Lufthansa apologises for flight chaos, sees no short-term fix

Bloomberg

Deutsche Lufthansa AG management apologised for the disruptions and cancellations bedeviling the global aviation industry and cautioned the situation won’t improve in the near future as carriers and airports struggle to rebuild operations from the pandemic slump.
In a letter sent overnight to customers, Europe’s biggest airline group laid out the causes of the chaos, from a lack of personnel to the war in Ukraine. The carrier said global aviation is reaching the limits of available resources, frustrating airline efforts to recover losses after the coronavirus burst a decades-long boom in travel.
“We can only apologise to you for this,” Lufthansa said in the statement. “In the coming weeks, as passenger numbers continue to rise, be it for leisure or business travel, the situation is unlikely to improve in the short term.”
Germany’s flagship airline has cancelled a total of 3,100 flights after a wave of coronavirus infections worsened staffing shortages, adding to Europe’s travel chaos as the crucial summer vacation period gets under way. Having let go of thousands of employees during the pandemic, airlines and ground operations at airports are struggling to meet resurging travel demand. Lufthansa said the industry’s racing to rehire thousands of employees, though the push will only have a stabilising factor this coming winter.
The war in Ukraine has restricted available airspace in Europe, prompting “massive bottlenecks in the skies” and additional delays, Lufthansa said.
In addition to staffing shortages, some other airlines and airports are wrestling with labour disputes as workers demand higher wages to help offset the soaring cost of living.

Lufthansa to bring back A380 next summer in reversal

Bloomberg

Deutsche Lufthansa AG will return the Airbus SE A380 double-decker jet to service next summer, reversing its pandemic-era decision to retire the aircraft as travel demand soars.
The carrier is assessing how many 500-seat A380s will need to be reactivated and where they should fly in summer 2023. One reason for bringing back the four-engine model is delays in deliveries of ordered aircraft, Lufthansa said.
“We decided today to put the A380, which continues to enjoy great popularity, back into service at Lufthansa in summer 2023,” Lufthansa said. That’s too late to help the carrier with bottlenecks due to staff shortages, which have prompted it to scrap 3,100 flights this summer.