Lufthansa Group, which includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Swiss, says summer capacity on short- and medium-haul routes are almost back to 2019 levels.
The firm lost €1.8bn (£1.5bn) in 2021, excluding restructuring expenses – an average of £48 per second during the year. But that was barely one-third of the €5.2bn (£4.4bn) the previous year.
The chief executive, Carsten Spohr, said that the Lufthansa Group used the past financial year to further renew itself. We have decisively and consistently advanced and implemented the transformation and restructuring of the company. Today, the Lufthansa Group is more efficient and more sustainable than before the pandemic.
Even in the financially most difficult two years in our history, in which painful cuts were unavoidable, they acted in a socially responsible manner and sustainably secured 105,000 jobs in the Lufthansa Group. They are very certain that air traffic will experience a strong upswing this year. Our strategy of expanding the private travel segment has proved successful and is paying off.
People want to travel. They seek and need personal contact – especially after two years of pandemic and the associated social restrictions. The pent-up demand for leisure and business travel was already significantly noticeable in 2021 – and this trend is set to intensify in 2022.
They are now leaving the crisis behind us, mentally and – in view of the strong booking figures this year – also commercially and face the next challenge strengthened. But Mr Spohr also spoke of “developments that worry us as citizens of this continent”. Addressing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said that their airlines connect people, cultures and economies. They stand for international understanding and peace in Europe and around the world.
Tags: Airline News, Lufthansa airlines
