Hello from Munich, as I’m currently in the middle of a review trip! The journey started on a high note, as I flew Lufthansa’s brand new Allegris Airbus A350-900 business class on the 9hr20min flight from Vancouver. Allegris is Lufthansa’s long anticipated new business class, which was first announced in 2017. I managed to find an award seat on the second-ever revenue flight to feature this product, so I jumped on that opportunity.
In this post I wanted to take a detailed look at the new Lufthansa Allegris business class seat, based on my firsthand experience. Just how good of a product is this? How does it compare to other business class seats out there? Was it worth the wait? I’ll address those questions in this post, and then soon I’ll have a full review of the flight.
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin, because I have so many thoughts. Allegris really surprised me, mostly in a positive way, but it also left me a bit confused. The variability in the quality of Allegris seats in the cabin is massive, with them ranging from some of the best in the industry, to just okay.
While Lufthansa markets this variability as giving customers choice, I’m struggling with how Lufthansa will monetize these various seating options, while managing expectations and not frustrating passengers.
In this post:
Lufthansa’s five Allegris business class seat options
Lufthansa markets that Allegris is all about choice, so that passengers can choose the features they value most in a seat. Lufthansa’s Allegris business class has five different seating options. Actually, it might be seven, as I’ve seen Lufthansa press releases state both (which kind of sums up the complexity of Allegris in a nutshell). But let’s go with five.
What I hadn’t anticipated prior to this flight was just how different the quality of these seating options would be. Yes, I knew there would be special front row suites, but even the difference in quality of seats beyond that is massive.
When you fly many of the other business class products out there, the main difference is typically how close or far you are from the aisle, so you always know roughly what to expect. Meanwhile in this case, I was shocked by the contrast between all the seats, ranging from the size of the entertainment screens, to the size of the tray tables, to the storage, to the amenities.
To go into more detail on the various seating options, Lufthansa’s A350-900s have 38 business class seats spread across two cabins, and you can see the seat map here. To provide a basic rundown of the seats:
- There are suites in the first row, which include both window seats and center seats
- There are extra space seats, which are single seats in the center section
- There are window seats with a high degree of privacy, which are the seats closest to the windows
- There are seats with extra long beds, which are select seats that are closer to the aisle
- There are the classic business class seats, which are a majority of the seats that are closer to the aisle
Let’s look at each of these concepts in detail. Before I do, one thing you’ll notice is the lack of good seat pairs for those traveling together, aside from the front row suites.
Lufthansa Allegris first row suites
Lufthansa has a total of eight first row business class suites on the A350. That’s because there are two business class cabins, and both the window and aisle seats in each cabin are these special suites. We’ve seen a trend whereby airlines have introduced business class “plus” products, taking advantage of the extra space at the bulkhead.
This is an unbelievably spacious and private product, and honestly feels more like first class than business class. The seats have higher privacy partitions around them, doors, endless storage, and larger entertainment monitors. It’s almost like the business class equivalent of Etihad’s The Residence.
Take a look at how spacious the front row window seats are.
The center seats are also awesome if you’re traveling with someone, or even if you’re alone, given the privacy partition that can be extended between the seats.
Lufthansa Allegris extra space seats
Lufthansa has a total of four extra space business class seats on the A350. I suspect Lufthansa would consider this to be the next most premium seat. Essentially the center section of the cabin alternates between having one seat per row and two seats per row, so the extra space seats are in the rows where there’s just one seat.
The concept behind this seat is similar to the throne seats you’ll find on some other airlines, and it has the same pros and cons. On the plus side, this is a super cozy and private space with a lot of room to store your belongings, thanks to the shelves to the side of the seat. The entertainment monitor in these seats is also larger.
The catch is that this seat feels rather tight around the shoulders, and the footwell is on the small side, given that you’re squeezing your feet into the space that’s between the seats in front. It’s not as tight as some throne seats, but still far from spacious.
I’d be curious to sit in this seat on a long haul flight at some point, as it’s unlike anything else out there, in my opinion.
Lufthansa Allegris privacy seats
Along the windows, Lufthansa Allegris business class seats alternate between being closer to the aisle and closer to the windows. The seats closer to the windows are considered to be the privacy seats, and there are 10 of them in the A350 cabin. I suspect this would be considered the next most premium seat, and it’s what I flew in.
When I first saw this, I figured it would be like any “true” window seat in a staggered configuration, though my expectations were greatly exceeded. The amount of personal space these seats offer blew me away.
I’ve never been in a “true” window seat like this and have felt like I’ve had so much space. Even just the distance from the seat to the entertainment monitor and footwell was significantly greater than I’ve had in any comparable seat. I’m not sure if pictures do justice to it, but most people could stick their legs straight out and still not reach the footwell.
The footwells in these seats are generously sized, and when the seat was in bed mode, I felt like I had a level of space that exceeds what you’ll find in nearly any other staggered product out there.
Also, have you ever seen a bigger tray table than this in business class?
This seat is a winner, and perhaps my favorite “standard” staggered seat out there. Very well done, Lufthansa!
Lufthansa Allegris extra long beds
Next, Lufthansa Allegris offers seats with extra long beds, measuring 2.2 meters. Despite having flown in the cabin and looked at all seats carefully, I’m still not 100% sure which of the seats those were, and the crew didn’t know either.
I believe that the center seats closer to the aisle that are in the rows in front of and behind the single seats are the extra long beds, or at least in some rows. Let’s go with that, because it’s the best guess I have. There’s nothing remarkable about these seats other than the bed being longer, so you’ll appreciate if you’re really tall, but otherwise there’s no reason to seek them out.
Lufthansa Allegris classic seats
Lastly, Lufthansa Allegris has the classic seats, which are essentially all the seats that aren’t otherwise special. These are the seats that are closer to the aisle. I’d say these seats are fine, but nothing to get excited about — they’re pretty standard seats in a staggered configuration, and it’s not quite to the level of something like Qatar Airways Qsuites, for example.
Lufthansa’s Allegris business class tech is excellent
The various seating options aside, Lufthansa deserves credit for the extent to which technology has improved with Allegris. The changes here are revolutionary, and not evolutionary. There’s a large tablet to the side of each seat that controls many of the seat’s functions, from seat recline, to entertainment, and more.
For example, this allows you to pair your own headphones for bluetooth audio.
There’s even a seat cooling and heating feature, which is the first time any airline has introduced this. While I wish Lufthansa had individual air nozzles on its A350s, this is the next best thing, and I found it to work quite well. You can also control the firmness of the seat cushion, which is a feature I wish we’d see more often.
The charging options have also improved, with four choices — USB-A, USB-C, AC, and wireless charging.
Similarly, the inflight entertainment system has been overhauled, which is oh-so-long overdue. Not only are the entertainment options updated, but there’s also a more modern map feature. Hallelujah!
Now that the screen is higher definition, you can also finally enjoy the A350 tail camera to its full potential!
The challenge I see with Lufthansa Allegris
On balance, Lufthansa Allegris exceeded my expectations. The front row suites are even more spacious than I had imagined, the solo center seats are unlike anything I’ve seen, and the privacy window suites are phenomenal. Meanwhile the seats closer to the aisle are just okay, but nothing special.
The Allegris seat tech is also great, and perhaps the most overdue change at the airline. I know this probably sounds random, but the seats feel “sturdy” and well built (while some seats out there feel rather flimsy). I walked away from my Allegris business class experience more impressed than I was expecting to be.
But I’m still so puzzled by Lufthansa’s decision to create so many different seating options, offering such a variable experience. I appreciate the general trend in the industry of business class “plus” products, but in the case of Lufthansa, the airline claims to have five separate passenger experiences.
Different passengers will walk away from Allegris business class with very different impressions. I’d absolutely seek out Lufthansa’s incredible front row suite, and even the privacy seats would make me choose Lufthansa over many other airlines. But in the case of other seats, I don’t think Lufthansa has a competitive advantage.
