See the new business class keeping Lufthansa's Airbus A380 competitive as deliveries of new next-generation jets slip

• Lufthansa announced a new A380 business class, signaling the aging jet remains core to the fleet.
• The seat won't have closing doors, but it is already certified and can be quickly installed.
• Airlines are keeping older and more costly jets flying longer amid a shortage of new widebodies.

Lufthansa is doubling down on a jet that many thought was history.

The German flag carrier announced Friday that it will install a new business-class cabin on all eight of its Airbus A380 superjumbos as part of its broader multibillion-dollar fleet renewal.

Airlines are racing to meet growing demand for high-dollar premium experiences on long-haul flights. The new A380 business class will deliver an upgrade over the current layout, with more space, modern technology, and aisle access for all passengers.

However, it will not be part of Allegris, Lufthansa's new signature economy and premium cabins rolling out across its old Boeing 747-8s and newly delivered Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s.

Lufthansa said the A380 seat, from manufacturer Thompson Aero, was chosen strategically because it is already certified for the jet type. Allegris is not, and using it would require a separate, lengthy certification process.

That means Lufthansa can quickly retrofit the A380 planes and get them back in the air. The project is expected to start in February, with the first refreshed jet returning to service in April.

The move comes as airlines face delayed deliveries of next-generation widebodies — particularly the Airbus A350-1000 and the yet-to-be-certified Boeing 777X — creating a crunch in long-haul, money-making capacity.

A company spokesperson told Business Insider that Lufthansa's A380 refurbishment was planned well in advance and isn't a direct response to shifting delivery timelines.

"Lufthansa is investing in an aircraft that has already been in scheduled service for several years," he said. "Nevertheless, we always want to offer our guests a modern and high-quality cabin product."

Still, Lufthansa has repeatedly delayed retiring its A380s.

It considered ditching the jet after COVID halted travel (six aircraft were permanently removed from the fleet), but a strong post-pandemic rebound brought some planes back from storage and pushed the retirement of the remaining A380s to 2026.

It now has at least another five years. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said in October 2025 that the A380s will continue flying into the early 2030s as the airline awaits new widebodies.

Lufthansa is the expected launch customer for Boeing's 777X, now expected to be at least seven years late in 2027 due to production and certification issues. The airline has also faced delivery delays for the 787 and A350.

Carriers like Dubai-based Emirates, Australian flag carrier Qantas, and British Airways are similarly keeping older planes flying longer as they await new planes — including refurbishing the A380 with expensive new economy and premium cabins.

Data from the aviation analytics firm Cirium shows roughly 91,500 A380 flights are scheduled for 2026, about 1,500 more than in 2025. That uptick comes after the number of A380 flights plunged from about 120,000 in 2019 to just under 14,000 in 2021.

This increase comes despite the A380's inefficiencies. Its four fuel-hungry engines make it costly to operate, its size limits the number of airports it can serve, and its roughly 500 seats are challenging to consistently fill. While a few ultra-high-demand routes can justify the capacity, it doesn't work across an entire network.

Airlines are also increasingly favoring smaller, more flexible twin-engine widebodies that can better adjust to fluctuating demand and efficiently serve both point-to-point routes — nonstops that don't go through a mega hub — and traditional hub-and-spoke networks.

Airbus ultimately ended A380 production in 2021.

Lufthansa's new A380 cabin keeps it competitive

Lufthansa's A380s presently feature a 2-2-2 business-class layout, which forces window-seat passengers to climb over a neighbor to reach the aisle — a frustration for travelers paying a premium for privacy and flexibility beyond what economy offers.

Renderings show the new cabin will switch to a 1-2-1 layout, giving every passenger direct aisle access. The design also adds Bluetooth connectivity, privacy partitions, and a lie-flat bed longer than six feet when the seat is fully reclined.

Once retrofitted, the A380 will feature eight seats in first class, 68 in business, 52 in premium economy, and 371 in regular coach.

The cabin won't have sliding doors, double beds, or big front-row suites — features that have become increasingly popular across the industry and are included on certain Allegris seats.

That added complexity, however, has slowed Allegris' rollout. The cabin includes multiple seat types and configurations within a single aircraft and has not yet been certified for the 787.

As a result, some Dreamliners are currently flying with business-class seats blocked from sale while Lufthansa awaits regulatory approval, limiting premium-cabin capacity and revenue.