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The Up Front

@theupfront.media

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In-depth, independent aviation journalism for the digital age — up front with what we write, how we write it, and the way we operate. Read and subscribe for more: https://theupfront.media

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The Up Front @theupfront.media · 12h

Part 2 of our in-depth analysis of Lufthansa's Capital Markets Day dives into the seats, fleets, onboard product… and just where those two extra types of Allegris seat from 2023 disappeared to.

As the great philosopher Tatianna once said: "Choices."

theupfront.media/a-coda-for-a...

A coda for Allegris: Lufthansa’s fleet and seat strategy problems, from its Group Capital Markets Day, Part 2

Completing our analysis, we examine the Lufthansa Group’s airline fleets, its seats onboard, the history and reality of Allegris (and FICE), and what Lufthansa needs to do to pull itself out of the bu...

theupfront.media

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 12h

The piece is also quite the nearly 6,000-word romp through more than 20 years of Lufthansa's onboard product — from the old blue Recaro 6510 slopey sleepers to the Collins Diamond "footsie class", to "Lifthansa" and now Allegris.

theupfront.media/a-coda-for-a...

Blue and white slopey sleeper seats in a Lufthansa cabin.

Grey and brown fully flat beds in a V-configuration in a Lufthansa cabin.

A staggered Vantage XL seat with Lufthansa seat covers and dark teal surrounds.

An Allegris aisle-adjacent seat in blues and greys.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 12h

Part 2 of our in-depth analysis of Lufthansa's Capital Markets Day dives into the seats, fleets, onboard product… and just where those two extra types of Allegris seat from 2023 disappeared to.

As the great philosopher Tatianna once said: "Choices."

theupfront.media/a-coda-for-a...

A coda for Allegris: Lufthansa’s fleet and seat strategy problems, from its Group Capital Markets Day, Part 2

Completing our analysis, we examine the Lufthansa Group’s airline fleets, its seats onboard, the history and reality of Allegris (and FICE), and what Lufthansa needs to do to pull itself out of the bu...

theupfront.media

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

In practical terms in economy seats, the seatback covers and seat pan covers are separate parts that can be swapped out, which is what would normally happen.

And yes, sounds to me like the industrial laundry difference between dry-cleaning something and throwing it in the washer and dryer.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

It depends on the stain and the severity — if it's full Grand Guignol then it's more likely to be discarded as impractical to clean and sanitise. But they're designed to take, for example, a glass of ginger ale or whatever, and to then be cleaned professionally.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

Yeah, the vast majority (if not the entirety these days, but I bet there are exceptions!) are treated, either wools, leathers or polyurethane/artificial leather.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

Material sampling and a very robust regulatory regime that specifies performance! It’s often a surprising reason why airline seats and cabins are delayed in delivery.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

Cactus 1549 notwithstanding, seats and seat covers aren’t designed to be immersed in water. Well, at least not more than once.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

Seats are fireproofed for safety, and if that fireproofing has been affected by improper maintenance (in this case cleaning) then that’s a problem.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

Basically, it’s a fancy kind of dry-cleaning with a special solution that doesn’t remove any of the fireproofing elements.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

Seat covers have to be certified to meet requirements like flammability, smoke toxicity and heat release — and this will include materials, coatings or applications that are designed to resist heat, not water. It’s fine if you drop your Pepsi, but it if they rinse the whole fireproofing off.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 2d

We talk about CMF — colour, materials, and finish — of airline cabins a lot, and folks are often surprised at how high-tech something like a seat cover can be in order to meet requirements like flammability, smoke toxicity and heat release.

Flightradar24 @flightradar24.com · 2d

Finnair is canceling some flights and performing inspections on 8 of its A321s because the seat covers on those aircraft were cleaned using water. www.flightradar24.com/blog/aviatio...

The cabin of a Finnair A321 looking aft.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 4d

…and more!

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The Up Front is funded by readers like you, at Subscriber and Pro levels. During our launch phase, we plan to bring you around 3000–5000 words a week, usually split up into two stories. We plan for ro...

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The Up Front @theupfront.media · 4d

This week's edition of The Up Front Update delves into the design behind BA's new lounges in Miami and Dubai, plus:

• impending Russia airspace bans for Chinese flights to the US
• new transatlantic routes for Air Canada and Air Transat
• a new class for Hawaiian…

theupfront.media/update-20-ba...

