Lufthansa Extends A340 and A380 Use Amid Boeing, Airbus Delays
Delays in deliveries of Boeing 777-9 and Airbus A350-1000 aircraft forced Lufthansa to extend the operational life of its A340-600s until mid-2026 and its A380s until at least the end of the decade.
This measure was taken because the new models will not be available until 2027, according to Air Data News.
Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa, said that the company had never faced a problem of this magnitude in its history.
The German airline expects to receive eight new Boeing 787-9s before the end of the year and to increase its Airbus A350 fleet to 75 units by the end of the decade.
The first four deliveries of the Airbus A350-1000 are scheduled for December 2026, while the Boeing 777-9 will enter service in mid-2027.
The double-decker aircraft were originally scheduled to be retired, but high demand for long-haul flights, coupled with delays in the production of large-capacity aircraft, led the airline to reactivate their operation.
The Lufthansa Group also reported an operating profit of $1.5 billion during the third quarter of this year, a result that is in line with the solid performance of Q2 2025. The holding company also reported revenues of $12.95 billion, a 4% year-on-year increase and the strongest quarter in its history. [10/30, 7:33 p.m.] Juan Carlos Vázquez A21: A4A questions Latin American tariffs and fiscal policies for slowing growth
Balazo: Warned that measures in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia affect connectivity, contradict international agreements, and pose risks to the development of air transport
Keith Glatz, senior vice president of International Affairs at Airlines for America (A4A), expressed the organization's concern about the fare structures and tax proposals in some Latin American countries, which threaten the growth of U.S. airlines in the region.
“We want transparency, fair regulation, and full compliance with international obligations,” he said during his participation in the ALTA 2025 AGM and Airline Leaders Forum, which was held this month in Peru.
The statement is in line with the arguments used by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to revoke approval for 13 Mexican airline routes to the United States this week, as, in the regulator's opinion, our government violated a 2015 Bilateral Agreement by cutting slots at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and sending cargo to Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).
These reasons were also used to not renew the antitrust immunity of the joint venture between Aeromexico and Delta, an alliance that is set to end on January 1, although the partners have already gone to a U.S. court to prevent this.
The A4A statement directly mentions Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia as countries whose fare structures and tax proposals threaten growth.
Glatz also described these issues as anti-competitive and incompatible with Open Skies agreements and warned that such measures could harm connectivity and limit travel options for passengers.
On the other hand, the executive highlighted the progress made by US airlines in Latin America in recent years, as since 2019 service between the US and markets such as Colombia, Brazil, and El Salvador has increased, with some routes growing by more than 50%.
A4A member carriers Atlas Air, UPS, and FedEx transported more than 300,000 tons to and from Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina during the past year.
“These are truly impressive figures. They reflect the value and importance that we, as an industry, place on the region,” said Glatz.
