Lufthansa Group to scrap 4.000 jobs

The Lufthansa Group has announced that it will cut 4.000 jobs at the company by 2030, with the goal of reaching an operational profit of between 8 and 10 percent.

Lufthansa set to make mass layoffs

The Lufthansa Group has announced that it will cut 4.000 jobs by 2030. Announcing the plan in Munich, the company said that existing jobs would be digitised, automated, or consolidated to increase profits.

The cuts mean that the Lufthansa Group’s various subsidiaries, including Swiss, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines, will be managed more centrally.

Europe’s largest air transport company currently has around 103.000 employees and has an operational profit goal of 8 percent per year, which will be increased to between 8 and 10 percent.

Despite inflation and the cost of maintaining ageing fleets, 2024 saw Lufthansa make an operating profit of 1,6 billion euros. The final figure was significantly over the company's estimations for the year.

Lufthansa pilots voting on whether to strike

Pilots working at Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo, who are part of the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) trade union, are also voting on whether to strike, but not due to the mass layoffs.

On behalf of 4.800 pilots, VC is demanding that Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo increase their share of contributions to the company pension. After seven unsuccessful rounds of negotiations, the trade union called on employees to vote on whether to strike, and the ballot is set to close on September 30.

The unions need a 70 percent majority to go ahead with industrial action, and abstentions are counted as “no” votes. During previous negotiations, VC has given airlines an opportunity to submit a new offer after the vote.