Industry Lufthansa Group orders 20 A350-900 and 20 787-9

With an investment of approximately US$12 billion according to aircraft list prices, Lufthansa Group goes big by adding up to 40 new long-haul aircraft to its order book. 20 additional Airbus A350-900s and 20 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners have been ordered. Deliveries are set to take place between 2022 and 2027.

The main reason for this new order is to replace current four-engine aircraft. The Airbus A340, for example, be retired in the next years by Lufthansa and Swiss. To compensate this, Lufthansa Group will use the state-of-the-art aircraft.

Carsten Spohr, CEO and Chairman of Lufthansa Group, explained: “By replacing four-engine planes with new models, we are laying a sustainable foundation for our future in the long run. In addition to the cost-effectiveness of the A350 and B787, the significantly lower CO2 emissions of this new generation of long-haul aircraft was also a decisive factor in our investment decision. Our responsibility for the environment is becoming more and more important as a criterion for our decisions.”

Which airlines within the Lufthansa Group will receive the aircraft is yet to be announced. Lufthansa Group stated that the decision, at which hub the aircraft will be deployed is going to be made at a later date.

Lufthansa Group´s investment in modern and fuel-efficient aircraft shows its ambition to better its operational performances and the environmental footprint. The fleet modernisation also sees passenger comfort rising due to new cabins and advanced technologies.

Lufthansa Group currently operates a long-haul fleet of over 200 aircraft, including 13 state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft. In the coming weeks, the mainline airline will receive its 14th A350. In 2020 then, the carrier will receive its first Boeing 777-9.

All these modern aircraft are expected to lead to fuel savings of up to 500,000 metric tons per year. According to Lufthansa, this is equivalent to a CO₂ reduction of 1.5 million metric tons. Operating costs, on the other hand, will sink by around 20 per cent. Moreover, the reduction of aircraft types in the fleet will reduce costs and complexity for maintenance and the supply of replacement parts. Seven aircraft types will be flown out of service in the next few years.

Lufthansa Group is one of the largest airline groups in the world. A fleet of over 700 aircraft is being operated by Lufthansa, Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa CityLine, Swiss, Edelweiss, AeroLogic and SunExpress. The primary hub has been installed at Frankfurt, Germany.