Source:http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/lufthansa-to-serve-san-francisco-with-a380

Lufthansa to serve San Francisco with A380

Lufthansa will become the first carrier to serve the Californian city of San Francisco with the A380 superjumbo from this May.

The carrier will operate a daily A380 flight into the city from May 10, replacing the Boeing 747-400 currently used on the Frankfurt-San Francisco route.

The flight numbers in question are LH454, departing Frankfurt at 0935 and arriving in San Francisco at 1155, and LH455 leaving California at 1420 and landing back in Frankfurt at 1005 the following day.

Lufthansa currently serves Johannesburg, Beijing and Tokyo with the A380, with New York set to join the fold at the end of February (see online news December 10, 2010).

Lufthansa will be the first airline to serve San Francisco with the superjumbo – the german carrier will also continue to serve the Californian city from Munich with an A340 aircraft.

There are currently no A380 services to the US West Coast, although Singapore Airlines is set to serve Los Angeles with the superjumbo from the end of March (see online news December 3, 2010).

Lufthansa Cargo To Raise Fuel Surcharge To EUR0.95/Kg -Source
26 January 2011

FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--Lufthansa Cargo AG, the logistics arm of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE), will increase its fuel surcharge to EUR0.95 a kilogram from EUR0.90 as of Feb. 7, the company said Wednesday.

The freight company is raising the surcharge due to increased crude oil prices, said a spokesman, confirming information Dow Jones Newswires obtained earlier from a person familiar with the matter.

The company last increased its fuel surcharge to EUR0.90/kg on Dec. 27, also due to increased crude oil prices.

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/522/5225843.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20100609/201006090916451972.jpg

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Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/475/4750671.html

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Deutsche Lufthansa passenger traffic rises 17.4% Y/Y in Jan 2011

(ADPnews) - Feb 9, 2011 - Germany's flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa (ETR:LHA) said today that due to the mild winter conditions its core unit's passenger traffic grew by 17.4% on the year to 4.4 million passengers in January 2011.

Including Lufthansa's subsidiaries SWISS, Bmi and Austrian Airlines (AUA), the consolidated number of serviced passengers during the period advanced by 11.7% year-on-year to 6.6 million.

A year earlier, heavy snowfalls led to numerous flight cancellations, Lufthansa said.

Lufthansa's passenger load factor fell by 0.7 percentage points to 72.6% in January 2011.

Lufthansa Cargo saw its cargo and mail traffic surge 17.5% on the year to 137,000 metric tonnes, while its freight load factor decreased by 1.2 percentage points to 63% in January.
source: http://adpnews.info/?nid=af1dea3179608ce9

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/513/5135486.html

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Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/524/5249170.html

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By VRHNA from HKADB :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/vrhna/DSC_8466a.jpg

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/526/5261495.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110307/201103070845008346.jpg

Le bénéfice de Swiss décolle (Tribune de Genève) (http://www.tdg.ch/benefice-swiss-envole-2011-03-17)

Compagnie aérienne | La compagnie aérienne Swiss a vu son bénéfice prendre l’ascenseur l’an dernier. Il a progressé par rapport à 2009 de plus de 150% à 368 millions de francs. Le chiffre d’affaires a quant à lui progressé de 10% à 4,77 milliards de francs.

Swiss a vu son résultat opérationnel bondir l’an passé, en dépit de l’éruption du volcan islandais, de la force du franc et de la flambée des prix du kérosène. Le transporteur aérien, qui a également battu son record de passagers, se montre en revanche d’un optimisme mesuré pour 2011.

Malgré une charge exceptionnelle de 30 millions de francs liée à ces facteurs négatifs, le bénéfice opérationnel de Swiss est ressorti à 368 millions de francs en 2010, deux fois et demie plus élevé qu’en 2009. Sur le seul dernier trimestre, le résultat opérationnel est passé à 135 millions de francs, contre 33 millions sur les trois derniers mois de 2009.

Le produit d’exploitation (chiffre d’affaires) a pour sa part augmenté de 9% à 4,77 milliards de francs, a indiqué jeudi la filiale du géant allemand Lufthansa.

La compagnie a profité l’an dernier de la reprise du fret aérien, dont les excellentes performances ont largement contribué à ces bons résultats sur l’ensemble de l’exercice.

«2010 a été un bon millésime pour Swiss. Après une entrée en matière difficile et une baisse d’activité liée à la crise des cendres volcaniques, nous avons enregistré des performances exceptionnelles au deuxième semestre», a relevé son patron Harry Hohmeister, cité dans le communiqué.

Record de passagers

Swiss a battu son record de passagers l’an dernier, transportant au total 14,168 millions de personnes, soit une augmentation de 2,8% par rapport à l’exercice précédent. Le remplissage des appareils atteint lui aussi un niveau record, s’élevant à 82,3%, contre 80,1% en 2009, un record depuis la création du groupe en 2002 et même de toute l’histoire de l’aviation helvétique, selon Swiss.

Le transporteur aérien a légèrement augmenté ses capacités de 3,4% en Europe et de 4,9% sur le réseau intercontinental. Mais alors que la demande s’est rétablie sur les vols longue distance au sortir de la crise financière, les vols intra-européens ne se sont pas remis de la crise de 2009 et souffrent d’une concurrence toujours plus vive.
«De nouvelles mesures concernant le marché européen devront être envisagées», a indiqué Harry Hohmeister, sans préciser davantage.

Début d’année décevant

Sur l’exercice en cours, le patron de Swiss fait preuve d’un optimisme relatif: «le début de l’année est plutôt décevant. En raison des hésitations grandissantes de la clientèle, les prévisions sont de moins en moins aisées. Nous devons toutefois nous efforcer d’atteindre de nouveau cette année les résultats de l’an passé», a-t- il déclaré.
Il a notamment insisté sur le fait que la compagnie devait «impérativement» faire preuve de souplesse et continuer à s’imposer une stricte discipline en matière de contrôle des dépenses.

«La gestion de nos coûts ne doit rien laisser au hasard. Nous devons être parés à faire face aux aléas d’un marché extrêmement volatile», a-t-il déclaré. «Les récents événements dramatiques dans le Maghreb, de même que la crise au Japon démontrent clairement l’importance de la flexibilité», relève Harry Hohmeister, alors que Swiss vient de modifier son plan de vol vers l’archipel nippon, suite à la catastrophe qui l’a frappée.

Lufthansa dans le noir

Sa maison-mère Lufthansa a pour sa part indiqué jeudi prévoir pour 2011 et 2012 une hausse de son résultat opérationnel et de son chiffre d’affaires.

