ch-aviation
• Hilka Birns
Lufthansa is urging the German government to provide subsidies aimed at protecting feeder services. The call highlights the airline’s concern that the viability of connecting flights depends on public support, with potential implications for Germany’s domestic and regional air connectivity.
Lufthansa
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Lufthansa is urging the German government to provide subsidies aimed at protecting feeder services. The call highlights the airline’s concern that the viability of connecting flights depends on public support, with potential implications for Germany’s domestic and regional air connectivity.
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A Delta Air Lines flight from Barcelona to Boston diverted to Porto, Portugal, after smoke filled the cabin while the aircraft was crossing the Atlantic at 32,000 feet. Reports said 11 to 14 people were treated for smoke inhalation, with three or four passengers taken to hospitals.
Lufthansa’s supervisory board chairman says the airline has lost ground to rivals, partly because of self-inflicted problems, and may need a more forceful turnaround effort. The warning adds pressure on management to address the group’s flagging performance and restore competitiveness.
Lufthansa Group will exercise part of the Boeing 737 MAX options included in its 2023 order, adding 20 737-10s to its fleet plan. The aircraft are intended to replace older Airbus A320s, creating a mixed narrowbody strategy as the group renews its short- and medium-haul fleet.
Air France-KLM is prepared to offer Portugal a stake in the airline group as part of its proposed acquisition of TAP, according to a person familiar with the matter. The structure is intended to strengthen Air France-KLM’s position against a competing offer from Deutsche Lufthansa.
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Flydubai plans to begin dedicated freighter operations on Oct. 1, 2026, using three wet-leased Boeing 737-800 freighters from Solitair, each offering a 23,000-kilogram payload. The Dubai-based carrier expects to add passenger-to-freighter conversions from 2029 and expand cargo capacity alongside its future 787 fleet.
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Germany and the UAE have expanded their air services agreement, allowing Emirates to operate direct Dubai–Berlin flights and add Berlin Brandenburg as its fifth German gateway. The decision follows more than two decades of lobbying and has prompted criticism from Lufthansa and the German airline industry over competition and jobs.
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Lufthansa Technik has entered the final certification phase for AeroSHARK on Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft, with a Discover Airlines A330-300 set to become the first Airbus aircraft fitted with the shark-skin-inspired surface film. The technology has already been used on Boeing 777 aircraft.
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