The Lufthansa group has just placed orders for new A350s and B787s, but above all it has made a good deal with Airbus.
As part of the modernization and rationalization of its fleet, the Lufthansa Group has just place an order for its first B787-9s (20 units) and a new series of 20 A350-900s which are added to the 25 already ordered and in operation, for a value of 12 billion dollars at list price (obviously not the price actually paid).
The distribution of these aircraft among the fleets of the group’s member airlines (Lufthansa, Swiss, Bruxels Airlines, Austrian) will be determined at a later date.
In addition, the airline expects its 20 B777-9X aircraft to be available from 2020, the first of which will soon be making its first test flights.
It is not surprising that the Lufthansa Group is rationalizing its fleet and choosing economic, energy and environmental performance for its aircraft. What is more is a second announcement made almost simultaneously.
Indeed, Lufthansa, wishing to get rid of its unprofitable A380s, has just announced that 6 aircraft will leave the fleet. To become what, knowing that the second hand market is almost inexistent for this device? Well, these aircraft will be bought back by Airbus!
The simultaneity of the announcements is not misleading: if Lufthansa has taken back A350s instead of an order that could have been made only for 787s, it is certainly because the European aircraft manufacturer is helping it, in return, to get rid of its superjumbo.As for the amount, it has not been revealed. Lufthansa has announced that this will not have a negative impact on its finances, but it is rather the impact on Airbus that we would like to know.
It is also unclear what Lufthansa intends to do with these aircraft. Certainly the operation serves above all to facilitate the order of the A350 but perhaps not only. There is no real second-hand market for the A380 today HiFly bought one from Singapore Airlines and would look for a second one, it is said that British Airways would be interested in replacing its 747s but I think it would only bea temporary solution while waiting for the arrival of its 42 Boeing 777-9X.
But in any case, by proceeding in this way, Airbus is trying to make the 350 market more fluidto prevent ownership of A380s from delaying its sales while waiting for possible second-hand buyers. Even if it means taking on this cost, even if it means that this market will never be born and that the planes will be left on the ground.
But this is just one more proof that not only was the A380 not selling well, but that many of its owners do not intend to let it stay in their fleet too long.
Photo : Airbus A380 Lufthansa by KITTIKUN YOKSAP via Shutterstock.
