As I think all OMAAT readers know by now, Allegris is the name of Lufthansa’s new long haul travel concept, and this includes all-new cabins for long haul aircraft. However, the actual rollout of this has been challenging, to put it mildly.
While I’ve written about several of Lufthansa’s Allegris rollout and certification woes, here’s a new one for me, as I wasn’t aware that the airline can’t seat people in the first row of Allegris economy, and this problem persists after many months.
In this post:
Lufthansa’s first row of A350 economy remains empty
If you’re on a flight operated by Lufthansa’s new Airbus A350-900 with Allegris interiors, you’ll notice that the first row of economy (row 19) shows as blocked on the seat map. Once onboard, you’ll see signs on the seats, indicating that they shouldn’t be occupied. I actually wasn’t aware of this, but it was reported by airliners.de.
What’s the reason for this? Well, these seats haven’t been properly certified. Since there’s no full bulkhead between economy and premium economy, and since the Allegris premium economy seats have hard shells, the seat belts in the first row of economy need special airbags (just as you’ll find in some premium seats).
However, these airbags haven’t yet been certified by regulators. Obviously not being able to sell seven seats onboard isn’t ideal, especially since these are front row seats that the airline could probably charge passengers extra to assign.
A spokesperson for the airline explains that the expectation is that these seats will have to remain empty for the coming months. Given that these planes have been flying since May 2024, that suggests that the certification may only happen a year or so after the aircraft entered service. Ouch.
This is one of a countless number of Allegris issues
Keep in mind that when Lufthansa’s Allegris Airbus A350-900s started flying, the space of the first class cabin was empty, since there were supply chain and certification delays with that product. Fortunately that has finally changed, and that cabin is now being retrofitted on previously delivered Allegris A350s.
Lufthansa’s biggest Allegris certification issue at the moment involves the Boeing 787-9. Shortly, the airline will have 15 of these 787s ready to fly, but there’s just one issue — the business class seats haven’t been certified, and there’s no timeline for when they could happen. As a matter of fact, the airline hasn’t ruled out the possibility of the seats not being certified at all.
So Lufthansa is faced with a tough decision — does the airline start flying these jets with all business class seats unoccupied (and probably empty bulkhead economy row), or keep the planes grounded? A decision is expected to be made soon.
Lufthansa Group carrier SWISS will also soon introduce its version of Allegris, known as SWISS Senses. The airline has its own issue with these seats. SWISS A330s will get the new first class cabin, though there’s an issue — the cabin is too heavy. As a result, the airline will have to install a 3,000 pound weight near the back of the aircraft.
Bottom line
As it turns out, Lufthansa’s first row economy seats on Allegris A350s haven’t yet been certified. This is due to the lack of a proper bulkhead, plus the hard shell of the premium economy seats in the row in front. As a result, these seats need special airbags with seatbelts, but they haven’t yet been certified.
The airline thinks it’ll be months before that happens, so given that these planes have been flying since May 2024, that’s not exactly ideal, eh?
What do you make of this Lufthansa Allegris A350 economy seat issue?
It sounds like the Chinese 7th Month Hungry Ghosts where the front seats are reserved for the unseen guests and not seated by humans!
LH's top management should be really grateful to the fact that harakiri is not a part of european code of honor.
If they were running an airline in East Asia they would be a pariah there.
It sounds like the Chinese 7th Month Hungry Ghosts where the front seats are reserved for the unseen guests and not seated by humans!
The whole new cabin project should be renamed Tristitis (sadness, from Latin). Allegris became an antithesis of joy for LH.
Btw, Germans use 'Polnische Wirtschaft' (Polish economy) to denote total mismanagement. I think there is an opportunity to retire it and start using 'Deutschland Wirtschaft' instead... Trains, immigration, LH interiors...
Don't forget Berlin Airport... LOL
Would it have been so hard to have a separate PE space like almost ‘everybody else’? I know on the LX 77W it’s as it is on the LH A350 but what’s the point?