For the moment, Lufthansa isn’t monetizing the various seating options, as the airline hasn’t firmed up scheduling for its Allegris A350s. However, that’s expected to change in the coming months, and I just don’t get how the airline plans to go about this. Will the airline really monetize all the seats except classic seats, and if so, how do you actually manage expectations there? A few thoughts:
- Most business travelers (or leisure travelers, for that matter) don’t want to pay extra out of pocket to assign a special seat, especially if it’s significant
- If you don’t want to pay for a special business class seat and no classic seats are available, do you just get assigned a seat at check-in, or how does that work?
- This seems like a logistical nightmare in terms of irregular operations, accommodating requests for families or couples to sit together, etc.
I completely appreciate the concept of offering customers choice, but I’m not sure I have the same definition of choice that Lufthansa has. I know many customers value the “choice” of being able to assign a business class seat for free, and/or being able to assign a seat next to a travel companion without paying an arm and a leg. I can’t help but wonder how realistic that will be for those who aren’t booking 10 months in advance.
Now, let me acknowledge that of course other airlines in Europe also charge to assign business class seats (with British Airways having pioneered the practice). I think the key difference is that the fees they charge are likely lower than what Lufthansa will charge, and on top of that, there’s not actually much difference between seats. All British Airways Club Suites are more or less the same, so I don’t view that as a huge issue.
Ultimately we’ll see what the execution of this looks like. I just think the logistics of monetizing Allegris business class seat assignments in a way that won’t cause frustration among passengers is a major uphill battle. That’s especially true when you consider that the demand for paid premium seats probably differs so greatly between flights. It’s one thing if you try to generate extra revenue for a few special seats, but generating revenue from a majority of seats? That’s a first…
Bottom line
It’s a new era for Lufthansa, as the Star Alliance carrier’s long awaited Allegris business class has finally taken to the skies. The Allegris experience largely exceeded my expectations, and this is a long overdue upgrade to the Lufthansa business class experience.
In particular, I appreciated the great tech, plus the amount of space offered by a few of the seating options. I can’t wait to see this rolled out on more jets, replacing Lufthansa’s otherwise outdated product.
I’m still skeptical about how Lufthansa will monetize these various seating options in a way that doesn’t frustrate customers, since we’ve never seen an airline offer so much variety in terms of seating quality, plus try to label so many seats as premium for the purposes of monetization.
What’s your take on Lufthansa’s new Allegris business class?
5 (or 7) choices for J class is just too complicated. What happens if you book one choice and it becomes unavailable? Refund? Re-seat?
I've just had Lufthansa change my seats (paid for seat assignment) and not honor my request and not allow a refund.
Adding this complexity I think will make this far too complicated and it will become more annoying than pleasurable.
FYI, I am a million-mile flyer on several airlines.
I just flew From Munich to YYZ and had seat 6D inside aisle regular business class seat. Wow! What an improvement. Loved the spacious foot room. I actually slept.
You touched on it slightly but how was the actual comfort of the seat, both sitting and as a bed? Does Lufthansa use a pad for sleeping on the seat or not?
What were the amenity kits like? How does this compare to United Polaris?
So in addition to all of these options, kn the 747 they will have the “old” biz class on the e upper deck as well…. Crazy.
In the marketing world, there is a known measurable phenomenon where when you give consumers too much choice they buy less and are less satisfied.
Our brains can only process so many choices before the combinations become overwhelming. I suspect LH is skirting dangerously close to this. Time will tell.
Wow your ads are getting obnoxious. The same ad even keep popping up repeatedly after closing it (and even as I’m typing this comment!).
Agree with the other comments. Just the same seats and same space allocated differently for a different price. I guess many people will get frustrated for a number of reasons and cause a complaint. As you said correctly people will leave with different experiences which can’t be good for the airline...
