Full History Of Lufthansa In Timeline From 1918

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1918: Creation of Lufthansa Logo

In 1918, the Lufthansa logo, an encircled stylised crane in flight, was first created by Otto Firle.

February 1919: Air Service Begins

In February 1919, Deutsche Luft-Reederei (DLR) began air service, using the encircled crane logo.

1925: Publication of "Luft-Hansa"

In 1925, F.A. Fischer von Puturzyn published a book entitled "Luft-Hansa", which examined the options open to aviation policymakers at the time.

1926: Adoption of Symbol

In 1926, Deutsche Luft Hansa adopted the encircled crane symbol.

1926: Formation of Deutsche Luft Hansa

In 1926, Deutsche Luft Hansa was formed in Berlin through the merger of Deutscher Aero Lloyd and Junkers Luftverkehr.

1936: Junkers Ju 52/3m Built

In 1936, a Junkers Ju 52/3m was built, which Lufthansa Technik later restored to airworthiness in 2008. This aircraft was used on the Berlin to Rome route in the 1930s.

January 1951: Liquidation of Deutsche Luft Hansa assets

On January 1, 1951, the remaining assets of Deutsche Luft Hansa were liquidated following its dissolution after World War II.

1951: Liquidation of Deutsche Luft Hansa

In 1951, Deutsche Luft Hansa was liquidated due to its association with the Nazi regime during World War II.

January 1953: Foundation of Luftag in Cologne

In January 1953, Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf (Luftag) was founded in Cologne, West Germany, by former employees of Deutsche Luft Hansa.

January 1953: Foundation of Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf (Luftag)

In January 1953, the modern Deutsche Lufthansa AG was founded as Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf (Luftag) by staff of the former Deutsche Luft Hansa.

1953: Aircraft Orders by Luftag

In 1953, Luftag placed orders for four Convair CV-340 and four Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellations aircraft and established a maintenance base at Hamburg Airport.

August 1954: Luftag Acquires Deutsche Lufthansa Name and Logo

On August 6, 1954, Luftag acquired the name and logo of the liquidated Deutsche Lufthansa for DM 30,000, continuing the tradition of a German flag carrier with that name.

1954: Acquisition of Luft Hansa Name and Logo

In 1954, Luftag adopted the branding of the former flag carrier by acquiring the Luft Hansa name and logo.

1954: Lufthansa Adopts the Symbol

In 1954, Lufthansa adopted the encircled crane symbol, expressing continuity.

April 1955: Commencement of Scheduled Domestic Flights

On April 1, 1955, Lufthansa received approval to begin operating scheduled domestic flights, initially linking Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Cologne, and Munich.

May 1955: Start of International Flights

On May 15, 1955, Lufthansa initiated international flights to London, Paris, and Madrid.

1955: East Germany's Attempt to Establish a Lufthansa Airline

In 1955, East Germany attempted to establish its own "Lufthansa" airline, but legal challenges from the West German carrier led to its abandonment.

August 1956: Flights to South Atlantic

Starting in August 1956, Lufthansa began Super Constellation flights across the South Atlantic.

1956: Lufthansa Mainline Accidents List

The list of accidents and incidents involving Lufthansa mainline aircraft since 1956 began.

1958: Frankfurt Airport Becomes Primary Hub

In 1958, Lufthansa designated Frankfurt Airport as its primary hub due to political restrictions preventing flights to Berlin.

1958: Order of Boeing 707 Aircraft

In 1958, Lufthansa embraced the jet age by ordering four Boeing 707 aircraft.

March 1960: Launch of Jet Flights to New York City

In March 1960, Lufthansa launched jet flights between Frankfurt and New York City using Boeing 707 aircraft.

September 1960: Christening of Boeing 707

In September 1960, a Lufthansa Boeing 707 (D-ABOC), which would serve the Frankfurt-New York intercontinental route, was christened Berlin after the divided city of Berlin by then-mayor Willy Brandt.

