Germans' Christmas gift to Boeing: after 30 years, Lufthansa returns to 737 order

Lufthansa's Christmas gift to Airbus and Boeing is an order that between firm orders and options amounts to 200 airplanes with a total value of $9 billion. The German group, which sees a clear predominance of European-made aircraft in the fleets of its constituent airlines (Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, and partly Condor), has ordered from Airbus 40 A220-300 (plus 20 options), and optioned 40 Airbus A320neo.

But the news is. Has returned to order the Boeing 737, an aircraft that Had left the Lufthansa fleet in 2016: are 40 the MAX 8 ordered over 60 options. The Seattle bireactor was Part of Lufthansa's history since the late 1960s.: The German company was one of the aircraft's launch customers and was among the first to receive it, so much so that it was one of the few to be able to sport in its 'historic' roster the -100 version of 737, which was soon replaced by the series -200, slightly longer and with a higher performance engine.

From Frankfurt, the 'baby' Boeing also received orders for the -300 version and the -500 version (models later to go down in the news as 'Classic'), but not for the so-called 'NG', 'New Generation' versions, that is, the -600, -700, -800 and -900 series. When the 'NG' series was put on the market, in fact, Lufthansa had already made a definite field choice for its short- and medium-haul fleet, preferring A320 family aircraft to the 737. In fact, it had been more than 30 years since the German company ordered a 737. And the last one of 155 Boeing 737 in Lufthansa livery, a 737-500 christened 'Langenhagen' had left the fleet in March 2016.

In this key, the choice of the MAX 8 has something of the historical (as well as a 'blow' for the U.S. company, which once again has the largest European group among its 737 customers). In a note, the Lufthansa Group did not specify for which or which of its companies the MAXs will fly. But he did explain which ones they will not fly for: namely Lufthansa, City Airlines and Swiss, for which the arrangement of short- and medium-haul fleets has already been defined for the coming years as well.

They remain, therefore, as potential MAX users, Austrian Airlines (which previously had 6 Boeing 737-800s in its fleet until 2012), Brussels Airlines (which had numerous 737s of different models from the 1970s until 2023) Eurowings (which has had 11 Boeing 737-800s in the past) and Condor. Given that the internal equipment of the aircraft, the Frankfurt note again explains, will be for 190 seats in two classes Business and Economy (thus a very high-density seating arrangement but with two classes of service on board), it could be likely to be used by Eurowings or Condor., which are the group leisure companies.

In any case, they still say from Germany, "a decision on which group company will use the MAX 8 will be made in the years to come." Hurry, at the moment, there is none, given that deliveries for the Airbus/Boeing order placed by the Group are expected between 2026 and 2032 (with the first MAX expected in 2027). Already known, however. Will be the subsidiary City Airlines (which will begin flying in summer 2024) to use on its short-haul routes, the A220-300s, which will be set up with 143 seats.

• Airbus
• Boeing