Lufthansa Restaurant Service begins, Creating A Better Dining Experience

A new travel experience in Business Class on long-haul flights starting August 1st

Lufthansa Business Class passengers can look forward to a completely new service on board long-haul flights. Now, flight attendants will be placing much greater emphasis on the personal needs of the passengers that they are assigned to.  The flight crew will individually respond to guests' needs and requests similar to an upscale restaurant. After the flight attendants have personally welcomed 'their' guests on board and by name, they take their orders and set the tray tables with ceramic tableware. Service plates will replace trays and flight trolleys when meals are served directly from the galley.

After the introductory flights in June and July on the Airbus A380 routes to New York (JFK) and Miami, the restaurant service will now be launched on the A380 services to Houston, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Miami, Delhi, New York (JFK), Beijing, San Francisco, Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore from  August 1st onwards. The service will then be introduced on flights with the Boeing 747-400 and 747-8 from Frankfurt on October 1st and the Airbus A340 fleet from Frankfurt and Munich to Asia and the Middle East on October 25th.

Special service-training courses for around 4,500 flight attendants have been occurring since May of this year. The approximately 130 flights on which the new concept has already been tested received an extremely positive response from Business Class guests. With its new restaurant service, Lufthansa is taking another major step towards becoming the first five-star airline in the Western hemisphere.

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About Lufthansa

One of the world's largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa, serving 20 North American gateways, currently flies to 258 destinations in 80 countries. The air carrier offers hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. With the Lufthansa Group acquisition of Austrian Airlines, SWISS and a stake in Brussels Airlines, additional hubs include Vienna, Brussels, and Zurich. The entire Group flew a total of 106 million passengers in 2014. Lufthansa, along with its Group members and Star Alliance partners, serves over 1,300 destinations worldwide. An industry innovator, Lufthansa has long been committed to environmental care and sustainability, operating one of the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleet in the world. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380— the industries’ two most environmentally-friendly passenger aircraft. Lufthansa is the largest European operator of the A380 and was also the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8. By 2025, Lufthansa will receive 272 new aircraft worth about €38 billion in list prices on order. Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues to build new or upgrade existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network and will spend over €3 billion in new products and services by 2016. In 2014, Lufthansa introduced its new Premium Economy Class which offers further comfort and more personal space. By the end of 2015, Lufthansa’s entire long-haul fleet will feature all new onboard products in each class– bringing Lufthansa one step closer to becoming the first five-star airline in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, nearly the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet is equipped with its onboard broadband wireless Internet service, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit www.LH.com.

Armani Kits Will Provide New Level Of Comfort For Qatar Airways Passengers

Award winning Qatar Airways has become the first international carrier to carry products by two of the world’s most renowned Italian brands; Giorgio Armani Fragrances & Beauty and Missoni.

The latest luxury touches offered to Qatar Airways’ premium passengers; exclusive amenity kits from iconic Italian brands Giorgio Armani Fragrances & Beauty and sleeper suits from Missoni, reiterate the airline’s commitment to delivering five-star indulgence in the sky.

Every element of the new Giorgio Armani Fragrances & Beauty amenity kit has been given a signature touch. The exclusively designed kits supplied by Harmony, offer an unprecedented level of sophisticated luxury and comfort, ensuring passengers are kept refreshed and relaxed throughout their journey.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with these renowned luxury brands to provide our First Class and Business Class passengers with refined luxury and comfort on board with exclusive amenity kits. These brands are distinguished by their sophistication, superior quality, luxury and eminence – attributes that also define Qatar Airways’ signature service for our passengers.”

Featured are Giorgio Armani Fragrances & Beauty products from the mythic ‘Acqua di Gio’ and ‘Armani pour Homme’ together with Armani men skincare products, and the new feminine Giorgio Armani fragrance ‘Si’ range and ‘Crema Nera Extrema supreme reviving cream’, as well as eyeshades, socks, earplugs, a nourishing lip balm by Rituals Cosmetics and a hair brush for female passengers.

First Class passengers on overnight flights will also enjoy stylish and luxurious sleeper suits designed by Italian fashion house Missoni paired with Missoni slippers. The exclusive Missoni sleeping kit has been created to guarantee comfort and relaxation.

