Lufthansa Group (LH), the world’s largest Airbus customer, has received its 700th Airbus aircraft, a factory-new A350-1000. The aircraft was handed over on Nov. 10 in Munich where the aircraft was handed over in the presence of Lufthansa’s CEO Carter Spohr and Lars Wagner, the CEO of Commercial Aircraft Airbus. This marks 50 years of partnership between the Lufthansa Group and Airbus, when the European manufacturer first delivered to Lufthansa.
The Lufthansa Group delivery
The Lufthansa Group has around 300 subsidiaries and equity investments, uniting many airlines under one roof. As a major player in European and global aviation, the Lufthansa Group takes delivery of their 700th Airbus, the new flagship named “Deutschland”. The A350 have been received by airlines across the world, so the Lufthansa Group will participate in its collection of Airbus aircraft 50 years later. The seventh aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet will feature the special livery celebrating the 100th anniversary of the airline.
Carsten Spohr says:
“With our first A350-1000, Lufthansa is taking delivery of the world’s most modern long-haul aircraft. Our guests can look forward to the new Allegris premium cabin in all travel classes. The A350-1000 will become our new flagship at our five-star hub in Munich.”
“The success of Airbus as a European aircraft manufacturer and of the Lufthansa Group as Europe’s leading airline group is therefore far more than an economic success story. It is part of Europe’s sovereignty. Both companies demonstrate that our continent can continue to play a leading role in shaping the future of global aviation.”
From its inaugural flight on Dec. 3, the “Deutschland” will also be the first long-haul aircraft from the Lufthansa Group that is equipped with the new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi powered by Starling. Internet speeds will be as fast as the connection from home, enabling guests to watch video content, perform cloud-based activities, and use other high-speed applications during their flight.
The new A350-1000 Airbus aircraft cabins
The 700th Airbus aircraft received by the Lufthansa Group will become the new flagship in Munich. The aircraft is 73.80 metres long, seven metres longer than the Airbus 1350-900 and accommodates 300 passengers in four travel classes. It has three to four seats in First Class, two individual suites and one “Suite Plus”; 49 seats in Business Class, including eight seats in suites. The Premium Economy Class has 35 seats and the Economy Class has 212 seats.
The partnership between Lufthansa and Airbus has been consistent for the past 50 years, beginning in the 1970s with the A300. The Lufthansa Group now operates aircraft from every Airbus family. It has served as a launch customer on numerous occasions, and both companies have worked on new aircraft developments.
Which upgrade on the A350-1000 would you be most excited to experience (cabin space, new First Class suites, cabin space, Wi-Fi) if you were travelling as a passenger? Let us know in the comments below!