February 1961: Expansion of Far East Routes

In February 1961, Lufthansa's Far East routes expanded beyond Bangkok to include Hong Kong and Tokyo.

1962: Addition of African Destinations

In 1962, Lufthansa added Lagos, Nigeria, and Johannesburg, South Africa, to its network.

1963: Lufthansa as a Purveyor of West Germany's Image

By 1963, Lufthansa, initially limited in its public relations efforts, had become a major purveyor of West Germany's image abroad, encouraging travel to West Germany.

1963: Launch of Interflug

In 1963, East Germany subsequently launched Interflug as its national carrier after abandoning its own Lufthansa project.

1963: Variant Redesign

In 1963, Lufthansa adopted a variant of the encircled crane symbol, as redesigned by Robert Lisovskyi.

1964: Introduction of Boeing 727

In 1964, Lufthansa introduced the Boeing 727 to its fleet.

February 1965: Order of Boeing 737 Aircraft

In February 1965, Lufthansa placed an order for twenty-one Boeing 737 aircraft.

1966: Lufthansa shares publicly traded

Deutsche Lufthansa AG shares have been publicly traded on all German stock exchanges since 1966.

December 1967: First Boeing 737 Delivered

The first Boeing 737 was delivered to Lufthansa on December 27, 1967.

1967: Creation of Corporate Design

In 1967, German designer Otl Aicher created a comprehensive corporate design for Lufthansa, featuring the crane logo in a circle and using Helvetica as the main typeface.

1968: Boeing 737 Enters Service

In 1968, the Boeing 737 aircraft entered service for Lufthansa.

April 1970: Boeing 747 Flight

On April 26, 1970, Lufthansa started the wide-body era with a Boeing 747 flight.

1971: New Headquarters Building in Cologne

In 1971, Lawrence Fellows of The New York Times described Lufthansa's then-new headquarters building in Cologne as "gleaming".

January 1974: Introduction of DC-10-30

On January 14, 1974, Lufthansa introduced the DC-10-30.

1976: Introduction of Airbus A300

In 1976, Lufthansa introduced the first Airbus A300.

1979: Order of Airbus A310

In 1979, Lufthansa and Swissair became launch customers for the Airbus A310, placing an order for 25 aircraft.

June 1985: Fleet Modernisation Programme Begins

On June 29, 1985, Lufthansa began its fleet modernisation programme with an order for fifteen Airbus A320s and seven Airbus A300-600s.

1986: Bombing of Headquarters Building

In 1986, left-wing terrorists bombed Lufthansa's headquarters building in Cologne, though no one was injured.

1987: Aircraft Deliveries Begin

Between 1987 and 1992, Lufthansa received deliveries of Airbus A320s, Airbus A300-600s and ten Boeing 737-300s, which were ordered a few days later.

1987: Founding of Amadeus

In 1987, Lufthansa, along with Air France, Iberia, and Scandinavian Airlines, founded Amadeus, an IT company that enabled travel agencies to sell the founders and other airlines' products from a single system.

1988: Design Changes

In 1988, Aicher's design concept was retained, but the window band was removed, and the fuselage was painted in grey.

1988: Adoption of New Corporate Identity

In 1988, Lufthansa adopted a new corporate identity, including a new livery for its fleet and redesigned cabins, city offices, and airport lounges.

October 1990: Reintegration of Berlin into Network

Following German reunification on October 3, 1990, Lufthansa swiftly reintegrated Berlin into its network within 25 days, re-establishing the city as a key destination.

1990: German Reunification

In 1990, despite German reunification and the lifting of restrictions, Lufthansa did not move its primary hub to Berlin.

1992: More Aircraft Bought

By 1992, Lufthansa had also bought Airbus A321, Airbus A340, and Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

1994: Lufthansa became a public company

Lufthansa was a state-owned enterprise until 1994.

May 1997: Formation of Star Alliance

On May 14, 1997, Lufthansa joined Air Canada, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International, and United Airlines to form Star Alliance, the world's first multilateral airline alliance.