In addition to the new range of amenity kits and sleeper suits, a collection of Rituals skincare products are also offered in Qatar Airways’ First and Business Class restrooms. The range includes items such as hand wash, fragrance and lotions.

Renowned for its signature five-star hospitality, Qatar Airways offers passengers an exceptional inflight experience. Awarded Best Business Class for two consecutive years by industry audit Skytrax, the airline provides a premium travel experience for passengers combined with supreme luxury and exceptional service.

What It’s Like To Fly Upper Class With Virgin Atlantic

I've had the pleasure of flying Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic Airways on a few occasions recently – coming back from New Delhi to Heathrow as well as a return trip to Cape Town – so I thought I would take this opportunity to describe what you can expect when booking the airline’s equivalent of a business class seat.

The first thing to note is that the Virgin Atlantic service begins from the moment you leave home. They’ll send a limo to your house to pick you up and take you to the airport (and take you home on your return) – a real treat, meaning you are dropped at the airport entrance, not having to worry about parking and all that that entails. In my case, I was driven to Manchester Airport where I also used ‘Little Red‘, Virgin Atlantic’s new domestic service for a quick and efficient way of getting to Heathrow. Despite it being just a short flight, I was served a drink and a packet of ‘plane’ crisps, and didn't need to worry about my main case which was automatically checked through to Cape Town. The Little Red service operates multiple daily flights between London and the cities of Manchester, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

Once at Heathrow, the process of changing terminals couldn't have been easier and I soon found myself at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, a place where you could very quickly forget that you’re even in an airport at all. Here you can just relax with a drink and read a magazine, have a meal, do some work, or even get yourself a haircut or a spa treatment.

This is the perfect start to air travel and a sign of things to come. With such a relaxed atmosphere, the last thing you’re thinking is “I've got a plane to catch” so it’s a good job that someone will come and find you should you forget.  Once on-board the aircraft – with priority boarding of course – you’ll find the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seats are arranged in a herring-bone pattern in order to make optimum use of the space available and to give passengers the option of a very comfortable 33-inch wide flat bed.

Your footrest can serve as a seat should you wish to sit face-to-face with a travel companion for some of the journey or, if you just want some alone time, the pull-out screen offers everything from the latest films to TV to Skymap – in fact, it includes more than 300 hours’ worth of entertainment so should help even the longest of flights should pass relatively quickly!

There’s a pull-out table and in-seat laptop power should you wish to get some work done, as well as Aeromobile, allowing you to stay connected with texts, email and the internet.

With a pre-flight glass of Lanson Black Label Champagne in hand and a pair of pajamas provided for the journey should you wish (I don’t envy the flight attendants having to diplomatically ask passengers what size they would like, but they do it admirably!), your attention soon wanders to the dinner menu.

Forget your usual airline meals; here your table is neatly laid with designer linen and you get ‘proper’ cutlery, crockery and glassware. The choice is good and the quality of food excellent given the restraints associated with serving food at 40,000 feet. Choose from main dishes such as herb-crumbed fillet of British beef with potato rosti and carrot purée, free range grilled chicken breast with a mushroom gravy and celeriac colcannon mashed potatoes and herb tournée carrots, or Goan-style prawn curry with basmati rice and sautéed cabbage and red pepper.

To accompany your meal, there’s a selection of fine wine from Berry Bros. and Rudd, one of the UK’s most innovative wine merchants, boasting five Masters of Wine – or a choice of beers, spirits, etc. – as well as water from One whose profits fund amazing roundabout powered water pumps in Africa.

Need to stretch your legs after dinner? No problem. Upper Class passengers even have access to a futuristic on-board bar where they can sit and socialize with others over their tipple of choice.

To book a flight with Virgin Atlantic, log on to www.virginatlantic.com or call 0844 20 92 770.

Contributed by Paul Johnson

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Travelore News: Ultra-luxurious Residence Revealed By Etihad

The doors to the airline’s two new flagship aircraft – in the distinctive new ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ livery – were opened for the first time to reveal the new cabin interiors, which include the ultra-luxurious Residence by Etihad™, the only three-room suite in the sky.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has capped an incredible 12 months by unveiling its first Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft to more than 200 of the world’s media in Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways also unveiled a new cabin crew uniform at a spectacular catwalk fashion show. It’s the first major uniform re-launch since the airline’s formation in 2003 and incorporates the same colours used for the cabin interior and new aircraft livery.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “As we have done so many times in our short history, we are reshaping the landscape of modern air travel in our own way.

