Lufthansa confirms new business class for Boeing 747-8 in 2012

Update | Lufthansa has revealed its new fully flat business class seats fior the Boeing 747-8: check out our extensive photo tour!

Previous | Lufthansa will launch its new business class seat -- a fully flat bed -- in 2012 when it starts flying the new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, an airline spokesperson has confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.

A presentation to investors shows pairs of angled 'herringbone layout' seats, which will be supplied by B/E Aerospace as part of its US$100m outfit of the 747-8.

While confirming the new premium cabin, Lufthansa hedged that the photo of the seats shown at the investor presentation last week was "not an official image of our new business class".

"The snapshot doesn't show the final version of the seat", an airline spokesperson told Australian Business Traveller.

Fully flat beds in Lufthansa's business class will be a welcome improvement on the airline's angled lie-flat seats, which have been superseded by numerous other airlines' more impressive offerings:

Why are fully flat beds better than angled lie-flat seats in business class? We put the truth to the lie-flat lie in our in-depth article.

The 747-8 configuration will see Lufthansa's first class relocated from the 'bubble' atop the jumbo into the aircraft's nose, while the new business class will occupy the 747-8's elongated bubble as well as a smaller secondary cabin downstairs.

While Lufthansa doesn't fly directly to Australia, business travellers are used to connecting through southeast Asian Star Alliance hubs at Singapore and Bangkok for the German airline's flights.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.