Lufthansa’s FOX Initiative Takes Flight, Transforming its Inflight Service Offering
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As part of its centenary celebrations in October 2025, Lufthansa announced the impending launch of its Future Onboard eXperience (FOX) initiative, which involves a complete overhaul of its onboard services across all cabin classes on long-haul flights to create more personalized, more comfortable and more “signature” journeys for passengers.
Lufthansa Airlines CEO Jens Ritter outlined the underlying goal behind the project when he said, “We want to be the number one premium airline in Europe. To achieve this, we are investing over 70 million euros this year alone in the new premium service across all classes for our guests.”
“Developed using a design‑first approach, the equipment aligns with Lufthansa’s brand heritage, modern German design principles and the visual language of the Allegris cabin.”
Each change now being implemented was preceded by what Lufthansa Head of Project FOX (Future Onboard eXperience) Yana Holzmann defined as “an extensive market research and validation phase with guests and crews” as part of a two-year development process.
She said the results were clear: “Broadly speaking the feedback confirmed that guests are looking for a more distinctive and emotionally engaging onboard experience combining premium quality with a clear sense of Lufthansa’s identity, hospitality and “German-ness.”
Small Changes Make a Big Impact
The subsequent changes have now been rolled out across Lufthansa’s long-haul network in partnership with companies like gategroup. It has been designed to coincide with the airline’s next-generation long-haul seating product, Allegris, but is available on all aircraft regardless of whether Allegris has been installed or not. First to be implemented were those in First Class, which entered service in March.
Passengers now curate their own amenity kit, choosing from a wide range of personal care products – including a revitalizing eye cream, Eye Zone Patches, firming filler serum and moisturizing gel-cream by German brand Dr. Babor – from a menu before it is assembled by the crew and brought directly to passengers’ seats. This model, which will drastically reduce Lufthansa’s amenity-related waste, has long been implemented by Singapore Airlines in its business class.
In terms of catering, passengers can enjoy exclusive tasting menus, with those departing from Germany having access to a menu created by Munich-based, two-Michelin-star chef Christoph Kunz. The long-standing caviar service remains a central part of Lufthansa’s First Class offering, with the addition of blinis and classic mother-of-pearl caviar spoons now enhancing it further.
The small changes contribute to a more cohesive passenger service overall, alongside features such as a newly designed menu and beverage list offering guests a curated selection of cocktails and mocktails alongside the recently added vintage Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame. Holzmann explained the objective of changes like these is to create what the airline has dubbed “Lufthansa Signature Moments,” which “you can only have with Lufthansa.”
Increased Personalization Raises Passenger Satisfaction
The menus in business class were designed by Johann Lafer, who already works with the airline on its short-haul catering offerings, but the big change is in the way the food and beverage is now served.
Holzmann highlighted the modifications made to onboard services for business-class passengers came in response to “the strong desire for more individuality and flexibility onboard.” Service now includes “the new ‘Sky Selection’ (the second food service on long-haul flights, where guests can choose what to eat and, more importantly, when) and the personalized Breakfast Menu, [which] achieved significantly higher satisfaction scores compared to the previous service concept.”
Breakfast can be ordered before passengers go to sleep on their flight, and includes several additions such as smoothies, ginger shots and new warm breakfast highlights including French toast. The second service Holzmann mentioned includes a wide selection ranging from tapas bowls to currywurst to macarons.
Discussing the new business-class offering, Holzmann added, “Another very strong emotional highlight was the new cake trolley service, inspired by classic German coffeehouse culture,”Yanna continued. “Many guests described it as a surprising and memorable Lufthansa Signature moment, and on several test flights we even saw passengers taking pictures of the trolley service experience.”
Tableware as an Integral Part of the Design, Not an Afterthought
In Premium Economy, passengers will receive fresh, warm bread with their first meal, wherein they can now choose from three menu options instead of the previous two. They will also enjoy access to pastries and cake offered as a “Lufthansa Signature Snack,” an upgraded beverage menu, a new digestif service after the first meal, and a cosy pair of slippers.
In Economy, passengers will receive an amenity kit for the first time, which includes a sleep mask and earplugs. On flights longer than ten hours, Economy passengers will also have three hot main courses to choose from.
All cabins have received new timeless and elegant tableware, which means that in preparation for launch, 187 million individual pieces had to be replaced or introduced. Onboard development was carried out by DeSter. Holzmann said, “The scope [of FOX] included more than 150 equipment items across all four travel classes, ranging from tableware and service items, to oven safe casseroles enabling upgraded plating, crew handling tools, comfort and amenity products, and redesigned disposables.
“Developed using a design‑first approach, the equipment aligns with Lufthansa’s brand heritage, modern German design principles and the visual language of the Allegris cabin. All items were engineered to improve crew efficiency, reduce weight and support Lufthansa’s sustainability objectives.”
Making Sure the Human Element Matches the Product Design
To make sure that the cabin crew service also creates the ability for passengers to have “Lufthansa Signature Moments,” Holzmann argued “The human element is a central part of the new onboard experience.” As such, she revealed, “Alongside the new culinary concepts and service elements, we have developed a comprehensive training program focused strongly on hospitality and guest interaction.
“This includes video-based training formats, on-site practical training, dedicated exchange sessions and intensive go-live support to help crews familiarize themselves with the new processes and service flows,” she continued. “In addition, Lufthansa has introduced newly curated ‘Hospitality Days,’ dedicated training formats specifically designed to strengthen hospitality, attentiveness and the role of the crew as hosts onboard.