This is going to be my first flight ever on Lufthansa’s A 330-300. The completion of this flight means that I have now flown on every Airbus type Lufthansa has ever operated in its fleet except the Airbus A 310. I think I may be just in time, because there are only seven aircraft left in the Lufthansa fleet, of which two will go to Brussels Airlines and five will go to Discover by the end of 2026.

Transfer in Frankfurt

My flight from Amsterdam arrives in Frankfurt on time. There’s a bit of a hold up in reaching our gate because we’re taxiing in behind a LOT B 737-800, the crew of which is obviously not quite sure which way they’re supposed to be going. I disembark, and before I figure out where I need to go next, I have some serious business to attend to: first, you can’t not take a photo of a retro livery! And, second, given how rare they’ve become, you certainly also can’t walk past in front of a B 747-400 and not take a photo to show your reverence and respect to The Queen.

My onward connection to Almaty is boarding from one of the bus gates on the B concourse, which means I’m going to have to pass through The Underground Tunnel of Doom. Only, it’s surprisingly not awful this time – mainly due to the absence of pesky travellers getting in my way. I can’t remember ever not having to queue for or share the lifts that take you down into the tunnel.

Once I make it to the other side, I can’t resist taking a few more photos. It’s probably for the best because the queue for immigration is very long. At least now I know where the pesky clueless travellers are congregating that usually can be found wandering aimlessly in the underground tunnel… I wait for about twenty minutes, by which time the queue has shortened significantly.

Lufthansa Non-Schengen Senator Lounge in Terminal B

Behind immigration I make my way, in between more photo taking, to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge on the B concourse. I just love this lounge, simply for the fabulous views of the ramp it offers from the panoramic floor to ceiling windows. Right in front of me, the Singapore Airlines flight is being readied for its onward flight from Frankfurt to Singapore after having arrived in from New York JFK earlier in the day. SQ26/25 routes SIN-FRA-JFK and back the same way, and was switched from the Airbus A 380 to the Boeing B 777-300ER a while back. The dedicated service SQ326/325 is now operated by A 380 instead. However, it’s not ideal because it means that the larger aircraft operates the inbound to Frankfurt as a daytime service.

The lounge is not particularly full, and I’m wondering if perhaps the summer holidays in Germany, or at least in this Bundesland, may have already started. I only get myself a drink, figuring that I’ll be having a full meal once we’re airborne.

Lufthansa Business Class Boarding

The Almaty and Astana flight tends to board from a bus gate. I’m guessing that’s either because it’s not one of Lufthansa’s prestige routes, or because it’s usually operated by an Airbus A 330-300/A 340-300, which is significantly smaller and therefore easier than having to shuttle a whole B 747 or A 380 load across the ramp. Whatever the case may be, I’m not complaining. In fact, I’d just like to say a big thank you to whoever does the stand allocation here in Frankfurt for the spectacular and complimentary airport tour we get on our way to the aircraft.

We briefly stop next to a gorgeous B 747-400 in Lufthansa’s old livery, which gives me some precious extra ogling time. The -400 will be leaving the Lufthansa fleet by the end of 2027… it’s nothing, don’t worry about me, they’re not tears. Just something in my eye…

We arrive on stand and pull up right next to our Airbus A 330-300, which is still in the (never) old livery. While I’m snapping photos I honestly contemplate for a moment how unpopular I’d make myself with the crew if I just went ahead and boarded the aircraft through the rear door, just to get a close-up of the tail. But then I hear my dear old nanna’s words of wisdom in my mind, who taught me never to get on the bad side of people who handle your food… and so I behave and board through the forward stairs at the L2 door like a good boy. On a side note, I’m aware that it wasn’t done intentionally, but I think the mismatched cowling and nacelle colour combination is quite fetching.

Lufthansa Business Class Cabin & Seat

The Airbus A 330-300 operated by Lufthansa is configured in a 2 + 2 + 2 configuration. This aircraft has 48 Business Class seats in total in two cabins. The larger cabin is located between the L1 and L2 doors and has room for 36 passengers. The smaller cabin with the remaining 12 seats is right behind the L2 door and in front of the Economy Class cabin. I’m seated on 2D, which is an aisle seat in the middle row of two. Of course, I always prefer a window seat, but if I’m going to have to sit next to somebody else, then I refuse to add insult to injury by having to awkwardly climb over them every time I want to get out of my seat. It’s just not very ladylike.

