Boeing's next-generation 747-800 jumbo will be premiered this evening, and launch customer Lufthansa looks set to configure the aircraft with 386 seats in three classes.
Boeing is streaming a live webcast of the premiere on its microsite at newairplane.com/747/incredible today (Sunday February 13) at 1100 Pacific Standard Time (1900 GMT).
Lufthansa is the launch customer for the passenger version of the aircraft, and the carrier also has details of the premiere on its site, and a comparison chart shows the carrier's capacity for the aircraft as being 362 seats, compared to 344 for Lufthansa's 747-400 fleet.
However the carrier notes that this configuration may vary, and according to reports by flightglobal.com, which quotes Nico Buchholz, executive vice president, Lufthansa Group fleet management, the carrier will configure the aircraft for 386 seats, with eight in first class, 80 in business and the remainder in economy.
It is not yet known what type of seating product Lufthansa will put onboard the Boeing 747-800, of which the carrier has firm orders for 20 aircraft, with options on another 20. Korean Air has also ordered passenger and freighter versions of the aircraft.
Also known as the 747-8 Intercontinental or 747-8I, the aircraft will be around 5.6 metres longer than the current 747-400 version, and one metre longer than the Airbus A340-600, making it the world's longest passenger plane. Emissions are around 20 per cent lower than previous 747 models.
Further information will be posted on this site following the premiere event.
For more information visit boeing.com, lufthansa.com.
Report by Mark Caswell