1997: Star Alliance Establishment

In 1997, Lufthansa became one of the five founding members of Star Alliance, which is the world's largest airline alliance.

1999: Addressing Wartime Misdeeds

In 1999, Lufthansa participated in a German initiative aimed at resolving wartime misdeeds, acknowledging the use of forced labor by its predecessor, Deutsche Luft Hansa, and reportedly paid tens of millions of German marks. A historical study was also commissioned.

September 11, 2001: Operation Yellow Ribbon

On September 11, 2001, the communities of Gander and Halifax provided hospitality and safe havens for passengers and crew of international aircraft unable to return to their originating airports during Operation Yellow Ribbon, following the September 11 attacks.

2004: Launch Customer for Connexion by Boeing

In 2004, Lufthansa became the launch customer for the Connexion by Boeing in-flight internet connectivity.

2005: Acquisition of Swiss International Air Lines

In 2005, Lufthansa solidified its position by acquiring Swiss International Air Lines.

2006: First Stone of New Headquarters

In 2006, builders laid the first stone of the new Lufthansa headquarters in Deutz, Cologne.

December 2007: Lufthansa Invests in JetBlue Airways

In December 2007, Lufthansa bought a 19% stake in JetBlue Airways and entered a code-sharing agreement. This marked the first major investment by a European carrier in an American carrier since the EU–U.S. Open Skies Agreement came into effect in 2008.

2007: Planned Employee Relocation

By the end of 2007, Lufthansa planned to move 800 employees, including the company's finance department, to the new headquarters building in Deutz, Cologne.

2007: Lufthansa Systems Relies on Actian Solutions

Since 2007 Lufthansa Systems, the IT services provider branch of the group, relies on solutions by Actian, such as the Ingres database and the OpenROAD platform, to power its Lido/FlightPlanning solution. This solution is used by around 300 commercial airlines across the world for flight planning.

October 2008: Lufthansa Exercises Option to Purchase More BMI Shares

On 28 October 2008, Lufthansa exercised its option to purchase a further 60% share in BMI, adding to the 20% Lufthansa already owned. This move led to a dispute with the former owner, Sir Michael Bishop.

2008: Lufthansa Technik Restores Junkers Ju 52/3m

In 2008, Lufthansa Technik restored a Junkers Ju 52/3m built in 1936 to airworthiness. Lufthansa is now also restoring a Lockheed Super Constellation, using parts from three aircraft bought at auctions.

2008: EU-U.S. Open Skies Agreement

In 2008, the EU–U.S. Open Skies Agreement came into effect. Following that Lufthansa bought a 19% stake in JetBlue Airways in December 2007.

April 2009: Lufthansa Outsourced Passenger Service System

Until April 2009, Lufthansa managed its inventory and departure control systems via LH Systems, which were based on Unisys. Following a decision to outsource all components of the Passenger Service System, the functions were outsourced to the Altéa platform managed by Amadeus.

June 2009: Lufthansa and Sir Michael Bishop Reach Agreement on BMI Acquisition

At the end of June 2009, Lufthansa and Sir Michael Bishop reached an agreement regarding Lufthansa's acquisition of BMI shares, resolving a dispute that arose after Lufthansa exercised its option to purchase a further 60% share in BMI in October 2008.

July 2009: Lufthansa Acquisition of BMI Shares

The acquisition of BMI by Lufthansa, which was agreed upon at the end of June 2009, took effect from 1 July 2009, after Lufthansa exercised its option to purchase a further 60% share in BMI in October 2008.

November 2009: Lufthansa Takes Complete Control of BMI

On 1 November 2009, Lufthansa acquired the remaining 20% of BMI from Scandinavian Airlines, thereby taking complete control of BMI.

2009: Acquisition of Austrian Airlines

In 2009, Lufthansa acquired Austrian Airlines, further expanding its reach.

February 2010: Naming of Airbus A380s

In February 2010, Lufthansa announced that its first two Airbus A380s would be named Frankfurt am Main (D-AIMA) and München (D-AIMB) after Lufthansa's two hub airports.

