Lufthansa Group starts new rail & air partnership with KORAIL through AccessRail

For the first time outside of Europe, Lufthansa Group has partnered with a leading rail provider to offer an intermodal transport solution

Lufthansa passengers will benefit from the extensive national network of KORAIL, the leading train operator in South Korea

Intermodality – the concept of bundling different transportation options to offer customers more choice and more flexibility when booking travel – has been launched successfully by the Lufthansa Group in multiple destinations in Europe. For a first outside of Europe and a first for the Asia Pacific region, Lufthansa Group has partnered with KORAIL, the primary train operator in South Korea, to offer our passengers the flexibility of air-to-rail options when travelling within South Korea. In addition to additional choice and flexibility for our customers, intermodality also reaffirms our commitment to sustainability, giving guests a sustainable option for domestic travel within South Korea.

A First for South Korea

With this partnership, Lufthansa passengers will now be able to travel to as well as from Seoul-Incheon International Airport (ICN) to 8 KTX destinations nationwide including Busan, Dongdaegu, Gwangju, Ulsan, Pohang, Yeosu, Mokpo and Jinju on one ticket, offering guests seamlessness and a one-stop shop for their travel needs. Passengers are now able to book rail-to-air tickets through the Lufthansa website as well as with their preferred travel agent with full integration of these products in the GDS.

According to Roy Lease, Vice President, Head of Partnership Management at Lufthansa Group said:   “Extending our intermodal offers to regions outside of the Lufthansa Group hubs is part of our multimodal strategy. By offering connecting services with the Korean Railway company KORAIL, we are happy to integrate 8 Korean cities into the Lufthansa Group network.”

As the first intermodal partnership for Lufthansa Group in the Asia Pacific region, passengers can now enjoy more flexibility and more choice when flying from South Korea to Europe and beyond.

Lufthansa to expand service from Frankfurt and Munich to the U.S. for summer 2024

Lufthansa Airlines is expanding its service from Frankfurt and Munich to the U.S. in summer 2024 with three new connections. Starting next summer, Lufthansa will offer a total of 27 USA destinations, decidedly more than before Corona. Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina are two new destinations starting from Frankfurt. From Munich, Lufthansa will also fly for the first time to Seattle. And, in summer 2024 also from Munich for the first time, Johannesburg and Hong Kong. 

News in detail from Frankfurt 

Starting on June 4, 2024, Lufthansa Airlines will fly five times weekly throughout the year to the Midwest gateway city Minneapolis. Located on the Mississippi river, it is an ideal starting point for exploring the state of Minnesota where, urban sophistication meets exciting outdoor adventures. In numerous national parks, and a chance to admire the spectacular northern lights. 

For the first time, Lufthansa will add Raleigh-Durham, to its flight schedule. It is the airline’s the second destination in North Carolina after Charlotte. Starting June 6, 2024, Lufthansa will fly also fly five times a week throughout the year to this city that is particularly interesting for business travelers. Numerous German companies have branches in the Raleigh-Durham area, and employees will now have an optimal connection to Germany and Lufthansa's global network for the first time.

Hyderabad, India already is a Lufthansa destination this winter and will continue to be served in the 2024 summer flight schedule with five weekly flights.

News in detail from Munich 

Next summer, Lufthansa guests will be able to choose from more exciting destinations from Munich to three continents. The Airbus A350, one of the most sustainable long-haul aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet, will fly for example for the first to Seattle from Munich daily for the first time on May 30, 2024 . The Munich flight complements existing daily flights to Seattle from Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub, thus offering additional travel options to the. state of Washington. In short, Lufthansa is doubling flight frequencies to Seattle. 

Lufthansa expands flights to the USA with three new connections

Lufthansa Airlines is expanding its service from Frankfurt and Munich to the U.S. in summer 2024 with three new connections. Starting next summer, Lufthansa will offer a total of 27 USA destinations, decidedly more than before Corona. Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina are two new destinations starting from Frankfurt. From Munich, Lufthansa will also fly for the first time to Seattle. And, in summer 2024 also from Munich for the first time, Johannesburg and Hong Kong. 

News in detail from Frankfurt 

Starting on June 4, 2024, Lufthansa Airlines will fly five times weekly throughout the year to the Midwest gateway city Minneapolis. Located on the Mississippi river, it is an ideal starting point for exploring the state of Minnesota where, urban sophistication meets exciting outdoor adventures. In numerous national parks, and a chance to admire the spectacular northern lights. 

For the first time, Lufthansa will add Raleigh-Durham, to its flight schedule. It is the airline’s the second destination in North Carolina after Charlotte. Starting June 6, 2024, Lufthansa will fly also fly five times a week throughout the year to this city that is particularly interesting for business travelers. Numerous German companies have branches in the Raleigh-Durham area, and employees will now have an optimal connection to Germany and Lufthansa's global network for the first time.

Hyderabad, India already is a Lufthansa destination this winter and will continue to be served in the 2024 summer flight schedule with five weekly flights.

