Lufthansa is the national airline of Germany and its headquarters are in the district of Deutz, Cologne. Lufthansa flights operate from their primary airport hub in Frankfurt, as well from secondary hubs at Munich and Dusseldorf and other focus airports across Germany. Deutsche Lufthansa AG was created in 1954 from the remnants of a defunct pre-war company, Deutsche Luft Hansa Aktiengesellschaft, after all services operated by the former airline were suspended in the post-war period.
Flights from Lufthansa in the UK provide direct routes to a number of German cities from regional airports including Manchester, Newcastle and Birmingham. Lufthansa flights from London Heathrow also fly to Milan and a wide number of destinations in Canada. Along with United Airlines, Thai Airways, Scandinavian Airlines System and Air Canada, Lufthansa is one of the founding members of Star Alliance, which is now the world’s largest alliance of International carriers.
Check-in
The Lufthansa information on check in deadlines can vary from airport to airport, but at London Heathrow the check-in desk closes 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.
Baggage
Lufthansa baggage allowance varies considerably. As a guide, the hold baggage allowance on European flights for First Class passengers is 40kg, Business Class 30kg and Economy 20kg. Long-haul equivalents are 32kg, 32kg and 23kg respectively, but there is a maximum size restriction of 158cm for the combined height, width and length of the bag.
Seating
Short-haul Lufthansa flights have a seat pitch of 30-33 inches depending on the aircraft. Long-haul economy flights provide 31-32 inches; Business Class on most aircraft is 57-60 inches; First Class offers 85-92 inches.
Frequent Flyer Programme
The Lufthansa frequent flyer programme is called Miles and More and offers members the opportunity to earn miles that can be spent on flights, hotels, car rentals and other opportunities.
Additional Information
For Lufthansa passengers concerned about the welfare of their pampered pets, the airline has just announced that their Frankfurt Airport hub now has a First Class lounge – for animals! Pets that are involved in transfers or long layovers can be taken to the lounge to unwind under the watchful eye of animal-handling professionals.