Lufthansa Technik has launched a dedicated upgrade program for the Airbus ACJ318 Elite. In line with this, the company will offer a tailored suite of enhancements designed to refresh and modernize the cabin environment of the smallest VIP type in the European planemaker’s popular A320 family. Lufthansa Technik’s VIP Center of Excellence in Hamburg will certify and deliver various modifications that bring the aircraft’s millennium-era interiors up to today’s highest standards. The portfolio will encompass both optical refurbishments and the latest technical upgrades.
The ACJ318 Elite’s original VIP cabins were already exclusively designed and fitted by Lufthansa Technik between 2007 and 2015. Its airliner-sized fuselage diameter provided a spacious interior with dining, lounging, and office areas, as well as amenities such as a private bath and bedroom. While the Elite’s basic floor plan and cabin monuments were largely standardized to a 19-passenger layout, customers could choose from a broad variety of high-quality cabin materials. However, as expectations evolve and technology advances, Lufthansa Technik is now responding with a focused upgrade strategy that preserves the aircraft’s premium appeal while aligning it with today’s standards of luxury and connectivity.
To make the ACJ318 Elite future-proof and ready for many more years of smooth operation, the modernization work scope of Lufthansa Technik’s experts will not only encompass optical renewals, such as wood veneers, carpets, and upholstery. It can also include a replacement of the entire In-flight Entertainment (IFE) and onboard connectivity equipment. The IFE can, for example, be upgraded with new high-definition screens, speakers, and a modernized cabin management. Connectivity onboard can moreover benefit from the installation of a state-of-the-art Low Earth Orbit (LEO) SatCom solution developed by Airbus Corporate Jets that lets passengers enjoy a much faster internet connection for office and entertainment applications.
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“We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions to meet our customers’ evolving needs,” said Chadi Saade, President of Airbus Corporate Jets. “We proudly collaborate with our partners on the ACJ318 Elite, ensuring that our customers benefit from the most advanced connectivity options, offering a new level in passenger experience and inflight connectivity with ACJ Connect Link, which leverages Gogo Galileo’s Full Duplex terminal.”
“Even the highest-quality aircraft, such as the ACJ318 Elit,e 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, Vice President Sales, VIP & Special Aircraft Services at Lufthansa Technik. “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.”
