Earlier this month, German airline Lufthansa took delivery of their first Airbus A321neo. With this new plane comes shiny new seats - at least that’s what the airline is marketing. The new seats come from an Italian manufacturer by the name of Geven. Let’s see what all the fuss is about…

What's the big deal?

Lufthansa is making big news of these new seats. In a recent public statement they said:

“The cooperation with Geven went very well. Due to the combination of seat manufacturer know-how and our customer perspective, we have jointly developed a great seat that is both technically and ergonomically state-of-the-art.”

-Paul Estoppey, Head of Product Cabin Lufthansa Group

The seat, going by the name "Essenza", incorporates "two remarkable innovations in its main structure on the backrest and the bottom cushion", says Geven. The backrest is made of a single piece carbon fibre. Therefore, there is no need for additional fairing or plastic shrouds; just the foam and the cover. This, says Geven, results in fewer parts and less weight.

The same philosophy inspires the bottom cushion, which attaches directly onto the seat beams using velcro. Because of this design, inspection and maintenance activities are carried out more easily.

Furthermore, the reduction in weight will, of course, improve airline fuel efficiency as well as reducing environmental impact.

Moving forward, this new interior will be applied to all A320 family aircraft. Photo: pxhere

What this means for passengers

Here's what Lufthansa had to say about the experience for its passengers:

“The comfortable full-structure upholstery of the seat and the backrest ensure a noticeably pleasant sitting experience thanks to ergonomic pressure distribution, and thanks to the innovative slimming of the backrest, guests enjoy even more personal space.”

A closer look at the new seats. Photo: Lufthansa

According to One Mile At A Time, the seats in economy will offer 20 degrees of recline, rather than a standard 12 degrees. However, business class passengers will have as much as 26 degrees of recline.

Furthermore, seats will have USB ports, while tray tables will also have special tablet holders. The website AirlineRatings says the ports will feature the current USB-A as well as the future USB-C connector types.

In a press release, Alberto Veneruso, Geven Managing Director said:

“Lufthansa Group is an high demanding and meticulous customer but also an ideal partner for developing new products and solutions to their passengers worldwide and ultimately to the aviation industry...Lufthansa Group is well known for paying high attention in the selection of its partners,"

Appearing in other airlines of the Lufthansa network

As the Lufthansa Group also includes SWISS and Austrian Airlines, the plan is to have these new seats across the entire network. This means that we will see a harmonized cabin across all three carriers. The only difference will be seat and headrest covers, to support the branding of individual airlines.

Lufthansa Group says that this gives them flexibility and speed when reacting to new developments. Furthermore, it allows the organization to move aircraft and shift capacity more easily between airlines and their hubs.

A look at the new seats from the back.  Photo: Lufthansa

If and when you get the chance to try out these new seats, do let us know what you think by leaving a comment!