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For plane buffs like me, here are some pictures of Lufthansas new 747-800 D-ABYA Cannot wait to fly it after its delivered in March.
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flightblogger/2012/02/photos-of-note-lufthansas-firs.html
Perhaps for once I will get lucky. I am booked on LH418 FRA-IAD in mid-March in First :-) Currently slated as B747-400 with 50/50 chance of New F. Wouldn't mind a swap to the B747-800.
Thanks for sharing LP!
Awesome. Such an elegant plane....so much more attractive than that flying double decker bus.
I do hope IAG order some when they start replacing their 744s.
Is it just me or is the upper deck longer?
Shape is a lot more sexy than an 380! Lp sweety do you have any figures to compare both planes? xx
The shape does look elegant but it is not quite so aesthetically simple as the A380. The hump on top looks a little awkward and the general design which happens to be several decades old does look quite dated. However, to me it's what's inside that counts and as long as Lufthansa introduce a proper business seat, I will be happy!
Hello Hengli123, both yourself and other readers will be pleased to know that Lufthansa will use the B747-800 to launch its new generation of fully flat bed seating in business class. We reported on this development way back in October 2010 and again in February of last year.
Alex McWhirter
http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/the-big-picture-boeing-unveils-747-8-interconti
http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/lufthansa-plans-new-business-class-for-2011
I agree Becky, the 747-8 is sexier than the 380, and the upper deck is longer. It will also be the worlds longest plane, longer even than the A340-600 which is longer than the A380
Not wishing to be thought of as a plane spotter nerd, I'll let CNN do the comparisons. It does seem that both manufacturers claim superiority so I guess only LH will be able to make a true comparison as they will operate both.
http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/boeing-747-8-and-airbus-a380-death-match-152563
Seems it's first flight will be to Washington Dulles but we don't know when.
I feel I should complain as this is pure aviation pornography... Sheer bliss... Sorry I just had a moment... Thanks for posting LP, maybe I will look again at *A.
A poster has got me thinking, if you fly in a 748 then you don't see the beauty so if you fly in a whale ( a380) then you can look out of the windows and drool. Decisions decisions... I cannot wait to fly one. Thanks again LP.
Fantastic. On my only regular US route. Well worth the change of planes to try it.
I do hope IAG factors the 747-8 into its plans, though fuel-hungry four engined beasts are fast losing favour, so I'm frankly not hopeful especially as BA has fallen in love with the 777-300ER and will need to have sizeable A380 fleet to cope with reduced frequencies and to manage capacity at slot-restricted LHR.
Problem is that with a larger Upper Deck, the intimacy is lost and it turns into just another 777 main deck dormitory. I like the current 2-2 Club World set up:
www.matthandy.co.uk/images/tr/sm/DSC_2200.jpg
Is there a rollout schedule for Lufty's 747-8 beyond the initial delivery in March?
I must say, even though I love the A380 I could get quite excited about a journey on the 748i. It does look rather nice and very classical because I suppose we all recognise the shape of it and associate it with long haul travel, I can still remember the first time I boarded one.
Maybe when LH introduce it to BKK which I think they will, I'll give it a go.
Thanks, LP.
IAD, mmmm, I think I should manage to have a (more or less) good reason to fly there soon :-) D-ABYA: here I come :-)
Btw, yes, it is longer. And business class will be upper deck while First will be in the nose (according to LH, F passengers complained to have to climb these stairs on the 747-400!).
I also hated those stairs Swissdiver, and put it on the customer satisfaction forms they come round with several times. You had to struggle up with your carry-ons and then of course down again.
My biggest grouse though was headroom. I was always banging my head on the overhead bins!
I believe LH are putting F in the nose because the upper deck is so large and their new F seats don't really work in the space.
I would like to try their new F on the 748, eight seats where CX have nine will no doubt be very similar. When you compare that to the fourteen BA jam in it's a very different experience.
I agree, the 747-8 is a beautiful airplane made even more majestic. The upper deck is a bit longer, as is the plane itself, but that seems to give the 747-8 more 'elegant' proportions than the 747-400. If you're a Trekkie like me it's like comparing the original 1701 from the TV show (747) to the 1701-A from the movies! :P
Time to boldly go I think. I do hope BA wakes up and orders some. Their 744 fleet was a USP when it was in its youth. I think the A380 and the 787 will both carve out roles For themselves but there will still be room for the 747 which for many of us stands for longhaul.
It's hard to understand why the 748 has lagged so much on sales. It seems the perfect fit between the A330/777/787 and the A380. For LH it was perhaps an obvious choice as they don't operate the 777 but maybe for those operating the 773 they just don't see a gap big enough to justify bringing in another type.
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