Editing Lufthansa (section)

=== 2020s: COVID-19 pandemic and recovery ===
[[File:Flugzeuge.Lufthansa.P1056230.jpg|thumb|right|15 aircraft of Lufthansa that are parked at [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]] on 21 March 2020 due to the cancellation of 95 percent of all flights of the airline on 19 March 2020]]On 19 March 2020, Lufthansa cancelled 95 percent of all flights due to a [[Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic|travel ban]] because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |date=19 March 2020 |title=Massive Einschnitte: Lufthansa streicht 95 Prozent der Flüge – und fordert Milliardenhilfen |url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/lufthansa-streicht-95-prozent-der-fluege-und-fordert-milliardenhilfen-a-72295369-7d85-484e-bf5a-513d37c797fc |url-status=live |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112141642/https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/lufthansa-streicht-95-prozent-der-fluege-und-fordert-milliardenhilfen-a-72295369-7d85-484e-bf5a-513d37c797fc |archive-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> Consequently, the airline incurred losses of 1 million euros per hour by April 2020. While Lufthansa reduced its costs throughout 2020, continuing health risks and travel restrictions still caused hourly losses of approximately 500,000 euros on average at the beginning of 2021.{{Cn|date=April 2025}}

On 14 May, Lufthansa Group announced that it planned to operate 1,800 weekly flights by the end of June.<ref name=LH-2020-05-14>{{cite press release |url=https://www.lufthansagroup.com/media/newsroom/north-america/2020/q2/20200514_Lufthansa_Group_significantly_expands_service_June_flight_schedule.pdf |title=Lufthansa Group significantly expands service with June flight schedule |date=14 May 2020 |publisher=Lufthansa Group |access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref> The company's recovery plans involved high-density cargo to replace paying customers.<ref name="cbcluft">{{cite news |last=Sevunts |first=Levon |date=14 May 2020 |title=Lufthansa prepares to resume flights to Canada in June |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/lufthansa-toronto-frankfurt-1.5570624 |url-status=live |publisher=[[CBC News]] |agency=[[Radio Canada International]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206054759/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/lufthansa-toronto-frankfurt-1.5570624 |archive-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> All Lufthansa Group required all passengers to wear a mask while aboard.<ref name="cbcluft" />

On 25 June, Deutsche Lufthansa AG shareholders accepted a {{currency|9 billion|EUR}} bailout, consisting of capital measures and the participation of the Economic Stabilisation Fund (WSF) of the [[Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy]].<ref>{{cite press release |date=25 June 2020 |title=Shareholders pave the way for stabilization measures |url=https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/newsroom/media-relations-north-america/news-and-releases/shareholders-pave-the-way-for-stabilization-measures.html |url-status=live |type=Press release |publisher=Lufthansa Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514163321/https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/newsroom/media-relations-north-america/news-and-releases/shareholders-pave-the-way-for-stabilization-measures.html |archive-date=14 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="fazluft">{{cite news |title=Lufthansa-Aktionäre stimmen Staatseinstieg zu |language=de |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/lufthansa-aktionaere-stimmen-staatseinstieg-zu-16832849.html |publisher=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) |date=25 June 2020 |access-date=19 December 2020 |archive-date=7 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207234204/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/lufthansa-aktionaere-stimmen-staatseinstieg-zu-16832849.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com/en/share-bonds/shareholder-structure.html |title=Shareholder structure of Lufthansa Group |access-date=19 December 2020 |archive-date=5 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105145434/https://investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com/en/share-bonds/shareholder-structure.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/corona-virus/economic-stabilisation-fund-esf.html |title=Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) |access-date=19 December 2020 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126221436/https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/corona-virus/economic-stabilisation-fund-esf.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The measures, which passed after initial opposition by principal shareholder [[Heinz Hermann Thiele]], gave the government a 20% stake in the airline.<ref name="mw23">{{cite news |title=Lufthansa set for showdown with billionaire investor Thiele over $10 billion bailout |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/lufthansa-set-for-showdown-with-billionaire-investor-thiele-over-10-billion-bailout-2020-06-22 |publisher=MarketWatch, Inc |date=23 June 2020 |access-date=25 May 2022 |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108150026/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/lufthansa-set-for-showdown-with-billionaire-investor-thiele-over-10-billion-bailout-2020-06-22 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/business/lufthansa-bailout-heinz-hermann-thiele/index.html |title='We simply don't have any money.' Lufthansa shareholders approve $10 billion bailout |first=Hanna |last=Ziady |work=[[CNN Business]] |date=25 June 2020 |publisher=Cable News Network |access-date=25 May 2022 |archive-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525163203/https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/business/lufthansa-bailout-heinz-hermann-thiele/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=25 June 2020 |title=Lufthansa bailout package overwhelmingly backed by shareholders |url=https://www.dw.com/en/lufthansa-bailout-package-overwhelmingly-backed-by-shareholders/a-53936823 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204212122/https://www.dw.com/en/lufthansa-bailout-package-overwhelmingly-backed-by-shareholders/a-53936823 |archive-date=4 February 2022}}</ref>

