OFF RADAR. Lufthansa’s new product offers better leg room, wider seats

Extra leg room, wider seats, better service and bigger screens: that sums up the premium economy class of seats, the latest offering from Lufthansa.

The Cologne-based company spent about €100 million to set it up and expects to generate revenue of €1 billion every year. Passengers can bid  for the seats 72 hours in advance. Those aboard can opt for it by paying €300 more. Then there are freebies like extra miles, welcome drinks and an entry into the business class lounge in airports for a “small’’ fee, which is €25 in the Frankfurt airport. Inside the Bengaluru-Frankfurt B747-800 flight, as one is directed towards the premium economy seat, the immediate reaction is that it doesn’t look quite different from the economy ones. But after plonking down into the seat, one feels more comfortable.There is that extra bit of space to sit comfortably and stretch the legs.

The crew give generous portions while serving food in porcelain tableware. But for some strange reason, meals are served first followed by breakfast, and again followed by meals. Meals for a 3am flight may not be the best option when all you want is to catch up on sleep.

The airline pulled out several rows of economy class seats and replaced them with the bigger and wider premium economy class ones. Lufthansa has also played smart: it has placed a few rows of economy seats after the business class seats and then placed the premium economy. Behind the premium economy seats, the economy class section resumes. So if the new class takes off, more economy class seats will be sacrificed.  

The 38-inch seat pitch is at least 6–7 inches wider than its economy cousin and the recline goes till 130 degrees, which is 17 degrees more than what an economy class seat does.

Overall, the space is about 50 per cent more than the economy. Throw in additional baggage allowance, which is twice as much as in the economy, free water bottles, electrical sockets and lots of storage space – and the premium economy seats are loaded enough to eat into the business class. That should be bit of a worry for the management. (Industry grapevine has it that an East European airline plans to take out the premium economy seats because even the well-heeled are opting for them, abandoning the business class).

 But then not everything in Lufthansa premium economy is as attractive. For example, the degree of recline isn’t very comfortable.

The recline of the seat is a neither here nor there kind of an arrangement. In the entertainment section, the screen size is between 11 and 12 inches, about three inches larger than those in the economy seat. But for Indians, for whom entertainment revolves around movies, songs and cricket, the collection in Lufthansa falls short of expectations..  Nevertheless, if the airline can get the seats to recline further, the premium economy seats have the potential to become popular.

The writer was in Frankfurt at the invitation of Lufthansa. 

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