Le groupe a déjà divulgué la semaine dernière ses chiffres-clés. Renouant avec les bénéfices, Lufthansa a dégagé un résultat net de 1,1 milliard d’euros (1,4 milliard de francs), contre une perte de 34 millions en 2009, un bénéfice opérationnel de 876 millions et un chiffre d’affaires de 27,3 milliards.

Christoph Franz, aux commandes de Lufthansa depuis janvier après avoir piloté Swiss pendant cinq ans, a lui aussi fait preuve de retenue pour l’exercice en cours. «L’année 2011 ne sera pas une promenade de santé», a-t-il tempéré.

SWISS won 368 million francs in 2010, 150% more than in 2009 despite suffering almost 40 million of losses due to iceland's volcano eruption.

It had a record number of passangers of 14 million and its occupation rate increased to 82.3% from 80% in 2009, even though capacity also increased.

Lufthansa To Divert Tokyo-Bound Flights Beyond Sunday
18 March 2011

FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--German flagship airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE) will continue to divert Tokyo-bound flights to airports in the south of Japan until March 28, extending a measure that was set to last through Sunday, a Lufthansa spokesman told Dow Jones Newswires Friday.

The carrier's daily flights from Frankfurt to Tokyo will continue to be diverted to Nagoya, while flights departing from Munich will go to Osaka, amid fears over radiation from a nuclear plant hit by last week's earthquake.

Lufthansa employs around 50 workers in Japan, including around 15 German nationals, in the cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. The airline said it still sees no cause at present to evacuate employees.

A spokeswoman from Lufthansa's subsidiary Austrian Airlines, which flies to Tokyo six times a week, said it is checking the situation in Japan daily and still plans to operate a flight to Tokyo on Friday.

Flying Swiss for the first time in a few years soon...also first time in Switzerland. :)

INTERVIEW-Lufthansa Cargo CEO sees prices stable this year

FRANKFURT, March 23 (Reuters) - Lufthansa Cargo Chief Executive Karl Ulrich Garnadt said he expects the prices that customers pay the carrier to transport goods by air to remain at least stable this year.

"Prices have returned to pre-crisis levels after last year's trough," Garnadt told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

Lufthansa Cargo said earlier prices were being supported by the fact air cargo capacity was still in short supply around the world. [ID:nLDE72M0RC]

"We don't expect any overcapacities (in the industry) in the coming years either," said Garnadt, who took over as CEO of Lufthansa Cargo in January.

Lufthansa has just ordered five new Boeing 777 aircraft to expand its fleet, which now consists mainly of MD-11 freighters, to 23 planes by 2015.

Garnadt said Lufthansa Cargo would also consider aircraft by other plane makers, such as an A350F by Airbus , in the future if there was an alternative to the Boeing 777.

"We will decide on further aircraft orders in two or three years," Garnadt said.

Lufthansa resuming flights to Tokyo

CHICAGO, March 24 (Reuters) - Germany's Lufthansa said it was resuming flights to Tokyo on Thursday following disruption caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Germany's flagship carrier announced the service resumption on its website. The airline previously said it would divert flights away from Tokyo to Osaka and Nagoya until March 27.

Lufthansa said it was reinstating its daily Airbus A340 flights to the Japanese capital from Frankfurt and Munich.

"In the light of the exceptional circumstances in Japan, these flights will be routed through Seoul," the carrier said. "Lufthansa meanwhile is continuing to monitor developments in Japan carefully and remains in close contact with the relevant authorities."

Travel to Japan was hobbled first by the earthquake and tsunami and later by concerns about nuclear radiation amid the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Other carriers have also scaled back service to Japan. Delta Air Lines , for example, which runs more flights to Japan than any other U.S. carrier, said last week that it would suspend daily flights from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to Los Angeles and Detroit. Delta said on Thursday its operations had not returned to normal.

AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines, never altered service to Japan. An AMR spokesman said on Thursday its crews were still spending nights in Tokyo and that traffic was heavier out of Japan than into the country.

Six Taken Into Custody Over Alleged German Coin Scam
1 April 2011
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--German prosecutors said Thursday they had detained six people over the alleged circulation of invalid coins, saying those held had sometimes used flight attendants to bring back re-assembled dirty and bent one- and two-euro coins from China, and then cashed them at the central bank.

Police carried out raids at 10 sites in and around Frankfurt and detained the six on Wednesday, the prosecutor's office said.

Three of the six in custody are male cabin crew from German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE), prosecutor Doris Moeller-Scheu said. As the investigation was already underway, a Lufthansa stewardess was caught by customs officers with invalidated coins in her bag, but she wasn't taken into custody in Wednesday's move, Moeller-Scheu added.

The prosecutors' office said in a statement that most likely the coins had been split already in Europe and then sold to China as scrap metal. The damaged coins were then reassembled and handed back in at the Bundesbank, to be exchanged for undamaged money.

The accused were allegedly aware of the fact that they were invalidated, re-assembled coins. To avoid closer scrutiny the invalid coins were mixed with valid coins, the prosecutors' statement said.

In total, around 29 tons of coins, valued at around EUR6 million, were handed in in this manner between 2007 and November 2010, the prosecutor's office added.

A spokesman for Lufthansa said the investigation is against individual employees and not against the company. He declined to comment further, pointing out the investigation is ongoing.

Germany tabloid Bild said the raids also included the Bundesbank.

The Bundesbank said it is aware of the investigation, and that it isn't against any Bundesbank employees, adding that it isn't involved in invalidating and disposing of the coins.

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/528/5286306.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110407/201104070444308708.jpg

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000047252_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=47252&size=large

SWISS has begun flying again to Tokyo from Zurich after making tests on returning flights kept via HK with zero to very low radioactivity detected, although some radioactivity has been found on containers Le Matin (http://www.lematin.ch/actu/suisse/comagnie-swiss-reprend-vols-reguliers-zurich-tokyo-402150)

Sunday, 1 May 2011

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/incoming/article291663.ece/BINARY/MADRIDpic5_full.jpg
Emirates unveils financial results for the second half of 2010 on May 10

Dnata, the airline services arm of Emirates Group, is likely to complete a joint venture deal with Germany’s Luftansa Group by September, despite ongoing animosity between the pair’s airlines.

The deal, which is awaiting approval from the European Commission and both company boards, would see Lufthansa unit Sky Chefs link up with dnata’s Alpha Flight Group to form a joint airline catering venture.

“We will get there by September and it will happen. Gary Chapman, president of dnata, told Arabian Business. “We expect a significant synergy from that and it will take a lot of focus.” Dnata acquired Alpha Flight from Italy’s Autogrill for $165.7m last year.

The deal comes despite the war of words between Germany’s Lufthansa and Emirates Airline, over the Dubai flag carrier’s aggressive expansion into the European long-haul market.

