KrisworldB777 wrote:

"I know that LH is planning a huge product innovation campaign after some 5 years of work. The new systems that LH are going to introduce will completely revolutionize in-flight entertainment and cabin management like never before. It will be installed on the entire long-range fleet. It is planned to be rolled out early in 2003 I believe so stay tuned."

As far as i know, LH is the only Airline to test and maybe buy Boeing's connexion at the moment. Maybe this, together with great PTVs, could be the innovation ? Just imagine the possibilty of a touchscreen in front of you, being able to surf in the internet (check pics at a.net of the plane you're flying in), check your emails, watching live TV of the country u want, or watch the newest movies .. would be great, and would put LH far ahead of any airlines in terms of inflight entertainment

not to mention the possibilities for bankers, checking all changes in the stock exchanges in realtime, and even doing online banking while sitting in a plane  

My A321-131 flight from Moscow to Frankfurt (D-AIRD) didn't even have radio channels let alone video and the A340 to Boston had a problem with its system and kept cutting out. If the innovation are true, they seem to sure need it.

hm, i think LH business class is ok, but with those innovations it will improve by far

Internet on board is currently in test (one LH 744) or will soon be, btw it is a joint development of Boeing and LH.
Yes, that will basically be the innovation as concerns PTV. There will also be a new design of the seats in all 3 classes, though that may take a little longer than 2003 (expensive and they need to manage their cost-structure first), coming from 2004 onwards. That would be about the right time for LH, considering the average product life cycle in aviation.
btw, did you all see the new uniforms for flaying staff? Quite nice in general, nothing spectacular, except that ultra-ugly pillbox hat for the ladies, actually I did expect more extravaganza from a worldwide top designer such as Gabriele Strehle!
Regards
Andreas

Yeah, i saw the new uniform. i agree with you, the hat looks strange, but i don't think it's ugly, In general the uniforms are an huge improvement, imho.

I flew to DRS yesterday, the crew still had the old uniform on, so I compared the F/As to the pics in the LH magazine. It is an improvement (hey, what do you expect from someone like Gabriele Strehle??), but not a spectacular one, but as the big boss of Passage, W. Mayrhuber said, that's exactly what they wanted. Though I'm still not getting over that hat *gulp*.
Regards
Andreas

Internet in the sky needs large bandwidth, that is not there at this moment. It will cost billions to put out satellites around the world.

Passengers are not willing to pay $ x,- per minute, airlines don't see return on investments. That is why SQ, AA, DL, UA and many others pull out.

I think LH is a realistic airline, if they don't see a good business case, they won't offer internet. Perhaps some form of intranet .. and simple e-mail (no attachments !!)

FYI : PTV is more expensive then seats these days & it is not so nice somebody picking on the touchscreen of your seatback all the way . ...

I agree with Andreas, the hat for the ladies looks very ugly but the new uniforms are really nice. Unfortunately I did not see them in real, only in the inflight magazine last week.

Patrick

Hmm, I don´t know, I kinda like the hat. Sort of retro, which I generally like.

Daniel 

Let's NOT call it retro, but ugly and the rest, nice and conservative ( I was a bit amazed as Mrs. Strehle is normally a bit more...extravagant, not too much, though, if you look at the last creations of Strenesse), but did you all see that pic in the magazine with the girls wearing the uniforms from 1938 onwards??
     
The girl in the screaming yellow ultrashort skirt, or rather broad belt around the waist and the absolutely fabulous high hat. I WANT THAT ONE BACK!!!
The load factor would probably rocket to 150%, with most male pax (especially those younger a.net forum members) hanging over the seats drooling! YES!!
Regards
Andreas

Keesje: I'm not an expert, but they say there is a solution that is technologically feasible, has already been tested, no interference with avionics, and that's why they now enter into a real-world test. I, too, believe, that LH Technik is realistic enough to know, that they won't be able to sell internet access for 10 USD per minute, so it must be a workable solution.

Any pictures of the new unfiforms on the net?

Further, it is really about time they get their inflight entertainment to a higher level. Altough it isnt that bad. From FRA - JFk I listend to a prerecorded radio show. Nice music, really entertaining - the time passed very quick. I really like Lufthansa.

Cheers,

Jan

Let's hope it is not Lufthansa Technic that decides what comes into the aircraft. LH aircraft would quickly become multi media playgrounds. They learn that on the VIP BBJ's (and bigger) they modify in Hamburg. Great aircraft but for the very wealthy ..

Click for large version

Photo © Abelardo Rodriguez

the part of the LH group, where CEOs are being made (Jürgen Weber as well as Wolfgang Mayrhuber, his successor (probably)). I can only argue from the economic side of the story, but LH is already giving away freely infos as to real internet in the sky. I just cannot imagine they'd do that without knowing if it works technologically AND economically. I sent an email to LH last week with some questions concerning that internet test on a 744, hopefully they reply soon and tell me more.

As for the pic: YESSSS, no more problems with legroom, wow, and it even looks tastefull, well the ceiling does look a bit empty!!
Now imagine the LH F/A in the 70s uniform serving dinner!
Regards
Andreas

btw. Lufthansa404: I tried to find it on the LH website, but nothing. It's currently in the LH magazine from p.56 onwards, maybe you can get someone to bring you a copy from an LH flight...

LH sure needs a lift. Although they are not positioning their economy class as great, it is pretty crappy compared to BA. I flew Buenos Aires-Frankfurt-Dublin last month and it was allright, but LH need to improve, and the staff's attitude as well, check out the review in the trip reports forum!

regarding LH´s test of Boeing´s Connexion in one of their planes:
i don´t know if it´s tested on a 744, but it seems to be the most logical choice and if Andreas says so, it´s certainly right. what i´m trying to say is that at the beginning the Connexion trial was supposed to be installed in one of LH´s 747-200!!!

cheers
daniel

Thanx for believing me but I'm referring to newspaper report including an interview with , I believe, W. Mayrhuber, and I'm still waiting for that answer email from LH, about what's really going on. The one thing I'm quite sure about is the 744, not 742 (otherwise that test would be rather shortlived, or do they plan to make an internet cafe in Speyer inside the 742??).
Regards
Andreas