Lufthansa expects to have 40 new jets with 120 to 140 seats to equip its new subsidiary, City Airlines. The models studied are the Embraer E195-E2 and the Airbus A220, said Carsten Spohr, CEO of the group.
The information was revealed through a video from the chief executive to employees, to which Aero Telegraph had access. “We are preparing a large order for 80 aircraft, 40 of them smaller, with 120 to 140 seats that will go to Cityline 2,” he said, referring to another way the carrier is known.
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City Airlines is expected to begin operations in 2024 with a fleet of Airbus A319 jets currently used within the group. The airline has already obtained the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and has only one of these planes in its fleet, registration D-AILX, used in the certification process.
The plan is for City to carry out feeder flights to the Frankfurt and Munich hubs from destinations within Germany, but also from countries in the region.
City Airlines was created in 2022 and should have started flights in the summer of 2023. The company emerged amid rumors that Lufthansa may transfer parts of its flights to the regional airline to reduce labor costs.
The carrier should also play a key role from 2026, when, according to unions, City Line will not be able to fly with aircraft with more than 75 seats.
Currently, the Lufthansa group operates both A220 (Swiss) and Embraer jets, but the first generation of E-Jets.
