The airlines in the Lufthansa Group have once again set a record for efficiency: In 2014, the planes of the passenger fleets only used an average of 3.84 litres of kerosene (2013: 3.91 l/100pkm) to carry a passenger 100 kilometres, representing an improvement of 1.6 per cent over the previous year.
As in previous years, the Group has thus met the demanding aerospace industry target of annual efficiency gains of 1.5 per cent. Whether Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines or Germanwings – all airlines in the Lufthansa Group have continued to improve their specific consumption values. The cargo aircraft of Lufthansa Cargo were also more efficient than ever, with 0.183 litres/tonne kilometres – an improvement of 5.2 per cent over 2013. In 2014, Group-wide efficiency in cargo transportation was increased by 0.8 per cent. In the reporting year 2014, the absolute fuel consumption in the Group increased slightly by 0.7 per cent with an increase in transport capacity of 1.9 per cent, so the trend towards the decoupling of transport capacity and fuel consumption was also continued successfully.
The further reduction of specific fuel consumption is foreseeable through the investment in new, more efficient and low-noise aircraft. Lufthansa has now put the last of 19 Boeing 747-8 aircraft into service. The aircraft is 15 per cent more fuel efficient than its predecessor model B 747-400. By 2025, the company will receive 272 aircraft at a list value of 38 billion euros.
This is the biggest fleet modernisation programme in the history of the Lufthansa Group. In 2015 alone, 17 aircraft will be delivered to the Group.
The basis for further achievements in environmental performance is the four-pillar strategy established for climate protection, which combines different environmental measures. In addition to numerous programmes for the more efficient use of the resource kerosene, the Group is also focusing on the research and use of alternative, low-CO2 fuels. The Lufthansa Group is also engaged in the electromobility initiative E-PORT AN at Frankfurt Airport, in order to make the taxiing and towing operations of aircraft more efficient through the use of electromobility and thus to reduce kerosene consumption and CO2 emissions on the ground.
Look forward to a new travel experience with Lufthansa’s Premium Economy Class as the airline will be offering you a new travel experience between Business Class and Economy Class on long-haul flights. Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, you will enjoy more personal space, more service and more extras. So you’ll be able to enjoy a thoroughly relaxing journey – both on the ground and on board.
Irs fleet of Boeing 747-8s is the first to have been fitted with the new seats – the aircraft fly from Frankfurt to the following destinations: Bangalore, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Mexico City, São Paulo, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
Since mid-January, Lufthansa’s first Airbus 340-600s with Premium Economy Class on board have been flying from Munich to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo and since February 11, 2015 they have been flying to Seoul.
From mid-April 2015 the A380s started flying from Frankfurt to Delhi, Houston, Johannesburg, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore and from June 15, 2015 also to Boston and Chicago. And from May 12, 2015, A340-600 fleet flew from Munich to Los Angeles, Mexico City, Newark, Beijing, San Francisco and São Paolo.
By the end of this year, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the new Premium Economy Class on the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet. With more benefits such as more baggage, you can check in two bags, each weighing up to 23 kg – and therefore enjoy double the free baggage allowance you have in Economy Class.
As fof its Businessclass, the new Lufthansa Business Class seat boasts a horizontal sleeping surface measuring 1.98 metres in length. At the press of a button, it converts into a comfortable bed. The seat impresses with the exceptional comfort it offers as a flat bed or as an upright or reclining seat, with its intuitive adjustments, additional storage space and enhanced entertainment system.
“We integrated our customers very closely into the development of our new Business Class so we would be able to offer a product that was totally in line with their wishes and requirements,” says Jens Bischof, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board.
Back in 2007 Lufthansa conducted a survey of more than 500 frequent flyers in order to find out their preferences and their requirements of a Business Class seat. With that as the starting point, the airline moved on to the next phase and developed various concepts with the aid of well-known ergonomics experts, designers and seat manufacturers. In 2010 an eight-week trial was conducted on the Frankfurt-New York-Frankfurt route. The outcome is a seat that meets the most discerning demands as regards seating and sleeping comfort.
Another novel feature is the innovative seating arrangement in the form of a “V”. Two neighbouring seats are angled towards one another along a central axis. This solution enabled Lufthansa to fulfil one of the main wishes expressed by customers – to sit or lie facing the direction of travel. This seating arrangement also enabled Lufthansa to virtually double the distance between two neighbouring seats at shoulder level, which in future will give Business Class passengers greater privacy. Furthermore, the newly developed concept allows Lufthansa to make optimum use of the space on board.
The new Business Class seat at a glance consists of a horizontal sleeping surface measuring 1.98 metres in length; Ergonomically improved cushioning ensures a high degree of comfort in a sitting or horizontal position; more space at shoulder level when lying down thanks to lowerable armrests and a special hollow in the central console; generous surfaces to put things on and additional storage compartments on the seat itself.
There is no need to stand up because it is ergonomically optimised with continuous seat-adjustment mechanism when converting the seat into a bed and when making individual adjustments to the seat position.
It has inflight entertainment system with larger monitors (15-inch screens as opposed to the previous 10.4-inch screens) and greater distance from the neighbouring seat at shoulder level provides more privacy in the Boeing B747-8.
SADE WILLIAMS
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
