Lufthansa Group orders 10 Airbus A350-1000 and 5 more A350-900 aircraft, in addition to 7 Boeing 787-9

Lufthansa Group has signed an agreement with Airbus to expand its fleet by 10 Airbus A350-1000s and 5 Airbus A350-900s. With this firm order for the latest generation widebody aircraft, the airline will continue its decarbonisation trajectory. Compared to the previous generation of aircraft, the A350 consumes significantly less fuel, with a corresponding reduction in emissions. Passengers will benefit from the latest state-of-the-art cabin amenities and comfort on board.

In addition to the agreement on the purchase of the new aircraft, Airbus and Lufthansa have also signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) to further strengthen their cooperation in the field of sustainability and future technologies. This includes the intensified use of sustainable aviation fuels, the further optimisation of operations through more efficient flight management and exploration into the use of hydrogen.

“We are honoured to see Lufthansa topping up its A350 order book to a total of 60 aircraft, joining the increasing number of A350-1000 customers around the world. With economic and sustainability pressures becoming a measurable reality as international flying increases again, so do the massive advantages of the A350 as the only clean sheet design and therefore the most efficient solution,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “By  adding the largest A350 family member to its fleet, Lufthansa will benefit from Airbus’ full fleet commonality, offering unmatched operational flexibility and vast economic benefits.”

With its latest order, Lufthansa reinforces its long-standing relationship with Airbus. Since the A300 in the 1970s, Lufthansa Group has operated all members of the Airbus product family, from the A220, A320-Family, A330 / A340, and A350 to the A380.

The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft and the long-range leader in the 300-410 seater category. The A350’s clean sheet design includes state-of-the-art technologies and aerodynamics delivering unmatched standards of efficiency and comfort. Its new generation engines and use of lightweight materials make it the most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft. The A350 is the quietest aircraft in its class with 50 percent noise footprint reduction vs the previous generation aircraft, making it a good airport neighbour wherever it flies.

The A350’s Airspace cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight products for the most comfortable flying experience. 

At the end of January 2023, the A350 Family had won 925 firm orders from 54 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever.

Toulouse, 02 March 2023

In addition, Lufthansa Group orders seven Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

The orders were approved today by the Supervisory Board of the parent company Deutsche Lufthansa AG. The aircraft concerned will be delivered to the Lufthansa Group from the mid-2020s onwards. Based on list prices, the order is worth a total of about 7.5 billion US dollars and is in line with Group’s mid-term financial planning.

The Lufthansa Group is also in advanced negotiations to acquire further long-haul aircraft which could be made available at shorter notice.

Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, says: “With our purchase of 22 further Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s, we have secured the delivery of more than 50 latest-generation long-haul aircraft for the member airlines of the Lufthansa Group since the pandemic began. These aircraft will be equipped with our new long-haul cabins, including the latest-generation seats in all classes of travel. And the combination of our superb employees on the ground and on board, these highly advanced aircraft and our latest seating product on board will position our airlines well to the fore again within the premium segment. These new aircraft will also play a decisive role in helping us achieve our carbon emission reduction goals by 2030 as fuel-efficient aircraft which incorporate the latest manufacturing technology are by far the greatest lever for providing more climate protection within the aviation sector.”

With today’s orders included, the Lufthansa Group will take delivery of 108 state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft such as the Airbus A350-1000, the Airbus A350-900, the Boeing 787-9 and the Boeing 777-9 over the next few years. In doing so, the Group will operate the quietest, most profitable and most economical long-haul aircraft that are currently in service. On average the new aircraft consume just 2.5 litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres – some 30 percent less than their predecessor aircraft types.

The new long-haul aircraft will also replace older aircraft types. In the medium-term future, six such sub-fleets will be taken out of service: the four-engined Boeing 747-400s, Airbus A340-600s and Airbus A340-300s and the two-engined Boeing 777-200s, Boeing 767-300s and Airbus A330-200s. This will reduce the quad jet contingent within the Lufthansa Group fleet to under 15 percent: prior to the pandemic, quad jets made up some 50 percent of the groupwide aircraft fleet.

In total, and including the advanced short- and medium-haul aircraft of the Airbus A320neo family, the Lufthansa Group currently has over 200 firm orders for new aircraft of the latest generation which will be delivered over the next few years.