Lufthansa orders five new long-haul aircraft each from Airbus and Boeing. These are the A350-900 and B787-9. The machines are intended for use at Lufthansa and are intended to replace four-jet Airbus A340s.

The supervisory board approved the acquisition today. These aircraft are to be used in the Lufthansa Airline and thus strengthen the five-star premium offer of the core brand. As part of the long-term fleet renewal, a total of 175 new aircraft will be delivered to the airlines in the Lufthansa Group this decade.

“Even in these challenging times, we are consistently investing in more modern, more economical and lower-emission aircraft. We are modernizing our long-haul fleet even faster than planned before the start of the pandemic due to countercyclical opportunities. The new aircraft are the most modern of their kind. We want to further expand our global leadership role, among other things through innovative premium products and a state-of-the-art fleet - especially out of responsibility towards the environment, ”says Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr.

The first Boeing 787-9s are scheduled to fly for Lufthansa in the coming winter, the others will follow in the first half of 2022. With today's decision, the number of firm orders for Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 777-9 will total 45 aircraft. Lufthansa has held talks with Boeing and found a way to buy five 787-9 aircraft that have already been produced. At the same time, the group agrees with the manufacturer on a restructuring of the planned deliveries.

The five newly ordered Airbus A350-900s will be delivered in 2027 and 2028. This increases the number of firm orders for the A350 to a total of 45 aircraft. At the same time, the Lufthansa Group is agreeing to restructure the planned deliveries with this manufacturer.

As planned so far, the fleet is initially to be reduced in size and at the same time extensively modernized. The Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350-900 will primarily replace four-engine long-haul aircraft from the Airbus A340 series. By the middle of the decade, the proportion of four-engine aircraft in the long-haul fleet is expected to drop to below 15 percent. Before the crisis, the proportion was around 50 percent. The aircraft purchases also accelerate the reduction in fleet complexity for greater efficiency. With the new, fuel-efficient aircraft, operating costs have been reduced by around 15 percent compared to the models they will replace.