Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 “Previous Generation” Business Class Cabin – 2012

Lufthansa’s older generation Business Cabin (2006) is located on the lower-deck of the Boeing 747-400s. It is in a 2-2 and 2-3-2 configuration. When it launched, it was Lufthansa’s first Business Class bed concept, but this has been improved to a flat bed concept in 2012’s new “Flying V” Business Class introduced on the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental and being rolled out across the long-haul fleet. The seats boars a 57”-60” pitch, 19.7” width and 165 decree recline. An added bonus is the massage function, which actually is missing from the new “Flying V”. Food and beverage service, owing to Lufthansa’s ownership of SkyChef’s, is in the elite of airline offerings. These images were taken in May, 2012 on a flight between Miami and Frankfurt.

Lufthansa surprisingly doesn’t offer Premium Economy at this point, but the Recaro designed and manufactured 10-abreast Economy Seats with their firm seating were relatively comfortable as well, though seat pitch is unchanged from before. They are thinner than older Economy Seats but with the magazine pocket relocated nearly to the top of the seat in front of the cabin, they give the feeling of more pitch. The seat-pan moves forward as the seat reclines making it more comfortable than other seats in this class. Also, LH added power to their new Boeing 747-800I economy cabin. That said, this is economy and you still get what you pay for. The IFE is scaled back, no wi-fi satellite internet is offered, and seat pitch is a 10 abreast, 31” pitch which is standard in 747 economy class.

Lufthansa introduced the current First Class Cabin in 2010 with the launch of the Airbus A380-800. This ultra-exclusive cabin offers only 8 seats. The current First Class product is understated but quite elegant. Unlike Singapore and Emirates, Lufthansa embraces an open cabin architecture, not enclosed suite approach. On the 747-8 Intercontinental, the First Class cabin is relocated to the front of the lower-deck which translates to an incredibly quiet cabin with extra sound insulation. These seats boast a 90-92” pitch, 21” width, and 79.1” length flat bed. Each seat has a rose, 32” plasma screen, plush douvet, and cool electronically controlled window shades in the Lufthansa Junkers inspired ribbed shade. On the upper-deck, they are in a 1-1 configuration. Food and beverage service, owing to Lufthansa’s ownership of SkyChef’s, is in the elite of airline offerings. These images were taken in during the Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Delivery Event and Inaugural Flight.

An added bonus is Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal, the only one of its kind in the world: a dedicated building, more like an executive jet FBO (fixed-based-operator) than a commercial airline terminal, which is worthy of a story of its own. A personal escort for First Class passengers, forty-year old scotch on offer at the bar, a 4 high-end dining room, a private cigar lounge, and a fleet of Porsche’s and Mercedes to whisk passengers directly to the plane should provide a clue as to the exclusivity of this operation.
Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental New “Flying V” Business Class Cabin – 2012

The new Lufthansa Business Class cabin with the B/E Aerospace manufactured and PearsonLloyd designed lie-flat seats and found it very comfortable with plenty of ergonomic touches and ample storage. The new textures and finishes are a major improvement over the previous configuration, transitioning from blue/yellow to Lufthansa grey/yellow. The seats are covered in virgin wool fabric with a leather armrest, and are constructed of lightweight titanium, aluminum, and carbon fiber. At first glance, the seats appear narrow and not private, but they really shine in sleep mode when they extend to a fully flat 6 feet. The previous Business Cabin seats were narrower and featured the much-derided angled bed, so there was significant improvement here. A fixed ottoman built into the front console can be used as a footrest or part of the bed when it’s flat. The “Flying V” layout creates a very airy, social feel as the seats face in to each other at slight angle. The passengers have more space between them in the head-shoulder areas. As most business travelers travel alone, you would think this would detract from their expected privacy but this wasn’t the case in practice. The IFE screens increased to 15” from 10.4”. However, the previous Business Class seats did have a massage function that I missed. Lufthansa has 7,000 business class seats in their inventory, which renders LH the largest provider of International Business Class seating in the world. The airline views Business Class the most important part of its passenger business, and its introduction into service is nearly as crucial as is the 747-8I. Not leaving anything to chance, Lufthansa trialed the new seats on a 747-400 tested by 1,340 flyers on LH flights 400 and 401 FRA-JFK for 8 weeks in 2010 to gain user feedback. These images were taken during the launch event and delivery of the Boeing 747-8.

