First look at Lufthansa’s Allegris plane with new seats in all cabins, shocking first class
Seven years after it was first announced, the wait is finally over.
Lufthansa’s first aircraft equipped with “Allegris” The cabin has landed, with new seats in all classes. TPG had a preview on Thursday in Munich.
The first flight using Lufthansa’s new cabin is scheduled to depart on Wednesday from Munich Airport (MUC) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Canada. Allegris in-flight service will continue to roll out in the coming months to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as the airline receives many planes equipped with new seats.
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Vancouver was chosen over popular routes such as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) as its first destination in part because that route typically has little demand. demand more first class.
By the end of 2027, Lufthansa expects to install 27,000 new seats on 120 long-haul aircraft as part of the airline’s €2 billion investment in passenger experience. Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter told TPG that the airline intentionally sourced seats from several competing seat manufacturers so that it was not dependent on a single supplier, as products had been delayed how.
First class
First some bad news and what will likely be a shock to passengers at the front of the cabin.
Due to production and certification delays, the new first-class suites were not installed on Lufthansa’s first Allegris-equipped Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Ritter is understandably frustrated by the delay, explaining that although good things come to those who wait, his patience has worn thin.
Instead, the front of the A350 cabin, where the three suites will later be installed, has a row of economy seats that will temporarily fill the space and will not be reservable. They will remain blocked like this until replaced with first class suites.
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Ritter told TPG that while he expects first-class seats to be ready to be installed by late August or early September, they will first be transferred to newly delivered planes, then to new ones. The existing A350 and 747 are undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment.
Lufthansa’s eight-plane Airbus A380 fleet will not have new Allegris seats in any class.
For planes delivered with empty space at the front of the cabin, like the bird we toured, seats will only be installed when the plane is out of service for routine maintenance for a period of six weeks , so for a factory- The new A350, this rather awkward space may be flying for a while.
Lufthansa also told TPG that although the middle seat of first class will have a double bed, making it one of the most luxurious suites in the sky, and can be booked by two passengers, they will only be allowed out. enter. suite of rooms over to the left.
This means one passenger will have to climb on top of the other if they want to use the bathroom while their companion is sleeping, which is not a first-class experience.
While certainly luxurious for one passenger, the middle suite feels cramped for two adult passengers sharing.
Business class
It was a more positive report from business class.
The Allegris cabin has seven different seating types, all of which have been installed on the new aircraft and are ready to fly. Including:
- The suites are in the first row (double rooms inside, single suites next to the windows).
- Seating adds space.
- Seats near the window.
- The chair has an extra-long bed of more than 7 feet.
- Private window seat with baby bassinet.
- Double chair. (In the last row of business class, two neighboring seats with a smaller distance can be combined to form a double bed using the retractable center console.)
- Regular seating.
I was impressed to see that a small suite had been installed in both the forward and second business class cabins.
Other airlines have chosen to create premium spaces like this in their business class cabins, such as Virgin Atlantic Retreat SuiteThese seats have only been installed in the forward cabin.
The high sides of these chairs provide great privacy, like Qatar Airways’ award-winning QSuite business class and if you have a choice of any seats in the cabin these will be the ones you should aim for.
Also desirable are “more spacious” seats, where Lufthansa has taken inspiration from its Swiss sister airline’s “throne seats”, with plenty of space on each side of the seat for storing items personal and electronic items.
Passengers can only enter and exit these seats from one side.
There are no “bad” seats in Allegris business class; all with decent privacy and personal space.
The beige walls are a bit dull, although the deep Lufthansa blue provides a pop of color.
I sat in a number of different seats, and with the exception of small suites, the walls around the seats weren’t high enough to provide much privacy, a common feature of new business class seats on other airlines. together.
Some cool features in business class include stylish personal reading lights, wireless charging, and storage for headphones, water bottles, and personal electronics.
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BEN SMITHSON/SCREENWRITER
Also of note: a large touchscreen display panel for adjusting the seat, pairing your devices, or choosing which movie to watch next.
The in-flight entertainment screens, while modern and sharp, feel a bit small due to the sheer number of seats, although the airline promises the screens in first class will be a whopping 43 inches.
Top economics
The premium economy cabin, spread across three rows at the window and four rows in the middle, has a 2-3-2 layout.
Following the new Swiss premium economy seat design, Lufthansa’s new seats have a fixed shell design, the seat slides forward instead of reclining back.
Unfortunately, Lufthansa decided not to install curtains to make this class of service a separate cabin like most other airlines do. This seems like a missed opportunity to elevate the product, as I noted recently when I flying premium economy on an old 747.
That being said, Lufthansa has significantly upgraded the bedding offered to passengers with thick, plush blankets, noise-canceling headphones and wireless charging now offered.
Economy
Economy class is configured in an industry-standard 3-3-3 configuration with 31 inches of legroom.
The in-flight entertainment screen is large and sharp, has a fold-down bezel if passengers prefer to stream content from their devices, and Bluetooth capability to connect headphones.
As for economy seats, these seem as good as they get in Europe and beyond.
Food and drinks
Business class passengers will now be served pre-meal entertainment, with a small bowl of cheese and olives on display for the preview event.
A new bread, specially developed by 2022 World Baker Axel Schmitt, will be offered on Allegris flights departing from Germany. “You’ve never tasted bread like this in the air,” Schmitt advised us, because it’s designed to continue to rise with altitude for ultimate freshness and lightness. I tried a new sample of the bread at the event and the master baker hastily warned me that it wasn’t as good on the ground. It’s delicious, if not life-changing.
Lufthansa has also collaborated with Ziegler Distillery to create a new aperitif cocktail for premium passengers called “Avionic”, which combines juicy peaches, fresh citrus notes, wild meadow herbs delicate and marigold.
New concept lounge
Lufthansa also revealed its next-generation airport lounge design. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) will be the first to see the new style, with a first-class dining area and central bar for all passengers to socialize and relax before their transatlantic flight. Following Newark, next to this concept will be the new terminal at JFK, followed by Stuttgart Airport (STR) and then Dulles.
Lufthansa’s current lounge design is corporate and functional, so it’s great to see modern colors and designs in the new style.
Bottom line
After so many years of waiting for this product, it’s great to finally see it in the flesh on the shiny new Airbus A350. The empty first class cabin is an unpleasant and somewhat embarrassing reminder to airlines and passengers that despite seven years of planning, implementation has not been timely.
The business class seats are a big improvement over the current 2-2-2 layout, and the mini suites at the front of each cabin are excellent, with high walls and plenty of space and privacy. Dividing cabins into multiple product categories will challenge the airline’s marketing and allocation, especially when the airline intends to charge extra for the best seats.
For now, however, lucky passengers on Allegris planes can choose any seat in the cabin for free.
Further up the premium and economy, both classes seem solid.
Stay tuned for information on Lufthansa’s first Allegris flight to Vancouver next week.