“Today is the culmination of many years of hard work and tremendous endeavour by hundreds of people both in our airline and outside.

“With the launch of these aircraft, we usher in a new era of unparalleled luxury, comfort and service. These innovations represent our vision for the future.”

In addition to the media event at Abu Dhabi airport, Etihad Airways is also hosting an event for travel industry partners and one for the airline’s staff today, ensuring that by the end of the day more than 1,500 people will have toured the two new aircraft.

The fashion show saw 22 Etihad Airways cabin crew showcasing the new uniform which has been designed by Italian couturier, Ettore Bilotta. It combines elegance, comfort and practicality and the colours are derived from the new brand identity.

Bilotta, in collaboration with the airline’s Guest Services and Guest Experience divisions, chose a warm chocolate brown as the base colour for the different uniform variations.

A deep purple colour is added for cabin crew and lounge staff, and a burnt orange accent colour for ground crews and Special Services personnel.

Following today’s events in Abu Dhabi, the A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft will continue test operations before starting commercial flights. The A380 will operate daily to London Heathrow from 27 December and the 787 to Dusseldorf from 1 February 2015.

The entry into commercial service of the A380 will see the introduction of The Residence by Etihad™, a new cabin that has captured the imagination of the air travel industry since it was unveiled in May 2014.

The Residence by Etihad™ features a living room, separate ensuite shower room, and bedroom, and as another first in the airline industry, a dedicated Butler.

Measuring 125 square feet in total, The Residence by Etihad™ is located on the forward upper deck of the A380 and is for single or double occupancy.

The A380 is also the only Etihad Airways aircraft to offer the First Apartment which is a complete living space with a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman, which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed.

The First Suite on the Etihad Airways B787 offers guests an enhanced suite with chilled mini-bar, complete privacy and centre seats which can be joined to create a double bed.

A total of 70 Business Studios are located on the upper deck of the A380, and the B787 has 28 Business Studios, all offering aisle access and a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long.

The Economy Smart Seat also debuts on the A380 and Boeing 787 and has enhanced comfort with the unique ‘fixed wing’ headrest on each seat.

Etihad Airways will take delivery of four A380s and three Boeing 787-9s in 2015.

PHOTO: (left to right all Etihad Airways) Hareb Al Muhairy, VP UAE; Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial Officer; Abdul Qader Hussein Ahmed, VP Government and International Affairs; James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer; Khaled Al Mehairbi, SVP Government and Aeropolitical Affairs; Hasan Al Hammadi, SVP Executive Affairs; with members of the airline’s cabin crew, in front of Etihad Airways’ first A380.

The Secret Perks Of Flying First Class... What To Expect In Amenity Kits On The World's Best Airlines

What Happens in First Class No Longer Stays in First Class

 

The prospect of a long international flight changes quite a bit for the rich, powerful and lucky who are seated in the front section of the plane. The land of lie-flat beds and warm cookies may seem almost mystical or a bit mysterious to most travelers. However, Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, is shedding light on this VIP experience.

On many airlines around the world, First Class travel is a true A-lister moment. The seemingly royal treatment starts with an abbreviated security line and luxury departure lounge just for you and your fellow cabin-mates. And, as if a little champagne before take-off isn’t enough, wait until you see your passenger goodie bag. Yes, goodie bag. It’s like attending the Oscars, only with no commercial breaks!

These passenger “amenity” kits are where many airlines shine in creating a first-class experience. And the team at Cheapflights has done the legwork to get the inside scoop on what’s inside the bags for 27 airlines from around the world, from airberlin to Virgin Atlantic. Our team is not only sharing the details but our take on what makes them special, who would appreciate them most and how they rank on a scale of 1 (taxiing) to 6 (fly me to the moon).

“There is so much to love about travel,” said Melisse Hinkle, site editor at Cheapflights.com. “And there’s even more to love, of course, if you’re traveling First or Business Class. These kits show that some airlines make the worlds of travel and luxury come together in ways that drive us harder to hoard our miles, scratch our lottery tickets and generally plan for our dream trips.”

