272 economy seats. On the main deck, the 45 business lie-flat seats are forward-facing, angled and parallel in a 2-3-2 configuration. The upper deck has 22 seats in a 2-2 layout (more about that later). It’s a dated layout, as most major airlines now offer direct aisle access for all business-class passengers.

The seats have a 64-inch (162cm) pitch, a 20-inch (50cm) width and 18-inch (46cm) depth. Arriving at my 1K seat in front of the bulkhead, I check my alarming thoughts, as I note the proximity of my very adjacent neighbour (a stranger). After dinner, I place my chair in lie-flat mode – 78 inches (198cm) in length – unroll my bed cover/mattress and blanket. The armrest frame provides some privacy, but fails to block my neighbour’s snoring. (Hooray for my ear plugs.)

Entertainment + tech

The 11.7-inch screen on the bulkhead feels distant (55cm from seat to the bulkhead.) After dinner, I plan to watch a movie, then sleep, but I’m bamboozled by the tech. My German neighbour assists, demonstrating how to use the remote integrated in my seat arm. Pressing a small button activates an arrow on the screen. Hovering, I navigate through the entertainment. Plenty of movies, but very few new releases. Over-ear headphones are located in a storage bin window side. Upon waking, my TV screen remains in slumber mode. My neighbour’s attempts to fix it fails. Laughing, he comments, “Old plane,” and offers his screen (while he uses a personal laptop).

Service

Before departure, a cabin attendant asks (initially in German, then English when I look blank) if I’d like an “Avionic aperitif” – a fruity drink with peach and citrus notes. A small paper bag on my arm rest sealed with a sticker stamped “Your welcome moment” contains salted almonds. Later, the flight attendant returns holding a small basket. Unsure of its contents, I copy my neighbour and take one – a long-sleeve T-shirt for sleeping, sans trousers. The attendant is pleasant throughout the flight. She also laughs when my neighbour explains my black screen.

Food

Two meals are served during the flight. With three choices of appetiser, I opt for the burrata with tomatoes, basil and arugula. Three mains: corn-fed chicken breast in carrot cream with pickled shitake mushroom and broccolini; Halibut and prawn; or spinach and ricotta filled raviolini. I select the chicken, which is tasty with a crispy skin. Dessert is cheeses and fresh fruit. Despite the tempting wine list (German riesling, a fruity Austrian white, or a South African chardonnay), I request water, mindful that a toilet visit requires clambering past my neighbour, once his seat is in lie-flat mode. Before landing, breakfast is either farmer’s breakfast or kaiserschmarrn (sweet shredded pancakes with raisins, and a yoghurt with cherry and hazelnut).

Sustainability

Lufthansa’s website declares its commitment to a carbon-neutral footprint by 2050. Despite the 747-400 plane consuming more fuel than a modern twin-engine fuel-efficient aircraft, Lufthansa continues flying the “Queen of the Skies” (maybe for all the 747 fanatics).

One more thing

I was blissfully unaware of the 747’s upper deck – commonly referred to as the “bubble”. At our final destination, Singapore, a flight attendant notices me taking photos of our empty cabin. He asks if I have been upstairs. No! He escorts me up the internal staircase, where I spy the raised cockpit, unique to the 747. After commenting that the bubble feels very intimate, he replies: “Always book business seats numbered in the 80s.” A great tip for next time – unlikely, but a gal can dream.

The price

From about $6200 return in business class, Frankfurt to Singapore. From Singapore, the airline has codeshare arrangements with Singapore Airlines for connections to Australian cities.**

The verdict

These days it is rare to find an airline that flies a 747, so flying on a “Queen of the skies” before they retire (the eight remaining 747-400s are between 23 and 27 years old – Lufthansa retires its planes around the 30-year age) felt nostalgically special.

Our rating out of five

★★★½

*For more information about air travel and sustainability, see iata.org

**Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and subject to change.

The writer flew at her own expense.