News in detail from Munich 

Next summer, Lufthansa guests will be able to choose from more exciting destinations from Munich to three continents. The Airbus A350, one of the most sustainable long-haul aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet, will fly for example for the first to Seattle from Munich daily for the first time on May 30, 2024 . The Munich flight complements existing daily flights to Seattle from Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub, thus offering additional travel options to the. state of Washington. In short, Lufthansa is doubling flight frequencies to Seattle. 

Hundreds delayed on Ibiza after Lufthansa jet's heavy landing bursts tires.

Hundreds of holidaymakers and leisure travellers have faced hours and hours of delays on the Spanish island of Ibiza after a Lufthansa jet burst several tires upon landing and blocked the runway.

The Lufthansa Airbus A321 jet was operating a flight from Frankfurt International Airport to the party island landing just before 15:00 on Saturday. According to initial reports, the aircraft registered D-AIRU, burst two tires on its right-hand main gear during the heavy landing, which also damaged the other parts of the gear.    

The aircraft came to a halt some 2,300 meters and was carrying nearly 180 passengers at the time of the incident. Lufthansa said "there was no danger to the guests or crew at any time. All passengers and crew members exited the aircraft normally via the stairs. The aircraft was able to be towed off the runway and was investigated in detail by engineering."

 'Lufthansa regrets any inconvenience caused to all passengers. Safety is a top priority at all times.'

Munich Oktoberfest flights announced by Lufthansa

German flag carrier Lufthansa has announced a series of special flights to Munich from London Stansted for the annual Oktoberfest.

The airline is offering 11 flights for travellers from the region looking to experience the world-famous German beer festival.

Flights are scheduled to run from September 15 until October 1 and those booking early can take advantage of fares as low as £124 return.

The outbound service from London Stansted will depart at 7.55pm and arrive in Munich at 10.45pm.

Simon Gorrighan, Aviation Director at London Stansted, said:   “People from London and the East of England can now jet out from their local airport to enjoy a unique and memorable Oktoberfest experience.

There is no doubt these flights will be extremely popular, so I would suggest booking in advance in order to get the best fares.”

 

Lufthansa Industry Solutions Now Expands the BARIG Business Partner Network

Comprehensive Innovations

Profound international consulting know-how with a focus on future topics

 

Data security, sustainability, artificial intelligence (AI), and a circular economy are among the most important key issues currently addressed by many companies as part of the transformations that are occurring in almost all industries right now. Airlines are facing these issues as well. In aviation, in particular, topics such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability, and digital processes related to passenger transportation as well as air freight and logistics require a high level of expertise and innovation. In this context, the transformation offers enormous potential for successfully shaping the future and generating completely new approaches.

 

The Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG)—the association of airlines operating in Germany—is now giving its members a wide range of possibilities including direct access to the most recent studies, projects, analyses, and information on the transformation to the future. From now on, Lufthansa Industry Solutions (LHIND), one of the leading IT consulting companies in Germany, is supporting BARIG and its members as new business partner. LHIND is an independent company within the Lufthansa Group and focuses—besides the industry, logistics, and automotive sector—on aviation as well.

 

“We are very delighted to welcome Lufthansa Industry Solutions as another future-oriented business partner with great international orientation and experience. With its comprehensive, innovative, digital know-how, LHIND accompanies airlines, airports, and the industry in significant renewal and modernization projects,” Michael Hoppe, BARIG Chairman and Executive Director, states. “The field of AI, in particular, offers airlines a number of opportunities to improve processes and make them much more cost-efficient. In air freight, for instance, AI can be used to optimize flight routes or loading of aircraft. In passenger traffic, AI can help create forecasts, evaluate customer feedback, and improve passenger services.”

 

“The roots of our company lie in international aviation. Accordingly, we are still one of the few proven specialists who can offer this industry profound, customized consulting services and products such as myIDTravel, myDutyTrip, or myIDgo,” Volker Weller, Vice President Staff Travel Solutions at LHIND explains. “An international clientele with customers from Germany, Switzerland, the USA, and numerous other countries rely on LHIND’s services. The business partnership with BARIG gives us the opportunity to have a constructive and future-oriented exchange with airline representatives from all over the world, which we are very much looking forward to.

Airbus delivered the first aircraft to Lufthansa on 9th February, 1976 and early this week the airline took delivery of its 600th aircraft.

The delivery to Lufthansa of its first Airbus A300B2 on February 9, 1976 laid the foundation for a strong partnership within European civil aviation that has now extended almost 50 years. With more than ten different Airbus aircraft types supplied since then to almost every air operator in the Lufthansa Group, today saw the 600th such aircraft – an Airbus A321neo – handed over to Lufthansa in a formal ceremony at Airbus’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder site.

Four-time launching customer and the third-biggest A350 customer

600th Lufthansa aircraft formally named ‘Münster’

Special livery for the milestone A321neo unveiled in delivery ceremony at   Hamburg-Finkenwerder

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Lufthansa Group Executive Board:  “Lufthansa and Airbus are united by a very special partnership. Ever since Airbus’s creation, we have enjoyed close and trusting collaborations on a wide range of research projects and new developments. Lufthansa has also served no fewer than four times as Airbus’s launching customer for a new aircraft type, most recently for the A320neo family that is proving such a success. Lufthansa has ordered every family of aircraft that Airbus has developed over the past five decades. And more than 90 per cent of the 600 Airbuses that we have taken delivery of during that time are still in Lufthansa Group service today. We also wish to welcome our 700th Airbus to our fleet as part of Lufthansa’s centennial celebrations in 2026.”

Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO:  “Lufthansa and Airbus have been partners ever since we delivered the first Lufthansa A300 back in February 1976. Since then, Lufthansa has taken delivery of an Airbus aircraft an average of every month – 600 of them in almost 50 years! No other airline group has received more of our aircraft to date. My particular thanks, on behalf of everyone at Airbus, go to all the teams at Lufthansa for all their confidence and trust. We look forward to the next 50 years of our partnership and our shared commitment to the goal of sustainable air travel.”

The story to date

Lufthansa signed its first purchase agreement with Airbus for three A300B2s in 1975 and received its first such aircraft from Europe’s new manufacturer seven months later on February 9, 1976. Subsequent years saw the first deliveries of further Airbus types: the A310 in 1983, followed by the A300-600 in 1987. The first Airbus A320 to join the Lufthansa fleet was delivered in October 1989. Over 370 aircraft of the A320 family are in service today with the various airlines of the Lufthansa Group. The first A340 followed in 1993; and just one year later the Lufthansa Airbus fleet passed the 100-aircraft mark. The A330 followed in 2004; and in 2010 the A380 – the world’s largest passenger aircraft – joined the Lufthansa long-haul fleet.

Lufthansa has also served as launching customer for a new Airbus type on four occasions to date: for the A310, the A340, the A220 and – in 2016 –A320neo. Not only the Airbus A320 family is a cornerstone of today’s Lufthansa fleet: the A350-900, which first arrived in 2016, has also become a key component in the Lufthansa long-haul fleet, and the Lufthansa Group is the world’s third-biggest A350 customer.

600th Airbus named ‘Münster’

The 600th Airbus aircraft to be delivered to Lufthansa, which bears the registration D-AIEQ, is an Airbus A321neo. Seating 215 passengers, the A321neo is a state-of-the-art and fuel-efficient short- and medium-haul twinjet that has been in Lufthansa service since 2019. D-AIEQ has been named ‘Münster’ after the German city.

Partners in sustainability, too

Lufthansa and Airbus attach particular importance to their collaborations on the sustainability and the research & development fronts. Over the last three decades, the Lufthansa Group has equipped several of its long-haul Airbus aircraft with instruments to conduct climate and weather research. In addition to three such Airbus jets that are presently gathering climate-related data for scientific purposes, Lufthansa is also working with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology on a world-first project to convert a Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 into a research aircraft.

Lufthansa performed its longest non-stop flight to date in 2021 when it flew one of its Airbus A350-900s from Hamburg to Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands on behalf of the Alfred Wegener Institute. The same year also saw a Lufthansa A350-900 converted into a climate research aircraft for the CARIBIC Project.

Back in 2011 Lufthansa was the first airline to trial biofuel in its daily flight operations. For some six months, a Lufthansa Airbus A321 was operated on the Hamburg-Frankfurt route with one of its two engines powered with a fuel blend consisting 50% of biosynthetic kerosene. In the same year Lufthansa teamed up with the Forschungszentrum Jülich to conduct a new type of long-term climate research study using scheduled air services to monitor the Earth’s atmosphere. As part of this IAGOS research project, specially developed instruments were installed aboard a Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 to collect trace elements from the atmosphere in the course of the aircraft’s regular flight operations.

The Lufthansa Group purchases four additional ultra-modern Airbus A350-900 long-haul aircraft. The aircraft will be acquired from Deucalion Aviation Limited and delivered to the Group still this year.

Lufthansa currently operates 21 Airbus A350-900s and has ordered five more A350-900s and ten A350-1000s as recently as March 2023. In total, Lufthansa holds 38 firm orders for this highly efficient Airbus long-haul aircraft, making it the world's third-largest Airbus A350 customer.

Lufthansa and Airbus mark delivery of 600th Lufthansa aircraft at Airbus’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder site

The delivery to Lufthansa of its first Airbus A300B2 on February 9, 1976 laid the foundation for a strong partnership within European civil aviation that has now extended almost 50 years. With more than ten different Airbus aircraft types supplied since then to almost every air operator in the Lufthansa Group, today saw the 600th such aircraft – an Airbus A321neo – handed over to Lufthansa in a formal ceremony at Airbus’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder site.

