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Tag: Lufthansa

  • Lufthansa partners Air China

    The Lufthansa Group and Air China have signed a wide-reaching partnership agreement in Beijing which will enable the two aviation groups to jointly operate all connections between Europe and China as part of a commercial joint venture.

    This means that the two companies will successfully implement what they agreed to do as part of a memorandum of understanding in summer 2014.

    The joint venture aims to significantly expand their mutual code-sharing connections and enhance their commercial partnership. This will allow the Lufthansa Group to continue pursuing its partnership-driven Asia strategy. Following a joint venture with the Japanese airline All Nippon Airlines (ANA) and a joint venture with Singapore Airlines, which was signed in November 2015, this is now the Lufthansa Group’s third enhanced partnership in Asia.

    “As the flag carrier, Air China is the ideal partner for the Lufthansa Group in the People’s Republic of China. This ground-breaking joint venture will fundamentally strengthen our competitive position on routes between Europe and China. The significantly enhanced partnership will enable us to create additional benefits for customers,” said Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, at the signing of the agreement in Beijing.

    “The Chinese aviation market is one of the most important growth markets worldwide. We want to profit from this growth together with our Star Alliance partner Air China,” added Spohr.

  • Lufthansa to suspend flights to Venezuela

    The German airline, Lufthansa, has announced that it will suspend flights to Venezuela from June 18 due to economic difficulties in the country.

    The company also said currency controls in Venezuela made it impossible for airlines to convert their earnings into dollars and send the money abroad, the BBC reports.

    Venezuela’s economy has been hit hard by a sharp drop in the price of oil – the country’s main source of income.

    The country has high inflation and severe shortages of basic goods.

    In a statement, Lufthansa said “we will be forced to suspend our service between Caracas and Frankfurt as of June 18.”

    It noted that the demand for international flights to Venezuela had dropped in 2015 and in the first quarter of the current year.

    However, it said it hoped to restore services in the near future.

    Strict currency controls were first imposed in Venezuela in 2003 by late President Hugo Chavez.

    The restrictions were further tightened two years ago, forcing several airlines to reduce their operations in the country as they struggled to repatriate billions of dollars in revenue held in the local currency – the bolivar.

    Some airlines are now requiring passengers to pay their fares in dollars.

    Venezuela’s government has defended its policies, saying it must prioritise.

  • Lufthansa sponsors Social Media Week Lagos

    Africa’s largest technological and new media conference, Social Media Week Lagos, has set the stage for Lufthansa to introduce its new regional social media customer experience.

    On the same panel with the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos State, Mr Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, Senior Manager Customer, Product and Marketing Sub-Saharan Africa, Mrs Adenike Macaulay, introduced Lufthansa’s new social media strategy.

    “Our customers can now get in touch with us through our Facebook platform in a direct way,” said Macaulay.

    Lufthansa, social media activities are centralized in Frankfurt, Lufthansa’s hub in Germany. However, Lagos will from now on function as the social media centre for Sub-Saharan Africa.

    “We will engage more with our fans who have been following us for years, and respond to enquiries quicker , while inspiring them to travel to and from Nigeria with Lufthansa,” she added.

    This was in the same spirit with Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos State, Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, who at the panel pointed out the need for soft power approach to make Lagos and Nigeria more attractive as a tourist destination.

    ”Let’s give Lagos a chance. Let us consume more of Lagos and Nigeria and drive local consumption“,  said Folarin-Coker.  The Commissioner for Tourism introduced the Lagos initiative “One Lagos“, a marketing platform with a focus of a „new Lagos story“. Already, the megacity has the most number of hotel rooms of any African city.

    The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, also discussed his desire for the city. “We want

    The new social media channel gives the regional Lufthansa team the possibility to communicate to a wider audience destinations especially for example to the Nigerian, Kenyan or South African taste. Special campaigns like the upcoming soccer Europe championship can be promoted. Every month, inspirations to destinations that are off the beaten tracks in London, Paris and New York can be found on the Lufthansa initiated Facebook conversations

  • Lufthansa gets first Airbus A320neo

    Lufthansa gets first Airbus A320neo

    Lufthansa, together with Airbus and the Pratt and Whitney engine manufacturer, celebrates the delivery of the world’s first Airbus A320neo. Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Lufthansa Group, Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brégier and the President of Pratt & Whitney Robert Leduc celebrated handover and aircraft were presented to the public.

