FRANKFURT- Lufthansa (LH) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, marking a significant fleet upgrade. But despite the milestone, most of the new Allegris Business Class seats on the aircraft cannot be used due to certification delays.
The aircraft will debut on flights between Frankfurt (FRA) and Toronto (YYZ) from mid-October, but Lufthansa’s booking system confirms that only four Business Class suites are available for sale. The remaining 24 seats in the cabin must stay empty.
Photo:By MarcelX42 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=125620378787 Allegris Business Class Hits a Major Roadblock
Lufthansa had hoped to introduce its long-awaited Allegris cabins on the Dreamliner without further complications. Instead, the airline faces a fresh challenge: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification issues have grounded most of the bespoke Business Class seats, manufactured by Collins Aerospace. Reports point to failed crash testing as the cause of the delay.
Each Boeing 787-9 features 28 Business Class seats, but only the four suites at the front of the cabin have received FAA approval. The rest remain blocked, leaving Lufthansa unable to monetize its most profitable cabin.
Despite this setback, CEO Jens Ritter welcomed the aircraft, calling it “a major boost” to the airline’s long-haul modernization strategy.
The problem reflects the complexity of the Allegris project, which does not rely on a single seat design. Instead, the Business Class cabin combines five different seat types tailored to passenger needs. While this diversity is a selling point, it has become a technical and certification challenge, PYOK flagged.
Photo- tjdarmstadt; Wikimedia CommonsLufthansa to Retire A340s After 787
Lufthansa plans to receive ten Boeing 787-9s by the end of the year, at a pace of one aircraft every two weeks. These planes were already built and sitting at Boeing’s facilities, awaiting Lufthansa’s approval. The airline decided to proceed with deliveries despite the unresolved Business Class issue.
The first ten Dreamliners will join the Frankfurt hub and initially fly transatlantic routes. After crew training, the debut flight is scheduled for Toronto (YYZ).
Ticket prices are steep: one-way Economy fares start at €1,477, while Premium Economy fares begin at €2,784. With Business Class nearly unavailable, Lufthansa is likely relying on these higher fares to offset lost revenue.
Lufthansa has ordered 34 Boeing 787-9s in total, aiming to replace older, fuel-heavy Airbus A330-600s and eventually retire its Airbus A340-600 fleet.
Photo: Clément AlloingA History of Allegris Setbacks
The Dreamliner delays are not Lufthansa’s first Allegris challenge. The project has faced multiple obstacles across different aircraft types:
- The first Airbus A350s with Allegris cabins were delivered with an empty space where the First Class cabin should have been, due to certification issues.
- Certain Allegris Economy Class seats on the A350 were blocked because of problems with seatbelt airbags.
- Planned Airbus A380 retrofits will not feature the full Allegris Business Class, as the bespoke design does not fit the superjumbo’s cabin layout.
- The Boeing 747-8 upper deck also cannot accommodate the Allegris Business Class seats immediately.
The rollout has been so troubled that the Lufthansa flight attendant union recently criticized the Allegris First Class product, claiming it fails to deliver a premium experience.
Photo: LufthansaWhy Certification Matters
Unlike Lufthansa’s Airbus A350s, which use Thompson Aero-manufactured Allegris seats certified by European regulators, the Dreamliners must undergo FAA certification because Boeing is a US manufacturer. This regulatory handover has amplified delays and costs.
For Lufthansa, the certification setback means its flagship premium cabin will sit mostly empty at a time when transatlantic Business Class demand remains strong.
While the airline presses ahead with fleet modernization, passengers booking the 787-9 will see a mismatch between the marketing promise and the actual onboard product.
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Lufthansa to Fly Empty Business Class on New 787s, Why?
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