Lufthansa unveils its new ‘Allegris’ First Class cabin – and we were there (Part 1)
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Yesterday, Lufthansa finally unveiled its new ‘Allegris’ cabin concept at an in-person event in Berlin. I was invited down to take a look.
Lufthansa Allegris is a nose-to-tail refresh that introduces new seats in all cabins – First, business, premium economy and economy. This is the seat that propelled Lufthansa to its 5-star Skytrax rating back in 2017 – purely on the basis of renderings – and will, finally, be installed on Boeing 787s arriving from September.
The arrival of Allegris was initially scheduled for 2020. Covid put that plan on ice as Lufthansa postponed any capital expenditure as it fought for survival. Three years later it is finally ready to unveil the new cabins.
What is Lufthansa Allegris?
Allegris is part of a €2.5 billion investment into customer experience across the Lufthansa Group, which also includes airlines such as SWISS, Austrian and eurowings.
Lufthansa is getting 80% of this cash which it will need in order to refresh its 60+ strong fleet of long haul aircraft. At least 27,000 new seats will be installed across all cabin classes.
Allegris includes a new First class suite and business class cabin as well as premium economy and economy seats.
One of the cornerstones of the Allegris concept is giving passengers the ability to customise their experience. To that end Lufthansa unveiled fourteen unique seat options today, including seven in business class. (Yes, to repeat, there will be seven types of seat to choose from in business class.)
In this article, I’ll be looking at both the new First cabin. Part 2, also published today, looks at the changes in business class.
Which aircraft will feature Lufthansa’s Allegris cabins?
At present, the new Allegris seat concept will be installed on its Boeing 787s, A350s, Boeing 747-8s and Boeing 777Xs (which aren’t due to arrive for another two years). No decision has yet been made for the A380, of which Lufthansa has nine aircraft.
The first aircraft to feature the Allegris cabins will be a Boeing 787, currently scheduled to start commercial operations in September.
The Lufthansa Allegris First cabin
The pinnacle of the Allegris cabin refresh – and the one that understandably garnered the most interest – is the new First Class suite, pictured above.
The future of first class has long been catastrophised, with the improvement in business class cabins often cited as a reason for its demise. Even top tier airlines such as Qatar Airways have slowly phased the cabin out, although it is back temporarily on its A380s.
However, as Lufthansa demonstrates, first class is far from dead. If anything it is becoming increasingly exclusive, with both Lufthansa and other airlines (such as British Airways and Air France) reducing the number of first class seats on offer.
With Allegris, Lufthansa will reduce the size of its First Class cabin from eight seats to four suites in a 1-2-1 configuration.
It’s not quite that simple. Lufthansa is actually introducing what is effectively a honeymoon suite, although it doesn’t like calling it that; the name being used is ‘First Class Suite Plus.’
That’s because the middle pair is actually a private mini-cabin. These aren’t just two seats that can be sold separately – they are in one suite with no divider and share the same, massive 42″ in-flight-entertainment screen:
You’re also locked into a buddy dining concept, with a large, restaurant-sized table folding out from the side console to create an intimate dining experience:
Both seats can also recline to create a seamless 1.4m wide double-bed, although they can also be reclined independently:
Clearly, this seat is designed for couples rather than those travelling with friends or colleagues – and specifically only for couples who share the same taste in IFE!
Lufthansa isn’t saying how it will price this double suite, although according to the executives I asked it will probably not be twice as much as a single suite. This could make it good value for couples travelling together. I assume it will also be available for any solo traveller willing to pay the premium.
For anyone travelling solo (or with someone you don’t want to share a bed with!) you have the option of the two outboard suites next to the window. This is how it looks on a plan:
These are fundamentally the same as the Plus suite, although they feature a slightly wider seat width, at almost 1m wide, as well as windows with electric blinds. Windows are notably absent from the double suite.
All Allegris First Class suites focus on privacy with sidewalls that reach almost to the top of the cabin space.
The suites aren’t totally private. Due to safety regulations, the ‘door’ is made of a stiff, felt-like fabric curtain with a magnetic strip, and large cut-out handles allow cabin crew to take a peak in when necessary. Still, the seats offer a level of privacy you’ll find on few other airlines.
Other innovations include in-seat heating and cooling, just as you’d find in a luxury car. In fact this is the same system as used by Mercedes Benz, and will allow you to customise the temperature of your seat independently of the rest of the cabin.
Whilst the heated seat is achieved with a heating element much like an electric duvet, the cooling works by sucking the air through the seat with the use of a fan.
This is an impressive innovation and a genuine competitive advantage for both First and business class passengers. Lufthansa claims it is the first airline in the world to introduce custom microclimates on board.
Lufthansa’s First Class suites will also feature wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity and a multitude of charging sockets as standard, as well as large tablets to control the seat functions including the lighting.
You’ll also have plenty of storage, with the ottomans big enough to store a standard size carry on:
Overall, Lufthansa’s Allegris First Class suite is impressive and will rival some of the best First Class seats out there including Etihad’s First Apartment and Singapore’s A380 suites. In terms of design and style, it definitely feels cosy and elevated versus the business class cabin, with the deep shades of blue evoking Finnair’s new (and iconic) business class seat. Build quality feels hefty and solid, with a real focus on materials to make it feel premium.
It creates a widening canyon between Lufthansa First and that found on other airlines. British Airways was due to unveil a new First Class with the (delayed) arrival of its Boeing 777Xs, although there hasn’t been an update on that project in several years and it is difficult to see it matching this.
What about business class?
Due to length we had to split this article into two. Click here to read about the new Lufthansa Allegris business class seating.
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