Four-time launching customer and the third-biggest A350 customer

600th Lufthansa aircraft formally named ‘Münster’

Special livery for the milestone A321neo unveiled in delivery ceremony at   Hamburg-Finkenwerder

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Lufthansa Group Executive Board:  “Lufthansa and Airbus are united by a very special partnership. Ever since Airbus’s creation, we have enjoyed close and trusting collaborations on a wide range of research projects and new developments. Lufthansa has also served no fewer than four times as Airbus’s launching customer for a new aircraft type, most recently for the A320neo family that is proving such a success. Lufthansa has ordered every family of aircraft that Airbus has developed over the past five decades. And more than 90 per cent of the 600 Airbuses that we have taken delivery of during that time are still in Lufthansa Group service today. We also wish to welcome our 700th Airbus to our fleet as part of Lufthansa’s centennial celebrations in 2026.”

Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO:  “Lufthansa and Airbus have been partners ever since we delivered the first Lufthansa A300 back in February 1976. Since then, Lufthansa has taken delivery of an Airbus aircraft an average of every month – 600 of them in almost 50 years! No other airline group has received more of our aircraft to date. My particular thanks, on behalf of everyone at Airbus, go to all the teams at Lufthansa for all their confidence and trust. We look forward to the next 50 years of our partnership and our shared commitment to the goal of sustainable air travel.”

The story to date

Lufthansa signed its first purchase agreement with Airbus for three A300B2s in 1975 and received its first such aircraft from Europe’s new manufacturer seven months later on February 9, 1976. Subsequent years saw the first deliveries of further Airbus types: the A310 in 1983, followed by the A300-600 in 1987. The first Airbus A320 to join the Lufthansa fleet was delivered in October 1989. Over 370 aircraft of the A320 family are in service today with the various airlines of the Lufthansa Group. The first A340 followed in 1993; and just one year later the Lufthansa Airbus fleet passed the 100-aircraft mark. The A330 followed in 2004; and in 2010 the A380 – the world’s largest passenger aircraft – joined the Lufthansa long-haul fleet.

Lufthansa has also served as launching customer for a new Airbus type on four occasions to date: for the A310, the A340, the A220 and – in 2016 –A320neo. Not only the Airbus A320 family is a cornerstone of today’s Lufthansa fleet: the A350-900, which first arrived in 2016, has also become a key component in the Lufthansa long-haul fleet, and the Lufthansa Group is the world’s third-biggest A350 customer.

600th Airbus named ‘Münster’

The 600th Airbus aircraft to be delivered to Lufthansa, which bears the registration D-AIEQ, is an Airbus A321neo. Seating 215 passengers, the A321neo is a state-of-the-art and fuel-efficient short- and medium-haul twinjet that has been in Lufthansa service since 2019. D-AIEQ has been named ‘Münster’ after the German city.

Partners in sustainability, too

Lufthansa and Airbus attach particular importance to their collaborations on the sustainability and the research & development fronts. Over the last three decades, the Lufthansa Group has equipped several of its long-haul Airbus aircraft with instruments to conduct climate and weather research. In addition to three such Airbus jets that are presently gathering climate-related data for scientific purposes, Lufthansa is also working with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology on a world-first project to convert a Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 into a research aircraft.

Lufthansa performed its longest non-stop flight to date in 2021 when it flew one of its Airbus A350-900s from Hamburg to Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands on behalf of the Alfred Wegener Institute. The same year also saw a Lufthansa A350-900 converted into a climate research aircraft for the CARIBIC Project.

Back in 2011 Lufthansa was the first airline to trial biofuel in its daily flight operations. For some six months, a Lufthansa Airbus A321 was operated on the Hamburg-Frankfurt route with one of its two engines powered with a fuel blend consisting 50% of biosynthetic kerosene. In the same year Lufthansa teamed up with the Forschungszentrum Jülich to conduct a new type of long-term climate research study using scheduled air services to monitor the Earth’s atmosphere. As part of this IAGOS research project, specially developed instruments were installed aboard a Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 to collect trace elements from the atmosphere in the course of the aircraft’s regular flight operations.

The Lufthansa Group purchases four additional ultra-modern Airbus A350-900 long-haul aircraft. The aircraft will be acquired from Deucalion Aviation Limited and delivered to the Group still this year.

Lufthansa currently operates 21 Airbus A350-900s and has ordered five more A350-900s and ten A350-1000s as recently as March 2023. In total, Lufthansa holds 38 firm orders for this highly efficient Airbus long-haul aircraft, making it the world's third-largest Airbus A350 customer.

Lufthansa Airbus A350 becomes climate research aircraft.....

In a globally unique project, the Lufthansa Group and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are currently converting the Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 "Erfurt" (registration D-AIXJ) into a flying research laboratory. Now, an essential project milestone could be reached: For the first time, experts from the Lufthansa Group have attached the measuring probe system developed especially for the project to the lower fuselage of the A350 and successfully tested it in flight. Lufthansa pilots completed a flight program coordinated with the certification authorities in the airspace over southern Germany. The measuring system now being tested on the aircraft is the most complex of its kind and, in addition to the air inlet function, has sensors for high-frequency and -precision measurement of pressure and temperature. From 2024, the Airbus will collect comprehensive climate data during regular passenger flights for the European research infrastructure IAGOS-CARIBIC.

