Forgetting you're on a plane: this is the goal of the new suite Allegris by Lufthansa. The historic German airline is about to bring to the skies a travel concept that transforms first class into a real luxury hotel room. And I'm not using any metaphor, I'm serious.
Lufthansa and the debut of an exclusive experience
November 9th marks the beginning of a new era for LufthansaThe first lucky (and wealthy) passengers bound for Bangalore, India will be able to experience the Allegris suite, followed on November 15 by those bound for Mumbai. Initially, access will be by invitation only, reserved for the company's most loyal customers.
Jens Knight, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines, It describes the experience as a “private hotel room,” and I wonder how many of us will ever be able to afford this level of air luxury. But what exactly is it? Let’s see.
A hotel in the clouds
The First Class Suite Plus is the jewel in the crown of this new development. Floor-to-ceiling walls and a sliding door ensure complete privacy, creating what can be described as a small flying apartment.
Inside, two spacious seats convert into a double bed, perfect for couples. For solo travelers, the suite can be configured as an extremely large individual space.
Every detail has been designed for your comfort: custom controls for heating or cooling, a large entertainment screen, wireless headphones and adjustable lighting. There's even a private wardrobe to store your personal belongings and get changed in comfort.
The entertainment of the future
In collaboration with Meta e MSM.Digital, for its flying Scrooges Lufthansa has also changed the in-flight entertainment experience. It will be the only airline in the world to offer exclusive virtual reality content, an innovation that has earned it the APEX Innovation Award 2024 for the best in-flight entertainment experience in the world.
Business Class passengers will be able to immerse themselves in a variety of interactive and cinematic experiences through cutting-edge VR headsets. The digital menu includes 360-degree travel podcasts, relaxation exercises and exclusive content that transforms flight time into an immersive and personalized experience. Interestingly, Lufthansa is using this launch period as a kind of flying laboratory: passenger feedback on VR content will help the company further refine the entertainment offering, creating a system that evolves based on traveler preferences.
A colossal investment for Lufthansa
The Allegris program is part of a €2,5 billion renewal plan that Lufthansa will complete by 2025. The first aircraft to receive this treatment will be the Airbus A350-900s, with the goal of equipping 90% of the 117 designated jets by the end of 2028.
The price of luxury
I naturally wonder how much it will cost to travel in this flying suite. Although Lufthansa has not yet announced official prices, considering that a normal first-class ticket on the Frankfurt-Bangalore route can already exceed 10.000 euros today, I can imagine that this extra-luxury experience will cost considerably more. I rephrase: prohibitive.
Of course, this step still represents a small milestone in the commercial aviation industry. While most of us will continue to travel in economy class, it is interesting to observe how the concept of air travel itself is evolving (in some cases even involuting), increasingly blurring the line between flying and luxury accommodation.
Lufthansa's Allegris First Class Suite could be the vanguard of a new way of thinking about the future of air travel, and some of these solutions will not remain an experience reserved for a very lucky few. Maybe.
