Summary
- Lufthansa is retrofitting its Airbus A320-200 aircraft to increase overhead storage space by 40%, allowing for carry-on bags to be stowed vertically.
- Passengers will also enjoy extra legroom and new seats with ergonomic backrests, tablet holders, and dedicated USB ports to charge mobile devices.
- The upgrades will begin in Spring 2025 and be completed by the end of 2027
German flag carrier Lufthansa is getting ready to upgrade its cabin experience. The Star Alliance carrier has just announced it will begin retrofitting some of its short-haul fleet to increase storage space and additional customer amenities on its solder aircraft.
What is getting upgraded?
The updates will come to the airline’s Airbus A320-200 aircraft family, which fly short and medium-haul routes. Beginning in spring 2025, the carrier will install the new cabin updates on 38 of the Airbus A320s already flying for the airline. The most significant headline upgrade is the amount of overhead storage space.
The overhead bins have been redesigned to hold up to twice as many carry-on suitcases or bags as the current ones. This can be achieved thanks to an expansion, which leaves the bins 40% larger than they are now. This extra space now allows luggage and larger rolling carry-on bags to be stowed vertically, allowing passengers to load them much more quickly and conveniently as they don’t have to try to shove them in sideways or at an angle.
Photo: Lufthansa
The updates are expected to come to the carrier’s existing fleet of A320-200ceos, as opposed to the A320neos that it is currently receiving. A spokesperson for Lufthansa confirmed exclusively to Simple Flying that the last retrofits are scheduled to take place by the end of 2027. No word is currently available on the status of retrofitting the remaining A320ceos, of which there are more than a dozen.
New seats for smartphone users
The other significant upgrade passengers will notice immediately is the extra legroom. Lufthansa is working with Italian manufacturer Geven on the new seats, which are designed to offer more legroom with the same seat spacing thanks to the ergonomic shaping of the backrests. Sure to be a benefit for passengers in all classes of travel.
Photo: Geven
The seats are also being upgraded to future-proof the fleet for the coming years with in-seat power. Lufthansa will install a dedicated USB port in each seat to charge mobile devices. A feature more commonly seen on long-haul fleets but expanding as passengers expect to use their phones throughout the flight.
Lufthansa is further equipping all seats with a unique holder for tablets and smartphones. This is designed to allow guests to watch movies and shows more easily, given the lack of built-in entertainment screens. The holders will also free up space on the seat’s folding table for other uses.
Photo: Airbus
The narrowbodies are not the only ones getting an upgrade. A new business class cabin, Allegris, will be retrofitted on its Airbus A380s and Boeing 747-8s. The cabin is also due to feature in the carrier’s still-to-be-delivered Airbus Dreamliners and A350s.