The German airline has lobbied its government to stop Emirates serving more German cities, leading Emirates’ President Tim Clarke to accuse the rival airline of sabotage.

Their mantra is to take the Gulf carriers down, as well as dominate the markets they sit in,” he said in January.

The pending deal is an indication the firms are able to put aside commercial disputes in order to capitalise on lucrative business opportunities, Chapman said.

“Yes there are areas of conflict but that does not mean we cannot work together on the catering side in the UK as that is the sensible decision for both organizations,” he said.

“I spoke to my chairman Sheikh Ahmed and said, ‘here’s an opportunity and it is a sensible [one]. Despite what might be going on, on an airline front, we should do it.’ [He said] you should do what is right for the business.”

Government-owned dnata, which last year saw profits rise 20.9 percent to a record AED613m ($167m) launched a branding campaign on Thursday aimed at boosting its profile abroad.

The new corporate branding will be rolled out across 38 countries, where dnata employs some 20,000 staff.

Dnata holds a 23 percent share in the British corporate travel company Hogg Robinson Group and owns 49 percent in South Africa-based outsource provider Mind Pearl.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/emirates-dnata-lufthansa-ink-catering-deal-by-sept-397133.html

By gosai from HKADB :

http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx188/hkgolden09/IMG_0047B.jpg

Source:http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/lufthansa-to-revamp-boston-and-dubai-lounges
Lufthansa to revamp Boston and Dubai lounges
Published: 10/05/2011 - Filed under: News »

Lufthansa is to revamp its lounges at Boston and Dubai, expanding the Senator facilities at both airports.

In a release the carrier says that “Lufthansa First and Business Class passengers and Miles & More customers with a Frequent Traveller, Senator or HON Circle status can look forward to a significant improvement in the Lufthansa lounge service at Boston and Dubai airports from summer 2011”.

The improvements include revamping the existing combined business and Senator lounge at Boston airport into a Senator-only lounge, with a separate business class lounge located opposite. Lufthansa says the entire lounge area will be more than doubled in size, with both lounges featuring a “welcoming new design”, with 130 seats in total, and a larger “more modern” bistro area.

While the existing lounge is closed for refurbishment, eligible passengers are invited to use the Air France lounge in Terminal E, located after security opposite gate 3B. The works are expected to be completed by August/September.

Meanwhile in Dubai the new-look Senator lounge will feature 68 seats, “considerably more space to relax or work in”, and a “high-quality selection of food and beverages”.

Once the new Senator lounge opens, business class passengers will be invited to use the airport-operated Marhaba lounge, located opposite gate 123/125, and currently being used by both all Lufthansa passengers while the works on the Senator lounge take place.

For more information visit lufthansa.com.

Report by Mark Caswell

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/530/5307942.html

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Deutsche Lufthansa To Drop Italian Brand, Lufthansa Italia
23 May 2011

BERLIN (Dow Jones)--Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE) said Monday it will drop its Italian brand Lufthansa Italia.

Lufthansa Italia will be discontinued after Oct. 29, 2011, and Lufthansa will focus on its core Lufthansa brand and its regional airline Air Dolomiti for its Italian business.

"Given the fall in prices in continental traffic it was extraordinarily difficult to establish a profitable European network under a separate brand in the Italian market," Lufthansa Chief Executive Christoph Franz said.

Planes now used by Lufthansa Italia from the winter 2011/2012 flight schedule onwards will be transferred to other Lufthansa operations. The airline nevertheless wants to expand its connections to Italy from its Frankfurt and Munich hubs, Lufthansa said.

Nice looking paint job SWISS air has going still.
Glad to see the airlines coming back to Tokyo.
Any pics of the new lounges?

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/5/6/8/1933865.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Lufthansa/Airbus-A340-642/1933865/L/

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000050012_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=50012&size=large

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/526/5269901.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110319/201103190345446856.jpg

the seats on flights in europe.
they offer more room, but also 20 more seats fit in a321, so lufthansas a321 has now 200 seats

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/runway-girl/Lufthansa%206.JPG
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/runway-girl/Lufthansa%203.JPG
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/runway-girl/2010/12/

Lufthansa lauches biofuel test

article from airliners.de (http://translate.google.de/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.airliners.de%2Ftechnik%2Fforschungundentwicklung%2Flufthansa-startet-biotreibstoff-test%2F24617&act=url)

Lufthansa Climb

article from airliners.de (http://translate.google.de/translate?hl=de&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.airliners.de%2Fverkehr%2Fverkehrszahlen%2Flufthansa-im-steigflug%2F24629)

Lufthansas new 747 first class

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wvJyzoueHOQ

Lufthansa has developed and upgraded it's new First Class on the Boeing 747-400 fleet. The seats are brand new and are different than the ones on the a380, and totally differ from the old 747- First Class.

Lufthansa converted every window seat in the old First Class cabin -- which currently fitted 16 passengers -- into a permanently flat bed, reducing the total number of seats to just eight. The full-flat beds have a sleeping surface measuring over two metres in length and a top-quality mattress. Essentially the new First Class seats on B747-400 now will consist of two seats, with the upright seat. Cabin seating is configured just 1-1 with the upright seat adjoining the aisle to allow for easier meal service and socializing, while the bed is positioned alongside the window for more privacy. First class passengers will also get 17″ monitors for inflight entertainment, temperature-regulating blankets and pillows and an amenity kit from Porsche Design. Furthermore, just like the First Class on A380s, sound-absorbing curtains and sound-deadening insulation beneath the carpet will make the cabin more quiet.
Describtion on YouTube

Always a pleasure to fly by Lufthansa! :)

Describtion on YouTube

Sounds really great. Too bad I can't afford it. LOL

I love to fly with SWISS, especially on their new business class....much better than LH :)

Sao Paulo (Brazil)

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/1/9/4/1898491.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Lufthansa/Airbus-A340-313X/1898491/L/&sid=dacb52d74902ad56d2ec987585edfbf9

Swiss double son bénéfice (Le Matin (http://www.lematin.ch/actu/economie/swiss-double-son-benefice))

La compagnie aérienne suisse enregistre des bénéfices en forte hausse au premier semestre. Le prix du kérosène et la cherté du franc ont été compensés par la forte demande.

La compagnie aérienne suisse a tiré son épingle du jeu au premier semestre. La filiale de Lufthansa a doublé son bénéfice par rapport à l'an dernier, le portant à 129 millions de francs, a annoncé jeudi Swiss. Le prix élevé du kérosène et la cherté du franc ont été plus que compensés par la hausse de la demande, en particulier sur le réseau intercontinental. La branche avait il est vrai subi à la même période de l'an dernier les conséquences de l'éruption volcanique en Islande.

(continue reading)

SWISS has doubled their profits on the first semester compared to first semester 2010, although it is being badly hurt by Swiss Franc strength. It has carried over 7.37 million passangers, an increase of 11% compared to the same period last year.


BTW I see the thread has been renamed, however it still has the same previous mistake! if BMI is all in capital letters, so should SWISS, as that's how the short brand is shown, only the longer formal name (Swiss International Airlines) is written that way. Sorry for being such a fusspot! :lol:

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/4/2/1/1960124.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Lufthansa/Airbus-A340-642/1960124/L/

SWISS will be adopting a new logo starting from october

Our new brand concept extends to a bold and distinctive new advertising look that will be focused on our aircraft, and on their Swiss-cross tailfins in particular. Our aim here is to create a truly individual profile that will enable our advertising – and thus our company and its products – to stand out in the market and the competitive environment.

The new logo, which will be better aligned to our strengthened market positioning and our sharpened brand profile, will be gradually adopted from October onwards. In design terms, the new look will mean hardly any changes to our aircraft’s current livery, since the new logo has been derived directly from our existing tail design. All that will be needed for our aircraft fleet is a slight modification to the overall colour scheme.

The new concept will be rounded off by a new claim, too, in which we have distilled our quality aspirations and our commitment to our customers into a few simple words: “Our sign is a promise”. We’ll be using this claim in our advertising, in combination with the new logo.
keep reading (http://blog.swiss.com/2011/08/we-strengthen-our-positioning-and.html)


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hg_ZltQitrI/TkvNfP6Q39I/AAAAAAAAAOk/IWCArOP685I/s1600/NewLogo.jpg

this is the current square-logo, for those who don't remember it

http://logok.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Swiss-Logo-klein1.jpg

Unfortunately a step back. The old one was better, the new one is just another tail-shaped CI...

Link to a German article with pics of the new plane design:
http://www.designtagebuch.de/neues-erscheinungsbild-fur-swiss/

^^ Yes I agree. If their will was to underline the Swissness of the company, I would have used the left square as a Swiss flag (i.e. eliminate the word SWISS and enlarge the cross) and the right square for the word SWISS, or Swiss Int'l Airlines as it is now...

Very Swissair for the new logo!

http://www.goodlogo.com/images/logos/swissair_logo_2410.gif

^^ :cry: those were the days

^^ :cry: those were the days

Indeed.. My first experience on a wide body was a Swissair Md-11 from Zurich to Toronto.. Definitely an experience!!

I love the branding of the current Swiss International Air Lines and also agree that it's the new one is a step backwards in design.

Incident: Lufthansa A343 near Kuwait on Aug 17th 2011, engine problem




By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Aug 17th 2011 12:20Z, last updated Wednesday, Aug 17th 2011 12:20Z

A Lufthansa Airbus A340-300, registration D-AIGN performing flight LH-637 from Kuwait City (Kuwait) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was climbing through FL338 about 130nm northwest of Kuwait City about 25 minutes into the flight when the crew decided to return to Kuwait due to a stalled engine (CFM56). The aircraft landed safely in Kuwait about one hour after departure.

The flight is currently estimated to depart again with a delay of 21:15 hours after being initially estimated to depart with a delay of 10:15 hours, then 12:15 hours.


source:http://http://avherald.com/h?article=4417078e&opt=0

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/542/5423678.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110825/201108251124067481.jpg

http://i48.servimg.com/u/f48/11/28/71/03/p1012511.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1275&u=11287103)

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/3/3/8/1974833.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Swiss-International-Air/Airbus-A330-343X/1974833/L/

H49e6DMfpsM

5d3eEZXRh7I

Finally some good news from OS:

Austrian Airlines was named winner of the Award for the World's Best Business Class Airline Catering for Product Quality at the 2011 World Airline Awards, in a ceremony held in the French Air and Space Museum at the Paris Air Show.

The runners-up in this Best Business Class Airline category are Turkish Airlines taking 2nd place in the category, ahead of Qatar Airways in 3rd position.

Voted by over 18.8 million airline passengers from 100 different nationalities, the World Airline Awards™ are the most prestigious and respected quality recognition of front-line product and service standards across the world airline industry. With 200 airlines featured, the awards reflect customer satisfaction levels across 38 different items of airline front-line product and service.

[...]

Austrian Airlines was named winner of the Airline Staff Service Excellence Europe award at the 2011 World Airline Awards, in a ceremony held in the French Air and Space Museum at the Paris Air Show.

The runners-up in the Airline Staff Service Excellence Europe category are Aegean Airlines taking 2nd place in the category, ahead of Swiss Intl Air Lines in 3rd position.

Voted by over 18.8 million airline passengers from 100 different nationalities, the World Airline Awards™ are the most prestigious and respected quality recognition of front-line product and service standards across the world airline industry. With 200 airlines featured, the awards reflect customer satisfaction levels across 38 different items of airline front-line product and service.

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2011/jcatering.htm
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2011/svcexceurope.htm

Lufthansa expands her fleet with the order for 12 new airplanes. It´s rather a small number but there are two A380s included! :banana:

2x A380-800 (17 total)
1x A330-300
4x A320
5x E195

:okay:

Lufthansa Supervisory Board approves order for twelve aircraft for the Group (http://presse.lufthansa.com/en/news-releases/singleview/archive/2011/september/29/article/2010.html)

29.09.11

Additional short-term demand will be met by Airbus and Embraer aircraft

The Lufthansa Supervisory Board has approved an order for a total of twelve new aircraft for the Lufthansa Group. Of that number, two Airbus A380s and one Airbus A330-300 will be deployed for Lufthansa German Airlines on long-haul routes for an interim period. The decision was taken by the Board at its meeting today.

There are also plans to order four Airbus A320s for Lufthansa German Airlines. In addition, five new Embraer195s will augment the Lufthansa Regional fleet. The new, modern, fuel-efficient aircraft will be delivered to the Group in stages from 2012. The order has a list-price value of about one billion euros.

Commenting on the decision, Lufthansa CEO and Chairman Christoph Franz, said: “The moderate expansion of Lufthansa’s passenger fleet will serve primarily to ensure that we can meet short-term requirements while modernising and consolidating our European fleet until such time as new aircraft technologies are available. It is the latest step in our ongoing strategy of deploying a modern fleet in terms of fuel efficiency, operating costs, noise and emissions. At the same time, the additional order for the Airbus A380 and A330 will underpin our plans on long-haul routes in the medium term. Along with the aircraft we have already ordered, which will join our fleet over the next few years, it will increase our ability to take targeted action and respond flexibly to fluctuations in demand or market changes.”

The order will be financed from the Group’s cash reserves or from external sources.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Media Relations Lufthansa Group

Looks like the didn't have the worst experience with the A380 so far otherwise they wouldn't order more.

They just have to replace their crappy business class. Kind of joke when they have codeshare with Singapore Airlines on major asian routes. Its such a downgrade once you go from Singapore Airlines to Lufthansa aircraft.

gN1MEpeLUhk

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000055504_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=55504&size=large

rp6jpR-sr3E

Lufthansa will install new business class across fleet in 2012

Lufthansa's much-anticipated business class revamp will roll out to the airline's Airbus A380 and other long-haul aircraft next year following the arrival of its brand new Boeing 747-8I fleet.

"We are upgrading our business class with the introduction of the 747-8 at the beginning of 2012," Frank Püttmann, Head of Lufthansa Group Communications Asia Pacific, confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.

Once the first 747-8 is delivered, "then we'll start to refurbish the complete fleet," Püttman promised.
That means an end to Lufthansa's older angled seats, which aren't especially comfortable for sleeping:

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photos/view/maxsize:467,350/4ecc407702b44eed8b3c5a57767f2254-lufthansa-seat-reclined-angle.JPG

"I cannot tell you when we will be finished with the completion of the whole fleet, but we're not talking years, we're talking months," Püttman told Australian Business Traveller.
A Lufthansa spokesperson had previously confirmed plans for the new seats to Australian Business Traveller earlier this year, so we were keen to bring you more direct from the airline.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photos/view/maxsize:467,353/4ecc40ef0acc4dcbbac14f0a767f2254-new-lufthansa-business-class-seat-747-8.jpg

This seat concept -- which the spokesperson said "doesn't show the final version of the seat" -- reminds us of Cathay Pacific's new business class and looks like a great improvement.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photos/view/maxsize:467,175/4ecc4030791047328bc85329767f2254-lufthansa-new-747-8I.jpg

Business class will be installed on the super-stretched upper deck of the German airline's 747-8I, in a changeup from the current situation, where business class is downstairs and first class upstairs, Lufthansa's Püttmann confirmed to us.

That's likely to mean a 2-2 layout, where every seat is either a window or aisle.
Frequent travellers, who appreciate Lufthansa's extensive European network from hubs at Frankfurt and super-efficient Munich -- not to mention the extra legroom in its slimline seats -- will be looking forward to the new seats.

Lufthansa's existing angled lie-flat business class seat -- which Australian Business Traveller tested out last month on the German airline's new Airbus A380 route from Frankfurt to Singapore -- is old, not particularly comfortable and has been eclipsed by the competition's newer offerings.
But with actual beds installed in some of Lufthansa's first class cabins, we're looking forward to what the airline has to offer in business class.

(via AUSBT (http://www.ausbt.com.au/lufthansa-will-install-new-business-class-across-fleet-in-2012?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=flipper&utm_campaign=home-flipper))

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000055504_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=55504&size=large

:drool:

I like their new livery though.

Lufthansa will install new business class across fleet in 2012

(via AUSBT (http://www.ausbt.com.au/lufthansa-will-install-new-business-class-across-fleet-in-2012?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=flipper&utm_campaign=home-flipper))

Thank God.

The current buisness class is the shame of Germany. In particular when a buisness class ticket costs just as much as on a premium carrier such as Cathay or Singapore airlines.

I have a flight from BER to LHR in July 2012. Can anyone tell me if LH has sold off all of the slots at LHR to the IAG group? I am a little worried that LH may drop the BER - LHR route if the slots they are currently using for this flight is those of BMI.

Anyone have some insider info on this? I specifically booked this flight so i would miss the connecting flight in FRA or MUC.

Cool video of LH MD11F

rA8N2EjvXYo

^^
Thanks! I love MD-11 :cheers:

^^Ur welcome.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3137/5702745062_e1787eacf8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28940494@N06/5702745062/)
IMG_6531 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28940494@N06/5702745062/) by ekotriatno (http://www.flickr.com/people/28940494@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3388/5702177395_f7349c5c27_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28940494@N06/5702177395/)
IMG_6556 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28940494@N06/5702177395/) by ekotriatno (http://www.flickr.com/people/28940494@N06/), on Flickr

Guess BMI should not be in the titel anymore. Lufthansa sold BMI.

Lufthansa’s 2011 Gains Narrow Air France Lead as European No. 1

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Deutsche Lufthansa AG said passenger traffic rose 7 percent in 2011, shrinking Air France-KLM Group’s lead as Europe’s biggest airline.

Lufthansa’s traffic, calculated by multiplying the number of passengers carried by the distance flown and the measure by which airlines are usually ranked, grew to 208 billion revenue passenger kilometers last year, it said in a statement today.

That’s 5 percent lower than Air France-KLM’s 2011 total of almost 219 billion, based on the sum of monthly figures -- narrower than the 11 percent gap in 2010. IAG, parent of British Airways and Iberia, ranks third in Europe with 169 billion.

“From a balance sheet and management perspective Lufthansa tend to be the stronger, and they also have a diversified portfolio,” said Stephen Furlong, a Davy Stockbrokers analyst in Dublin who has a “neutral” rating on all three carriers.

Cologne, Germany-based Lufthansa transported a record 106 million passengers in the year, up 7.5 percent from 2010. Air France-KLM and International Consolidated Airlines Group SA attracted 76 million and 51.7 million travelers respectively.

Lufthansa Passenger Airlines, which includes the namesake brand and discount division Germanwings, moved 11 percent more passengers, while the Swiss and Austrian Airlines units carried 8 percent and 3.4 percent more. U.K.-based operator BMI, which is being sold to IAG, attracted 7.4 percent fewer customers.

Lufthansa increased capacity 9.8 percent during the year, outpacing traffic growth, so that the load factor, a measure of seat occupancy, shrank 2 percentage points to 77.2 percent. IAG added 7.1 percent more seats, versus a 7.2 percent traffic gain, lifting occupancy 0.1 points to 79.1 percent, it said Jan. 5.

Air France-KLM’s capacity advanced 7.3 percent, including the consolidation of Dutch operation Martinair in November, Bloomberg calculations show.

“They all have to do more on the capacity front,” Davy’s Furlong said.

Lufthansa said in October it would cut capacity growth for 2012 to 3 percent from a planned 9 percent. It will take 32 new planes and retire 38, include nine intercontinental jets.

--Editors: Chris Jasper,

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Webb in Frankfurt awebb25@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net

(via Bloomberg Business Week (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-11/lufthansa-s-2011-gains-narrow-air-france-lead-as-european-no-1.html"))

fED93prh-_I

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000058170_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=58170&size=large

That old Lufthansa livery looks better than current OS livery, sad.

