Lufthansa to commence Boeing 747-8i service to Bangalore from September 13

As Bangalore Aviation had predicted about three weeks ago, German carrier, and Boeing 747-8i launch customer, Deutsche Lufthansa will upgrade its daily Frankfurt Bangalore service, LH754/LH755, from September 13 ex-Frankfurt and September 14 ex-Bangalore, from the current Boeing 747-400, to the brand new Boeing 747-8i aircraft featuring the carrier's newest business class, and the upgraded economy class cabin products. (See photos and video.)

India was the first Asian destination for Lufthansa's Boeing 747-8i, when the carrier upgraded its Frankfurt New Delhi service from August 6. Lufthansa commenced its maiden Boeing 747-8i service the Frankfurt Washington Dulles route in June. The Bangalore route will be operated as the carrier receives its third aircraft from airframer Boeing. Chicago and Los Angeles are expected to be the carrier's fourth and fifth destinations as it receives more aircraft.

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8i seat map

India is the second largest international market for the carrier, after the US, and Bangalore is an important destination for Lufthansa. Bangalore is home to many German companies like auto parts major, Bosch, medical and systems major, Siemens, and IT major, SAP, to name a few.

After Bangalore's HAL airport was opened up for international operators, the airline was one of the earliest entrants in September 2001, and has maintained an uninterrupted presence since then. Lufthansa continues to be one of the most preferred international airlines at Bangalore. The Bangalore San Francisco route, with its high corporate demand for premium cabin seats, is an especially lucrative flight for the airline.

For the last few years, the carrier was loosing ground to rival, Emirates airline, which offered a superior cabin product. The airline has an modern cabin product on its Airbus A380, but could not operate the aircraft to Delhi, due to hinderance by the Indian civil aviation authorities, and to Bangalore, due to a lack of capability of the airport to receive the superjumbo Code F aircraft.

With the Boeing 747-8i, Lufthansa has introduced its newest cabin products and addressed this long standing complaint of many a traveller. The aircraft is configured with 8 First, 92 Business and 262 Economy Class seats. Full details on the features of each of the cabins can be read in this white paper.

Axel Hilgers, South Asia Director for Lufthansa says

“Bengaluru is an important destination in our global network and we expect an enthusiastic passenger response for the B747-8 and its great new on-board products. Serving India’s High Tech capital with this exceptional aircraft underlines our strong commitment to build on our success story there,” “The B747-8 features outstanding innovations in terms of technology, efficiency and in-flight comfort. In particular, introducing Lufthansa’s new Business Class to Bengaluru highlights our endeavour to provide customers there with the best Lufthansa products worldwide,”

Lufthansa has ordered a total of 20 Boeing 747-8i.