Lufthansa's new business and first class cabins are spacey (I previewed them inside a truck)
The official launch of these new cabins took place in recent months, christened under the name Allegris they are the [...]
Lufthansa
Star Alliance
The official launch of these new booths took place in recent months, baptized under the name Allegris are the new course of fittings on board the Lufhtansa fleet. These cabins will be installed for the first time aboard the new 787s that will join the fleet by the end of the year, the A350s that will begin arriving from January 2024, and, sooner or later, aboard the 777xs, if they ever arrive.
In this article:
I was invited by Lufthansa to see the new products live, a tour that after touring Germany and Austria also touched Italy, confirming how important our country is, ITA Airways aside, for the German giant.
A monstrous investment, to get back in step with the times
Not only will the new planes be configured with the new cabins, but from the end of 2024 and for no less than 5 years, the interiors of most of the current fleet will be renovated, and in 2030, the fittings of Lufthansa's long-haul fleet will be completely renovated and uniform.
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More than 200 new short- and long-haul aircraft will be delivered to Group airlines by 2030. This will enable the Lufthansa Group to significantly reduce the average CO2 emissions of its fleet. The state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft "Dreamliner," for example, will consume on average only about 2.5 liters of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometers of flight distance, up to 30% less than previous models.
Which aircraft will be reconfigured and which will not
The new cabins will be "standard" on all long-haul aircraft entering the fleet in the coming months and years, but many of the aircraft in the fleet will also be reconfigured.
They will not see the new booths the Airbus A340s and A380s, i.e., the made-in-Europe four-seaters currently in the LH fleet, same fate for the 747/400s still in the fleet. Also uncertain whether 787s and A330s currently operating will be renewed or moved to other group companies.
Allegris will definitely be installed aboard the 747/8 and A350s, or the two flagships of the German company. It will be several years, however, before the entire fleet will have its interiors renovated.
New economy and premium economy
The new premium economy class Has already been introduced to SWISS Airlines in the spring of 2022. The "Allegris" seat offers more space, a folding leg rest and can be adjusted even further back than the current model: since it will be integrated into a hard shell its adjustment will have no effect on passengers in the next row, with table and monitor always in place. Not only that, Premium Economy Class passengers will also receive a travel kit made from sustainable materials.
The evolution from the Swiss chair will be the introduction of wirelss charging inside the armrest. 17″ 4k screen and bluetooth connectivity. With the new generation of "Allegris" products, Lufthansa wants to offer its guests much more choice in Economy Class as well. In the future, travelers will have the option of reserving additional seats in the front rows that offer more legroom or a free seat next to them.
The real revolution is in business class
I have never hidden that I have avoided, like the plague, flying business with Lufthansa. Of course, her majesty the Queen of Heaven excluded. Why it is one of the worst in European skies, the more boring one, with less privacy and personal space.
Here Lufthansa is projecting into the future, even though almost all seats will not be equipped with door. A choice that arose primarily as a cost savings and as a result of feedback received from customers.
Installing the doors would have reduced the space for the chair by 5cm and increased the weight by almost 500kg Of the seats. Therefore after a long internal discussion LH decided to install doors only on 4 seats, those in the first row, which are christened business suites.
As many as 5 different seats will make up the new business class. As mentioned there will be business suites. Single on either side and double in the middle. These seats will be more comfortable and spacious. They will have a door and a protective shell higher than the rest of the cabin.
With this solution, these seats, which will be bookable by paying extra, will offer greater isolation and thus more privacy for passengers who are willing to pay the as-yet-unquantified extra.
The booth configuration will be 1-2-1, 1-1-1, 1-2-1. This means that we will also find on board the new business class the iconic Throne seat, as is the case on Swiss and Austrian, although we are talking about a total evolution here.
This will be, surely the most coveted chair. Of course it doesn't have a door, but it will provide plenty of space and more privacy than the rest of the chairs, which will instead be completely exposed on the corridor.
Mega 4k TV, Bluetooth connectivity, air vents, and a tablet to control everything you can manage about the chair and its functions.
The chairs behind the throne will be different. The one on the right side not having to leave space for access to the passenger aisle, as is the case on the opposite side, will offer a longer bed. The regular seat will have a 2m-long mattress, while the right-hand one will reach 2.2m, allowing even taller passengers a comfortable sleep.
The new first is galactic
Just under 5sqm, the same area that Singapore Airlines provides for its first-class passengers aboard A380s, whereas here the space on board will be much less.
The engineers' idea was to put two chairs behind a single double door. It will then be determined by the market whether this cabin will fly primarily with one passenger or there will always be two occupants.
Space for the two middle passengers will be plenty and the cabin will truly be on another level than the current seats. From a closet to a 40″ TV, from a small minibar to many other features, the new product is unlikely to disappoint LH's most demanding passengers.
In conclusion
Of course we will need to see all this installed inside a fuselage and not in the belly of a truck. Premium Economy I have already tried it with Swiss and it is very good, First is really nice, probably one of the best, although with limitations, for example, if in the middle seats two people travel, you will have only one (huge) TV And you will therefore not be able to watch what you want.
Business is the one that puzzled me the most. We will have to see it complete for a final judgment; a big factor will also be the "extra" costs that those who do not possess status in Miles&More will have to shell out to choose their preferred chair.
In any case, I can't wait to be on board this plane. to try out the two premium cabins, not long to go.
