Lufthansa Group has committed a $12bn investment towards the purchase of 20 Boeing 787-9 and 20 additional Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Set to replace its fleets of four-engine aircraft, the new aeroplanes are set to be delivered between 2022 and 2027.
Currently, the airlines under the umbrella of Lufthansa Group operate a long-haul fleet of 199 aircraft combine, which already includes 12 Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
The new additions are expected to enhance the group’s long-haul capabilities, while also improving overall fuel-efficient. The group shared that on average, the new aircraft will consume between 2.9 litres of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometres flown. This equates to a 25% reduction in consumption from predecessor aircraft.
In terms of potential fuel savings, Lufthansa Group projects that it will save up to 500,000 metric tons per year, which will also lead to a reduction in CO2 by 1.5 million metric tons.
Commenting on the aircraft purchases, Carsten Spohr, CEO and Chairman of Lufthansa Group, said: “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.”
On a separate note, the Lufthansa Group Executive Board also recently informed the Supervisory Board that it would be selling six of its 14 Airbus A380 aircraft back to Airbus. The departure of the A380s will occur between 2022 and 2023.
The group shared that the reduction of its Airbus A380 fleet from 14 to eight aircraft was decided for economic reasons.
