How Lufthansa Allegris Is Changing Long-Haul Flying In 2026

Much of Europe is dominated by airlines from one of three major holding companies: IAG, Air France-KLM, and Lufthansa Group. Air France and KLM have generally kept their long-haul cabins up to date for years, while British Airways (IAG's flagship airline) has almost completed the installation of its 'Club Suites' on its widebodies.

Lufthansa, however, has long offered a much less competitive international product, with business class not even offering direct aisle access, but this is changing with Allegris. Allegris is the general name for the German flag carrier's next-generation long-haul cabins. They were first unveiled in 2017 and were intended to enter service in 2020 on the Boeing 777-9.

However, delays with the aircraft and the seats meant that they wouldn't enter service until 2024 on the Airbus A350. The carrier is gradually taking delivery of more Allegris-equipped aircraft and also plans to retrofit its existing fleet with the product, finally making its long-haul experience competitive on a global level.

The Lufthansa Allegris Project

The Lufthansa Allegris project is a full nose-to-tail overhaul of the airline's long-haul cabins. This includes new Recaro seats for economy, new fixed shell premium economy seats from ZIM Aircraft Seating, and a new first class seat with near-ceiling-height privacy partitions supplied by Collins Aerospace.

However, the most impactful update comes in business class, where Lufthansa is finally offering seats with direct aisle access, years after they were first introduced by competitors. The seats themselves are based on the IP for the Safran Optima, used by United Airlines, Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, and El Al.

However, these seats are custom models being supplied by either Stelia Aerospace, Collins Aerospace, or Thompson Aero Seating, depending on the aircraft type. The airline introduced the full Allegris cabins on its Airbus A350-900s and is now taking delivery of Boeing 787-9s with Allegris, but without first class.

In addition, the seats will be present on its future A350-1000s and Boeing 777-9s, while it will also retrofit its Boeing 747-8s with the Allegris cabins. However, this will be done in a two-stage process, as it will initially only install the new business class seats and only on the main deck, before refurbishing the rest of the plane. In addition, SWISS has introduced the same cabins and branded them as 'SWISS Senses', while also introducing unique styling elements.

These were introduced on the airline's A350-900s and will also be retrofitted onto its Airbus A330-300s, as well as its 777-300ERs. However, the remaining airlines under the Lufthansa Group umbrella will not introduce the Allegris seats: Lufthansa is also removing all of its A330s, A340s, and 747-400s. Meanwhile, the airline is installing a different, off-the-shelf business class seat on its Airbus A380s.

The Competitive Landscape

As the largest airline within its group, Lufthansa essentially competes against Air France and British Airways for international traffic flows, as well as with smaller national carriers in Europe. In terms of the cabin products, Lufthansa's economy and premium economy seats are hardly cutting-edge, but they are serviceable. In addition, while it offers an aging first class seat that lacks privacy, the product remains comfortable.

With business class, however, Lufthansa is noticeably behind. Of Air France's 121 widebody aircraft, only five (the A330-200s) do not offer business class seats with direct aisle access, while 45 feature the airline's latest interiors. British Airways is still flying widebodies with its ancient Club World seats, but these seats are only present on 35 of its 132 widebodies.

In addition, the airline is actively retrofitting Club Suites on all A380s and the 11 787-9s that still feature their old cabins. Its Gatwick-based 777s won't be retrofitted, but they will eventually be replaced by 787-10s. Lufthansa first introduced its prior-generation business class seat in 2012, and has installed this seat on every aircraft that it has received new from then until 2024.

These seats were adequate in 2012, but entirely uncompetitive today for a full-service carrier given that they don't offer direct aisle access. Lufthansa did acquire four A350s and three 787s second-hand with non-standard interiors and direct aisle access seats, but it wasn't until 2024 that Lufthansa introduced Allegris, currently available on 28 aircraft.

What The New Seats Bring To The Table

The Allegris seats aren't Lufthansa's first business class seats with direct aisle access, given the seven widebodies that it acquired second-hand, but these planes feature nonstandard interiors and are leaving the airline's fleet. This will be the carrier's new interior standard for long-haul flights, and Allegris is far more competitive with what most full-service European airlines are offering compared to the old seats.

In addition to direct aisle access, the Allegris seats are also rather unique. Many business class seats today feature some variability between different seats in the cabin, so Lufthansa has opted to monetize this. The airline offers five different seats on the A350 and 787: 'Classic' seats are angled towards the aisle, while every other angled seat in the center section is an 'Extra Long Bed' seat.

Center seats in the middle section are classified as 'Extra Space' seats, and window seats are named 'Privacy seats'. Finally, the front row 'Suites' offer higher partitions, more space, and a sliding door. This level of segmentation has been met with mixed feedback, especially because Lufthansa charges extra for most of these seats.

However, the seats are still comfortable and spacious, with all types offering excellent privacy. In addition, the Allegris seats offer large, modern screens, multiple charging options, as well as innovative in-seat climate functions controlled from a large tablet. Furthermore, the front-row Suites are considered to be one of the best business class seats in the world, while the cabin as a whole is revolutionary for Lufthansa.

Lufthansa's Allegris Plans

With the Allegris interiors, Lufthansa will go from being behind competitors to having a product that is genuinely world-class and is arguably superior to most other business class seats in some ways. However, the impact of the project depends on how available the product will be, and so far, Lufthansa has been moving slowly.

Including aircraft with non-standard interiors, Lufthansa now has 38 aircraft with direct aisle access seats and 65 aircraft that still feature the old Diamond seats. Lufthansa hasn't retrofitted Allegris on any aircraft yet, but it has been retiring older planes while taking delivery of new Allegris-equipped widebodies.

The seven second-hand aircraft acquired post-pandemic are being transferred to other Lufthansa Group airlines, while the airline's eight A380s will receive a different, off-the-shelf seat (three have already been retrofitted). Lufthansa will retrofit all 17 747-8s with Allegris, while it will also start retrofitting the 17 A350-900s that feature the Diamond seats in 2027.

Lufthansa (the airline, not the group) has been facing financial pressure and is attempting a turnaround. Part of its efforts have been to elevate its product and its brand image as a whole, which will make it more competitive. The transition to the Allegris cabins is a major component of that, but the soft product is important as well. The carrier implemented 'FOX' in 2026 to significantly overhaul its service, amenities, and catering, in a further attempt to improve its onboard product.

The Group's Other Plans

FOX stands for Future Onboard eXperience, and this $70 million project is essentially the other half of Lufthansa's long-haul business class overhaul. The airline hasn't just improved the quality and quantity of the food, but also the presentation. Menus have been fully redesigned, while Lufthansa has added meal and beverage options in premium cabins.

In addition, all passengers receive printed menus, and the second meal service for business class now has flexible timing. With this and Allegris, Lufthansa's overall long-haul experience has significantly improved. As previously mentioned, the new SWISS Senses cabins are virtually identical to the Allegris seats and will be installed on all A330s, A350s, and 777s, while the airline's A340s will be retired.

However, Austrian Airlines' future 787s will not feature the Allegris seats, and it will receive the second-hand Dreamliners that Lufthansa currently operates. The second-hand A350s will be transferred to Discover, and Allegris won't come to Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, or any other Lufthansa Group airline.

The Lufthansa Group's namesake airline has been struggling, and so the group is investing in the carrier's onboard product to boost competitiveness with the flagship carriers from Europe's other airline groups. In addition, SWISS serves a wealthy local market, and it therefore also receives high priority from its parent company. However, the remaining Lufthansa Group airlines are much smaller and therefore are not front of mind to leadership for new interior projects.