Jürgen Weber: Investment strengthens Lufthansa`s position in future market
At its meeting in Frankfurt, the Lufthansa Supervisory Board has approved an Executive Board proposal that orders be placed for fifteen Airbus A 380-800 superjumbos. “With this decision, we are signalling a future-oriented investment, which will help strengthen Lufthansa`s position long term in international competition,” said Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Jürgen Weber after the Supervisory Board meeting. The anti-cyclical decision amid the present crisis in the air traffic industry constitutes a strategic investment.
The first of the super jumbos are scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2007. The size of this new aircraft generation will substantially impact profitability in flight operations, said Weber. “The A380 allows per-seat costs to be reduced by between 15 and 20 per cent.”

Long cooperation between Lufthansa and Airbus Industrie facilitated agreement between the two on contractual details, which made it possible for the airline to make its buy decision now despite the difficult economic situation. A decision on the powerplants for the A380 jets will be taken later.
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