In late 2017, Lufthansa announced its new business class product, which over five years later still isn’t available on a single plane. The airline has today formally unveiled further details of its new “Allegris” product offering. In addition to revealing details about a new first class product, Lufthansa has also announced more details about its new business class.
In this post:
A look at Lufthansa’s new business class
Lufthansa has revealed what it’s calling the “Allegris” product generation, which the airline describes as its biggest-ever investment in the premium cabin experience. This includes the airline sharing some more details about its new business class product.
Lufthansa is promising a new business class product, offering direct aisle access and of course fully flat beds for all passengers. The cabin will alternate between being in a 1-2-1 and 1-1-1 configuration. The walls in the new business class will be a minimum of 114cm (~45 inches) high, featuring “generous space in the shoulder area.”
All seats can be converted into a two meter bed, and will feature a 17″ personal television, wireless charging, noise canceling headphones, and the ability to connect one’s own device (like a PC, tablet, smartphone, or headphones) to the entertainment system via bluetooth.
With its new product offering, Lufthansa seems to want to be all things to all people, and the airline is marketing how it will have seven different kinds of seating options for business class passengers (presumably there will be extra costs for some of the premium offerings). These seating types include the following:
- Front row suites, which are the seats in the first row with doors (more on that below)
- Extra space seats, which are the solo center seats
- Window seats, which are the seats closest to the windows
- Seats with extra long beds, measuring 2.2 meters
- Seats with privacy and an infant carrier, by the windows in the last row of the cabin
- Double seats, which are in the last row and can be turned into a double sleeping space
- The standard business class seats, which are the window seats closer to the aisles, as well as the other center seat pairs
While I can appreciate the desire to appeal to different market segments, is there a point at which too much choice isn’t a good thing, in terms of product consistency, understanding the product, and logistics?
Lufthansa’s first row business class suite
Lufthansa intends to introduce a premium business class product in the first row of the cabin. Lufthansa is promising that these seats will feature additional personal space, privacy doors, a monitor of up to 27″, a personal minibar, and additional storage, including a wardrobe.
Furthermore, the two suites in the center section can be connected to offer a large degree of privacy to those traveling together. Note that this is different than the single seats in the center section, which are otherwise in every other row.
This “business class plus” concept is an increasingly common trend among airlines, where they create a premium business class product in the first row, to take advantage of this additional space. We’re seeing this on a variety of airlines, including Condor’s new Airbus A330-900neos (which have Prime Seats), Virgin Atlantic’s new Airbus A330-900neos (which have Retreat Suites), and more.
It really is unbelievable (for better or worse) how many different seating options Lufthansa will have in business class, in addition to two different kinds of first class products.
Lufthansa’s new business class seat count
When introducing these new business class seats, Lufthansa will pretty considerably be reducing its premium cabin seat count:
- Airbus A350-900s will feature 38 business class seats, including eight of the suites (since there will be two cabins)
- Boeing 787-9s will feature 28 business class seats, including four of the suites (since there will be one cabin)
As a point of comparison, Lufthansa’s current Airbus A350-900s feature 48 business class seats. So while I can appreciate that Lufthansa can maybe focus on offering a more personalized experience, this isn’t good news for business class fares or award availability.
Timeline for Lufthansa’s new business class
Lufthansa claims that it will launch its new business class product in 2023. The plan had been for Lufthansa to introduce it in the summer of 2023 on A350-900s also featuring first class, but those planes are now only being delivered as of 2024. Lufthansa is also expected to introduce this product on some Boeing 787-9s, but with delivery delays on those jets, who knows when the first plane with these seats will be delivered.
So while an exact timeline remains to be seen, as of now the plan remains for the product to be introduced in 2023, presumably on the Boeing 787s.
Note that this product is different than the secondhand planes that Lufthansa has recently picked up, which also feature a new interim business class product. This includes Lufthansa’s A350-900s that previously flew for Philippine Airlines, as well as Lufthansa’s 787-9s that were intended to fly for Hainan.
Lufthansa’s new business class product was initially supposed to debut on the Boeing 777-9, but that jet has been delayed by at least five years, to 2025. Why Lufthansa hasn’t been installing the new product on all its newly delivered A350s since then is a mystery, though.
Lufthansa’s new business class looks… pretty good?
When Lufthansa initially unveiled its new business class product in 2017, I was pretty impressed, both because it represented a significant incremental improvement, and because it genuinely looked good. However, seats have evolved quite a bit in the past five years, and I can’t help but think that at this point the product looks average at best.
To me, the standard seats in this configuration look awfully similar to United Polaris or EL AL business class.
Don’t get me wrong, those are perfectly nice products. However, they’ve been around for quite some time, and we know that United is already looking at introducing a new business class product. Meanwhile Lufthansa will only start to install these seats as of this year, so it’s anyone’s guess how long it will be before a majority of Lufthansa long haul jets feature these seats (probably 2027, optimistically?).
At least this represents a significant improvement over Lufthansa’s current business class.
Bottom line
Lufthansa has revealed more details about its new business class product, including plans for a first row suite with privacy doors. This product was first announced back in 2017, and is now expected to enter service later this year.
Perhaps what’s most interesting about the new seats is how Lufthansa is marketing seven different business class experiences, offering a lot of choice. I’m not sure what to make of that, both in terms of product consistency, and in terms of (presumably) charging for many types of seats that are considered premium.
What do you make of Lufthansa’s new business class?
Meh and too much variance.
