Lufthansa has reported a net loss of US$151 million in 2009, but said it achieved its goal of an operating profit. The loss, which followed a $732 million profit in 2008, was largely the result of sharply lower cargo volumes and a decline in higher paying premium passengers. Operating profit plunged 90 per cent to a better-than-expected $175.5 million from $1.76 billion a year ago on revenue down 10 per cent at $30.1 billion. Lufthansa is currently in negotiations with the pilots' trade union … [Read more...] about Lufthansa reports 2009 net loss of US$151 million
Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa and Austrian to merge cargo units
Lufthansa Cargo and Austrian Airlines have agreed to step up cooperation between their two companies in the airfreight sector with a new agreement, that will see their global distribution activities merged and their product portfolios and production processes harmonized. Sales and production to be integrated with effect from 1 July 2010. In future, the two companies will jointly route their cargo traffic through the Vienna hub and boost freight flows. Lufthansa Cargo and Austrian Cargo will also … [Read more...] about Lufthansa and Austrian to merge cargo units
Luft Cargo to see more job cuts and 4-day strike
Despite early signs of a recovery, Lufthansa Cargo is reportedly planning to to reduce its workforce by 10 per cent in 2010 in response to the steep declines in freight revenue and traffic in 2009 which pushed Lufthansa Cargo US$300 million into the red in the first nine months of the year from a $240 million profit in the same period in 2008. The carrier is also poised to swing into crisis management mode as Lufthansa pilots are set for a four-day strike from Monday. The cargo division said it … [Read more...] about Luft Cargo to see more job cuts and 4-day strike
Horses for courses at Leipzig/Halle
PortGround, the Mitteldeutsche Airport Holding ground services company at Leipzig/Halle Airport, recently handled a valuable dressage horse bound for Bahrain aboard an AeroLogic B777F. PortGround noted that since Lufthansa Cargo has begun flights through Leipzig/Halle and AeroLogic began operations in July, there has been an increase in demand for export services for large live animals, especially horses. In 2008, more than 2.46 million passengers and 442,406 tonnes of air cargo moved through … [Read more...] about Horses for courses at Leipzig/Halle
Lufthansa hikes rates, talks global fleet grounding
Lufthansa Cargo has announced a sharp hike in its freight rates as it continues to talk up the possibility of grounding freighters, this time not because of night restrictions, but the poor economic climate. In a letter to its customers at the end of August, Lufthansa Cargo said it is intending to unilaterally increase rates worldwide by 25 per cent. In the letter executive board member Andreas Otto writes: “In order to meet the current market challenges, we will gradually raise our rates … [Read more...] about Lufthansa hikes rates, talks global fleet grounding
Lufthansa threatens to dump freighter fleet
Lufthansa has threatened to close its fleet of freighter aircraft if restrictions on night flights are imposed on its hub at Frankfurt. Carsten Spohr, the CEO of Lufthansa Cargo was quoted by Reuter's last week as saying that it might no longer pay to have its own cargo fleet. “Everything that goes toward a single-digit number (of flights allowed per night) would mean that it no longer pays off to have our own cargo fleet," he said according to the report. His comments come after a recent … [Read more...] about Lufthansa threatens to dump freighter fleet