2010: First Quarter Losses

After a loss of 298 million euros in the first quarter of 2010, Deutsche Lufthansa AG faced economic challenges.

2010: Introduction of Airbus A380

In 2010, Lufthansa introduced the first of 14 Airbus A380 aircraft.

2010: Tradition of Naming Aircraft

In 2010, two exceptions to Lufthansa's tradition of naming aircraft after German cities were highlighted: an Airbus A340-300 named "Gander/Halifax" and an Airbus A321-100 named "Finkenwerder."

September 2011: Additional A380s Ordered

In September 2011, Lufthansa ordered two more A380 aircraft.

December 2011: Use of A380 for Munich-New York Route

From 6 to 12 December 2011, Lufthansa used an A380 once a day on the route from Munich to New York-JFK, mainly for Christmas shopping in New York City.

2011: Losses Due to Economic Recession

In 2011, Lufthansa experienced another 13 million euro loss due to the economic recession and restructuring costs.

2011: Growth Plans at Berlin Brandenburg Airport

In 2011, Lufthansa planned significant growth at Berlin Brandenburg Airport for the originally planned opening.

June 2012: A380 Deliveries

By June 2012, Lufthansa had received ten Airbus A380-800 aircraft out of an initial order of fifteen.

2012: Restructuring Program and Job Cuts

In 2012, Deutsche Lufthansa AG cut 3,500 administrative positions and announced a restructuring program called SCORE to improve its operating profit, beginning the transfer of short-haul flights to Germanwings.

2012: Launch Customer for Boeing 747-8I

In 2012, Lufthansa became the launch customer for the Boeing 747-8I, eventually purchasing 19 of the type.

2012: Originally Planned Opening

Lufthansa had growth plans at Berlin Brandenburg Airport in 2011 for the originally planned opening in 2012.

March 2013: Order Confirmation of A380

On 14 March 2013, Lufthansa confirmed the order for two additional A380 aircraft placed in September 2011.

September 2013: Largest Aircraft Order

In September 2013, Lufthansa Group announced its biggest order, for 59 wide-body aircraft valued at more than 14 billion euros at list prices. Earlier in the year, Lufthansa placed an order for 100 next-generation narrow-body aircraft.

September 2013: Approved Purchase of A380s

In September 2013, it was announced that the Lufthansa Supervisory Board had approved the purchase of only twelve of the first fifteen A380s. Thus, a total of fourteen A380s have been added to the fleet.

2013: Head Office Relocation Plans Revealed

In early 2013, Lufthansa revealed plans to relocate its head office from Cologne to Frankfurt by 2017.

April 2014: Nationwide Pilot Strike

In April 2014, Lufthansa pilots, along with pilots from Germanwings, staged a nationwide strike lasting three days over retirement and pay.

September 2014: Six-Hour Pilot Strike

In September 2014, Lufthansa pilots staged a six-hour strike at the end of the summer holidays, resulting in the cancellation of 200 Lufthansa flights and 100 Germanwings flights.

November 2014: Outsourcing Deal with IBM

In November 2014, Lufthansa signed an outsourcing deal worth $1.25 billion with IBM to take over the airline's IT infrastructure services division and staff.

2014: Lie-Flat Seats in Business Class

As of 2014, Lufthansa's Business Class on all widebody aircraft featured lie-flat seats.

2014: Aircraft Without Names

As of 2014, some short- and long-haul Lufthansa aircraft did not have names, either because they never received one or because their name was given to a newer aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-400 Bayern (Bavaria).

2014: "Fanhansa" Branding for FIFA World Cup

During the course of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, part of Lufthansa's fleet was branded "Fanhansa".

2014: Introduction of Premium Economy

In 2014, Lufthansa introduced long-haul Premium Economy on all long-haul aircraft, starting with some Boeing 747-8Is.

2014: Renaming of D-AIMN

In 2014, the D-AIMN San Francisco, an Airbus A380, was renamed Deutschland (Germany).

