On December 19, German aviation giant Lufthansa Group placed an order for 200 aircraft, including three different aircraft types: Airbus A220, A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
Of the 200 aircraft orders, 80 are firm and 120 are options. The list price of the 80 confirmed aircraft is $9 billion, but Lufthansa will definitely end up paying less than that, as airlines tend to offer huge discounts, especially when buying large quantities of aircraft.
The 80 firm orders include 40 A220-300 aircraft and 40 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The 120 option includes 20 220-300 aircraft, 60 737 MAX 8 aircraft and 40 A320neo aircraft. The 80 aircraft will be delivered between 2026 and 2032.
Lufthansa's newest subsidiary, City Airline, will take delivery of the 40 A220-300 aircraft, which will be used on feeder routes between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC). City Airlines will begin operations in the summer of 2024, with the first A220 scheduled for delivery in 2026.
Previously, the CEO of the Lufthansa Group told the group's employees that the company wanted to purchase up to 80 aircraft for city aviation. In October, Lufthansa also debated whether to buy the A220 or Embraer's E190 E2 series. So far, Lufthansa has finally opted for its own A220 aircraft. Although the A220 can only be regarded as a "half son" (it was previously a Canadian Bombardier C series aircraft), it is currently also a product of Airbus, and Europeans should buy "their own" aircraft for the reason.
At the same time, the more novel point is,Lufthansa also purchased an aircraft that had not been operated for many years - the Boeing 737。While the 737 MAX has been hailed as "the most widely operated commercial aircraft in the world", data shows that no 737 aircraft has been operated since Lufthansa phased out the last 737-500 in January 2016. Other former 737 family aircraft operators within the Lufthansa Group include Austrian Airlines (which eliminated six 737-800s in 2012) and Brussels Airlines, which retired the last 737-400 in January 2013. Boeing expects to deliver the first 737 MAX to Lufthansa in 2027.
However, due to the fleet growth plans of Lufthansa (including City Airlines) and Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) have been determinedThe 737 MAX will be delivered to other operators within the Lufthansa Group。Lufthansa said: "The decision will be made at a later date. "It is important to note that ITA Airlines, which Lufthansa Group is acquiring, also has no experience in operating any 737 or 737 MAX aircraft.
In May 2023, Lufthansa took delivery of its 600th Airbus aircraft, marking a new and important milestone in the Lufthansa-Airbus relationship. The aircraft, an Airbus A321neo, was unveiled at the delivery ceremony at Hamburg Finkenvelde Airport (XFW) and the narrow-body jet was painted in a special livery to emphasise that this is the 600th Airbus aircraft of the Lufthansa Group.
Lufthansa, Air France and other European flag carriers have always been loyal customers of Airbus aircraft, especially the early A300, A310 and A320 aircraft of Airbus, which have played a huge role in the development and growth of Airbus.
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