A lot has been written about this seat, most of it not so flattering, and most of it also very true. As far as I can tell, there are two main issues. The first is that passengers are seated pointing towards each other and not away from each other, so there’s zero privacy. Apart from the increased risk of accidentally playing footsies with the person sitting next to you, once the seats are extended into the bed position, it is impossible for both passengers to sleep with their legs bent at the knee if they’re facing each other. There’s simply not enough room. That, of course, would not be such a big deal, if it weren’t for the fact that a) most sleepers angle their knees, and b) the seat weren’t so damn hard that you need to shift positions multiple times during the night to avoid getting bed sores by the end of the flight.

The second issue is that the seats and cabin are starting to show their age. Later on, when we start accelerating down the runway for take-off, all you can hear and see are the video screens and storage compartments coming undone because the locking mechanism is obviously already so old and worn. It does not instill the confidence one might think it does. Although to be clear, while it’s kind of comic to watch, I don’t think that either the screens or the storage compartments can open wide enough to get in the way in case of an evacuation. Other than that, in-seat storage is limited, especially seeing as there’s already a bottle of water and the vanity kit in the bottom one of the two compartments.

Lufthansa Business Class Amenities

A fluffy pillow and a nice, thick blanket are already at my seat when I reach 2D. Unfortunately, Lufthansa does not provide any protective cover for either one, which is a bit unfortunate: with no in-seat storage space I’m going to have to dump the blanket in the overhead bin, which is likely not the cleanest place for something you’re expected to drape over yourself to sleep under.

On the positive side, Lufthansa provides some good quality slippers for use during the flight. They’re a tight fit, but still big enough for my size elevens. And, on another positive note, the amenity kit is quite nice for a change. Usually Lufthansa has a propensity to go for designs that are more functional than attractive, shall we say.

Lufthansa Business Class Service & Crew

The cabin crew on this flight are all female and all quite senior. I would say they’re all in their mid-fifties. And I must say, they’re absolutely the bomb. They are excellent and they look like they’re having a jolly good time. Seriously, it’s so refreshing to see a crew like this. It’s not just that they seem quite at ease around each other, their service and interaction with the passengers are just great. They also pay attention to acknowledge their frequent flyers. Once we’re airborne, one of the crew comes to introduce herself to me. She addresses me by name, which she’s not reading from an iPad. She apologises for not having been able to come around sooner and inquires if I’m comfortably settled and tells me to let her know if there’s anything she can do to make the flight more comfortable. A short while later, the second purser also comes to introduce herself. She’s a lovely woman with an excellent sense of humour. We chat a while about Lufthansa before she carries on with her duties. Later on, when it’s time to take meal orders, she comes straight up to me first and takes my order, before moving on to the other passengers without status. I really cannot say enough good things about this crew. They’re just great!

While we’re still on the ground, the service starts with the distribution of small paper bags with mixed nuts. This is followed by the drinks service. I decide to have the new signature cocktail, which is not bad at all.

The captain comes on the PA and informs us of a flight time to Astana of six hours and ten minutes. We’re taking off in a southerly direction. We enter the runway, but there’s a bit of a hold up as the aircraft ahead of us has suffered a bird strike on take-off. As a result, the airport authority wants to inspect the runway before releasing us for the departure.

Lufthansa Business Class Meal – Lunch

Once we’re airborne and the fasten seatbelts sign is turned off, the crew pass through the cabin with the menus and scented hot towels. This is the second positive surprise of this flight after the excellent crew: the food service has obviously been upgraded and so has the quality of the food.

With the drinks service we have an amuse bouche of buttermilk mousse with caponata and parsley oil. It’s a nice start to the meal that is packed with the rich flavour of the tangy tomato, which contrasts with the sour buttermilk.

