Designing an onboard passenger experience that embraces circularity, recycling, and decarbonization is not without its challenges. But Lufthansa Group has made some important strides in this regard. In fact, it is now committed to reducing food waste on short-haul flights by 50% by the end of 2024 based on pre-Covid 2019 figures.
Noting that sustainability “is of utmost importance for the Lufthansa Group”, Nina Sproedt, head of product development for Lufthansa Group Hub Airlines (Austrian, Lufthansa and SWISS), told Runway Girl Network at the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in Long Beach: “In general, our ideas regarding sustainability on board are based on the EU waste hierarchy, which aims to avoid waste in general and foster circularity instead. The Lufthansa Group applies it in three categories: one is the avoidance of single-use plastic and aluminum, the other one is the reduction of food waste, and the third one is the reuse of items such as textiles, etc.”
As part of this commitment, explained Sproedt, plastic and aluminum items are being substituted by other items “wherever possible and where the market provides solutions. We also invest in alternative materials, reusable coffee cups or recyclable water bottles, for example.” She added:
With ‘Onboard Delights’ — our buy-on-board program at Lufthansa — we offer fresh food. Instead of being disposed, leftovers are sold to the crew and to the passengers for EUR 3.50. This quite popular initiative is called ‘Onboard Delights Last Minute’ and brings down food waste as well.
Regarding decarbonization, Lufthansa Group is focused on becoming carbon-neutral by 2050. Last year, it began offering dedicated ‘green fares’ for the first time, with the complete offsetting of the flight’s CO2 emissions — through sustainable aviation fuel and certified climate protection projects — already embedded into the price of the ticket.
Whilst green fares are availed during the booking process on Lufthansa Group carriers, passengers can also choose to offset emissions in-flight via the FlyNet onboard connectivity portal.
Guests can use a slider to decide for themselves how they want to offset the CO₂ emissions of their flight. Image: Lufthansa Group
Broader developments in inflight connectivity are particularly interesting to Sproedt as it is “a key element” of the group’s future onboard product, she said.
“Everyone wants to stay connected and almost everyone has a streaming account and would like to stream video content. But it still comes with a significant price. I’m also always interested in new onboard F&B product ideas with new modular solutions, including the retail approach on board.” The Lufthansa Group executive continued:
This is also relevant to our waste reduction targets — although we already have a very attractive buy-on-board product for our Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian guests and a very wide menu you can choose from.
Moreover, the Lufthansa Group has long used broadband connectivity to power electronic flight bag (EFB) applications that optimize flights and slash fuel burn, which in turn improves its eco-credentials.
“This year we decided to install antennas on the whole short-haul fleet. Right now, we have a saturation of 60 to 70 percent. This not only supports our guests and their expectations to go online, it also supports our crews when it comes to cockpit connectivity, including reducing fuel burn and optimizing routes,” noted Sproedt.
When it comes to onboard hard product furniture, Lufthansa Group senior director customer experience design Kai Peters previously confided to RGN that Lufthansa is eager to see adoption of more sustainable materials. Biocomposites, for instance, are having a moment amongst designers. But, he added, “it’s hard to get these materials certified.”
“When I’m walking around here,” he said at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, “That’s the first question. So what materials are you using? Can you [support] separation” of components at the end of life? “It’s not only us, it’s manufacturers who also see that as a duty.”
As part of the Lufthansa Group’s Future Inter-Continental Experience (FICE) project, Lufthansa-mainline and SWISS are famously entering a massive retrofit program to bring new longhaul cabins to their current aircraft, and will take delivery of new jets with the cabins, branded Allegris for Lufthansa and Senses for SWISS. RGN asked Sproedt if any FICE decisions need to be made about sister carriers in the group or if the focus remains on Lufthansa and SWISS?
“Right now, the introduction of Allegris and Senses is planned for Lufthansa and SWISS. In the long term, the new cabin product will become the standard product for all Lufthansa Group Network Airlines, but no date has been set yet for the initial fitting of the Austrian Airlines fleet,” she replied.
There is a fair amount of excitement about what FICE will look like for Austrian, we noted. “Excitement is always helpful when it comes to new products. But there’s no decision taken,” said Sproedt.
The ability for passengers to heat and cool their first and business class suites is a core part of FICE. “Thermal comfort is a key contributor to passengers’ well-being. The Heating & Cooling System will enhance passenger comfort in business and first class. Each guest can control the individual microclimate — the temperature of the seat — independent from the aircraft cabin climate,” explained Sproedt.
“We also developed the shoulder sink-in feature together with Caynova for side sleeping passengers. The smart adaptive immersion zone allows the shoulder to sink deep into the cushion, helping to keep the spine as relaxed as possible. This is of utmost importance since around 80 percent of all human beings are side sleepers.”
Allegris features a number of firsts including individual heating and cooling. Image: Lufthansa
Premium class travel is, however, expected to come under increasing scrutiny amongst environmentalists. Some advocates of the Flight Shame movement, for instance, would like to see premium cabins replaced with very dense, all-economy configurations.
“[I]n the end, the market decides and the customer decides,” said Peters. Meanwhile, Lufthansa Group will continue to work towards its net zero 2050 target and embrace sustainability at every rung. To achieve carbon neutrality, “you have to really do it in all of our sides at the same time, where we can do it.”
As Sproedt aptly noted at Global EXPO: “[I]t is not only about numbers or percentages; it is also about attitude and how our employees think and act. We strengthen the consciousness of our organization, of our product development team and of our frontline staff.”
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Featured image credited to Lufthansa
