Facing a revised demand forecast roughly half of what it previously anticipated, Lufthansa will move its remaining A380s and A340-600s into long-term storage. The carrier expects that they will “only be reactivated in the event of an unexpectedly rapid market recovery.” The move affects eight A380 and ten A340-600 planes.
Lufthansa
Deutsche Telekom expands free GX Aviation wifi offering on Lufthansa Group flights
Inmarsat, Deutsche Telekom, and the Lufthansa Group are extending their complimentary inflight wifi access plan. First launched in July 2019, the companies increased the number of covered customers in April 2020 and intend to keep the program alive at least through December 2021.
Cutting connections: Reviewing the connected aircraft retirements
Hundreds of aircraft rapidly retired from service. Hundreds more shifted into limbo, unclear of when they might fly again. The news no longer surprises, though some of the retirements bring about a sense of loss. For inflight connectivity vendors the impact is more than a sense of loss, however, as it maps to real revenue shortfalls with the aircraft removed from service.
Austria to implement minimum fares, short flight surcharges
Prices flying in and out of Austria are set to rise. And at least one airline is happy with the news, though expect lawsuits aplenty before the matter is fully settled.
Beached Whale: A380’s future turns more bleak
The A380 is the biggest passenger aircraft in the skies, and it will continue to operate for some time to come. But it will not be as prevalent as it once was. And this week brought more tough news for the type.
The Weekly Wrap: Cargo conversions and funky seating options
Looking to catch up on passenger experience news in recent days? I’ve got a fun new video series with Maryann Simson from APEX Media and we’re covering all the top headlines.
Lufthansa announces major, permanent fleet restructuring
Lufthansa is not particularly optimistic on the industry’s return to pre-crisis levels. As a result the airline announced significant fleet changes today, with many aircraft to be removed from service.
Lufthansa to cut inflight service on long-haul routes
Feeling peckish towards the end of a long flight? On most airlines a second meal typically shows up an hour or two before landing. For economy and premium economy class passengers on Lufthansa, however, the hot meal will no longer be provided. That’s just one of the changes – mostly bad for passengers – rolling out later this month
PaxEx Update: APEX EXPO
Trade shows usually make for great insight into the future of the industry. This week’s APEX EXPO brought some of that to the surface, with news about seats, entertainment, connectivity and more. Here are some highlights.
Lufthansa looks to leisure in US expansion
Lufthansa will fly a handful of additional US routes starting in Summer 2020, bolstering the leisure-focuses service from its Munich hub.