The starters arrive on one tray and are served in three separate dishes. The small blue dish contains the cream cheese with rucola and tomato. I drizzle some of the olive oil served with the tray over it, which gives it some nice extra flavour. Next to it in the small bowl is the artichoke hearts with truffle cream and avocado, which is very refreshing. These two dishes every passenger gets. In addition, they can choose a third dish from a selection of three starters. I have the smashed potato with horseradish cream and pickled horseradish and pickled cucumber. This is a really nice dish, and what it lacks in presentation, it certainly makes up for in flavour.

Once I’m done with the starters, the crew remove the entire tray with the exception of the second set of cutlery. I’ve decided to go for the teriyaki salmon with pak choy. This dish is not bad, but certainly not as good as the starters. The sauce is way, way too salty to be enjoyable. When I explain that to the flight attendant, she tells me other passengers have told her the same. She offers to heat up one of the other dishes, but I tell her that’s quite alright. It’s not like I’m going to go starving.

The crew remove the plates with the main course and return into the cabin with a tray displaying the selection of desserts and cheese. I do my usual humming and hawing before eventually settling for the strawberry tartlet with basil mousse, which is very light and tastes lovely and very refreshing.

Suddenly, one of the cabin crew appears next to me. She apologises for the main course having been so salty and inquires if perhaps I’d like a plate of cheese in addition to the dessert to make up for it. To be honest, I’m already full, but she seems so genuinely apologetic about the main course that I accept the cheese plate anyway. She tells me she’ll be back in a second with a glass of port for me, and I really have to work to convince her that I’m quite happy to stick with the still water.

The meal concludes with a cup of coffee with milk. By the time everything has been cleared away, it’s already been three hours since take-off. It’s not necessarily that the service took overly long, just that it took a long time to get started.

Arrival and Transit in Astana

Ninety minutes out of Astana the crew start passing through the cabin taking orders for the second service. Again, one of the two pursers comes to take my order first. It’s just been three hours since the last meal, and I just can’t possibly imagine anybody being hungry again already. So, I tell her I’ll just have a glass of still water. Just before the cabin is secured for the landing, the cabin crew pass through the cabin handing out small boxes with four heart shaped chocolates by Lindt & Sprüngli.

In Astana the flight empties. I would say that about sixty per cent of the passengers alight in Astana, while only three new passengers board who will continue through to Frankfurt in Business Class. Lufthansa operates two patterns to Almaty. LH646 routes FRA-NQZ-ALA-FRA, whereas LH648 routes FRA-ALA-NQZ-FRA. In both cases, the turn around occurs in Almaty. I’m on LH646. Here in Astana only a rudimentary clean up of the cabin is done to prepare it for the new passengers. During the stop here in Astana passengers to Almaty must stay on board. Once we reach Almaty, all passengers will have to disembark while the aircraft is prepared properly for the return to Frankfurt. The ground time in Almaty is two hours for both flights, but only seventy minutes in Astana.

Lufthansa, Business Class – Airbus A 330-300: Astana to Almaty

The service on the leg from Astana to Almaty is very light. After all, it’s a short flight of about eighty minutes and it departs Astana after midnight. At this stage, all passengers want to do is go to sleep. For passengers heading to Almaty, the service consists of a drink and a small cinnamon roll, whereas passengers continuing to Frankfurt get a polar bread sandwich to tie them over during the turn around in Almaty.

Arrival in Almaty

We land in Almaty at 01h15. We’re on time. It looks like there’s just been a major downpour. The ground is wet and the air is humid and cool. Immigration is quick and easy. The immigration officer silently looks through my passport before eventually finding a suitable place to stamp my passport. And then he breaks into a wide grin and welcomes me to Kazakhstan. I’ve ordered a car from the hotel to come and pick me up. I’ll be staying at the Mercure Almaty City Centre.

Conclusion

Lufthansa, what a pleasant surprise! Both the flight from Amsterdam to Frankfurt and then from there onward to Astana and Almaty were good. Very good, actually. On both flights, the crews did an excellent job and highlighted just how good Lufthansa can be when they make the effort. The two big drawbacks of flying with Lufthansa are their hub at Frankfurt and the old and dated seats they still have installed in a large part of their fleet. The former is easily resolved by flying via Munich instead of Frankfurt. Munich is a far nicer experience to transfer at. As for the latter, of course they’re progressively upgrading the A 380 cabins and installing the new Business Class product on the rest of the fleet, but that will likely take a while.