FRANKFURT – The German airline Lufthansa is facing a significant decision regarding its daily connection from Frankfurt am Main to Beijing. Given the declining demand and rising operating costs, the company is considering discontinuing this route.

The challenges for European airlines in the Chinese market are diverse and complex. In addition to decreasing passenger demand, geopolitical tensions, particularly sanctions against Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine, further complicate the situation. These sanctions have led to Russia closing its airspace to most European airlines.

While some carriers like Turkish Airlines and the Gulf lines Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways can still use Russian airspace, Lufthansa is forced to choose a southern detour route. This diversion extends the flight time by about two hours and leads to higher operating costs, especially since the route is currently served by an older model of the Airbus A340-300. This four-engine jet is known for its high kerosene consumption, which further increases the costs for the detour.

Despite these challenges, Lufthansa maintains the connection from Munich to Beijing. The decision to abandon the Frankfurt-Beijing route reflects the current economic and political landscape that shapes the aviation industry and forces companies to continuously adapt their strategies to remain competitive in the global market. (zai)