Lufthansa Group chief executive Carsten Spohr expects the Lufthansa Classic fleet to shrink more slowly rather than return to growth, with the pace depending on whether the airline can reduce unit costs. Speaking in Frankfurt during the group’s third-quarter results discussion on 3 November, he described talks with pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit and cabin-crew union UFO as constructive, but did not announce an agreement or a change to the fleet plan.
Lower costs would mean fewer aircraft need to leave the core airline; if costs do not fall, more flying could shift to lower-cost group carriers including Lufthansa City Airlines and Discover. The discussions concern longer-term agreements for Lufthansa Classic and link staffing and fleet size to the airline’s cost base.
Lufthansa Airlines recorded a €180 million loss in the first nine months of 2026, while Swiss contributed €508 million to the network business, according to aero.de. Spohr also connected the core airline’s result to disruption from strikes earlier in the year. Strike-related costs reached €220 million year to date, including €65 million in subsequent passenger compensation costs.