Boeing 787
Lufthansa baptizes hopeful with problems
Lufthansa has been waiting for new Boeing long-haul jets with their own cabin equipment for years. But even by the christening of the first aircraft, not all of the problems had been solved.
It is still taking off with blocked rows of seats, but the Boeing 787 with the christened name “Frankfurt am Main” is a beacon of hope for Lufthansa. It is the first aircraft from the US manufacturer to be equipped with the “Allegris” cabin designed specifically for Lufthansa, which is intended to bring passengers more comfort and the airline more profits.
At the ceremonial christening of the 200 million euro Dreamliner, approval from the US aviation authority FAA for the specially designed seats in business class is still missing. The expensive furniture must therefore remain blocked on flights until further notice, with the exception of the first row. That has to change quickly, because without the expensive business tickets, intercontinental flights cannot be operated profitably.
Despite the restrictions, Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr describes the aircraft as a “milestone on the path to modernizing our fleet.” It stands for “billions invested in the premium experience at the Frankfurt location”. The group wants to add around 100 new long-haul aircraft to the fleet by 2030, around half of which will be stationed at the Frankfurt hub.
Crane airline in trouble
The US manufacturer’s delivery difficulties – even the much larger Boeing 777-X is a long time coming – are one of the main reasons for the economic misery of the main airline in the Lufthansa Group, which has recently made losses. According to Spohr, she will earn “more or less” nothing in the current year.
The Germans have ordered a total of 41 Dreamliners. Only seven are in service so far – including an advance delivery of six aircraft with standard cabins that a Chinese airline was unable to accept during the Corona crisis.
According to the board presentation, the new aircraft require up to 26 percent less kerosene than their predecessors, emit correspondingly less CO2 and could also be marketed with significantly higher profits with the new seats. This is shown by experiences from the second hub in Munich, where the Allegris seats in Lufthansa’s Airbus jets have been on offer since May 2024.
Hesse wants to relieve air traffic
At the christening of the aircraft with local cider, Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) promised the company further support in the fight against high location costs. “An international hub like Germany can no longer afford state-imposed competitive disadvantages,” says the head of government. The federal government must now urgently launch the relief package promised in the coalition agreement. “This includes a significantly lower aviation tax, lower fees for aviation security and air traffic control and fewer regulatory requirements for climate protection.”
The Boeing 787 with the registration D-ABPF is the seventh Lufthansa aircraft to bear the name of Germany’s largest hub, Frankfurt, since 1960.
dpa
Source: Stern