Agree with the other comments. Looks like standard seats. Just more complicated and different pricing. It’s really the same space but allocated differently.
Business class seat looks boring and outdated for 2024 and the seat arrangement is overcomplicated. Why make the two seats close to each other just to leave a divider in the middle? They just had to look at the Qatar's double Qsuite which was years ahead of that time in design and elegancy.
Very ugly. Utterly nonsensical in terms of “choices.”
As welcome this new change is for individual traveller, I am disappointed for options for couples. We always fly J long haul, we enjoy chatting and sharing experience, clinking wine glasses...
Not to mention families... when I fly Turkish Airlines, to my surprise half of Business class is usually filled with families, it is so convenient. Well, this may change soon as well.
All aside, cannot wait to test new Allegris, thanks for the first impressions. :-)
There's probably a way to joke fairly about this product...
"Lufthansa's Allegris seats have so much space – one square foot for every year the product was delayed"
It all just look so really ugly…. So much plastic just hurt my eyes… when i Think the beautiful and chic today’s SWISS cabin will look that tacky it bis just so disappinting
I fly with my wife and our 3 girls. I much prefer the old version :-) But for sure if you travel alone, ie for business, this new set-up looks fine.
I think for Leisure travelers that are willing to pay a premium to have a better seat and more privacy with doors, it will be beneficial when Lufthansa starts charging for these seats.
As Lucky assumes - and I agree with that - most businesses travelers won’t be willing to or allowed to pay more for premium seat assignment. As a result I believe as long as seat assignments are free the suites are tough...
I think for Leisure travelers that are willing to pay a premium to have a better seat and more privacy with doors, it will be beneficial when Lufthansa starts charging for these seats.
As Lucky assumes - and I agree with that - most businesses travelers won’t be willing to or allowed to pay more for premium seat assignment. As a result I believe as long as seat assignments are free the suites are tough to snag, but as soon as they start charging, they are easier to book.
So I’m probably in the minority, wishing for Lufthansa to charge for them.
It’s pretty obvious why LH chose to do 5 different seat options….so they can upcharge for all above their already ridiculous Business Class fares. On flights that don’t offer First, I expect the premier seats in BC to be significantly more expensive.
It is exactly the same issue that LH siblings Swiss and Austrian have. Depending on your seat it can be GREAT or ABYSMAL.
For example, on Swiss/Austrian you can get lucky and nab one of the few ‘throne’ seats, you can get slightly unluckier and get one of the true window seats, further unluckier by getting one of the solo seats by the aisle or really unlucky and end up in one of the...
It is exactly the same issue that LH siblings Swiss and Austrian have. Depending on your seat it can be GREAT or ABYSMAL.
For example, on Swiss/Austrian you can get lucky and nab one of the few ‘throne’ seats, you can get slightly unluckier and get one of the true window seats, further unluckier by getting one of the solo seats by the aisle or really unlucky and end up in one of the pairs with no direct aisle access for the window.
Whilst Allegris at least offers direct aisle access as a minimum I would much prefer a product where there is consistency in terms of seat such as BA Club Suites or Air France new biz.
It strikes me that the plethora of seat types is partly related to the dimensions of the A350 cabin itself -- rather than fitting in an identical seat throughout the cabin, they tweaked each seat to optimize something???
I wonder how many variations of Allegris seating we will see on LH's other planes -- I can see even more confusion among passengers trying to remember where the primo seats are each of the models:-(
With all due respect, how is it that a random passenger on a mysteriously appearing award redemption has time to go around and take pictures of every single variation of the seats in the cabin without another single passenger having boarded yet?
It is all very fine that we get an early and detailed report on the seats, and I don't necessarily doubt the neutrality of the comments, but should we really keep pretending...
With all due respect, how is it that a random passenger on a mysteriously appearing award redemption has time to go around and take pictures of every single variation of the seats in the cabin without another single passenger having boarded yet?
It is all very fine that we get an early and detailed report on the seats, and I don't necessarily doubt the neutrality of the comments, but should we really keep pretending that there are no industry favours involved?
