Coronavirus forces Lufthansa to take down more flights

Airlines are cutting capacity now beyond China

(Photo Credit: Lufthansa)

Deutsche Lufthansa AG is moving rapidly to reduce costs and preserve cash flow as the coronavirus outbreak widens to more countries. 

Three days after announcing a series of expense reductions, Lufthansa on Friday said group companies would reduce short-haul operations by up to 25% in the coming weeks, reduce long-haul flight schedules and park 23 long-haul aircraft (up from 13 already sidelined). The company said it is also contemplating whether to reduce working hours in certain areas.

As previously reported, Lufthansa has instituted a hiring freeze, offered reduced work hours on a voluntary basis, and scaled back training for new employees.  

Earlier today, United Airlines suspended many flights to Japan, Singapore and South Korea as the economic threat of the coronavirus extends beyond China. International airlines have virtually eliminated flights to mainland China in the past month, but are now being forced to pare capacity elsewhere in Asia because people are afraid of traveling.

(Read more about United, Hawaiian and Delta airlines’ schedule adjustments and how that’s drying up airfreight capacity in “United Airlines slashes Asia flights as coronavirus spreads,” which posted earlier today.)

There are more than 80,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,800 deaths so far associated with the flu-like disease.

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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com