In response to booming demand for jet service, Lufthansa Private Jet (LPJ) service is developing its own private jet fleet. The LPJ fleet will feature nine aircraft from Cessna and Bombardier with the first, a Cessna Citation CJ3, due for delivery in March. The rest of the fleet is slated for delivery in the following months. The need for the new fleet was apparent after one glance at LPJ's stats, which revealed a 26-percent increase in use last year from its inaugural year in 2005. In addition to operating its own private jet fleet, Lufthansa will coordinate with two to three certified partners to ensure its ability to respond to demand peaks. This will include current partner DC Aviation (DCA), which Lufthansa enlisted in December 2007 after ceasing its cooperation with original partner NetJets.
Lufthansa is also expected to expand it route significantly by this summer, adding nearly 40 new routes. The new flights, 37 to be exact, will travel to 15 new destinations. For China, the airline is introducing the first flights by a European carrier to Nanjing from Frankfurt and to Shenyang from Munich. Also, two new destinations in Africa, Malabo in Equatorial Guinea and Luanda in Angolaare, slated along with 28 new nonstop connections in Europe. For more full flight information, visit www.lufthansa.com. (JP)