The Lufthansa Group continues its fleet modernisation, with the airline’s board authorising the purchase of further Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Boeing 737-10 in Boeing house colours – Image, The Boeing Company, Supplied by Lufthansa
The Supervisory Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG has approved the exercise of options for 20 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft. The rights were secured as part of a 2023 order for 40 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which included a total of 60 purchase options for additional aircraft from the Boeing 737 MAX family.
According to the airline, delivery of the newly ordered Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft is scheduled to begin in the early 2030s.
By exercising the first 20 options, Lufthansa Group further strengthens its long-term capacity planning.
The new aircraft are intended to gradually replace older Airbus A320 family aircraft that are used across the Group.
The Boeing 737 MAX 10 is the largest member of the Boeing 737 MAX family, which is currently in the process of being certified. The type provides greater seating capacity than the Boeing 737 MAX 8 already on order.
Compared to the older aircraft it is intended to replace, the Boeing 737 MAX 10 consumes around 30 percent less fuel. At the same time, its higher seating capacity reduces unit costs by approximately 20 percent. The new aircraft will therefore make an important contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions and further improving efficiency on European routes.
The order, with a list value of approximately USD 3.4 billion, forms part of Lufthansa Group’s ongoing fleet modernisation program.
It seems that Lufthansa Group has run the numbers and has chosen to go for the larger 737-10 for passenger services, as it seeks to remove older aircraft, and securing aircraft to support that growth in the future.
The first 737-8s have home with Eurowings in the first instance, with Lufthansa mainline last operating the 737 classic (737-300 and 737-500) in 2016.
Given the capacity that the 737-10s will offer, there will be the need to ensure they’re on trunk services that can fill these aircraft regularly.
We’llsee how that pans out when these aircraft start arriving in the 2030s.
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