| Lufthansa | Paris (CDG) → Frankfurt (FRA) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Short review - 3.4/5 |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) → Hamburg (HAM) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Short review - 3.7/5 |
| Lufthansa | Hamburg (HAM) → Frankfurt (FRA) | A321neo | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Current review |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) → Paris (CDG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Short review - 4/5 |
| Lufthansa | Paris (CDG) → Frankfurt (FRA) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Short review - 3.4/5 |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) → Hamburg (HAM) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Short review - 3.7/5 |
| Lufthansa | Hamburg (HAM) → Frankfurt (FRA) | A321neo | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Current review |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) → Paris (CDG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 29/05/2024 | Short review - 4/5 |
Hello everyone and welcome to this Flight review. Today, I'm going to take you with me on a very short flight aboard a Lufthansa Airbus A321neo from Hamburg to Frankfurt in Economy class.
I traveled to Hamburg (Germany) today to attend the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), an event dedicated to the passenger experience, from May 28 to 30.
I did not review the first two flights (Paris-Frankfurt and Frankfurt-Hamburg) because I believe I have reviewed Lufthansa's Economy Class on the A320 family enough times. However, as I have never reviewed Hamburg Airport, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share my experience at this airport.
I arrived at the airport by train, taking the S-Bahn 1 from Hamburg city center to the airport.
I then headed to Terminal 2 for my flight to Frankfurt.
The arrivals level, where I am located, is quite dark and a bit outdated.
The check-in hall is much more modern.
Since I had no luggage to check in, I proceeded to the security checks.
Here is the queue at security, a particularly long line.
Fortunately for me, I opted for the “Slot&Fly” service. This is a free option available to all departing passengers from Hamburg, allowing you to pre-book a 15-minute slot for security checks up to 72 hours before your flight.
Here I am in the dedicated line for this service.
To be honest, it was a bit chaotic. Everyone was rushing to get through the gates as quickly as possible. Indeed, once the 15-minute slot expires, it is no longer possible to use the “Slot&Fly” lane. This created a heavy rush behind the gate, with people jostling each other.
Only one security checkpoint was open, and despite having around ten agents, the pace was extremely slow.
I finally passed through security in 20 minutes. It's still long but much shorter than what I would have waited if I had used the regular security line.
Here I am in the transit area of Hamburg Airport. First, there is a large Duty-Free shop and a few restaurants, similar to what you find in Munich or Berlin, for example.
Next, you reach the main concourse. A very long corridor. The concourse is quite dark and old.
Moreover, the terminal, aging and likely not designed to handle such passenger traffic, quickly becomes saturated and crowded. During boarding, people are standing and bumping into each other. It's really not very pleasant.
I reach my gate, the C15.
My plane finally arrives from Frankfurt. It's D-AIEC “Cottbus”, an Airbus A321-271NX delivered to Lufthansa in August 2019. Fun fact: this is the A321neo that took me to Cairo in 2021.
After deboarding and some waiting, boarding finally begins. It starts with groups 1 and 2, consisting of status passengers and those traveling in Business Class.
Then follow groups 3, 4, and 5 in order.
Being in group 3, I board next.
Welcomed aboard with a smile by two flight attendants.
I walk to my seat, 12A.
This Airbus A321neo, like all A321neos in Lufthansa's fleet, features the new short/medium-haul cabin of the airline, a cabin I have already presented to you several times.
This cabin is recognizable notably thanks to its slightly more modern style with various shades of gray.
The seat pocket contains the safety card, strangely no sickness bag, the Onboard Delights menu for the Buy on Board offer in Economy Class (which will not be available on this flight), and a Worldshop magazine.
Each seat has a coat hanger.
The seat reclines in a very standard manner using the control on the armrest.
The legroom is decent but not exceptional.
Each seat is equipped with USB-A and C ports.
Seat 12A offers a nice view of the left wing's leading edge.
The TAP Embraer departs to make way for a KLM Boeing 737.
Boarding is finally completed. The flight is full.
We push back facing north while the safety demonstrations are held.
We quickly taxi to runway 23.
At 18:10, with a 10-minute delay, we line up and take off.
We make a wide left turn, allowing us to view the city of Hamburg.
We can clearly see the “Fernsehturm”, and below it the Hamburg Messe, where AIX was held!
Then we fly over the huge port of Hamburg.
Before the service begins, let me introduce you to the entertainment on board. Spoiler: it's pretty limited.
No IFE screen and no portal with entertaining content. No interactive map either.
What's more, like most A320neo/A321neos with a dense configuration, this aircraft does not have Wi-Fi on board.
However, Lufthansa offers a good selection of magazines and newspapers to download before the flight. I covered this service in detail in one of my last Flight reviews with Lufthansa, in case you're interested.
The service is promptly carried out. It consists of a small bottle of water and a chocolate. The chocolate is tasty, although the offering is particularly light.
The crew is friendly and smiling.
We are already beginning our descent into Frankfurt.
We are gently entering a sea of clouds.
We intercept the ILS for runway 25R.
We fly over the terminals before landing.
At 18:55, after a flight time of only 45 minutes, and 15 minutes ahead of schedule, we land on runway 25R at Frankfurt-Main Airport.
We vacate the runway and follow an Air India 787 to the terminal.
We finally park at gate B10.
Deboarding is quick.
One last photo of the aircraft.
Then I make my way to the A gates for my flight to Paris.
Passing through the famous tunnel under the taxiway.
Then I make my way almost to the end of the concourse, to gate A34. This is where my flight to Paris-Charles de Gaulle leaves from.
This concludes my Flight review aboard a Lufthansa Airbus A321neo from Hamburg to Frankfurt in Economy Class.
As for the flight itself, it was fine but very standard. The cabin is nice and quite attractive. The legroom is decent. The USB ports are a plus! The crew was friendly, smiling, and helpful, although we didn't see much of them… In fact, the service provided by Lufthansa on this flight is very minimal and, in my opinion, not sufficient, even for such a short flight. Unfortunately, there was no Wi-Fi on board. Furthermore, there was very little entertainment: only a selection of newspapers and magazines available for download before the flight.
Regarding Hamburg Airport, the experience was mixed. The airport is clean and offers a reasonable amount of shopping and dining options. However, there are some negative points. The wait at security was long, despite the “Slot&Fly” option. I can't imagine how long I would have waited without pre-booking the fast track. Moreover, the airport is not very pleasant: the terminal is generally dark, outdated, and quickly crowded. It shows its age and was not built to handle such high passenger demand.
I don't have much to say about Frankfurt Airport. The connection was very fast and smooth. There are plenty of places to eat and shop. It's also very clean and pleasant. Another positive experience in Frankfurt!
I hope you enjoyed this Flight review. I look forward to seeing you again very soon for the next trip!
Thanks for reading and see you soon ;)
