Lufthansa Group provides update on implementation of new strategy

Lufthansa Group's executive board provided (17-Sep-2014) an update to the supervisory board on 17-Sep-2014 of the progress made on implementing the company's new strategy, announced on 09-Jul-2014:

• Eurowings: 13 A320 aircraft from Lufthansa Group's total order volume will be transferred to Eurowings from 2015, in addition to the ten A320ceo aircraft ordered for Eurowings on 17-Sep-2014. Lufthansa Group stated the replacement of Eurowings' Bombardier CRJ900s with A320 aircraft will "further increase the Düsseldorf-based airline's unit cost advantage and will thereby improve its ability to compete with low-cost airlines in Europe";
• New low-cost long-haul platform: Lufthansa Group stated "one option" for the development of the platform remains an expansion of its SunExpress JV with Turkish Airlines, with talks on the matter "to continue." The new platform will initially operate with up to seven A330-300 aircraft from autumn 2015, with three aircraft to be based in Munich, Düsseldorf or Cologne;
• Long-haul: Lufthansa Group also intends to develop "other intercontinental traffic approaches" in order to "once again profitably fly leisure travel-dominated routes using the Lufthansa brand." As a result, up to 14 A340-300 aircraft will be reconfigured with a cabin "optimised for leisure travel", with 18 business, 19 premium economy and 261 economy class seats. Lufthansa Group stated: "Commencing with the start of the 2015/2016 winter flight timetable, this A340-300 sub-fleet will fly at a much lower cost while nevertheless offering the high-quality travel experience of a Lufthansa flight, with high service standards and comfort levels."

Lufthansa Group chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr said: "The combination of our core brands' focus on quality and the premium sector, and the development of new platforms for the leisure travel sector, which is experiencing dynamic growth but is also price-sensitive, is our way of working towards a successful future for the Lufthansa Group airlines." [more - original PR - English/German]