Delayed aircraft prompt Lufthansa to move A350s to Frankfurt
Lufthansa has had to take the temporary action due to a delay in the delivery of new widebody aircraft. Since March 30, four Airbus A350-900s have been moved from Munich to Frankfurt to take over long-haul flights.
Another two of the type will be added to its largest hub in May and July to meet the German carrier’s summer flight schedule.
The A350s have taken over flights to Seoul and Shanghai, while Denver will be replaced by the aircraft in May and Seattle in July.
Until last month, the South Korean capital was served by Boeing 747-400s, while the route to the Chinese city was operated by 747-8s.
The Frankfurt-Denver route, in turn, is currently operated by the Airbus A340-600, while Seattle is served by the A340-300, four-engine aircraft that were supposed to be retired.
61 new aircraft are scheduled to be added to the fleet
“With the temporary deployment of A350 aircraft from Frankfurt, we are closing a gap caused by delayed aircraft deliveries. Lufthansa’s state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft offer an improved travel experience from Frankfurt until new long-haul aircraft are delivered,” said Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa.
The carrier had expected to receive more A350s, 787s and, above all, the 777-9, the world’s largest twin-engine wide-body aircraft, but its certification date has been postponed until the end of this year.
“Over the next 36 months, Lufthansa is expecting the largest fleet renewal in its history. By the end of 2027, 61 new aircraft are scheduled to be added to the fleet. This means an average of one new aircraft every two weeks,” added Ritter.
There are currently 30 Airbus A350-900s in service from Munich, with a further 14 of the type expected to join the fleet by 2029.
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