From 2024, a Lufthansa A350 will collect climate data for the first time for the European research infrastructure IAGOS-CARIBIC

"We want to make flying more sustainable. That is why we have been supporting climate research for decades. The conversion of our Lufthansa Airbus A350 into a climate research aircraft is a globally unique project in which colleagues from a wide variety of areas at Lufthansa have been working together with partners in science for years. Our aim is to make a valuable contribution to climate research. The data that our aircraft will collect worldwide in the future will help to improve today's atmospheric and climate models and thus their informative value for the future climate on earth," says Jens Ritter, CEO Lufthansa Airlines.

Over the next few months, a measurement laboratory weighing around two tons and specially developed for the project will be set up. Some 20 measuring instruments will be installed in the laboratory, which will later be loaded into the cargo hold as a cargo container and connected to the measuring system on the outer fuselage of the aircraft. Next year, this high-tech laboratory will take off for the first time and collect climate data on selected flights in Lufthansa's worldwide scheduled operations. The laboratory continuously records more than 100 different trace gases, aerosol, and cloud parameters from the ground to the tropopause region at an altitude of nine to thirteen kilometers. What makes it special: Climate-relevant parameters can be recorded at this altitude with significantly higher accuracy and temporal resolution on board the aircraft than would be possible with satellite- or ground-based measurement systems.

New long-haul destinations in the winter schedule promises Lufthansa....

The German national carrier Lufthansa is launching new Airbus A380 destinations from Munich in the coming winter. From 5th October the airline will be flying again an A380 daily to the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles. Shortly before the start of the winter flight schedule on October 28, there will be a special premiere: For the first time, a Lufthansa Airbus A380 will take off from Munich to the Thai capital Bangkok, increasing the seat capacity by almost 75 percent compared to the A350. Lufthansa offers a greater premium product on this connection than ever before: the A380 offers 8 seats in First Class, 78 seats in Business Class and 52 seats in Premium Economy.

Airbus A380 from Munich to Bangkok and Los Angeles, with Airbus A350 to Bangalore

New connections to India

Lufthansa is expanding its service to India. The new destination from Munich is Bangalore, which, in addition to Delhi and Bombay, will be served by an Airbus A350. LH764 departs Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:10 p.m. to the southern Indian metropolis. Lufthansa guests will be able to enjoy one of the Lufthansa Group's most modern and economical long-haul aircraft, the Airbus A350-900. After a longer break, Lufthansa will also include again Hyderabad in its flight schedule from Frankfurt. This will once again provide a direct connection from Germany to India's pharmaceutical and high-tech industries. Lufthansa will announce further details in midMay.

Lufthansa will offer a total of five destinations to the Indian subcontinent from its two hubs in Frankfurt and Munich in the coming winter.

New route between Frankfurt and Belfast City Airport starts.

Lufthansa’s new service to Frankfurt has taken off from Belfast City Airport, marking the first time the German flag carrier has operated in Northern Ireland.

 

The service, which is the only direct air link between Northern Ireland and Germany, will operate up to four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

 

Welcoming the inaugural flight, Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport, commented:  “The commencement of Lufthansa’s service to Frankfurt represents a significant milestone for Belfast City Airport, providing Northern Ireland with essential connectivity to Europe and further afield.

 

This exciting new partnership opens up opportunities for business and leisure travellers alike and there is no doubt that it will be an extremely popular route for many.

 

At Belfast City Airport, we pride ourselves on delivering convenience and choice to our passengers and securing this new connection with Germany only strengthens that offering further.”

 

As its base and a major European hub, Frankfurt is a key destination in Lufthansa’s extensive portfolio of destinations. This summer it will connect to a network of over 200 destinations from its Frankfurt hub.

 

Dr. Frank Wagner, General Manager Sales, UK, Ireland, and Iceland for Lufthansa Group, added:  “We are excited to announce the addition of Belfast City Airport to Lufthansa’s global network with the official inaugural flight to Frankfurt on 24th April 2023.

This new nonstop connection will bring Northern Ireland much closer to Frankfurt and to the heart of Western Europe. Connecting passengers will enjoy a convenient and full service one-stop connection beyond our hub to our vast network of 200 destinations in most parts of the world.”

In addition to supporting tourism growth in the region, the new route will provide vital business links with exports from Northern Ireland to Germany already exceeding £333 million between July 2021 and July 2022.

Simon Hamilton, Chief Executive of the Belfast Chamber, said:  “Belfast Chamber is delighted to welcome the arrival of the first Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to George Best Belfast City Airport.  Frankfurt is a fantastic hub airport and a new four times a week service will provide Belfast businesses with access to new markets in Germany and across the world, as well as opportunities for the city to attract new inbound tourists. “Connectivity is key to the economic success of any city and Belfast will undoubtedly benefit from this brilliant new route”.

Flights to Frankfurt will be operated by an Embraer E-190 aircraft offering both Economy and Business class services.

More flights and services from Munich this summer.......

