Lufthansa’s Biggest Onboard Service Shakeup In Its 100 Year History Will Replace 184 Million Items

Let’s hope the stereotypes of Germans being organized and efficient are true, as the country’s flag carrier, Lufthansa, is embarking on a mammoth mission to replace a staggering 184 million items of crockery, flatware, and other service items as it readies for its biggest onboard shakeup in decades.

Anyone who has flown with Lufthansa on a long-haul flight will know that the carrier’s onboard service has been boringly consistent for as long as they can remember…. stubbornly so, many would argue.

Lufthansa is ready to implement Project FOX

That perception, however, is about to be challenged in a big way, as Lufthansa is finalizing preparations for what it calls ‘Project FOX’ – an acronym that stands for Future Onboard eXperience.

As reported by aeroTELEGRAPH, Lufthansa’s Managing Director Jens Ritter says 2026 and 2027 will be marked by “profound change.”

In fact, Ritter claims regular flyers might not recognize the airline, telling an audience at an event in Munich, that “in just a few years, Lufthansa will be different from today.”

Changes coming to all long-haul cabins

Project FOX represents the biggest change to Lufthansa’s long-haul onboard service in decades, perhaps even in the history of the airline, which celebrates its centennial in 2026.

After working through 150 different onboard scenarios and developing more than 250 prototypes, Lufthansa is nearly ready to deploy its Project FOX in the real world.

In Economy Class, this will include increasing the number of meal options from two to three entree dishes, introducing an amenity kit for the first time, and providing passengers with a printed menu.

For passengers travelling in Premium Economy, they’ll experience a dining experience close to what Business Class passengers currently enjoy, with Lufthansa keen to differentiate the cabin from Economy.

Some of the biggest changes, however, will be introduced in Business Class, where the service concept will be “fundamentally changed.” In particular, a more flexible dining experience will be brought in, allowing passengers to choose when they want to have their second meal rather than on a set schedule for everyone.

And in First Class, the airline is introducing a new service concept and redesigned culinary options designed by a star chef.

Look to SWISS for what might be coming to Lufthansa

Lufthansa is keeping all of the juicy details under wraps, at least for now, but to get an idea of what Project FOX might look like in reality, look no further than SWISS International Air Lines, which is owned by the Lufthansa Group.

SWISS has only recently refreshed its onboard experience under the ‘SWISS Senses’ brand, and this gives us the clearest hint of what’s coming to Lufthansa.

The airline has upgraded pillows and blankets, introduced printed menus in Economy Class, and created a new aperitif service with a new welcome cocktail and Sbrinz cheese appetizer… yes, this is in Economy.

SWISS also introduced modern black reusable tableware, upgraded its mid-flight snack selection, and partnered with local body care brand Soeder to create a signature fragrance, appropriately named Alpine Valley, featuring soap, hand lotion, and facial sprays in the onboard lavatories.

Late last year, SWISS also rolled out big upgrades to its Business Class cabin, saying that passengers should now expect “a top restaurant experience” with meals now served directly on tables rather than on a tray, and new service elements like the addition of a soup course, an expanded range of cheese and dessert, as well as new bedding and tableware.

Flight attendants have been refusing to work with Lufthansa on project

Unfortunately, Lufthansa has struggled to win buy-in from its flight attendants on Project FOX, owing to a dispute over staffing levels on long-haul flights.

When Lufthansa set a date to start validation flights on the new service concept, the official crew union pulled its support for the test flights, saying it wouldn’t cooperate with the airline on the project until it reviewed staffing levels on certain long-haul aircraft.

Until now, Lufthansa had two flight attendants dedicated to working in First Class, but its new Allegris First Class cabins only have room for a maximum of four passengers, so they are reducing the staffing level to just one flight attendant.

The union, already angry that the staffing level is being reduced in First Class, is now becoming increasingly enraged with Lufthansa’s plans to add more service elements with fewer crew onboard.

An exciting but contentious moment for Lufthansa

Lufthansa knows that it needs to improve its onboard service. Over the last few years, its Net Promoter Score (the percentage of passengers who would recommend the airline to their friends or family) has tumbled.

NPS scores have become crucial for airlines to track just how well they are doing aside from financial performance, as they use this data to see whether passengers are likely to fly with them again.

Lufthansa is relying on Project FOX and its Allegris cabin upgrade program to change the direction of its NPS scores. To do so, however, it will need the support of the staff who have to deliver the new service.