March 2015: Lufthansa Sells Stake in JetBlue

In March 2015, Lufthansa sold its stake in JetBlue Airways, which it had acquired in December 2007.

March 2015: Germanwings Flight 9525 Crash

In March 2015, Lufthansa's CEO, Carsten Spohr, called the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash, where co-pilot Andreas Lubitz intentionally crashed the aircraft into a mountain, killing all 150 aboard, "the darkest day for Lufthansa in its 60-year history".

June 2015: Closure of Düsseldorf Long-Haul Base Announced

In June 2015, Lufthansa announced plans to close its small long-haul base at Düsseldorf Airport for economic reasons by October 2015.

September 2015: Lufthansa Implements Surcharge on Global Distribution System Bookings

In September 2015, Lufthansa introduced a 16 euro surcharge on Global Distribution System bookings, applicable unless tickets were purchased directly from Lufthansa's website or its airport service centers. This led to a 16.1% drop in revenue for the period between 1–14 September, though Lufthansa attributed this decrease to a pilot strike and other seasonal factors.

October 2015: Closure of Düsseldorf Long-Haul Base Planned

Lufthansa announced that it would close its long-haul base at Düsseldorf Airport in October 2015 for economic reasons.

March 2016: End of Boeing 737-500 Operations

On March 22, 2016, Lufthansa ended Boeing 737-500 operations.

October 2016: Retirement of Last Boeing 737

On October 29, 2016, Lufthansa retired its last Boeing 737 (a 737-300) after a flight from Milan to Frankfurt, ending almost 50 years of operating the 737.

2016: Maintenance of Newark Service

From the winter 2015 schedule through the end of the winter 2016 schedule, Lufthansa maintained service from Dusseldorf to Newark, served by aircraft which also flew the Munich-Newark route.

October 2017: Lufthansa Takes Over Air Berlin Aircraft

In October 2017, Lufthansa acquired 81 aircraft from the insolvent Air Berlin, with Lufthansa's total purchase price for the shares amounting to around 210 million euros.

December 2017: Major Dispute Settled After Strikes

In December 2017, a major dispute between Lufthansa and the pilot's union was settled after nearly five years and a total of 14 strikes.

December 2017: Lufthansa Receives Skytrax 5-Star Certification

On 4 December 2017, Lufthansa became the first European airline to receive the Skytrax 5-star certification. Skytrax cited the upcoming new Business Class cabin and seating, expected in 2020, as a key factor. To celebrate, Lufthansa painted an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 747-8 in the "5 Starhansa" livery.

2017: Staged Acquisition of Brussels Airlines Completed

Between 2009 and 2017, Lufthansa completed a staged acquisition of Brussels Airlines.

2017: Boeing 777-9s without First Class

In 2017, Lufthansa announced that its first few Boeing 777-9s would not include First Class seats, but First Class could be installed on later deliveries.

2017: Planned Relocation to Frankfurt

Lufthansa had planned to relocate its head office from Cologne to Frankfurt by 2017, but this event had already occurred earlier in 2013, according to the provided text.

2017: Lufthansa Received Skytrax 5-Star Rating

Lufthansa was the first European carrier to receive a 5-star rating from Skytrax in 2017. However, in May 2022, Skytrax demoted Lufthansa's rating to an overall 4-star rating.

2017: Zeenea Data Discovery Platform Founded

Zeenea is a French metadata management startup founded in Paris in 2017. Lufthansa Cargo, the cargo airline subsidiary of Lufthansa, uses Zeenea Data Discovery Platform as their data catalog solution.

March 2018: Lufthansa Lists Taiwan as Part of China

In March 2018, Lufthansa, along with other airlines such as British Airways and American Airlines, complied with a request from Beijing to list Taiwan as part of China.

March 2018: Use of A380s from Munich

Since March 2018, Lufthansa used its A380s from and to Munich as well (five aircraft) in addition to Frankfurt am Main (nine aircraft).

