Hospitality soaring high 25. April 2025

#beethovenfest

FROM LUFTHANSA TO THE BEETHOVENFEST

by Christian Siegmund

Dear readers,

Welcome aboard this essay, in which I would like to take you with me to explore the art hospitality. As an »Inside Artist« at the Beethovenfest 2024, I was able to unite ‘the two souls which reside in my breast’ for the first time: on the one hand, that of a purser with over 25 years of experience as a Lufthansa cabin manager and, on the other, that of a cultural mediator in the classical music world, in particular as artistic director of the 1:1 CONCERTS format. In this essay, I would like to draw valuable parallels between these worlds, which at first glance appear to be very different. What makes a flight experience a special, exceptional moment in which the guests are literally lifted out of the world, in the same way that a concert audience wants to be magically carried into another dimension?

Hospitality is a universal value that is deeply rooted in human cultures. It encompasses the friendly reception and care of guests, symbolised by warmth, protection and community. The ancient Greeks were already familiar with philoxenia (love for strangers), i.e. a »ritualised familiarity with everyone and everything«, as opposed to xenophobia (fear of strangers ). In world religions, hospitality is considered sacred, albeit not without limits. So what does it take to ensure genuine hospitality and create a memorable experience for the guest or, as the sociologist Hartmut Rosa describes in his work »Resonance«, for the »connection to the world to vibrate«? The sky is (not?) the limit.

Briefing and boarding: where hospitality begins

A Lufthansa crew always consists of many team members and therefore hosts. We rarely know each other, but every time I have to prepare my crew for the role of host during the briefing. We have 15 minutes to find a common denominator that turns colleagues who didn’t know each other previously into a close-knit crew, so that when the guests disembark, they say: »Do you always fly in this constellation?«. The magic is in the attitude. »Kindness always wins!«, I heard an experienced colleague say on my very first flight. This sentence has been my guiding principle ever since. The art of hospitality always begins with this open and kind approach. It's about making people feel genuinely respected - regardless of whether they are relaxed or stressed, friendly or demanding. Anyone who allows themselves to be provoked has lost from the outset. This attitude is particularly important during boarding: there is no second chance to make a first impression! A friendly look into the eyes of every guest, an authentic smile and anticipation of their needs creates a welcoming atmosphere. If you want to make the star of ‘kindness’ shine brightly, you have to do more than just the bare minimum. On board, it is often small and spontaneous gestures that make a difference. For example, a soft pillow for an exhausted passenger or a reassuring word for a nervous passenger. In plain language: go the extra mile.

Guests entering a concert hall are also full of expectations. The first interaction sets the mood for the evening. At the Beethovenfest 2024, my colleague Franziska Ritter and I, as »Inside Artists« in the »Duzen Project«, personally greeted every single concert guest and interacted with the audience during the intervals. At the end of the concerts, there were guests who remembered our names and said goodbye to us personally! I had the feeling that this made a huge difference and was something that the guest will remember positively.

All doors in flight - Reaching new heights together

Shortly before take-off, coordination between the cockpit, ground crew and cabin crew is particularly crucial. Important information must flow quickly and decisions must be made without delay. To ensure a warm and welcoming behaviour on behalf of the flight attendants, one must notice things at lightning speed: Is the entire team ready and up to speed? Have all safety precautions been taken? Is the cello on 32A securely strapped in and does the baby on 7C have its mini-sized life jacket? This is the moment that determines whether the guests feel welcome and, even more importantly, safe. Over 90% of aircraft accidents happen during take-off and landing - in an emergency, good hospitality can save lives. As a guest, one wants to feel that the cabin crew is taking things seriously. This means that in an emergency, everyone can be evacuated in 90 seconds (yes, we can do that!).

Concerts are of course far less dangerous, but similarly even before the doors of the concert hall have been closed, the guests realise whether the team has the hall in view and is able to deal with spontaneously challenging situations. Does a guest with limited mobility get guided to their seat? Is the awareness programme just a piece of paper filled with empty promises or does the team actually intervene if someone is discriminated against? Attentive cooperation is key for success. From the theatre manager to the cloakroom attendant, each individual plays a crucial role in the choreography of the big picture.

