Lufthansa has temporarily deployed four Airbus A350-900s to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), with two more set to follow, in response to aircraft delivery delays.
On April 1, 2025, the CEO of Lufthansa Jens Ritter said the shift to Frankfurt was needed as the airline moves into its summer flight schedule.
According to Lufthansa, the Airbus A350-900s have been in service on routes to Seoul and Shanghai since March 30, 2025, and flights to Denver and Seattle will begin from May 1 and July 1, 2025, respectively.
“With the temporary deployment of A350 aircraft from Frankfurt, we are closing a gap caused by delayed aircraft deliveries. Lufthansa’s state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft offer an improved travel experience from Frankfurt until new long-haul aircraft are delivered,” said Ritter.
The Lufthansa boss added: “Over the next 36 months, Lufthansa is expecting the largest fleet renewal in its history. By the end of 2027, 61 new aircraft are scheduled to be added to the fleet. This means an average of one new aircraft every two weeks.”
The airline said that passengers flying from Frankfurt Airport will now be able to fly to a number of international destinations on the Airbus A350-900.
In March 2025, Lufthansa Group published its financial results for the year, describing the period as a “year of two halves” restrained by aircraft delivery delays.
“In the first six months, we still had to cope with a significant decline in operating profit – due, among other things, to strikes, delayed aircraft deliveries and operational challenges at our hubs,” said Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa.
According to ch-aviation, Lufthansa is currently awaiting delivery of 15 Airbus A350-1000s and 14 A350-900s.
The airline’s other widebody orders yet to be delivered include 34 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 21 777-9s.
It is expected that Lufthansa will take delivery of the first Boeing 777-9, which forms part of the 777X program alongside the smaller 777-8.
