Latest news with #Allegris
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
The 747 has disappeared from Europe, with the exception of one airline
It was easy to spot the aviation geeks walking past gate B32 at Frankfurt Airport. Each slowed from their purposeful stride, or stopped entirely, transfixed. For parked on the apron in the near darkness, with twinkling navigation lights suggesting imminent distant adventures, was a Boeing 747-8. Huge, majestic – and very rare. There are 25,000 blue whales, an animal to which the jumbo jet is frequently compared, navigating the planet, but now only around 50 747s in active passenger service, the vast majority of top-tier carriers having retired them in favour of newer models. Their decline has been long and drawn out, but was hastened by the Covid pandemic, which saw hundreds sold to cargo airlines or simply scrapped. It seems this four-engine behemoth, first flown commercially in 1970, is no longer financially viable in an era of increasingly-efficient twin-engined jets. The final passenger-configured jumbo was delivered eight years ago, and Boeing has no plans to restart the production line. But one European airline hasn't turned its back on the 747 just yet. Germany's Lufthansa, perceived by many to be aviation's kings of efficiency, still operates 27 jumbo jets – 19 of the newer 747-8s, and eight older, slightly smaller 747-400s – and is even upgrading some jumbo jet interiors with swanky new Allegris seats at a cost of $2bn. Why the lingering attachment? Part of the reason is simple and unromantic economics. According to aviation analysts, operations out of its Frankfurt and Munich hubs are each at take-off slot capacity. So, with flight numbers capped, Lufthansa really needs its biggest aircraft, and the 364-seat 747s-8s drop neatly between the Airbus A350 (293 seats) and A380 (455 seats). Furthermore, jumbos, despite their age, have a cracking range of up to 8,000 miles and remain among the fastest passenger jets in the sky (reaching speeds of up to 706mph). 'It's a very good aircraft for very long range, and with a load of 35 tonnes of cargo it makes the 747-8 very economic for us, especially for long-range flights to cities like Buenos Aires and Tokyo, and 'hot and high' airports like Mexico City and Johannesburg [heat adversely affects take-off and landing performance],' said Captain Sebastian Stockhoff, a chief pilot who flies 747s and 787s for Lufthansa. 'That's especially so because [the 747] has eight first-class seats, 80 business-class seats and 32 premium economy [plus 244 economy]. So on routes like New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo, the aircraft is not just very reliable, it's for us very economical because of the higher-class products we have in big volume. 'For flights of around 13 or 14 hours… especially now with the political issues, where you cannot fly across Russia and with rerouting around some Middle Eastern areas, [the 747 means] you can still fly non-stop with some cargo loads [...] it's the perfect aircraft.' But there's another, less tangible factor. Lufthansa recognises that the public, from aviation geeks to ordinary travellers, have plenty of love for the 'Queen of the Skies'. Indeed, affection for the 747 is clearly evident amongst passengers, according to Stockhoff. At Newark Airport, he said, the Lufthansa 747 parks with its nose close to the window, right beside the boarding gate. 'It's quite funny; it takes a while until the passengers are on board the aircraft because they all want to take a photo of the 747,' he explained. Surprisingly agile, very fast Pilots also love the jumbo jet, said Stockhoff, whose first 747 flight was into Orlando in 2015. 'It's very logical [to operate]. There are not so many computers, so you feel more connected to the aircraft.' Cabin crew, he added, love its huge galleys. Bruce Dickinson, lead singer with rock band Iron Maiden, is a former airline pilot, and flew the band's 747-400 tour plane 'Ed Force One', named after the band's mascot, 'Ed', back in 2013-2014. In 2023, he told Flight Global: 'On the ground it's quite stately. In the air it's surprisingly agile, and very fast.' Plane-spotting king Jerry Dyer of Big Jet TV is equally admiring: 'Her design and profile mean she's more majestic in flight than any other aircraft, particularly during a bank. Plus, she has history.' My first 747 flight, in the early 1980s, was on a Lufthansa jet. The plane hadn't been visible from the boarding gate, so entering the cabin was a bit of a Tardis moment. When you're used to narrow-bodied planes, it is surreal stepping inside. My last was on a Virgin Atlantic flight to Mexico. Nine hours in, the 747 ticked up to 41,500 feet – it felt like an effortless demonstration that she still had it. That the landing was, as fans say, a real 'greaser', followed by a cruise-liner-like docking at the terminal, confirmed its majesty.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Virgin Atlantic is swapping onboard bars for high-end suites as the luxury travel boom funds a major overhaul
