Photo: Eurowings Lufthansa Group's subsidiary Eurowings announced the launch of a new premium standard on medium-haul flights. The big news was made public during the opening day at the ITB Berlin travel trade fair, following a pilot conducted in recent months. The company said it will install Premium BIZ seats on eight of its Airbus A320neo aircraft.
As part of the announced move, the seating configuration in the first two rows will be changed from 2×3 to 2×2, adding eight more spacious seats. This is a change from the standard used on narrow-body aircraft, as until now a similar configuration was mainly accepted on wide-body aircraft and long-haul flights.
Last year, Eurowings launched Premium BIZ seat on the Berlin-Dubai route, as part of a pilot to examine the demand for the premium product on the A320neo aircraft. Now, the company is announcing the expansion of the move and the integration of the seats across its entire A320neo fleet, as well as its intention to operate them on additional routes in Europe. The company reports high demand and positive feedback from passengers, especially regarding personal space, privacy, and upgraded service.
Following the pilot results, Eurowings decided to expand the deployment to additional routes, including business destinations such as London as well as vacation destinations with high demand for a premium product such as Mallorca and the Canary Islands. The final network and fleet planning is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, but it has already been announced that all eight of the company's A320neo aircraft will be equipped with the new seats.
The seats chosen are the Comoda model from the Italian manufacturer Geven. The product includes an adjustable footrest, USB sockets, a pillow, a blanket, and a comfort kit. In addition, an extended service will be offered, which includes an aperitif, a hot meal served on porcelain dishes, and a wider selection of drinks.
The move is part of a broader plan to upgrade the company's product and service, as part of a strategy to differentiate itself in the European market. Eurowings currently operates approximately 100 aircraft and flies passengers to approximately 150 destinations in Europe from 13 international bases.
"We are boldly changing an industry standard because our guests' expectations are changing too," said Max Kownatzki, CEO of Eurowings, adding, "The success of our market trials has made it clear within just a few months that many passengers on longer flights are asking for a little more space and comfort at an affordable price. With the launch of the Premium BIZ seat, we are emphasizing our role as Europe's value airline, offering good service at fair prices across all fare categories."