November 2018: End of Düsseldorf-Newark Route

The Düsseldorf-Newark route, operated with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, ended on November 30, 2018.

2018: Livery Changes

In 2018, Lufthansa changed their livery, retaining the encircled crane but changing the background from yellow to dark blue, painting the vertical stabilizer and rear fuselage in dark blue, and painting the main fuselage in all white with the brand name "Lufthansa" in dark blue above the windows.

March 2019: Lufthansa Orders New Aircraft and Announces A380 Sales

In March 2019, Lufthansa ordered 20 Boeing 787-9 aircraft and an additional 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft for fleet replacement and expansion. Additionally, the airline announced plans to sell six A380 aircraft back to Airbus, starting in 2022.

March 2019: Official Closure of Düsseldorf Base

Lufthansa's Düsseldorf long-haul base was officially closed in March 2019.

March 2019: Removal of A380 Aircraft

On 13 March 2019, Lufthansa announced that it would be removing six A380 aircraft from the fleet and replacing them with Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

2019: Lufthansa's Shareholder Structure

At the end of 2019, German investors held 67.3% of Lufthansa's shares, with Luxembourg shareholders accounting for 10.4%. Investors from the US held 8.1%, followed by Ireland and the United Kingdom, each with 3.6%. Lansdowne Partners International Ltd. and BlackRock, Inc. were the largest shareholders in the Lufthansa Group at year-end, with 4.9% and 3.1% respectively.

2019: Lufthansa Criticized for Performing Deportation Flights

In 2019, Lufthansa faced criticism for performing deportation flights on behalf of the German government. Their planes deported 4,573 people, while subsidiary Eurowings deported 1,312. These flights accounted for over 25% of deportations in Germany during 2019, with at least two deportees perishing during transport.

March 2020: Lufthansa Cancels Flights Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

On 19 March 2020, Lufthansa cancelled 95% of all flights due to travel bans imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline consequently faced losses of 1 million euros per hour by April 2020.

March 2020: Grounding of A380 Aircraft

On 8 March 2020, Lufthansa announced that it would be grounding all of its A380 aircraft due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2020: Lufthansa Incurred Losses Due to COVID-19

By April 2020, Lufthansa was incurring losses of 1 million euros per hour as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic-related travel ban that started in March 2020.

2020: Changes in Lufthansa's Shareholder Structure During COVID Crisis

During the 2020 COVID crisis, Heinz Hermann Thiele increased his stake in Lufthansa to more than 12%; he died a few months later. The free float for Lufthansa shares was 67% in 2020, as per the definition of the Deutsche Börse.

2020: Planned Introduction of New Business Class Cabin and Seating

In 2020, Lufthansa was expected to introduce a new Business Class cabin and seating, which was a key factor in receiving the Skytrax 5-star certification in 2017. However, the 5th star was given to a product that was supposed to be introduced two years after the evaluation.

2020: Opening of Berlin-Brandenburg Airport

In 2020, even after the opening of the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, Lufthansa did not move its headquarters or primary hub to Berlin.

2020: Lufthansa Stored Airbus A380 Fleet

In early 2020, Lufthansa's Airbus A380 fleet was put into storage, leading to a confirmation in March 2022 that the entire fleet would be retired.

January 2021: Lufthansa to retire Airbus A340-600 fleet

In January 2021, Lufthansa CEO Spohr announced that the entire currently stored Airbus A340-600 fleet would be retired immediately and not return to service. This decision was later overturned, with several A340-600 aircraft returning to service in 2021.

June 2021: Lufthansa to Repay State Aid and Adopt Inclusive Language

In June 2021, Lufthansa aimed to repay state aid received during the pandemic before Germany's federal election in September 2021 if possible. Also, Lufthansa announced it would change its communications to adopt more gender-neutral and inclusive language, removing greetings such as "Ladies and Gentlemen".

June 2021: Remaining First Class Seats

As of June 2021, Lufthansa's only remaining First Class seats were on its Boeing 747-8Is, with 10 Airbus A350-900s with First Class seats to be delivered starting in July 2023.

