Lufthansa: New First, Business Class Cabins Unveiled
The German flag carrier is updating its First and Business Class cabins with closed-door seating.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
German flag carrier, Lufthansa, has taken the much-needed step to finally upgrade its premium cabin seating with an all-new, closed-door concept in both First and Business Class. Dubbed ‘Allegris,’ the €2.5-billion cabin renovation project will see the airline replacing more than 30,000 seats fleet-wide, dramatically changing how its premium passengers fly.
Already available on the airline’s newly delivered Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the new Business Class cabins are set to change Lufthansa’s premium passenger experience by leaps and bounds.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
As noted by Lufthansa, the new Business Class seat will be retrofitted on more than 100 long-haul aircraft, including on its flagship, the Boeing 747-8.
The outgoing Business Class product that the airline has been offering on its current long-haul aircraft desperately needs an upgrade. The current 2-2-2 layout will be improved with an all-aisle access cabin configuration. As shown by the airline through some renders, the new cabin will feature a staggered mix of 1-2-1 and 1-1-1 layout.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
The new seats come with 114-centimeter-high walls and a large, 27-inch screen. Plenty of storage space and the option to extend into a two-meter flatbed make this a tremendous upgrade over the existing product.
Lufthansa notes that each seat comes equipped with wireless charging ports, noise-canceling headsets, and the possibility to plug personal devices via Bluetooth and stream digital content.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
The airline’s CEO, Carsten Spohr, states that the airline wishes to set new, unprecedented standards for its guests. “The largest investment in premium products in our company’s history underpins our claim to continue to be the leading Western premium airline in the future,” he said.
First Class Suites: Coming in 2023
In addition to the Business Class product seeing a significant upgrade, the German carrier also chose to improve its dated First Class cabin by turning it into a private and spacious closed-door suite.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
According to the airline, ceiling-high walls will surround each private suite, featuring an interior so vast that passengers can change clothes, dine, and sleep in utmost privacy. Equipped with a wardrobe, the airline claims that First Class passengers “can even remain in their suite as they prepare for sleep and change into Lufthansa First Class pajamas.”
Moreover, should passengers wish to dine in pairs, the suite can accommodate two people as they enjoy the carrier’s “unique caviar service” and an enhanced gourmet dining experience.
Unlike the new Business Class, the upgraded First Class product won’t be available immediately. Instead, the carrier plans to launch this product in early 2023.
Upgrades in the back, too.
Not only the pointy side of the aircraft will see improvements. The Premium Economy seats that the Lufthansa group launched through its subsidiary SWISS in early 2022 will also make their way to the updated German cabins.
The seats, equipped with a 16.6-inch monitor, are integrated into a hard shell, guaranteeing that every passenger enjoys full leg space through every phase of the flight. In addition, Lufthansa provides noise-canceling headphones to every passenger in this aircraft section.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
Regarding the Economy cabin, Lufthansa plans to up-gauge its successful Sleeper’s Row product, allowing passengers to enjoy more space by taking a whole row of three or four seats with a thin mattress set and a Business Class blanket and pillow. The improved service, dubbed Sleeper’s Row 2.0, plans to increase available space by 40%. “Simply fold up a leg rest and utilize the additional mattress on offer for rest and relaxation on a reclining surface,” explains the airline.
Photo: Courtesy of Lufthansa
Lufthansa also plans to introduce a new option to book an empty neighboring seat on long-haul flights for increased space.
Overall, the airline’s ‘Allegris’ project is excellent news for its frequent flyers. The airline had lacked the competitive edge over its competitors in the Business and First Class cabins by not offering direct aisle access, an outdated seat, and the privacy that this post-pandemic travel era has forced the airlines to provide.
The airline, expecting to take delivery of 32 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners by 2027, will operate one of Europe’s youngest fleets of wide-body aircraft. Today, it runs a fleet of 290 airplanes, of which 21 are new-generation Airbus A350-900s and 19 Boeing 747-8s, all of which will feature the new ‘Allegris’ product that will take the airline strongly into the next decade.