Virgin Atlantic is launching a major cabin overhaul after reporting record financial results. It's shrinking economy class and removing onboard bars in favour of more premium suites. Airlines are in a luxury arms race as demand for premium long-haul travel booms post-pandemic. Virgin Atlantic has announced a host of upgrades with a view to winning over the wealthiest passengers amid a Transatlantic luxury travel arms race. "There is an insatiable demand for premium travel," CEO Shai Weiss told attendees at a launch event in London on Tuesday, saying that the overhaul had been made possible by booming demand pushing Virgin to a record financial year. He added that more than 90% of seats in its premium and upper-class cabins are filled, "so we know we have the ability to provide more of it." Since the pandemic, travellers have been more interested in flying premium, prompting several airlines to invest in upgrading their business- and first-class suites. Lufthansa, Air France, and British Airways have all recently announced larger and more luxurious first-class suites. Air France's La Première takes up the length of five windows while Lufthansa's Allegris has floor-to-ceiling walls and 43-inch TVs. United Airlines has also upgraded its Polaris class, including Studio suites that are more like first class. Virgin Atlantic isn't launching any completely new seats but expanding the size of its cabins and rolling out more Retreat Suites — its business-class-plus option. Transatlantic travel, in particular, has soared post-pandemic, providing a prime opportunity for the airline, given that it emphasizes such routes. This spells a transformation from its original focus on economy passengers when it was founded in 1984, shaking up UK aviation by challenging the dominance of British Airways. "I think not just Virgin Atlantic started with a heavy focus on economy, but travel has evolved so dramatically over the past 41 years — and especially over the last five — and I think we are here to show that we can do all these things expertly well," Weiss told reporters on the sidelines of the event. The UK flag carrier is undergoing a $17 billion fleet transformation, which is expected to be completed by 2028. 10 Airbus A330neos being delivered from the third quarter of next year will have 16 more upper-class seats and 10 more in premium class, while the economy cabin will shrink by about 30% to 128 seats. Plus, Virgin Atlantic is retrofitting its Boeing 787s, adding 13 more upper-class seats and 21 premium seats, while economy will be cut from 192 to 127 seats. Its 787 upper class has sometimes been derogatorily known as "coffin class" because the suites are narrow, and they lack privacy in a herringbone layout. But they'll soon be updated to modern designs like those on its A330neos. However, Virgin Atlantic will remove its famous bar to accommodate the extra seats. Instead, the airline says its spacious and swanky Retreat Suites can also function as social spaces, as an in-suite ottoman allows them to fit two people. The new A330neos will have six instead of two such suites, while the retrofitted 787s will have eight in total. "I love the bar, and we do love a social space, but the extension of the social space on the 787 will be the Retreat Suite," CEO Shai Weiss told reporters. Virgin Atlantic also announced a partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink, becoming the first British airline to offer streaming-quality WiFi for free. Business Insider previously tried out Starlink on a Qatar Airways flight last year, and found speeds of up to 215 Mbps — faster than most home internet connections. Installation is expected to be completed across the Virgin Atlantic fleet by the end of 2027. To use Starlink, you'll need to sign up for Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club loyalty program. The airline is working on key changes here, too, seeking to recognise passengers who don't fly frequently enough to move up the tiers but have been loyal to the airline for several years. Virgin is also partnering with OpenAI and to introduce an AI concierge to help with travel ideas and navigating airports. A demo at the event drew laughter from the crowd when the user mentioned that rival BA also flies to Mexico, and the concierge responded: "It's pronounced Virgin Atlantic, not BA," with a winky-face emoji. The airline's increased focus on premium will also see it invest millions in