BERLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Lufthansa will permanently remove all 27 operational aircraft at its Lufthansa CityLine regional unit from service starting Saturday, the group announced Thursday, citing surging fuel costs and labor disputes as main reasons.
Fuel prices have more than doubled since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, while mounting labor disputes have added further pressure, Lufthansa stated.
The withdrawal of CityLine's fleet marks a key step in a capacity reduction drive, with the aircraft taken out of service due to high operating costs and aging technical capabilities.
Lufthansa's Chief Financial Officer Till Streichert said the move had previously been planned but was brought forward due to the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East.
German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that CityLine had originally been scheduled to cease operations in 2028.
Lufthansa said it will then retire six long-haul aircraft after the summer season, comprising the last four Airbus A340-600 jets and two Boeing 747-400s, and further reduce capacity in its core brand's short- and medium-haul operations by five aircraft.
Nevertheless, the group has been hit by twin labor disputes involving pilots and cabin crew, with strikes starting last Friday and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Multiple walkouts are set to continue through Friday, marking six consecutive working days of disruption. ■