BFF-55 Lufthansa orders 40 long-haul jets from Airbus, Boeing

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Lufthansa orders 40 long-haul jets from Airbus, Boeing

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, March 13, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – German airline giant
Lufthansa said Wednesday it had ordered 40 long-haul jets, 20 each from
rivals Airbus and Boeing, as it replaces its older four-engined fleet with
more modern aircraft.

Boeing will supply 787-9 planes and Airbus its A350-900 to the Frankfurt-
based group, with the list price for the order coming to $12 billion —
although the airline said it had “negotiated a significant price reduction”
from the manufacturers.

In the same statement, Lufthansa added that it had agreed with Airbus to
return six of its fleet of 14 A380 super-jumbos to the pan-European firm.

“The parties have agreed not (to) disclose the purchasing price,” Lufthansa
said.

Airbus said last month it would stop manufacturing the A380 in 2021 for
lack of orders, as the monster aircraft designed to ferry huge numbers of
passengers between major hubs is displaced by smaller, more flexible planes.

Chief executive Carsten Spohr said the purchase of the new twin-engined
fleet meant “laying a sustainable foundation for our future” with cheaper to
run and less polluting jets.

Fuel consumption by the new planes would be “on average” 25 percent lower
per passenger and 100 kilometres flown, Lufthansa said.

Bosses have yet to decide whether the group’s new aircraft, set for
delivery between 2022 to 2027, will sport the flagship airline’s blue-and-
white livery or be deployed for other carriers in the group like Swiss or
Austrian.

BSS/AFP/RY/1940 hrs