refurbishing its lounges at London Heathrow and New York JFK. "Everything we're gonna be telling you today will not be possible if our financial performance had not improved," Weiss said at the start of Tuesday's presentation. Last year saw Virgin Atlantic post record results, with revenues of £3.3 billion ($4.5 billion) and profits of £230 million ($313 million), which were up fourfold from 2023. The airline said this was fueled in part by continued demand from premium travelers, albeit more from those flying for leisure rather than work trips. "Although business travel has not yet recovered to the extent we thought it would have done by now, we have been happy with the strength of consumer demand for premium leisure travel," Virgin Group Chairperson Peter Norris said in the airline's annual report. Weiss told reporters that results for this year are likely to be similar, as uncertainty from tariffs and wars has damaged the hope of setting more records. Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Virgin Atlantic is swapping onboard bars for high-end suites as the luxury travel boom funds a major overhaul
Virgin Atlantic has announced a host of upgrades with a view to winning over the wealthiest passengers amid a Transatlantic luxury travel arms race. "There is an insatiable demand for premium travel," CEO Shai Weiss told attendees at a launch event in London on Tuesday. He added that more than 90% of seats in its premium and upper-class cabins are filled, "so we know we have the ability to provide more of it." Since the pandemic, travellers have been more interested in flying premium, prompting several airlines to invest in upgrading their business- and first-class suites. Lufthansa, Air France, and British Airways have all recently announced larger and more luxurious first-class suites. Air France's La Première takes up the length of five windows while Lufthansa's Allegris has floor-to-ceiling walls and 43-inch TVs. United Airlines has also upgraded its Polaris class, including Studio suites that are more like first class. Virgin Atlantic isn't launching any completely new seats but expanding the size of its cabins and rolling out more Retreat Suites — its business-class-plus option. Transatlantic travel, in particular, has soared post-pandemic, providing a prime opportunity for the airline, given that it emphasizes such routes. This spells a transformation from its original focus on economy passengers when it was founded in 1984, shaking up UK aviation by challenging the dominance of British Airways. "I think not just Virgin Atlantic started with a heavy focus on economy, but travel has evolved so dramatically over the past 41 years — and especially over the last five — and I think we are here to show that we can do all these things expertly well," Weiss told reporters on the sidelines of the event. The UK flag carrier is undergoing a $17 billion fleet transformation, which is expected to be completed by 2028. 10 Airbus A330neos being delivered from the third quarter of next year will have 16 more upper-class seats and 10 more in premium class, while the economy cabin will shrink by about 30% to 128 seats. Plus, Virgin Atlantic is retrofitting its Boeing 787s, adding 13 more upper-class seats and 21 premium seats, while economy will be cut from 192 to 127 seats. Its 787 upper class has sometimes been derogatorily known as "coffin class" because the suites are narrow, and they lack privacy in a herringbone layout. But they'll soon be updated to modern designs like those on its A330neos. However, Virgin Atlantic will remove its famous bar to accommodate the extra seats. Instead, the airline says its spacious and swanky Retreat Suites can also function as social spaces, as an in-suite ottoman allows them to fit two people. The new A330neos will have six instead of two such suites, while the retrofitted 787s will have eight in total. "I love the bar, and we do love a social space, but the extension of the social space on the 787 will be the Retreat Suite," CEO Shai Weiss told reporters. Free high-speed WiFi Virgin Atlantic also announced a partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink, becoming the first British airline to offer streaming-quality WiFi for free. Business Insider previously tried out Starlink on a Qatar Airways flight last year, and found speeds of up to 215 Mbps — faster than most home internet connections. Installation is expected to be completed across the Virgin Atlantic fleet by the end of 2027. To use Starlink, you'll need to sign up for Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club loyalty program. The airline is working on key changes here, too, seeking to recognise passengers who don't fly frequently enough to move up the tiers but have been