What Was It Like to Fly the Inaugural Lufthansa Allegris Business Class?

Lufthansa has launched its highly anticipated Allegris Business Class product, which marks a new era in premium air travel for the German carrier. I recently flew on the inaugural flight from Munich to Vancouver and got the chance to experience its groundbreaking features firsthand.

From the seamless online check-in to the memorable gate ceremony, it was clear that this flight was a significant milestone for Lufthansa.

Check-in

I completed my online check-in and flew from Hamburg to Munich to catch the inaugural Allegris flight. Munich airport was easy to navigate, and I only had to go up one floor and pass through passport control to get to my departure gate for Vancouver.

Photo: Lufthansa, First Airbus A350 with Allegris cabin. Courtesy of Lufthansa

While waiting at the Lufthansa Business Class Lounge, I learned that the airline has plans to renovate 50 of its lounges worldwide, starting with its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich in 2026.

Boarding

On the occasion of the first flight of the new Allegris cabin on a brand-new Airbus A350-900, a gate ceremony was organized, so I arrived early. To my surprise, the airline’s special guest was Dirk Nowitzki, a German-born former NBA basketball star of the Dallas Mavericks.

Special guest on @lufthansa #lufthansaallegris inaugural MUC-YVR today: Dirk Nowitzki @swish41, super tall basketball star, and I thought I was tall…And for a reason: There is an extra long C Class bed measuring 2.20m #PaxEx #avgeek pic.twitter.com/8Yx6oReDo1

— Andreas Spaeth (@SpaethFlies) May 1, 2024

He serves as a brand ambassador for Lufthansa’s new Allegris Extra Long Bed Seats in Business Class. Measuring 2.13 meters, Nowitzki was invited to test the airline’s 2.20-meter-long Allegris seat and demonstrate the seat’s tremendous dimensions.

Photo: Dirk Nowitzki, Allegris ambassador. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

Before general boarding started, I was allowed to board early to inspect the new cabin.

Lufthansa’s current Business Class product has been in service since 2012, and it’s now considered outdated. Allegris is a game-changing product that surpasses anything Lufthansa has ever offered and outshines its competitors.

It is only being rolled out over all 117 jets earmarked for the upgrade, which includes all Airbus A350s and future Boeing 787-9s, 777-9s, and retrofits of current Airbus A380s and Boeing 747-8s with slightly modified versions.

Photo: Lufthansa, Airbus A350-900. Courtesy of Munich Airport

The rollout is expected to be 90 percent completed only by the end of 2028.

The Seat

Allegris has introduced five types of seats in its Business Class category, including two sub-categories. Choosing the right seat has become a science of its own due to the variety of options available.

Photo: Allegris Business Class seat map. Courtesy of Lufthansa

Starting in October, all seats except the Classic Seats (aisle seats with less foot space compared to the current product) will have an additional reservation fee. The company has not yet disclosed the exact cost.

When the online check-in opens, there will be no charge if superior seats are still available. The most expensive seats are the Business Suites, which offer more privacy and extra amenities.

Photo: Allegris Business Suites. Courtesy of Lufthansa

Then there are the Extra Space Seats (throne seats), the Extra Long Beds, the Double Seats, and the Privacy Seats on the windows. Fortunately, I got one of the latter, 9A, located in the second row of the second Business Class cabin.

Photo: Allegris Business Class cabin. Courtesy of Lufthansa

The Allegris cabin offers a comfortable and private flying experience, providing direct aisle access, which is convenient for travelers who don’t want to disturb their neighboring passengers.

Photo: Allegris Business Class. Courtesy of Lufthansa

Despite the lack of sliding doors (except for the Business Suites in the bulkhead rows), the walls of the seats are high enough to provide a good degree of privacy. That being said, you can still engage in a conversation with a colleague seated in the adjacent aisle seat slightly behind you without any difficulty.

On my seat, to my right, is a large tablet screen mounted on the wall that controls all the seat functions, including its firmness and position. The tablet also has a personal air vent, a great addition to help regulate temperature.

Photo: Allegris Business Class. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

The basic seat functions can be accessed through the console’s buttons on the edge. The in-flight entertainment system (IFE) can be navigated through the tablet, the large touchscreen monitors in front of me, or by following registration instructions via a mobile smartphone.

Business Suites come equipped with 24-inch 4K IFE screens, while all other Business seats feature an 18-inch 4K screen. The entire system is provided by Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI), formerly known as Zodiac.