Another important aspect is to make sure that the team takes care of itself. As »Inside Artists«, we organised a gift exchange for the team of the Beethovenfest. Each team member was randomly assigned a colleague whom he or she could surprise with a friendly gesture or present during the labour-intensive festival. From a hot water bottle to a self-written sonnet - these moments strengthened the sense of community enormously and in turn radiated appreciation back to the audience.

Cruising altitude: Curtain Up – Blood Sugar Rising

Once the aircraft has reached cruising altitude, the galley curtain remains closed at first. Behind the scenes, the preparations for catering for the guests are in full swing. As we all know, food is one of the best ways to win someone over. Our stomachs provide our brains with sugar which is all the more essential in the oxygen-reduced cabin air! Once again, a short briefing is held to coordinate which trolleys will be set up where, which special meals will be distributed and what other special features are to be arranged. Empathy combined with intercultural sensitivity is key. A cup of green tea that is not quite hot enough, for example, immediately leads to bitter disappointment among Japanese guests, which every crew member can of course iron out with an apologetic »Sumimasen!«.

Our Inside Artist colleague and Bonn-based cultural mediator Saman Haddad rightly emphasises the importance of culinary treats as one of the central pillars of a concert experience. We can't enjoy a concert when we're hypoglycaemic. If we eat and drink, the cultural experience can become a social meeting place, before and after the concert as well as during the intervals. As part of Inside Artists, we designed a culinary surprise during a concert given by pianist Giorgi Gigashvili. His mother brought along the typical Georgian sweet »Churtschchela«, which was served to the audience in the middle of the concert. In this way, the guests enjoyed a symbolic meal together and the sweets became a wonderful bridge connecting the audience to Georgian music.

Mastering turbulence: »Stop-Check-Opera(te)!«

Turbulence can occur unexpectedly even during a smooth flight. This applies not only to thermal updrafts in the aircraft, but also to individual passenger needs or emergencies. In these moments, just like during take-off and landing, the flight attendants become potential heroes. The golden rule in aviation »Stop-Check-Operate!« is always an important tool for minimising errors caused by hasty action. Pausing, checking and only then acting with determination provides the necessary calm and precision to master any kind of exceptional situation. Flight attendants have to take on a variety of tasks. In the event of a medical emergency, they become first aiders or paramedics, psychologists or even nannies. And in the worst-case scenario of a fire on board, they also become firefighters and lifeguards. Quick and level-headed action is required, but also the ability to act with foresight.

Similarly, foresight is invaluable in the cultural sector. Who needs help and when? As an organiser, where do I need to get creative and make exceptions? This was the question posed by the 1:1 CONCERTS GRUND:GESETZ project in Bonn. The concept: one guest meets one musician in a container in front of the Kreuzkirche and articles of the German constitution are 'performed'. The noise coming from two large demonstrations required clever reorganisation at lightning speed. The organisers, musicians, the church custodian and the festival team worked together to move the concerts to the neighbouring church within five minutes (!). The dedication of everyone involved was of crucial importance here. It turned a "normal" event into an unforgettable and fantastic experience. As a leitmotif for mastering turbulence on the ground, we adapted the Lufthansa rule for concert situations: »Stop-Check-Opera!«

Landing and arrival: the miracle of flight!

After a safe landing, the miracle of flight is usually quickly forgotten, but let's remember: a pressurised cabin packed with people shoots through the air thousands of metres above the ground! We know it probably has something to do with momentum and propulsion, but for most of us it remains a mystery. People used to clap after every landing - much like the enthusiastic applause at the end of a concert. As with flying, the magic of a concert is only possible when all the cogs mesh perfectly: the artists on stage, the technicians behind the scenes, the front-of-house staff and the organisers in the background.

So how can a festival become a soaring success? The art of hospitality, in all its many facets, is a key element. It’s a fundamental attitude that must be internalised, going beyond service concepts or wanting high ratings. Whether above the clouds or in a concert hall, it is important to overcome boundaries, broaden horizons and perspectives in order to truly connect with people. If you want to enchant guests in this way, you have to be a magical host who opens up spaces and hearts. The host's empathetic approach to the guest evokes authentic encounters. It transforms guests - and the hosts themselves - into participants in a truly resonant experience.