Flying home to London after a weekend on the Costa del Sol, we routed via Frankfurt with Lufthansa A321neo Business Class. It turned out to be much cheaper than flying direct with EasyJet, not to mention the sky-high Economy Class fares British Airways were charging over the bank holiday. A longer journey, yes, but a far more civilised and pleasant way to travel.
In this review:
Flight Details
Flight No: LH1149
From/To: Malaga (AGP) to Frankfurt (FRA)
Departure time: 13:15
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 2 hours 25 mins
Frequent Flyer Points: 1,250 Miles & More
Status Points:
Aircraft: D-AIEN
Aircraft type: Airbus A321neo
Number of classes: 2
Number of seats in flying class: 20
Seat: 2D
Position: aisle on the right, second row from the front
Airport Experience
The Sala VIP lounge in Malaga still holds a monopoly on Schengen departures, and it shows. Although it looked like a few more seats had been squeezed in, it was the same familiar setup. The newly opened Relax & Go lounge in the non-Schengen area seems to have helped relieve some of the pressure, but this remains a mediocre place to start a trip in business class.
Boarding & Welcome
Boarding was organised by group number, with clear lanes at the gate. Most passengers were already on by the time we arrived. We joined the queue for boarding group 2 and were on the plane, seated in less than five minutes. A warm greeting from the crew, coats taken, and we were settled before pushback.
Seat
Lufthansa A321neo Business Class keeps to the European formula: slimline economy seats with the middle blocked. Compared to the economy rows five behind us, there was good extra legroom, but the design of the seat was uncompromisingly thin.
No power sockets — scandalous for such a new aircraft. And those slim seats come with a catch: every fidget, shuffle or kick from behind is transmitted straight through. It suggests it’s a flaw in the Recaro NEK design rather than malicious passengers.
This setup has been the standard since Lufthansa introduced the New European Cabin in 2011. It saves weight and adds rows, but comfort isn’t its strongest point.
What is the best seat on Lufthansa A321neo Business Class?
Personally, we prefer Row 2. Row 1 may look tempting, but row 2 has more legroom, more overhead bin space, and the bonus of being able to slide a small bag under the empty middle seat. Unless you like bulkhead walls, choose row 2. See the seating plan on SeatGuru.
Onboard Experience
The business cabin had five rows of four seats. A front washroom as expected, though the cracked mirror patched with tape didn’t scream premium. The white tea and verbena hand soap, however, was a nice detail.
We pushed back 15 minutes late but landed in Frankfurt on schedule. Menus and hot towels were handed out after take-off, which gave the flight a more polished feel compared with SWISS Business Class.
One crew member started service immediately while another prepped in the galley, which kept things moving smoothly across all five rows.
Food & Drink
Menus and hot towels arrived once the seatbelt signs were off. Drinks service came about 45 minutes into the flight, along with a packet of cashew nuts. The full meal tray followed at around 70 minutes, rolled out on a trolley. We had salmon tartare to start, followed by truffle ravioli with steak mushrooms and asparagus — both very good. Dessert was a light tiramisu. Wine and water were refilled throughout without prompting, and service was efficient and courteous. Lufthansa’s short-haul catering remains a strong point.
Just before landing, the crew came round with a box of chocolates. They were simple but tasty, and a thoughtful way to end the flight.
In-flight Entertainment
Nothing. No Wi-Fi, no streaming, no charging, not even a moving map. For a brand-new aircraft, it was a starkly bare offering. The absence of power or connectivity on a 2025 A321neo felt hard to justify.
BG1 Verdict
Lufthansa A321neo Business Class does exactly what intra-European business class is meant to: priority on the ground, a proper meal, and a quieter front cabin. The lack of power, Wi-Fi, and the hard seat design let it down, but the food and service were spot on. A solid choice if the fare is right and you have the extra few hours to spare.
BG1 Tip
Row 2 is the sweet spot on Lufthansa A321neo Business Class. You get more legroom than row 1, extra overhead bin space, and you can tuck a bag under the blocked middle seat. Bring a power bank though, as there are no charging points on board, and download a podcast or film, as there’s no WiFi. And look out for the complimentary chocolates handed out before landing.
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