Lufthansa Now Serving La Grande Dame by Veuve Clicquot In First Class

Champagne and First Class: two things that simply belong together. Lufthansa has been serving the exclusive sparkling wine on board ever since the introduction of First Class. Starting in April, the airline started serving the exquisite Prestige cuvée La Grande Dame from the renowned Veuve Clicquot winery on all long-haul flights for the first time, thereby once again underscoring its commitment to premium service.

La Grande Dame is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a significantly higher proportion of Pinot Noir, which gives the champagne an intense character. On the palate, La Grande Dame is robust and rich, with a pleasant balance of fruit, acidity, and complexity. Guests can taste citrus aromas of lime and yuzu, along with white peach and pear, underpinned by floral notes, chalk, and a hint of toasted almonds. La Grand Dame is considered exceptional and, for many, is champagne for special occasions.

“With La Grande Dame, we are bringing a truly special champagne on board. The opportunity to enjoy this exceptional champagne as a permanent feature in Lufthansa First Class is a real highlight for our guests. This new champagne also reflects our uncompromising commitment to quality. Culinary excellence is an essential part of our hospitality, and for us, an outstanding champagne is naturally part of that. In First Class, every moment should be a pleasure,” explained Olaf Mauthe, Head of Hospitality Catering Management.

To mark its 100th anniversary, Lufthansa is offering its guests a completely redesigned travel experience on long-haul flights: With FOX, the “Future Onboard Experience,” all onboard service elements and processes are being revamped this year. In addition to upgraded cuisine in all travel classes, new tableware, and new amenities, the exclusive First Class champagne La Grande Dame is also part of the premium experience on board Lufthansa.

Lufthansa’s New Premium On-Board Experience: FOX Launches In First Class

Lufthansa’s new premium onboard experience, FOX (Future Onboard Experience), was successfully launched in First Class on March 29. FOX represents one of the largest investments in the onboard customer experience in Lufthansa’s history. The program was developed over a two-year period, involving more than 110 test flights, and incorporating feedback from over 500 crew members and more than 9,000 guests. With its new service concept, Lufthansa is revamping all service elements and processes on board across all long-haul flights and throughout all travel classes, with First Class leading the way.

“To mark our 100th anniversary, we are redefining onboard service with FOX – in all classes and on all long-haul flights. We are investing more than 70 million euros in our long-haul service and, with it, in the customer experience. Our new offering combines outstanding comfort with the highest degree of individuality, creating moments that are truly unique. Every detail of our new onboard experience has been designed with the aim of setting new standards in premium travel – not only in First Class, but in all four travel classes,” said Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines.

New in First Class:

In addition to new tableware, a varied gourmet breakfast – including caviar upon request – and an expanded beverage menu featuring new cocktails, long drinks, and mocktails, the First Class menus are designed to deliver a memorable experience. They showcase modern, light fine dining – created by two-Michelin-starred chef Christoph Kunz. With his restaurant Komu in Munich, he is one of the defining voices of modern and creative haute cuisine. With FOX, First Class travelers enjoy a curated selection of smaller courses, presented as trilogies for the amuse-bouche, the appetizer, and the dessert. For the main course, guests have a choice to opt between a single dish or a tasting menu. Together, Christoph Kunz and Lufthansa have created a high-quality, yet surprising concept.

Aside from the new FOX menus, First Class travelers on Lufthansa will continue to enjoy the popular caviar service, which has been one of the “Lufthansa Signature Moments” since the introduction of First Class. In addition to the premium caviar served with the traditional accompaniments of lemon, egg, shallot, and crème fraîche, blinis are now also served – traditionally presented on a mother-of-pearl spoon, which is also new on board.

Lufthansa is also offering First Class guests an even more premium champagne selection. For the first time, the airline is serving the exquisite Prestige cuvée La Grande Dame from the renowned Veuve Clicquot. In addition to the rotating selection of premium champagnes, which will continue to be offered, First Class guests can now enjoy the exceptional quality of La Grande Dame on every flight.

The innovative amenity kit from BABOR completes the premium travel experience in FOX First Class. With the amenity menu, guests can individually select cosmetics and skincare products that best suit their preferences and their skin needs. The crew then brings guests the chosen products directly to their seats.

The new FOX Premium Service is now available on all long-haul flights.

24 Best First-Class Cabins In The Sky

Caviar, vintages, and decadent suites aren't just reserved for luxury hotels. The movement towards all that's bigger and badder has soared sky-high.

Etihad 'The Residence'

With Etihad's introduction of "The Residence" -- an elaborate three-room fully staffed suite -- the ante has officially been upped. Compared to "The Residence", traditional flat-bed seats and vintage rouge seem like kitten's play. If Etihad Airways is "Jones", what will the other airlines do to keep up?

One-upmanship is nothing new when it comes to airlines' premium class flagship products. Singapore Airlines introduced a double bed suite for two, Emirates fired back with the first in-air shower, and come December, Etihad will temporarily end the war with their new mega lux cabin.

One must wonder--with some of the glitz and glamour aside--what is the best first-class cabin in the world? Does an onboard shower really make an airline number one? Is a bed for two actually more comfortable?

The Top 24 First-Class Cabins

Singapore Suites A380

By sorting through the clever marketing, Swarovski crystal, and fine linens, myself and the flight experts at Flightfox have set out for answers. To crack the code of the best first-class cabins in the sky, we weighed: seat size and comfort, the unexplainable "rockstar factor" (pyjamas, private chef, onboard bar, caviar, limo service etc.), and food and wine. In addition, we crunched the numbers to uncover the cheapest routes each first class cabin flies.

The Top 24 Rankings:

Best Seat Award
Seat configuration, size, aisle access, and suite privacy. These seats are king.

1. Lufthansa
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Air France
5. Malaysia Airlines

Rockstar Factor Award
The "it' factor is a combination of champagne served, PJ's provided, caviar plating, limo service, onboard bar and onboard chef.

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Cathay Pacific 
3. Emirates
4. Etihad Airways
5. Lufthansa

Food and Wine Award
Who's got the best dining at 30,000 feet?

1. Etihad Airways
2. Lufthansa
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
4. Emirates
5. Cathay Pacific

Cheapest Routes

You can test-ride five of the top 24 cabins for less than $850 per flight. First-class doesn't have to mean remortgaging your house after all.

1. Swiss, $355 from Muscat to Dubai
2. Qatar, $684 from Riyadh to Doha
3. Cathay Pacific, $713 from Taiwan to Hong Kong
4. Emirates, $824 from Auckland to Brisbane
5. Air China, $849 from Beijing to Guangzhou

To see the full list of rankings and cheapest routes, check out the original article published on Flightfox.