I don't understand why they could not develop the same thing for all middle seats in business class.
I was at the launch event in Berlin last night and was able to see mock up sets for each new seats. I agree the seats are fine but nothing extraordinary or breathtaking. Yesterday they claimed that the seats will be updated in all the fleet as of 2025. One thing I noticed in the first suite is that the new double seat is impressive but the door is made from felt. I don’t see that this will be a rather slim privacy divider than a real door.
Seems wider than Polaris in business.
I don't mind the double-wide F seat. I think it'll work even if it's just one occupant who wants a little extra space and doesn't care about the window. I do wonder how wide that bed is. Hopefully Queen size.
Lufthansa may have named their seat categories, however in the end it is the same pricing based on seat desirability as other airlines have. British Airways charges varying amount of seat reservation fees even as they did not put a name on it.
It takes down the premium experience to have to pay for seat reservations in business and premium economy classes.
Photo Render Airline, Redifined.
It's not that it's a bad product. The basic problem with LH has been getting product to market (always very late) and then keeping that superseded product on the market while the other airlines have already moved one or even two cycles ahead(!)....LH to me is like that slow kid who's still doing the Harlem Shake, ice bucket challenges, and planking in 2023. Forever catching up, never leading.
Well maybe they are just trying to get the 5 star back again, who knows if they will actually do it. Either way, never fly lh unless it's first because other products are just awful. Plus their mechanical and cold service doesn't help
Looks like a decent product, nothing special. The hate LH business generates is funny to me considering how rabidly people defend Emirates's 2-3-2 angled Business Class that they fly on ultra long haul routes
LH announcing a new cabin…..heard that b4!! Years later…..
OTOH LH App was actually very good but of course LH brought out V2 (heheh) this month and since then nothing works! Hundreds of 1 star reviews store…
That list of 7 "different" business class seats is way too confusing. Like is it going to all be separately bookable when you buy the ticket or will it be detailed at seat selection? It's way too confusing for a non-Av geek to be aware of unless they're frequent flyers.
LH just posted video of this on their IG.
Didn't they also unveil a new First Class Seat/Suite ?
The cabin looks rather dense and the seats and storage look tight. Yes, it’s an improvement over their current product, but why is the bar always so low for LH?
When you can pay to be a 5* airline, there is no need to set the bar too high...
LH has proven to be an expert on announcing new cabin products and not delivering them. We will talk again about these seats… when we eventually see them.
In the meantime, LH long-haul business cabin product is probably the worst of any european airline currently flying.
Really? Worse than old BA club world, KLMs product in all aircraft besides the 787, and the Air France angle seat only just now being retired?
I honestly don't understand why people fawn over and are willing to pay so much to fly Lufhansa. It's an extremely overpriced, extremely mediocre airline. There is nothing that makes it deserving fo the pricing they charge, even the crew service is at best ok. This airline realistically only survives because of German government protectionism. Oh and that Skytrax 5-star award because of this product that didn't even exist yet and still doesn't, looked sheepish...
I honestly don't understand why people fawn over and are willing to pay so much to fly Lufhansa. It's an extremely overpriced, extremely mediocre airline. There is nothing that makes it deserving fo the pricing they charge, even the crew service is at best ok. This airline realistically only survives because of German government protectionism. Oh and that Skytrax 5-star award because of this product that didn't even exist yet and still doesn't, looked sheepish at the time, but now looks positively absurd...
This first row business suite looks as good as the first class suite on *some* airlines. '
On one hand, it's tempting. On the other hand, it's LH.
It just looks...tight. Like I am sure its the same as any other business class but the center area looks claustrophobic with the seat backs of the single seats almost on top of the two seats behind it. Ill be a window seat person for sure.
Anything is better than what they have now- honestly I avoid LH at all costs bc the business class is so bad. Last time I flew the only thing...
It just looks...tight. Like I am sure its the same as any other business class but the center area looks claustrophobic with the seat backs of the single seats almost on top of the two seats behind it. Ill be a window seat person for sure.
Anything is better than what they have now- honestly I avoid LH at all costs bc the business class is so bad. Last time I flew the only thing that made the old, worn out, tight 2x2x2 bearable was that the FA let me move to a pair on the side that were empty so I could sit alone and not be on top of the (nice) guy who was originally sitting next to me. As a female it makes a big difference not to feel like you're going to play footsies with a stranger.
Agree that the standard business seats look very tight and claustrophobic and even the space just looks awkward especially with how they are recessed from the window with some of them.
The Germans over engineered this. Who could have guessed?
The footwells behind the throne seats look tight.
Otherwise i think there's just too much going on. The Last row of business class is seat where you can have a bassinet and extra privacy.
Travel-dealz have a good summary of it all. Just 38 business class seats is not much.
I don't know if i'm overwhelmed, unimpressed or what.
More importantly, the video shows a snippet of first class. The centre seat is a double suite with no wall in between, being narrower than two window suites. This explains how they can fit a one metre wide seat. So the centre suite is designed specifically for companions. Also, the business class is a much less dense configuration given the one centre seat which allows the rows behind and in front with two seats to...
More importantly, the video shows a snippet of first class. The centre seat is a double suite with no wall in between, being narrower than two window suites. This explains how they can fit a one metre wide seat. So the centre suite is designed specifically for companions. Also, the business class is a much less dense configuration given the one centre seat which allows the rows behind and in front with two seats to have more width. So it will be more comfortable than polaris.