This past weekend I was riding Chicago’s elevated train … the “L” … and was in full “urban mode” conscientiously avoiding direct eye contact with my fellow passengers.  My gaze wandered up toward the ceiling of the subway car and instead of seeing the usual ads for laser wart removal I spotted this …

As I looked around I suddenly realized I was surrounded by a sea of Lufthansa blue and yellow and the following ad campaign …

It looks like Lufthansa is gearing up for the launch of 747-8 Intercontinental service to Chicago.  The 747-8i is the latest generation of Boeing’s venerable “Queen of the Skies” and the German carrier is the only airline flying the passenger version of the aircraft.

Chicago has long been designated as one of the cities to which Lufthansa will be flying the 747-8i.  However, it seems to be taking awhile for the service to get started in the Windy City.  An encouraging sign occurred this past summer when on July 13 Lufthansa conducted a “proving flight” of the aircraft to O’Hare as outlined in this company press release.  The expert in all things Lufthansa, blogger LufthansaFlyer, provides a great account of the July 13 flight in this post.

So what’s so special about the 747-8i?  Well, it’s a REALLY cool plane.  So cool in fact that Lufthansa has created this special microsite dedicated to the aircraft.  In addition, the 747-8i series of planes were among the first in Lufthansa’s fleet to feature the airline’s New Business Class seat that transforms into a fully flat bed …

Source: Lufthansa

Source: Lufthansa

Could this subway ad campaign mean that Lufthansa is close to launching 747-8i service to Chicago?  If so, when?  C’mon guys hurry up … I’m perched on the edge of my “angled lie flat seat” waiting for news …