Belgian Dieter Vranckx takes on triple chairmanship role at Lufthansa

June 29, 2026

Belgian Dieter Vranckx (53), who has been building his career at Lufthansa for some time, is now chairman of three airlines within the German group, one of the largest in Europe. In addition to Brussels Airlines, these are Swiss and Austrian Airlines. Vranckx’s appointment is part of a reorganization at Lufthansa, in which decision-making regarding […]

Lufthansa acquires 90% stake in ITA

May 15, 2026

Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline group, will exercise its option to increase its stake in the Italian airline ITA Airways from 41% to 90%. The German airline group will pay 325 million euros for the second tranche. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. In 2028, Lufthansa will be able […]

Strong passenger demand limits losses at Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines

May 08, 2026

Despite a substantial operating loss (EBIT) of 612 million euros for the first three months of the year, the Lufthansa Group has little cause for concern.  Due to seasonally weaker demand in Europe, the first quarter is structurally loss-making for Europe’s largest airline group, the parent of Brussels Airlines. What’s more, the loss is 15% […]

Another strike casts shadow over Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary

April 15, 2026

Just on the day Lufthansa is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its first flight, an event Chancellor Merz is set to attend, the airline is once again hit by a strike – the fifth major strike at Lufthansa this year. After hundreds of flights were canceled due to a pilots’ strike on Monday and Tuesday, […]

TAP sale heats up: Air France-KLM vs Lufthansa, with IAG dropping out

April 06, 2026

Both Air France-KLM and Lufthansa have submitted bids to Parpublica, the Portuguese state holding company, for a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal. The Portuguese government intends to sell up to 49,9% of the shares, with a 5% tranche reserved for employees. The state formally retains control but has indicated its intention to sell the […]

Lufthansa pilots call for new strike

March 11, 2026

At Lufthansa, the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) pilots’ union is calling for a new 48-hour strike on Thursday and Friday. Hundreds of flights are at risk of being canceled due to the strike by more than 5,000 pilots, although destinations in the Middle East are expected to be unaffected. The main reason for the strike call is […]

Lufthansa grounded: pilots and cabin crew strike across Germany

February 11, 2026

Lufthansa pilots and cabin crew will walk out tomorrow due to a wage dispute and working conditions. The strike will affect all Lufthansa flights and those operated by its cargo division, Lufthansa Cargo, departing from Germany. The exact extent of the cancellations is still unclear, but passengers should expect flight cancellations and delays in any […]

Lufthansa Group tightens rules for fire-prone power banks on planes

January 15, 2026

The Lufthansa Group, including its subsidiary Brussels Airlines, is tightening the rules for power banks on board flights. For example, they may no longer be used to charge devices, and storing them in the overhead compartment above the seats is also prohibited. The tightening of the rules is due to an increase in fire incidents […]

Lufthansa Group partners with Starlink for Wi-Fi on all flights

January 14, 2026

The Lufthansa Group, which includes Brussels Airlines, will offer free, high-speed Wi-Fi on its approximately 850 aircraft starting in the second half of 2026. It will do so using the Starlink satellite network from SpaceX, the American space company owned by billionaire Elon Musk. The collaboration with Starlink applies to the entire Lufthansa Group, which also […]

Riding the jet stream: Lufthansa turns 100

January 07, 2026

Lufthansa, founded on January 6, 1926, as “Luft Hansa,” celebrates its 100th anniversary today. The history of the German airline is almost as turbulent as aviation itself. From a technological pioneer in the 1920s to an active role during the Nazi regime, Lufthansa grew into Europe’s largest airline group, at least in terms of revenue. […]

Brussels Airlines will fly to Kilimanjaro, Lufthansa will cut in EU destinations

October 30, 2025

From June 3, Brussels Airlines will fly twice a week to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, as a stopover on flights to Nairobi, Kenya. Brussels Airlines specializes in flights to Africa. Next year, the airline will offer 18 destinations there. Parent company Lufthansa, on the other hand, will cut several European connections and domestic flights from its 2026 […]

Lufthansa CEO fears aviation sector will not achieve its 2050 climate targets

October 10, 2025

The head of Lufthansa does not believe the aviation sector will achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. CEO Carsten Spohr attributes this to the slow development of technology and the increased availability of more sustainable aircraft fuels. The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals. The company aims to achieve a neutral CO2 […]

