Jaunted

Yes it's good to be upper class, but in this case all it takes is frequent traveler status of 35,000 miles a year on Lufthansa or any of its Star Alliance partners, or a first class ticket. And even in the new lounge, all is not created equal. Business- and Senator-level fliers get plenty of perks on the first and second floors, including a bistro area with German beers and wines, but First Class passengers are rewarded for their supremacy in the airline world with a special third-floor lounge that protects them from the uncouth habits of the lesser-rich. According to the airline, First Class humans can enjoy a meal at a fully-staffed pre-flight dinner area, and freshen up before takeoff in one of several "generously proportioned shower rooms." Sweet.

Even though the global recession has hit the airlines hard, Lufthansa wants to keep its crème de la crème happy and well-fed, so it's spending 150 million euros to spruce up its lounges worldwide. It's unlikely we'll get drunk in one of these lounges outside of a press event, so if you do weasel your way in, smuggle us out a canape or two, okay?

[Photo: The New York Times]

· Lufthansa Presents Lounge on Three Levels in New York [etravelblackboard.com]
· Now Open: Lufthansa Lounge [The New York Times]
· Airport Lounge Coverage [Jaunted]