In an astonishing departure from most European airlines, Lufthansa has opened a new, purpose-built E15 million first class terminal at its Frankfurt hub. The terminal opens against a background of many European airlines removing first class, with those still offering it preferring to promote business class.
?Our first class customers have been telling us that we have a good product in the air but not on the ground,? Thierry Antinori, Lufthansa's VP for sales and marketing told Business Traveller. ?They say: ?Why should we have to use the same facilities and queue up in the same line as everyone else?' So we have opened this new facility at Frankfurt to differentiate ourselves from the others.?
Claimed to be a world first, the new dedicated terminal unashamedly treats passengers as an elite and is aimed at those starting their journey in Frankfurt, although if you are in transit you can use the two new lounges (smaller versions of the new terminal) within the main airport.
Lufthansa's terminal occupies the site of a former staff car park adjoining Terminal 1 (used by Lufthansa and other Star Alliance carriers). Valet staff park your car and check you in using hand-held computers while you proceed to security and immigration checks. Minimum check-in time is 45 minutes, although the airline claims that it can get a traveller from arrival to the plane's door in under 30 minutes.
If you have the time, there are separate dining areas (for snacks or an à la carte meal with non-airline catering), a bar, cigar room, five private offices, four luxurious shower rooms (one with a bath) and two rest rooms.
Best of all, when your flight is called you are individually chauffeured across the apron straight to the plane door by a fleet of Porsche 4WD and Mercedes S-Class vehicles. Luggage is taken separately.
The terminal opens daily from 5.30am to 11.45pm, and its 15 staff are expected to handle no more than 350 passengers a day. Those eligible are Lufthansa first class passengers and members of the HON Circle tier, a new top level in its loyalty programme (see Loyalty updates, page 61). HON Circle members can use the terminal and lounges for any Lufthansa flight to any destination (even short routes) and in any class.
Lufthansa hopes its new facilities will raise its profile in the same way as Concorde did for British Airways. But whether it will snare a sufficient number of first class passengers to justify the investment is debatable.
One point to note is that the terminal is not available to first class passengers flying major Star Alliance carriers like ANA of Japan, SIA, United, Thai and Varig.
Lufthansa's move is a brave one. The first class market is not healthy, confirmed by Hubert Joly, president and CEO of global agent Carlson Wagonlit. ?The overall number of first class travellers is going down. Many large corporations have actually banned first class, even for their CEOs. Demand, where it exists, is primarily to the Middle East, Japan and the US.?
If the new terminal is a success, Lufthansa plans to open a similar facility at Munich in 2006.
?Our first class customers have been telling us that we have a good product in the air but not on the ground,? Thierry Antinori, Lufthansa's VP for sales and marketing told Business Traveller. ?They say: ?Why should we have to use the same facilities and queue up in the same line as everyone else?' So we have opened this new facility at Frankfurt to differentiate ourselves from the others.?
Claimed to be a world first, the new dedicated terminal unashamedly treats passengers as an elite and is aimed at those starting their journey in Frankfurt, although if you are in transit you can use the two new lounges (smaller versions of the new terminal) within the main airport.
Lufthansa's terminal occupies the site of a former staff car park adjoining Terminal 1 (used by Lufthansa and other Star Alliance carriers). Valet staff park your car and check you in using hand-held computers while you proceed to security and immigration checks. Minimum check-in time is 45 minutes, although the airline claims that it can get a traveller from arrival to the plane's door in under 30 minutes.
If you have the time, there are separate dining areas (for snacks or an à la carte meal with non-airline catering), a bar, cigar room, five private offices, four luxurious shower rooms (one with a bath) and two rest rooms.
Best of all, when your flight is called you are individually chauffeured across the apron straight to the plane door by a fleet of Porsche 4WD and Mercedes S-Class vehicles. Luggage is taken separately.
The terminal opens daily from 5.30am to 11.45pm, and its 15 staff are expected to handle no more than 350 passengers a day. Those eligible are Lufthansa first class passengers and members of the HON Circle tier, a new top level in its loyalty programme (see Loyalty updates, page 61). HON Circle members can use the terminal and lounges for any Lufthansa flight to any destination (even short routes) and in any class.
Lufthansa hopes its new facilities will raise its profile in the same way as Concorde did for British Airways. But whether it will snare a sufficient number of first class passengers to justify the investment is debatable.
One point to note is that the terminal is not available to first class passengers flying major Star Alliance carriers like ANA of Japan, SIA, United, Thai and Varig.
Lufthansa's move is a brave one. The first class market is not healthy, confirmed by Hubert Joly, president and CEO of global agent Carlson Wagonlit. ?The overall number of first class travellers is going down. Many large corporations have actually banned first class, even for their CEOs. Demand, where it exists, is primarily to the Middle East, Japan and the US.?
If the new terminal is a success, Lufthansa plans to open a similar facility at Munich in 2006.