Lufthansa to cut 4,000 administrative jobs mostly in Germany

September 29, 2025

Lufthansa plans to reduce its administrative workforce by approximately 4,000 by 2030. Most of the jobs will be lost in Germany. The jobs will become redundant because processes “will be digitized, automated, and consolidated,” says the German airline group. Brussels Airlines expects a “limited impact”. At the same time, the group also announced “the largest […]

Lufthansa profits double, Air France-KLM turnover quadruples

August 01, 2025

Lufthansa more than doubled its profits in the second quarter of this year despite recent trade tensions. “The Lufthansa Group remains on track,” says CEO Carsten Spohr, referring to the net profit of 1.2 billion euros. Air France-KLM also reported significantly higher profits in the past quarter compared to the same period a year earlier. […]

Lufthansa takes small stake in Latvian airBaltic

July 01, 2025

Lufthansa’s planned entry into Latvian airline airBaltic has been approved by the German competition authority. The German airline group will now have a 10% stake in airBaltic, which has Riga as its central hub. Otherwise, airBaltic’s main shareholder remains the government of Latvia. The entry involves a sum of € 14 million. Although the deal […]

Lufthansa reports superb figures in terms of punctuality in Germany

June 13, 2025

More than 80% of Lufthansa’s flights arrived on time at its Frankfurt and Munich hubs this year. It provides the best punctuality figures in ten years for the German national airline. Yet, Lufthansa still faces several challenges to ensure punctuality. An increasing number of drone sightings and storms hamper operations, while a lack of technical […]

Lufthansa’s ‘difficult summer’, Brussels Airlines in red due to strikes

May 03, 2025

Trade tensions between the United States and Europe may cloud the important summer airline season. So says Lufthansa, pointing to changed consumer behavior due to economic uncertainty. Brussels Airlines, a subsidiary of the German airline group, suffered an adjusted operating loss (EBIT) of 53 million euros during the first quarter of this year. However, because […]

Air France-KLM and Lufthansa launch bid for Spanish Air Europa

March 12, 2025

The Air France-KLM Group and Lufthansa aim for a stake in Spanish airline Air Europa. According to Spanish online media El Confidential, they have each submitted separate bids to enter Air Europa’s capital for 300 million and 240 million euros, respectively. Air Europa is Spain’s third-largest airline after Iberia and Vueling. The airline also operates […]

Lufthansa’s Jörg Eberhart new top executive ITA Airways

January 16, 2025

German Jörg Eberhart, a manager at Lufthansa, will become the new CEO of ITA Airways, the state-owned airline that emerged from bankrupt Alitalia. The Italian state’s designation thus also formalizes the German group’s entry into ITA Airways’ capital. Italian Lorenza Maggio, vice president of sales of Lufthansa for Europa, the Middle East, and Africa, will […]

Lufthansa recruits 10,000 worldwide, 36O at Brussels Airlines

January 09, 2025

The Lufthansa Group plans to hire some 10,000 new employees this year. Three hundred sixty people are involved at the subsidiary Brussels Airlines. Last year, the entire Lufthansa Group recruited 13,000 people. All these new hires clearly signal that the group, the largest in Europe and fourth largest in the world by revenue, has shaken […]

Environmental surcharge: Lufthansa flights up to 72€ more expensive

December 27, 2024

Starting January 1, Lufthansa will impose an environmental surcharge on flights departing from Europe. The surcharge ranges from 1 to 72 euros, depending on distance and travel class. For subsidiary Brussels Airlines, the environmental surcharge will be a maximum of 36 euros. “This surcharge is intended to cover part of the ever-increasing additional costs resulting […]

Lufthansa-ITA deal is finally sealed

November 13, 2024

Lufthansa and the Italian government have agreed to take over ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia, after tough negotiations, the Italian Finance Ministry announced. The documents were delivered to the European Commission before the deadline. The EC had previously imposed conditions on the deal to safeguard competition, such as giving up some flight rights or slots. €325 […]