The content available on the screens offers some exciting features, such as four live cameras on the A350, with feeds from two additional cameras facing both sides. There are over 300 films available, in addition to TV and audio options. You can also read a selection of digital magazines on the tablet without the need for downloads. However, the provided headphones are not of the highest quality, so it’s easy to connect your personal devices via Bluetooth.

One of the best features of this seat is its new function, which allows it to be heated or cooled. The built-in fan circulates cooled or warmed air through vents and pores in the seat, which is perfect for passengers who usually feel warm during flights. I turned on the cooling function after takeoff, which made me feel comfortable throughout the flight, although I didn’t notice a specific cooling effect.

Photo: Allegris Business Class tablet. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

Another great feature of many Allegris seats is their large, firm foldout tables, spacious enough to accommodate a laptop, even next to a meal tray, allowing me to work or watch a movie comfortably while enjoying my meal.

The Allegris seats also come with several amenities that can make your flight more enjoyable. To your right, you will find a large console that provides easy access to an embedded wireless phone charger. You will also find a closet that contains noise-canceling headphones, a water bottle, and an amenity kit.

Photo: Allegris Business Class Amenity Kit. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

The Allegris amenity kit is a miniature hard-shell suitcase that was once exclusively provided to First Class passengers. Although it was given to everyone in Business Class on this inaugural flight, it is now only available to Suite passengers.

The Flight

Due to the excitement surrounding the inaugural flight, the departure was delayed by a few minutes. Before takeoff, the airline served a welcome drink, including Lufthansa’s brand-new signature cocktail, Avionic, mixed with sparkling wine (Avionic Royal).

Although the scheduled departure time was 3:45 pm, flight LH476 took off at 4:13 pm. Since everything on board was new for the crew, it took a total of 80 minutes from leaving Munich until the drink service was initiated. I opted for another Avionic, which proved to be delightful and refreshing.

Photo: Allegris Business Class beverage service. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

For the meal, there were three options each for appetizers and mains. I chose smoked char fillet as a starter and white German asparagus with veal steak as the main course, skipping halibut and pasta.

With the appetizer, I received a first on Allegris, an artisan mini bread freshly re-baked on board in a small wooden box, though sadly, it tasted bland. A salted caramel tart later rounded off a satisfying, but not outstanding, early dinner.

Photo: Allegris Business Class service. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

One shortfall on Allegris is that there is still no free internet access for Business passengers, which most other airlines offer on long-haul flights, at least for an hour or so, and for messenger services, if not for the entire flight.

On Lufthansa, even messaging costs 9€ ($9.70), two hours of full wifi access costs €19 ($20.50), and the whole flight costs €29 ($31). This is not cheap, and it was an especially bad deal on this trip because, after a technical glitch, there was no connection for hours.

My seat was well-suited for sleeping, with all beds extending to the full length of 2 meters (6.56 feet), and 9A had ample foot space on all sides, even for tall travelers.

Interestingly, Lufthansa only offers foldout mattress covers and pajamas to Business Suite passengers on all flights, while other Business customers only receive them at sector lengths of over 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Photo: Allegris Business Suites. Courtesy of Lufthansa

The armrest towards the aisle could be retracted on 9A, but annoyingly, this was not the case on the window side, where the cabin curvature forbids it.

Before landing, the crew served a second meal of either tortellini or smoked duck breast. I chose the latter, which was a good choice.

The business class cabin lavatories were also elevated as part of the Allegris product, with wood-veneer imitation and leather-covered lid giving them a premium feel.

Arrival

We arrived in Vancouver at 4:41 pm local time. However, due to the arrival of several flights from Asia, only two immigration counters were open. Therefore, the waiting time was about 20 minutes, even though we had already completed the customs formalities online in advance.

Verdict

This is a new definition of what premium travel can offer in modern times. The Business Class has a highly personalized, innovative approach that will require time for customers to comprehend. However, it’s an improvement for travelers. Lufthansa could enhance the experience by providing free online access to Business Class.

Photo: Lufthansa CEO, Jens Ritter. Courtesy of Andreas Spaeth

Allegris is now available on selected flights between Munich, Vancouver, and Toronto. Starting this summer, Chicago, San Francisco, Montreal, and Shanghai will follow, with more aircraft arriving. The service will be offered on A350 flights to and from Munich.

Best for:

Best for: Testing a unique and individualized inflight experience focusing on a different cabin concept and German products, from bread to beer.

Flight time: Nine hours and twenty-eight minutes

Configuration: 1-2-1

lufthansa.com