When I board for F and J, I struggle to get a picture of my seats undisturbed by other passengers, how do you get pictures of every single layout undisturbed as a regular passenger?
Do it on landing. All the monitors say “Goodbye”…
I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen a cabin look so clean and tidy after a flight! Jokes aside Ben has many times been able to get onto aircraft before other passengers and sometimes it’s just doesn’t work out.
They do, but all of the pillows are unused and the mattress pads are at the front row seats. Probably more likely to be before the cabin is fully ready, and the IFE is not reset yet.
He has written a post in the past on how he is first to line up to try to get to the cabin way before anyone else can.
I have been on the plane first and I did not make an effort. I have pictures of a completely empty business class section on the A350 (with the older seats of cause).
Do you also have pictures 5-6 different seats all empty? Since Ben is not HON Circle or Senator, there would in all likelihood have been people with higher boarding priority.
It is fine that there is special access and support from the airlines to make early reviews possible and reasonably easy. I do trust Ben to make judgements based on experice, and not based on the favours of the airlines.
But just state it....
Do you also have pictures 5-6 different seats all empty? Since Ben is not HON Circle or Senator, there would in all likelihood have been people with higher boarding priority.
It is fine that there is special access and support from the airlines to make early reviews possible and reasonably easy. I do trust Ben to make judgements based on experice, and not based on the favours of the airlines.
But just state it. There are too many things that always line up perfectly to accept that there are no airline interventions to make it happen.
I can’t believe that they’ve gone with ”adjustable firmness” (air filled) seats. I’ve literally been on hundreds of flights where the seat has deflated completely (including on LH, SK, OS, LX, AC, and more), and I know that this is a very well-known problem for the airlines, including LH. All other airlines seem to move away from these unreliable disasters.
It is apparently not air-filled..not sure what they do but the seat is very comfortable..just flew in 2K on LH495.
Like Ben said..this suite really is one to move in…but of course there is the variety of seats as Ben perfectly described.
I didn't see a review summary at the beginning. Did I miss something?
It’s not a review. It’s a sneak peek.
Clearly Lufthansa executives do not read the HBR: https://hbr.org/2006/06/more-isnt-always-better
I think I know which seats are the extra long bed seats.
When looking at the seat map, I noticed that the center single seats (or "throne seats") only have aisle access on one side. The other side has a table, which I assume is used for the extra long footwell for the seat behind it. Therefore, I think that the extra long bed seats are the aisle seats in the center behind the single...
I think I know which seats are the extra long bed seats.
When looking at the seat map, I noticed that the center single seats (or "throne seats") only have aisle access on one side. The other side has a table, which I assume is used for the extra long footwell for the seat behind it. Therefore, I think that the extra long bed seats are the aisle seats in the center behind the single seats, but only on the side opposite to where the single seat in front has its aisle access. On this A350 configuration, that would be seats 4G, 6D, 10G, and 12D.
Anyone who has flown the single center seats in this cabin, can you verify if the counter to the side of your seat (opposite to where you have aisle access), has any additional storage areas under the console? If not, that space underneath the console is likely used as the extra foot cubby space for the seat behind it.
This looks like cabin design by committee so that's why they ended up with 5 different types of seats.
It's confusing. Imagine checking in for your LH flight at DEL or DEN - the outsourced ground staff will have no idea of all these differences, like when a customer requests a long legroom seat.
There ARE individual air vents/gaspers built into the side wall....did you not see them ? Also I am not getting this blog in my email...what gives Lucky ?
Hi Lucky!
I also stopped receiving emails on Sunday - I have subscribed again (after 8 years of getting your blog), but still no email.
Any thoughts, please? Would be great to get them again!
thanks!
As a former LHG hub captive, I still find it very fascinating that there are people who a) voluntarily book an LH flight, b) get excited about it. Lufthansa absolutely hates their customers, and Allegris with its 10 options of how to treat business class pax the Ryanair way is a great example of it.