loyal to the airline for several years. Virgin is also partnering with OpenAI and to introduce an AI concierge to help with travel ideas and navigating airports. A demo at the event drew laughter from the crowd when the user mentioned that rival BA also flies to Mexico, and the concierge responded: "It's pronounced Virgin Atlantic, not BA," with a winky-face emoji. The airline's increased focus on premium will also see it invest millions in refurbishing its lounges at London Heathrow and New York JFK. Funded by a record 2024 "Everything we're gonna be telling you today will not be possible if our financial performance had not improved," Weiss said at the start of Tuesday's presentation. Last year saw Virgin Atlantic post record results, with revenues of £3.3 billion ($4.5 billion) and profits of £230 million ($313 million), which were up fourfold from 2023. The airline said this was fueled in part by continued demand from premium travelers, albeit more from those flying for leisure rather than work trips. "Although business travel has not yet recovered to the extent we thought it would have done by now, we have been happy with the strength of consumer demand for premium leisure travel," Virgin Group Chairperson Peter Norris said in the airline's annual report. Weiss told reporters that results for this year are likely to be similar, as uncertainty from tariffs and wars has damaged the hope of setting more records.
Travel Weekly
24-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Lufthansa's Allegris suites are coming to more U.S. routes
Lufthansa said it plans to increase the availability in the U.S. of its first-class Allegris suites. Lufthansa showcased the seats in New York last week. The airline plans to launch the cabin in mid-August on flights to Charlotte, N.C., and on Oct. 26 on flights to Miami and New York JFK. Lufthansa on March 30 launched the cabin on routes to San Francisco, San Diego and Chicago, and in April on flights to Newark. Other North American gateways are to be determined. The new first-class cabin includes three suites, with the middle suite able to accommodate two guests. It is part of the Lufthansa Group's 2.5 billion-euro investment in product and service improvements -- including its cabins, lounges and catering -- by the end of 2025, said Lufthansa vice president of area management for the Americas Dirk Janzen. The company said about 2 billion euros of that figure will be for the Lufthansa brand. Lufthansa currently has 10 Airbus A350-900 aircraft equipped with the Allegris first-class cabin. In addition, 10 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft will be outfitted with Allegris first class, with the carrier to begin to receive those planes in the second quarter of 2026. There also is an Allegris first-class retrofit planned for 15 Boeing 747-8 aircraft, according to Lufthansa. Source: Business Travel News
Travel Daily News
02-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Lufthansa Group: Winter flight schedule published
Lufthansa Group announced more Allegris connections than ever before: from Munich to New York, Chicago, Miami, Shanghai, Cape Town, Bengaluru and Tokyo. Lufthansa Group's passenger airlines, including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Discover Airlines, have published their winter flight schedules for 2025/26. The winter flight schedule begins on October 26, 2025. All destinations can be booked now. 'A stable, punctual, and reliable flight schedule for all Lufthansa Group airlines for the winter, especially for the Christmas holidays, is our top priority. Our employees at the airports will ensure that everything runs smoothly. In addition, with the expansion of the Allegris offering at Lufthansa Airlines, we are bringing a significant upgrade in the premium segment to many core markets,' said Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer Lufthansa Group. Winter flight schedule highlights for Lufthansa For the 2025/2026 winter flight schedule, Lufthansa will offer additional long-haul flights whereby passengers can enjoy the new Allegris cabin in all classes: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First Class. Starting October 26, the new aircraft, with state-of-the-art cabin interiors, will fly daily from Munich to New York (John F. Kennedy and New Jersey-Newark), Chicago, Miami, Shanghai, Cape Town and Tokyo. In addition, Bengaluru in India will be served three times a week. This is the largest number of Allegris destinations operating simultaneously since its debut. Passengers already booked with these flights can now look forward to the Allegris seat. Ten A350-900s with the new cabin interior are already flying for Lufthansa in the winter schedule. More than half a million passengers