    The first A320neo, with the registration D-AINA, has already flown scheduled service since January. The second “neo” is expected to complement the Lufthansa Airbus fleet soon. The first experiences with the A320neo clearly show that the 15 per cent lower fuel consumption mark has not only been achieved but even slightly exceeded. The significantly quieter engines also increase customer comfort on-board and provide relief to residents near airports by reducing noise emissions.

    The development and introduction of the quietest and most fuel-efficient aircraft on short and medium distances is further evidence of the successful cooperation in the aviation industry at European level. “Europe has been a leader in this fascinating industry since the early days of aviation,” says Carsten Spohr.

    “Lufthansa and Airbus have developed a trusting and productive 40-year partnership. Together we have pushed ahead and brought to market many innovations and contributed to the success of the European aerospace industry. With new and efficient aircraft, such as the A320neo and the A350 XWB, we set new standards for our passengers, while reducing the impact on the environment and, not least of all, on the people living near airports.

    “On behalf of everyone at Airbus, I congratulate Lufthansa on being the A320neo launch customer. Together, we’re opening a new chapter in commercial aviation and I am confident that the A320neo will support Lufthansa objective to raise its environmental performance. The A320neo not only cuts emissions at every operational stage but also halves its noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.

    “At Airbus we are have been proud to support Lufthansa’s growth over the past four decades with our partnership now spanning almost the entire Airbus family, from the A320 right up to the A380.

    “Pratt & Whitney is proud to build on its long and deep history with Lufthansa and Airbus by together marking a new era in commercial aviation with the delivery of the A320neo equipped with ultra-high bypass ratio Geared Turbofan engines,” Pratt & Whitney President Robert Leduc, said.

    “We applaud Lufthansa for being the first to enjoy the many benefits this aircraft and engine technology affords in terms of fuel efficiency and in reducing noise and emissions.”

    This afternoon, the A320neo will take off from the Airbus facilities in Hamburg-Finkenwerder as a special flight with flight number LH9917 with guests and media representatives on board and fly with a short stop in Hamburg’s City Airport Fuhlsbüttel towards Frankfurt. The A320neo was fitted with a special logo. “First to fly A320neo – Less noise. Less fuel. Less CO2“ adorns the rear fuselage of the Lufthansa aircraft.

  • Eagles jet out Tuesday night aboard Lufthansa Airline

    Eagles jet out Tuesday night aboard Lufthansa Airline

    •Six players,officials to get Belgian visas today
    •Contingent to stop over in Frankfurt, arrive Belgium Wednesday

     

    SportingLife can reveal authoritatively that the Belgian embassy will today issue visas to six Super Eagles’ players,their coaches and officials to enable them travel to the European country ahead of Nigeria’s friendly matches against the Leopards of Congo DR and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

    The team were initially scheduled to travel yesterday (October 4), four days before the first friendly on October 8 but the embassy failed to issue them visas last Friday citing the failure of the players to attach their bank statements and club licenses as reasons.

    The players are Femi Thomas (Enyimba) , Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Prince Aggrey, Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars), Austin Oboroakpo (Abia Warriors), Chima Akas (Sharks). Knowing the importance of these games,the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) top hierachy were said to have moved quickly to complement the efforts of the protocol department and the result was that the embassy finally agreed to issue Schengen visas to the Nigerian delegation today.

    A top source in the NFF’s glasshouse while disclosing this information to SportingLife said that the team will eventually depart  on Tuesday night through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja aboard a Lufthansa airline flight.

    “The team could have travelled on Monday night after the Belgian embassy gave its word that visas will be issued on Monday (Today) but it was thought wiser to book their flights for Tuesday night,”the source said.

    With the latest travelling arrangement, the team is expected to fly from Abuja to Frankfurt, Germany and then make the one hour flight to arrive in Belgium on Wednesday morning.

  • Lufthansa launches Premium Economy Class with promo

    To commemorate the launch of the Premium Economy Class on Nigeria routes effective  October 1, Lufthansa is offering its agents and the public a special offer on the new product.

    “We are delighted that we can now offer our passengers on our Nigerian routes the Premium Economy Class“, said Lagos-based Managing Director Sub-Sahara Africa Lufthansa German Airlines, Claus Becker.

    “Lufthansa Premium Economy Class is located within the cabin as a clearly identifiable separate compartment between Business and Economy classes. It has a high-quality design and contains between 21 and 52 seats, depending on the aircraft type. The state-of-the-art A330 in use on Nigerian routes will be fitted with 21 Premium Economy seats.

    “Our Premium Economy Class creates a completely new travel experience that combines affordability with greater comfort. The seats offer up to 50 per cent more room than Economy Class and position us in a premium segment within the international competitive environment,” said Jens Bischof, CCO and member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board in charge of Sales, Product and Marketing.

