- Lufthansa is acquiring two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners originally built for LOT Polish Airlines
- The aircraft spent years in long-term storage after LOT cancelled deliveries during COVID-19
- The aircraft are named Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg
- Lufthansa is outfitting both with its Allegris cabin product
- The new layout seats 287 passengers in three classes
Lufthansa is acquiring two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners that were originally manufactured for LOT Polish Airlines but never delivered. The two six-year-old airframes spent years in long-term storage after LOT cancelled its final two 787 deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lufthansa confirmed that these jets are part of an expanded agreement with Boeing designed to help bridge capacity gaps caused by delays in the Boeing 777X programme.
The aircraft are moving closer to entering active service and have already been assigned their German registrations and names. D-ABQF, formerly registered as SP-LSI, is named Ingolstadt. D-ABQG, formerly registered as SP-LSH, is named Wolfsburg. Instead of keeping the original LOT interior, Lufthansa is outfitting both aircraft with its premium-focused Allegris cabin product. The new layout seats a total of 287 passengers with 28 business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 28 premium economy seats in a 2-3-2 layout and 231 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 layout.
This transaction highlights a shifting long-haul strategy for both flag carriers. While Lufthansa is acquiring these virtually new production jets directly from its Boeing agreement, LOT Polish Airlines has pivoted away from the factory backlog. Instead, LOT is expanding its capacity by acquiring second-hand Dreamliners on the leasing market, including former Virgin Atlantic and Thai Airways aircraft.
