Lufthansa Goes Green

Lufthansa’s commitment to sustainability continues. Just yesterday, the airline presented the latest edition of its sustainability report, Balance 2011. The report detailed how the airline group managed to reduce its fuel consumption as well as introduce 47 new and more efficient aircraft to its fleet in 2010.
 
Lufthansa CEO and Chairman Christoph Franz, said: “Sustainability is an issue that sets Lufthansa apart from its competitors and is without a doubt an important—if not the key—differentiating factor. We offer sustainable mobility, and our achievements to date prove this. Despite all the negative impacts, we achieved ecological, economic and social improvements in 2010.”

In 2010, the Lufthansa Group’s specific consumption fell to a historic low of 56 miles per gallon, largely as a result of the company’s ongoing fleet modernization policy. In 2010, the group introduced 47 new and efficient aircraft to its fleet. The new Airbus A380, which entered service with Lufthansa exactly one year ago, is fulfilling all expectations. The average specific fuel consumption of the A380 is about 70 miles per gallon.

This year, Lufthansa will also launch the first long-term worldwide trial of biofuels during scheduled flight operations. Over a six-month period, tests will be conducted on eight flights per day with an Airbus A321, one of the engines of which will run on a 50-50 mix of biofuel and traditional kerosene.

These eco-friendly efforts are nothing new for Lufthansa. Once a month since December 2004, a Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 has taken off with a fully automated research laboratory onboard to conduct regular investigations of the earth’s atmosphere.

This summer, the airline will also begin replacing its previous trolley equipment with the new Quantum Light Weight Trolley. The new model will not only ease the work process for flight attendants but will also have a positive ecological impact. The introduction of the Quantum trolley, which is one third lighter than its predecessor, will save about 9,000 tonnes of kerosene and 28,350 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

The new trolleys have already proved their value on board and successfully completed the in-flight test phase. They will be introduced gradually until mid-2014 on all Lufthansa’s long-haul intercontinental flights.

Visit www.lufthansa.com.