13. January 2025
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Eurowings Airbus A320neo Middle Distance – Flying BizClass from Cologne (CGN) to Dubai (DWC)

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Eurowings Airbus A320neo Middle Distance

Eurowings Airbus A320neo Middle Distance
3.2

Rating

 3.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Comparably cheap prices
  • Very good onboard service
  • 200 QP at Miles & More

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Too narrow cabin layout
  • No WiFi on both flights
  • No power outlets or USB ports
  • No service standard

In the frequent traveler community, especially in and around Germany, the middle distance Eurowings flights gained quite some popularity. Flights from Germany to destinations like Jeddah (JED) or Dubai (DWC) are a comparably cheap option to gain frequent traveler points and miles on Lufthansa’s Miles & More loyalty scheme. For our New Year’s Eve trip to the United Arab Emirates in late 2024, my wife and I rather were attracted by the cheap price in their BizClass business class product. However, there is a downside. The flight from Cologne (CGN) to Dubai (DWC) is operated by Eurowings’ Airbus A320neo fleet – which means that the hardware is typical European business class. Here is my review of the experience.

 

Eurowings A320neo Middle Distance – The Flights

My wife and I had the following flights:

  • 25th Dec 2025, EW 1164, Cologne/Bonn (CGN) – Dubai World Central (DWIC), departing 5:50
  • 1st January 2025, EW 1165, Dubai World Central (DWC) – Cologne/Bonn (CGN), departing 17:05

We had first row seats for both legs, which was an absolute game-changer. Both flights are daytime flights, which I felt being very convenient. The flight from Cologne / Bonn (CGN) to Jeddah (JED), for example, is a night flight. The total price for the return ticket was about 1,000 EUR per person – which is, roughly, in the range of a Lufthansa Premium Economy ticket.

 

Eurowings A320neo Middle Distance – At The Airport

At Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN), there were designated check-in gates for the Dubai flight. This may also be due to the early departure on that day – all other Eurowings flights started quite later. One of the gates is reserved for status and BizClass passengers, so that the check-in experience was rather smooth. At both airports, the flight in the highest travel class does include lounge access. However, the The Lounge in the Schengen area opens at 5:00, so that it is practically not usable for that flight. The non-Schengen lounge at Cologne/Bonn (CGN) even opens after the flight’s scheduled departure. At Dubai World Central (DWC), Eurowings is contracted with the Merhaba Lounge.

 

Eurowings A320neo Middle Distance – The Cabin

I really loved the More Space area in the front of the former Eurowings cabin layout. The seat pitch was lovely and very convenient. Their Airbus A320neo configuration, especially in regards calling the first eight rows BizClass, is close to a nightmare. Sitting in the first row (featuring fixed armrests with foldable tables) is quite fine. Especially the window seats are offering quite a bit of space. From the second row onward, though, you do suffer quite a narrow seat pitch (I found a pitch of 29 inch/74cm), so that taller or bigger people might run into issues. One passenger on our outbound flight had to be re-seated, because he just did not fit into the narrow space (a roughly 2m tall passenger).

For me, the 3-3 configuration seat was bit of narrow. The BizClass seats, however, come with a free seat in the middle, so that in fact just the window and the aisle seat are occupied. There are no power outlets or USB plugs in the plane, which I felt being rather annoying. In general, Eurowings does offer inflight WiFi (for a charge). Unfortunately, this did not work on both flights (which were served by different planes). This also means that you could not stream a movie in their inflight entertainment. The overhead bins are the more modern ones, allowing to store trolley suitcases upright. This is definitely a good feature, as the fare structure of the Lufthansa Group airline encourages passengers to fly with hand luggage only.

 

Eurowings A320neo Middle Distance – Food & Service

I already wrote about the inflight service and food in my 20th Food I had onboard posting. On the outbound flight, the service was really good after two hours after boarding. The time before was pretty bad, though. A nice feature of the BizClass is the baggage allowance. A passenger can check in two pieces of luggage with up to 32kg each. Additionally, you can have two full-size pieces of hand luggage. There is a hot meal as well as the possibility to get any drink or snack from the onboard menu for free.

 

Unclear Product

The service onboard was a key issue on both flights. The flights to and from Dubai reminded me of a Eurowings flight I had in the 2010’s to Miami (at the time when they did intercontinental flights in A330’s. The cabin product on the outbond and on the inbound felt completely different. On that Dubai service, I had feelings of that kind. The crew on the outbound was not that good at the beginning, but then very active. The inbound crew felt more charming, but not concentrated, moving between the informal German “Du” to the formal “Sie” (I am fine with both, but there needs to be a clear line…). They missed cleaning my wife’s table as well.

There were (thin) pillows on the flight to Cologne, which were missing on the way back. Therefor, we got a small book of puzzles on the way to Germany, which I appreciated. You also could get a stand for your mobile phone on the January 2025 flight. You need to define a clear product, even if it is poor. Then, as a passenger, you can then decide whether you want to pay the price for it or not. In my point of view, Eurowings failed in that completely and did not feel to have learned from their previous intercontinental campaigns. You still have to clearly state, though, that regarding the service I have been on significantly worse Lufthansa Business Class flights. The return flight was more than eight hours, you just have to sell food to the people who have to pay for it – and that boosts the front rows as well.

Food I Had Onboard XX (November 2024 – early January 2025)

 

Eurowings A320neo Middle Distance – My View

A German travel blogger recently reviewed one of the German peer’s flight to Dubai World Central (DWC). He titled a review of the Condor services to the Southern Dubai airport with Three Reasons why the Condor Flights to Dubai trespass against the Geneva Convention and shll be prohibited. If I used that kind of title, I could use exactly the same. The hardware is the key issue. Only three rows on the plane, the first row and the emergency exit ones, give a certain level of comfort. The seat of the former Smart Seats is gone.

I don’t want to solely blame Eurowings for that. It is the passenger, who is selecting a flight by the price majorly. Comfort, service and other characteristics became too subordinate. A lower price has to mean lower comfort. From the second row onwards, the BizClass on the Germans’ A320neo is no comfort product any more, especially on the eight hour return flight we in fact had. What I do blame the airline for, though, is their cabin service. You need to define rules and they have to be kept. I am fine with sitting in a plane with certain limits in comfort if the price is right. Their business class offers good service and is rather cheap, but it comes with some downsides. I would definitely not fly this product in economy, though, despite the very competitive prices.

 

Lufthansa Group

Here are all my postings related to the Lufthansa Group:

 

Flyctory.com in Dubai

Here are all postings about the entertainment wonderland Dubai:

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