Lufthansa 'cautiously optimistic' for 2011 Middle East prospects

Lufthansa VP Middle East, Africa and Southeast Europe Joachim Steinbach stated it is "cautiously optimistic" about its Middle East prospects in 2011 (Arabian Business, 09-Mar-2011). Mr Steinbach stated the Middle East would be among the "most dynamic" markets this year. He added that Lufthansa's regional performance in 2010 was strong, with Germany-Middle East services increasing 13% year-on-year.

Lufthansa: "Seeing how demand has returned to more normal levels again, we are cautiously optimistic. As in the past years, we expect the markets in the Middle East to be among the most dynamic ones. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and also Iraq should continue to perform strongly. Since we have just opened two new routes in 2010, we want to concentrate on securing their long-term success. We also aim to further increase our overall market share on routes between the Middle East and Europe. And we continuously screen the Middle East for new opportunities," Joachim Steinbach, VP Middle East, Africa and Southeast Europe. Source: Arabian Business, 09-Mar-2011.