Lufthansa has retired its last Airbus A340-600, ending the type's passenger career with a final scheduled flight from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt on October 19, 2026. One frequent flyer marked the occasion weeks earlier with a business class trip on the Frankfurt–Washington route — and found that while the cabin is showing its age, Lufthansa's refreshed on-board service nearly steals the show.
The quad-engine A340-600 was long a Lufthansa long-haul staple, beloved by enthusiasts for its size and one quirky feature: a staircase in economy leading down to five lavatories in the belly of the plane. That downstairs novelty survived to the end, with the farewell reviewer making one last descent mid-Atlantic.
The hard product, though, is undeniably dated. Business class is arranged 2-2-2 with no privacy doors and no direct aisle access for window passengers, and paired seats converge toward the footwell. By 2026 standards it can't compete with a modern 1-2-1 suite — the reviewer admits he wouldn't pick it for an overnight flight. For a daytime crossing it worked fine, helped by improved bedding (mattress pad, duvet, pillow) and adjustable cushion firmness. Small screens and paid Wi-Fi (€29 for a flight pass) complete the picture.
The real story is the soft product. Lufthansa's "Project FOX" overhaul of business class dining delivered a multi-course lunch with an amuse bouche, appetiser options like smoked trout with truffled artichoke cream, a beef filet main (overcooked, as tradition demands), a proper cheese course, and desserts including a strawberry basil tartlet with rhubarb compote. Presentation and tableware impressed, and South African Cabernet earned high marks.
A bigger change: the traditional second meal is gone, replaced by "Sky Selection," an à la carte menu available from lunch until an hour before landing. Passengers order when hungry — currywurst and a falafel wrap in this case — rather than eating a set pre-arrival meal. The reviewer found the pacing and flexibility a clear win. A 100th-anniversary amenity kit, slippers at the seat, Lindt chocolates before landing, and a genuinely warm, attentive crew rounded things out.
Why does this matter to travellers? Lufthansa's A340-600s are now gone, so the days of the downstairs lavatory stairway are behind us. But Project FOX's dining concept is rolling out across the fleet, meaning upcoming Lufthansa long-haul business class flights — whatever the aircraft — should feature the same à la carte flexibility and upgraded presentation. And if you're a fan of the A340 itself, other carriers still fly it: look to airlines like Iberia, Edelweiss, and South African Airways for a taste of the four-engine era.
For anyone who flew the A340-600 over the years, this farewell is a reminder that service and nostalgia can carry a dated cabin a long way — and that it's sometimes worth booking a detour just to say goodbye to an aircraft you love.
Review originally published by Live and Let's Fly.