This weekend the new summer flight schedule will begin at Munich International Airport with more new destinations and a major step up in other schedules. 

Lufthansa, the biggest airline at Munich Airport, will start operating additional flight connections. Its long-haul routes will now include Osaka in Japan and Mexico City. After a long break, Shanghai will return to Lufthansa’s flight schedule from April 1 and later also Beijing.

In Europe, there will be flights to Bordeaux in France and Rzeszow in southeast Poland again. For the first time, the airline will also fly to Oviedo, the capital of the Asturias region in northern Spain. In addition to the new destinations, Lufthansa is now offering almost all routes that it used to fly before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The world’s biggest passenger aircraft is also making a comeback: Lufthansa will reactivate four of its out-of-service Airbus A380s for flights from Munich to North American destinations.

In addition, Air China is planning to start flights to the two metropolises Shanghai and Beijing this summer. While Lufthansa will be offering more frequent flights to Tokyo, the Star Alliance partner All Nippon Airways (ANA) is also returning to Munich after a three-year break. Starting from March 27, there will be three flights a week to the Japanese capital.

Lufthansa orders 15 Airbus A350 jets

Lufthansa orders 10 Airbus A350-1000 and 5 more A350-900 aircraft

Lufthansa Group has signed an agreement with Airbus to expand its fleet by 10 Airbus A350-1000s and 5 Airbus A350-900s. With this firm order for the latest generation widebody aircraft, the airline will continue its decarbonisation trajectory. Compared to the previous generation of aircraft, the A350 consumes significantly less fuel, with a corresponding reduction in emissions. Passengers will benefit from the latest state-of-the-art cabin amenities and comfort on board.

In addition to the agreement on the purchase of the new aircraft, Airbus and Lufthansa have also signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) to further strengthen their cooperation in the field of sustainability and future technologies. This includes the intensified use of sustainable aviation fuels, the further optimisation of operations through a more efficient flight management and exploration into the use of hydrogen.

 

"We are honoured to see Lufthansa topping up its A350 order book to a total of 60 aircraft, joining the increasing number of A350-1000 customers around the world. With economic and sustainability pressures becoming a measurable reality as international flying increases again, so do the massive advantages of the A350 as the only clean sheet design and therefore the most efficient solution," said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “By  adding the largest A350 family member to its fleet, Lufthansa will benefit from Airbus’ full fleet commonality, offering unmatched operational flexibility and vast economic benefits.”

Two top leadership changes at Lufthansa

Two important leadership changes of commercial core functions at Lufthansa Group and Lufthansa Airlines: Heiko Reitz will be the new CCO of Lufthansa Airlines and Dr. Stefan Kreuzpaintner will now be responsible for network, alliance and partner management of Lufthansa Group.

Heiko Reitz has made several key strategy decisions for network, alliance and partner management in recent years and drove harmonization and further development of holistic commercial customer offerings, also with airline partners. He further developed the Lufthansa Group joint ventures and expanded important partnerships like with Deutsche Bahn. And as crisis manager during the Corona pandemic, he made a major contribution to stabilizing the company.

Looking forward, he will apply his strategic experience gained from Lufthansa Group to daily operations, at key customer interfaces while expanding and realigning Lufthansa Airlines' premium offers.

As a member of the Lufthansa Airlines Board Dr. Stefan Kreuzpaintner played a key role in further developing and strengthening core brand commercial structures and pushing ahead with the strategic premium positioning while coping with the very difficult Corona pandemic situation. Following crisis management, he pushed introduction of the new long haul Lufthansa premium product "Allegris". At the Lufthansa Munich hub, he reinforced the expansion of the successful strategic partnership with the airport. His prior experience in sales, revenue and marketing management positions will enable him to expand the links between Lufthansa and its Group partners. This will include network planning for all hub airlines and development of further commercial partnerships and joint ventures of the Group as well as continuing to represent Group interests in Munich as “Konzernbeauftragter”.

Lufthansa Group receives top grades in renowned CDP climate ranking

• Lufthansa receives the scoring result "A-" and is thus placed in the highest-ranking band
• Top grades for emissions reduction and in five other rating categories
• Proof of the Lufthansa Group's ambitious CO2 reduction path

In the global climate ranking 2022 of the non-profit organization CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), the Lufthansa Group received a top rating for its CO2 reduction strategy and its implementation, thus improving compared to the previous year. On a scale from "A" (best result) to "D-," the company was placed in the highest ranking band with "A-" (previous year "B"). The Lufthansa Group is thus among the top 5 airlines worldwide with the best rating. CDP gave the Lufthansa Group top grades in reporting in the following evaluation categories: Scope 1 & 2 (direct emissions & indirect emissions from purchased energy), Scope 3 (indirect emissions within the supply chain), corporate governance, risk management processes, targets and initiatives to reduce emissions.

"The top rating in the CDP ranking confirms our pioneering role in the industry.

I am proud that we were able to improve our ranking this year," says Christina Foerster, Member of the Lufthansa Group's Executive Board responsible for Brand and Sustainability.

