Story ID: 381
Lufthansa Technik Upgrades Original A318 Elite Cabins
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Company also adding new in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems
Word Count: 247
After outfitting original Airbus A318s with VIP cabins between 2007 and 2015, Lufthansa Technik is now modernizing those aircraft to today’s standards of luxury and airborne connectivity.
With a range of 4,200 nm, the ACJ318 is the smallest member of the Airbus Corporate Jets family, typically configured for 19 passengers and featuring a variety of layouts that include dining, lounge, and office areas, as well as private bathrooms and bedrooms. Airbus delivered 18 A318 Elites (the name was later changed to ACJ318 Elite).
The upgrades will offer customers replacement options for wood veneers, carpets, and upholstery with modern materials. Lufthansa Technik will also replace in-flight entertainment systems with high-definition displays, new speakers, and up-to-date cabin management systems. To improve airborne connectivity, the company can install the Gogo Galileo low-earth-orbit satcom system’s full-duplex antenna and terminal, which provide high-speed broadband service capable of streaming video and other demanding uses.
“Even the highest-quality aircraft such as the ACJ318 Elite are not fully immune against a decade of everyday wear and tear, and especially not against the extremely fast-paced development of new cabin and connectivity technology,” said Fabian Nagel, Lufthansa Technik v-p of sales for VIP and special aircraft services. “Therefore, we are honored to revive the successful ACJ318 Elite program. Our unmatched expertise in VIP interiors, which already went into every A318 Elite from the beginning, will now also be employed to extend the lifespan and enhance the value of these remarkable aircraft.”