Lufthansa wants to prevent renewed flight chaos in the summer for its core brand with closer planning. Airline boss Jens Ritter said on Thursday evening that one is in close contact with all “system partners” to plan capacities. The processes should work at service providers and Lufthansa itself and there should be enough and properly trained staff available. “So that everything works together, we turn every stone individually.”
Ritter recalled the past year, when rapid growth pushed the industry to its limits. The consequences at German airports were delays and cancellations as well as long waiting times, for example at baggage claim and security checks. At its Frankfurt hub, Lufthansa had to cut the offer significantly because not enough ground staff at the airport were operational.
Goal: Reliable flight plan
The manager, who has been in office since April 2022, announced an expanded range of flights compared to the previous year, but did not provide any detailed information. “Our goal is to set up a reliable flight plan,” said the head of the largest airline in the Lufthansa Group. “Currently, the air traffic system doesn’t forgive a single mistake. Every grain of sand, no matter how small, makes the gearbox crunch.”
“We want to achieve a record result in 2025,” announced Ritter. In order to remain one of the leading Western airlines in the future, the Lufthansa product will be improved along the entire travel chain. In addition to 30,000 new seats and renovated lounges, the renewed Lufthansa app should also contribute. In the future, passengers will be able to use the more personalized smartphone program to control rebookings themselves, buy tickets more easily and receive travel information or vouchers more quickly. The existing services at counters and via the call centers would not be restricted, it said.