I mean, why?
Pour one out for bloggers who can't make Allegris delay jokes any more.
Thanks for the review! I was wondering about how private the seats felt, considering how relatively short the seat walls seem from pictures of allegris? Were you able to see your seat neighbours too easily? Or was that not issue?
The window seats right behind the suites look less spacious as you are essentially closely behind a large wall divider. The subsequent window seats do give a more airy impression. So there are even two classes of window seats.
The seat heat/cooling is amazing!
Oof. This is a great impetus for aeroLOPA to introduce a seat rating/preference capability like SeatGuru had.
Man, I was raised believing German administration and competence was on par with the Japanese. Complete opposite experience as an adult every time I've had to deal with anything there. Otherwise a wonderful country!
That competence (or lack thereof) shows in DBRail operations over the last few years. When we were there last summer *ever* *single* *segment* had issues up to and including random cancellations.
Well, considering it took LH decades to come up with a new product, Alegris misses a bit the wow factor, some suite seats in front ok but why not all? Why this confusing setup. Not sure I want the disappointment of ending up on a smaller standard seat. And why creating all this competition within a class?
So one First is ready, LH can claim to have 6 if not 7 classes onboard ♂️
The Rosary worked.
That's all going to look dated soon. Not really much of an upgrade, honestly. Much ado about nothing.
Their soft product is where they need big changes
While on the other side of the world.
Another Boeing whistleblower died from some mysterious infections.
There's too many problems with this. Rip them out and put in an updated reverse herringbone seat instead.
They probably spent too much money on this anyways. And they could just always remove the price differentiations if this is too hard.
The bigger seats in the front row look good but similar to old school products like air Kenya and air India with a big footwell. I’d prefer that to the cramped herringbone seats
Air Kenya? That's a regional airline that only flies Turbopops.
What is the pricing like for each of the “enhanced” seating options? Totally get that some might not have been available because this was such a last minute trip.
I suspect Lufthansa will only charge extra for the Up front seats and the throne seats. They will market the classic, privacy and long bed seats differently, but likely won't charge extra for those. Also, the rear seats of the cabin have extra table space as they are bassinet seats. Since you were curious, the extra long bed seats are the ones behind the throne seat on the side of the large throne table -...
I suspect Lufthansa will only charge extra for the Up front seats and the throne seats. They will market the classic, privacy and long bed seats differently, but likely won't charge extra for those. Also, the rear seats of the cabin have extra table space as they are bassinet seats. Since you were curious, the extra long bed seats are the ones behind the throne seat on the side of the large throne table - that allows the footwell to extend farther and provide extra space. But the cabin layout is not as efficient as United for example because half the rows have one fewer seat and there is a lot of space wasted in the privacy seats. So LH ends up with only 38 seats in this config, down from 48 in their previous config. If they charge extra for the privacy seats I will choose not to fly with them because most important for me is a view out the window where I don't have to stretch across seat structures. The seats being robust build is good to note; it looked as much from the photos.
LH have said that the only 'free' seats will be the classic seats. The Privacy ones will cost extra. Facts.
So much variability leads to a poor customer experience. It's a bad product.
For a delay of this many years, Lufthansa should have done much better.
The extra-long seats are in the center section in the 2-seat rows, but on the side where the throne seat in the row in front is blocked off from the aisle (the thrones are only accessible from one side). This is possible because of the lack of the access corridor to the throne seat on that side, with a correspondingly longer desk for the throne seat that is used as the footwell for the extra-long...
The extra-long seats are in the center section in the 2-seat rows, but on the side where the throne seat in the row in front is blocked off from the aisle (the thrones are only accessible from one side). This is possible because of the lack of the access corridor to the throne seat on that side, with a correspondingly longer desk for the throne seat that is used as the footwell for the extra-long seat in the row behind. This alternates between left and right as the access corridor for the "throne" seats alternate throughout the cabin.
