Lufthansa has launched daily service of its flagship 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft along the airline’s Frankfurt (FRA) – Chicago (ORD) route, marking the first time the plane will be available to passengers in Boeing’s hometown market. The inaugural flight LH430, which occurred on October 27, departed Frankfurt at 10:35 am and arrived in Chicago at 1:55 pm local time. The return flight, LH431, departed from O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 1 at 5:10 pm and arrived in Germany at 7:30 am today. Juergen Seibenrock, Lufthansa’s Vice President of the Americas, noted that Chicago is the fourth U.S. gateway to get this service.
The Boeing 747-8, the world’s longest passenger aircraft, has new wings with improved aerodynamics and raked wing tips; new fuel-efficient, U.S.-manufactured GEnx-2B engines that contribute to a reduction in fuel burn, emissions and noise (and, we hear, reduce overall operating costs); and fly-by-wire technology.
New Business Class
Lufthansa’s 747-8 interior includes a new curved, upswept architecture that allows more room for personal belongings. The new business-class cabin has seats that convert to full-flat, horizontal beds that measure 6’6” in length. Ergonomically improved cushioning ensures a high degree of comfort in a sitting or horizontal position, and adjustable armrests provide more space in the shoulder area when lying down.
Another unique attribute of the new Business Class cabin is the innovative seating arrangement in the form of a “V” so that two neighboring seats are angled towards one another along a central axis. This lets passengers sit or lie facing the direction of travel, while at the same time getting virtually double the distance between two neighboring seats at shoulder level.
Check out this video promoting the new seats: