Review of Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Tokyo in Economy

Hello,

I didn't intend to post a report but the refurbishment of the TU lounge in Tunis has convinced me to publish.

My final destination is Hokkaidō island (北海道), the most northerly of the four main islands of the archipelago of Japan,
and second novelty to me it will happen during the Kōyō(紅葉) period , the autumn equivalent of cherry blossom.

The choice of the company has met several criteria / constraints.
TK's fares, the company I used most frequently, became unaffordable from TUN
and with booking classes providing very few miles.

So I opted for MS for a trip to Japan in June.
The experience was very satisfying and I had two long haul flights that were among the best
that I had in eco: recognition of the status on board, correct catering,
amenity kit, hotel provided (with a buffet dinner) during a long transit, and so on …
The bad side is security check at the gate in the CAI bazaar.
Unfortunately for this trip the only availabilities were in booking classes Y and B
at prohibitive prices.

These two eliminated, the * A possibilities from TUN are limited to … LH.
I take a look without complacency but I immediately find an advantage:
unlike MS or TK that would have forced me to buy additional NH tickets costing between
170 and 200 € return to get from TYO to Hokkaido, LH rates are the same
whatever Japanese cities you are flying to and open jaws are possible without restrictions.
Only constraint the stop overs more than 24 hours at TYO are increasing the fare.
No problem for this trip the 24 hours are enough for me.

I avoid the 2 am redeye flight to stall me on the late morning one.
Then I have the choice between a LH flight and a NH codehare flight.
The LH flight will allow me to try an aircraft that I probably would not have
the opportunity to try later, the 748-i.
Moreover it arrives around 12 o'clock at HND which suits me.
I will take the codeshare NH for my inbound flight: with all the "benefits" of a codeshare, no reservation
seat, meals…
Communications with NH is a nightmare, as often with Korean or Japanese companies.
After many emails and phone calls I was able to book my seats on the domestic flights
but not for the NH flight(LH codeshare) "because it is in a LH booking" I was told.
But domestic flights too …

Let's go ahead for the description of the second flight of this routing entirely ***** Skyhoax:

Buy on Board Meals LH

Looking at my booking, I found that LH had Buy on Board Meals options.

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This FR has not a lot of pictures because I did not intend to publish a report

After disembarking from my previous flight by airbridge (yes, yes, an airbridge in FRA!)
I head to the Z doors where my flight for Haneda is departing.

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Gates Z SENATOR Lounge

Entering the lounge I am surprised to see the two dragons with fans but I will quickly understand why.
My BP is not readable, I've been asked my card.
I will later print a new one at the LH desk inside

Immediately I'm feeling the heat inside the lounge and I understand why the dragons had fans.
There is a kids' corner that I find nice. 

The lounge is as usual very busy but I find a table that has just been released.

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The food offer includes many hot dishes but there is no cold cuts.
The B Gates lounge "City Lights" with its bar is much nicer

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Teas, fizzy sodas, draft beers and spirits

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Wines and sparkling wines

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A little further there is a salad bar not very attractive to me 

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Waters, coffees and various salty and sweet snacks

Next to the salad bar beer bottles and fruits

My first choice
 

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The breaded chicken is ok, the Goulaschsuppe not to my taste (and usually I like that), the Leberkäse really not memorable and the Knödel better to forget.
Second attempt with squash soup. I took some more breaded chicken with the Knödel mushroom sauce 

I try the Bouvet rosé but I could not finish the glass and it is not snobbery because there are many Crémant I prefer than average Champagne.
The time to board is approaching, I'm going to take a shower.
No waiting.  

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It is hot in the shower room as in the lounge and I come out sweaty.
But now it's time to go to the gate.

LH716 FLIGHT

I was able to get a free seat at the OLCI in the mini eco cabin located before the Premium Eco cabin.
I saved 50 €, the fee LH is selling that seat, which is really expensive in my opinion for a normal seat

Approaching the gate I panic!
The eco pax are more than 95% Japanese so there are endlessly queuing in perfect order.
No time to take a picture I'm afraid to find myself at the end of the queue.
The boarding of priority pax has already begun, there is almost no one left, so I rush in the priority lane.

The aircraft of the day is D-ABYL, first flight was on 03/01/2014, almost 5 years.

I'm heading to my seat. 

The legroom is not so bad, I was expecting much worse
 

The boarding of pax eco is beginning a few seconds after I'm seating.
The cabin fills up quickly in a perfectly ordered ballet.

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The PTVs are already functional but I'm only watching at the geovision

The tray table with its useful two parts

Goblet holder and magazine rack

The remote control in the armrest, not necessarily the most practical

The bulkhead seats that I had hesitated to choose and that I do not regret 

View on the Business Class 

A blanket is available

And a headphone. Not useful for me as I'm using my own noise reduction headphone

The menu is distributed. It is flattering. It reminds me SQ's one.
 

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The boarding is complete since a long time.
It was too fast with all these disciplined Japanese pax.
It took about fifteen minutes while the flight is almost complete in eco.
We will wait a long time.

After take off the meal service is starting with the distribution of an oshibori.
Here again we find the SQ protocol.
 

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Aperitif is offered : the snacks are not really to my taste

Then choice between a western and Japanese meal.
Japanese meal for me, of course 

There is a lot food compared to the meals served on other long haul LH destinations

Buckwheat Noodles with Wasabi and Chives

Mixed seasonal Salad with Italian Dressing

The usual LH salad but XXL size

Chicken Leg with Sake, Spring Onion Sauce, mixed Mushrooms and Vegetables,
Japanese Rice with Egg

Fruit Salad

There is also bread, butter and a little chocolate on the tray.
Metal cutlery and disposable wooden chopsticks.
The hot dish was excellent.
I'm not crazy of cold sobas but they were good.
The salad …. It was a salad!

Then there is a passage for tea or coffee
It will be a green tea for me 

The FAs are nice, there are also Japanese FAs.
There will be several passages to offer water during the flight.
I'm watching geovision and with my noise cancelling headphone I'm listening to my smartphone's music program.
Time flows by.
I walk many times in the cabin: in the galleys there were beverage, cakes and the best for me, onigiris that I really like a lot.
 

A bit more than 1h30 before the arrival the breakfast service begins

it starts with an oshibori 

Then the tray

I agree that the presentation of the main dish is not the most appetizing but it was good.
There is also bread, butter, jam and fruit.
Plastic cutlery with this meal.
My beverage's choice is a green tea and sparkling water 

Everybody is quiet 

We are slowly getting closer to our final destination

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Landing and long taxi before arriving at the gate
 

It takes me a long time to clear immigration and then I have a full search of my hand luggage at customs 

Teasing for the next flight  

BONUS : TOKYO's FOOD IN SHINJUKU GOLDEN GAi, KABUKICHO & Omoide Yokochô IZAKAYAS