I Was on Lufthansa’s First Allegris Flight in Business Class — Here’s What It Was Like

Christmas came in April for AvGeeks like me.

Lufthansa invited journalists and media members from around the world, as well as some lucky Lufthansa employees, to be the first passengers to experience Allegris in the air on a short flight from Munich (MUC) to Frankfurt (FRA).

It’s one thing to take pictures of the cabin of a parked aircraft, but it’s an entirely different ballgame when you get to experience it properly on a real flight.

Here’s what the experience was like.

Flying Lufthansa’s Allegris for the First Time

It’s not every day you get to be one of the first people to try a brand-new business class seat.

After a press event where we heard more about the future of Allegris from Jens Ritter, Lufthansa’s CEO, I was beyond excited to experience the product for myself on this special non-revenue flight (all passengers were invited by Lufthansa).

I already had my boarding pass on my phone, but I headed to the business class check-in desk to grab a printed version as a souvenir.

Clearing security at Frankfurt was a breeze thanks to being able to use the dedicated business class lane and the fact that Frankfurt has security scanners with new technology that allows liquids, laptops, and other potentially problematic items to remain in carry-on bags.

After a quick coffee and snack with the Lufthansa team and fellow members of the media, we headed to the gate.

Save for an appearance from Ritter, there wasn’t much fanfare at the gate.

Hot Tip:

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On Board Lufthansa’s First Allegris-Equipped Aircraft

I was the first passenger to board the newly delivered Airbus A350-900 registered as D-AIXT. This meant I had a great chance of getting some photos of the cabin with no one else in it!

As you can see in the image below, Lufthansa’s Allegris business class product doesn’t utilize a standard configuration like the 2-2-2 setup found on the majority of the airline’s long-haul aircraft.

Instead, based on frequent flyer and customer feedback collected during the research phase of the project, Lufthansa decided to create a variety of seat types arranged in an irregular configuration to suit the individual needs and preferences of different passengers.

For example, the seats in the middle alternate between a “double seat” for passengers traveling with a companion and an Extra Space seat for those who could use the extra surface space to eat and use their laptops simultaneously.

Along the sides of the aircraft, seats alternate between Private (flush with the window) and Classic seats (flush with the aisle). Stay tuned for an in-depth look at each of the seat types.

Before we took off, Mr. Ritter — who used to be a Lufthansa captain himself — made an announcement over the PA system to welcome us all and wish us an enjoyable flight.

Safety, as always, was the first priority in the cockpit before take off as the pilots conducted their final checks.

Lufthansa Allegris Business Class Suite

As luck would have it, I was allocated seat 2K in the first row of the business class cabin — exactly where you’ll find the most exclusive business class seats in the cabin: The Business Class Suite. These seats are far roomier and boast additional privacy when compared to the rest of the seats in the cabin.

Even though the flight was only 38 minutes, I made sure to put the mattress topper to the test.

This was my view of the sleek Airbus A350 wing tip as we pushed back from the gate.

I spent the flight snapping images and shooting video for a more in-depth look at the Allegris Business Class Suite (publishing soon), but, for now, here are the 3 features of the seat that stood out to me the most during my short time onboard.

Temperature Control Is Built Into the Seat

The tablet in the side panel of the seat can be used to control everything about your seat — including the temperature.

Unlike anything I’ve experienced before, the warming and cooling come directly from within the seat. I put this to the test by cranking the temperature as low as possible and immediately felt the effects of the cooling air that started flowing around me from inside my seat.

The Suites Have a (Really) Mini Bar

The addition of a minibar means passengers can have their favorite drinks chilled and ready to drink without having to call a flight attendant.

For this short media flight, my minibar was stocked with still and sparkling water.

However, when the Allegris product is introduced into commercial service next week, Suites passengers will be able to request their minibar to be stocked with the soft and alcoholic beverages of their choice — including Aperol Spritz!

There’s Even a Place for Your Glasses

Sometimes, the smallest of details make the biggest difference, and, for me, this cute little glasses hook is one of them.

It’s small, thoughtful, customer-centric design elements like this that can make an airline stand out.

Arrival in Frankfurt

Lufthansa’s Allegris debut was over in a flash.

Frankfurt is Lufthansa’s main hub and where you’ll find the most variety in its fleet, including the Queen of the Skies — the Boeing 787-8.

We de-planed at a remote stand where we had a final opportunity to get some snaps of the aircraft.

Final Thoughts

The phrase “good things come to those who wait” is an appropriate way to talk about Lufthansa’s Allegris product.

It’s been a long, long time coming, but a new era for Germany’s flag carrier is finally dawning. Despite having spent only about a half hour on board the aircraft, I could appreciate the time and effort that’s gone into designing and developing Allegris — especially the Business Suite.

While it’s a shame Lufthansa couldn’t figure out a way to install the game-changing new first class product before the Allegris launch, the word on the street is that the airline plans to operate the first flight with all 4 brand-new cabins by the end of the summer.

While we continue waiting just a little bit longer for that day to come, Lufthansa passengers will surely be excited to experience the new Allegris economy, premium economy, and business class cabins as of May 1, 2024.