Same as the throne seats where the amount you pay to reserve the seat is well below what the airline would earn if there were 2 seats there in a 1-2-1 configuration. Baffles me.
After such a disastrous product launch, after many years of delay to replace the worst business class cabin currently flying in Europe, after having ruined its reputation, it is amazing that the senior management of the LH Group has still not yet been fired for its gross incompetence (and arrogance).
Whomever designed the Allegris interior should owe Lufthansa a refund...
Just when we thought nothing would get worse...
Just another day at Lufty...
Alaska has these airbag seat belts on their first row of economy, and while they are tolerable for a flight of a few hours...If LH is trying to install the same air bags, I would avoid these seats at all costs for long haul flights. These seat belts are bulky and when you add to that the fact that these "bulkhead" seats will be slightly narrower with fixed armrests, I doubt it'll be comfortable on a 10hr flight.
Allegris is the New Coke, Edsel, or Zune of airline product launches.
I am taking a note of your comment on my Palm Pre.
Ben, could you provide an article about aircraft seat certification? What is the process of certifying aircraft seats? What organization(s) performs the certification? Are separate certifications needed for the US, Europe, etc.? How long does certification usually take? Thanks in advance.
Is it something an airline can pay more to be done faster? Why does it take so long?
Probably best if there wasn’t a shortcut available. Given the amount of screwups recently, it’ll be best to take their time and get it certified properly
Here's a snapshot from one of the seat manufacturers -
https://aircraftedbycollins.com/commercial-aircraft-seat-testing
Forgive my ignorance, but do airbags protect you from a plane crash?
They are only works during take off and landing!
Same way they protect you during a car crash.
And like a car crash, they don't solve every nor even most problem. But they do blunt the forces in many of the most common forward-moving impact issues.
Airbags in a car protects you up to a certain point, impacts above a certain force airbag or no airbag you will be crushed.
The problem with aircrafts is that their impacts tend to happen at speeds where airbags are probably not as relevant as all that. Any amount of airbags would not have saved passengers in the Jeju Air crash. But airbags at certain exposed seats in the Asiana crash in SFO could...
Airbags in a car protects you up to a certain point, impacts above a certain force airbag or no airbag you will be crushed.
The problem with aircrafts is that their impacts tend to happen at speeds where airbags are probably not as relevant as all that. Any amount of airbags would not have saved passengers in the Jeju Air crash. But airbags at certain exposed seats in the Asiana crash in SFO could potentially have reduced injuries.
Question could be if the deployed airbag would slow down evacuation. But someone clever hopefully conducted those tests.
Allegris. The gift that keeps on giving. Lol. What a mess
Still better than any Skyteam carrier's economy
When was the last time you flew Garuda or KE in Y?
You officially have became the Star Alliance Tim Dunn.
Not even the first one, the second one following ORD.
(Dis)Honorable mention, AeroB13a - the BA Tim Dunn.
Congrats.
I remember encountering something similar years ago. I was on CXs first scheduled A350 service down to MNL and the first row of the mini-cabin in business was blocked off. Someone from Safran (Zodiac at the time) was inspecting the seats. IIRC, it was quite a while before the seats eventually got certified. Fortunately it was only doing regional runs for the first few months.
Wait, so if there is a full hard wall in front of the row the seat belts don't need airbags, but if there is a hard shell seat in front of the row the seat belts do need airbags?
That sounds logical..... lol
I'd think it has to do if there is an impact at a high force and the last row of premium economy (with passengers in it) falls backwards towards the first row of economy and its passengers, the potential physical harm could be worse than if there was a physical wall without airbags.
Unless the aircraft flies backwards, the last row of PY will be propelled forward, same as the first row of Y, at an impact.
The purpose of an airbag is to reduce the forward motion, and cushion an impact with a hard object. But only certain hard objects, not others?
Well.. looks like how what used to be quality and on-time performance of a German product and service is confirmed down the drain - like how the German railway has become one of the worst run train company in Europe.
Seems nothing in the last months or even year coming out from the LH Group is anything good these days....