Lufthansa’s new A350-900 was presented to the public on 2nd February in Munich with a light show and an official unveiling ceremony in the Lufthansa Technik Hangar. In the presence of 2,000 employees and guests, the new long-haul aircraft was named after the city of Nuremberg.

Carsten Spohr, CEO of the Lufthansa Group, said the arrival of the aircraft marked a “generational change on long-haul routes”.

Among the innovations on the A350-900 is the on-board entertainment system. The "Lufthansa Companion App" will offer passengers the ability to make a selection from the on-board programme from home before setting off and adding their favorite items to a playlist. The on-board programme (including 100 films and 200 TV programmes) is available up to six weeks in advance. Once on board, passengers then synchronize their personal favorite playlist with the screen in front of the seat, and there is also the option to use the own mobile device as a second screen.

The flight information on offer also gives passengers an opportunity to try out a digital travel experience in 3D. New interactive options make it possible to see the flight route in advance and to call up various different flight views.

Lufthansa will be the first airline worldwide to use a range of different settings for the on-board lighting of the A350-900 which are designed to fit with the day and night-time biorhythms of their passengers. Warm light for relaxation is supplied during periods of rest, whereas cooler light provides stimulation for more active phases. Lighting effects will also be used to emulate a pleasant restaurant atmosphere on board during mealtimes. Altogether, the new A350-900 LED technology can provide around 24 different lighting settings.

As of 10 February, Lufthansa will be basing its first ten Airbus A350-900s in Munich. The first destinations will be Delhi and Boston. The aircraft will seat 293 passengers - 48 in Business Class, 21 in Premium Economy and 224 in Economy Class.