Lufthansa Cargo Expands Its Intra-European Route Network

Starting in October 2022, Lufthansa Cargo will offer its customers additional freight capacities in the medium-haul network using specially converted Airbus A321 freighters. The first cargo flight of this type took off in March 2022 from Frankfurt to Dublin. Due to positive market feedback and sustained high demand from the eCommerce and same-day sectors, a second aircraft of this type will enter scheduled service in October.

(Frankfurt) Currently, the second A321F with the registration D-AEUA is undergoing conversion in Singapore. The twin-engine, technologically advanced narrow-body aircraft is powerful and fuel-efficient. It is identical to the first A321 freighter (D-AEUC, ‘Hello Europe’) that was put into service by Lufthansa Cargo: It offers a total payload of 28 tons across 14 pallet and container positions on the main deck and ten in the lower deck. This allows Lufthansa Cargo to further expand its presence with the well-known service and product quality in the fast-growing eCommerce segment.

Just like the first A321F, the second aircraft will be stationed at the Frankfurt hub and operated by Lufthansa CityLine under a wet lease. Both A321Fs will operate under the flight number of Lufthansa Cargo. Lufthansa CityLine, as a group company, has been intensively working on the technical and operational preparation of the first two converted aircraft of this type in Germany over the past months. New destinations in the intra-European network include Birmingham (BHX), London (LHR), and Madrid (MAD). Existing destinations Istanbul (IST), Tel Aviv (TLV), Malta (MLA), Tunis (TUN), Dublin (DUB), Manchester (MAN), and Cairo (CAI) will continue to be served, while Istanbul and Tel Aviv will receive additional frequencies.

“I am very pleased with the expansion of our A321 route network and freighter capacity. In addition to our B777F and belly capacities, we can now offer even shorter transport times within Europe and to selected medium-haul destinations. For example, we will offer daily flights to Birmingham and Dublin on weekdays, allowing our customers to establish reliable, scalable, and fast supply chains. Our goal is to build a European same-day and eCommerce network, establishing Lufthansa Cargo as a leading European cargo airline and service partner in the market. In addition to the high-quality standards of Lufthansa Cargo, the A321 freighter is a very flexible aircraft that allows us to create tailored networks and solutions for our customers,” says Ashwin Bhat, Chief Commercial Officer of Lufthansa Cargo.

In light of the dynamic and promising trends in the eCommerce segment, Lufthansa Cargo continues to focus on growth in the European medium-haul network: Two more A321 freighters are expected in the first half of 2023. This will double Lufthansa Cargo’s A321F capacities in the future, and the company aims to deploy these aircraft according to the specific needs of its customers.

Photo: © Lufthansa Cargo