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000058388_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=58388&size=large

P-Noy inaugurates $30-M Lufthansa hangar
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/5082/pnoy2gen16.jpg

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino on Friday inaugurated the $30-million hangar of Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) for Airbus 380, the biggest passenger airliner in the world today.

He said the new investment would officially make the Philippines one of the few locations around the world capable of providing maintenance service to such aircraft.Read more (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=776670&publicationSubCategoryId=63)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-02/12/131405710_11n.jpg

A plane of Swiss Internantional Airlines is seen at Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, on Feb. 12, 2012. Swiss International Airlines on Sunday opened the daily direct flight from Zurich of Switzerland to Beijing. (Xinhua/Fu Qi)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-02/12/131405709_11n.jpg

Swiss International Airlines crew members of the inaugural flight from Zurich of Switzerland to Beijing, capital of China, pose for a photo with ground staff workers at Capital International Airport in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2012. Swiss International Airlines on Sunday opened the daily direct flight from Zurich of Switzerland to Beijing. (Xinhua/Fu Qi)

Today, the new Lufthansa business class seat was introduced on the ITB Berlin.

http://konzern.lufthansa.com/en/themen/new-business-class.html

Regular Qingdao-Frankfurt flight to be launched

QINGDAO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Regular flights between the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao and Frankfurt in central Germany will be launched on March 27, a local government official said Tuesday. Lufthansa will operate the route using Airbus A340-300 every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Wu Haichuan, director of the Qingdao Municipal Ports Office, told a press conference.

The round-trip flight will make a brief stopover in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang, Wu said.

Qingdao, a port in Shandong province, is well-known for its seaside scenery and Tsingtao beer.

"The new air service will be the first flight linking Shandong and Europe, and it will shorten the distance between Qingdao and Europe," Wu said.

Hello:

Does someone know in what routes do Brussels Airlines and Swiss operate with Bae Avro? This is my favorite plane and I would like to know it and fly for my first time with it ;)

Thanks very much.

Well here we have the first route annoucments
Lufthansa introduces first 747-8I on US, India routes

Lufthansa (LH) will take delivery of five Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft this year as part of its biggest fleet modernization program in its history. The remaining 15 747-8I aircraft will be delivered at a rate of five aircraft per year (ATW Daily News, Dec. 15, 2011).

LH, the first passenger airline to operate the 747-8I, is expecting its first delivery by the end of April to be used on services from Frankfurt to the US East Coast and India. LH will take delivery of the first of four Airbus A330-300s soon (ATW Daily News, Sept. 30, 2011).

LH also introduced a new business class seat for its long-haul fleet at the ITB Tourism Fair in Berlin. The new seat, which features a 1.98 meter-long bed, will be introduced on the first 747-8I. The new seat is a major component of LH’s biggest investment to date in its inflight product.

Over the next few years, some three billion euros will be channeled into product improvements for passengers. By the end of 2012, around 40% of its long-haul fleet will offer the new C class and about 30% will be reconfigured annually.

“Retrofitting LH entire long-haul fleet of more than 100 aircraft is expected to take four years,” LH board member Jens Bischof told ATW. “In 2012, all together, we [will] invest €1.8 billion ($2.36 billion) this year,” he said, adding that €300,000 will be in new products such as lounges.

The new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BER) will open in June (ATW Daily News, Dec. 2, 2011). “Our services to and from Berlin will increase fourfold to 50 destinations,” Bischof said, adding that LH’s total investment in BER is “more than a half billion euro, which also created 500 additional jobs in Berlin.”

LH will open a new terminal area at Frankfurt Airport in October.

”This give as growth opportunities [that] other carriers don’t have in the next 10 to 20 years,” Bischof said. Growth will happen in Germany, not in nearby hubs like in Madrid or Paris.”

LH plans to open five new destinations to China’s Shenyang and Qingdao, as well 61 new connections, beginning with its summer schedule from the end of March.

Given that Indian government banned LH's A380, it seems very relevant for LH to deploy 747-8i on the Indian routes.

Air route opens linking Europe, NE China

SHENYANG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Lufthansa, Germany's flagship carrier as well as the country's largest airline, on Tuesday launched a direct route between Frankfurt and Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The route's three weekly flights will be serviced by Airbus A340 aircraft, which have 266 seats. The flight time is expected to be about 10 hours, with a total route length of 8,030 km, authorities with Lufthansa said.

The flight takes off at 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from Shenyang's Taoxian International Airport, and arrives the same day at Frankfurt Airport at 5:30 a.m. local time.

The route is the first direct flight linking northeast China to Europe, as passengers from northeast China previously had to fly to Beijing, Shanghai or Seoul to board flights to Europe.

Kay Kratky, a Lufthansa board member, said the new route will contribute to economic and cultural communication between the two destinations.

Dulles to see first Lufthansa 747-8 service

Lufthansa has revealed that Washington-Dulles Airport will be the first international destination served by the Boeing 747-8.

full article:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dulles-to-see-first-lufthansa-747-8-service-370158/
They didn't give a date when the service would start. The 1st delivery is still scheduled to be around 23 April, although it hasn't been officially confirmed by either Boeing or Lufthansa.

^^
And I believe the retirement of 747-400 will follow soon.

Given that Indian government banned LH's A380, it seems very relevant for LH to deploy 747-8i on the Indian routes.

^^
Why did the Indian government ban LH´s A380s?! :crazy:

^^
To protect local carries, as LH's A380 will bring a lot more seats on this route.

^^
To protect local carries, as LH's A380 will bring a lot more seats on this rote.

I wish i have the power to make LH A380 coms to Khartoum :nuts::nuts: but the Indian government had a good reason

Hello:

Does someone know in what routes do Brussels Airlines and Swiss operate with Bae Avro? This is my favorite plane and I would like to know it and fly for my first time with it ;)

Thanks very much.

The SWISS European Jumbolino reach all Destinations in Range of 3000Km.

Domestic Zurich-Geneva

Europe Routes (selection)
Brussels, London City, Nurnberg, Lyon, Berlin, Venice, Nice, Düsseldorf, Budapest, Luxembourg, Birmingham, Milano Malpensa, Amsterdam...

But hurry up! As of 2014 these aircraft will be replaced over a two-year period with the Bombardier CSeries.

It seems that OS is withdrawing B737-600. The OE-LNM has been phased-out next day after taking this photo http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7346624 :(

Scrapped??? 12 years of life and...scrapped??? It's a crime!!!

It could be scrapped, it has happened before with other aircraft this young and from this type. There aren't that many 737-600 operators around, that could be a problem. Especially with all the 737-700s and 737-800s flooding the second hand market, thanks to Ryanairs of the airline world. They are not more expensive to buy or lease and have lower operation costs per seat then the -600.