Lufthansa aims for stake in Portuguese airline TAP

September 03, 2024

Lufthansa’s big boss, Carsten Spohr, met yesterday with members of the Portuguese government about a possible stake by the German airline group in TAP. According to Italian business newspaper Corriere della Sera, Lufthansa is interested in taking a 19.9% stake in the publicly owned Portuguese airline. Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and British Airways parent company IAG […]

Lufthansa’s profits nearly halve, daughters also take blows

August 01, 2024

As expected, Lufthansa’s second-quarter profit almost halved compared to the same period last year. Net profit came in at 469 million euros, down from 881 million euros in 2023, or a 47% drop year-on-year. Due to increasing competition and overcapacity on certain lines, the group cannot sustain the high ticket prices after the coronavirus pandemic. […]

Lufthansa downgrades outlook and announces savings plan

July 15, 2024

Lufthansa, still Europe’s largest airline group, has downgraded its financial outlook 2024 and announced a “recovery plan”. After a disappointing first half year, the group, which in addition to Lufthansa includes Austrian, Swiss, Eurowing, and Brussels Airlines, among others, now expects an operating profit of between 1.4 billion and 1.8 billion euros in 2024, down […]

European Commission gives final approval to Lufthansa-ITA takeover

July 04, 2024

The European Commission has ruled that the Lufthansa Group can enter the capital of its Italian sector partner, ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia. However, to safeguard competition, the two companies must offer other airlines access to several routes. “Today we are concluding a historic, long-standing case,” the Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti commented on […]

Lufthansa suffers delivery delays from Boeing and Airbus

July 01, 2024

German airline Lufthansa suffers from delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing and Airbus. According to CEO Carsten Spohr, the problems will not be solved before 2030, and the shortfall could cost Lufthansa around half a billion euros a year. The airline, which wants to modernize its fleet, has ordered 250 new aircraft from Airbus and […]

‘Green surtax’ makes Lufthansa Group tickets up to €72 more expensive

June 26, 2024

German airline group Lufthansa, to which Brussels Airlines also belongs, is launching an environmental surcharge of 1 to 72 euros for all flights departing from Europe and the UK, Norway, and Switzerland. For Brussels Airlines, the surcharge will be a maximum of 36 euros per flight. The surcharge will be charged on bookings starting today […]

‘Strikes cost Brussels Airlines €14 million, Lufthansa €350 million’

May 02, 2024

The recent social unrest, with several strikes and strike notices, has cost Brussels Airlines an estimated 14 million euros. As a result, the Belgian airline went deeper into the red in the first quarter than during the first three months of last year. Strikes didn’t affect the Belgian airline alone, as parent company Lufthansa saw […]

EU Commission blocks deal between Lufthansa and ITA

January 24, 2024

The European Commission has blocked plans by German airline group Lufthansa to take a minority stake in Italian airline ITA Airways. EU anti-trust regulators are “concerned after a preliminary investigation that the transaction could restrict competition on several short- and long-haul routes to and from Italy,” they said in a press release. This mainly concerns […]

Lufthansa targets 13.000 new employees

January 16, 2024

Lufthansa Group plans to hire around 13 000 new employees this year. These include pilots, cabin crew, technicians, and IT specialists, according to the German airline group, which also has airlines Eurowings, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, and Austrian Airlines. According to Aviation24, at least 380 of them will be recruited for Brussels Airlines. Lufthansa is looking […]

Lufthansa orders 80 new aircraft for eight billion euros

December 20, 2023

Lufthansa has ordered 80 new short- and medium-haul aircraft with Boeing and Airbus. These include 40 Airbus A220-300 aircraft and 40 Boeing 737-8 Max. The German airline group is also taking an option on 120 additional aircraft. The group itself calls it the most extensive fleet modernization in its history. The aircraft will be delivered […]

Record summer spices Brussels Airlines’ and Lufthansa’s results

November 03, 2023

The third quarter was the most profitable ever for Brussels Airlines. Adjusted operating profit (EBIT) rose by 21 million euros compared to the same period last year, to 72 million euros. The airline also expects record profits for the whole year. Lufthansa, the German parent company of Brussels Airlines, also recorded a record summer, with […]