CDP climate ranking regarded as global gold standard

CDP is a global platform for the disclosure of information on the sustainability of companies, cities and regions. The Lufthansa Group has participated in the CDP reporting since 2006 and thus informs relevant stakeholders continuously and transparently about its strategy and measures for CO2 reduction. Each year, CDP collects information on CO2 emissions, sustainability strategies and goals from more than 18,700 companies, representing more than half of the global market capitalization, in a standardized process.

Singapore Airlines named as one of the 50 most admired companies in the world.

Fortune magazine has named Singapore Airlines one of the 50 most admired companies in the world.

The airline said in a statement "We would like to thank our customers for their continuous support, which we do not take for granted. This accolade is a testament to the dedication of our people, who have been critical to our recovery and who strive to exceed the expectations of our customers every single day."

For more details, visit https://bit.ly/3XW3YLP.

Other airlines on the list include Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Southwest, Air France-KLM, Alaska Air and United. 

Belfast City Airport Announces Arrival of Lufthansa with Route to Germany

Germany’s flag carrier airline, Lufthansa, has announced it will commence operations at Belfast City Airport. The airline, which is one of Europe’s largest, is entering the Northern Irish market for the first time and will operate flights from Belfast City Airport to Frankfurt, Germany, from 23rd April 2023.

This will be the only direct air link between Northern Ireland and Germany.

Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport which is located only five minutes from Belfast City centre, commented:  “Attracting an airline such as Lufthansa to Northern Ireland that will provide the only route from the region to Germany is a major win for, not only the airport, but the wider tourism and business industry. With Germany being the third-largest market for overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, there is a clear demand for direct connectivity.”

Flights to Frankfurt with Lufthansa will operate up to four times a week, giving both leisure and business passengers exceptional choice and convenience when travelling to the global hub.

Katy continued:  “Frankfurt is an important city for commerce, culture, and tourism, and its airport is one of the busiest in Europe.  As a base for Lufthansa, Frankfurt is a key destination in its network and gives passengers an attractive option for connecting flights to markets further afield. Lufthansa’s commitment to excellent customer service and great value makes it a superb fit for Belfast City Airport, and we look forward to welcoming passengers travelling to Frankfurt and beyond to the terminal.”

Dr Frank Wagner, General Manager Sales, UK, Ireland and Iceland for Lufthansa Group, said:  “We are excited to announce the addition of Belfast City Airport to Lufthansa’s global network with the inaugural flight to Frankfurt on 23rd April 2023. This new nonstop connection will bring Northern Ireland much closer to Frankfurt and to the heart of Western Europe. Connecting passengers will enjoy a convenient and full service connection beyond our hub to our vast network of over 200 destinations in summer 2023.”

Exports from Northern Ireland to Germany between July 2021 and July 2022 reached over £333 million, with significant growth in the transport, metal and meat industries.

Speaking of the benefit for businesses, Mel Chittock, Interim CEO of Invest NI said:  “Germany is a powerhouse of the European economy and one which offers tremendous potential for our local businesses to export to as well as being a major source of internationally mobile investment. Its key sectors are well aligned with Northern Ireland’s strengths, particularly in Advanced Manufacturing, Life and Health Sciences, Food and Drink, and Financial Services. In fact, we are currently strengthening our European team to support exporters expand into Germany, Austria and Switzerland and to promote the Northern Ireland investment proposition in the region, with recruitment for a number of key roles currently under way.

Direct air connectivity is an important element of growing our economy and the establishment of this new direct route will make it easier for companies, both here and in the region, to do business together.”

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry added:  “Air connectivity is an important driver of economic growth, so NI Chamber welcomes the introduction of this new route between Belfast and Frankfurt. For business passengers, including those servicing customers in Germany and Europe, it will help improve trade links and make travel to an important export market more accessible.”

In addition to facilitating vital business links, the new route between Northern Ireland and Frankfurt will provide essential connectivity for tourism between the two countries.

Niall Gibbons, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said:    “Today’s announcement by Lufthansa is really good news for tourism to Northern Ireland in 2023.  As an island destination, we know there’s a proven correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers, so this new flight will certainly help boost tourism business from Germany. Tourism Ireland is committed to working with Lufthansa, Belfast City Airport and our other key partners, to drive demand for this new flight, and all other services to Northern Ireland, and help maintain our vital network of routes and services.  Germany is an important market for tourism to Northern Ireland. In 2019, we welcomed almost 65,000 German visitors, whose visits delivered almost £14 million for the economy.”

Welcoming the new route, Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive, Visit Belfast said:  “We’re delighted to welcome Lufthansa to Northern Ireland and this new air service connecting Frankfurt and Belfast.

 

Connectivity is crucial as we continue to rebuild the city and region's tourism sector. This is a real vote of confidence; and as the gateway city to Northern Ireland, this service will allow us to fully engage with one of our key markets in continental Europe as well as provide onward global connections to and from this important hub airport.   We look forward to working with Lufthansa and Belfast City Airport to promote the Belfast City Region as an exciting, vibrant leisure, business and conference destination.”

