The Lufthansa Group is pushing ahead with the restructuring of its regional and feeder aircraft fleet and is gradually phasing out smaller aircraft types. Following the cessation of operations by its subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine, the entire fleet of 23 CRJ-900 aircraft is up for sale.
In parallel, the sister company Swiss International Air Lines has decided not to reactivate its fleet of nine Airbus A220-100 aircraft and to phase them out completely in the medium term. Both measures are part of a broader restructuring of the feeder network at the hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, and Zurich, aimed at reducing operational complexity and improving profitability on short-haul routes.
Sale of Canadair regional jets after the end of Lufthansa Cityline
The decision to divest the 23 CRJ-900 aircraft belonging to its former subsidiary Lufthansa Cityline follows the premature cessation of operations in this division in April 2026. The company cited increased fuel costs and ongoing losses in its feeder services as reasons for ending Cityline's operations. CEO Carsten Spohr confirmed at a press conference on August 4, 2026, that the company is already in sales negotiations with several interested parties. The aim is to sell the 90-seat aircraft on the market at the best possible price.
The transition in feeder services will be gradual. The newly established subsidiary Lufthansa City Airlines will take over short-haul operations around the central hubs of Frankfurt am Main and Munich. This subsidiary will utilize a different fleet concept, meaning the Canadair regional jets will no longer be needed for internal operations.
US market as a target region for used regional aircraft
In its search for buyers for the CRJ-900 fleet, the Lufthansa Group is focusing particularly on the North American market. There is still a demand for regional aircraft of this size class in the United States, as many feeder routes are operated there on behalf of major airlines using aircraft with up to 76 to 90 seats.
An example of the interest in this aircraft type was seen in early 2025, when the US regional airline SkyWest Airlines acquired a package of 29 used CRJ-900 aircraft. The investment for this fleet package amounted to US$28 million. The aircraft serve, among other things, as a fleet buffer and source of spare parts to cover peak demand or bridge maintenance downtime for other aircraft.
Retirement of the Airbus A220-100 sub-fleet at Swiss International Air Lines
Similar steps towards consolidating the aircraft fleet are emerging at the Swiss subsidiary, Swiss. Contrary to initial plans that envisioned the temporary grounding of smaller sub-fleets, the airline now plans the permanent end of the Airbus A220-100 fleet. CFO Till Streichert and Swiss spokespeople confirmed on August 4, 2026, that no further operations with this aircraft type are planned in the medium to long term.
Of the original nine A220-100 aircraft, four are currently still in active scheduled service. According to current plans, these remaining aircraft are to be decommissioned and transferred to storage by the end of 2027 at the latest. Three other aircraft were previously decommissioned and are in storage.
Spare parts procurement and engine problems in the A220 fleet
Two aircraft from the A220-100 sub-fleet, registrations HB-JBC and HB-JBD, are currently being dismantled and scrapped. The dismantling primarily serves the purpose of obtaining spare parts and components for the remaining fleet. Pratt & Whitney engines, in particular, are in short supply across the aviation sector due to industry-wide maintenance and inspection intervals that have led to supply bottlenecks.
By salvaging functional engines and components from the decommissioned A220-100s, Swiss is ensuring the continued operation of its 21 larger Airbus A220-300 aircraft. This larger variant will remain fully operational. The measure is intended to stabilize the operational readiness of flight operations on European routes and prevent disruptions caused by a lack of spare parts.
Group-wide streamlining of smaller regional aircraft types
The measures at Lufthansa Cityline and Swiss are part of a group-wide strategy to gradually phase out small regional jets from the flight schedules of the network airlines. The Austrian subsidiary, Austrian Airlines, also plans to phase out this aircraft class. Austrian Airlines intends to gradually retire its remaining Embraer E195 aircraft by 2028.
The aim of these developments is to standardize the fleet structure. Operating small sub-fleets entails relatively high expenses for maintenance, spare parts inventory, and the training and licensing of pilots and cabin crew. Consolidating these operations onto a few larger, standard-body aircraft should reduce these fixed operating costs.
Economic background and network adjustments in feeder traffic
The withdrawal from the smaller regional jet segment is taking place against the backdrop of changing conditions in European air traffic. Rising air traffic control fees, higher passenger taxes at airports, and the price development of aviation fuel are making it more difficult to operate aircraft with low seating capacity economically.
Concentrating passenger flows on larger aircraft types is intended to improve profitability per flight. At the same time, reducing frequencies on shorter routes will necessitate adjustments for passengers, as feeder flights to hubs will be offered less frequently or supplemented by alternative means of transport. The outcome of the sales negotiations for the CRJ-900 and the further phasing out of the A220-100 fleet will significantly determine the structure of the Lufthansa Group's European short-haul networks in the coming years.