Lufthansa Allegris: More Freedom, More Comfort, More Individuality

The Lufthansa Allegris product generation represents a whole new travel experience on long-haul routes. It transports passengers into a new era of travel. Tangibly different and in tune with the times; a holistic and individual experience across all classes. Passengers choose seats, meals and other aspects of their journeys, thereby creating an individual travel experience according to their needs. 

They decide not only which class they would like to travel in – whether First, Business, Premium Eco or Economy – but also have the choice of different seat options within these classes. In total, more than 10 different seat types across all classes are available during the booking process – five in Business Class alone.

Personal freedom of choice and self-determination are guiding principles of our time. When it comes to smartphones, no two are the same – the apps installed or bookmarks saved are too different. Cars are individually configured, while streaming services are replacing linear TV programs. Lufthansa Allegris not only reflects this global trend, but also sets new standards: travelers want to determine their own levels of comfort.

The old trinity of Economy, Business and First Class is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of all passengers. "With Lufthansa Allegris, we offer a selection of different seat types that is unique in the industry and a real innovation," says Kai Peters, Head of Customer Experience Design at Lufthansa. 

The various types of seats not only make optimal use of space, but offer guests very different benefits. For example, some seats can be transformed into extra-long beds, while others feature cots or extra room for a more relaxed working space. In order to meet customer needs, Lufthansa worked intensively with technology and design partners and conducted numerous passenger interviews, focus groups and creative workshops.

The result: the old distinction between business travelers in Business Class and vacationing families in Economy is a thing of the past. Modern passengers sometimes travel alone, sometimes with family, and sometimes with colleagues and business partners. Sometimes they want to sleep, sometimes they want to work, sometimes they just want to watch a movie or chat. 

Our individualized seating concept gives them the opportunity to do all of this. And not just in Business and First Class. Those who long for a little more space in Economy can choose a seat in the first rows with more legroom or book a free middle seat.

"The so-called hard product is very relevant for an airline," says Peters. "Sleep comfort, convenience and in-flight entertainment are essential components for customer satisfaction." In First Class, walls go from the floor almost to the cabin ceiling, providing privacy and quiet. 60-by-60-centimeter dining tables, meanwhile, allow for restaurant-style dining. 

Probably the biggest innovation, however, is hidden in the new seats themselves. Passengers in both First and Business Class can set their own personal microclimates with the Lufthansa Allegris seats’ built-in heating. And because there are people who get too warm during flights, seat temperatures can also be lowered. Small fans in the upholstery transport the heat away from the body, ensuring a pleasant coolness.

This climate control system was exclusively developed for Lufthansa by Swiss company Caynova. "True innovation usually starts with a crazy idea," says Caynova CEO Thomas Steiner. "We asked ourselves, wouldn’t it be great if an airplane seat had both built-in cooling and heating?"

Prototypes, test runs and discussions with passengers followed. "And in the end, there’s also the certification aspect," says Steiner. "After all, you can’t build just anything into an aircraft. The safety regulations are rightly very strict."

At first, around 27,000 seats will be installed in newly delivered planes, which is known as a linefit. This is followed by the retrofit, in which aircraft from the existing fleet are also fitted with the new seats. In total, the Lufthansa Group is investing 2.5 billion euros in product and service improvements up to 2025, the largest measure of its kind in the airline’s history. "We knew we had to deliver a real 'wow'," says Kai Peters. "I think we have succeeded."

The individualization of passenger comfort extends to sleep: in Business and First Class a pneumatic backrest allows changes to be made when  the seat is in its reclined position. "The 'shoulder-sink-in' function is similar to that found in high-quality mattresses," says Peters. "And just like these, our seats offer different firmness zones, allowing for a straighter spine and a more ergonomic sleep."

The new hard shell seats in Premium Economy also enjoy ergonomic advantages. When a passenger leans back, their backrest doesn’t tilt towards the passenger sitting behind them. Instead the seat shifts within the hard shell, leading to to a healthier sitting position and better blood circulation – and a more pleasant travel experience for fellow passengers. 

A Lufthansa Allegris aircraft seat will cover around 40 million kilometers over the course of its 10-year life cycle. During this time, 6,000 to 7,000 passengers will use it, all of them differently and with their own requirements and preferences. As Lufthansa Airlines CEO Jens Ritter said during the presentation of the new seating system, "No two guests are the same. Needs are as different as reasons for travel. We are aware of that because we don’t just fly airplanes – we fly people."

Christoph Koch is a columnist for the German business magazine brand eins and book author who focuses primarily on innovation and the digital world – or he creates a new reality, as in his book "Was wäre wenn… 33 Szenarien, die unsere Welt neu denken".