in all classes have now enjoyed the new seats with extremely high satisfaction rates of nearly 100 percent. This year, Lufthansa also plans to introduce Allegris in Frankfurt with the Boeing 787-9 and the retrofitting of its existing fleet, starting with the Boeing 747-8. More news from Lufthansa Due to high demand, flights from Frankfurt to Bydgoszcz (Poland) and from Munich to Oradea (Romania) will continue next winter. These connections were added to the flight schedule in summer 2025. The winter season Airbus A380 destinations from Munich have also been confirmed: A380 enthusiasts can look forward to flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Bangkok andDelhi with the A380, which is extremely popular with guests and crew alike. Further news from Lufthansa Group Airlines Austrian Airlines will add Amsterdam as a fourth destination from Innsbruck this winter, in addition to its existing connections to Brussels, Warsaw, and Copenhagen. Austrian Airlines is also expanding its service from Vienna to Bangkok: up to two daily connections are now on the flight schedule. From October 26, 2025, Austrian Airlines will now fly to Linate Airport instead of Malpensa for all flights to Milan. This change was made by taking over the corresponding slots from ITA Airways, which, like Austrian Airlines, has been part of the Lufthansa Group since the beginning of the year. Linate Airport is much closer to Milan, significantly reducing the travel time to the city center for passengers. SWISS is expanding its service to the Polish city of Krakow. In addition, the destinations Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Košice (Slovakia), which were served for the first time last winter, will continue to be served from Zurich. The long-haul destination Washington D.C. (USA) will also continue from Zurich this winter. From Geneva, SWISS is focusing on connections to and from the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia – especially for winter sports travelers planning a vacation in Switzerland. Brussels Airlines is continuing to expand its services from Brussels to Africa. Lomé (Togo), Dakar (Senegal), Conakry (Guinea), Monrovia (Liberia), Accra (Ghana), and Freetown (Sierra Leone) will all receive additional weekly connections. Brussels Airlines is thus strengthening its role as the 'Africa expert' within the Lufthansa Group. Eurowings, Germany's largest leisure airline will connect Berlin with Abu Dhabi with three non-stop flights per week beginning in November 2025. After Dubai and Jeddah, this will be the third long-distance route for the German capital within a short space of time. The Berlin service to the booming metropolis of Dubai will also be expanded: Eurowings will fly to Dubai up to eleven times a week (instead of the previous seven times a week). Eurowings is also providing a real winter highlight in Lower Saxony: With the inaugural flight on November 4, there will be three direct flights a week from Hanover to Dubai. The third new destination will be reached from Baden-Württemberg: Eurowings will connect Stuttgart with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia twice a week going forward. The program to Egypt is also being expanded: In the new winter flight schedule 25/26, Eurowings will be flying to Marsa Alam from Cologne, Hamburg and Berlin. Discover Airlines is adding another highlight to its route network: Starting in winter 2025/26, the holiday airline will fly from Frankfurt to the Seychelles for the first time. Flights to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, are also on the schedule – the only direct connection from Munich to the popular Caribbean vacation destination. Discover Airlines is also adding Alta in Norway to its schedule from Frankfurt for the first time. First Class Lounge in Munich The Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Terminal 2 at Munich Airport is now open again. First Class travelers can enjoy the stylish lounge with its modern design and comfortable ambience on around one thousand square meters. A newly designed gastronomic area with an 'à la carte' restaurant, a front cooking buffet and a newly designed bar offer the highest level of exclusivity. The lounge also offers a variety of amenities such as quiet retreats, elegant washrooms, well-equipped work areas with printers and photocopiers as well as extensive entertainment facilities with TV areas and a large selection of newspapers and magazines. From now on, the lounge will be open daily from 05:00 to 22:00. The reopened lounge rounds off the Lufthansa First Class experience at Munich Airport and is part of a major premium offensive. Among others, First Class guests can also look forward to a renovated First Class check-in area in Munich.