    The new seats are up to three centimetres wider and provide greater privacy as well as approximately 10 centimetres more room at the side thanks to each seat. The backrest can be reclined further and the seat pitch is a significantly more spacious 97 centimetres.

    “The design and features of the new seat in particular are based on extensive passenger surveys and workshops with sales partners  a process that has been successfully used at Lufthansa. Following the upgrade of our First and Business classes, the installation of 3,600 seats on all 106 of our long-haul aircraft in just one year will mean another step towards becoming a five-star airline,” continued Bischof.

    “We expect to see more than 1.5 million passengers per year in our new Premium Economy Class.”

    With a baggage allowance of two items weighing up to 23 kilogrammes each, passengers can take twice as much free luggage with them compared with Economy Class. Passengers will have the option to also enjoy the comfort of our Business Lounges before their departure. Lounges were previously only open to status customers and are otherwise unavailable on a paying basis. Check-in and boarding procedures as well as hand luggage regulations are the same as in Economy Class.ac

  • Lufthansa names Lagos hqtrs for sub-Saharan Africa

    Lufthansa names Lagos hqtrs for sub-Saharan Africa

    Lufthansa Group has designated Lagos, Nigeria as headquarters of airline’s sub-Saharan sales, station, marketing and administration across the African continent.

    The aviation group said the belief of the company in the possibility of growth and development in Nigeria and to further provide jobs is the core for moving all its African business into Nigeria.

    Its Vice President, Sales and Services, Southeast Europe, Africa and Middle East, Mr Tamur Goudarzi-Pour, who made this known at the airline’s headquarters in Lagos yesterday, said “Nigeria has always played a key role in Lufthansa’s intercontinental network and now we are creating a new organisation that will benefit from the country’s economical size and business prospects as a leading regional business hub”.

    Expatiating further on why Nigeria is chosen, he said “Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa,also with the highest Gross Domestic Products and geographically located withing six hours from all other Lufthansa sub-Sahara markets, hence it was the natural choice for a regional head office in Africa”.

    On the question whether Nigeria is worth the risk to collapse all other regional headquarters for, the Managing Director, Sub-Sahara Africa, Mr Claus Becker said, having been in Nigeria for 52 years, with 750,000 and 230,000 passengers flying in Africa and Nigeria respectively in the year 2014 in its airlines, the company is not for quick returns.

    Becker said the airline is in the country on a long term and is investing in the people with belief in them despite the volatile nature of the country and although it is a calculative risk, it is a risk well taken. Becker, who was the former Managing Director, West Africa Lufthansa German Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines, said a lot of projects, investments are on hold due to the wait for direction from the new government. He said the airline is doing a lot and will do more and competition is keeping all airlines on their toes to satisfy their customers, which is why it’s Premium economy class will come to Nigeria in October 2015.

    He said Lufthansa has three destinations in Nigeria and is served by the German carrier, which is a pillar in the burgeoning economic relationship between Germany, Nigeria as well as businesses in both countries.

  • Lufthansa sets fuel efficiency record

    Lufthansa sets fuel efficiency record

    Lufthansa Group airlines has set a new fuel efficiency record of 3.84 litres per passenger and 100 kilometers. Lufthansa Cargo is also transporting freight more efficiently than ever  fleet modernisation is progressing

    The airlines in the Lufthansa Group have once again set a record for efficiency: In 2014, the planes of the passenger fleets only used an average of 3.84 litres of kerosene (2013: 3.91 l/100pkm) to carry a passenger 100 kilometres. This represents an improvement of 1.6 per cent over the previous year. As in previous years, the Group has thus met the demanding aerospace industry target of annual efficiency gains of 1.5 per cent. Whether Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines or German wings – all airlines in the Lufthansa Group have continued to improve their specific consumption values. The cargo aircraft of Lufthansa Cargo were also more efficient than ever, with 0.183 litres/tonne kilometres – an improvement of 5.2 per cent over 2013. In 2014, Group-wide efficiency in cargo transportation was increased by 0.8 per cent. In the reporting year 2014, the absolute fuel consumption in the Group increased slightly by 0.7 per cent with an increase in transport capacity of 1.9 per cent, so the trend towards the decoupling of transport capacity and fuel consumption was also continued successfully.