Scrapped??? 12 years of life and...scrapped??? It's a crime!!!

AFAIK they are being replaced with A-32x.

AFAIK they are being replaced with A-32x.

Not all those Boeing aircrafts will be replaced. Austrian will reduce their fleet size

Looks like LH is having trouble getting rid of WW (BMIbaby). I wonder if it VS (Virgin Atlantic) would be interested in acquiring VS for a low-price solely for the purposes of acquiring narrowbody aircrafts (as it begins to look into setting up a domestic/short-haul network because of the availability of slots in LHR as part of the BMI-IAG deal).

Lufthansa Struggles to Dump BMIbaby to Complete IAG Deal
By Steve Rothwell and Alex Webb - Apr 17, 2012 12:44 AM PT

Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) is struggling to offload discount airline BMIbaby, potentially reducing proceeds from the sale of its entire U.K. business to British Airways parent IAG.
German turnaround specialist Intro Aviation GmbH, which had expressed an interest in BMIbaby, has ended talks, Managing Director Peter Oncken said in a e-mail. Charter carrier ACL has also dropped plans to make a bid, said a person familiar with the matter who declined to be identified discussing private talks.

IAG, or International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG), agreed in December to pay 172.5 million pounds ($274 million) for BMI, while negotiating a “significant” discount should Lufthansa fail to find a home for the no-frills operation. The acquisition won European Union clearance on March 30, and London-based IAG is aiming to complete it by April 20.

“BMIbaby is not a very attractive asset,” said Joe Gill, an analyst at Bloxham Stockbrokers in Dublin, who follows low- cost carriers. “It’s getting flame-grilled at the moment because the market in northern England is incredibly competitive.”

BMI said March 5 that two parties were in the running to take over its discount arm, one of them an EU-based airline group operating in several countries, the other a U.K.-based company. Both parties aimed to keep BMI’s bases, it said, adding that a deal would be signed with one “in the next few weeks.”

‘Redundant’

“Lufthansa rejected a non-binding offer from us, rendering further discussions redundant,” Oncken, who founded Intro with German retail entrepreneur Hans Rudolf Wohrl, said in an e- emailed response to questions, adding that his company could resume talks with IAG after the takeover.

Like Intro, Dublin-based ACL signed an agreement allowing it to examine BMIbaby’s books, but isn’t currently considering an approach, according to the person familiar with its plans. Calls to the company weren’t returned.

BMI spokeswoman Katherine Hill said talks remain “ongoing” with potential buyers for BMIbaby, which has its main base at East Midlands airport between the English cities of Derby and Nottingham, reiterating comments from British Airways last week. Claudia Lange, a spokeswoman for the German company, referred all enquiries to BMI.

Offer Terms

Interest in BMIbaby has waned because of the terms on offer from Cologne-based Lufthansa, Europe’s second-biggest airline, which would have to pay for the low-cost unit to be taken off its hands, according to another person close to the talks.

BMIbaby competes with Ryanair Holdings Plc (RYA) and closely-held Jet2.com at its main East Midlands base, and also overlaps with Ryanair, the region’s top discount airline, in Birmingham. Both rivals, together with carriers including EasyJet Plc (EZJ), also have bases in cities as little as 50 miles to the north.

Ryanair, EasyJet, charter carrier Monarch Airlines and Flybe Group Plc (FLYB), Britain’s biggest domestic operator, all said they’re not interested in bidding.

The discount carrier’s fleet of Boeing Co. (BA) 737 single-aisle jets is leased and the planes have an average age of 16 years, according to data from aviation consultant Ascend.

BMI is also continuing with efforts to sell its Aberdeen, Scotland-based Regional division before the deal with IAG is tied up, spokeswoman Hill said. The company said Feb. 1 that it had reached a deal to sell the unit to an unidentified U.K. buyer, though BMI Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said last month in an e-mail to staff that the process had been delayed because the bidder had not met “funding requirements.”
British Airways said last week that it may cut 1,200 jobs at BMI, or 44 percent of the workforce, in the wake of the acquisition. Most of that reduction will be at the unit’s Castle Donington headquarters, close to East Midlands airport.

IAG spokeswoman Lorena Monsalves said by telephone that the company is still working toward a completion date of April 20.

To contact the reporters on this story: Steve Rothwell in London at srothwell@bloomberg.net; Alex Webb in Frankfurt at awebb25@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net

(via Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-17/lufthansa-struggles-to-dump-bmibaby-unit-as-iag-deal-nears-close.html))

Thinking BD can be dropped from the thread title now.

Thinking BD can be dropped from the thread title now.

April 20 seems to be the magic date right now (I believe tomorrow also marks the beginning of BD's exit out of *A).

In other news... other than IAD, LAX and ORD will be the two other American destinations that will feature LH's flagship 747-8.

Lufthansa to introduce new 747-8 to Los Angeles and Chicago
By Nancy Trejos, USA TODAY Updated 1d 7h ago
Comments

CAPTIONBy Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
The next two destinations for Lufthansa Airlines' new 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft will be Chicago and Los Angeles, the chief executive officer of Lufthansa German Airlines Carsten Spohr told Today in the Sky during an interview last week.

The new Boeing aircraft, which is 18 feet longer than the current 747-400, will make its debut on a flight from Frankfurt to Washington Dulles International Airport.

The German airline has not specified when the plane will make its maiden voyage, or when it will be introduced to Los Angeles International Airport and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Lufthansa has ordered 20 of the new planes and has the option to buy another 20. The aircraft will be delivered from this year through 2015.

Besides being bigger, the new planes reduce noise by 30% and carbon emissions by about 20%. The new jets will consume about 62 miles per gallon per passenger, about 13% less than current wide-body jets.

READ MORE: Lufthansa to debut 747-8 Intercontinental on Washington route
PHOTO GALLERY: Boeing unveils the 747-8 Intercontinental

Lufthansa is considering about 45 different destinations worldwide for the jets. The planes will primarily serve routes in North America and Asia. They will have 362 seats total, with eight in First Class, 92 in Business Class and 262 in Economy.

Spohr said the airline is rolling out new Business Class amenities that include seats that recline to a horizontal sleeping position. The new First Class also will be revamped. "There is a luxury market out there in aviation," Spohr said in an interview while attending a conference at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Spohr touched on other topics, including the battle over a European Union law that requires airlines that fly into and out of Europe to pay for their carbon emissions as a way to combat climate change. Many airlines and governments, including the USA, are opposed to the Emissions Trading Scheme, which went into effect for airlines on Jan. 1. They argue that it will cost the industry billions of dollars when they are already trying to reduce their emissions.