 

With nearly 4,000 German-born residents living in Northern Ireland, the new route will also deliver a much-needed path for visiting friends and family, something which does not currently exist in Northern Ireland.

 

Marion Lübbeke, Honorary Consul for Germany to Northern Ireland, added:   “Congratulations to Belfast City Airport in securing this new route to Frankfurt International Airport. We are delighted to see Lufthansa, one of the world’s leading airlines, coming to Northern Ireland and opening new opportunities for business and tourism. Northern Ireland is a popular travel destination for visitors from Germany who love the spectacular coastline, the buzzing cities and above all, the warm hospitality of the people.”

 

Flights to Frankfurt will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays by an Embraer aircraft and will offer both Business and Economy class services.

Wednesday and Sunday flights depart at 09.45 and arrive Frankfurt at 13.10

 

Monday and Friday flights depart at 16.45 and arrive Frankfurt 20.10

Lufthansa Cargo Celebrates 10 Years of Transforming Core Cargo Business with IBS Software

This month, Lufthansa Cargo celebrates 10 years of transforming its global air cargo business with IBS Software. Over the past decade, IBS Software has successfully partnered with Lufthansa Cargo to create a modern, agile and innovation-focused business, built on the strong foundation of iCargo – IBS' market-leading cargo platform.

In celebration of their ten-year, and ongoing, partnership, Lufthansa Cargo and IBS Software reflect on the journey to revolutionize Lufthansa's entire air cargo movement worldwide

The partnership began when Lufthansa Cargo made the decision to replace its core IT platform - a mainframe system called Mosaik - in 2012. This was a 30-year-old legacy technology, which formed the nerve centre of its operation; changing it was considered a project of immense complexity and risk. Consequently, Lufthansa Cargo carried out a rigorous market search during which 400+ potential suppliers and partners were evaluated. IBS Software and its iCargo offering were selected based on the strength of the offering, the capability and experience of its teams and the high level of congruence in future strategy.

For Lufthansa Cargo, IBS Software served not only the immediate goal of significantly upgrading its operational core but also further consolidated its IT landscape by bringing other, Lufthansa Cargo-built applications under the iCargo umbrella. The highly complex transformation project - named iCAP - involved more than 300 global locations across the Lufthansa Cargo network and its major hubs in Europe, including the Frankfurt mega-hub.

The outcome of iCAP was an integrated solution that supports the requirements of the airlines' freight business, providing enhanced web-enabled features that optimize operations, enhance profitability, and provide scalability. The solution helps manage the increasing volumes of cargo movement requirements of freighters, ground handling agents (GHAs), as well as airports. Buoyed by the success of the initial phase of the project, Lufthansa moved to a full SaaS (Software as a Service) model of software delivery for iCargo in 2020, entrusting the full ownership of hosting and maintenance of Lufthansa Cargo's iCAP platform to IBS Software.

Lufthansa Cargo and IBS Software also continued to innovate and develop several industry firsts and implement innovative business practices such as the iPartner Handling platform in 2021. This deployment represented significant progress for Lufthansa Cargo's 'Mobile Digital Handling' initiative, created to eliminate paper-based processes across its operations by digitizing tasks and process checks carried out by its GHA partners to enable best-in-class customer experience. These efforts have culminated in Lufthansa Cargo recently achieving 100% eFreight adoption, which is the industry benchmark. 

Dorothea von Boxberg, Chairman of the Executive Board at Lufthansa Cargo, says: "IBS has been a strong partner in guiding us on our digitization journey over the years. From the replacement of legacy IT systems to the laying of the foundation stone in the area of digital fulfilment to the development of more far-reaching IT solutions - which have now been the backbone in our IT operations. It is our goal to continue to work together to drive the digital transformation of our industry, improving data quality and connectivity with our customers in the process, and making our own processes more efficient as well. Together, we are creating considerable added value, especially for our customers."

Ashok Rajan, SVP, Head of Cargo & Logistics at IBS Software, says: "I view our decade-strong partnership with Lufthansa Cargo with immense pride. It truly represents what can be accomplished through a partnership that goes above and beyond that of a buyer-supplier relationship. Our partnership has created several innovative business practices, many are industry firsts revolutionizing and improving quality across cargo operations in a rapidly changing industry. IBS is looking forward to continuing to drive value with and for Lufthansa for many years to come."

Dr Jochen Göttelmann, CIO at Lufthansa Cargo, says: "We look back on the existing ten-year partnership with IBS in a thoroughly positive light. Together, we have further developed iCargo as a product in such a way that it provides us with excellent services on a daily basis at our Global Handling Hub in Frankfurt and in our worldwide operations. The intensive cooperation between IBS as a technology market leader and Lufthansa Cargo as an innovation driver makes our collaboration special to this day. The IBS teams convince us every time - with their know-how, but also with their commitment to live up to our claim of implementing innovations in airfreight. We are very much looking forward to furthering our cooperation."