Lufthansa Group has immediately closed its regional subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine, grounding its fleet of 27 Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft effective this weekend. The move retires inefficient long-haul jets including the Airbus A340-600 and two Boeing 747-400s, accelerated by doubled kerosene prices and labor strikes.
CityLine, a chronically loss-making unit, operated short- and medium-haul routes with CRJ900s nearing technical limits and facing high maintenance and fuel costs. This immediate withdrawal eliminates ongoing losses and streamlines operations.
The approximately 2,000 employees receive transfer options to affiliates like Lufthansa City Airlines, with comparable compensation, while ground staff integrate into Lufthansa Aviation GmbH.
On long-haul fronts, Lufthansa retires all A340-600s and most 747-400s by 2027, shifting to fuel-efficient twins like additional Airbus A350-900s for Discover Airlines. The strategy consolidates capacity across six main hubs, cutting short-haul gaps while optimizing fleet complexity for competitiveness.
These steps address a weak financial quarter, high operational costs, and market pressures, prioritizing bimotores over quadjets for lower consumption and maintenance.