Short-haul business class in Europe is a funny old thing. Take Lufthansa A320 Business Class – you’re paying for the seat next to you not to be filled, plus a tray of cold cuts at 37,000 feet. But when it’s cheaper than economy on BA and you’re chasing Star Alliance status, you start making interesting life choices. Here’s how this one played out.
In this review:
Flight Details
Flight No: LH2485
From/To: London (LHR) to Munich (MUC)
Departure time: 06:35
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Frequent Flyer Points: 1,250
Status Points: 1,250
Aircraft: D-AINQ
Aircraft type: Airbus A320neo
Number of classes: 2
Number of seats in flying class: 20
Seat: 2A
Position: Left-hand side of the aircraft, 2 rows from the front
Airport Experience
London Heathrow before sunrise is an oddly calming place. I arrived just after 5am, when Terminal 2 was barely rubbing its eyes awake. Fast Track security was open and virtually empty – I didn’t even have time to get annoyed at the person in front of me for still having a 1 litre bottle of water in their bag.
This was a textbook early-morning business run – outbound to Eastern Europe with a connection in Munich – and I appreciated how frictionless it was to get airside and locate the gate area without wading through crowds or closed-off corridors.
I didn’t use the Lufthansa lounge that was included with my business class ticket. Despite being open, I never have spare time for lounging at that time in the morning!
Boarding & Welcome
The B gate was only announced at 05:45, which had me slightly on edge, but Lufthansa pulled it off with military efficiency. By 06:10, boarding was underway. Two orderly queues were formed – one for priority groups, one for the rest – and the gate staff sensibly directed Group 3 and onwards to line up first. Then, the business class travellers were ushered through ahead of them.
I was welcomed aboard by two cheerful crew members who seemed equally surprised the boarding process hadn’t descended into chaos. We pushed back a full eight minutes ahead of schedule, which felt like winning the travel lottery.
Seat
The Lufthansa A320 business class cabin followed the usual Euro formula: five rows, four seats across, and the middle one blocked off. It’s still an economy seat in every other way – same width, same legroom – but at least you’re not shoulder-jousting with a stranger.
I was in 2A, which I reckon is the sweet spot. There’s proper legroom thanks to the regular seat in front, and you get double stowage space: one under the window seat ahead, and another where the middle seat would be. Row 1 is best avoided unless you enjoy zero storage and spending 90 minutes eyeballing the bulkhead.
What is the best seat on Lufthansa A320 business class?
Row 2 takes the win. You’re still near the front, served early, and have usable underseat storage. Row 1 might look fancy, but the bulkhead ruins legroom and you can’t use the blocked middle for your bag. Not worth it. Further back, you risk getting the dregs of the bread basket.
See the seating plan on SeatGuru.
Onboard Experience
There were just six of us in the cabin, which meant peace and quiet – a rare treat on a short-haul hop. The single washroom at the front was reserved for business class passengers, and surprisingly, it stayed clean and unoccupied for most of the flight.
The only downside? The cabin never really warmed up. Heathrow had that signature freezing early morning feel, and despite the A320neo’s fancy credentials, the heating was slow to kick in. Most of us kept our coats on the entire flight – it felt less like a cosy business cabin and more like a refrigerated meeting room.
Food & Drink
Breakfast arrived shortly after takeoff, served from the galley on a tray that screamed “continental minimalism”. A cold plate with ham, sliced cheese, cream cheese and a rogue walnut. There was also yoghurt with fruit puree, plus butter and jam.
The highlight? Warm bread rolls and croissants served from a basket. Drinks came via trolley – tea, coffee, juices, water – and I appreciated the top-ups of coffee without having to ask. Trays were cleared quickly, and after that, snacks made a final round: a basket of nuts and chocolates appeared just before I nodded off.
Some time later I woke up to find a bottle of water had been discreetly placed next to me. Lufthansa crew don’t always stand out, but small gestures like that earn them points in my book.
In-flight Entertainment
There was Wi-Fi onboard – FlyNet – it cost €9 to browse for an hour. I found a rare inflight magazine in the seat pocket, which is technically “entertainment”. Reading options were somewhat limited unless you count impulse-buying duty-free perfume as a thrilling mid-flight activity. Being short-haul, there were no seatback screens, no music, no moving map. Read: Bring your own fun.
BG1 Verdict
Lufthansa A320 Business Class does exactly what it says on the tin. The seat is nothing special, but the flight was smooth, punctual, and got me to Munich fed and caffeinated. Breakfast won’t win any awards, but it was enough to keep the stomach from grumbling. And for a sub-two-hour flight, that’s perfectly fine.
BG1 Tip
Bring a jumper – those A320neos run cold before sunrise!
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