Deutsche Lufthansa AG (short: Lufthansa) is the largest German airline and is based in Cologne, where it was also founded in 1926. The airline’s base is in Frankfurt. Lufthansa is founding member of the Star Alliance and is now one of the largest airlines in the world.
Subisidary companies include the low-cost carrier Germanwings, Swiss International Air Lines and the regional airline Lufthansa CityLine (Cologne to Berlin), as well as the regional airlines Eurowings, Air Dolomiti and Augsburg Airways. Other members are Contact Air and Eurowings.
Fleet
Lufthansa's fleet (including lease-out aircraft) is comprised of 739 aircraft (01.012010) and 110 pre-ordered aircraft. The fleet consists of various Airbus types (264) and the aircraft types Boeing 737-300 (33), Boeing 737-500 (30) and Boeing 747-400 (30).
History
After the war, the airline first operated under the name of "Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf“ (Luftag), later it was renamed "Deutsche Lufthansa AG". On 01.04.1955 the new Lufthansa then took up scheduled services. Since 1997, Lufthansa has been completely privatised.
The German airline Lufthansa took over the Austrian airline Austrian Airlines (AUA). By Lufthansa' s accounts it is now Europe's largest airline, bigger than its main competitor, Air France / KLM.
Network
Lufthansa’s routes include worldwide destinations and the only destinations not directly served are Australia and New Zealand. Due to the high costs of non-stop flights almost all flights have a stop over, from where the Asian Star Alliance partners operate continuing flights.
The airlines largest hub is Frankfurt airport, followed by Munich airport. Having taken over Swiss, Zurich airport is now Lufthansa's third hub and also the first foreign hub of the airline.