Lufthansa has retired its last Airbus A340-600 after 23 years of service, closing a chapter in its long-haul fleet. Flight LH419 from Washington, D.C., landed in Frankfurt on October 19, the airline confirmed.
The final scheduled commercial service was operated by D-AIHW, carrying 267 passengers and 15 crew members. The flight lasted eight hours and five minutes, with Lufthansa board member and Frankfurt hub manager Francesco Sciortino serving as captain.
Lufthansa received its first A340-600 in November 2003 and operated 24 examples over the following two decades. According to Sciortino, the type carried more than 40 million passengers during its time with the airline.
The retirement had been announced in April as part of a wider response to higher fuel costs and operational pressures. Lufthansa Group planned to remove its remaining four A340-600s in October, alongside other capacity measures. We previously examined how fuel prices were driving its summer flight cuts.
Lufthansa expects next-generation aircraft to make up 70% of its long-haul fleet by 2028. Its renewal includes Airbus A350-1000s, additional Boeing 787-9s and Boeing 777-9s, with the latter expected next year. The A350-1000 also features in the airline’s centenary fleet, linking its anniversary programme with the shift to newer aircraft. Operating fewer aircraft types should also simplify maintenance, crew training and planning, according to the airline.
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