Following a recent evaluation of the airline’s products and services, the German flag carrier Lufthansa is no longer a Skytrax Five-Star airline.
Despite the fact that Lufthansa has not yet added the new long-haul Business Class seat to any of its aircraft, the airline was awarded the Five Star airline designation in 2017.
The brand-new Business Class seat was intended to debut on Lufthansa’s Boeing 777X aircraft, however, the first deliveries of the next-generation aircraft, which were initially scheduled for 2020, have been delayed until at least 2025.
Without a clear timeline for when the product might be updated to the levels that premium passengers have grown accustomed to while traveling on other airlines, Lufthansa has been left with an aging Business Class on the bulk of its fleet.
The reason why Lufthansa lost its Five Star rating has not been disclosed by Skytrax, a British aviation consultancy company that manages an unofficial but well-liked Star Rating service for airlines.
Since receiving a Five Star rating, the airline has eliminated free refreshments in the short-haul economy, moved leisure trips to low-cost affiliates, and scaled back its luxury food and beverage offerings.
Passenger seats, safety protocols, onboard entertainment, cabin cleanliness, cuisine, and comfort facilities are among the things that allegedly factor into the Skytrax rating system.
There are no longer any European airlines with a Five Star rating after Lufthansa was reduced to a Four Star airline. Only one airline, Qatar Airways, is based outside of Asia out of the 10 that currently hold a Skytrax Five Star rating.
After discontinuing free refreshments in the short-haul economy and adding a fee for snacks on long-haul flights in 2019, Etihad Airways has lost its coveted Five Star accreditation.
Before abruptly becoming a Five Star airline two years later, the Abu Dhabi-based airline abruptly withdrew from the Skytrax evaluation process in 2014.
Turkish Airlines is rated as a Three Star airline and does not take part in the Skytrax evaluation procedure.