Lufthansa Cargo will reduce its services after experiencing weaker than expected demand - and will adjust its schedule in order to reduce its offering for the second and third quarters.
The company has said the services affected will range “across the entire flight programme” and will "will allow the company to ensure profitable load factors", as well as a continued deployment of its aircraft at optimum levels, the company said.
“We have traditionally taken a flexible approach to the flight programme for our freighter fleet to suit customer requirements. This has allowed us to respond quickly to normalising demand in the market so that our operations remain cost-effective”, said Peter Gerber, CEO and chairman of the executive board of Lufthansa Cargo AG. “We will continue to closely observe market developments and to flexibly adapt our supply in line with demand.”
The company has also said that its regional Lufthansa Cargo offices will inform their customers of the changes in good time.
The mid-year adjustment to the flights offered is also in keeping with the planned rollover from the MD-11F freighter to the Boeing 777F jet.
The company added that changes to the schedule will also pave the way for the final withdrawal from service of initially two MD-11F freighters by the end of the year.