Air traffic - Lufthansa orders small Boeing jets again
For the first time in years, Lufthansa has ordered short and medium-haul jets from US manufacturer Boeing. In addition to 40 737-8 Max aircraft on firm order, the Group has secured options for a further 60 American aircraft, as the company announced on Tuesday. Lufthansa had been a major customer of the 737, the world's most-built jet, since 1968, but retired the last aircraft for the time being in 2016 and instead operated a pure Airbus fleet on shorter routes. According to Boeing, the last time Lufthansa received a new 737 was in 1995. Aircraft from both manufacturers were always used on long-haul routes.
Lufthansa ordered 40 jets of the smaller A220 type with 148 seats from long-term supplier Airbus, which are to be used primarily by the newly founded company City Airlines in Munich and Frankfurt from 2026. Lufthansa secured a further 20 options for the A220 and 40 options for its standard A320 jet. According to the announcement, all of the aircraft on firm order have a combined list price of around nine billion dollars, although significant discounts are common for large orders.
Chief Fleet Officer Detlef Kayser justified the turnaround for Boeing, which is scheduled from 2027, with greater flexibility in future aircraft orders. In a Boeing press release, Group CEO Carsten Spohr spoke of a good strategic decision. The 737 Max model had a difficult start with two serious crashes in 2018 and 2019. The safety deficiencies were rectified following an interim production stop. The aircraft will be used by other Group companies outside the Lufthansa and Swiss brands.
Read also:
- Why there is still no EU funding for green Saar steel
- 3 billion Saar Fund is unconstitutional
- Abrupt end to e-car subsidies
- The chemical industry has little confidence
- Despite previously retiring its Boeing 737 fleet in 2016, Lufthansa has recently announced plans to order 40 new 737-8 Max aircraft from Boeing, marking a return to the US manufacturer after many years.
- Germany's flag carrier, Lufthansa, has also secured options for an additional 60 Boeing jets, indicating a strong interest in expanding its partnership with the American aircraft manufacturer for medium-haul flights.
- Air traffic in Frankfurt, Germany, may see an increase with the inclusion of Boeing jets in Lufthansa's fleet, as the airline looks to enhance its offerings in the medium-haul jet market.
Source: www.stern.de
