Lufthansa's new Airbus A350 is set to take wing, replacing the German flag-carrier's older gas-guzzling Airbus A340s on long-range routes to the USA and Asia.
The aircraft is the airline’s most modern and technologically advanced featuring better fuel consumption and better cabin quality for passengers and crew. The new aircraft will start flying as of 10 February from Munich to Delhi and Boston. The aircraft will have room for 293 passengers – 48 in Business Class, 21 in Premium Economy and 224 in Economy Class.
The German flag-carrier and Star Alliance member has adopting a fairly conventional three-class layout for its A350-900s, eschewing first class – which will also be notably absent from the airline's Boeing 777-9 fleet.
Up front are 48 business class seats, using a tweak of the airline's current design in the same and rather dated 2-2-2 layout.
The outer seats are angled towards the window to better enjoy the view...
... with upsized video screens and of course Lufthansa's FlyNet inflight Internet service.
The A350's business class cabin is divided into a main cabin of 6 rows (below) and a smaller two-row cabin behind.
Lufthansa has an all-new business class on the way but that won't debut until 2020 on Lufthansa's Boeing 777-9X fleet.
Further back is a compact premium economy cabin with room for just 21 passengers in a 2-3-2 seating grid.
Those seats have a 38 inch pitch and a sizeable 12-inch touchscreen.
Finally, there are 224 economy seats ranked 3-3-3 with a standard 31 inch seat pitch and 18 inch width.
Lufthansa has employed a little visual trick with the seat fabrics, using a darker blue at the window seats (where there's more light streaming in) and then gradually softening that hue towards the middle seats.
Passengers in all classes from tip to tail will be able to tap into Lufthansa's FlyNet inflight Internet service at rates from an insanely steep €11 (A$15) pet hour to a far more sensible €20 (A$28) for 24 hours, which covers the entire A350 flight plus a connecting flight within Europe.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 173
The business class config reminds me of the Air NZ Premium Economy Spaceseat. Presumably it lies flat and becomes a bed, but the 2-2-2 config and the way the seats are tilted looks just like the Spaceseat.
18 Apr 2015
Total posts 67
Those economy seats look comfy. Reminds of the old-school highly padded economy seats
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
13 Mar 2015
Total posts 79
Premium economy? I will say "Economy Plus" and I hope they will improve it to more close at "Minus Business".. For years I have been a bog fan of LH, but I have tried recently their PE and it was a big disappointment... big one because I had so much expectations. The welcome drink is just a horrible "tropical" juice... not even sparkling water or soft drink...Knowing Germans I was expecting some Bubbly Champagne or Prosecco... something that I order whiel we were on flight and brought me some horrible acid sparkling German wine... I had to return it and ask for soem regular white wine... Food was like dishes prepared for Air China.. disgusting taste and presentation... it was the same of Economy but in served in white china...seats were comfortable but the bathrooms were used by Economy passengers as well and the traffic thru the cabin was high thru all flight... breakfast was not good at all... I ended eating the yogurt and the bread... service was surprisingly bad... very bad. The return flight MUC-YYZ was the same... and most of the airplanes now have the PE mixed with regular Economy...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Feb 2015
Total posts 26
Nice Economy but really sub standard Business Class...lack of privacy and 2-2-2 config lose the battle in the market
21 Oct 2013
Total posts 15
If you want "privacy" use BA Business class-sit in ying yang shoe boxes facing forwards and backwards at 7 across!
17 Dec 2013
Total posts 8
Sorry, LH. No longer interested in 2-2-2 business class, so many better options out there.
Malaysia Airlines - Enrich
21 Mar 2014
Total posts 22
I know the 1-2-1 Business class config seems to be the way to go for ease of access to the aisles etc but for me I am no fan. It's great for the solo traveller but my wife and I always travel together Business Class and now we have to sit in the middle of the aircraft if we want to sit together - which of course we do!! I always prefer a window seat but now that is solely for individuals. At least MH on their A330s have an interesting setup where they have a mixed 1-2-1 and 2-2-2 config. Maybe some other airlines might take this on at some time. So for me I must be a dinosaur because I prefer 2-2-2.
21 Oct 2013
Total posts 15
Have to agree, not everybody wants to be a "loner"
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