The Lufthansa Group is continuing with the modernization of its aircraft fleet in 2015. Following a nine-hour transfer flight from Seattle to its future home airport in Frankfurt, the newest “Queen of the Skies” joined Lufthansa’s jumbo fleet, replacing an older Boeing 747-400, which is being decommissioned.
Lufthansa’s 16th Boeing 747-8, whose tail number is D-ABYR, is one of four brand-new aircraft of this type that Lufthansa will acquire in 2015. Over the coming months, the state-of-the-art jets will arrive in Frankfurt one by one like a string of pearls. As well as the four Boeing 747-8s, Lufthansa will take delivery of two Airbus A380s, ten aircraft from the A320 family and a Boeing 777F freighter for Lufthansa Cargo.
After its cabin has been fitted by Lufthansa Technik in Frankfurt and it has obtained its operating certificate, the “Yankee Romeo” will enter scheduled service in mid-February. Its first destination is expected to be New York.
The capital expenditure on a Boeing 747-8 long-haul aircraft with the latest technology and top travel comfort totals more than USD 360m at list prices.
The arrival of the new aircraft in the Lufthansa Group’s fleet will mean a clear reduction in the noise emissions and kerosene consumption of the aircraft in use. The Boeing 747-8, for example, is much more eco-efficient: With their state-of-the-art engines, these aircraft consume less kerosene and improve the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions per passenger by 15 per cent, while their noise footprint is 30 per cent lower.
The Lufthansa Group’s aircraft fleet is currently undergoing a fundamental renewal. Following the aircraft orders placed in recent years, the Group has more than 263 brand-new aircraft on order with a list value of approximately EUR 37bn. These are to be delivered by 2025.
