Lufthansa sure has made a 180 when it comes to its Airbus A380 plans…
In this post:
Lufthansa sees long term future for A380s
At the beginning of the pandemic, Lufthansa grounded its fleet of Airbus A380s, and the intent was that these planes would be retired, and would only reenter service “in the event of an unexpectedly rapid market recovery.”
With the strong recovery we’ve seen in transatlantic leisure demand, the airline made the decision to start bringing back Airbus A380s as of the summer of 2023. The plan is for the company to eventually bring back all eight A380s that it still owns (there were initially 14, but six of them have been sold), and Lufthansa has already planned five A380 routes for the summer of 2024.
At first, the return of the A380s was mostly described as a temporary measure, in light of delayed Boeing 777-9 deliveries. The airline didn’t commit to keeping these planes around in the long run, though that has now changed.
As reported by Aero, this week, Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr has outlined how the A380s have a long term home in the Lufthansa fleet. While he hasn’t committed to an exact timeline for how long they’ll stick around, he has said that the super jumbos “will be flying again for longer than we thought a year ago.”
The most telling part of this plan is how the airline intends to invest in these planes…
Lufthansa plans new business class for A380s
While details are very limited as of now, Spohr has stated that the company intends to equip Airbus A380s with a new business class product. We don’t know the timeline with which this will happen, and we also don’t know if the airline also plans to introduce a new first class. But Spohr emphasized that the A380s have been proving very reliable for long haul flights, and that many passengers specifically book the A380 for comfort.
As many of you are probably aware, Lufthansa is in the process of introducing its new Allegris cabins, but is experiencing delays with that:
- Lufthansa’s new business class, which was first announced in 2017, was supposed to debut in the coming months, but has now been pushed back to 2024
- Lufthansa’s new first class has been delayed even more, and the airline now plans to fly A350-900s with the space of the first class cabin empty, due to supply chain delays
That’s where this gets interesting — Lufthansa’s plan is reportedly not to install Allegris seats on its Airbus A380s, but rather to install a whole different new business class product. This decision is due to delays with the Allegris seats. So it’s anyone’s guess what kind of a seat Lufthansa plans to install on its A380s, though odds are that it will be a generic product available on many airlines.
Only time will tell with what kind of a timeline this happens. Lufthansa eventually has plans to reconfigure some other existing planes, including the Boeing 747-8. However, given the pace of Lufthansa’s new Allegris product rollout, I can’t imagine that we’ll see any aircraft reconfigured with these seats in the next few years.
Will Lufthansa find a way to reconfigure the A380s sooner by using another product, or…?
Spohr’s stances on many things tends to evolve pretty quickly, so if I were a betting man, I wouldn’t put too much weight on the new business class plans for the A380. However, I’m at least happy to hear that the intent is to keep the A380 around for some time.
Bottom line
Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr has announced that the company plans to keep the Airbus A380 around in the long run, and even plans to install new business class seats on these planes. The airline doesn’t plan to install Allegris seats, though, but rather a different kind of new business class product.
It’s anyone’s guess if or when this actually happens. Regardless, I’m at least happy that the plan is in place to keep A380s around for a long time to come.
What do you make of this Lufthansa A380 development?
What's the point of this article?
Shithansa won't do anything for a decade or more anyway. Only fucking idiots fly Shithansa 5starfakeairline
Surely they'll get their 5-star SkyTrax® rating back with this new announcement!
Considering the time line for their last J product ( which is still far from fully rolled out to this day). I don't think anyone believes a word out of anyone's mouth regarding cabin upgrades when it comes to LH
I feel Singapore Airlines Business class in A380 the best
Not a fan, bed is hard as a rock, requires your foot to be stuffed in a small area at an angle. Qantas refurb and Qatar’s to me are the best on a 380.
There won’t be many products for LH to choose from, as very few are certified for the A380, they could go for Seats Asiana, QR or ANA used. What other seats offer direct aisle access and are still certified for the A380(SQ’s isn’t and I think Etihad’s is proprietary.
HAHAHA...Between them, Lufthansa and Berlin Airport destroyed the myth of German efficiency for all the world to see. I shouldn't laugh, actually. It's a pretty sad thing to chip away your country's reputation abroad. Take every LH announcement with a pinch of salt..
Lufti is much like BA out of LHR - a large, rusted-on cohort of loyal customers with plenty of cash, captured by the loyalty program, commercial contracts, and a feeling of national pride, who continue to cough up the big bucks for a sub-par product.
Until companies with commercial travel contract and HON Circle/Senator FFs start taking their business elsewhere; and telling Lufthansa why; the indecision & tectonic rate of change will continue.
Agreed with everything you said, mate. QANTAS is in a similar situation to BA and LH: legacy carrier, non-competitive product, exorbitant fares, govt & commercial contracts, dumb rusted-on customers chasing status. The difference is that public disdain (even hatred!) for QF is at an all time high, and is influencing airline choices for increasing numbers of local pax. I wonder what it will take for customer sentiment to translate into action for local customers of...
Agreed with everything you said, mate. QANTAS is in a similar situation to BA and LH: legacy carrier, non-competitive product, exorbitant fares, govt & commercial contracts, dumb rusted-on customers chasing status. The difference is that public disdain (even hatred!) for QF is at an all time high, and is influencing airline choices for increasing numbers of local pax. I wonder what it will take for customer sentiment to translate into action for local customers of BA and LH.
Shameful, outdated old business class still flying around on LH.
I can't wait to fly the A380 with the new product! I hope they'll fly to Lagos, Nigeria.
Lolololololol I could be wring but I don't think Lagos airport (or any Nigerian airport) can handle the A380. Sean M would know better
Yeah... Let's not hold our breath for this one. Maybe by 2030 we'll get an actual date.
As I entered the final quarter of my life I am concerned if business class in A380 will be upgraded within my lifetime. I am actually *not* holding my breath.
LH should really just stop talking about the new Business Class until they finally have some real dates and facts on when customers can expect to see it on specific planes.
German sources mention, the A380 won't get the Alegris product due to supply chain issues. Instead it might get the newest Business Class cabin in the LH group... my bet is on the random reverse heringbone seats of the ex-Hainan B787-9.
https://app.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/handel-konsumgueter/luftfahrt-lufthansa-laesst-den-grossraumjet-a380-laenger-fliegen/29393056.html
"Wahrscheinlich wird der Jet allerdings nicht die brandneue Kabine mit dem Namen Allegris bekommen. Hier gibt es Lieferprobleme. Der Doppeldecker dürfte mit der aktuell neuesten Businessklasse ausgestattet werden, die in der Gruppe...
German sources mention, the A380 won't get the Alegris product due to supply chain issues. Instead it might get the newest Business Class cabin in the LH group... my bet is on the random reverse heringbone seats of the ex-Hainan B787-9.
https://app.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/handel-konsumgueter/luftfahrt-lufthansa-laesst-den-grossraumjet-a380-laenger-fliegen/29393056.html
"Wahrscheinlich wird der Jet allerdings nicht die brandneue Kabine mit dem Namen Allegris bekommen. Hier gibt es Lieferprobleme. Der Doppeldecker dürfte mit der aktuell neuesten Businessklasse ausgestattet werden, die in der Gruppe im Einsatz ist. Bisher sind im A380 ältere Sitze verbaut."