Lufthansa group is big – let’s not beat around the bush. In its pocket is Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss – as well as a few others here and there.
Up until now, the individual airlines have been specifying individual configurations for their fleets. That’s set to change as the airline specifies a standard for its inbound A320neo fleet.
The idea is that certain parts will be standardised in the cabin , such as cabin design, galley, safety critical equipment and seating in effect – will be the same throughout. Here’s a diagram from Lufthansa that explains what they’re standardising…
Lufthansa Group A320neo standardisation – Image, Lufthansa Group
To allow the group to swap aircraft around, these will be personalised with the receiving airlines colours, its seat covers and other branding.
The idea being that for Lufthansa, it can chop and change its fleet with minimal work and in a short time frame. In turn, this will allow the airline to respond to different demands across the group.
The new standards designed aircraft should start flying in 2019. with the airline due to receive up to 100 A320neo family aircraft up to 2025.
With the legacy airlines trying to be more nimble these days, this is a play from the low-cost carriers – a standard plane, a standard interior, shove it on a route, then move it onto the next one.
Lufthansa’s play on this will be to quickly re-brand the aircraft so it feels like it’s part of another airlines fleet.
Let’s not make mistakes here – this is a cost saving measure from top to bottom – from procurement to asset management.
And long-term work like this will add to the savings and profits, providing the airline doesn’t chop and change its movements regularly.
However, Lufthansa’s A320neo aircraft have been known to be very tight at the back of the plane. Hopefully, the standardisation might distribute the space more evenly…
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I’m a little bit surprised not more airline groups do this, but there aren’t many airline groups as huge and organized (hey, they are German, after all!) as LH.