Update #20: BA’s new lounges, China-US Russia airspace ban, new routes for Air Canada & Air Transat, Alaska-Hawaiian product renaming, and more…

Our weekly roundup delves into new lounges in Miami and Dubai, overflight bans for Chinese airlines, new A321XLR routes from Canada, the new Premium Class on Hawaiian, and a heads-up that a hundred or...

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Reposted by The Up Front

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 6d

Our latest:

Airbus says its "modifications & upgrades" services business grew 18% last year — double some other segments — but Airbus expects 20-year growth of just 1.9% each year, on average.

That's less than half of some other segments from now to 2044.

Why?

theupfront.media/pro-readout-...

Pro Readout: Airbus’ services market forecast predicts drop in demand for seats and cabins “modifications and upgrades” business

Airbus says its aircraft modifications and upgrades work — including cabins and seats — have hit a peak in 2025, and forecasts strongly slowing demand for this category over the next 20 years.

theupfront.media

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 6d

Our latest:

Airbus says its "modifications & upgrades" services business grew 18% last year — double some other segments — but Airbus expects 20-year growth of just 1.9% each year, on average.

That's less than half of some other segments from now to 2044.

Why?

theupfront.media/pro-readout-...

Pro Readout: Airbus’ services market forecast predicts drop in demand for seats and cabins “modifications and upgrades” business

Airbus says its aircraft modifications and upgrades work — including cabins and seats — have hit a peak in 2025, and forecasts strongly slowing demand for this category over the next 20 years.

theupfront.media

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 9d

This meme is the limit of "AI" in aviation in any meaningful way, on at least a ten-year horizon.

It's useful technology! Airline or ground services company can connect it to other systems and really useful information or even trigger alerts!

But it's not what the grifters are selling as "AI".

"is this a pigeon" meme, but it's a pushback tug instead of a butterfly, and it says "is this a [catering truck?]"

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 9d

Smart, practical implementation of "AI" (i.e., gen AI/LLM nonsense) adjacent tech like the object recognition work that Collins (galley dot ai), LHT (seer), LSG (AICA) have been doing for a few years risks getting tarred (by its creators, tbh) with the AI brush when the bubble bursts.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 9d

One of the most frustrating parts of the whole inevitable AI bubble bursting in aviation is that there are actual innovations — marked as AI, often by parent companies, to ride the bubble — that are likely to be taken out in the splash radius.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 9d

2) every implementation of LLMs has been an unmitigated disaster. BA is going through one right now with its AI closing valid customer service requests.

3) the very worst chancers and grifters in aviation are TOTALLY on board the AI promotion hype train. It's blockchain all over again.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 9d

Follow Seth for the latest AI nonsense coming out of the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon.

We remain deeply skeptical of AI in aviation for 3 key reasons (just to start off with):

1) successful aviation tech badged as "AI" is, once you start asking questions, just an algorithm (LHT seer, etc)

Seth Miller @wandrme.paxex.aero · 9d

"We won't even think about luggage. It will just get there."

One of the many questionable claims about how AI will change the travel world here at #AviationFest this morning.

Guy on stage speaking.

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 10d

Couldn't resist.

theupfront.media/update-19-am...

Screenshot of the Miranda Priestly blue sweater monologue from The Devil Wears Prada.

Subtitles: Oh, okay. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your MRO hangar and you select, I don't know, that lumpy blue seat, for instance

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 10d

Not the first time people have asked us that question with a faintly quizzical/baffled/curious look on their faces, tbh…

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 10d

So, we're not saying that we've seen the new JSX faux-retro livery before.

Only…

…is Cold War East Germany really the market vibes JSX is going for?

The Up Front @theupfront.media · 10d

In which we start the week by asking, among other things: why is American covering 500 regional aircrafts' seats with a 💩-coloured headrest?

And, importantly, what would Miranda Priestly say about it?

theupfront.media/-19-american...

Update #19: American’s regional refit, 777X delays, SAS Eurobiz, Geven Boeing linefit, Thai sells Virgin business as premium economy, and more…

American’s ugly brown headrests, the 777X slips to 2027, SAS brings back Eurobiz, Geven linefits at Boeing, Thai starts selling Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class suite as “premium economy plus”, and the 7...

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