In January 2021, Lufthansa CEO Spohr announced that the entire currently stored [[Airbus A340-600]] fleet will be retired with immediate effect and not return to service anymore.<ref>{{cite news |date=21 January 2021 |title=Lufthansa will 2021 aus der Krise fliegen |script-title= |trans-title=Lufthansa wants to fly out of the crisis in 2021 |url=https://www.aero.de/news-38351/Lufthansa-rechnet-mit-Erholung-im-Sommer.html |url-status=live |work=aero.de |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225024648/https://www.aero.de/news-38351/Lufthansa-rechnet-mit-Erholung-im-Sommer.html |archive-date=25 December 2021}}</ref> This decision was later overturned, with several A340-600 aircraft returning to service in 2021 after several months in storage.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} In June 2021, Lufthansa said it wants to repay state aid it received during the pandemic before Germany's federal election in September 2021 if possible.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2021 |title=Lufthansa aims to repay state aid before German election – CEO |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lufthansa-aims-repay-state-aid-before-german-election-ceo-2021-06-18/ |url-status=live |work=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010032738/https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lufthansa-aims-repay-state-aid-before-german-election-ceo-2021-06-18/ |archive-date=10 October 2021}}</ref> Also in June 2021, Lufthansa said it would change its communications to adopt a more [[Gender-neutral language|gender-neutral]] and inclusive language. It will remove greetings such as "[[Salutation|Ladies and Gentlemen]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mayer |first=Christian |date=19 June 2021 |title=Warum die Lufthansa jetzt gendert |url=https://www.businessinsider.de/karriere/lufthansa-gendert-wie-die-airline-ihre-passagiere-kuenftig-ansprechen-wird-a/ |work=[[Business Insider]] |language=de-DE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202162040/https://www.businessinsider.de/karriere/lufthansa-gendert-wie-die-airline-ihre-passagiere-kuenftig-ansprechen-wird-a/ |archive-date=2 February 2022}}</ref>

In January 2022, Lufthansa admitted it had operated over 18,000 empty flights to keep airport slots during the pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |last=Turak |first=Natasha |date=13 January 2022 |title=European carriers are flying thousands of near-empty planes this winter just to keep their airport slots |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/13/european-carriers-are-flying-near-empty-planes-this-winter-to-keep-airport-slots.html |url-status=live |publisher=[[CNBC]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128164444/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/13/european-carriers-are-flying-near-empty-planes-this-winter-to-keep-airport-slots.html |archive-date=28 January 2022}}</ref>

In March 2022, Lufthansa originally confirmed that its entire [[Airbus A380]] fleet would be retired, having been in storage since early 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aero.de/news-42312/Lufthansa-loest-A380-Flotte-komplett-auf.html|website=aero.de|title=Lufthansa dissolves A380 fleet entirely|language=de|date=1 April 2022|access-date=2 April 2022|archive-date=1 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401161717/https://www.aero.de/news-42312/Lufthansa-loest-A380-Flotte-komplett-auf.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This decision was reversed in June 2022, with plans to now return up to five aircraft from storage by 2023 to be based at [[Munich Airport]]. There is also an option to return all eight remaining A380 aircraft to service by 2024, as six of formerly 14 have already been sold.<ref>[https://www.aerotelegraph.com/lufthansa-prueft-noch-mehr-airbus-a380-zurueckzubringen aerotelegraph.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630093258/https://www.aerotelegraph.com/lufthansa-prueft-noch-mehr-airbus-a380-zurueckzubringen |date=30 June 2022 }} 30 June 2022</ref>

In May 2022, [[Skytrax]] demoted Lufthansa from its aforementioned 5-star rating which it held since 2017 as the first European carrier to do so, to an overall 4-star rating.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aerotelegraph.com/lufthansa-muss-den-fuenften-stern-wieder-abgeben|website=aerotelegraph.com|date=24 June 2022|title=Lufthansa muss den fünften Stern wieder abgeben|access-date=25 June 2022|archive-date=24 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624220346/https://www.aerotelegraph.com/lufthansa-muss-den-fuenften-stern-wieder-abgeben|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023, the airline was affected by an IT glitch, leaving thousands of passengers stranded around the world. According to the German air traffic control agency, the airline's flights were redirected from Frankfurt to other airports due to an IT glitch. The issue was reportedly caused after construction work cut through fiber optic cables in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 February 2023 |title=All flights diverted from Frankfurt amid Lufthansa IT glitch |url=https://apnews.com/article/germany-frankfurt-business-beff32ae1171779dcf30aaf1948d589c |access-date=15 February 2023 |website=AP NEWS |language=en |archive-date=15 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215114017/https://apnews.com/article/germany-frankfurt-business-beff32ae1171779dcf30aaf1948d589c |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 February 2023 |title=Lufthansa: Flights cancelled and delayed after major IT failure |url=https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/02/15/lufthansa-it-failure-causes-cancellations-and-delays-for-thousands-of-passengers |access-date=15 February 2023 |website=euronews |language=en |archive-date=15 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215135208/http://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/02/15/lufthansa-it-failure-causes-cancellations-and-delays-for-thousands-of-passengers |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2023, Lufthansa Group announced an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to acquire a 41 per cent stake in [[ITA Airways]]. Part of the agreement allows Lufthansa to acquire the remaining shares at a later date. In May 2024, Lufthansa rolled out a new safety video in line with the Allegris launch.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 May 2023 |title=Lufthansa Group reaches agreement on the acquisition of 41 per cent stake in ITA Airways |url=https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/lufthansa-group-reaches-agreement-on-the-acquisition-of-41-per-cent-stake-i/ |access-date=30 May 2023 |website=breakingtravelnews.com |archive-date=30 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530131538/https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/lufthansa-group-reaches-agreement-on-the-acquisition-of-41-per-cent-stake-i/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2025, some of Lufthansa's Boeing 747 would be refitted with its Business Class seats, being splitted into half, of which the first half included new luxurious seats, while the other half would still have the original first class seats.<ref name="Boeing 747s">{{cite web |last1=Cabin |first1=Lufthansa |title=Lufthansa Confirms Premium Passengers On Boeing 747s Will Have to Fight For Latest Business Class Seats That Will Only Fill Half The Cabin |url=https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2025/02/11/lufthansa-confirms-premium-passengers-on-boeing-747s-will-have-to-fight-for-latest-busniess-class-seats-that-will-only-fill-half-the-cabin |website=PYOK |access-date=2025-02-13}}</ref>