by Lufthansa Flyer | Mar 17, 2017 | Featured, Lufthansa, Route Announcements |
Before Spring ever arrives (at least north of the Equator), LH is already looking to the end of the year and has tweaked aircraft assignments on a handful of long-haul routes. This of course is done primarily because of demand shifts based on the season as well as maintenance schedules for certain aircraft types.
The changes are as follows:
- Frankfurt – Atlanta beginning October 29 will see the A343.
- Frankfurt – Bangkok effective October 28 will see the A380 instead of the 744.
- Frankfurt – Chennai effective October 29 will see the 343.
- Frankfurt – Dallas effective October 29 will see a mix of the A333 and A343.
- Frankfurt – Hong Kong effective October 29 will see the 747-8i instead of the A380.
- Frankfurt – Male effective November 1 will see the A333 in stead of the A343.
- Frankfurt – Philadelphia effective October 29 will see the A343.
- Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro effective October 28 will see the 747 instead of the 747-8i.
Source: Lufthansa Schedule Management
by Lufthansa Flyer | Mar 16, 2017 | Featured, Lufthansa, Strike, Vereinigung Cockpit |
Lufthansa has announced that it has reach an agreement with Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) that will finally put pilots under contract with a new labor deal. This announcement comes on the heels of negotiations that had taken place between LH, VC and an outside mediator in February 2017.
This finally puts to rest a labor squabble that has lasted since 2014 and has cost Lufthansa €500 million and forced passengers to endure 14 strikes.
Though minor details are yet to be worked out, the sides agreed to the following key points:
- Lufthansa will NOT outsource jobs to pilots who are not covered under the new agreement. Previously, LH suggested that up to 40 aircraft could be manned by cockpit crew that would be exempt from any labor agreement.
- Pilots will receive a pay increase of 11.2% retroactive to 2012 and prorated through 2022. They will also get a one time bonus of 1.8x their monthly salary.
- Lufthansa has promised to maintain a minimum fleet size of 325 aircraft, thus ensuring opportunities for hiring new pilots to enter Lufthansa’s Pilot Training Program, as well as creating opportunities for advancement of current pilots to move on to flying larger aircraft as their careers develop. The target of 325 aircraft needs to be reached or maintained by 2022.
- Lufthansa will be able to recharacterize the pension liabilities currently on it’s balance sheet. This accounting maneuver will result in an improved balance sheet to the tune of 100s of millions of Euros and be accretive to Lufthansa’s balance sheet for 2017. Pilots have agreed to convert their pension to a Defined Benefit Plan.
Once the deal is voted on and approved by pilots, it will be in force until May 2022.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Mar 14, 2017 | A350, Boston, Featured, Lufthansa |
As luck (or bad luck) would have it, passengers scheduled to fly from Munich to Boston (and back) tomorrow had their flights cancelled due to the Blizzard bearing down on the Northeast corridor of the US. What makes it worse was the fact that tomorrow’s flight from Munich was also the first flight of Lufthansa’s A350 to the USA.
Lufthansa’s A350 departing Munich
With Lufthansa cancelling all flights to and from Boston, New York, Newark, and Philadelphia due to the weather on March 14, the debut of the LH A350 in the USA will have to wait until Wednesday, March 15. Hopefully not too many ‘Avgeeks’ were lined up to be on this inaugural event!
Related:
A350 Roll-In Event Celebration
A350 Gallery