The overall airy atmosphere was due in no small part to the 787 inspired LED lighting. The lighting program opted by Lufthansa is not a disco full spectrum performance ala the Dreamliner, but is set according to different scenarios and times of day so that extreme contrast between bright and dark are avoided. As this was a day flight, it was very subtle. During boarding, the cabin is lit relatively bright in a warm, slightly yellowish tone though it will be slightly different between day and night boarding. During take-off and landing, lighting is slightly modified again. During night flights, it is dimmed to a dark blue cool temperature that is the minimal light to allow for maneuvering without disturbing passengers. If, during the night, the toilets are opened in the darkened cabin, the lights inside only shine at full strength after door is pulled inside. Lighting is adjusted for meal service as well. Rather than abrupt on/off and light/dark switches, the cabin illumination has subtle transition modes.

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental First Class Cabin – 2012

Lufthansa introduced the current First Class Cabin in 2010 with the launch of the Airbus A380-800. This ultra-exclusive cabin offers only 8 seats. The current First Class product is understated but quite elegant. Unlike Singapore and Emirates, Lufthansa embraces an open cabin architecture, not enclosed suite approach. On the 747-400, the 8-16 seats are located in the Upper-Deck. These seats boast a 90-92” pitch, 21” width, and 79.1” length flat bed. Each seat has a rose, 32” plasma screen, plush douvet, and cool electronically controlled window shades in the Lufthansa Junkers inspired ribbed shade. On the 747-8 Intercontinental, the First Class cabin is relocated to the front of the lower-deck which translates to an incredibly quiet cabin with extra sound insulation. Food and beverage service, owing to Lufthansa’s ownership of SkyChef’s, is in the elite of airline offerings.

The overall atmosphere was due in no small part to the 787 inspired LED lighting. The lighting program opted by Lufthansa is not a disco full spectrum performance ala the Dreamliner, but is set according to different scenarios and times of day so that extreme contrast between bright and dark are avoided. As this was a day flight, it was very subtle. During boarding, the cabin is lit relatively bright in a warm, slightly yellowish tone though it will be slightly different between day and night boarding. During take-off and landing, lighting is slightly modified again. During night flights, it is dimmed to a dark blue cool temperature that is the minimal light to allow for maneuvering without disturbing passengers. If, during the night, the toilets are opened in the darkened cabin, the lights inside only shine at full strength after door is pulled inside. Lighting is adjusted for meal service as well. Rather than abrupt on/off and light/dark switches, the cabin illumination has subtle transition modes.

An added bonus is Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal, the only one of its kind in the world: a dedicated building, more like an executive jet FBO (fixed-based-operator) than a commercial airline terminal, which is worthy of a story of its own. A personal escort for First Class passengers, forty-year old scotch on offer at the bar, a 4 high-end dining room, a private cigar lounge, and a fleet of Porsche’s and Mercedes to whisk passengers directly to the plane should provide a clue as to the exclusivity of this operation.

Lufthansa surprisingly doesn’t offer Premium Economy at this point, but the Recaro designed and manufactured 10-abreast Economy Seats with their firm seating were relatively comfortable as well, though seat pitch is unchanged from before. They are thinner than older Economy Seats but with the magazine pocket relocated nearly to the top of the seat in front of the cabin, they give the feeling of more pitch. The seat-pan moves forward as the seat reclines making it more comfortable than other seats in this class. Also, LH added power to their new Boeing 747-800I economy cabin. That said, this is economy and you still get what you pay for. The IFE is scaled back, no wi-fi satellite internet is offered, and seat pitch is a 10 abreast, 31” pitch which is standard in 747 economy class.

Among the most elegant lavs in the sky, Lufthansa’s First Class lavatory did boast the famous “loo with a view” window like the 787 and is trimmed in very tasteful textures and surfaces.

