Sneak Peek: Lufthansa brings the new B747-8 aircraft to India

German carrier Lufthansa said in a press release that it would operate the latest Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet between Delhi and Frankfurt from August 2012, making it the second destination for the German destination after Washington.

The airline will also deploy this aircraft on the Bengaluru route later this year.

As global launch customer for this completely new aircraft, the airline chose India as second market worldwide for the all-new "Queen of the Skies".

Image Courtesy, Lufthansa

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"Choosing India as launch-pad for our latest two products in Asia underlines this market's importance in our global network as well as our commitment to grow here", explains Lufthansa South Asia Director Axel Hilgers.

"With the B747-8 and our brand new business class, we are offering Indian customers exceptional travel comfort. These investments will further strengthen Lufthansa's position in the core market that is India."

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The arrival of the B747-8 also turns India into the Asian launch market for Lufthansa's sophisticated new business class, which includes a seat that converts into a 6.5 feet long, horizontal sleeping surface.

The B747-8 is configured with 8 First Class, 92 Business Class and 262 Economy Class seats.

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This new aircraft will replace the Boeing 747-400 that is presently used on the Frankfurt-Delhi route.

Further, it boasts of exceptional comfort in a sitting or horizontal position, with intuitive adjustments, additional storage space and an enhanced entertainment system.

Another novelty is the innovative "V"-shaped seating arrangement: This solution enabled Lufthansa to virtually double the distance between two neighbouring seats at shoulder level, which gives the passengers greater privacy.

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In 2007, Lufthansa conducted a survey of more than 500 frequent flyers in order to develop a seat that meets the most discerning demands with regards to seating and sleeping comfort.

The result of this survey is the new business class seats with ergonomically improved cushioning to ensure a high degree of comfort which also gives passengers more space to place their personal items and additional storage compartments on the actual seat.

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The B747-8 is a completely new aircraft that builds upon the positive features of the Boeing 747 series, which has served Lufthansa's long-haul routes for more than 40 years.

The new aircraft claims of 15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions per passenger and a 30 per cent reduction in noise emissions.

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Lufthansa, which was voted the as the best international airline in India 2011, is in the process of training their crew for the new aircraft type.

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Lufthansa's first B747-8 has been deployed on the Frankfurt-Washington route. The aircraft which will serve the Frankfurt – Delhi route is the second B747-8 to join Lufthansa's fleet. Before this aircraft makes its way into India, it is getting few final touches at the aircraft's home base Frankfurt.

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A further two B747-8 aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2012. Lufthansa has ordered a total of 20 B747-8.

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Lufthansa has completed 52 years of operations in India. Here, it offers 46 weekly flights from 5 Indian destinations in the current summer flight schedule.