Boeing has completed the first test flight of the 777-9 aircraft destined for Lufthansa, marking an important step toward the start of deliveries of the new widebody model to the German carrier. According to Aviation Week, this is the first Lufthansa 777-9 to fly with a fully installed passenger cabin.
The aircraft, designated WH128, took off on May 7 from Boeing’s production site in Everett, Washington. The flight lasted three hours and 27 minutes and was conducted over the states of Washington and Oregon. Boeing test pilots Ted Grady and Jake Miller were at the controls, while the aircraft returned to Paine Field in Everett at 4:52 p.m. local time after completing the test program.
According to Boeing, the flight was intended to check the aircraft’s systems and structure. As the first aircraft in Lufthansa’s configuration, WH128 will serve as the reference aircraft for subsequent deliveries of the type. Aviation Week reports that further testing will continue both on the ground and in the air, with a particular focus on cabin systems and connectivity.
What makes this aircraft notable is that it already includes Lufthansa’s new Allegris premium cabin, one of the key elements of the German carrier’s long-awaited passenger product renewal. Elements of the Allegris concept were certified earlier this year by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, for installation on Lufthansa’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Lufthansa was one of the launch customers for the 777X family back in 2013, but the program has since suffered years of delays. According to current expectations, the German carrier is due to receive its first 777-9 during 2026.
For Lufthansa, the 777-9 will play an important role in the modernization of its long-haul fleet, especially on the busiest intercontinental routes. Boeing’s new widebody aircraft is expected to bring greater capacity, lower fuel consumption compared with older-generation aircraft, and a new standard of cabin product, including the Allegris configuration on which Lufthansa is building much of its future premium offering.