First and Business Class passengers enjoy a comprehensive entertainment programme with the expanded Lufthansa Media World. The five categories: WatchEnjoy, ListenRelax, StudyPlay, KidsFun and FlyLufthansa can be individually downloaded onto the screen at each seat: 65 video options with 30 cinema films in up to eight languages, 25 TV programmes and 10 music magazines from all over the world, 222 CDs and audio books on demand, 30 radio programmes with numerous international channels, an extensive children’s programme for our youngest passengers, games of skill, action games and board and strategy games as well as language courses are readily available. In Business and First Class every passenger also receives the monthly Lufthansa Media World programme listing. 

Passengerscan put together their own in-flight entertainment from an even greater selection of programmes: 50 films in up to eight language versions, 75 TV and music programmes, 30 Lufthansa radio channels, 222 CDs on demand and games, as well as service information about Lufthansa and a Moving Map (with 3D function). On the 747-8 Intercontinentals, Lufthansa has added 2 cameras called “Niceview”: one facing forward and one facing below which provide stunning views. Many of the 747-400s offers again one of the first trans-oceanic satellite internet service, called FlyNet, after pioneering the use of the now abandoned Connexion by Boeing back in 2006. It is a joint venture with Deutsche Telekom and Boingo with quite reasonable pricing. I ran speed tests and was able to get up to 3 meg down and 1 meg up which was impressive, and I never lost service. This wi-fi is only offered in the Premium Cabins. The 747-8 Intercontinentals will add the service beginning in 2013. The IFE is somewhat scaled back in Economy Class, however.

In 2005, substantial redesign and redevelopment of the terminal saw the opening of the new Eastern Extension, doubling the size of the departure lounge and creating additional seating as well as retail space. This modern terminal is home to Heathrow's second largest carrier, BMI which is becoming British Airways followed by the sale to Lufthansa, Aer Lingus, and several other Star Alliance airlines such as Aegean, Air New Zealand, Asiana, Austrian, Brussells, Croation, Cyrpus, El Al, LAP, TAM Brazil, Thai, and United. Some of the newer boarding gates used by airlines present in Terminal 1 are numbered in Terminal 2. Those recently built gates will be retained as part of the new Terminal 2 after Terminal 2 officially opens. A temporary connector is in place between the older Terminal 1 and these recently built gates.

Terminal 1 will be closed and then demolished around 2013–14, in preparation for construction of the 2nd phase of Terminal 2, scheduled for completion in 2019. There are no plans to re-use the Terminal 1 name.

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 – 2012
Terminal 2 is a new airport terminal under construction in London Heathrow Airport. The airport's previous Terminal 2, which was the oldest terminal at the airport and dated from 1955, closed in 2009. Formerly named as Heathrow East Terminal, the new terminal will replace the existing Terminal 1, as well as the former Terminal 2.

The terminal is designed by Vidal y Asociados arquitectos and Foster and Partners who also designed the Hong Kong International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. When opened it will become home to Star Alliance who will move over from Terminal 1 as part of BAA's plan to maximise the efficiency of the airport by reducing transfer times and improving the passenger experience. The new terminal will have capacity for 30 million passengers each year.

Like Terminal 5, much of the building is being constructed off-site, helping to overcome many of the logistical constraints of building in the world's busiest international airport.

One half of the core terminal building, to be known as Terminal 2A, will be built as phase one and the second half as phase two. There will also be two satellite buildings named Terminal 2B and Terminal 2C. Once Phase 1 is complete, Terminal 1 will be demolished and Terminal 2A will be doubled in size. A second satellite building, Terminal 2C, will be constructed to the east of Terminal 2B.

Once Phase 2 is complete, the entire project will have a footprint and operational capacity very similar to that of Terminal 5. Phase 1 was expected to be completed in 2012, in time for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games but, following problems with the opening of Terminal 5, it is now expected to open between Autumn 2013 and Spring 2014 followed by a second phase to replace Terminal 1, which will open in 2019.