    The further reduction of specific fuel consumption is foreseeable through the investment in new, more efficient and low-noise aircraft. Lufthansa has now put the last of 19 Boeing 747-8 aircraft into service. The aircraft is 15 per cent more fuel efficient than its predecessor model B 747-400. By 2025, the company will receive 272 aircraft at a list value of 38 billion euros. This is the biggest fleet modernisation programme in the history of the Lufthansa Group. In 2015 alone, 17 aircraft will be delivered to the Group.

    The basis for further achievements in environmental performance is the four-pillar strategy established for climate protection, which combines different environmental measures. In addition to numerous programmes for the more efficient use of the resource kerosene, the Group is also focusing on the research and use of alternative, low-CO2 fuels.

  • Lufthansa offers premium on economy flights

    Lufthansa is offering new Premium Economy on all flights to and from Nigeria.  Passengers of the German airline would also enjoy the new business class on almost all flights before the end of the year, saying that the new First-Class won accolades in Europe as well as in the United States and that it is synonymous with the most luxurious form of travel from Lufthansa’s Nigerian gateways.

    The Group Managing Director for West Africa, Lufthansa, Claus Becker said: “Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt remain among the most important destinations in Lufthansa’s Africa portfolio. We are proud of the success story in this country together with our esteemed Nigerian passengers”. “The prospects for the aviation sector in Africa are promising: passenger numbers are set to rise in Africa by nearly six percent yearly until 2025.

    For Lufthansa in Nigeria this means we remain steadfast in our commitment to our local customers”, he said. According to the airline, Lufthansa’s success story in Nigeria has been firmly rooted with over 50 years of proud service from Germany.

    On March 4, 1962, the first Lufthansa flight touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. “Back then, Lufthansa flew to Lagos with a Boeing 720B aircraft, the world’s fastest commercial aircraft at that time. These planes had a passenger capacity of about 160, ‘’ Becker said.

    The flight was a non-stop service to Lagos, twice weekly”, it stated. “Today, Lufthansa flies daily to Lagos with continuation to Port Harcourt and daily to Abuja. The aircraft is a state-of-the-art Airbus 330-300, with 8 seats in First Class, 48 in Business Class and 165 in Economy Class. Lufthansa does not only strive to constantly improve passengers” experience on-board.

    The airline is proud to set standards in aviation technology and safety”, it added. The Lufthansa Group will take delivery of 263 new, state-of-the-art aircraft at a list price of EUR 37bn by 2025. The Company actively supports the use of alternative fuels and research into them. From spring 2015, it noted that the Lufthansa Group would be refueling its aircraft at Oslo airport with a bio kerosene blend.

    Lufthansa has continuously strives to be a good corporate citizenship. Help Alliance, the aid organization of Lufthansa staff, has had a strong focus on aid projects in Africa. Last year more than 800,000 Euros were earmarked for supporting 20 projects across the African continent and three of the projects in Nigeria.

    Therefore, acknowledging theses continuous efforts by Lufthansa, the Pan African Award Committee made up of travel professionals and journalists from across Africa just a few months ago, endorsed the result of the public online voting that chose Lufthansa as the Best European Airline to Africa.

  • Lufthansa shares dive 11% on profit alert

    Lufthansa shares dive 11% on profit alert

    Shares in German airline Lufthansa have fallen sharply after the carrier said it would not reach its profit targets for the next two years.

    It blamed competition from other airlines, which is keeping ticket prices lower on its main European and US routes.

    A three-day pilot strike in April also wiped 60m euros off its annual profit.

    Lufthansa said it expected operating profits of 1bn euros this year, against a forecast of 1.3bn-1.5bn euros.

    Currency restrictions in Venezuela preventing airlines from repatriating revenues from ticket sales there had lowered results by a further 60m euros, Lufthansa said.

    At one stage, the airline’s share price fell as much as 11%. By mid-morning, shares were 7.5% lower.

    Continue reading the main story Deutsche Lufthansa AG

    Last Updated at 11 Jun 2014, 13:21 GMT

    Lufthansa, which is Europe’s biggest airline in terms of sales, also reduced its 2015 earnings target to 2bn euros from 2.65bn euros.

    “The revenue risks mentioned when we presented the quarterly figures in early May have unfortunately materialised,” chief financial officer Simone Menne said.

    In May, it said market conditions were tough and that yields – a measure of revenue per passenger – were coming under pressure at its Frankfurt and Munich hubs.

    Mr Menne said prices on European and US routes were under pressure because more seats were being offered by rivals.

    It has previously complained that Gulf airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad enjoy competitive advantages because they are state-owned.

    The profit warning comes just over a month after the appointment of new chief executive Carsten Spohr.