Lufthansa Cargo’s fleet of four Airbus A321 freighters has been temporarily grounded following the Lufthansa Group’s decision to remove Lufthansa CityLine’s 27 operational aircraft from service with immediate effect.
The German group announced the move as part of a broader package of measures designed to address mounting cost pressures and labour disruption affecting its domestic operations. Since Lufthansa CityLine had been operating the four A321 freighters on behalf of Lufthansa Cargo, the decision has also led to the temporary grounding of those aircraft.
In a statement to Air Cargo News, Lufthansa Cargo said its European network remains a critical part of global supply chains and stressed that both the cargo division and the Lufthansa Group are fully aware of that responsibility. The company added that it will now work with the group to identify a solution that allows this cargo capacity to return to the market as quickly as possible.
The grounding is part of a wider restructuring response announced by Lufthansa, which cited sharply rising kerosene prices — now reportedly more than double pre-Iran war levels — alongside increased burdens linked to labour disputes.
The wider package also includes plans to remove four Airbus A340-600 aircraft and two Boeing 747-400 aircraft from the fleet in October, as well as further consolidating short- and medium-haul traffic across the group’s six hubs.
Lufthansa Group chief financial officer Till Streichert described the accelerated implementation of fleet and capacity measures as unavoidable given the surge in fuel costs and ongoing geopolitical instability. He noted that the prospective removal of CityLine had already formed part of the group’s strategic direction, regardless of the current crisis, but said the situation had forced Lufthansa to bring that move forward. He also acknowledged that the decision is particularly painful for Lufthansa CityLine employees.