Austrian Airlines does greenwashing, Lufthansa struggles with e-fuels

September 26, 2023

Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Germany’s Lufthansa, can no longer advertise that flying can be “CO2 neutral”. An Austrian court has ruled that. In turn, Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s CEO, has hinted that his airline would have to consume half of Germany’s electricity production for its entire fleet to fly on e-fuels. According to the French […]

Record Q2 results propel Lufthansa toward best annual results ever

August 04, 2023

Europe’s leading airline group Lufthansa more than tripled its net profit in the second quarter and expects to post one of the best annual results in its history. Subsidiary Brussels Airlines carried 3,95 million passengers in the first half, making its Q2 a good one, with a profit of 31 million euros. Three years after […]

Lufthansa steps into Italian airline ITA

May 26, 2023

The die is cast. After months of negotiations, German airline group Lufthansa will take a minority stake in Italian airline ITA Airways. The Germans are injecting 325 million euros into ITA in exchange for a 41% stake. Eventually, they may acquire the airline outright. Additional government funding In addition to the capital increase by Lufthansa, […]

Only Lufthansa remains to bid for take-over ITA Airways

January 19, 2023

German airline group Lufthansa is the only bidder to take a stake in Italian airline ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia. This was announced by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance on Wednesday evening, after the deadline. Earlier in the day, French-Dutch airline group Air France-KLM had announced that it would not submit a […]

Lufthansa aims to recruit 20 000 extra staff in Europe

November 22, 2022

Europe’s largest airline group Lufthansa has launched a campaign to recruit 20 000 employees in Europe. According to the group’s statement, Lufthansa will recruit these new employees in 45 professions at its site in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. In particular, technicians, IT specialists, lawyers, pilots, and cabin crew are being sought. The campaign comes […]

Strike averted at Brussels Airlines over flights to Tel Aviv (update)

September 07, 2026

Brussels Airlines plans to resume operating one to two daily flights to Tel Aviv starting in September. Unlike in the past, the airline no longer wants to rely exclusively on volunteers for these flights and instead intends to require staff to work them through the standard scheduling process. According to the ACV Puls union, Brussels […]

Fuel shock forces Brussels Airlines to ground A330 growth plans

August 05, 2026

High fuel prices, an Ebola outbreak in East Africa, and strikes by third parties led Brussels Airlines to have a difficult start to 2026, with an adjusted operating loss of 70 million euros. This represents a 50% decline compared to the same period last year. In response, the airline has scrapped its fleet expansion plans. […]

Growth and higher fares cushion Air France-KLM’s €800m fuel shock

July 31, 2026

Air France-KLM saw its net profit decline by 71% to 190 million euros in the second quarter. This is due to the sharp rise in kerosene prices caused by the war in the Middle East. On the other hand, the airline group managed to pass on the lion’s share of those higher kerosene costs to […]

As von Boxberg lands at BMW, Maggio takes off in Brussels

July 22, 2026

The board of directors of parent company Lufthansa has appointed Lorenza Maggio as the new CEO of Brussels Airlines. Maggio will replace Dorothea von Boxberg, who is leaving the company on August 31 to join BMW. Maggio (48), an Italian national, has been a member of the ITA Airways board of directors since January 2025, […]

From wings to wheels: Brussels Airlines CEO joins BMW board

July 22, 2026

Brussels Airlines CEO Dorothea von Boxberg is swapping aviation for the automotive industry. From 1 September 2026, she will join the Board of Management of BMW AG, taking responsibility for Human Resources and Real Estate, and will become the group’s Labor Relations Director. The move is more than a conventional change of sector. At BMW, […]

Will there soon be a single ticket for train travel in Europe?

