The Long Journey from the Purchase Decision to the Delivery of a New Aircraft

Next year, we are expecting the first of five Airbus A350-900s, which will gradually replace our A340 fleet. The actual production of the aircraft will only take a few months. The ordering process for such a complex product, on the other hand, is a demanding challenge and takes several years.

The A350-900 with its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engines is an extremely efficient aircraft which, unlike our previous long-haul aircraft, is made mainly of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. This innovative design makes the A350 considerably lighter. Until now, aircraft have mostly been made of conventional aluminum. In combination with further aerodynamic optimizations, the A350 consumes around 22% less fuel per passenger than our A343 models. Lufthansa already operates 21 aircraft of this type from the airport in Munich. The A350 is proving to be a technically extremely reliable means of transportation. In the medium term, this fleet renewal is our greatest lever on the way to more sustainable air transport.

Take individual parts and build an aircraft
The production of an aircraft is based on a modular principle: various specialized companies produce parts such as seats, wings, fuselage parts, tail units, windows, landing gear, engines and countless other components, which are then transported to the Airbus plant in Toulouse. This is done by truck or with the "Beluga", a huge transport aircraft specially built by Airbus for fuselage parts and wings. Once all the components are in the factory, the so-called FAL - the "Final Assembly Line" - begins. This is where the aircraft is created by bringing together, assembling and installing all the parts and components. The FAL usually takes around 6 months.

Advantages of standardization
The procurement process begins long before the actual production of the aircraft starts. The Lufthansa Group (LHG) orders aircraft from manufacturers years in advance and defines a standardized specification for the models. The A350 aircraft for SWISS, for example, were already ordered in 2019. This standardization gives the Lufthansa Group the opportunity to determine the final allocation to one of its Group airlines up to one year before the actual delivery of the aircraft.

Individualization despite standardization
Despite the high degree of standardization within the Group, the individual airlines can make individual adjustments. The Aircraft Specification Committee (ASC) of the Lufthansa Group examines and discusses these deviation requests and holds talks with product management, flight operations, technical fleet management and representatives of SWISS. Once these discussions have been concluded, the specifications are considered final and the order with Airbus is adjusted and specified accordingly.

Showing the seat map of the new Airbus.
Upstream of production is planning, where all the details are worked out and defined. © Lufthansa

Cabin product in unmistakable SWISS design
Of course, the aircraft differ in terms of their livery and cabin product. The new cabin will be the centerpiece of the unmistakable SWISS design. The A350 will be the first aircraft with the new cabin and, under the name "SWISS Senses", will offer passengers a new kind of flying experience with maximum comfort. According to current planning, the first A350 in SWISS's history is expected to arrive in Zurich in the second quarter of 2025.

Text: Diego Oppenheim

Published: 22.01.2023