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While the rollout has been a long time coming, more and more Lufthansa aircraft are taking to the skies with the new Allegris First Class suites. We tried them out in an exclusive sneak preview.
We put Lufthansa’s first-class service to the test
Lufthansa’s new first-class service was initially supposed to launch a few years ago, but then there was Covid. Now, however, the carrier is gradually outfitting more and more of its aircraft with the Allegris Suites. Since February, there are now nine Airbus A350-900s in service with the new cabin interior and eight of them include the new first class. As of Sunday 30 March, it’s possible to book flights with the Allegris Suites to Munich from San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, Shanghai, and Bengaluru.
“We are back to becoming Europe’s premium airline,” said Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter at a news briefing for the new service. While the airline’s reputation has suffered recently, and the competition for premium passengers is fierce, Lufthansa is making a giant leap forward with the Allegris Suites.
Before take-off
When you fly first class with Lufthansa, you’ll check in and drop your luggage at a designated counter and then head to a lounge with an à la carte menu and a wide selection of drinks. You’ll be assigned a personal assistant who will ensure you can relax and not worry about missing boarding calls. In the event that your aircraft is not parked at a gate, a limousine or chauffeured minivan will take you to it.
When boarding the Airbus A350-900, you’ll experience your first delightful Allegris moment when you glimpse the new colour scheme. While the old first-class cabin had a warmer palette of cream, grey, and hazelnut, now everything is cooler: blue, grey, and black. Note, that’s cooler, not cold. The look is elegant, not off-putting, reinforcing a functional aesthetic.
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A closer look at the Allegris First Class Suites
The walls are ceiling-high and the “doors” to each suite are made of thick pressed wool and can be closed to create your own private space. The seat is around one meter wide. Opposite it, there’s a bench where visitors can sit, with room underneath to stow your bag. For frequent flyers who have to go straight from the plane to the office, the real highlight is probably having a wardrobe complete with a mirror inside its door. The mirror is large enough that you can freshen up and make sure every detail of your outfit is exactly right – a rarity on airplanes. There’s also a tablet to operate the 27-inch screen and adjust the lighting and temperature of your retreat. Cell phones can be charged wirelessly. The goal is to allow passengers to customise the suite to their needs and desires, bringing us to the double cabin.
The Suite Plus is made for two people: a couple, two good friends, or maybe parents with a young child. Of course, if you travel alone and simply want extra privacy and space, that’s fine too. The double seat becomes a double bed and, while there is only one screen, it’s a generous 43 inches. The true luxury here is space: you’ll have almost 40 square feet of space to yourself.
Food and drink
Anyone who has ever flown Lufthansa’s first class knows that the caviar service is one of the carrier’s signature touches, along with providing a red rose at every seat. The caviar is served before the main meal on the flight, with warm toast, raw onions, hard-boiled eggs and lemon, accompanied by Champagne. If you want more, second helpings are allowed, of course. Given its popularity and iconic status for Lufthansa, it’s only logical that the caviar service should also be offered in the new Allegris First Class. The meal that follows comes with so many variations (fish, meat, vegetarian/vegan and with European, Asian, and Latin flavours and influences) that every passenger is sure to be sated.
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The amenity kit
The toiletry bag is impressive in itself. It’s not a plain cotton bag you might expect, but a sturdy aluminium case with products from two popular German beauty brands, Babor and Augustinus Bader. It’s an amenity kit you’ll be happy to take home as a souvenir of your Lufthansa flight.
The source list
As with the beauty products, there’s a ‘Made in Germany’ theme going on: The china comes from Dibbern, a porcelain manufacturer based in the town of Bargteheide in Schleswig-Holstein. The cutlery comes from Zwilling, which has been making knives since 1731. The pyjamas are from Van Laack, which has been producing high-quality shirts and blouses since the label was first founded in 1881 in Berlin.
Anything else to add?
Lufthansa has set out to improve the experience for first-class travellers in the air. The carrier is also focused on improving the ground experience, with renovated check-in areas in Frankfurt and Munich and a newly redesigned lounge at the Munich Airport.
This article was first published on Condé Nast Traveller Germany.