Lufthansa can finally start making money on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners after a certification debacle left one of its most lucrative cabins largely empty for months. The German flag carrier said on Monday that it will begin selling tickets for its Allegris business class on the 787. Allegris, Lufthansa's signature cabin concept, spans economy, premium economy, business, and first class, but the business class rollout has been particularly tricky.
Hundreds of Lufthansa planes will stay on the ground on Thursday amid an all-day strike by pilots and flight attendants. The strike comes as the airline's efforts to cut costs and become more profitable have put it in conflict with unions. The number of flights affected by the industrial action remains unclear, with the company initially speaking only of "numerous cancellations." Some flights are still to take place from larger airports, such as those in Frankfurt and Berlin.
Lufthansa is doubling down on a jet that many thought was history. The German flag carrier announced Friday that it will install a new business-class cabin on all eight of its Airbus A380 superjumbos as part of its broader multibillion-dollar fleet renewal. Airlines are racing to meet growing demand for high-dollar premium experiences on long-haul flights. The new A380 business class will deliver an upgrade over the current layout, with more space, modern technology, and aisle access for all passengers.
The German airline Lufthansa acknowledged this week its responsibility during National Socialism and has commissioned an exhaustive scientific study on the role it played during that period, especially regarding the exploitation of forced laborers. Until now, it had been reluctant to revisit this past, arguing that the company that operated between 1926 and 1945 had nothing to do with the Lufthansa that emerged after 1953.
Lufthansa Airlines, the flag carrier of Germany, takes great pride in its aviation heritage spanning almost a century. Images from the 1920s and 1930s including Junkers Ju 52 aircraft used by the Luftwaffe feature prominently in Lufthansa's marketing, alluding to the "pioneering spirit" of the brand and its place in aviation history. But the story of Lufthansa's role in the Third Reich war machine, one that includes the large-scale use of forced labor, remains largely under the radar.
Germany's national carrier Lufthansa on Monday confirmed reports that it intends to cut 4,000 administrative positions by 2030. The company said it would use artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization and efficiency savings among its member airlines. The announcement comes days after another major German company, the industrial giant Bosch, said it would cut 13,000 jobs partly with the use of AI.