As of February 2012, Terminal 2A has been declared weather tight and the internal fit out of the building is well under way. Terminal 2B has been under construction since 2008. The first phase of the building was completed in November 2009 and its six gates have been operational since early 2010. Passengers currently access it via a temporary bridge from Terminal 1. The second phase has been under construction since October 2010. When completed, this will provide ten additional aircraft stands. It will be connected to the main terminal building by an underground link.

When completed, the entire project will have a capacity of 30 million passengers a year and will cost £1–1.5bn. The new Terminal 2 will produce 40 per cent less carbon dioxide than the buildings it replaces. Large north-facing windows in the roof will flood the building with natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting without generating uncomfortable levels of heat in the building. Solar-panels on the roof will further reduce dependency on energy supplies. A new energy centre, partially fuelled by renewable resources, will provide its heating and cooling.

Courtesy: Wikkipedia

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 – 2012

Terminal 3 opened as The Oceanic Terminal on 13 November 1961 to handle flight departures for long-haul routes. At this time the airport had a direct helicopter service to Central London from the gardens on the roof of the terminal building. Renamed Terminal 3 in 1968, it was expanded in 1970 with the addition of an arrivals building. Other facilities added included the UK's first moving walkways. In 2006, the new 6 was completed to accommodate the Airbus A380 superjumbo; Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas now operate regular flights from Terminal 3 using the Airbus A380. Redevelopment of Terminal 3's curbside through the addition of a new four lane drop-off area and a large pedestrianised plaza, complete with canopy to the front of the terminal building, was completed in 2007. These improvements were intended to improve passengers' experiences, reduce traffic congestion and improve security. As part of this project, Virgin Atlantic was assigned its own dedicated check-in area, known as 'Zone A', which features a large sculpture and atrium. BAA also has plans for a £1bn upgrade of the rest of the terminal over the next ten years which will include the renovation of aircraft piers and the arrivals forecourt. The concourses are incredibly narrow, depressing, and claustrophobic and are in desperate need of renvation. A new baggage system connecting to Terminal 5 (for British Airways connections) is currently under construction. In addition to the baggage system, the baggage claim hall is also set to undergo changes with dedicated A380 belts and an improved design and layout.

Terminal 3 is home to many One World carriers and others including Air Canada, Air China, America, ANA, some Brisith Airways flights, Cathay Pacific, Egyptair, Emirates, Ethiopian, Eva Air, Finnair, Iran Air, JAL, Oman, Pakistan, Qantas, Singapore, Turkish, and Vueling.

Courtesy: Wikkipedia

Boeing 377 Stratocruiser Cutaway Model from Atlantic Models - 2012

From Richard Jarman, President of Atlantic Models in Miami, Florida “This Boeing 377 Stratocruiser cutaway model is going to a Collector in Mexico. He always loved Pan Am, and has wanted this for a long time. He left it up to us for which scheme to use, and he choose “Clipper America”. It is a 1/36 scale.

This Douglas DC-8 cutaway, owned by Phil Montejano, is about as good as they get: the illumination, passengers, seats, and crew are all highly detailed. Judging by the "water wagon" engines, this is circa the early 1960s. In fact, United repainted the model when the livery changed in 1974. Phil may part with this incredible example. He can be emailed at: montejano1011@yahoo.com

Phil Montejano is a passionate collector and builder of cutaway airline models including a United Douglas DC-8, Eastern Lockheed L1011 Tri-Star, and the latest – an American Airlines Boeing 747.

Frankfurt am Main Airport, which opened in 1936, was all but closed to international service during and after the WWII years from 1939 to 1951. Over sixty years later, Frankfurt is a global success story and is the third busiest passenger airport in Europe behind Paris Charles De Gualle and London Heathrow. It is globally known for its efficiency and has contributed strongly to Lufthansa’s success as LH’s main hub. FRA is the busiest cargo airport in Europe and the busiest airport in Germany. As of 2011, it was the 9^th busiest airport in the world. FRA was the home of Rhein-Main U.S. Air Force base until 2005. This area is now being redeveloped by Fraport, the owner of Frankfurt Airport, for Terminal 3. Frankfurt Airport owes much of its strength due to its location in Germany’s 2^nd largest metropolitan area, and superb rail/highway connections including 2 integrated train stations. Beyond this, it has connected office buildings and hotels making it very business and user-friendly. Though not the most aesthetically pleasing facility, FRA works very well, and there are constant upgrades ongoing.