Fuel your “dream trip” planning with a look inside the kits of five airlines that are taking off regularly from U.S. airports to far-flung destinations:

·       Delta – This globe-trotting American airline carries 165 million passengers each year. It has an extensive set of alliances and, if you look at their travel kit (partnered with Tumi, the premium travel, business and lifestyle accessories brand, and Malin+Goetz, the skincare product brand), you'll see that it mirrors the airline’s strong global presence.

o   Best bit of kit? The functional packaging. The eye mask is wrapped in a red card saying “sleep.” The hand wipe is labeled “clean,” the ear plugs “quiet.”

o   Star rating? Five stars. This is a refreshing “does what it says on the tin” kit.

o   Best for? Atlantic-hopping businesspeople who know the value of money and who like to switch off once they get on a flight.

·    British Airways – The British flag carrier lets you hop to the U.K. and from there the world from well more than a dozen U.S. airports. And, along the way, it does a classy job with kits tailored for both men and women, highlighting the best in British design. Kits for both First Class and World Club come loaded with luxury products. The First Class kits come in soft-sides “washbags” while the World Club goodies come stashed neatly in an attractive drawstring bag that could easily be a laundry bag later on.

o   Best bit of kit? The skincare products. But we’re fond of the bags too.

o   Star rating? Five stars.  Dependable luxury never goes out of style.

o   Best for? Upwardly mobile Britons, posh Americans, minor and major royals, supermodels, actors off to their next movie location.

·       Emirates – Now connecting nine U.S airports to Dubai (and one to Milan) and onward to Asia, Australia and Africa, Emirates is introducing Americans to the world of the private suite and the deluxe spa experience (in the Emirates A380 that is...). Its travel kit is outstanding, dark brown leather (ever so slightly distressed), designed by Bulgari and filled with a mix of high-end (Bulgari) and practical (Gillette and Colgate) items. It’s branded very discreetly.

o   Best bit of kit? It’s got to be the leather bag. Soft, ever so slightly distressed, like the wash bag your grandfather used at Harvard.

o   Star rating? We’re giving it six stars – fly us to the moon. It’s a kit that says “I can afford not to worry about brands.” Traditional and practical, classy but easy on the bling.

o   Best for? Elite sportsmen and businesspeople who may not have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths but who would like to appear as if they had.

·       JetBlue – For this airline, far-flung means California or New York. However, JetBlue has taken the game to the legacy airlines with its innovative premium-economy Mint class (including four single-seat suites with doors that close) and a snazzy tie-up with Birchbox, the “discovery commerce” company that sends you curated boxes of beauty and grooming products. Currently, Mint is available on the most popular air route in the USA (New York JFK to Los Angeles), but JetBlue plans to add Mint service on its New York to San Francisco flights at the end of October.

o   Best bit of kit? The ever-changing nature of Birchbox. We got Liz Earle; next month who knows which high-end treatment will appear on your low-cost (ish) flight?

o   Star rating? Four stars. High life.

o   Best for? Hipster travelers who like a bit of “discovery commerce.”

·       Japan Airlines – This direct link to Tokyo and beyond serves 36 international destinations, including seven in the U.S. (eight when you count Guam), as well as 54 in Japan. And First Class passengers are being greeted with recently unveiled new travel kits. There are two for First-Class flyers. One for flights out of Japan - a beige canvas one for spring and summer, a brown one for autumn and winter flights - and the other returning to Japan - luxe corduroy in camel for spring and summer, and moss green for autumn and winter. This is the Japanese carrier’s first collaboration with Loewe, the Spanish luxury brand that has been in business since 1846.

o   Best bit of kit? The bags. Japan Airlines has thought of everything. They’re beautifully engineered with an innovative zip / strap on the camel corduroy one and a hanger in the canvas bag. We’re dying to see the moss-green corduroy bag. We’d book flights for it. 

o   Star rating? Six stars. Fly me to the moon. We expect cutting-edge design, function and a general “wow!” factor from the Japanese and these kits deliver it. In spades.

o   Best for? High-net-worth creatives for whom form follows function.

To get the full inside scoop on these kits and to check out the complete reviews and rankings (images too) for all 27 airlines, visit Cheapflights.com’sUnveiled: The secret perks of flying first class at http://www.cheapflights.com/news/unveiled-secret-perks-flying-first-class-airline-amenity-kits.