Lufthansa: aircraft and routesLufthansa: aircraft and routes

History and development

Lufthansa was founded in 1926 after the merger of two German airlines. The first company became an important part of early European aviation, but its legal history does not continue without a break to this day.

The first Luft Hansa ceased to exist after World War II. The legal basis of the current Lufthansa appeared in 1953, and regular flights resumed in 1955; this is an important difference between the history of the brand and the modern company.

The historic brand originated with the merger of Deutsche Aero Lloyd and Junkers Luftverkehr. One of its predecessors retained the crane sign, which still helps to recognize Lufthansa, despite the gap between the pre-war and the current law firm.

The history of Lufthansa consists of two important periods. The pre-war company appeared at the merger of carriers in 1926 and was engaged not only in passenger, but also in postal lines. After the war, this organization ceased to exist; the current Lufthansa was re-established in 1953 and began regular flights in 1955, retaining the historical name and symbol of the crane.

The historic crane sign combines two periods, but does not make the pre-war and modern Lufthansa one continuous legal entity. After the Second World War, transportation in West Germany had to be restored with a new organizational basis. Therefore, the anniversary of the brand and the age of the current company can be counted from different dates without contradiction.

Milestones

• 1926: The merger of two German airlines marked the beginning of the historic Lufthansa brand.
• 1934: The pre-war company developed regular transatlantic mail services.
• 1953: A new law firm was established, subsequently regaining the name Lufthansa.
• 1955: Regular flights resumed after the postwar break.
• 1997: Lufthansa became a founding member of the Star Alliance.

Route networks

The route network of the current Lufthansa is organized around Frankfurt and Munich. Flights from European cities bring passengers to these hubs, from where long-distance destinations and transfers to partner flights are available.

The combination of two major hubs helps distribute flights between Frankfurt and Munich. Inside the Lufthansa Group, passenger transportation is adjacent to the cargo and technical business, but the plane in the ticket refers to a specific carrier performing the flight.

Pre-war Lufthansa did not only deal with passenger flights: in the 1930s it developed transatlantic airmail. After the resumption of flights in 1955, the network had to be rebuilt, and over time its main transfer centers were Frankfurt and Munich.

Frankfurt and Munich distribute large flows between European and long-haul flights. A driving route from a small town can be part of a ticket through one of the hubs to an intercontinental point. Star Alliance partners are expanding docking options, but require attention to the transfer airport and the actual carrier.

Aircraft and features

Lufthansa became a founding member of the Star Alliance in 1997. The alliance with other carriers complements its own network and allows it to build routes beyond direct flights from Germany.

For long-haul lines, Lufthansa retains several types of wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 747-8, Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. Smaller liners operate on shorter routes; a change of type is possible when the schedule is adjusted.

In the wide-body park, planes of several generations coexist. The Boeing 747-8 continues the Jumbo line, and the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 represent newer long-haul types; narrow-body airliners are used within Europe.

Lufthansa is not only the passenger network of Frankfurt and Munich. The group has cargo and technical directions that serve its own and third-party airlines. For passengers, this remains the background: in the ticket, the flight that carries the carrier and the specific type of aircraft are important, since different brands and service formats work within the group.

The Lufthansa fleet combines aircraft of different generations, because the directions require different capacity and range. The Boeing 747-8 is one of the few modern passenger four-engine airliners remaining in service with major carriers. Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 introduce newer long-haul solutions, and the A320 family serves the European network.