September 2021: Potential Repayment of State Aid by Lufthansa

In June 2021, Lufthansa expressed its intention to repay state aid received during the pandemic before Germany's federal election in September 2021, if possible.

2021: Bus Service Reinstated

In 2021, a bus service from Nuremberg Airport to Munich Airport was reinstated to replace short-haul flights between the two cities.

2021: Premium Economy on SWISS Aircraft

In 2021, new Premium Economy seats were planned to be installed on SWISS' Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A340-300s from the first and second quarter of the year, respectively.

2021: Lufthansa faced hourly losses due to the pandemic

Throughout 2020, Lufthansa reduced costs, but continuing health risks and travel restrictions still caused hourly losses of approximately 500,000 euros on average at the beginning of 2021.

January 2022: Lufthansa Admits to Empty Flights to Retain Airport Slots

In January 2022, Lufthansa admitted to operating over 18,000 empty flights to keep airport slots during the pandemic.

March 2022: Lufthansa Originally Confirms Retirement of Airbus A380 Fleet

In March 2022, Lufthansa originally confirmed that its entire Airbus A380 fleet, which had been in storage since early 2020, would be retired.

May 2022: Skytrax Demotes Lufthansa's Rating

In May 2022, Skytrax demoted Lufthansa from its 5-star rating, which it had held since 2017, to an overall 4-star rating.

May 2022: Passenger Incident on New York to Frankfurt Flight

In May 2022, on a New York to Frankfurt flight, Lufthansa security was alerted to passengers not following crew instructions, leading to over a hundred visibly Jewish passengers being barred from a connecting flight to Budapest.

June 2022: Lufthansa Reverses A380 Retirement Decision

In June 2022, Lufthansa reversed its March 2022 decision to retire the Airbus A380 fleet, announcing plans to return up to five aircraft from storage by 2023 to be based at Munich Airport. There is also an option to return all eight remaining A380 aircraft to service by 2024.

June 2022: Reactivation of A380s

On 27 June 2022, Lufthansa announced that the remaining fleet of eight A380s will be reactivated and brought back into service for the 2023 summer season.

August 2022: Adoption of IHRA Definition of Antisemitism

In August 2022, following an incident, Lufthansa adopted the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism and appointed a senior manager to prevent antisemitism and other discrimination.

October 2022: New First Class Product Unveiled

In October 2022, Lufthansa unveiled a new suite style First Class product, planned for introduction on new A350 deliveries in 2023.

December 2022: Reactivation of First A380

On 2 December 2022, Lufthansa reactivated the first of two A380s to be entered into revenue service beginning in the summer of 2023. The first A380 to be reactivated was a nine-year-old D-AIMK, which left Teruel Airport for Frankfurt Airport after three years of storage.

2022: Key Trends for the Lufthansa Group

As of the end of the calendar year 2022, this entry refers to the key trends for the Lufthansa Group.

2022: Planned Sale of A380 Aircraft to Airbus

Beginning in 2022, Lufthansa announced in March 2019 that it would sell six A380 aircraft back to Airbus.

2022: Collective Bargaining and Warning Strikes

During the 2022 collective bargaining, Verdi stated that Lufthansa's wage offer would result in real wage losses for employees and called on approximately 20,000 ground workers in Germany to participate in warning strikes.

2022: Lufthansa Group Passengers

Lufthansa Group is the second-largest airline group in Europe by passengers, carrying 93 million in 2022.

May 2023: Lufthansa Group to Acquire Stake in ITA Airways

In May 2023, the Lufthansa Group announced an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to acquire a 41 per cent stake in ITA Airways. Part of the agreement allows Lufthansa to acquire the remaining shares at a later date.

June 2023: A380 Revenue Flights

Following their reactivation, Lufthansa announced the A380 was to begin revenue flights from Munich to Boston Logan on 1 June 2023. On 1 June, Lufthansa's A380 indeed made its return to commercial service, with flight LH424 from Munich to Boston lasting 7 hours and 22 minutes.