Many airlines, including Lufthansa, have said they would have to roll the cost of the tax into the price of an airline ticket by adding surcharges.

ALSO ONLINE: Airlines could pocket windfall on fares to Europe, study says
ALSO ONLINE: FAA official raps European Union over airline carbon tax

"We Europeans have isolated ourselves," Spohr said. "It's about to bring us to the brink of a trade war."

He continued: "Climate change needs to be fought but for global challenges, you can only have global solutions."

He reiterated Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz's plea in a speech in Washington earlier this month that nations negotiate a compromise with the International Civil Aviation Organization, a branch of the United Nations.

Another challenge airlines are facing: Competition from airlines in the Middle East. Lufthansa and other European airlines have criticized airlines from the Gulf states for aggressively expanding in Europe. Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways have added more flights and bigger planes to European cities. Those airlines are state-owned, which Spohr says does not make for a "level playing field."

TWITTER: Follow Travel's Nancy Trejos

Reflecting on the future of the airline, Spohr said many airlines have been focused on growth in Asia, but he also sees tremendous potential in Latin America and the USA.

"After this eastbound focus in the last year, I see us turning westbound," he said. "Many, many Americans are flying to Europe."

(via USA Today (http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2012/04/lufthansa-to-introduce-new-747-8-to-los-angeles-and-chicago/673205/1?csp=34travel&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomTravel-TopStories+%28Travel+-+Top+Stories%29))

The 1st 747-8I has officially been delivered to Lufthansa, but it will only flight out to Frankfurt on 1 May. It will land in Frankfurt on 2 May.

Boeing Delivers First Lufthansa 747-8 Intercontinental

EVERETT, Wash., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) has delivered the first 747-8 Intercontinental passenger airliner to Deutsche Lufthansa AG, beginning a new era for the world's most recognized airplane, and beginning a new era of increased efficiency, stronger environmental performance and greater enjoyment for Lufthansa and its passengers.

"Lufthansa and Boeing have a long and proud history of working together to bring new innovations to the airline industry," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are grateful for Lufthansa's inspiration and leadership in helping us design a new Queen of the Skies for the 21st Century, and I'm proud of what Boeing employees have accomplished by bringing this great airplane to Lufthansa and the world."

"After working together for many years, we are very pleased to have the newest generation of four-engine aircraft join our fleet," said Christoph Franz, chairman of the Executive Board and chief executive officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

Lufthansa employees will conduct airline-specific preparations to get the airplane ready for a May 1 flight to its permanent home base in Frankfurt. Boeing will host a special flyaway celebration with senior executives from both companies that day. Lufthansa will then host a special celebration when the airplane arrives in Frankfurt on May 2. Details of those celebrations will be announced soon.

The 747-8 Intercontinental will bring double-digit improvements in fuel burn and emissions over its predecessor, the 747-400, while generating 30 percent less noise. The 747-8 Intercontinental's Dreamliner-inspired interior includes a new curved, upswept architecture giving passengers a greater feeling of space and comfort, while adding more room for personal belongings. It is powered by GE Aviation's GEnx-2B engines.
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2232

Lufthansa´s first 747-8I arrived in Frankfurt!!! :banana: :cheers: :banana:

http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-346673-galleryV9-ltfr.jpg


http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-346669-galleryV9-upws.jpg


http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-346677-galleryV9-lodl.jpg


http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-346674-galleryV9-prwe.jpg


http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-346672-galleryV9-ewfd.jpg


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http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-346667-galleryV9-nfvy.jpg


SOURCE (http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-81857.html)

It looks like Austrian Airlines in it's current form will be history from July 1.

Austrian Airlines Will Transfer Flight Operations to Tyrolean

Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA)’s Austrian Airlines subsidiary will transfer all flight operations, with about 80 aircraft and 2,100 employees, to its Tyrolean Airways unit to cut costs and improve profitability.

The company made the decision, which will take effect on July 1, after it proved “impossible to reach agreement over principles” with the company’s works council, Vienna-based Austrian said in an e-mailed statement last night.

The transfer of flight operations to Innsbruck-based Tyrolean, where contracts are 25 percent less costly, will help Austrian to make 220 million euros ($292 million) of cost savings. The company posted a 62 million-euro loss in 2011.

full article:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-01/austrian-airlines-will-transfer-flight-operations-to-tyrolean.html

Here's the official press release in English:
http://www.austrianairlines.ag/Press/PressReleases/Press/2012/04/057.aspx?sc_lang=en

Austrian Airlines to pool flight operations within Tyrolean

• Negotiated solution with the works council fails to reach successful conclusion
• CEO Albrecht: “Time has come to create clarity”

The Executive Board of Austrian Airlines today decided to transfer the company’s flight operations to its subsidiary, Tyrolean Airways. That means the company’s full flight operations, which includes a fleet of around 80 aircraft and 2,100 members of staff, will be pooled in the 100 percent-owned subsidiary Tyrolean from 1st July 2012 onwards. The Executive Board views this as a measure which will secure the future of Austrian Airlines, as the step will result in automatic salary increases being abolished, and a modern collective agreement introduced.

Although the decision was preceded by negotiations over the past two weeks, it proved impossible to reach agreement over principles. A meeting with the works council of the flight personnel today also showed that there is no longer any chance of achieving a positive vote amongst staff.

Austrian Airlines CEO Jaan Albrecht said the following: “What our staff need now is clarity. I remain convinced that this path offers us a perspective for the future. And we want to design this future together with the entire Austrian Airlines crew.”

Joint flight operations by Austrian Airlines and Tyrolean
A project organisation consisting of experts and managers from both companies has already been formed to carry out the integration work. The aim of the working groups is to organise joint flight operations without any duplication of efforts by the end of 2012. Both locations, Vienna and Innsbruck, are part of the future concept in all cases.

The transfer of flight operations will change nothing for the customer: the Austrian Airlines brand will remain Austrian Airlines, serving around 130 destinations worldwide. For the employees of Austrian Airlines flight operations, who are 600 pilots and 1,500 flight attendants, nothing will change in terms of daily work or salary.

Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines is Austria’s largest carrier and operates a global route network of round 130 destinations. That route network is particularly dense in Central and Eastern Europe: with 46 destinations, Austrian Airlines operates the densest route network into this region served by a single airport. Thanks to its favourable geographical location at the heart of Europe, the company’s hub at Vienna International Airport is the ideal gateway between East and West. Austrian Airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline group, and a member of the Star Alliance, the first global alliance of international airlines.


The original "Swissair" did the same in 2002 with all the assets being transferred to "Crossair", that became the current company "Swiss" that is now also part of the Lufthansa-group. The difference is that Austrian is still flying and that the brand Austrian Airlines will be maintained.