Lufthansa subsidiaries: Austrian, Swiss and Brussels will shrink

Lufthansa is tightening the restructuring programs in Austria and Belgium. Even the most profitable subsidiary, Swiss, has to prepare for tougher measures.

The Lufthansa Group announced a comprehensive restructuring program on Tuesday (April 7). Because the management assumes: Even if the Corona crisis is over, nothing will be the same as before. It would take years for travel to return to the pre-crisis level.

Therefore the whole group will shrink. Among other things, Lufthansa itself flies out several aircraft earlier – about six Airbus A380s and five Boeing 747-400s. The subsidiaries in Belgium, Austria and Switzerland are also affected. Restructuring was already underway at Austrian and Brussels Airlines. But according to the new assumptions of the board, these are no longer sufficient. The programs would be tightened again, he says. “Among other things, both companies are working on reducing their fleets.”

Vienna should remain as a hub

Austrian Airlines is already preparing its employees for further measures. The extent and elaboration also depended on how the crisis developed, the airline wrote in a separate message. But obviously job cuts are also to be expected. “Our goal remains to maintain as many flight connections and as many jobs as possible,” says Austrian boss Alexis von Hoensbroech.

The Austrian airline also emphasizes that the hub at Vienna Airport will continue to be maintained: “Whatever is necessary to achieve this goal, we will do,” said von Hoensbroech.

Swiss is also getting smaller

Swiss has always been the model student in Lufthansa’s airline portfolio. But it will also not be the same in Switzerland as before, according to Lufthansa. Swiss will also be a smaller airline than it was before the crisis. The fleet size will be adjusted due to the delayed delivery of ordered short and medium-haul aircraft, it is said.

In addition, one is checking to get older aircraft out earlier than originally planned. This has already happened in the last two weeks with the two remaining Airbus A319s.

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