The passenger version of the new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental has entered commercial service.
Lufthansa, the launch customer of the new jumbo jet, flew the aircraft from Frankfurt to Washington DC’s Dulles International Airport on Friday 1 June. Flight LH416 departed Frankfurt at 0950 and touched down in the US capital at 1245. In addition to scheduled passengers, Lufthansa’s CEO & Chairman Dr. Christoph Franz and the Vice President & General Manager of Boeing’s 747 programme, Elizabeth Lund, were also onboard.
The new aircraft will now fly the trans-Atlantic route six days a week (every day except Tuesdays), increase capacity between the two cities by more than 6%.
“The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is an exceptional aircraft,” said Dr Franz. “With its addition to our fleet, Lufthansa has created a product that is not only in line with our company’s commitment to innovation, technology and efficiency, but that also offers qualities and features that are sure to maximise our passengers’ in-flight experience.
“Lufthansa looks forward to expanding our 747-8 Intercontinental service to other US markets in the coming months,” he added.
“It is such an honour to join Lufthansa in welcoming the 747-8 Intercontinental into service,” said Ms Lund. “Lufthansa has provided great inspiration and leadership in helping us design a new ‘Queen of the Skies’ for the 21st Century, an airplane that Lufthansa will love for its efficiency and reliability, airport neighbors will love for its quiet operations and low emissions, and passengers will love for its beautiful new interior and extra space.”
Lufthansa’s B747-8 is equipped with 362 seats in a three-class configuration – eight in first class, 92 in business class and 262 in economy. The new business class cabin features a V-shaped seating arrangement whereby two neighbouring flat-bed seats are angled towards each another along a central axis. This enables passengers to sit or lie facing the direction of travel, while almost doubling the distance between two seats at shoulder level.
The German airline currently has 20 B747-8s on order, five of which will be delivered this year. The airline will deploy the aircraft to gateways in the US and India. Overall however, sales of the passenger version of the new B747 have been slow. Lufthansa’s orders apart, just two airlines have chosen the B747-8, with Korean Air buying five aircraft and Nigeria’s Arik Air purchasing two. Private customers have ordered a further nine. The freighter version has been more popular however, with 70 orders from eight customers.
The B747-8 Intercontinental is the world’s longest passenger aircraft.