May 18, 2026

If the European Commission has its way, there will be a single ticket for anyone wishing to travel by train across Europe. The measure, described as “a game-changer for rail travel” by European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, is intended to make cross-border travel on the continent easier. For international train travel, passengers […]

Lowest jet fuel stocks in years put pressure on aviation

May 13, 2026

The war in Iran is disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. This is not only driving up pump prices but also pushing up jet fuel prices. What’s more, analysts say there is a real risk of a physical shortage of jet fuel in the future. Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines, among others, are downplaying […]

New Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport officially opened

April 23, 2026

Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest, has opened a new, third terminal. The first flight from the new terminal is expected today. Terminal 3 will be able to handle up to 19 million passengers per year. The terminal features three new piers totaling 1,400 meters in length, at least 33 aircraft parking positions, 112 check-in counters, and […]

CAE pilot training center in Brussels faces closure

April 21, 2026

Canadian aviation training provider CAE plans to close its training center at Brussels Airport by the end of this year. This is reported by the business newspaper De Tijd. Due to declining demand, outdated simulators, and structural losses, 22 of the 27 jobs are at risk. CAE Brussels is the direct successor to the historic […]

IATA-boss warns rise in airfare prices is still inevitable

April 09, 2026

Higher airfare prices are inevitable. That’s what Willie Walsh, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said at a meeting in Singapore. Even after a cease-fire in Iran. According to Walsh, the aviation industry will likely continue to face disruptions in jet fuel supply for months to come, even if Iran does reopen the […]

Extra Belgian flights, grounded older jets: airlines’ summer dilemma

April 01, 2026

As demand rises, Brussels Airlines will operate additional flights during the summer vacation. It will therefore add approximately 170 extra round-trip flights within Europe, providing 60,000 additional seats. Lufthansa, the group to which Brussels Airlines belongs, is, on the other hand, exploring various scenarios to cope with rising kerosene prices driven by the war in […]

Brussels Airlines sees profits halved due to national union actions

March 09, 2026

Brussels Airlines has posted a profit for the third year in a row. Still, adjusted operating profit (EBIT) halved to 28 million euros, partly due to national union action that disrupted air traffic seven times, costing the airline 15 million euros, as well as drone sightings and a cyberattack on Brussels Airport. Another disruption is […]

Stranded by war: how Gulf escalation cripples global aviation

March 02, 2026

The recent American and Israeli attacks on Iran, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks, are having a huge impact on international aviation. Due to the direct military threat and airspace closure, the three Arab hubs, Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), and Abu Dhabi (AUH), the world’s most important transfer hubs, have become virtually unusable for international air […]

Airbus aims for take-off: 870 aircraft and record profits ahead

February 23, 2026

Airbus expects to deliver a record number of aircraft this year. In the title, the European aircraft manufacturer expects to deliver 870 commercial aircraft, significantly more than the 793 it delivered to customers in 2025. This would be a record – the current record dates from 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, with 863. Net profit […]

Musk and O’Leary at loggerheads as Tesla boss toys with buying Ryanair

January 21, 2026

There is currently a remarkable mudslinging match going on between Starlink and Tesla owner Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, and Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair. What began as a business discussion about Wi-Fi on board airplanes has escalated into personal insults and even a laconic threat from Musk to buy Ryanair. […]

11% increase in long-haul flights for Brussels Airport

January 06, 2026

Brussels Airport has experienced substantial growth in the intercontinental segment over the past few years. According to the business newspaper L’Echo, the share of so-called ‘long-haul’ flights rose by more than 11%. This growth is the result of a deliberate strategy to strengthen Brussels as an international hub. From Africa to North and Latin America […]

European airlines pledge to stop ‘greenwashing’

November 11, 2025

Twenty-one European airlines have committed to stop making claims in relation to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions deemed misleading, the European Commission said on Friday. The airlines include some of the largest in Europe, such as Lufthansa (parent company of Brussels Airlines), Ryanair, KLM, and Air France. In May, the Belgian Federal Public Service Economy’s economic inspectorate, […]

Portugal wants to privatize just under 50% of TAP

July 11, 2025

The Portuguese government has been toying with the idea of privatizing the airline TAP Air Portugal for some time. It has now relaunched that operation. In the process, 49,9% will be sold. Major European airline groups, such as Air France-KLM, IAG (British Airways, Iberia) and Lufthansa are interested. “We believe we can complete the privatization […]

Flight tax threatens to erode Brussels Airlines profits by €1 million

June 27, 2025

The increase in the flight tax that the De Wever government wants to introduce will cost Brussels Airlines 1 million euros. So, write the business newspapers L’Echo and De Tijd. Indeed, it turns out that the increase also applies to tickets that were already purchased before the introduction of the new law, usually on July […]

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