Lufthansa sells six A380s back to Airbus

Lufthansa has revealed it is selling six of its eight Airbus A380 craft back to the manufacturer, perhaps the death knell of the ‘super-jumbo’ once destined to replace the Boeing 747 as the iconic aircraft of the skies, which will now cease production at the end of 2021.

Now seen as a little more than a white elephant, the Lufthansa A380s will be replaced by the purchase of 40 craft  across the group’s airlines; 20 Boeing 787-9 and 20 additional Airbus A350-900 planes that will primarily replace four-engine aircraft – to the tune of approximately 12 billion USD, according to list price.

The new planes will put a focus on fuel economy with their sustainable and eco-friendly credentials – which are at the forefront of airline planning in a world of rising fuel costs and a growing onus on companies to show greater social responsibility and environmental awareness – with passengers still demanding low ticket pricing.

“Environment is becoming more and more important”

Carsten Spohr, CEO and chairman of Lufthansa Group, said: “By replacing four-engine planes with new models, we are laying a sustainable foundation for our future in the long run.

“In addition to the cost-effectiveness of the A350 and B787, the significantly lower CO2 emissions of this new generation of long-haul aircraft was also a decisive factor in our investment decision. Our responsibility for the environment is becoming more and more important as a criterion for our decisions.”

On average, the new aircraft will only consume around 2.9 litre of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometres flown. That is 25% below what is used by predecessor aircraft, which will likewise have a positive impact on the CO2 footprint.

The Boeing 787-9 and A350-900 s will be delivered between 2022 and 2027. The decision regarding which airline will deploy the aircraft at which hub will be made at a later