Lufthansa restructures network, removes 20,000 short-haul flights

The adjustment of the airline’s flight schedule began as early as the day before yesterday, following the announcement of the closure of its subsidiary CityLine.

According to a statement issued today by Lufthansa, the Group is removing 20,000 unprofitable short-haul flights from its schedule through October, generating savings of approximately 40,000 tonnes of jet fuel, the price of which has doubled since the outbreak of the war in Iran.

The flight programme will be optimised throughout the summer season across the Group’s six hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome, with the aim of ensuring continued access for passengers to its international network.

The first phase of adjustments, comprising around 120 daily cancellations effective until the end of May, was implemented on Monday, while certain routes have been temporarily suspended. More broadly, amid capacity constraints, Lufthansa is expected to present its medium-term network planning by early May at the latest. The company nevertheless noted that it expects a “largely stable fuel supply” for flights already scheduled under its summer timetable.