Jaunted

A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that, as airlines fight for a shrinking pool of first-class passengers, they're prepared to splash out even more to win their loyalty with on-the-ground services. For Lufthansa, that means sprucing up already-plush lounges and establishing new ones, like JFK's tri-level space with fully staffed bar and Detroit's security-side palace. (Confidential to Big Three execs: We'll be watching for you there.)

It also means bucking the recession with over-the-top services that just seem sooo 2007 these days.

Starting Tuesday at Frankfurt Airport, Lufthansa's first-class passengers will have access to a new 12,000-square-meter lounge featuring a full-service spa, spacious bathrooms with whirlpool tubs, and a bar offering 84 different single-malt whiskeys. As part of the package, fliers get zipped to and from planes in Mercedes limousines or Porsche Cayenne sport-utility vehicles.

So how much does it cost to enter one of these new-class waiting areas? Here's the part we love: They can't be bought. Unless you're flying Lufthansa, and a short list of approved flights and service classes at that, you can't purchase bottle service or zip in on an hour-long pass. But you know what they can't do? They can't stop you from standing outside selling apples in your best barrel suit!

Related Stories:
· Airlines Unveil Luxury Lounges [Wall Street Journal]
· Break Out The Cash: W Hoboken and Other Hotels Opening Soon [Jaunted]
· Jealousy! Lufthansa Lounge News [Lufthansa.com]

[Photo of the old, shabby first-class lounge for Lufthansa passengers in Frankfurt: Nils Bremer]