Lufthansa's New Short-Haul Economy Seats Offer Increased Recline and USB Power Ports

May 27, 2019

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3 min read

Lufthansa's New Short-Haul Economy Seats Offer Increased Recline and USB Power Ports

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Intra-European economy class is not known for comfort or premium service. Rather, it is an accepted reality amongst frequent flyers that economy class cabins aboard narrowbody aircraft operated by European carriers are cramped, bland, and devoid of (most) passenger-centric amenities. Germany's largest carrier, Lufthansa, is no exception, offering thin seats with little recline on the airline's narrowbody fleet. However, the airline is in the process of making minor improvements to economy class aboard its fleet of Airbus narrowbodies.

Lufthansa recently took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, with the aircraft boasting registration D-AIEA becoming the first in Lufthansa's fleet to feature an enhanced economy class cabin.

Lufthansa's Airbus A321neo features 32 seats in business class and 167 seats in economy. Though business class continues to consist of standard economy class seating arrangement with a blocked middle seat, those economy class seats have been upgraded to provide passengers with added comfort and amenities.

Economy class seats aboard Lufthansa's Airbus A321neos are engineered by Geven, with each Essenza seat appearing to feature additional cushioning. All seats aboard its A321neo also feature USB power outlets, as well as increased recline and additional personal space as a result of the slimline design.

Lufthansa's standard economy product on the Airbus a319 — Lufthansa's current standard economy product on the Airbus a319 (Image by Lufthansa Group / Jens Goerlich)

According to Lufthansa, "Many customer feedbacks have been incorporated into the design of the seat. We received a lot of positive feedback on the new features. We are therefore convinced that the new seat and the modern ambiance of the cabin will further improve the travel comfort of our guests."

Lufthansa's new Airbus cabin (Image courtesy of Lufthansa)

In addition to ushering in a more passenger-centric cabin, Lufthansa's Airbus A321neo is the first aircraft to feature Lufthansa Group's standardized Airbus cabin. Lufthansa Group consists of three major airlines (Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, and SWISS) and their subsidiaries. All three airlines operate Airbus narrowbodies on short and medium-haul flights, and the cabin featured on Lufthansa's new Airbus A321neo is the first to feature what Lufthansa refers to as a "uniform cabin."

This uniform cabin focuses on major aircraft components and systems including elements of the galley and cabin design. According to Lufthansa, the new uniform cabin will allow the airline group to transfer aircraft between Austrian, Lufthansa, and SWISS more easily.

The new cabin found aboard Lufthansa's first Airbus A321neo will become the standard on all Lufthansa Group Airbus narrowbodies moving forward, with the first already in service. Passengers looking to experience the new digs can catch the aircraft on flights between Lufthansa's major German hubs including Berlin, Frankfurt, and Hamburg.