July 2023: A380 Route to New York-JFK

Following their reactivation, Lufthansa announced the A380 was to begin revenue flights from Munich to New York-JFK on 4 July 2023.

July 2023: A350-900 Deliveries

Starting in July 2023, Lufthansa was scheduled to receive deliveries of 10 Airbus A350-900s equipped with First Class seats.

November 2023: Exit of A380 Fleet

By November 2023, all six A380 aircraft that were sold back to Airbus for €315 million will have exited the fleet. The sale price was later reduced to €302 million because five of the six A380-800s sustained storm damage.

2023: New Business Class Release

In 2023, Lufthansa planned to release a new Business Class on the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350, with plans to retrofit the rest of the fleet.

2023: Lufthansa Flights Redirected Due to IT Glitch

In 2023, Lufthansa was affected by an IT glitch, leading to thousands of passengers being stranded around the world. Lufthansa's flights were redirected from Frankfurt to other airports due to this IT glitch, which was reportedly caused by construction work cutting through fiber optic cables.

2023: A380s in revenue service

In December 2022, it was announced that two A380s will be entered into revenue service beginning in the summer of 2023.

2023: Planned Return of A380 Aircraft to Munich Airport

In June 2022, Lufthansa announced plans to return up to five Airbus A380 aircraft from storage by 2023, with these aircraft to be based at Munich Airport.

May 2024: Lufthansa Rolled Out New Safety Video

In May 2024, Lufthansa rolled out a new safety video in line with the Allegris launch.

August 8, 2024: HCLSoftware to acquire Zeenea

On August 8, 2024, HCLSoftware announced intent to acquire Zeenea for 24 million euros, which is expected to continue operating as an independent unit under Actian, their data & analytics division.

September 2024: Reactivation of Eighth A380

The airline reactivated its eighth and last remaining A380 in September 2024.

October 2024: US Department of Transportation Penalty

In October 2024, Lufthansa paid a $4M penalty to the US Department of Transportation related to the May 2022 incident, less the $2M already paid to passengers in a legal settlement.

2024: Potential Return of All Remaining A380 Aircraft

In June 2022, Lufthansa indicated an option to return all eight remaining Airbus A380 aircraft to service by 2024, after initially confirming their retirement in March 2022.

2024: Lufthansa Revenue

In September 2025 Lufthansa announced plans to cut 4000 of its 10,000 administrative jobs despite 1.4 billion Euro revenue in 2024.

January 2025: Lufthansa Takes Stake in AirBaltic

In January 2025, Lufthansa acquired a 10% stake in the Latvian flag carrier AirBaltic.

March 2025: As of 24 March 2025

As of 24 March 2025, this entry marks a point in time.

November 2025: Lufthansa Group Intends to Bid for TAP Air Portugal

On 20 November 2025, Lufthansa Group announced its intention to bid in the privatization of Portugal’s national carrier — TAP Air Portugal, initially aiming to acquire a minority stake.

2025: Deployment of A380 on Flights

In 2025, Lufthansa will deploy the A380 on flights from Munich to Bangkok, Logan International Airport, Delhi, Denver, Washington-Dulles, New York-JFK, and Los Angeles.

2025: Planned Refitting of Boeing 747 with New Business Class Seats

In 2025, some of Lufthansa's Boeing 747 were planned to be refitted with its Business Class seats, being split into half, of which the first half included new luxurious seats, while the other half would still have the original first class seats.

2025: Delay of Boeing 777-9 Delivery

Lufthansa stated in June 2022, that the persistent delay of Boeing 777-9 delivery, which Lufthansa would not receive until 2025 or later, was one of two reasons that prompted them to reactivate A380 aircraft.

April 2026: Lufthansa to Withdraw Aircraft from CityLine Fleet

On 23 April 2026, Lufthansa announced it would withdraw 27 aircraft from its CityLine fleet, citing high fuel costs and labor issues as the reasons for this decision.