Lufthansa Guide
Along with serving 183 international locations, Lufthansa also provides service to 18 different domestic locations. With a fleet that provides reliable service to points in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, the airline was one of the founding members of the Star Alliance, the single largest airline alliance in the world.
Founded in 1926, Lufthansa currently employs more than one hundred thousand people and operates a fleet in excess of 500 aircraft. Over 70 million passengers flew on Lufthansa flights during the calendar year of 2008.
Lufthansa History & Information
As the flag carrier for Germany, Lufthansa maintains its corporate headquarters in Cologne. The main operations hub for the airline is located at the Frankfurt International Airport, with a second hub maintained in Munich. Many of Lufthansa's pilots and flight crew members are based in Frankfurt, which serves as the hub for a number of the airline's flights to destinations around the world.
Lufthansa also maintains a number of subsidiaries. Air Dolomiti, based in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy, is wholly owned by the airline. The same is true of BMI in the United Kingdom, and Eurowings, a regional carrier. Lufthansa also holds a substantial stake in Brussels Airlines and plans on acquiring full ownership in this airline by 2011.
Lufthansa Routes
With flights to 183 different international destinations, Lufthansa is easily one of the busiest airlines in the world. A number of flights serve key points in Africa, including flights to Cairo International Airport, Tripoli International Airport, and Cape Town International Airport. The Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is also served by Lufthansa, as is Libreville International Airport in Gabon.
In the Americas, Lufthansa maintains regular flights into Canada, notably Vancouver International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Toronto Pearson International Airport.
In the United States, the airline serves Logan International Airport in Boston, JFK International Airport in New York City, and Washington Dulles International Airport, among others. Mexico City International Airport is also one of the regular routes maintained by the airline.
In South America, Lufthansa flights include destinations like Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires, Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, and Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo.
Asia also is among the many routes maintained by Lufthansa. Almaty International Airport, Ashgabat International Airport, and Tashjkent International Airport are among the locations in central Asia that are served by the airline. A number of destinations in China enjoy daily service, including Beijing Capital International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport.
Flights to and from Kansai International Airport in Osaka and Narita International Airport in Tokyo anchor Lufthansa's presence in Japan. In like manner, Seoul's Incheon International Airport enjoys daily flights in and out of the city via Lufthansa.
In Indonesia, Lufthansa offers daily flights to and from Jarkarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia is also among the points served by the airline. Singapore is another example of a destination that is served by Lufthansa, with flights in and out of Singapore Changi Airport daily.
Flights to a wide range of other destinations also occur daily. Among the countries served by Lufthansa are Israel, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Austria. With plans for the addition of more destinations, there is a good chance that the airline will offer new routes over the next couple of years.
The Lufthansa Fleet
With more than 500 aircraft in its fleet, Lufthansa offers something for just about any travelling situation. Long haul flights make use of such well known jetliners as Airbus and Boeing, as well as a number of other liners modified to create the on board environment that the airline seeks to cultivate on all its flights. Even coach class on these liners includes seats that are larger than the current industry average, a convenience for anyone who has to travel on a budget. Each seat is equipped with individual entertainment consoles, allowing the passenger to enjoy a wide range of music styles, news broadcasts, and even comedy routines by well known performers. Luxury and first class accommodation are found on most flights, including domestic travel.
Additional Information
In 1997, Lufthansa was instrumental in the formation of the Star Alliance. That original alliance included Thai Airways, Air Canada, Scandinavian Airlines, and United Airlines along with Lufthansa, and set the stage for the creation of other airline alliances. The Star Alliance remains the single largest cooperative of this type in the world today.
Other than a period where the airline interrupted service at the end of World War II, Lufthansa has been in continuous operation since its founding in 1926. While the name has undergone changes over the years, the commitment of Lufthansa to maintaining flight schedules while also offering amenities that keep passengers coming back again and again has helped to make the airline one of the most recognised brands on the planet.