The airport features 2 terminals with a third under construction. Terminals 1 and 2 are connected via a People Mover train service. Terminal 1, the largest and oldest terminal at FRA is home to Lufthansa and Star Alliance carriers, while Terminal 2 built in 1994, is the home to other airlines. FRA boasts 4 runways, 3 of which are longer than 13,000 feet long including a new one that opened in 2011. The main maintenance facility for its parent company, Lufthansa Technik is located here. Frankfurt Airport is the main hub of Lufthansa, LH’s Airbus A380 fleet and Condor Airlines. Due to capacity limits and a recently added night curfew, Lufthansa has been forced to add a second hub at Munich. Frankfurt is known for being an extremely friendly airport to planespotters with an observation deck in Terminal 2 and an airfield and ramp tour.

Terminal 1, originally called Terminal Mitte (Central Terminal), is divided into three concourses (A, B, C, and Z) with 56 gates, opened on March 14, 1972. It was one of the world’s first airports with an electronic baggage service which is an unsung hero even today in FRA’s very smooth and efficient hub operatins for Lufthansa. Terminal 1 is dominated by Lufthansa, Condor, and the Star Alliance carriers. This terminal, the largest at FRA, is undergoing major renovation and the addition of a new pier called A-Plus that is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2012. The pier will operate flights to non-Schengen destinations and will be used exclusively by Lufthansa. It will be compatible with Airbus A380 operations and should increase the passenger capacity by six million.

Frankfurt am Main Airport, which opened in 1936, was all but closed to international service during and after the WWII years from 1939 to 1951. Over sixty years later, Frankfurt is a global success story and is the third busiest passenger airport in Europe behind Paris Charles De Gualle and London Heathrow. It is globally known for its efficiency and has contributed strongly to Lufthansa’s success as LH’s main hub. FRA is the busiest cargo airport in Europe and the busiest airport in Germany. As of 2011, it was the 9^th busiest airport in the world. FRA was the home of Rhein-Main U.S. Air Force base until 2005. This area is now being redeveloped by Fraport, the owner of Frankfurt Airport, for Terminal 3. Frankfurt Airport owes much of its strength due to its location in Germany’s 2^nd largest metropolitan area, and superb rail/highway connections including 2 integrated train stations. Beyond this, it has connected office buildings and hotels making it very business and user-friendly. Though not the most aesthetically pleasing facility, FRA works very well, and there are constant upgrades ongoing.

The airport features 2 terminals with a third under construction. Terminals 1 and 2 are connected via a People Mover train service. Terminal 1, the largest and oldest terminal at FRA is home to Lufthansa and Star Alliance carriers, while Terminal 2 built in 1994, is the home to other airlines. FRA boasts 4 runways, 3 of which are longer than 13,000 feet long including a new one that opened in 2011. The main maintenance facility for its parent company, Lufthansa Technik is located here. Frankfurt Airport is the main hub of Lufthansa, LH’s Airbus A380 fleet and Condor Airlines. Due to capacity limits and a recently added night curfew, Lufthansa has been forced to add a second hub at Munich. Frankfurt is known for being an extremely friendly airport to planespotters with an observation deck in Terminal 2 and an airfield and ramp tour.

Terminal 2, which opened in 1994, is the home of non-Lufthansa, and non-Star Alliance carriers. It is divided into 2 concourses D and E, and was built in the east of the existing terminal where once the Empfangsanlage Ost (the 1958 Terminal) had been. Terminal 2 is the smaller, but more modern of the 2 current terminals at Frankfurt Airport. With the opening in 1994 Frankfurt Airport had pushed up its terminal capacity to 54 million passengers per year. Along with the terminal opening, a people mover system called Sky Line was established to provide a fast connection between Terminal 2 and Terminal 1. The famed observation deck is located on Terminal 2.