Lufthansa has launched its new Business Class seat that offers a horizontal sleeping surface measuring 1.98 metres in length. The seat can be used as a flat bed or as an upright or reclining seat, with its intuitive adjustments, additional storage space and enhanced entertainment system. Passengers will be able to enjoy the new Business Class cabin when the new Lufthansa Jumbo, the Boeing 747-8, enters scheduled service next month.

“We integrated our customers very closely into the development of our new Business Class so we would be able to offer a product that was totally in line with their wishes and requirements,” says Jens Bischof, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board.

“The horizontal sleeping surface is a crucial factor for our passengers. This request was the focus for all our other considerations. In addition, we have improved very many details which, taken together, create maximum comfort,” He explains.

These include ergonomically improved cushioning to ensure a high degree of comfort in a sitting or horizontal position, as well as lowerable armrests that provide more space in the shoulder area when lying down. Each sitting or horizontal position can be adjusted individually and continuously without the need for the passenger to stand up. In addition, each passenger has more surfaces to put things on and additional storage compartments on the actual seat.

Another novel feature is the innovative seating arrangement in the form of a “V”. Two neighbouring seats are angled towards one another along a central axis. This solution enabled Lufthansa to fulfil one of the main wishes expressed by customers - to sit or lie facing the direction of travel. This seating arrangement also enabled Lufthansa to virtually double the distance between two neighbouring seats at shoulder level, which in future will give Business Class passengers greater privacy.

The new Business Class seat is a major component of Lufthansa’s largest investment to date in its inflight product. Over the next few years, some three billion euros will be channelled into product improvements for passengers. The new seat rounds off the travel experience for Business Class passengers perfectly - from dedicated check-in counters and additional free baggage allowances to fast-track security lanes, access to Lufthansa lounges worldwide and preferential boarding through to exclusive inflight menus and the excellent service provided by the cabin crew.

“All of that shows that we are offering our Business Class customers an exceptional experience at every step of the travel chain,” says Jens Bischof. Retrofitting Lufthansa’s entire long-haul fleet of more than 100 aircraft is expected to take four years.