Lufthansa passengers to sit prettier on European routes

January 17, 2006 – LUFTHANSA passengers on European routes can look forward to a big improvement in comfort following a seating upgrade to be implemented in the German carrier’s domestic and regional fleet from this spring.

The latest stage in the European “quality offensive” launched by Lufthansa in 2004, the upgrade is part of a general cabin refurbishment that will see leather seats becoming standard not only in business class but also in economy. All 140 aircraft in the European fleet are due to have been fitted out by October.

The new seats, to be supplied by B/E Aerospace and Recaro, are a comfortable 48cm wide. In business class legroom will be increased by up to 4cm, bringing Lufthansa to the top of the European table for this measure. And in three-seat rows the centre seat will be replaced with a centre console providing additional storage space and working area.

The seats themselves feature a less bulky backrest, releasing legroom for the passenger behind. The backrest is also devoid of hard metal or carbonfibre structures, allowing it to adapt closely to the contour of the passenger’s back.

The Lufthansa upgrade is yet another shot in the war for premium traffic now being waged by the world’s leading international carriers. One of the most eagerly awaited programmes will be unveiled in the middle of this year by British Airways, which is planning a major spend on new IFE and a Club World business-class remake.