Lufthansa will momentarily halt departures from Frankfurt to Beijing.
With rivalry at an all-time high, Lufthansa is putting a hold on its everyday journey from Frankfurt to Beijing's capital. Starting from the 27th of October, this route will see a temporary absence from their winter schedule, all due to financial reasons, as stated by a representative in Frankfurt.
Despite this, Lufthansa maintains a daily direct link to Beijing, utilizing their secondary hub in Munich as the transit point. On this route, the more fuel-efficient Airbus A350 takes flight. Previously, the older Airbus A340s were used in Frankfurt.
The cause of the route suspension is the aggressive competition on a global scale. The Lufthansa group has frequently expressed discontent over the uneven competition with airlines from China, Turkey, and the Persian Gulf. These airlines enjoy lower operating costs, lower social standards, and substantial investment in the aviation sector by their respective governments. Moreover, they still fly through Russian airspace, boycotted by Western societies, thereby gaining extra cost advantages due to shorter routes.
The Lufthansa group has voiced concerns to The Commission about the uneven competition they face, particularly from airlines in China, Turkey, and the Persian Gulf. In response to the fierce global competition, The Commission is currently examining the impact of subsidies given to these airlines by their respective governments.