Too confusing. Think I will stick with Delta.
lol
What's the bed length on seats not marketed as "extra long"? I think many business class beds come in around, or a bit under, the 2m mark, so the extra 20cm will really only appeal to those who really are exceptionally tall. Personally, I'm 6'5", or roughly 1.95cm so going from ~2m to 2.2m wouldn't make much of a difference to me.
In particular, what's the bed length in those first row suites? Would be...
What's the bed length on seats not marketed as "extra long"? I think many business class beds come in around, or a bit under, the 2m mark, so the extra 20cm will really only appeal to those who really are exceptionally tall. Personally, I'm 6'5", or roughly 1.95cm so going from ~2m to 2.2m wouldn't make much of a difference to me.
In particular, what's the bed length in those first row suites? Would be really interesting (though maybe not too surprising given everything else) if those beds are shorter than the "extra length" ones.
They're said to be 2 meters minimum. But the classic seats feel very short, more like 1.90 due to very tight legroom. Couldn't sleep there comfortably with 1.98m myself
Like you said, with all this "choice", there's almost no paired seats for couples or families? That's a big disappointment. One reason I like Polaris is that it has 25% honeymoon seats and 75% private seats.
Typical German way of making things more complicated than needed. I can't recall anyone flying J saying "what we really want as customers, is 5 different types of J hard product to make us want to fly this airline".
Look for consistent roll-out on all planes to be complete by the end of the decade.
I wasn't expecting this trip happening so quickly!
Lucky - Do you have any thoughts on the seat finishes? Based on the photos i've seen, they look extraordinarily bland for a new state-of-the-art business class seat. That brown on the armrests paired with the blue seats kind of reminds me of the old old United 8-abreast coffin seats. Why were they so un-ambitious with that?
"While Lufthansa markets this variability as giving customers choice..."
-Ben Schlappig
"I don't want more choice, I just want nicer things!"
-Edina Monsoon, Absolutely Fabulous
I'm with Edina on this one.
I book one of the last J awards for LH477 May 5, but cancelled this morning. If anyone wants to snag that last award.... /s
The more I read about Allegris, the more confused I was. So many options, but in the end, nothing truly innovative.
I decided to take a wait-and-see approach as they roll out more planes and routes. I can always grab another one in the future if I'm really keen to try it.
I think the biggest problem of the Allegris is that nowadays there are lot more leisure Businessclass flyers, even the CEO of Lufthansa said that, and except for the first row in the middle, you cant really sit next to your partner.
You know it will be confusing when as you stated even the crew were unsure as to which were the extra long seats.
It doesnt appear LH is upcharging for the more premium first row seats. Their website only offers two fares: Biz Basic and Biz Flex - which both seem to allow one to select any avail Allegris seat.
Did you get a peek of the FC cabin (row 1)? It shows on aeroLOPA's website, but not on the LH.com website.
@ GSNick -- These will all be seat assignment fees, and not separate fare classes, so that's why it doesn't show during the booking process. The first class cabin hasn't been installed yet, but should be installed later this year.
Seat allocation/reservation on Allegris is free till sometime in Fall when LH has more Allegris planes. Only the front row is reserved for LH Senators/HON Circle at time of booking.
Note that LH said that they'll release the final Allegris seatmap only 3wks prior to flights for the time being.
Thanks! I agree with your choices. I’d go for the privacy seats
And we waited seven years for this? I’m not really impressed. And I agree with you, the logistics and customer service aspects of this are going to be a nightmare. What happens if the seat you’ve chosen, and likely paid extra for, is inoperable for whatever reason?
That is what worries you nowadays? Really? Can’t sleep because of that?
Any changes in the soft product?
@ mkleiderman -- Yes, some of the minor refreshes that I outlined here were present on the flight:
https://onemileatatime.com/news/lufthansa-improving-business-class-catering/
However, that was the extent of it. We're talking very minor things, like nuts on the ground and an "amuse bouche" of hummus with veggies in a small ramekin. I do think Lufthansa should overhaul its soft product in a more significant way.