Lufthansa prepares to decommission more than 115 planes: goodbye A380 and 747
We were not in time to rejoice at the announcement that Singapore Airlines' 12 A380s will continue to fly, which [...]
Lufthansa
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We were not in time to rejoice at the announcement that the 12 Singapore Airlines A380s will continue to fly, which Lufthansa immediately brings us back into the farewell mood. In its annual press conference, the one that announced the numbers for the horrible year that just ended, the company announced how it plans to simplify its fleet in the coming years.
In this article:
"We need to shrink our fleet, and we will do so with a view to environmental and economic sustainability." These are the words that are effectively the death sentence for Jumbos in the German carrier's intercontinental fleet. Farewell to the Airbus A380 and 747/400s, while the more modern 747/800s of which Lufthansa is the world's largest operator will continue to fly for a long time to come.
Goodbye also to the other four-engine aircraft in service, namely the Airbus A340, the one with the bathroom in the "basement." The axe will halve the fleet in terms of aircraft models in operation. This decision aims to simplify maintenance, reducing the need for having to manage 13 different airplanes, which in the "new normal" will become only 6.
As mentioned the 747/800 will be the flagship awaiting the 777X expected not before 2025. Of the current mid-size fleet, only the brand new A350/900 and 777/300 will survive, while the smallest of the "triple 7" and as mentioned the A340 will disappear.
Thank you for many happy landings, Alpha Tango! Take care, servus and baba also from us here at LufthansaNews👋🇦🇹🛫 https://t.co/lqc0Ydwpgr
- Lufthansa News (@lufthansaNews) March 3, 2021
As for the smallest family of aircraft for long-haul routes, goodbye to all models except the A330/300, while the first 787/900s are expected during 2022. This fleet redesign includes cutting as many as 115 aircraft, 8 models, and saving 15% in CO2 emissions.
We can only rejoice in the fact that the "queen of skies" will continue to fly for many more years at least in the Lufthansa household.
There is not only bad news
For 115 planes that will leave service, although some may find homes in some other airline, there are an equal number of 177 planes on order with deliveries scheduled between 2021 and 2029.
The short-medium range fleet will focus all on A320/321neo with as many as 109 aircraft being delivered in 5 years, singular that there is also only one A220 coming in 2021 (plus an option for 30 more).
On long-haul, the strategy of the German group and its subsidiaries is to focus on the 787 and the new 777X, which are not yet in the fleet today, and to grow with the flagship of Airbus house namely the A350.
New aircraft that will see a new business class. It was announced in 2017 and was to enter service with The 777X, the new aircraft with "folding" wings. which will be delayed for another 3 years. It remains, therefore, to be seen whether the new 1-1-1 configuration alternating with a more classic 1-2-1 row will debut on other models or will still have to wait.
