COVID-19: Lufthansa Warns of Subdued Demand

Lufthansa has warned that demand for travel could be subdued for another four years

Lufthansa has warned that travel demand is unlikely to rebound to pre-Covid levels until 2024.

The airline said the collapse in demand saw its passenger numbers fall 96% between April and June, leading to an 80% decline in second-quarter revenue to €1.9 billion.

Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said: “We are experiencing a caesura (pause) in global air traffic.

“We do not expect demand to return to pre-crisis levels before 2024. Especially for long-haul routes there will be no quick recovery.

“We are convinced that the entire aviation industry must adapt to a new normal,” she added. “The pandemic offers our industry a unique opportunity to recalibrate: to question the status quo and, instead of striving for ‘growth at any price’, to create value in a sustainable and responsible way.”

news